The season had already entered mid-April. In previous years at this time, early spring would be warm with blooming flowers, but this year was different from the past. A few days ago, there had not only been an unexpected cold spell, but last night there was even sleet and freezing rain, which froze the delicate flower buds that had emerged on the branches of the crabapple tree in the courtyard. Pei You’an had just returned, well past the hour when lamps were lit. The sky was pitch black, and the wind blowing was quite cold. He dismounted, rubbed his slightly icy fingers, then walked through the main gate and strode quickly inside.

These days, unless he had specifically mentioned it before leaving in the morning, no matter how late it was or how hungry she might be, Jia Fu would wait for him to return before having dinner together. He could have returned earlier in the evening but was delayed by a sudden matter that had been brought to his attention, so he was only returning now, in the middle of the xu hour (7-9 pm). Worried that Jia Fu might be starving, his steps were somewhat hurried as he went directly into the second courtyard’s main hall. Entering, he was surprised not to hear the quick footsteps of her coming to greet him as before. He paused, looked ahead, and then asked the waiting-maid Yin Huan.

Yin Huan took the cloak he had removed and said, “Miss Zhen hasn’t eaten yet. She’s probably still in her room. You must be hungry too, sir? I’ll go call the young miss to come down right away.”

Pei You’an went to the dining hall, washed his hands, and sat down. The servants set out the food and two sets of bowls and chopsticks. After waiting for quite some time, Yin Huan finally hurried back and said, “The young miss isn’t in her room! I just had people search nearby, but she couldn’t be found!”

Pei You’an was startled. “Did she go out during the day?”

Yin Huan shook her head. “No.” Suddenly remembering something, she quickly added, “That’s right! During the day, the young miss from the Zhang family in Chuxiong came to visit!”

“What did she come here for?” Pei You’an’s brow furrowed.

“She said she heard that your cousin had arrived and came specially to visit her. After she left, I went upstairs later and saw Miss Zhen sitting alone at the staircase, in a daze, with a pale face. She didn’t look quite right, so I asked if she was feeling unwell. She shook her head, went upstairs, and I don’t think I’ve seen her come down since.”

Pei You’an immediately stood up and quickly went to the round tower where Jia Fu lived. He climbed the stairs, pushed open the door, but the room was empty with no sign of her. Only her light pink outer robe lay across the edge of the bed, its hem hanging quietly to the floor.

“Have everyone search for her! Every room, every corner of the courtyard, don’t miss a single place!”

Pei You’an suddenly turned around and called out loudly.

Yin Huan hurriedly went down to relay the order. The entire Pei household became tense as everyone searched everywhere, but still couldn’t find her. Pei You’an himself went to the entrance and questioned the gatekeeper, confirming that he had been at his post all day without leaving a single step, and hadn’t seen her go out.

Pei You’an’s brow remained tightly knitted as he pondered for a moment. He turned his head and looked toward the window of the room where she lived, his gaze stopping briefly at the very top of the round tower. Suddenly, he turned and, leaving everyone behind, ran quickly back inside. Arriving at the round tower, he took the stairs two or three at a time, climbing to the top floor. Following a narrow staircase, he ascended to the small observation platform designed for wartime lookouts in local architecture. Before he had even properly stepped onto the platform, his gaze quickly swept around.

The platform had long been abandoned, with almost no one coming up here normally. Now it was pitch black, with cold wind blowing from all sides. In the corner was a slender figure—it was Jia Fu. In this weather, she appeared to be wearing only a spring garment, sitting with her knees drawn up beside a wooden railing, her silhouette seeming to merge with the night.

Pei You’an walked over with large strides.

“Why did you come up here alone without saying a word? Do you know how many people have been looking for you?”

His tone unconsciously carried a note of severity.

Jia Fu seemed not to hear, continuing to sit motionless as before.

The wind howled past his ears, making his clothes billow. He stopped, waited for a moment, hesitated, then moved closer, finally reaching her back. This time he bent down and lowered his voice.

“Come down with me first, it’s cold here.”

Jia Fu finally seemed to notice his arrival. Her slender figure moved slightly, and she slowly turned her head, looking at Pei You’an standing behind her, and said softly, “I’m sorry, cousin… I wasn’t paying attention…”

Her voice was extremely faint, so weak that it could be scattered by the night wind at any moment. As she spoke, she gripped the railing with one hand and slowly stood up, turning to walk inside. After just two steps, her body swayed. Pei You’an was startled and instinctively reached out both hands, catching her firmly.

