Even the carved ridges decorated with a hundred children at spring play were painted with a tea-stain colored hue. Several gray magpies landed on the pavilion’s roof ridge. From afar, Shen Baizhong could only see the dark silhouettes of birds against the backdrop of crimson and purple evening clouds, pecking at each other with their beaks and flapping their wings.

Shen Baizhong didn’t know how long he had followed Princess Zhenguo’s mansion servants until dusk fell completely. The sheepskin lanterns under the long corridors and galleries of Princess Zhenguo’s mansion were lit one by one, and only then did they arrive at the entrance of Bai Qishan’s study.

Several servants stood guard outside Bai Qishan’s study, their faces glowing red in the clear lamplight.

Shen Baizhong wasn’t invited inside and could only stand outside looking in. He felt that this place… had an inseparable connection to his past.

Standing in the courtyard, Shen Baizhong’s gaze passed through the open lattice doors into the brightly lit study. On the wall directly facing the entrance hung a painting of winter plums. Shen Baizhong felt inexplicably familiar with it and lifted his foot to enter, but was stopped by the dutiful Bai family servants.

He stood at the doorway, gazing intently at the winter plum painting flickering in the swaying lamplight.

“I can’t give you this winter plum painting. Although it’s from Brother Baizhong’s wife’s hand, this winter plum painting depicts… my wife, Bai Qishan’s wife! Brother Baizhong should ask for something else instead! How about this… Brother Baizhong rarely comes to the capital, so stay in the capital for a few more days. I’ll have someone arrange lodging for you. Most of the guards in the mansion are retired from the Bai family army. I’ll have Steward Hao select a few people to accompany you around the capital, and you can also pick out some fashionable jewelry for your wife. Put it on my account and take it back as a gift for my sister-in-law. At least Brother Baizhong’s trip won’t be in vain.”

Suddenly, a kind-faced young man appeared in Shen Baizhong’s mind. Though he felt familiar, he couldn’t remember who it was, only feeling a sense of respect arising from his heart.

“It’s the busy farming season. My wife is young and not good at managing farmland. My parents are getting old, so I need to hurry back to help them. Besides, I’ve been away for several months this time. I don’t know if that little monkey Ruohai has been properly teaching Qingzhu…”

Shen Baizhong suddenly clutched his chest, remembering the clumsy joy he felt when mentioning his wife while saying these words.

Wife…

He seemed to have forgotten something extremely important, like his wife.

“What does it matter that our statuses are so different? When have I ever cared about status and hierarchy? What if you’re much older than I? I don’t mind! You have feelings for me, too. I dare to give up wealth and glory for you, so why don’t you dare marry me?!”

Shen Baizhong suddenly grasped the vermilion lacquered red pillar, feeling his head splitting with pain and his heart breaking with agony.

“Master!”

As soon as Shen Qingzhu entered, she saw Shen Baizhong supporting himself against the vermilion lacquered red pillar, his face full of pain, while a nearby Bai family servant was helping him and calling for someone to bring a stool.

Unable to contain herself, Shen Qingzhu rushed over and pushed away the servant helping Shen Baizhong. Her eyes red, she looked at Shen Baizhong with his full head of silver hair, tears flowing like a spring: “Master! Master, I’m Qingzhu!”

Shen Baizhong looked up, his eyes filled with bloodshot veins as he gazed at Shen Qingzhu, his forehead covered with fine beads of sweat.

The young woman Shen Qingzhu, before him, overlapped with the little girl from his memories who practiced swords in the snow with a stubborn expression and cold demeanor. Shen Baizhong’s lips trembled.

Shen Qingzhu knelt before Shen Baizhong, crying like a child, her words full of sorrow and her voice heavy with tears: “Master! Master, how did you become like this… how did your hair turn so white! Master…”

The sedan chair carrying Bai Qingyan was set down. Bai Qingyan stood up with Zhenming’s help, holding her hand warmer in one hand as she walked toward her father’s study.

Shen Baizhong was bewildered and at a loss, not knowing whether to help Shen Qingzhu up or turn and leave immediately, his heart in complete turmoil.

“Master!” Shen Qingzhu crawled forward on her knees and hugged Shen Baizhong’s waist, crying even more heartbrokenly. “Qingzhu is sorry to Master! Qingzhu failed to take care of the Master’s wife. Master’s wife thought Master was gone… so she… she followed him! It was Qingzhu who failed to watch over the Master’s wife. Qingzhu is sorry to Master! Qingzhu failed Master’s trust!”

Hearing these words, Shen Baizhong felt as if struck by sudden lightning. He covered his chest with one hand and his head with the other, his eyes bloodshot. His chest felt as if countless sharp blades were stirring inside it, the pain making it impossible to breathe. He was about to expire on the spot.

Seeing this, Bai Qingyan shouted to the servants: “Support him!”

A surge of metallic sweetness rushed up his throat. Shen Baizhong suddenly spat out a mouthful of fresh blood, his eyes wide as he fell straight backward.

“Master!”

Amid Shen Qingzhu’s cry of alarm, the Bai family servants caught Shen Baizhong before he could fall to the ground.

“Go fetch Miss Ji and the mansion physician! Quickly!” Bai Qingyan turned to instruct Mingzhen.

“Yes!” Mingzhen responded and hurried away.

“First, help him into the side room to settle him!” Bai Qingyan ordered.

Shen Qingzhu followed along, carrying Shen Baizhong into the side room, her heart full of anxiety.

Standing under the bright lights of the corridor, Bai Qingyan held her hand warmer with both hands, looking at the darkening sky above the capital, and asked the nearby steward: “Have the people from the Left Chancellor’s mansion left?”

“Reporting to Eldest Miss, they’re still waiting outside…” the steward replied.

“Tell the Left Chancellor’s mansion people to return! Say that… I’m keeping the person! Tell them to rest assured, I won’t take this old man’s life.”

“Yes!” The steward responded and hurried toward the courtyard entrance.

After the mansion physician and Ji Langhua arrived, one took his pulse and prescribed medicine while the other administered acupuncture. Soon Shen Baizhong regained consciousness, but his mind was still in chaos.

Kneeling beside the bed, Shen Qingzhu tearfully explained the whole situation to Shen Baizhong.

Looking at the little girl from his memories, who always had a cold expression but now had a face full of tears, Shen Baizhong gently patted Shen Qingzhu’s head. That familiar and intimate feeling couldn’t be faked.

He wasn’t good with words and didn’t know how to comfort this heartbroken girl. He could only follow the soft spot in his heart and raise his hand to wipe away her tears.

But Shen Qingzhu cried even harder, holding onto Shen Baizhong’s hand and weeping. How long… had it been since Master had patted her head like this? She hadn’t even been able to protect Master’s wife for him.

She didn’t even dare believe why Master had become this old man’s appearance: “Master, do you remember everything? Do you remember?”

Shen Baizhong’s mind was very confused.

“Qingzhu, let your master rest well! Your master probably can’t remember everything for a while.” Bai Qingyan stood beside the bed, looking at Shen Baizhong leaning against the headboard. “I’ll tell the Li family to let your master stay at the Bai mansion temporarily. You can also stay in the capital to take good care of your master.”

Shen Qingzhu turned to look at Bai Qingyan with gratitude: “Thank you, Eldest Miss!”

“You…” Shen Baizhong looked at Bai Qingyan, his voice trembling slightly, with some uncertainty in his low voice: “Are you… Miss Suqiu?”

Bai Qingyan’s hand holding the hand warmer tightened, her expression remaining calm, her eyes showing no ripples: “I am not.”