Yu Xiaomeng stood frozen, seeming to understand a little, yet not daring to hope. Her mind was a complete blank; she dared not think of anything at all, simply staring foolishly at her Prince Lige.

And Ziqing, too, seemed to understand a little. She looked at Yu Xiaomeng — of course she recognized this girl!

If not for a girl like her, she wouldn’t have remained unconscious until now, nor would she have encountered Xuanyuan Lige.

She had originally had more than enough ability to kill those wild wolves single-handedly. It was this reckless girl who had suddenly appeared and thrown everything into chaos, forcing her, already gravely wounded, to draw on her internal energy again and kill the wolves with wind blades.

And it was precisely that forced use of internal energy that had left her unconscious until now.

This girl and Xuanyuan Lige…

Ziqing was about to speak when she saw Xuanyuan Lige walk over, take hold of Yu Xiaomeng’s hand, and pull her closer!

Was it really her — the one he intended to marry?

The same question filled Yu Xiaomeng’s mind. He wanted to marry her?

How could that be possible!

She should be thankful enough that Prince Xuanyuan didn’t find her annoying — how could he possibly want to marry her?

Yu Xiaomeng wasn’t a particularly wise woman, but she was undeniably a sharp one, and she understood at once what was going on.

Looking at her hand held in Xuanyuan Lige’s, this gesture — how long had she longed for this, longed for it until she’d finally stopped daring to hope at all?

And now, he had taken her hand.

Yet she felt not the slightest bit of joy, not the slightest bit of excitement!

How could this man do such a thing!

This man — just a moment ago, he had gone to such great lengths to please another woman, to celebrate another woman’s birthday — and now, in the very next moment, he was holding her hand, personally leading her into this courtyard she had longed for so desperately, into this glittering “starscape” of lights that didn’t belong to her at all.

Her heart ached, ached so terribly!

He was using her!

To deceive another woman, he had actually used something like marriage to exploit her!

Marriage — did he know how important that word was to a woman? Did he know that a man could not simply say such a word casually, on a whim!

A man could break his word about many things, but “marriage” — how could he possibly go back on that?

Once said, it had to be honored!

How could he possibly honor it?

She should shake off his hand and curse him as a liar right then and there!

But she didn’t. She had no backbone at all — foolishly, she let herself be led by the hand right up to the other woman.

“Yu Xiaomeng, a girl from this small town in Mobei — she’s the one who saved you and brought you back.” Xuanyuan Lige said, still maintaining that warm smile.

For a moment, Ziqing couldn’t quite process it, feeling this whole situation was too sudden, too strange, too bizarre.

Had her instincts been wrong?

A moment ago, when he’d asked her to stay — had that really just been a joke?

“Silly girl, this is the one who saved your life — without her, you’d have been carried off by wolves long ago.” Xuanyuan Lige added.

Ziqing didn’t argue the point about being “saved.” After a moment’s hesitation, she was about to offer her thanks when Xuanyuan Lige spoke again. “The one I’m going to marry is her.”

The words came out just like that, so casually, so naturally.

Yu Xiaomeng gave a sudden violent shudder, her entire body, every organ inside her, trembling. Ziqing furrowed her brow, feeling more and more that something was off, yet unable to say quite what. She looked at Xuanyuan Lige, opening her mouth as if to speak, then stopping. “You… you…”

“I like this small town. I like this girl too. Living here under a false name… it’s a good life.” Xuanyuan Lige said indifferently, as if he already knew Ziqing wanted to ask him why.

Ziqing said nothing. She could understand a choice like this from Xuanyuan Lige — it was, after all, what she herself had hoped for him: to grow old with one person, to settle in one place for life.

Still, she couldn’t help feeling it was all too sudden, that something, somewhere, was off.

Her gaze shifted, turning to Yu Xiaomeng, carrying a faint trace of scrutiny.

