In her half-awake, half-dreaming state, Yu Lingxi kept feeling a cool sensation on the back of her neck.

She hazily opened her eyes and met Ning Yin’s pitch-black pupils.

“Awake?”

He was reclining against the bed, his knuckles lightly gripping the back of her neck.

The place he touched was cool and tingling. Yu Lingxi instantly lost all drowsiness.

Fragmented memories floated back discontinuously. She vaguely remembered letting something slip before falling asleep.

She had hoped it was a dream, but Ning Yin’s expression told her it was not.

Yu Lingxi hadn’t planned to reveal the truth at this moment, in this manner.

Ning Yin’s collar was loose, his posture leisurely as he carefully scrutinized her expression: “Don’t be afraid, Young Miss. My hands are quick; I won’t let you feel any pain.”

Now when she heard him respectfully address her as “Young Miss,” Yu Lingxi only detected cold mockery.

She knew that when negotiating with Ning Yin, she must not show the slightest timidity.

Nor could she casually deny anything—he was far too clever.

So she calmly met Ning Yin’s scrutinizing gaze and said: “You’ve gone to such trouble to save me. Wouldn’t killing me now be a great waste?”

Her voice was soft, carrying the gentle nasal tone of someone who had just woken up, her eyes clear like autumn waters.

Ning Yin laughed: “Is this the lie the Young Miss has prepared?”

Sufficient motivation.

“I don’t intend to lie to you.”

Yu Lingxi directly faced the heavy pressure reminiscent of her previous life. Her hands slightly clenched under the covers as she regulated her breathing and said, “Killing me would only add one more enemy, with no benefit. We now have a common goal and shouldn’t become adversaries.”

She knew what Ning Yin’s objective was and offered her sincerity, her clear almond eyes staring back at him unblinkingly.

Surprisingly, however, Ning Yin remained expressionless, his eyes showing little interest.

Yu Lingxi’s heart immediately rose to her throat: Could it be that reclaiming power at court wasn’t what Ning Yin wanted most?

That shouldn’t be right.

“The Young Miss is distracted again. That deserves punishment.”

The pain in her jaw recalled her senses. Ning Yin, slightly displeased, leaned closer and stared at her intensely: “When did the Young Miss find out?”

He was referring to his identity.

Yu Lingxi naturally couldn’t say it was from her previous life. Such an absurd reason would probably get her bones crushed before the words even left her mouth.

“The Wolf Kingdom,” she said, her red lips parting slightly, giving a half-true, half-false answer.

“During the spring banquet crisis, when you saved me, you wore the clothes of an internal servant, indicating you were familiar with the Princess Imperial’s residence—you must be from the nobility. Later, you were even able to interfere with the Eastern Palace…”

Yu Lingxi continued, “With a bit of deduction, the possibilities were already quite limited.”

Ning Yin raised an eyebrow slightly.

Those pieces of information were indeed ones he had released, but he thought that with Yu Lingxi’s sheltered upbringing, she would at most guess he was from nobility or a strategist from some faction. He hadn’t expected her to connect the “Wolf Kingdom” story and accurately strip away the identity he had concealed for so long.

It wasn’t that he minded his identity being exposed.

After all, sooner or later, Yu Yuan would have to know and be forced to make a choice.

But Ning Yin was accustomed to controlling everything. Actively releasing information and having someone guess it were two different matters.

Under Ning Yin’s cold, probing gaze, Yu Lingxi couldn’t help but tense her throat.

“I don’t have a habit of prying into others’ privacy. If you don’t want to tell me, I simply won’t ask or mention it.”

She decided to take a gamble and added, “No one else knows besides me. If you’re not reassured, you can kill me now.”

Ning Yin remained silent for a long while.

Reason told him he should crush her neck and burn the Yu mansion to the ground. Before all those who needed to die were gone, he would not allow anything to shake his existence.

Yet his fingertips caressed her several times. Looking at these eyes that had trembled and reddened with tears before him just an hour ago, he couldn’t bring himself to be ruthless.

Indeed, a life he had just saved by administering medicine—killing her would be a waste, a waste.

He slowly raised his eyelashes, neither saying he would kill nor that he would spare her.

