“Why?”

Ji Yinshu looked at Wei Yi’s distressed face.

“Wei Yi, staying here is safer than following me.”

He shook his head vigorously!

“Along this journey, we first encountered mountain bandits, then assassins. Every time, you ended up covered in wounds and nearly lost your life for my sake. I promised your parents I would protect you well, but ever since you’ve been by my side, we’ve encountered a whole heap of troubles big and small. I was originally still hesitating about whether to take you with me or have you stay behind, but just now, seeing that you can recognize characters and recite poetry, I’m truly happy for you. I also believe that from now on, you’ll get better and better. So you should stay behind. Uncle Fu will continue teaching you reading and writing, and will teach you many, many things. The people of the residence will also always take care of you.”

He still shook his head.

With tears, “I can’t write characters, can’t recite poetry.”

He grabbed the neatly arranged papers on the table in his hands and began tearing them up one by one.

“Wei Yi, be good!” She gripped his hands. “You said it yourself—people die when they grow old, die when they fall ill, and die when they make mistakes. I said I would stay with you, and I will always stay with you. But I don’t want you to one day truly become a star. Wei Yi, I can’t be without you. Do you understand?”

Her eyes reddened, and the tears she’d been holding back fell.

Wei Yi opened those clear eyes wide, opening his mouth. For a long while he couldn’t speak. He reached out to touch her face, wiping away the tears bit by bit.

Then he pulled her thin body into his embrace, his chin gently resting on her shoulder.

“Shu’er, don’t cry. I promise you, I’ll wait here for you to come back.”

He compromised!

No more fussing, no more making a scene.

But why did that feeling make Ji Yinshu’s heart ache so piercingly!

Wei Yi held her even tighter, afraid that if he let go, she would truly leave…

Who knows how much time passed before Ji Yinshu finally left the study.

Inside, Wei Yi returned behind the desk, picked up the brush he’d set down earlier, and began writing characters on paper again.

Writing earnestly!

Writing continuously!

Until his eyes reddened and his hands trembled, only then did the brush in his hand finally stop. He released it, and it fell onto the white paper he’d filled with the character “Shu.”

…

When Ji Yinshu returned to the courtyard, she saw Jingrong standing beneath that lushly verdant camphor tree.

His hands behind his back, his gaze tilted slightly upward.

As she approached, he cast her a light glance.

“Can’t bear to leave?”

She shook her head!

“What about Wei Yi?”

She stood beside him, silent for a long while before saying, “He’ll stay behind.”

“Can you bear it?”

Ji Yinshu met his gaze, her expression grave, “Wei Yi’s condition is gradually improving. Him staying behind is the best plan.”

Jingrong understood her meaning in his heart.

Wei Yi’s illness was probably almost cured!

He said, “It truly validates that saying—great disasters are followed by great fortune. But…”

He trailed off.

Ji Yinshu knew, “I know your concerns. Before I sent him to Muruo for treatment, I’d already thought about this issue. I’ll tell Uncle Fu not to tell him the truth about Uncle Wei and Auntie Wei’s deaths. I don’t want him to spend his entire life in guilt.”

“Paper cannot contain fire.”

His words were like a basin of cold water.

But not without reason.

Yes, paper cannot contain fire. Once Wei Yi recovered his wits, it would be impossible for him not to investigate the truth of his parents’ deaths. And no matter how well Uncle Fu kept the secret, there was no guarantee someone wouldn’t eventually let it slip.

Jingrong continued, “Have you also thought about this—if he learns that the person Ji Yuanzhi originally wanted to kill was you, and it was precisely because of his one thoughtless act that he saved you and caused his own parents’ deaths, how would he face you? How would you face him?”

“…”

“Now, you can no longer be without Wei Yi, and Wei Yi can no longer be without you. So when the truth is finally revealed, what will happen?”

It would fall apart!

It would collapse and crumble!

She fell silent, her heart growing heavier and heavier, that weight pressing down until she couldn’t breathe.

After a long while—

She said, “Even though paper cannot contain fire, I believe he will understand.”

Very certain.

Jingrong’s originally grave expression gradually eased because of these words. He reached out to brush the stray hair at her forehead, touching her delicate face.

“No matter what decision you make, I stand on your side.”

She nodded, her lips slowly curving upward.

Suddenly—

“Ahem, ahem!”

Outside the courtyard, someone coughed twice.

Jingrong slowly lowered his hand from Ji Yinshu’s face. Hearing the sound, he looked over to see Muruo leaning obliquely against the doorframe, a smile full of deep meaning at the corners of his mouth.

A scent of wine also wafted in.

“Truly makes others envious.” Muruo looked up with emotion.

Jingrong’s face turned livid.

“Since when did you develop the strange habit of peeping?”

“How is this peeping? I’m clearly watching openly and aboveboard.”

Jingrong’s expression grew even more livid. “Speak up—what’s the matter?”

Muruo spread open his palm. In his palm was a chess piece.

“To play chess with you, of course. Last night you won so many rounds against me. Unwilling to accept it, I’m determined to fight again.”

Oh my!

Still haven’t had enough of losing?

A smile played at the corners of Jingrong’s mouth as he walked forward two steps. “What’s the wager?”

“Hmm…” Muruo pondered, swaying his steps as he entered, saying as he walked, “Three rounds as the bet. Regardless of how many pieces are ultimately played, whoever surrounds five pieces first wins. If I lose, you can name any condition. If I win, you must supply me with fine wine to drink to my heart’s content. How about it?”

What a bargain!

Jingrong readily agreed.

Turning to Ji Yinshu, he said, “Go rest well. Early tomorrow morning, we’ll set out.”

“Mm.” She nodded.

Then Jingrong pulled the slightly tipsy Muruo off to gamble at chess.

She was just about to enter the room.

Bang!

Outside came the sudden sound of something crashing to the ground.

She went out to look and saw two maids standing dazed beside a large chest.

Perhaps because the chest was too heavy, an iron ring mounted on it suddenly broke, slipping from their hands and crashing to the ground.

The two maids were somewhat frightened.

One little maid still held the iron ring that had detached from the chest, her face full of panic.

“What do we do? Inside are all the master and mistress’s belongings. If we break anything, Uncle Fu will definitely give you two a piece of his mind.”

“Alright, alright, quickly open it and check. We absolutely mustn’t have broken anything inside.”

Afraid of having damaged something, the two maids worked together to open the chest, checking whether anything had been broken. As they lifted the lid, both breathed a sigh of relief. Fortunately, there were no ceramic objects—just clothing and such, clearly children’s things at a glance.

“So it’s the young master’s childhood clothes. What a scare—I thought we’d broken something.”

“There’s also a brocade box here. Let’s open it and check too—maybe there’s jade inside.”

Saying this, they lifted the brocade box that had been underneath and opened it too.

Inside was a yellow handkerchief.

Embroidered on it was a flower, and beside the flower was also embroidered a character.

Just one character: “Xu”!