The moonlight illuminated the snowy ground, and in the flowing light and shadows, the two stood facing each other.

There was no need for concealment anymore.

He Yan’s gaze fell on the Yinqiu sword in her hand. At this moment, she realized that this sword was so heavy – so heavy that she felt she could barely hold it now.

“When did you find out?” she asked softly.

“I found He Wanru’s wet nurse,” Xiao Jue replied.

He Yan suddenly looked up at him.

His expression remained as calm as ever as if he were speaking of something trivial. A thousand complex emotions surged in her heart – sourness, panic, nervousness – all finally transforming into a relieved sigh.

“I’m sorry,” He Yan tried to appear relaxed, “I didn’t mean to deceive you.”

But why deceive? Even she couldn’t give an acceptable reason.

Xiao Jue bent down to pick up the sword blade that had broken into two pieces. His sword had just been cut in half by He Yan’s Yinqiu.

He Yan quietly watched his movements. When he straightened up, she asked, “You know everything now?”

“More or less.” Xiao Jue’s gaze was faint. “You are Xu Zhiheng’s deceased wife, and also He Rufei who wore the mask.”

The words “deceased wife” struck He Yan’s heart heavily, as if her most carefully guarded secret had been exposed, revealing an inexplicable awkwardness. Though she had always been brave to move forward, fearless even when facing thousands of troops on the battlefield, only now, facing this person at this moment, did she feel the urge to retreat.

But she couldn’t run away. Once discovered, she had to face it – whether it was the past full of schemes and calculations or the future with no visible path ahead.

“That’s right,” He Yan said, “I am He Yan, and also He Rufei, your classmate.”

Xiao Jue’s eyes flickered slightly. After a moment, he asked, “How did you become the daughter of the Gate Commander?”

“If you’ve already found Wet Nurse Qin, you should know how I died,” He Yan gave a bitter smile and looked at the icicles hanging on the trees in the distance. The icicles were like falling tears, hanging in clusters at the tips of branches. “After I died, when I woke up again, I was already this ‘He Yan.'”

“Perhaps heaven took pity on me and gave me another chance,” He Yan shrugged, “Supernatural things – even if I tell people, no one would believe it. They might think I’m talking nonsense. But since you’ve found me, I assume you already believe this.”

“Why did you switch identities with He Rufei?”

He Yan was stunned for a moment, her usually bright eyes now seeming clouded with a layer of mist, showing hints of confusion.

“Xiao Jue, no one can decide their fate at birth. The same goes for me. When I became aware of things, I was already ‘He Rufei.’ I only knew that my elder brother wouldn’t live long, and if I didn’t become ‘He Rufei,’ the He family’s title would be recalled. So, I had to live under the name of ‘He Rufei,’ to live like this for life.”

“However, I was too young then and didn’t submit to this fate, so I left the He family and went to the Fuyue Army, earning military merits and rewards. I never expected that my elder brother, who was destined to die young, didn’t die but remained healthy. So when I returned to the capital, everything returned to its proper place. He returned to being He Rufei, and I returned to being He Yan. This was good.”

This wasn’t bad at all. Although she felt somewhat wronged at the time, this was already the best possible outcome she could think of, where both He Rufei and He Yan could emerge unscathed.

He Yan tilted her head slightly as if trying to force back tears. She smiled and said, “He Rufei was the renowned Flying Swan General, while the second Miss He was just a sickly invalid. When she came of age, she could use He Rufei’s name to find herself a suitable marriage. Things should have ended there.”

“But perhaps they feared I would reveal something and implicate the entire He family. They didn’t trust me, so after that, they took my life.” He Yan smiled self-mockingly, “This should also be heaven’s punishment for me.”

Those who rebel against fate are ultimately erased by it. If she had stayed obediently in the He family as “He Rufei” back then, not gone to the battlefield, not fought for military merit, not become the Flying Swan General, perhaps when the time came for her and He Rufei to return to their original positions, she wouldn’t have lost her life.