Jia Fu’s body leaned against Pei You’an’s chest, motionless.

That familiar softness instantly filled his arms once again.

Pei You’an steadied himself, slowly lowering his head. By the dim starlight around them, he saw her delicate head softly pressing against his left chest, her eyes slightly closed, with two rows of long eyelashes casting shadowy curves that, due to their proximity, were countable one by one.

The fist-sized area on his left chest where her forehead pressed seemed to skip a beat, almost imperceptibly.

“Cousin—”

He felt her weight seemingly press against him, hesitated for a moment, and softly called to her. Then, without showing any discomfort, he moved back slightly. As soon as his shoulder moved, the person in his arms lost her support and collapsed silently to the ground at his feet.

Pei You’an was startled and quickly crouched down, turning her face to find her eyes tightly closed—she had fainted. Remembering what Yin Huan had just said, he tensed and immediately lifted her from the ground. Through her clothes, her skin felt ice cold to the touch, her body as light and boneless as a butterfly. He quickly carried her down, brought her to her room, gently removed her shoes, and laid her flat on the bed.

Just now on the platform, the light had been dim, but now he could see clearly—her face was snow-white, and her usually rosy lips had turned blue from the cold. Who knows how long she had been up there in the wind? He spread a blanket to wrap and cover her, leaving only one slender wrist exposed. He slowly exhaled, held his breath, and then gently placed two fingers on her wrist to check her pulse.

Her pulse was weak and irregular, but steady in its rhythm. It was likely caused by qi deficiency, and after some rest, the problem shouldn’t be serious.

Pei You’an relaxed a bit, gently lifting the blanket to cover her hand as well. He glanced at her pale face and turned around, intending to go out and call Yin Huan to attend to her.

“…Elder cousin…”

Just as he turned away, he heard a faint, delicate voice from behind him.

Pei You’an turned his head back.

Jia Fu’s eyelashes trembled lightly, and her eyes slowly opened—she had awakened.

Pei You’an walked back, saying gently, “You’re awake? How do you feel? Are you hungry? You don’t need to come down. I’ll have someone bring food up for you.” After speaking, he saw her shake her head and say she wasn’t hungry. Lying on the pillow, tears gradually appeared in her eyes, making her look extremely pitiful. He recalled how harshly he had spoken when he first found her on the platform roof and felt a twinge of regret. With a kinder expression, he asked, “What’s wrong?”

Jia Fu remained silent, just staring at him intently. The tears in her eyes became more visible, quickly filling her eye sockets. Suddenly, they spilled over, rolling down her cheeks and instantly disappearing into her hair, leaving only a moist trace at the corner of her eyes.

Pei You’an’s voice became even gentler: “Don’t cry. If something’s wrong, you can tell me.”

“Elder cousin… do you have someone you care for?”

Jia Fu haphazardly wiped the tears from her face and asked in a voice tinged with a delicate nasal tone.

Pei You’an was taken aback and looked at her. Seeing her staring at him with wide eyes, he suppressed the strange feeling welling up inside him and said, “Why are you asking this?”

“Elder cousin, please tell me first, I beg you…”

Pei You’an found it absurd. He could have completely ignored such an abrupt question. After a pause, however, he said calmly, “No.”

Jia Fu sat up.

“Today, the Young Lord Xiao’s fiancée, the Zhang family’s daughter, came to see me. She said a lot, essentially wanting me to submit to the Young Lord! I refused her, but I’m also extremely afraid! I’ve repeatedly offended him, and someone like the Young Lord won’t easily let me go… Elder cousin, you said earlier you would help me, but you can only help me now, not in the future. Sooner or later, I’ll return to Quanzhou, and you have your affairs. By then, if the Young Lord still means me harm, or threatens my family, what should I do? I’m very afraid…”

She had already wiped away her tears, but as she spoke, they began to roll down again. Suddenly, she crawled forward and threw herself into Pei You’an’s arms, holding him tightly like that night at the post house when she suddenly saw him appear.

Pei You’an remained still.

Jia Fu’s cheek pressed against his chest, quickly dampening his clothes with tears.

