When Huang Rang opened her eyes again, her mind was in complete chaos. She still lay on Di Yiqiu’s bed. The candle flame, blown by the wind, stood unsteadily, swaying back and forth. Outside, snow was still falling. With a creaking sound, some branch somewhere had snapped under the weight.

Just now… was that truly a dream?

Huang Rang tried to move her hand. Sure enough, there was no response at all. Freedom gained then lost again—she was trapped once more in this prison. Huang Rang wished she could tear herself to pieces, but she could only stare quietly at the gauze canopy above. Despair submerged her like a tide.

Having already fallen to such depths, why continue living?

This thought had appeared countless times in her mind, but this time, she couldn’t suppress it.

Could she not just die? Even if she turned to yellow earth and sand, at least give her an ending.

Her eyes began to sting. A tear rolled down into the hair at her temple. But she couldn’t even wipe it away. Before, she had always thought about revenge, so even in the most difficult times, she forced herself to maintain rationality.

But now, this brief dream had easily shattered her.

The door was suddenly pushed open. Wind-blown snow tumbled in like flowers, staggering inside.

The warmth that the heating basin in the room had painstakingly accumulated instantly scattered completely. Di Yiqiu had no time to close the door and rushed straight to the bed. He lifted the gauze canopy and saw Huang Rang still lying there properly, then finally breathed a sigh of relief.

But seeing the tear tracks at the corners of her eyes, he froze slightly and reached out to wipe them away. Wind poured in, the gauze curtains dancing wildly. Di Yiqiu suddenly helped her sit up and said: “If you don’t want to sleep, then keep me company while I handle official documents.”

Finishing, he fetched a cloak and wrapped Huang Rang thickly in layers, then carried her to the wheelchair.

He crouched down to put on her shoes and suddenly said: “Just now I had a dream.”

Huang Rang’s heart was full of dejection—she had no intention of acknowledging him at all. Di Yiqiu was already accustomed to her non-responses and continued: “I dreamed that Xie Yuanshu severely injured Xie Lingbi and Xie Hongchen, and established himself as Sect Leader.”

! Huang Rang was shocked.

Di Yiqiu pushed her up and went out the door.

Outside, wind and snow cut at their faces. Huang Rang was blown by the wind until she couldn’t open her eyes. Di Yiqiu pushed her forward. The snow on the ground came up to their knees.

Continue telling your dream! Huang Rang urged him in her heart. But Di Yiqiu didn’t continue. Probably such conversations without response—he couldn’t be bothered to continue. Huang Rang felt somewhat disappointed.

Di Yiqiu pushed her into the study and turned back to close the door.

It was truly cold. Huang Rang was frozen until her lips went numb.

Di Yiqiu placed her in the corner closest to the heating basin, removed the cloak from her body, and hung it on the bookshelf. Then he formed his right hand into a fist and held it against his lips, coughing lightly.

Ah. Huang Rang suddenly remembered—today after returning from Shi Wenyu’s place, he had seemed very weak. Could it be that the wind and snow had frozen him, giving him a chill? Huang Rang didn’t know why this was so.

By rights, Si Tianjian was also one of the immortal sects. As a cultivator, he should be very robust. At least she and Xie Hongchen rarely got sick.

After coughing for a while, Di Yiqiu finally sat behind his desk. On his large desk were piled stacks of official documents.

He took up his brush, dipped it in ink, and bent his head to review them.

Huang Rang stayed in the corner with a good view. She could see the entire study, naturally including Di Yiqiu. His complexion was still pale, but his hand movements were extremely fast. In the study, one could only hear the sound of charcoal burning and him turning pages and the rustling of his brush.

Huang Rang’s collapsed and desperate state of mind gradually calmed. She quietly surveyed the room. Looking from the bookshelf all the way around, she examined every item in the room. Then her gaze fell on Di Yiqiu.

—In this entire room, he was still the most interesting to look at. After all, he moved.

By the time the sky had grown bright, Di Yiqiu had finished reviewing most of the official documents and finally stood up. He fastened the cloak for her, then found a rabbit fur blanket to drape over her legs, and pushed her out the door.

