Si Tianjian, Xuanwu Si study hall.

Huang Rang propped her chin on her hand, examining the golden bracelet on her wrist—its craftsmanship delicate, the ruby transparent and pure. She was studying it intently when suddenly, the door was pushed open. Huang Rang froze slightly. Though she hadn’t bolted the door, barging in directly was still exceedingly rude.

However, upon seeing who had arrived, Huang Rang lost her temper.

She resumed propping her chin, toying with the bracelet, and asked: “What is it?”

The Jianzheng was fuming, and after a long moment said: “So Aunt Huang doesn’t know yet? Sect Master Xie personally went to Ruyi Sword Sect to propose marriage to Sect Leader He and Madam He. Aunt Huang truly possesses ten thousand charms, your beauty renowned far and wide.”

His words dripped with sarcasm. Huang Rang was shocked: “What?”

There was only one chair in the study hall, and Huang Rang occupied it. The Jianzheng had no choice but to sit on the edge of her bed, sneering: “Sect Master Xie covets Aunt Huang’s beauty and has proposed marriage to you.”

Huang Rang finally understood. She found it laughable: “Xie Hongchen? This person… is really…”

She didn’t know how to describe it.

Outside the dream, she had schemed exhaustively for this person, the two of them caught in a century of different dreams.

In this dream, she had done nothing, yet this person came rushing forward on his own.

Huang Rang stood up, and Di Yiqiu also sprang to his feet abruptly. His movement was so sudden that Huang Rang jumped in fright, asking: “What are you doing?”

The Jianzheng asked: “Where are you going?”

Huang Rang sneered, replying with an equally caustic expression: “Your Aunt Huang is going right now to find you an uncle.”

“You wouldn’t dare!” The Jianzheng was so angry his crown chakra ached, yet he involuntarily blocked her path.

The study hall was narrow—blocking the door was far too easy for him.

Huang Rang met him head-on, refusing to yield an inch: “Why wouldn’t I dare? He’s Xie Hongchen, the First Sword Immortal of the immortal sects. Ha, how glorious and honorable.”

Di Yiqiu stared at her, as if judging the truth or falsehood in her words.

Huang Rang said casually: “Isn’t that so? He’s handsome, his cultivation is profound, his status noble. He must be very wealthy too. Ha, practically the dream husband of every girl.”

Di Yiqiu’s anger was completely extinguished. After a long while, he said in an extremely indifferent tone: “You’re right. Then go.”

After speaking, he turned and left.

Huang Rang chased after him, watching his hurried footsteps as he quickly departed the study hall, destination unknown.

He actually just left!!

This time, it was Aunt Huang’s turn to be furious enough to pierce the heavens.

“This person, can’t he say even one kind word?” She burned with rage. It took quite some time before she took a deep breath, forcing herself to calm down.

Huang Rang crushed a transmission talisman and returned to Ruyi Sword Sect.

At this moment, Xie Hongchen had not yet left.

He Xijin was entertaining the guest, while Qu Manying waited anxiously for Huang Rang.

As soon as she saw her return, she immediately pulled her aside, saying in a low voice: “You’re finally back, you little troublemaker! What’s going on between you and Sect Master Xie now?”

“What ‘going on’?” Huang Rang’s face was equally innocent. Heaven knew that in this dream, she had done nothing at all.

“Haven’t you been at Si Tianjian all along? Why would Sect Master Xie personally come to propose marriage?” Qu Manying pinched her ear. “Have you been flirting around outside?”

“Injustice!” Huang Rang had to explain again: “I’ve only met him a few times? We’re not even acquainted, what flirting?”

Only then did Qu Manying relax, saying: “If nothing happened, then good. Then let your uncle send him away.”

“I’m already back, I’ll go tell him myself.” Huang Rang immediately ran toward the main hall where they were receiving guests.

“Hey, you’re a young lady, what are you going to say! Come back here…” Qu Manying chased after her from behind.

Si Tianjian, Xuanwu Si study.

The Jianzheng had just entered the room when suddenly, he lost all his sharpness.

At this time, Si Tianjian had been established for less than a year, with a thousand tangled matters. He held the position of Jianzheng at the age of fourteen, attending to everything personally, exhausting his mind and strength, yet had never felt tired.

But at this moment, he felt as if his strength had been drained.

She was right—someone like Xie Hongchen was practically every woman’s dream husband. Who would refuse?

What right did he have to stand at her door, preventing her from going to meet him?

He lowered his head, staring at the desk.

That saddleback caterpillar crawled over slowly, wriggling back and forth in his line of sight.

Suddenly, Li Lu rushed over, saying: “Jianzheng, Miss Arang suddenly left just now, and she used a transmission talisman—it seems she had urgent business.”

Di Yiqiu responded faintly, pretending not to care.

However, Li Lu still noticed something amiss.

The Di Yiqiu in the study was, after all, still half a child.

All along he had been barely maintaining the dignity of the court and the decorum of the imperial family, putting on an appearance of mature stability.

But now, there was undisguisable panic in his expression.

Yes, panic to the point of losing composure.

Li Lu asked: “Did the Jianzheng and Miss Arang… have a quarrel?”

Di Yiqiu extended a finger and poked at the saddleback caterpillar on the desk, then suddenly said: “Xie Hongchen went to Ruyi Sword Sect to propose marriage to her. So… she rushed back.”

The dejection in his words was heart-wrenching.

Li Lu said: “So, the Jianzheng simply let her go?”

Di Yiqiu laughed self-mockingly, “What else?”

Li Lu said: “Has the Jianzheng never tried to ask her to stay?”

“Ask her to stay?” Di Yiqiu raised his head. Li Lu met his gaze and said: “Has the Jianzheng not asked her to stay even once?”

