That year, Xue Cen still had a touch of youthfulness about him, appearing gentle and refined.

He paid his respects to General Yu at the front steps, conversing amicably with his good friend Yu Huanchen, yet his gaze kept unconsciously drifting to the corridor, following that graceful and enchanting figure.

“What are you looking at?”

Yu Huanchen followed his line of sight, then casually draped an arm around Xue Cen’s shoulder and gave him a playful shake, deliberately teasing, “Listen, you’re already betrothed to my eldest sister, so why do your eyes only see my second sister? You rascal, you can’t be eyeing another dish while eating from your bowl!”

“Yu Huanchen!”

Yu Xinyi despised when others joked about this matter. Angered, she struck the stone table and coldly scoffed, “Try talking nonsense again? Who’s betrothed to that bookworm!”

Xue Cen had a good temperament. Smiling, he shook his head and freed himself from Yu Huanchen’s grasp.

He unconsciously touched his sleeve and softly called out: “Second Sister.”

Yu Lingxi, who was pouring tea, turned around, her face immediately brightening with a smile as she nodded in greeting: “Brother Cen.”

“Second Sister, may I have a word with you?” Xue Cen’s eyes contained the warm light of winter as he gestured a “please” toward the side.

The Yu household was open-minded, without the many restrictive rules of other families. Yu Lingxi nodded and confidently walked with him beneath the moon gate.

“This is for you, Second Sister.”

Xue Cen retrieved a small, long, and exquisite gift box from his sleeve, quite solemnly presenting it to Yu Lingxi.

Meanwhile, in the hall.

Madam Yu gazed through the window toward the moon gate in the courtyard, her tea-brewing motions slowing.

General Yu blew on his tea leaves and glanced outside following his wife’s gaze.

He chuckled, saying unconcernedly: “The Xue family leads the civil officials, while our Yu family ranks highest among military generals. Our families have been friends for generations, so, normally, our children often visit and play together, developing close relationships.”

“That may be true, but the children have grown up now, unlike when they were young.”

Madam Yu cast a reproachful glance at her rough-hewn husband, “Have you forgotten? The Xue family made a verbal marriage agreement with us back then. Though they didn’t specify which of our daughters since Sui Sui wasn’t born yet, everyone assumed the betrothal was to Xinyi. I worry that if Sui Sui and Young Master Xue become too close, it might cause trouble for both daughters.”

“My lady worries too much.”

General Yu set down his teacup and reassuringly patted Madam Yu’s still-delicate hand, “Both daughters are the apple of my eye. The Xue family would do well marrying either one. As long as the children like each other and are mutually fond, that is enough.”

“That’s true. I see Xinyi doesn’t seem to have those kinds of feelings for Young Master Xue. If Sui Sui truly likes him…”

After some thought, Madam Yu said, “Very well, I’ll ask our daughter about her feelings later. As for the Xue family’s thoughts, please explore that further, my husband.”

General Yu agreed.

Beneath the moon gate, the sun cast lazy, long shadows.

Opening the gift box, she saw an exquisitely carved white jade purple-haired brush.

For bamboo brushes, one judges the lacquer; for jade brushes, one judges the carving. Such delicate jade carving was the work of a master, requiring considerable effort.

“Brother Cen, this brush is too valuable.” Yu Lingxi’s first reaction was to refuse.

Xue Cen maintained his posture, saying gently: “It was just something I happened to acquire. Remembering Second Sister’s talent for calligraphy and painting, I took the liberty of purchasing it. If Second Sister doesn’t like it, then I’ve acted inappropriately.”

With the conversation having reached this point, further refusal would seem ungracious.

Yu Lingxi had no choice but to accept it with both hands, smiling: “It would be impolite to refuse. Thank you, Brother Cen.”

“I’m glad you like it.” Xue Cen gazed at her smiling eyes, his earlobes turning slightly red.

Yet a trace of melancholy spread in his heart.

The vivacious young woman before him remained as close and sincere as before, yet not as adoring as previously, with no shy blush coloring her small face anymore.

Three months apart, she seemed to have matured significantly—calmer, more beautiful, and… more distant.

Not only Xue Cen, but Yu Xinyi also noticed something amiss.

“Sui Sui, did Xue Cen upset you?” Yu Xinyi asked when the sisters were catching up in their room later.

Yu Lingxi’s almond eyes darted: “Why would Sister say that?”

Yu Xinyi, with her high ponytail, unbuckled her sword and sat at the desk, laughing spiritedly: “Didn’t you always follow Xue Cen around like a little tail before? Today you were so quiet, barely exchanging two sentences before parting.”

“Did I?” Yu Lingxi appeared genuinely surprised, “I used to always follow him around?”

Yu Xinyi laughed: “That kind of budding admiration—even a blind person could see it.”

Yu Lingxi tried to recall, but her memories of Xue Cen from her previous life seemed veiled in fog, becoming indistinct and difficult to discern.

What she remembered was the night she was helpless and forced to apply makeup before being offered to the Prince’s manor. Only Xue Cen had ridden urgently to her aid, kneeling in the rain outside the Regent Prince’s manor for an entire night, begging for her.