In this weather, even an umbrella was useless.

Outside, the accumulated snow was thick. Wind whooshed into their collars, mixed with snow particles that melted inside. It felt like one would freeze solid.

Di Yiqiu pushed her and soon arrived at a place.

Huang Rang smelled the rich aroma of food and suddenly understood—this was a dining hall!

Indeed, as soon as Di Yiqiu arrived, someone at the entrance lifted the windbreak curtain for him. He pushed Huang Rang inside. Quite a few people were already gathered inside, eating.

“Director!” Seeing him enter, everyone immediately stood up and spoke in unison.

Di Yiqiu brushed off the snow from his clothes and nodded to indicate everyone should continue eating. Then he pushed Huang Rang to the table closest to the heating stove.

Huang Rang felt she had finally thawed out. The winter in the capital was truly cold. A little demon like her who couldn’t circulate energy to protect herself would have frozen to death long ago if not dressed warmly.

As soon as Di Yiqiu sat down, a kitchen helper came over to wipe the table. Then breakfast was quickly brought over.

Huang Rang’s wheelchair was placed right next to Di Yiqiu. She surveyed the food on the table. Nothing more than steamed buns, clear porridge, salted duck eggs, and a small dish of pickled vegetables. Huang Rang looked with considerable disappointment—this is what Si Tianjian eats for breakfast? The food is quite ordinary. Your cooks aren’t very good.

Just as she thought this, the kitchen helper walked over carrying an exquisite small dish. He placed the dish in front of Huang Rang and said: “Director, the kitchen specially made a bowl of rose milk. It’s cold out—to warm Miss up.”

Huang Rang stared at the dish before her. Indeed, it held half a bowl of milk with several rose petals floating on top.

—Though their culinary skills aren’t great, they’re really very sensible! Very sensible! Huang Rang immediately took back her earlier words. The fragrance of the milk entered her nose, warming her lungs. She was very satisfied.

Di Yiqiu nodded slightly: “Thank you for your trouble.”

Having received this sentence from him, the kitchen helper knew his flattery had hit the mark and was immediately very pleased, repeatedly saying: “As it should be, as it should be.” While speaking, he withdrew.

Di Yiqiu began to eat. He actually rarely came here. Though Si Tianjian belonged to the imperial court, it was after all also one of the immortal sects. And the art of abstaining from grains and subsisting on energy was a required course for the immortal sects.

His willingness to eat today was probably due to illness and physical weakness.

Huang Rang quietly watched Di Yiqiu eat, while everyone in the entire dining hall was secretly observing her.

In the kitchen, several cooks heard the kitchen helper’s report and praised the head chef: “Master, you truly have discerning eyes. You could see at a glance where the key point was!”

The head chef snorted and said proudly: “Learn from this, you young monkeys!”

He had good judgment, but this gentleman who came in next lifting the curtain wasn’t as perceptive.

—Bao Wu lifted the curtain and entered with Li Lu following behind. As soon as he came in, he immediately released his hand. Walking behind, Li Lu was nearly slapped in the face by the curtain, seeing stars.

Everyone had to stand up again to greet them: “Deputy Director Li, Deputy Director Bao!”

Li Lu made an acknowledging sound and didn’t forget to care: “It’s cold. Eat more.”

Everyone replied in unison: “Thank you for Deputy Director’s concern.”

Huang Rang heard these sounds from far away and felt that eating a meal at Si Tianjian was truly exhausting. Not like Yuhu Xuanzong—people like Xie Hongchen and Xie Lingbi never went to the dining hall at all. She was staring at the rose milk in front of her when footsteps behind her were already approaching.

Clearly, Li Lu and Bao Wu had seen that Di Yiqiu was also here.

Sure enough, Li Lu and Bao Wu came over and still performed courtesies.

Di Yiqiu said indifferently: “Sit.”

This table originally had four sides, but the heating stove occupied one side, and Di Yiqiu sat on another. Huang Rang’s wheelchair was on another side, just next to Di Yiqiu. Li Lu immediately sat on the remaining side. He shifted inward, wanting to leave some space for Bao Wu.

