Xie Changgeng watched Mu Fulan’s retreating figure until she disappeared, then closed the door and turned to explain to his mother: “A couple of days ago, I was careless at the training grounds and suffered a minor flesh wound. It is a small matter — it will heal in a day or two. There is no need for you to worry, Mother.”

His mother insisted he undress so she could inspect the injury herself. Xie Changgeng said the wound had already been treated and dressed, and it would be inconvenient to undo the bandaging. He repeatedly assured her there was nothing to worry about, and only after his persistent reassurances did she reluctantly let the matter drop. She reached out and touched her son’s hand — and suddenly felt it was running rather warm, which made her tense with worry all over again.

Xie Changgeng said: “I am fine, Mother. It is simply that things have been busy of late and I have not been getting proper rest. I am already taking medicine. My constitution has always been sturdy — two days of rest and I will be well again.”

His mother complained: “That Mu woman — I do not mean to speak ill of her, but since she is at your side, just how is she looking after you? To let you fall ill like this! How can I possibly set my mind at ease?”

Xie Changgeng glanced at his mother.

The old lady’s brow was deeply furrowed, and every line of her face was saturated with displeasure at that woman. It could not help but bring to his mind the image of her from just moments ago — standing to one side, eyes cast down, meek and helpless as she endured the cold snubbing and deliberate difficulties.

He hesitated a moment, then spoke: “Mother, do not misunderstand. It was she who diagnosed my illness and made up the medicine for me, and it is because I have been taking her medicine that I have improved so much. Since her arrival, she has attended to me with great diligence and shown no negligence whatsoever.”

His mother said nothing, her expression still somewhat sour.

Xie Changgeng helped his elderly mother inside, told A’Mao to bring water, and personally washed his mother’s feet to help her settle down for the night.

Her son was at once injured and ill — she ached for him too much to let him do such things, and would not hear of it.

Seeing his mother’s insistence, Xie Changgeng told A’Mao to do it in his place.

A’Mao acknowledged the order and had just crouched down when Qi Lingfeng walked in through the door with a smile: “Brother-in-law, let me do it instead.”

A’Mao was a little displeased. She pouted and looked over at Xie Changgeng.

Qi Lingfeng walked to the old lady’s side and told A’Mao to rise.

A’Mao stood up reluctantly.

As Qi Lingfeng was rolling up her sleeves, Xie Changgeng suddenly said: “A’Mao, carry on.”

A’Mao was immediately delighted. With a bright “Yes!”, she promptly crouched back down.

Qi Lingfeng paused, and slowly turned her head to look at Xie Changgeng.

Xie Changgeng looked at her and said: “My mother and I still have some things to discuss. Besides, the journey has been hard on you. Go and rest — there is no need for you to remain here.”

His tone was gentle, yet the distance beneath his words was unmistakable.

His mother, however, could not detect it at all. She took it only as her son showing concern for Qi Lingfeng, and nodded repeatedly, urging: “Yes, yes, Feng’er, go back to your room, get to bed early.”

Qi Lingfeng bit her lip, murmured a quiet acknowledgment, and retreated from the room.

When A’Mao finished washing the old lady’s feet, Xie Changgeng helped his mother onto the bed. His mother said: “Geng’er, Mu Shi has been married to you for so long now — why is there still no movement in her belly?”

Xie Changgeng made a noncommittal sound.

His mother sighed: “You are the only branch of the Xie family line. I pray for it every single day. Looking at that woman, she is simply not the type to bear children easily. If things go on this way, when will I ever see the Xie family grow and flourish?”

Xie Changgeng was inwardly vexed, though he showed nothing on his face. He replied vaguely: “She is still young. Besides, since she entered the household, she and I have been apart more than together. Do not be in such a hurry, Mother.”

“How could I not be in a hurry? Geng’er, let Mother speak plainly with you. This time I came not only to see you, but also to discuss with you — when you find a convenient moment, settle the matter of you and Feng’er as soon as possible.”

“And is it not fortunate that Mu Shi happens to be here as well? That way, no one can say we are keeping anything from her!”

Xie Changgeng felt even more stifled inside. He paused in thought, then looked up to see A’Mao standing nearby, eyes wide and watching him intently. He waved a hand, dismissing her, before finally speaking: “Mother, regarding the matter of the Qi girl — I have given it careful consideration and still find it improper. The Qi family has shown you tremendous kindness, Mother. Asking her to become a concubine would be an insult to their family. As I have mentioned to you before — it would be better for you to take her as an adopted daughter, find her a good match, and see her married in fine style. That is the true way to repay their kindness.”

His mother had already lain down, but upon hearing this, she abruptly sat up.

“Geng’er, how can you be like this? You will not even listen to your own mother now?”

She wore an expression of frustration, eyeing her son with deep suspicion.

“Is it that Mu woman? Does she say one thing to my face and do another, complaining to you in private? If it is inconvenient for you, I shall go and speak with her myself! If she refuses to agree, then all the better — just repudiate her! You have the Empress Dowager’s backing. What could the Kingdom of Changsha possibly do to you?”

Xie Changgeng had no wish to disappoint his widowed mother. He was well aware that the Qi family would welcome this arrangement without reservation. And as far as he himself was concerned, this was hardly a matter that required any serious deliberation.

Yet somewhere in the depths of his heart, there was an instinct. If he relented now and agreed to this — before that woman, from this point forward, he would have no possible way of ever regaining any ground.

That woman was like a bone in his throat — not worth keeping, yet for some reason he could not fathom, the thought of letting her go just like this filled him with the most acute unwillingness.

“Say something!”

His mother, seeing him silent, angrily slapped the bed.

