Yan Qing was only at the hospital conducting experiments; she was not a doctor there. So when the alarm sounded, it had little to do with her.

But today was the fifteenth of the first month. The hospital had only one on-duty doctor and two or three nurses. If an emergency patient arrived at this hour, one doctor would not be able to manage alone.

“Let me go have a look.” Yan Qing took a white coat from beside her and put it on.

Shi Ting quickly stood as well. “I’ll go with you.”

The two had just stepped out the door when they saw several people pushing a gurney, rushing quickly in their direction.

“Why is it people from the military police headquarters?” Yan Qing was startled.

“Someone must have reported a case.”

Shi Ting and Yan Qing hurried forward. Sure enough, the people who had brought the patient were from the military police headquarters. Seeing Shi Ting there, they were also startled for a moment, but quickly snapped to attention. “Young Marshal.”

“What happened?”

“Someone filed a report saying a body had been found in Eight Corners Alley. When we arrived, we found the person still had a breath left, so we brought her to the hospital.”

Yan Qing walked to the gurney and saw a woman lying there.

This woman’s clothes were tattered and torn, her body gaunt and thin as a skeleton.

Her hair was disheveled, her face filthy and unkempt. She now lay there on the verge of death, only barely exhaling, with no breath going in.

Yan Qing felt this person looked somewhat familiar. She stepped forward and pushed the hair from the woman’s face, and when she saw that familiar face, Yan Qing’s pupils contracted sharply.

“Yan Qin!”

The person lying there was none other than Yan Qin. But she was no longer the Yan Qin Yan Qing had known. Was this person — who seemed to have aged decades, ghastly as a specter — truly the Fifth Miss of the Yan Family?

“Yan Qin?” Yan Qing called out. “Yan Qin, can you hear me? Fifth Sister, wake up.”

The person lying on the gurney had her eyes tightly shut, as though she could not hear anything from the outside world at all.

“Doctor, quickly.” Yan Qing said anxiously. “Resuscitate her now.”

Yan Qin was wheeled into the operating room, and Yan Qing swiftly put on surgical attire and followed her inside.

“Qing Qing.” Shi Ting called her back, consoling her. “Looking at her state, I’m afraid she’s not going to make it.”

“I know.” Yan Qing let out a sigh. “Do what we can.”

The hospital was short-handed, so Yan Qing assisted inside the operating room.

“Miss Yan, is this person your sister?” the doctor in charge of the resuscitation asked.

“Yes.”

The doctor did not ask how the daughter of the Yan Mansion had ended up in this condition.

Looking at Yan Qin’s emaciated frame, it was apparent she had suffered from long-term malnutrition compounded by excessive opium addiction, which had worsened her condition.

After what felt like an eternity, the doctor finally relented and could only say apologetically: “I’m sorry, Miss Yan. I did everything I could.”

“I know. Thank you.” Yan Qing shook her head.

“Not at all.” The doctor gazed at the person on the gurney, removed his mask, and withdrew.

“Yan Qin.” Yan Qing looked at the withered, hollow figure with sorrowful eyes. “May you go in peace. The Yan Family will certainly give you a proper and dignified burial. And — if there is another life, live it well.”

The barely-alive person seemed to experience a final rally before death: a single tear rolled from the corner of her eye, fell into the sheets, and spread into a faint, misted stain.

Yan Qing watched as Yan Qin slowly stopped breathing, her pulse ceasing to beat. She raised her hand and drew a white cloth over her face.

Her thoughts drifted back to when she had just been reborn into this world — to the sight of Yan Qin being imperious and arrogant, looking for trouble with her.

The Yan Qin of that time had been pampered and adored, doing as she pleased. She had worn the finest dresses, used the most exquisite jewelry, and her face had always been impeccably made up.

Yet now she lay here, a corpse utterly drained of all human warmth. She had died covered in festering sores, her face unrecognizable, clearly having passed away in extreme agony.

The splendor and glory of the past were gone. All that remained was a shell devoid of life.

Yan Qing walked out of the resuscitation room. Shi Ting and two officers from the police department were waiting outside.

Shi Ting stepped forward. “The two of them just told me — homicide has apparently been ruled out.”

“I observed during the doctor’s resuscitation attempt,” Yan Qing said with a sigh. “She likely died of multiple organ failure syndrome. She had an underlying illness to begin with, and instead of receiving hospital treatment, she had a severe opium addiction that worsened her condition. It was only a matter of time.”

“Sister-in-law,” one of the young officers said. “I often patrol that area and have seen this woman a few times. The people nearby all called her a madwoman — she was digging through rubbish bins for food every day. Ah, had I only known she was your sister, I would surely have told you.”

After Yan Qin had left the hospital, she had developed a desire to take revenge on men.

She would dress herself up elaborately, going specifically to dance halls to seduce wealthy men. She would carouse and indulge with them, infecting them with her disease.

The last person Yan Qin had come into contact with was the lawyer Yan Qing had encountered at the night market last time. When that lawyer discovered Yan Qin had that illness, he flew into a rage, broke both her legs, and threw her out.

With her legs broken, Yan Qin had wanted to return to the Yan Family — but people on the street all treated her as a madwoman. She had claimed to be the Fifth Miss of the Yan Family, but no one believed her.