“Elder cousin, didn’t you promise to help me? Since you don’t have someone you care for, why not let me become yours? Please?”

Pei You’an was greatly surprised—even shocked.

“Impossible!”

He firmly refused, raising his hands to unwrap her arms from around him, but Jia Fu clung even tighter.

“I know I’m not worthy of you, elder cousin, but I’ve thought it over and over. Only if the Young Lord knows I’m yours will he back off and stop pressing me like this. I don’t dare to occupy the position of wife—as long as you agree, I can be a concubine or a servant. If you detest me, I can just have the name in the title!”

“Elder cousin, please!”

Jia Fu looked up at him, her beautiful eyes filled with tears, her gaze full of expectation—a flower drenched in rain, pitiable to behold. Even a heart of stone would have softened somewhat at the sight.

Pei You’an looked down at her, the initial shock on his face gradually disappearing, his expression becoming grave.

Slowly, he finally managed to unwrap Jia Fu’s arms. After pondering for a moment, he said, “I do know something of the Young Lord’s character, but your solution is far too absurd. Don’t think about it anymore—I won’t agree to it. You’re overthinking and have become unsettled. I’ll have someone attend to you. Rest early, and you’ll feel better after sleep. Don’t worry, I promised to protect you, and I will certainly do so.”

Just as she had expected, he wouldn’t easily agree—he was a man of iron will. No matter how she tried to entice, show weakness, or plead, it was useless.

This was all within Jia Fu’s expectations.

She bit her lip hard, looking at him resentfully, then suddenly threw off the covers, not even putting on her shoes, and ran out barefoot.

Pei You’an was startled, called out “Cousin!” and hurriedly chased after her.

Jia Fu moved like a rabbit, unusually agile this time. In an instant, she had climbed back to the observation platform and rushed to the railing where she had sat earlier. Leaning her body against it, she saw Pei You’an coming after her and shouted, “Don’t come any closer! If you come closer, I’ll jump down! I’ve had dreams—I know that sooner or later, I’ll fall into that man’s hands. Rather than that, I might as well end my life now, and spare you from accusing me of forcing you…”

While shouting, she leaned her body further out over the railing.

Pei You’an was greatly alarmed and sternly called out, “Dangerous! Come back here!” He moved to pull her back.

“Elder cousin, don’t mind me. After all, you won’t sincerely help me—”

As Jia Fu was shouting, suddenly, the railing she was leaning against made a slight cracking sound. Before Jia Fu could react, she felt emptiness behind her waist—the railing had broken. She abruptly lost her support and plunged headfirst outward.

This place had been chosen by her in the evening. She had planned to threaten Pei You’an like this to show her determination, then wait for him to pull her back. But she never imagined that this wooden railing, due to age, wind, and sun exposure, looked fine from the outside but could no longer bear weight.

The round tower was three stories high, with at least ten zhang (about 100 feet). Falling from here, she would no longer need to worry about Xiao Yintang’s coercion.

“Elder cousin, save me—”

Jia Fu, already head-down with most of her body over the edge, instinctively screamed. Suddenly, an ankle was firmly grasped by a hand, immediately stopping her descent. Before she could react, she was pulled back from midair and thrown to the ground with a “thud.”

Jia Fu had been so frightened that her soul had nearly left her body. Still not fully recovered, her whole body trembling, she suddenly hit the ground and cried out in pain, tears falling. The next moment, her feet left the ground as she was lifted into the air again. Pei You’an carried Jia Fu down like he was handling a small chicken, walking quickly back to her room, and throwing her heavily onto the bed.

“I’ve been too indulgent with you, which is why you dare to act so recklessly, isn’t it?”

He said through gritted teeth, word by word.

Jia Fu looked up and faced Pei You’an’s angry expression—

She had never seen him so angry before, nor could she have imagined that he could be this furious.

“Master Pei?”

Voices of servants came from outside.

Although the commotion on the roof had been brief, it was enough to attract attention.

“Everyone go away! Don’t enter unless summoned!”

He shouted toward the door.

Accompanied by the faint sounds of rustling footsteps, the doorway became quiet.

He slowly turned his head and once again stared at Jia Fu, his gaze somber.

Jia Fu shrank back, quickly lowering her head and curling up in the corner of the bed, not daring to breathe.