Di Yiqiu fell silent.

He hadn’t.

“What right do I have to ask her to stay?” He lowered his gaze and after a long while said softly: “That’s Xie Hongchen, after all.”

Li Lu said: “But if you asked her to stay, there might be a glimmer of hope. If there truly is this glimmer of hope, and Miss Arang would be willing to stay for you—would you be willing to set aside your pride and say this one sentence?”

The Jianzheng thought for a moment, then suddenly stood up, crushed a transmission talisman, and disappeared from the study!

Ruyi Sword Sect.

Xie Hongchen and He Xijin were drinking tea and chatting. He Xijin actually didn’t want this matter to spread.

But every move of Yuhu Xuanzong drew the attention of the immortal sects—it was truly impossible to keep a low profile.

When Huang Rang entered, she was like a cluster of pale golden warm sunlight.

Sect Master Xie almost instinctively stood up. He smiled at Huang Rang, saying: “Miss Arang, we meet again.”

Huang Rang recalled their last meeting—that was still in Di Yiqiu’s fief, when she was soaking wet, revealing…

Ugh, better not recall that.

She curtsied gracefully and said: “Sect Master Xie, I haven’t yet had the chance to thank you for saving my life last time. How rude of me.”

For some reason, it seemed that in front of Xie Hongchen, she habitually maintained dignified propriety.

He Xijin glanced at Huang Rang and said: “A-A-Arang…” This time, what he wanted to say was very long.

Qu Manying followed Huang Rang in, and seeing He Xijin struggling to speak, could only continue the conversation: “Sect Master Xie, this child Arang has been studying at Si Tianjian all these years and is accustomed to a carefree life. She has no rules or propriety—please forgive the embarrassment.”

“Miss Arang is kind-hearted and straightforward. This Sect Master will not take offense.” Xie Hongchen looked at Huang Rang, saying: “Since parting at Yuhu Xuanzong last time, Xie has been constantly thinking of Miss Arang. Coming to Ruyi Sword Sect today, my intention is to formally propose marriage and ask for Miss Arang’s hand. I wonder what Miss Arang thinks of this?”

Marriage proposals in the immortal sects were no different from the mortal world.

For him to come to the door like this could be considered formal.

So immediately after, Sect Master Xie added: “If Miss Arang agrees, Xie will soon ask someone to come as matchmaker.”

A matchmaker?

Huang Rang was slightly stunned. Outside the dream, when she married Xie Hongchen, no one had served as matchmaker.

So it turned out he wasn’t ignorant of these things, nor was he insufficiently attentive.

In the end, it was simply contempt.

Indeed, those qualified to serve as matchmaker for Xie Hongchen’s marriage would likely be people like Qiu Cailing.

How could a household like Huang Shu be worthy of such a personage setting foot there?

In the end, it was I who was unworthy.

Huang Rang shrugged inwardly—after all these years, she had long come to terms with it.

She smiled and said: “I’m honored by Sect Master Xie’s regard. Arang…”

Just as she reached this point, suddenly someone outside said: “Wait a moment!”

Huang Rang froze. Not just her—everyone froze.

The person outside burst in, with Ruyi Sword Sect’s guard disciples following behind!

He Xijin frowned. Seeing clearly who had arrived, he was even more confused: “Wh-what’s go-go-going on?”

The newcomer was none other than Jianzheng Di Yiqiu!

He strode into the main hall in several steps, swift as a gale, and came before Huang Rang.

“Wait a moment!” He had clearly rushed here, and even now his breathing carried gasps.

Huang Rang was baffled, asking: “What are you doing here?”

The Jianzheng’s face was completely flushed. After quite some time, as if making a firm decision, he steeled his heart, closed his eyes, bent his knees, and knelt before Huang Rang!

Huang Rang was so startled she stepped back, nearly jumping: “You… what’s wrong?”

The Jianzheng looked at no one and listened to nothing. He squeezed his eyes tightly shut, took a deep breath, and said: “Huang Rang, what I said earlier was wrong. When I came just now, Li Lu asked—if I spoke words to ask you to stay, perhaps there would still be a glimmer of hope. He asked if I would be willing to ask you to stay.”

The young Highness had perhaps never been so humble before. His voice trembled, and after a long while he said: “I asked myself, and I am willing. Not only willing—I can do anything to beg for this glimmer of hope. Arang, don’t marry him. Or, marry him later. I want to request some time. One year, or two years. Please… give me a little time.”

Having said this, he lowered his head, waiting for Huang Rang’s response, as if also waiting for a final judgment.

The He Xijin couple were stunned on the spot. Sect Master Xie frowned for the first time.

Huang Rang stood before him. After a long while, she reached out and helped him up.

You dog, so even someone like you can bow your head.

She looked up with a beaming smile and said to Xie Hongchen: “I came in such haste that I didn’t have time to explain things to him. Please forgive this embarrassment, Sect Master.” With this light and casual sentence, dark clouds rose in Xie Hongchen’s heart.

He naturally heard the warmth and coldness, intimacy and distance in these words.

Huang Rang continued: “Arang is honored by the Sect Master’s regard, but with my willow-like humble qualities, I’m unfit to enter a distinguished household.” She gazed into Xie Hongchen’s eyes. Through turning and returning time, after so many years of repetition, this person still possessed such clear eyes.

“May Sect Master Xie… be surrounded by splendid flowers and encounter another worthy person.”

Her every word carried a smile, warm and sincere.

These words seemed spoken to the person before her eyes, yet also seemed to bless the wordless past.

Xie Hongchen, those hands repeatedly extended were too warm.

I want to firmly grasp it and stop wasting time with you.