With a sneer, he said: “So, the Young Miss took me in and treated me well only to use my identity?”

Yu Lingxi knew he would find fault and make things difficult.

Besides, if they were talking about “using” someone, who could compare to Ning Yin himself, who had followed her carriage through the heavy snow and then stirred up trouble behind the scenes?

“I only wanted to protect my family, nothing more.”

Yu Lingxi looked at the handsome face before her and calmly replied, “The Crown Prince is narrow-minded and incompetent, with deepening resentment toward the Yu family. If he were to ascend the throne, my father and brother would have no future.”

Ning Yin snorted: “What makes the Young Miss think I would be better than him?”

“Because you’ve had countless opportunities, yet you’ve never harmed me.”

This was a statement she owed Ning Yin from her previous life and this one.

“The Young Miss overestimates me. I am not a good person.”

Ning Yin’s fingertips lightly brushed her vulnerable neck, his tone chilling: “Have you forgotten the three lashes outside Qinxin Pavilion?”

How could Yu Lingxi dare to forget?

She sensed this was the key to the issue.

“I’m just a weak woman who doesn’t understand court matters or factional struggles.”

Yu Lingxi’s breathing was gentle as she said word by word, “I only know that a dangerous person who has never harmed me is far more reliable than a group of hypocrites who willfully harm others. Of course, by the same logic, if I were wary of you or intended to harm you, wouldn’t it be better to tie you up and claim merit?”

Ning Yin’s massaging of her neck slowed as if weighing the significance of her words.

He killed without reason, yet he followed his whims. After chatting for so long, it seemed unreasonable to still harbor murderous intent.

Yu Lingxi tried to discern something from his inscrutable face but failed. However, the invisible pressure had dissipated considerably.

So she boldly raised her hand to Ning Yin’s solid chest, tentatively pushing lightly.

“Could you get up first?”

Her voice was soft as she tried to make her eyes look as sincere as possible: “You’re too heavy; it’s making me uncomfortable.”

Ning Yin stared at her for a good while, then said languidly: “The Young Miss doesn’t mind conspiring with a tiger, but after using me, she complains I’m heavy? How unreasonable.”

Nevertheless, he released his arm and sat up, bending his knee to the side.

Yu Lingxi immediately felt a great reprieve. She scrambled up and turned her back to him to adjust her clothes.

By the dim light from the table, she secretly checked her garments several times. Although her dress was somewhat wrinkled, there were no suspicious stains, and her body felt no pain…

She realized Ning Yin had spared her once again.

She exhaled. Her socks were missing, and her two delicate white feet were exposed, feeling quite cold.

The candle had burned to its end and went out with a puff.

From the back alley came the sound of the fifth watch signal, along with the first crow of roosters.

In less than half an hour, the household servants would awaken.

With this thought, Yu Lingxi’s adjusting movements slowed. She took a deep breath: “You…”

“The Young Miss should still call me Wei Qi.” Ning Yin said lightly.

“Very well, Wei Qi.”

Seeing him revert to this name, Yu Lingxi knew this storm had passed with a scare but no harm. She let out a long sigh of relief and said, “Thank you for tonight. I need to go back now.”

A streak of pale blue light slanted in from the window. Ning Yin’s silhouette was dim and indistinct, only his eyes particularly bright.

He glanced at Yu Lingxi’s bare delicate feet and asked: “The courtyard is full of stone paths. Is the Young Miss going back like this?”

Even in the darkness, Yu Lingxi felt as if he could see through her, and she unconsciously tucked her feet under the hem of her dress.

After thinking for a moment, seeing no other option, she said: “The stone path is only a few yards. I can endure—”

Before she could finish, Ning Yin put on his robe, got off the bed, and scooped up Yu Lingxi by the knees.

Yu Lingxi bit her lip, quickly grasping his collar, crushing the rather unexpected exclamation between her teeth.

Ning Yin was a prince, while she was merely a subject’s daughter. She had thought that with Ning Yin’s vindictive nature, once his identity was revealed, he would naturally reverse their positions of respect and status…

“The Young Miss used to order me around so comfortably. Why act coy now?”