But…

If someone asked, if time could turn back and she had another chance to choose, would she still leave the He family? He Yan thought she would. It was precisely because she took a path completely different from her predetermined fate that she discovered the vastness of the world, the beauty of life, so different from what she knew within the four walls of the residence.

“Your eyes…”

“The He family blinded them,” He Yan interrupted him. “But they probably didn’t expect that I could later live quite well without eyes, all thanks to you.” She smiled slightly. “What you told me that day behind Yuhua Temple, I remembered it. Even if I had to be blind, I wanted to be the most extraordinary among the blind.”

Xiao Jue’s breath deepened.

Those words he spoke had also been a form of harm to He Yan. If she had just remained an ordinary blind person, having lost her threat to the He family, perhaps she could have preserved her life. It was precisely because she refused to accept her fate that she made the He family uneasy again, leading them to take her life.

“Xiao Jue, please don’t blame yourself.” He Yan seemed to see what he was thinking. “I don’t regret my choice then. If I hadn’t met you, I wouldn’t have had the courage to live on, and on that Mid-Autumn night at Yuhua Temple, ‘He Yan’ would have ceased to exist in this world.”

Fate is cruel, but fate is also mysterious. Every seemingly casual choice leads to unpredictable results. Now she had become He Sui’s daughter, no longer blind, with familiar faces appearing before her one by one. She couldn’t say whether there was more regret or more gratitude.

“I am He Yan, and I am also He Rufei,” she smiled slightly. “When I first woke up and stumbled into the Liangzhou Guard’s recruit camp, my desire to achieve merit wasn’t a lie, because only by standing at the same height as He Rufei could I expose his lies. My own life doesn’t matter, but because of me, He Rufei killed many innocent people, and this is unforgivable. What he owes me, I’ll take back myself.”

“Now I’ve become the Marquis of Wu’an, with more ability to confront him than before. What I’m going to do next is just this. I’m sorry, Xiao Jue, I didn’t mean to deceive you, it’s just that some things sound absurd when spoken aloud, and perhaps I was cowardly, not knowing how to face you.”

“You’ve been lying to me all along,” he said.

He Yan’s fingers curled slightly as she took a deep breath. “I’m sorry.”

“Is your love for me also a lie?” he asked.

He Yan suddenly looked up. He stood in the wind, his figure as straight as ever, yet it was like returning to the beginning, to a distance that could never be reached.

“No.”

Xiao Jue looked at her impassively.

“I didn’t lie about that,” He Yan paused, swallowing the sourness in her throat before continuing, “When I was He Rufei at Xianshang Hall, you took great care of me, applied medicine for me, and taught me swordsmanship. In this life as He Yan, you’ve also always protected me.”

“You always appear when I’m in danger. Xiao Jue, I liked you before, and now, I like you even more.”

Once some words are spoken, it’s as if all concerns disappear. He Yan knew clearly that Xiao Jue was someone who despised betrayal and deception, which was related to what happened to the Xiao family. That’s why in Liangzhou Guard, he was so sensitive when he discovered her disguising as a man. And now, an even bigger secret of hers had been exposed, and to Xiao Jue, everything since their meeting had been a complete lie.

She had no right to ask for Xiao Jue’s forgiveness.

“I’m not the eldest Miss He,” she took a deep breath, putting on a deliberately casual smile, “Involving you was never my intention. I only wanted to achieve merit in Liangzhou Guard, to be your capable subordinate, but I never expected things between us would come to this. His Majesty’s marriage decree for us can’t be defied, but…” she looked at Xiao Jue, “you don’t need to take this marriage seriously. You can treat us as just partners. If you find a girl you like in the future, I’ll explain to her that we’re just putting on a show. When the time comes, if you want to break off the engagement or divorce me, it’s fine.”

Xiao Jue’s eyes turned cold as he slowly asked, “Divorce you?”