Bao Wu didn’t even look and sat down directly next to Huang Rang.

Li Lu had to say: “Deputy Director Bao!”

“No problem.” Bao Wu waved his large hand and took a salted duck egg to start peeling. He was even polite to others, saying: “Eat, eat, eat, don’t be shy.”

The kitchen already knew his tastes well. Immediately several dishes were brought over, all meat. Bao Wu grabbed a bowl of radish and mutton soup and began slurping it. He wore a large golden blade at his waist and was quite burly. When his movements were large while drinking soup, the hilt of the blade at his waist pressed against Huang Rang’s waist, rubbing and bumping.

Di Yiqiu set down his chopsticks, his gaze darkly watching him. Li Lu covered his forehead with his hand and called out desperately: “Bao Wu.”

Bao Wu pointed to the mutton soup: “Don’t be shy, drink soup and eat meat! I, Old Bao, really love the mutton soup here!”

Di Yiqiu picked up his chopsticks and served all the mutton from the small pot to him, saying: “Deputy Director Bao is always out and about, rushing around working hard. It’s truly been difficult.”

“Not difficult, not difficult!” Bao Wu beamed with joy. “Slaying demons and eliminating evil, ridding the people of harm—that’s this subordinate’s duty!”

Di Yiqiu nodded and continued: “Since it’s not difficult, then after Deputy Director Bao finishes eating, please sweep the snow outside.”

“What?!” The mutton in Bao Wu’s mouth fell into his bowl. Before the soup water could splash, Di Yiqiu pulled Huang Rang a bit closer to himself.

… Li Lu continued eating as if nothing had happened—some people were determined to court death, and others couldn’t dissuade them. Sure enough, Di Yiqiu continued: “Within three days, this seat doesn’t want to see a single inch of accumulated snow at Si Tianjian.”

“Oh… oh.” Bao Wu continued eating with a bitter face.

The three continued eating when someone nearby suddenly said: “Speaking of which, I had a dream last night. I dreamed that Yuhu Xuanzong’s Old Ancestor and Sect Leader were harmed by that bastard Xie Yuanshu! And then our Director even…”

At this point in his words, Di Yiqiu and the others all paused. Li Lu glanced at Di Yiqiu, got a look from him, and immediately said: “You, come here.”

The speaker was immediately alarmed. He hurried over and said: “Deputy Director Li, did this lowly one say something wrong?”

Di Yiqiu beside them suddenly said: “Speak. What all did you dream?”

That person trembled, not knowing how a strange dream had caught the Director and Deputy Director’s attention. He said: “This lowly one… just dreamed that something happened at Yuhu Xuanzong. Xie Yuanshu absorbed Xie Lingbi and Xie Hongchen’s cultivation and even wanted to establish himself as Sect Leader. Later it was still you, Director, who led the heroes of the immortal sects to Yuhu Xuanzong to eliminate the treacherous and restore order.”

As he spoke, he stole glances at Di Yiqiu, afraid he had said something improper.

The chopsticks in Bao Wu’s hand stopped. He said in a daze: “This dream…”

Before he could finish, everyone in the dining hall said: “We also dreamed it.”

Huang Rang was stunned—what, everyone had the same dream?!

Li Lu and Di Yiqiu exchanged glances. Both frowned tightly. At this time, someone else came to report: “Director, Sect Master He, He Xijin, and several other seniors have come requesting an audience.”

He Xijin? Huang Rang knew this person. If he came, that meant Zhang Shujiu and Wu Zichou had arrived too.

Sure enough, Li Lu said: “Could it be that they also had the same dream, so they rushed here to discuss countermeasures?”

This analysis made perfect sense, but Di Yiqiu’s expression was strange. He asked the reporting guard: “Did Sect Master He bring any female family members?”

The guard immediately said: “Reporting to the Director, Sect Master He also brought Madam He and Madam He’s younger sister. Sect Master He said that last night they happened to have a dream saying that you were very interested in Sect Master He’s wife’s sister. That’s why Madam He urged him overnight to come and… meet with you.”