Ning Yin’s deep voice came from above her head. Being so close, his chest vibrated slightly as he spoke.

Opening the door and crossing the stone path, Ning Yin showed no intention of putting her down.

Only when they reached the long corridor did Yu Lingxi realize he intended to take her directly back to her room.

What did this mean?

The last layer of identity had been exposed; he no longer needed to humble himself to please her, and she would respect and trust him as before.

While lost in these thoughts, voices came from the back courtyard—early-rising servants passing by with yawns.

Yu Lingxi’s heart immediately tightened, and she lightly tugged at Ning Yin’s collar.

She wasn’t afraid of being seen and losing her reputation but rather feared the news reaching her family’s ears, causing them to worry.

Ning Yin glanced at her, not stopping his steps, continuing toward the direction of the conversation.

Three yards, two yards…

Yu Lingxi’s heart was about to leap to her throat. Like an ostrich burying its head in the sand, she buried her face in Ning Yin’s embrace.

Ning Yin held her steady, his lips curling into a smile as he turned the corridor corner and headed up to the cool pavilion.

Almost simultaneously, servants pushing procurement carts passed through the courtyard gate, just missing them.

Yu Lingxi’s suspended heart returned to her stomach, and her entire body relaxed, her limbs so soft they had no strength.

This small-minded bastard Ning Yin must have deliberately scared her!

The light in the side room came on—probably the night matron had awakened. The old woman slept little and always woke up before dawn to check the rooms and tuck in blankets.

Yu Lingxi wiggled her feet and said softly: “We’ve arrived.”

Ning Yin ignored her and carried her directly into the bedroom, placing her on the bed.

Remembering something, Yu Lingxi supported herself on the bed and grabbed his sleeve: “Medicine.”

Ning Yin turned to look at her, raising an eyebrow: “What does the Young Miss want? Please be clearer.”

Yu Lingxi pressed her lips together and huffed: “The antidote you gave me.”

Though Yu Lingxi didn’t clearly remember the specific details of the night’s intimate entanglement, she couldn’t forget the extremely bitter pill Ning Yin had put in her mouth, guessing it was an antidote.

Her body still felt somewhat hot, suggesting the residual poison wasn’t cleared. Having a few more pills would be safer.

“I can’t give it to you.”

Ning Yin shook his head, refusing directly and mercilessly: “The Young Miss knows my secret, but I don’t have any leverage over the Young Miss. Although your words sound nice, I must be cautious.”

Yu Lingxi parted her lips slightly, but before she could argue, his fingertips pressed against them.

“Every night at the hour of Zi, the Young Miss can come to my room for medicine.”

Ning Yin said innocently: “Whether I give it or not depends on the Young Miss’s sincerity.”

“The hour of Si,” Yu Lingxi bargained.

Going to his room at midnight was too dangerous; Yu Lingxi wasn’t going to fall for that.

Ning Yin considered for a moment, then chuckled: “If the Young Miss prefers daytime, that’s fine too.”

With that, he rose and walked to the wide-open window. With one push, he leaped directly down from the second floor.

Yu Lingxi was startled and hurriedly rushed barefoot to the window ledge.

At the same time, the matron’s exclamation came from the doorway: “Oh my! Young Miss! How can you stand by the window without shoes and socks, catching the wind?”

Yu Lingxi quickly turned around. During the moment the matron was closing the window, she glanced down.

In the dim night, Ning Yin had already disappeared. Only then did she slowly exhale the breath held in her heart.

Her clothes still retained the sweet fragrance from after the poison attack, mixed with a hint of cool freshness that seemed to have been picked up from Ning Yin…

Hurriedly suppressing those chaotic images, she removed all her clothes, changed into fresh, dry garments, and then, hugging her embroidered pillow, fell into a deep sleep.

…

The next day, the Yu father and son finally returned safely from Luozhou.

Before Yu Lingxi could rejoice for long, she was summoned by her parents to the side hall.

Upon entering, she saw Madam Yu rise and beckon warmly: “Suisui, come here.”

“Father, Mother.”

Yu Lingxi greeted them with a smile as she approached: “You called for me. Is something the matter?”

“It’s an important matter.”