Yu Xiaomeng’s heart gave a start. Perhaps out of a wish to help Prince Xuanyuan, or perhaps out of some selfish motive of her own, the words tumbled out of her before she could stop them. “Miss, I never imagined you two were friends — what a coincidence! The lamps in the courtyard were all prepared by me and Brother Shang together. Happy birthday to you.”

At this, Ziqing was truly shocked. Without thinking, the words slipped out. “Then… I owe you my thanks twice over.”

“No need, no need at all! If you could just stay for me and Brother Shang’s wedding, I’d be so happy!” No sooner had Yu Xiaomeng finished speaking than Xuanyuan Lige took her hand and lifted it to his lips, his expression full of doting affection.

Yu Xiaomeng’s face flushed, and she lowered her head shyly — the very picture of a happy, bashful young girl in love.

Brother Shang?

Shang? Had he changed his name?

Looking at Yu Xiaomeng, Ziqing seemed to see herself, the first time Jun Beiyue had ever held her in his arms — everything else could be faked, but that particular joy, that particular shyness, could never be pretended.

Perhaps that word “stay” Ah Li had spoken just now really had just been a joke after all. He was going to take a wife; he had finally found a place to belong. She should be happy for him.

Ziqing smiled and said, “I can’t stay. But… I’ll come by from time to time to exchange notes on the zither with him.”

“Sure.” Xuanyuan Lige agreed readily.

“I’ll come alone.” Ziqing added with a smile, referring to the lingering tension between him and Jun Beiyue.

Xuanyuan Lige only smiled, offering no answer. The smile at the corners of his lips was warm, but the smile in his heart was bitter.

He had never been a narrow-minded man. The tension between him and Jun Beiyue had nothing to do with whether they saw each other or not — it lay in the fact that he could never be his true, unguarded friend.

If Jun Beiyue were to come, he could easily spar with him, openly and without reservation.

His marriage was meant to let her leave with a clear conscience — meant so that if one day her heart was ever wounded, if one day she felt alone, she could set aside any awkwardness and think of him as a friend, as a harbor free of romantic entanglement, somewhere she could return to heal, the way one returns home.

He, too, had been born and raised within a royal household. How many imperial marriages ever ended in true happiness?

Her origins — an orphan from an isolated island — would forever be out of place within the Da Zhou royal family. Jun Beiyue might not mind, but there were plenty of others who would.

“Fool, having chosen Jun Beiyue, you’ll still have to endure a great deal of hardship.”

These words, he kept only in his heart. He had never once meant to disrupt anything.

Ziqing glanced once more at the delicate, clinging figure of Yu Xiaomeng, a complex look flickering in her eyes, and said with a smile, “I should get going. Walk me partway, won’t you?”

“Let’s go.” Xuanyuan Lige said, then turned and murmured softly to Yu Xiaomeng, “It’s windy outside. Wait for me indoors.”

Yu Xiaomeng nodded obediently, but the moment his hand let go of hers, her eyes began to sting.

“Your name is Xiaomeng, right? Thank you for saving me. I hope we meet again sometime.” Ziqing said her farewell with a smile, thinking the girl a little foolish, but good-hearted at heart.

“Goodbye! Come visit Mobei anytime you’re free!” Yu Xiaomeng was clearly on the verge of tears, yet she still forced herself to smile brightly.

But the moment Xuanyuan Lige and Ziqing turned and walked away, her tears began falling in fat drops she could no longer hold back. She knew — the moment that woman left, her dream would be over too.

Ziqing clearly had something she wanted to say to Xuanyuan Lige. The two of them walked all the way to the northwest exit of the town before Ziqing finally stopped. “I will definitely help you find a cure!”

Judging by Yu Xiaomeng’s manner, the girl likely knew nothing of Lige’s illness.

Xuanyuan Lige gave a small smile and was about to speak when, suddenly, a rustling sound of footsteps came from the woods not far off. From the sound of it, there were two people — but judging by their footwork, these were unmistakably top-tier martial artists!

Xuanyuan Lige and Ziqing exchanged a glance and, in perfect unspoken agreement, immediately slipped sideways to hide behind cover…