In a moment of impulse, I forcibly kissed my brother's best friend.

Xie Wanqing ignored her polite words and went straight to the point: "If I hadn't come, you would have sold my future daughter-in-law."

Zhang Yinyin's expression changed, and her smile froze on her face: "Mother-in-law, what are you saying? Our Xie family will definitely marry our best daughter into your Zhou family."

As she spoke, she gently pushed Xie Qingcheng forward: "This is my eldest daughter, Qingcheng. She has been taught by famous teachers since childhood. She is proficient in needlework, household management, music, chess, calligraphy and painting. She and Xuan An have more in common, and they will surely have a harmonious marriage in the future."

She smiled at Xie Wanqing: "Mother-in-law, what do you think?"

"Are you treating my son like an object, giving him to whichever daughter you want? Going back on your word, substituting one thing for another?" Xie Wanqing slammed her hand on the table and roared.

"Why is my mother-in-law so angry?" Zhang Yinyin suppressed her displeasure and raised her chin. "Our Xie family is, after all, a prominent clan from the Chenjun Xie family. It's already an honor for you to have our eldest daughter marry into your Zhou family."

"You think you're worthy of mentioning the Xie clan of Chenjun? You're just a distant relative, separated by five degrees of kinship and three thousand miles. You don't even deserve a seat!" Xie Wanqing laughed, but the smile didn't reach her eyes.

Otherwise, how could she not even recognize Xie Wanqing? She is the legitimate daughter of the Xie family of Chenjun. Even if she faked her death and eloped, she would not be so low as to be bullied by a collateral branch.

Zhang Yinyin's face turned pale.

These words struck a nerve. Indeed, their branch of the Xie family in Chenjun could never even see the head of the family, and every year during ancestral worship, they could only kneel and worship from afar with other clansmen.

"We, the Xie family of Chenjun," she said, forcing herself to maintain her composure, "are not a place for an outsider like you to interfere!"

"I'm talking about your shameless Donglin Xie family," Xie Wanqing said, enunciating each word clearly, "what does this have to do with the Chenjun Xie family?"

She took a step forward, staring into Zhang Yinyin's eyes: "Just one sentence. Our Zhou family only wants your second daughter, Xie Wanrou. In addition, I can add twenty more loads of betrothal gifts."

Zhang Yinyin's eyes lit up.

Twenty loads!

"Otherwise," Xie Wanqing's voice grew even colder, "this marriage between the Zhou and Xie families is off."

The struggle on Zhang Yinyin's face lasted only a moment.

"My dear in-law, what are you saying?" She immediately put on a smiling face. "The one our Xie family was meant to marry into Xuan'an with has always been Wanrou. This... must be a misunderstanding, a misunderstanding!"

Xie Yige watched from the side, feeling nauseous. To avoid any unforeseen complications, she quickly whispered a few words to her mother. Xie Wanqing then changed the subject, "However, the marriage between the two families needs to be moved up. The 28th of this month is an auspicious day; let's set the wedding for that day, what do you say?"

"This..." Zhang Yinyin hesitated, "Isn't this too hasty?"

Xie Qingcheng's expression changed drastically: "Mother!"

"Our family has made all the necessary preparations in advance for Wanrou's wedding," Xie Wanqing said firmly. "This is the day we must have. Madam Xie?"

She spoke the last three words slowly and heavily, with a clear threat in them.

Zhang Yinyin looked at Xie Wanqing, then thought of the twenty loads of betrothal gifts, gritted her teeth and nodded: "Okay, I agree."

"Mother!" Xie Qingcheng cried out anxiously.

Xie Wanqing gave Xie Qingcheng a cold look and added.

"But let me make this clear beforehand: if my daughter-in-law is in any way unwell when she's brought into the Zhou family, I will take back the betrothal gifts." She paused, staring at Zhang Yinyin. "Furthermore, I will announce to the whole city that your Xie family has broken your promise, that the stepmother has bullied the illegitimate daughter, and that you've tried to arrange a marriage between two families! I want to see if, after this incident, the rest of your Xie family's daughters will still be able to get married!"