Madam Yu had already discussed it with her husband. She took out a thick stack of name cards from the table and said gently: “You’re sixteen this year, of age to be married. These are name cards from various families’ sons. Take a look and see if there’s anyone you favor.”

The topmost card was Xue Cen’s, and Yu Lingxi didn’t look at the ones below.

Yu Lingxi closed the cards helplessly: “Mother, haven’t I said before? I don’t want to marry into the Xue family, nor do I want to marry anyone else.”

Madam Yu thought she was just being coy and chided: “Silly child, how can a young lady not marry for her entire life?”

General Yu’s expression was quite serious as if troubled. He rubbed his cup for a while before saying: “Previously, due to the Eastern Palace incident, there were many rumors about you in the city, delaying your marriage. Now that the storm has passed, and your brother is about to marry and establish his household, your parents cannot protect you forever. Your marriage cannot be delayed any longer.”

“We can first settle on someone, and the wedding can take place in a couple of years.”

Madam Yu patted her daughter’s hand and smiled: “There’s no rush; take your time choosing. Your parents have no other wishes but for both their daughters to marry men they love. They need not be nobility, but they must be of good character, gentle, and proper.”

In the back courtyard, news that the Yu family’s precious pearl was selecting a husband spread like wildfire.

During their breaks, servants would speculate about which talented young man would become the Yu family’s son-in-law.

“It must be Second Young Master Xue.”

A small servant sweeping under the corridor said, “Besides him, who in the capital would be worthy of our Young Miss?”

“That’s not necessarily true.”

A maid wielding a feather duster objected, “Our Young Miss has a destiny for wealth and nobility. She might become a Princess Consort. Didn’t the Small Prince of Nanyang personally escort our Young Miss back that night?”

Ning Yin stood with his hands behind his back under the moon gate, narrowing his eyes.

These servants were quite noisy; their tongues should be cut out.

…

Back in her room, Yu Lingxi felt something was strange.

Her father had originally been the most reluctant to let her marry. Why, upon returning from Luozhou, was he suddenly anxious to arrange her engagement?

After pondering for a while, feeling hot, she pushed open the window and asked: “What time is it?”

Hutao answered: “It’s the hour of Si, Young Miss.”

The hour of Si—time to get the medicine.

Yu Lingxi composed herself and walked alone to the back courtyard chamber.

The stone table under the trees in the courtyard was empty, with no sign of Ning Yin.

Yu Lingxi thought for a moment, lifted her skirt, climbed the stone steps, and knocked on the door.

The door was ajar, so she walked straight in.

Ning Yin was indeed sitting at the desk by the window, one leg bent, his posture casual and lazy, as if he had been waiting for some time.

Seeing Yu Lingxi enter, he raised a finger and pointed to the side of the desk, motioning for her to sit.

Outside the window, a patch of slate-blue sky appeared above the high wall, with tiny kites the size of mung beans floating up and down. Though it was an exquisitely beautiful scene, Yu Lingxi keenly sensed that he seemed to be in a poor mood.

Whenever he was in a bad mood, he liked to sit like this, either tormenting himself or others.

“What are you thinking about?” Yu Lingxi asked.

Ning Yin glanced at her and said meaningfully: “I’m thinking how nice it would be if the Young Miss were a beautiful kite in the sky.”

No matter how high she flew, as long as he pulled the string, she would have to obediently return.

After saying such a peculiar thing, he played with the white porcelain bottle in his hand and said nothing more.

Yu Lingxi lowered her gaze, looking rather eagerly at the medicine bottle rotating between his fingers.

Seeing him delay, she couldn’t help but remind him: “It’s time for the medicine.”

Having played enough and built sufficient suspense, Ning Yin finally placed the porcelain bottle on the desk with a light tap.

“If you want this medicine, come get it yourself.”

He used his thumb to remove the cork stopper and poured one pill into his palm, rolling it between his fingers.

Yu Lingxi leaned forward in her seat, reaching for the medicine, but grasped only air.

Was that not how to take it?

She raised her eyelashes, about to ask what he meant, when she saw Ning Yin, right before her eyes, lift his hand and place the pill between his pale, thin lips.