After the incident at Zhao’s birthday banquet, Xue Cen took all responsibility in prison, yet had two of his fingers broken.

Yu Lingxi would forever be indebted to him for this.

Seeing the still gentle and warm Xue Cen again, Yu Lingxi was certainly happy, as if the guilt and regret that had tortured her for so long were instantly smoothed away at that moment.

But beyond that, she had no other romantic feelings.

That feeling was like…

Yu Lingxi’s gaze fell on the pepper powder and tea snacks on the desk, and she came up with a somewhat inappropriate metaphor: it was like after experiencing the sharp sting of pepper powder, one could no longer taste the flavor of plain congee.

She didn’t know when it began, but Xue Cen had become like an elder brother in her heart.

“What are you thinking about?” Yu Xinyi leaned forward, bringing her back to the present.

Yu Lingxi regained her senses, placed the precious white jade purple-haired brush on the brush rest, blinked, and smiled: “I’m wondering when Brother Cen will become my brother-in-law.”

“You’re asking for a beating!”

Yu Xinyi pinched her sister’s cheek and snorted coldly, “That bookworm’s heart and eyes are full of you. I don’t want him! Take him, take him!”

…

Beijing was bitterly cold that year, with a heavy snowfall at year’s end.

On New Year’s Eve, the Yu manor was brilliantly lit with lanterns, bright as day. The warm glow of lanterns cast upon the snowy courtyard made everything extraordinarily lively.

New Year’s Eve required ancestral worship, followed by staying up all night and drinking tusu wine.

Yu Huanchen brought a large stack of New Year greeting cards from the steward, smiling: “This year’s cards are twice as many as last year, with quite a few from sons of noble families in the capital, clearly showing intent for marriage proposals. Sui Sui, don’t you want to look through them?”

Yu Lingxi never imagined that by helping the Yu family avoid the Northern Expedition disaster, she wouldn’t escape the wave of marriage proposals for her coming-of-age at fifteen.

She added two spoonfuls of pepper powder to her tusu wine, saying indifferently: “I’m not interested.”

General Yu spoke from the head seat, coaxing: “It’s customary for a young woman to discuss marriage when she comes of age. Be good and take a look.”

Yu Huanchen chimed in teasingly: “Father, perhaps little sister already has someone in mind!”

Yu Lingxi also smiled, her curved eyes sparkling with firelight, “Father, Mother, ‘elder brother not yet married, how can younger sister wed first?’ Better to wait until Brother marries the Su family daughter before discussing my affairs.”

“My daughter speaks wisely.”

General Yu’s attention was successfully diverted, and he immediately darkened his expression, glaring at his son with tiger eyes, “We’ll visit the Su family after the New Year and settle your marriage soon.”

Yu Huanchen instantly looked like a frost-beaten eggplant, casting a resentful glance at his youngest sister as he backed down.

Yu Xinyi gloated, giving her sister a thumbs up.

While everyone was preoccupied with Yu Huanchen’s marriage, Yu Lingxi slipped out to get some fresh air.

Having drunk quite a bit of wine that night, her cheeks were flushed. Seeking coolness, she walked slowly along the covered gallery, letting the cold night wind carrying ice and snow dispel the heat from her body.

Not knowing how far she had walked, the lights grew sparse, and the blue-black snow on the eaves cast arcs of indigo light in the night.

Yu Lingxi heard the hushed sound of snow being swept and stopped to look. In the dim distance ahead, a thin, tall figure wielded a broom, lonely sweeping the accumulated snow in the rear courtyard.

It was New Year’s Eve, and all servants and attendants had changed into new clothes and gathered in the front courtyard, waiting for midnight to receive their New Year’s money, leaving the rear courtyard unattended.

Except for this snow sweeper.

Yu Lingxi felt kindly toward him and touched the small money pouch she carried, saying to Hutao who held the lantern: “Still sweeping snow during the New Year festivities—quite the diligent one. Go invite him to come receive a reward.”

Hutao responded with an “Aye,” raised the lantern, and called out: “You there, sweeping snow! The young miss calls for you!”

The sweeping figure paused and turned around.

Yu Lingxi froze, nearly blurting out “Ning Yin” instinctively.

Realizing that her current self shouldn’t recognize him, she forcibly swallowed the name on the tip of her tongue and asked instead: “Your injury is healed? What are you doing here?”

Then she looked at Hutao: “Is someone bullying him, forcing him to work?”

Hutao shook her head, equally confused.

“I chose to do this myself.”

Ning Yin stood tall in a dark blue martial robe as if what he held was not a broom but a sword that could determine life and death.

He lowered his eyes, yet without any hint of timidity, saying softly: “The snow makes paths slippery. I feared the young miss might fall.”

This path was indeed the one Yu Lingxi must take to return to her quarters.

Paved with bluestone, it became especially slippery when frozen over with snow.

Yu Lingxi stared at the bluestone path covered with a thin layer of ice, speechless for a long while.

Ning Yin misunderstood her meaning, set the broom against the wall, and slowly approached.