This!!

Hearing this, everyone’s expressions immediately became very complex. Huang Rang glanced at Di Yiqiu, her heart muttering even more—this Madam He has a notorious reputation, yet you actually like her wife’s sister.

What kind of preference is that?

Naturally, others had similar thoughts. Look at Sect Master He! In the future, their own Director will probably… have his ears henpecked. Alas.

Di Yiqiu pondered for a moment and suddenly said: “Two quarters of an hour from now, bring Sect Master He to Baihu Si to see me.”

The guard naturally agreed. Li Lu understood and knew his Director probably had matters to prepare, saying: “This subordinate will go accompany Sect Master He and the others for a cup of tea and learn about what Sect Master He and the others dreamed last night.”

Di Yiqiu nodded, took out a silk handkerchief to wipe his mouth, and only then pushed Huang Rang out of the dining hall.

All the way back to Baihu Si’s conference hall, he still placed Huang Rang beside the heating basin.

Huang Rang was very curious—could Di Yiqiu be planning to wash and dress himself up before meeting Sect Master He’s wife’s sister? Thinking carefully, this was understandable. After all, someone like him, with high position and great power but empty inner chambers, was indeed improper.

Si Tianjian wasn’t a monastery—there was no need to observe such austere rules.

—Didn’t Xie Hongchen of Yuhu Xuanzong marry her as his wife?

Only it was a pity that if he married a wife and the wife was fierce, her own days in the future probably wouldn’t be so good. Huang Rang sighed secretly. She was always a realist, so what she thought now was naturally quite practical.

Di Yiqiu indeed began washing and dressing himself. He found the rouge and powder he had bought for Huang Rang last time and applied a thin layer to his own face. Then he used indigo to lightly trace his eyebrows and used peony rouge to add good color to both cheeks. Finally, he touched up his lips with lip tint.

? Huang Rang’s gaze slowly froze—dressing up like this… isn’t it too greasy and powdered? Also, why is it that when you apply makeup to your own face, you know to use a thin layer, but when applying my face it’s like plastering a wall?!

After Di Yiqiu “carefully” dressed himself up, Sect Master He also arrived.

He brought his wife and daughter in. Zhang Shujiu and Wu Zichou naturally accompanied them.

Di Yiqiu immediately went forward to greet them. When several people saw him, they all froze—how could they not freeze?! Today he had lightly applied cosmetics and traced his eyebrows!!

Sect Master He’s wife was still very pleased. Though she had a fierce reputation, she actually had delicate features. Only her manner carried a heroic air. She held her sister’s hand and said to Di Yiqiu: “Qu Manying, greetings to the Director.”

Seeing her, Di Yiqiu smiled and said: “Madam He rushed all the way here. It must have been tiring.”

His voice also became very soft and light, even sounding somewhat seductive. Huang Rang felt goosebumps rising layer upon layer on her body. Madam He frowned slightly but didn’t show impropriety. She repeatedly said: “Not tiring. This is my younger sister Qu Manci. Manci, quickly greet the Director.”

That Qu Manci resembled her sister quite a bit. Only as a young maiden, her figure was more slender and upright. As soon as she entered, she had been observing Di Yiqiu.

This person wore official robes with an imposing and martial build. But the powder on his face… and this voice… she always felt something was strange, yet still couldn’t help stepping forward, saying: “Qu Manci greets the Director!”

Di Yiqiu hurriedly reached out to help her up, saying: “Miss Manci need not be so formal.”

Hearing his soft and delicate voice, Huang Rang wanted to shiver.

At this time, everyone took their seats in order. Servants brought tea.

Di Yiqiu accepted the tea cup and listened as Madam He introduced how much her younger sister admired him. Fine that he drank tea, but his hand actually raised a bent pinky finger!

Huang Rang sat beside him, meeting the gaze Qu Manci cast over. Qu Manci had been stealing glances at Huang Rang for quite a while. Huang Rang could almost hear her inner thoughts.

—This man definitely has some kind of problem!