He Yan sighed with feigned indifference, “Actually, marriage isn’t that meaningful. Don’t look at how happy Yan Nanguang is and think marriage has many benefits. I’ve been married before, and if I’m honest, I was happier before marriage. Maybe I’m just better suited to being alone. Both my marriages have been unsuccessful,” she joked, “After you divorce me and I settle all my debts, I’ll travel the world alone on horseback. That’s better than living like an ordinary woman in this mansion. I just feel sorry for you,” she seemed genuinely concerned for Xiao Jue, “Getting your marriage prospects blocked for no reason.”

Xiao Jue said coldly, “He Yan.”

“Don’t look so angry.” He Yan smiled, “Shouldn’t I be the sad one? I finally managed to deceive my way into a marriage, but now it’s been exposed. Fortunately, I’m very broad-minded and can always see things positively. After today, let’s just be ordinary classmates. Xiao Jue,” she spoke seriously, word by word, “Thank you, for both the past and present.”

Her smile was relaxed, appearing carefree, like the lighthearted young soldier in the Liangzhou Guard. But only He Yan knew that every word she spoke felt like a knife cutting into her heart.

She liked this person so much and had experienced so much with him. Xiao Jue had given her warmth and precious care she’d never had before. She thought she had caught the moon, but it was just its reflection in the water. Now the dream was over, and she should return to her path.

One shouldn’t become too attached in matters of the heart. Without that bit of attachment, perhaps parting wouldn’t be so difficult now.

He Yan put on a big smile and, after thinking for a moment, extended her hand to Xiao Jue, “Here, this is your Yinqiu sword. Now it’s returned to its rightful owner.”

The young man didn’t move. His beautiful eyes fixed on her, surging with emotions He Yan couldn’t understand. The next moment, he strode forward. He Yan held out the Yinqiu sword to return it to him.

He didn’t take the sword.

Instead, that hand grabbed He Yan’s arm, gently pulled, and drew her into his embrace.

He Yan was startled. Under the seemingly cold black robe was an incredibly warm embrace. Just like how the most valiant general had the softest heart.

“Xiao Jue, you…”

He Yan leaned against his chest, hearing his clear, strong heartbeat, more intense than ever before, as if revealing the young man’s hidden emotions. She looked up, seeing Xiao Jue’s chin. One hand steadied her waist, pressing her head against his chest, like both comfort and restraint, as if afraid she would run away.

“I’m sorry.”

“What?”

The young man’s voice was restrained, hoarse, and deep, “For not recognizing you sooner.”

In that instant, He Yan’s eyes grew moist.

For so long, it was as if she had been walking alone in the darkness, with no one discovering her existence, let alone caring about her joys and sorrows. No one apologized, no one cheered, whether happy or sad, beginning or end, it was her story alone.

Until one day, someone found her.

The only person in this world who was her light, the source of all her brilliance.

“Hey,” she tried to lighten the mood, “Xiao Huaijin, if you’re like this, I won’t be able to let go.”

But he held He Yan even tighter, whispering in her ear, “I’ve missed my chance with you twice.”

“This time, I won’t miss it again.”

He Yan was stunned.

She broke free from Xiao Jue’s embrace, looking at him in astonishment, “I’m not the eldest Miss He, I’m He Yan.”

“I know.”

“I deceived you, from my past life until now.”

“I know.”

“I’ve been married before.” She seemed to find it difficult to speak, “Xiao Jue, even so, are you still the same as before?”

She didn’t believe that being previously married made someone inferior. There were so many divorced women in the world, whether divorced or abandoned, they weren’t any worse than others. It was just unfortunate timing or circumstances beyond their control that led them to choose the wrong marriage. It didn’t affect their right to find happiness.

But it turned out that when facing someone you truly like, even a fairy would secretly worry whether they were worthy of the other person. Love makes one timid, timidity makes one humble, especially… when she had received so little love, even affirmation was rare.

In the night, the young man’s gaze was as clear as autumn water, stripped of all coldness and mockery, warm beyond belief.

Xiao Jue smiled slightly: “Why so unconfident? Even if you’ve been married before, in my eyes, you’re still just a girl.”

He bent slightly, gazing into her eyes.

“Flying Swan General or not, I came only for He Yan.”