As the sun set, the evening glow spread across the sky.
Lu Chang had just finished his day’s work when an urgent message arrived from Jiangning. After reading it, he smiled slightly – the missing Concubine Zhou had been located. He wrote a reply, planning how to bring her to Bianjing.
Meanwhile, Ming Shu waited impatiently at Mantang Hui’s shop. When Lu Chang finally arrived, apologizing for the delay, her anger quickly faded. They headed to the bustling Zhouqiao night market together.
Ming Shu was delighted by the vibrant atmosphere and countless delicacies. She insisted on sharing small portions with Lu Chang to try as many dishes as possible. Though he struggled to keep up with her enthusiasm, Lu Chang indulged her whims, regretting only that he couldn’t eat more.
As they enjoyed their outing, Song Qingzhao waited at the Lu residence. Though surprised by Lu Chang’s absence, Madam Zeng graciously entertained him. Song Qingzhao inquired extensively about Ming Shu’s past, his intentions becoming clear to the perceptive Madam Zeng.
When Lu Chang and Ming Shu finally returned home, engrossed in conversation, they were startled to find Song Qingzhao still there. Lu Chang’s demeanor instantly cooled. He curtly rejected what he assumed was a marriage proposal for Ming Shu, much to her confusion.
Song Qingzhao didn’t deny Lu Chang’s assumption. Instead, he challenged Lu Chang’s authority to make such decisions. Tension rose between the two men.
Sensing the gravity of the situation, Lu Chang asked Ming Shu to escort Madam Zeng inside. He then led Song Qingzhao to his study for a private conversation.
Ming Shu, perplexed by the exchange and her brother’s uncharacteristic behavior, couldn’t shake the feeling that their cryptic words somehow involved her. As she helped Madam Zeng back to her room, she furrowed her brow, wondering what secrets the two men were about to discuss.
As the sun set, the evening sky blazed with color.
The direct grandson of a Duke’s family shouldn’t be neglected. With Lu Chang away, Madam Zeng personally entertained Song Qingzhao. To her surprise, even after learning that Lu Chang and Ming Shu were out, Song Qingzhao chose to wait for them.
Since it was dinnertime, Madam Zeng invited him to stay for a meal. Song Qingzhao graciously accepted, dining casually at the Lu residence and chatting with Madam Zeng for hours. Despite his noble appearance, he was courteous and engaging, putting Madam Zeng at ease. Their conversation drifted to interesting tales from Jiangning County, with Song Qingzhao inquiring most about Ming Shu’s past.
Madam Zeng’s gaze softened as she looked at Song Qingzhao, seeing him almost as a younger relative. The intentions of the Song family, the Xu family, and Song Qingzhao himself were clear enough. Madam Zeng understood. Whether considering family status or Song Qingzhao’s character, he was certainly suitable, though not without potential issues. Regardless, Song Qingzhao’s sincerity was evident.
Elders always appreciate well-mannered and perceptive juniors.
The two chatted for most of the day, but Lu Chang and Ming Shu still hadn’t returned. As Song Qingzhao rose to leave, Madam Zeng decided to see him out personally. As she was about to turn back at the corridor, her eyes suddenly lit up.
“Look, they’re back,” she said.
Song Qingzhao turned to see two figures approaching.
Lu Chang carried two bottles of lychee paste, walking side by side with Ming Shu. He turned his head to look at her. The usually cool and dignified top scholar now wore a relaxed smile, his eyes filled with tenderness. Ming Shu held a small paper horse lantern, her head slightly bowed as she looked at it, laughing and chatting endlessly with Lu Chang.
This was not how a brother looked at a sister… He hadn’t understood before, thinking Lu Chang merely doted excessively on his sister. To win the lady’s heart, he thought he needed to gain her brother’s approval. Now, realizing the truth, he felt foolish.
He had treated Lu Chang as a brother, but Lu Chang…
The pair, absorbed in each other, didn’t notice the others until Madam Zeng called out to them. Lu Chang and Ming Shu looked up in unison.
“Young… Master Song?” Ming Shu hesitated over how to address Song Qingzhao, ultimately sticking to her original form of address.