Zhang Yinyin's face twitched, and she forced a smile as she replied, "Of course. I'm too busy doting on Wanrou to think about anything else."

"Madam Xie is indeed a 'good mother'," Xie Wanqing said sarcastically, turning to her daughter, "Yige, let's go."

"Wait a minute," Xie Yige stepped forward and said to Zhang Yinyin, "Madam Xie, now that the wedding date has been set, may I go and visit Sister Wanrou now?"

Zhang Yinyin's eyes flickered: "Wanrou... caught a cold during the Lantern Festival a few days ago and shouldn't see any guests."

She paused, then vowed, "But I guarantee that on the twenty-eighth day, the bride delivered to your esteemed household will be a healthy and beautiful new bride!"

Xie Wanqing gave her a deep look: "That's for the best."

She then took her daughter's hand and turned to leave.

As soon as the two stepped out of the Xie residence, they heard a loud crash from inside—the sound of porcelain shattering.

Then came Xie Qingcheng's piercing scream, "Why?! She's just a lowly concubine's daughter, why should she marry Brother Xuan'an! Mother, you promised me!"

Then came Zhang Yinyin's icy voice: "This is your fate, and you must accept it. From this day forward, you are not allowed to set foot in your sister's yard again."

The footsteps faded into the distance.

Xie Yige stood outside the door, the spring breeze blowing on her face, but she felt a chill in her heart.

She glanced back at the tall gate of the Xie residence and gripped her mother's hand tightly.

"Mother," she said softly, "we have to find a way to see my sister-in-law one more time."

Xie Wanqing patted the back of her hand, her eyes calm: "Don't worry. Since Mother promised on the 28th of the first lunar month, she won't let anything go wrong."

The next morning, a blue-curtained carriage stopped at the entrance of Donglin Academy.

Xie Yige hurriedly got out of the car with Yu Chun's help. Her pale yellow dress made her face look even paler, but her eyes were bright.

As soon as I looked up, I saw that sky-blue figure, and my heart skipped a beat.

Cui Yutang walked in from the corridor, holding a book. The morning light fell on his handsome profile.

Their eyes met. His beautiful phoenix eyes became even deeper and more profound. He looked at her slender figure, her hair simply tied up, her eyebrows arched like willow branches swaying in the breeze, even more beautiful than Xi Shi.

The next second, his gaze fell on the carriage behind her.

Zhou Xuan'an strode out of the academy and headed straight for Xie Yige.

"Yige, what brings you here?" Zhou Xuan'an held her arm, his tone concerned. "You've only just started to feel better, why are you running around outside?"

"It's urgent, let's talk in the car," Xie Yige said in a low voice, her voice slightly hoarse.

Zhou Xuan'an nodded, his hand firmly supporting her elbow as he helped her into the carriage. Before the curtain fell, Xie Yige couldn't help but glance at Cui Yutang again. For some reason, she felt that his tall figure exuded a deep loneliness in the morning light.

Cui Yutang stood there, watching the carriage disappear. The morning breeze ruffled the hem of his sky-blue robe. His face was paler than usual, and a thin layer of frost seemed to settle between his brows.

Xie Yige regained her composure and, as soon as she sat down, said, "Brother, something has happened to sister-in-law."

Zhou Xuan'an's heart tightened: "What's going on?"

"The Zhang family wants to arrange a marriage in lieu of marriage," Xie Yige recounted what she had seen and heard yesterday. "She wants Xie Qingcheng to marry in her place, so that her sister-in-law can marry a dissolute young man from the Du family."

"She dares!" Zhou Xuan'an's expression changed drastically, and he slammed his fist on the carriage wall. "Back then, Wanrou's mother was murdered by Zhang Shi! A perfectly legitimate daughter was demoted to a concubine's daughter! Now she wants to be remarried? Dream on!"

Xie Yige angrily said, "Her father is even worse. If he cares about his cousin, why did he marry his sister-in-law's mother? Wasn't it just because he coveted the dowry! He and Zhang are a wolf and a dog!"