Xie Changgeng looked at his mother’s face, filled with fury, and suddenly felt a vein at his temple throb as though something had hooked onto it. A sharp pain flared in his head. He paused, then said: “Mother, as for the matter of the Qi girl — let it be as it stands. From now on, I will regard her as an adopted younger sister. My head is hurting somewhat. Rest well, Mother — I am going back.”

When his mother heard him mention the headache, she looked him over. His complexion was dark and sallow, his demeanor haggard, his spirit clearly depleted. Her heart ached for him all over again.

Her plans had come to nothing, yet she could not bring herself to blame her son. She merely suspected inwardly that the Mu woman had been whispering things in his ear, bewitching him with her charms, causing him to act against his nature and defy her in this way. “All right, all right, let us not speak of this for now,” she said quickly. “Mother is going to sleep. You go and rest quickly.”

Xie Changgeng helped her lie down, snuffed out the lamp, and walked out of the room. He felt as though his whole body had been drained — more exhausted than after a full battle, and more depleting than any of that.

He rubbed his temples and turned back toward his own room.

The windows glowed with lamplight. He pushed the door open and entered.

Mu Shi had not yet gone to bed. She was seated before the mirror, holding a small pair of scissors, carefully trimming the section of hair that he had sliced off with his sword that day.

Worn up in a bun during the day, all the hair gathered together in one place, the unevenness was invisible. But with it let down now, the uneven ends were very apparent.

She focused on trimming the ends, seemingly unaware of his entering, with her back to him and no reaction at all.

Xie Changgeng stood in place and watched her back for a moment, then walked over and said: “Bring the evening snack you prepared — I would like to eat it. I happen to be a little hungry.”

Mu Fulan raised her eyes to the mirror and looked at the man reflected there, watching her, and said evenly: “I ate it myself. If you want some, I will go and make more.”

She set down the scissors and stood, rising to go out.

Xie Changgeng quickly said: “Never mind, since you already ate it — I am not particularly hungry either. It is getting late. Let us just go to sleep.”

Mu Fulan got into bed.

Xie Changgeng undressed and lay down beside her.

He was utterly exhausted, yet sleep would not come to him at all — let alone any resumption of what his mother’s sudden arrival had interrupted. He lay with his eyes closed for a moment, then opened them, staring at the woman’s back as she lay turned away from him. After a brief hesitation, he moved a little closer and said: “Mu Shi, my mother is getting on in years. If her words or actions ever put you in a difficult position, do not stoop to her level.”

Mu Fulan slowly opened her eyes. She turned her head and regarded the man on the pillow beside her for a moment, then said: “It is not that I am unwilling to endure it. It is that my mother-in-law despises me — the very sight of me displeases her. Even if I wished to serve her, she would not want it. As you yourself have said, she is getting on in years. I do not want her to be unhappy day after day on my account.”

Xie Changgeng reached out and gently gathered her into his arms, holding her, trying to soothe her: “Do not overthink it. Bear with it a little longer. She will be going back before long — she will not be staying here forever.”

Mu Fulan said: “I do not mind enduring it. That is my duty, and it is what I deserve. But I cannot let Xi’er suffer the same fate as me. Even if it is only a cold look from your mother — that I cannot endure.”

Xie Changgeng said: “Xi’er is a child. Tomorrow I will personally take him to meet my mother, and say only that you have taken him as an adopted son. Even if she is displeased, she will not do anything to him. Rest easy.”

Mu Fulan pulled herself free from his arms and sat up.

“That is what you think. But I do not dare agree. Tonight, when she came — I brought her the evening snack, and you saw with your own eyes how she treated me. What merit or virtue do I possess that would make my mother-in-law, who so despises me, treat my Xi’er with any kindness?”

Xie Changgeng heard her pass such judgment on his own mother. Though he knew what she said was not without reason, he felt deeply unsettled inside. The nameless frustration that had accumulated throughout the evening surged up at once. His tone turned hard. He frowned and said: “She is already here — what exactly is it that you want?”

Then, abruptly, another thought struck him.

“Mu Shi, I know your mind schemes a great deal. My mother knows nothing. If you dare to deliberately let her find out about the shameful things you have done — stir things up and bring chaos to this household — do not blame me for showing no mercy when the time comes.”

Mu Fulan said: “You are overthinking it. Even if I had no shame of my own to protect, and cared nothing for your face either, I would not allow Xi’er to be humiliated alongside me. Rest assured.”

She continued: “After I left just now, your mother must have been speaking ill of me to you. It is true that I am unworthy to be a daughter-in-law of the Xie family. As I have said before — whatever befalls me is of no consequence; it is what I deserve. But Xi’er — I cannot allow him to suffer a single moment’s grievance. If he suffers, it is worse to me than my own death. Let me take Xi’er back to the Kingdom of Changsha. That way, she gets what she wants, you gain your peace — would that not be the best solution for all?”

Xie Changgeng looked at her, recalling her helpless and forlorn figure from that evening as his mother left her cold and put her through difficulties. The irritation in his chest gradually scattered again, and he only felt his head aching more severely than before — yet he simply refused to grant her wish by letting her take this opportunity to leave. He closed his eyes for a moment, then said coldly: “Enough. Since you are worried the child will be looked upon coldly, there is no need to bring him before my mother. Send him away to somewhere else first, and have him stay there for a time.”

A pair of soft hands pressed against both sides of his temples. Her thumbs massaged the pressure points there, their technique and pressure perfectly measured, bringing unmistakable relief.

Xie Changgeng opened his eyes.

She was kneeling at his side, her elegant brows and bright eyes trained on him, and she said softly: “Xi’er is still so young. He would miss me if he were alone.”

Xie Changgeng held her gaze for a moment, then said: “You need not attend to my mother either. Go with him. Once my mother has left, I will bring you both back.”