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

"I had the kitchen make these specially, they're small so they won't ruin your lip rouge." She carefully picked one up and held it under the red veil. "Try it."

Xie Wanrou seemed to be stunned for a moment before reaching out from under her veil to gently take the rice ball and eat it in small bites.

Suddenly, another hand reached out and grabbed Xie Yige's hand before she could retract it, holding it tightly.

"Yige..." A suppressed, choked voice came from under the veil, "Thank you... That day, if you and Mother hadn't come, I'm afraid I would have..."

"Sister-in-law," Xie Yige grasped her slightly cool, trembling fingers in return, her voice gentle yet firm, "Today is your joyous day, let's not talk about these things. From now on, we are family, and no one will be able to bully you anymore."

She picked up another rice ball: "Eat one more, save some energy." Then she whispered in her ear: "You still have to deal with your brother's antics tonight."

Xie Wanrou blushed, and her veil swayed.

"Mmm," she replied softly, taking the second rice ball.

Watching from the side, Tingyu and Yuchun couldn't help but smile.

After Xie Yige left the bridal chamber, she did not immediately return to the women's section, but quietly went around to the adjoining hall next to the front hall.

This area is separated from the main banquet hall only by a large carved sandalwood screen. Through the exquisite openwork gaps, one can clearly see the bustling scene of people clinking glasses and making noise outside.

She held her breath, leaned closer to the gap, and her eyes darted anxiously among the guests in the room.

Around the main table on the east side sat the academy's headmaster, several highly respected teachers, and many young students dressed in moon-white academy robes. Her heart quickened as she carefully examined each of them—

No.

She looked again carefully, not even missing the person sitting in the corner, half-hidden by a pillar.

Still, he was nowhere to be seen.

My heart sank little by little.

Xie Yige stood behind the screen, and even after the last group of guests had left and the servants began to clean up the remaining dishes, she still couldn't find the person she wanted to see.

The next day, the bride served tea.

Xie Wanrou changed into a slightly more casual bright red dress and served tea to her parents-in-law, who were seated at the head of the table.

Xie Yige took the opportunity to gently tug at her brother's sleeve.

Zhou Xuan'an understood, and they left the side hall one after the other, walking to a quiet spot under the corridor.

"Brother," Xie Yige said in a low voice, "why didn't your roommate come to your wedding banquet yesterday?"

Upon hearing this, Zhou Xuan'an paused, looked up at his sister, and asked, "Brother Yutang? He's ill and was taken back to the capital by his family yesterday."

Xie Yige's face turned deathly pale in an instant: "Sick? When did this happen?"

"It was just a few days ago." Zhou Xuan'an frowned, looking worried. He didn't really know what happened; he was perfectly fine before he left the academy.

Zhou Xuan'an looked at her suddenly pale face, and a cloud of doubt arose in his heart. He took a half step forward and carefully examined his sister's expression. "Yi Ge, what... what's wrong? Why are you so concerned about Brother Yu Tang?"

"I...I didn't..." Xie Yige suddenly came to her senses, hurriedly avoiding her brother's probing gaze. "I...I just asked casually. After all, he's your roommate and best friend. I...I only know him, so naturally I asked a question."

This reason is really far-fetched; even she herself sounded guilty.

Before Zhou Xuan'an could ask any more questions, she hurriedly turned around and said, "I'm going back to my room first. Brother, you...you should spend more time with your sister-in-law."

"Yige!" Zhou Xuan'an called to her from behind.

She seemed not to hear him, her pace quickening until she was almost running while lifting her skirt.

Zhou Xuan'an stood there, looking in the direction where his sister had disappeared, his brows furrowed, and the vague doubts in his heart grew stronger.

With a muffled bang, the door to the embroidered tower was slammed shut.

Xie Yige leaned against the cold, heavy door panel, feeling utterly exhausted as she slowly slid down to sit.

Tears welled up unexpectedly, instantly blurring her vision. She bit her lip to stop herself from crying out loud, but her shoulders trembled uncontrollably.

he's gone.

On the day of her brother's wedding, when she was hoping to see him one last time, he passed away quietly, alone and ill.

Countless questions clashed wildly in my mind, but there wasn't a single answer.

Only her chest felt empty and painful, yet heavy and suffocating, making it almost impossible for her to breathe.

"Master...Master, don't cry..." Dudu's weak voice echoed in her mind.

"He's gone..." Xie Yige buried her face in her knees. "I didn't know anything... I didn't even know he was sick..."

"Master, tonight... I'll help you enter his dream, okay?"

Xie Yige suddenly looked up, her eyes blurry with tears: "We're so far apart... is that okay?"

"Yes, it's possible." Dudu's voice was firm, yet it also betrayed a hint of weakness.

"I want to see him." She raised her hand and forcefully wiped away her tears.

Darkness descends.

"Master, concentrate...think of him..." The beeping sound faded into the distance, like sinking into deep water.

Then, the icy, bone-chilling seawater surged in from all directions, instantly engulfing her.

She seemed to be swaying slowly at the bottom of the pitch-black water, the water flowing over her body, bringing a chill that went deep into her bones. There was absolute silence and absolute darkness all around, no direction, no end, only a suffocating oppression.

In the endless darkness below, a heavy shadow was falling.

His sky-blue robes billowed in the water, his long hair swayed like seaweed, entwining his pale, lifeless face. His body was tightly bound and dragged by thick, inky black mist, heading towards a deeper, colder abyss.

She tried to shout, but no sound came out. She tried to swim towards him, but to no avail. She could only watch helplessly as the azure figure grew smaller and darker until it was completely swallowed by the endless darkness.

"Cui Yutang—!"

Xie Yige suddenly sat up in bed, her inner clothes soaked with cold sweat. She gasped for breath, her heart pounding wildly in her chest, causing her excruciating pain.

Outside the window, the sky was already tinged with a hazy gray-white.

"Miss?" Bitao was startled by the noise and her appearance. "You...you had a nightmare?"

Xie Yige nodded blankly, her throat tightening, unable to speak for a moment.

"I'll fetch a basin of cold water for you to apply to your eyes."

Xie Yige hugged her knees tightly and buried her face in them.

What's wrong with him?

It was a rare occasion for the family of five to all gather together for breakfast.

During the meal, Zhou Kaizhi wore a dark blue straight-cut robe, which made him look even more elegant. He diligently served food to his wife, adopting an extremely humble posture.

He was placing a piece of tender bamboo shoot into Xie Wanqing's bowl with his chopsticks, his tone gentle: "Wanqing, try this. It was just delivered from the estate this morning; it's very fresh and tender."

"Stir-fried bamboo shoots with pork are even more tender, would you like to try some?" Xie Wanqing glared at him.