The shadows gradually receded from his form, and the warm light from the octagonal gauze lanterns of the corridor illuminated his youthfully handsome face.

Under Yu Lingxi’s puzzled gaze, he took a servant’s posture, lifting his robe to half-kneel, then interlaced his fingers with palms up, placing his hands as a cushion on the frozen bluestone.

“What are you doing?” Yu Lingxi asked.

Ning Yin raised his head, his eyes reflecting her bright crimson dress, and calmly said: “The stone path is slippery. Please walk on my palms, young miss.”

He spoke with such tranquility, his pitch-black eyes showing not a trace of humiliation or shame as if this was his natural duty.

Yu Lingxi felt a surge of indignation from somewhere, frowning: “I believe I’ve told you not to bring the degrading and oppressive ways of the Yujie Xiandu to my household.”

Ning Yin realized she was angry, glanced at her, then quickly lowered his gaze.

His fingers, cushioning the bluestone, gradually curled, the knuckles already red from the cold. With his head bowed and half-kneeling, he looked forlorn and pitiful.

Yu Lingxi sighed resignedly and softened her tone: “Enough, get up. Don’t do this again.”

Ning Yin obeyed and stood to the side.

His eyelashes held fine frost, fragile and beautiful. Who knew how long he had been sweeping in the bitter cold?

He was a “guest” temporarily staying at the manor to recuperate, and naturally, no one would think to include him in the festive New Year’s reward ceremony.

Yu Lingxi took the lantern from Hutao’s hand, placed it on the bluestone path to melt the thin ice, and then instructed Hutao: “Go fetch some tusu wine and hot food.”

She couldn’t let him spend the New Year without even a sip of warm wine.

Hutao curtseyed and went to arrange it.

Yu Lingxi didn’t hurry away, sitting down to rest by the carved railing of the corridor.

After a while, the youth’s deep, obstinate voice came through the cold night wind: “I just wanted to repay the young miss, to make you happy.”

Yu Lingxi was surprised, her almond eyes glancing at the youth standing at attention by the steps.

It was exactly midnight, and fireworks soared into the sky from the city, bursting into patches of brilliant colors in the blue-black night.

In that instant, the city’s myriad lights and snow-covered landscape all paled in comparison.

The front courtyard echoed with the servant’s and attendants’ unified New Year greetings, creating a bustling atmosphere, yet Ning Yin’s eyes held only the blackness of night, the line between light and dark indiscernible.

Yu Lingxi suddenly remembered that in her previous life, the Regent Prince’s manor never celebrated the New Year or lit festive lanterns.

When the entire city was decorated with lanterns and bustling with excitement, only the Prince’s manor remained quiet as a tomb, without even a single red lantern or a peach wood charm.

Throughout the New Year season, the only splash of color was probably the fresh blood of unknown origin staining Ning Yin’s lower garments.

Once, when Ning Yin was in good spirits, with misty drunken eyes, he asked Yu Lingxi what she wanted.

How could she dare make any excessive demands?

After thinking for half a day, she finally made up: “I want to see the lanterns at the Lantern Festival.”

Ning Yin, tormenting her, bit her lower lip, licked away the blood droplets, and smilingly said, “Alright.”

But on the day of the Lantern Festival, what awaited them was the Empress Dowager’s remnant faction wielding the young Emperor’s edict, joining forces with eunuchs to meticulously craft an ambush for Ning Yin.

That night, blood flowed like a river at the imperial steps.

Ning Yin wiped the fresh blood from his fingertips and took Yu Lingxi to the high platform of the palace wall, allowing her to witness the most intense, most profound “lantern display” in the entire capital.

Except what hung burning from each pillar were not lanterns, but people—

Living, screaming, and wailing civil and military officials.

That was the first time Ning Yin was killed in front of her. Yu Lingxi turned paper-white, forever remembering his eyes at that moment.

He wore a curved smile, his eyes reflecting the burning flames of the “sky lanterns,” impossible to distinguish whether he was a deity from heaven or a demon from the human realm.

Such desperate and frenzied destruction was vastly different from the quiet youth before her now.

For some reason, with the light of New Year fireworks reflected in her eyes, Yu Lingxi also felt somewhat nostalgic.

If Ning Yin had never experienced those hardships and betrayals, would he… have become different?

This thought merely rippled through her mind before she shook it away.

“Young miss, the food has arrived.” Hutao led four small maids, bringing a large array of steaming hot wine and food.

They even brought a small stove for warming the wine.

After arranging the wine and dishes, Yu Lingxi sat properly, glanced sideways at the youth in the corridor, and said with pursed lips: “Come sit.”

There was obvious surprise in Ning Yin’s eyes.

He slowly ascended the stone steps and stood before Yu Lingxi, yet still refused to sit down.

Seeing his obedient and pitiful demeanor, Yu Lingxi felt her heart constrict. She simply reached out and forcibly pulled him to sit on the carved railing bench.

She poured a cup of hot wine, sprinkled two spoonfuls of her beloved pepper powder on it, thought for a moment, and then added another spoonful.

Then she presented this heartfelt cup of wine to Ning Yin, saying gently: “Drink.”