With no other choice, she could only crawl to the rubbish bins in the alley to find food. When there was nothing to eat, her opium cravings would flare up as well, making life feel worse than death.

Yan Qin had wanted to go home, but could no longer return. In that cold, dark alley, she had finally exhausted her very last breath, becoming a wilted flower.

Yan Qin’s remains were sent back to the Yan Mansion. When Yan Xu saw the white-draped figure, tears welled and swam in his eyes against his will.

He lifted the white cloth and looked upon a face entirely unlike the one in his memory. Overcome with grief, he threw himself over the body and wept aloud.

Even if they had not been so close, even if they had argued and clashed — this was still his sister, born of the same mother.

Now, Mother was gone, and his younger sister was gone as well. How could he not grieve at such a scene?

After weeping, Yan Xu had someone summon the finest funeral director.

The funeral director made up Yan Qin’s face, dressed her in beautiful clothes, and let her rest quietly within her coffin.

Yan Qin was buried in the Yan Family ancestral cemetery, laid to rest beside Madam Yan. Though she had once been homeless and wandering, she had now, at last, come home.

No matter how many terrible things she had done in her life, now that she was laid in the earth and her soul had found peace, what had come before no longer mattered so greatly.

The river of time flows ever onward. Rights and wrongs, merits and faults — all will drift along with the current, gradually sinking, becoming a handful of yellow sand.

After Yan Qin’s funeral affairs were settled, Yan Xu called Yan Qing aside.

“Sixth Sister, look at what has become of our Yan Family now.” Yan Xu sighed. “Father is in hospital, and no one knows how long he can hold on. Mother has died, Fifth Sister has died, the Third Concubine and Fourth Sister are in prison, and Second and Third Brother are still of no use. Now, there is only you and I.”

“Elder Brother, rest assured. No matter what happens, I am a descendant of the Yan Family. I will carry this family together with you.”

“You are a woman — how could I let you bear the weight of this family?” Yan Xu said. “I only want you to be well. Do you understand?”

Yan Qing’s eyes grew warm. “Elder Brother — you too must take care of yourself. No matter how great the family enterprise, if the person is gone, everything is gone.”

“I know.” Yan Xu let out a helpless sigh. “In terms of business acumen, I am not Father’s equal. With the Yan Family in my hands, it will only decline day by day. So you must cure Father as quickly as possible. Only with him here can this family be sustained, only then can the Yan Family continue to prosper.”

Before Yan Qing could speak, Yan Xu cut her off: “You have Shi Ting to protect you, and I am at ease about that. But Shi Guang has always had his eye on Shi Ting’s position. I fear he may move against you both. Once Shi Ting loses power, do not stubbornly remain at his side. When that time comes, Elder Brother will sell off the Yan Family’s properties and we will all leave Bei Di, go somewhere safe.”

Yan Qing smiled through the glimmer of tears in her eyes and gently shook her head. “They say that husband and wife are like birds in the same forest — when disaster strikes, each flies its own way. But I prefer: in heaven, may we be as lovebirds in paired flight; on earth, may we be as entwined branches on a single tree. In the future, no matter whether Shi Ting wins or loses, I will remain by his side. Through life and death, we will share honor and disgrace alike.”

“Is that truly what you think?”

“Yes.” Yan Qing said with conviction. “Shi Ting and I will not be separated. Whatever happens, the only thing that could part us is death.”

“Good.” Yan Xu smiled and patted his younger sister’s shoulder. “My fine little sister — your backbone and your resolve, Elder Brother admires. Rest assured: as long as I am still head of the Yan Family for even one day, the Yan Family will support Shi Ting unconditionally. Even if it means emptying the family coffers, we will ensure he remains unshakeable as Mount Tai.”

“Thank you, Elder Brother.” Yan Qing said, deeply moved. “Trust in Shi Ting — he will certainly not disappoint everyone.”

Shi Ting had come to find Yan Qing. When he reached the doorway he heard the voices inside, and he listened to every word the siblings exchanged without missing a single one. The weather was cold, yet warmth had filled his chest completely — as if it were ice and snow outside, yet spring blossoms were in full bloom.

He knew. To have Qing Qing like this — there was nothing more he could ask of this lifetime.

He did not knock. He turned and walked away.

But he had not gone far when a guard came toward him. The guard saluted first, then said: “Young Marshal, something is wrong — the Commander is in trouble.”

A chill ran through Shi Ting’s heart. “What happened?”

“The Commander’s train has been bombed,” the guard said with an urgent expression. “At Changsheng Bridge in Wanfang Village, Hai Cheng.”

Changsheng Bridge was the boundary between Shun Cheng and Hai Cheng, and the essential crossing point where the railways of the two places connected. But that stretch of land was extremely remote, with desolate surroundings on all sides.

“What are the casualties?” Shi Ting asked urgently.

“It’s still unclear. The explosion occurred at Changsheng Bridge, with the train running directly across it at the time.”

“Shi Ting.” Yan Qing heard Shi Ting’s voice from inside the room and quickly pushed the door open to come out. Seeing his anxious expression, her instincts told her something serious must have happened.

~