The smile vanished from Lu Chang’s lips as he bowed to Song Qingzhao: “What brings Young Master Song here so late?”
“What do you mean ‘so late’? He’s been here for ages, waiting for you and keeping this old woman company all evening,” Madam Zeng answered for him.
“Looking for me?” Lu Chang pondered what could make Song Qingzhao wait all evening at their home, unless…
He glanced at Ming Shu and coldly said, “I have no official business with Young Master Song, and our private relationship is unremarkable. I can’t think of anything that would require a late-night discussion. If Young Master Song is here for someone else, I can answer now – the status of your Duke’s family is too high for us to aspire to.”
This rejection, spoken in front of Ming Shu, couldn’t have been clearer. Ming Shu’s grip on the lantern tightened as she looked at Lu Chang in confusion – Song Qingzhao hadn’t even said anything, was her brother losing his mind?
She tugged at Lu Chang’s sleeve, hoping he would stop.
Song Qingzhao didn’t deny Lu Chang’s assumption. Gone was his earlier politeness, replaced by a confrontational tone: “Master Lu, in what capacity are you speaking? And what right do you have to make such decisions?”
Lu Chang’s expression shifted slightly, but Song Qingzhao continued, “Master Lu, shall we discuss this further in private?”
Ming Shu swore this was the first time she had seen Lu Chang so discomposed by a single sentence. Song Qingzhao’s words clearly held deeper meaning, otherwise her brother wouldn’t look as if his weakness had been exposed.
When Lu Chang spoke, his voice remained steady, but he addressed Ming Shu: “It’s late. Please help Mother back to her room to rest.” He handed her the lychee paste, then took a lantern and led the way, saying to Song Qingzhao, “This way, please, Young Master Song.”
The two men headed towards Lu Chang’s study.
Ming Shu was surprised by Lu Chang’s compromise. Her woman’s intuition told her that the cryptic exchange between the two men involved her, though they clearly didn’t want her to know the details.
She frowned, then turned to support Madam Zeng, saying, “Mother, let me help you back.”
As night deepened, Lu Chang led Song Qingzhao into his unlit study. He lit the lamps one by one while Song Qingzhao closed the door behind them.
After lighting the lamps, Lu Chang extinguished the taper and asked, “I’m not sure I understood your earlier words. Please elaborate.”
Song Qingzhao got straight to the point: “I sent people to Jiangning County.”
With just one sentence, Lu Chang understood.
“So what?” he asked, moving behind his desk where the candlelight illuminated his sharp features.
“Master Lu and Madam Zeng lived in Jiangning for over a decade, seemingly without a third person, let alone a sister named Ming Shu. There was indeed a lady called Ming Shu in Jiangning County, but her surname was Lu, not Jian.”
Song Qingzhao was still reeling from the news he’d received from Jiangning.
Lu Chang had no sister. Ming Shu’s surname was Jian. She should be the only daughter of the Jian family in Jiangning, the victim who disappeared during the sensational Jiangning robbery case at the end of last year.
In one night, her family was destroyed, she was gravely injured and lost her soul. Someone brought her to Bianjing, where she assumed a new identity.
He didn’t know whether to feel heartbroken for Ming Shu’s loss of family or shocked by her experiences after losing her soul—she must know what happened to her family and remember her relatives.
The truth would be too cruel for her.
“I’ve heard a little about the Jian family incident. Is Ming Shu that girl?” Song Qingzhao asked.
Lu Chang slowly sat down in his armchair, resting his elbows on the desk. He looked up at Song Qingzhao, tacitly confirming his question, and then asked, “You came to ask about this. Do you intend to tell her the truth?”
“If I had chosen to tell her, I wouldn’t be here talking to you today.”
Indeed, Song Qingzhao had hesitated. If he stripped away the facade Lu Chang wore, Lu Chang and Ming Shu could no longer be as close as they were now. But ultimately, his concern for Ming Shu outweighed his jealousy. He felt now wasn’t the right time for Ming Shu to know the truth.
“Thank you,” Lu Chang said sincerely. “I happened to rescue Ming Shu when she was being pursued and fell off a cliff on my way to the capital. Bringing her to Bianjing was unavoidable. The Jian family case isn’t simple; it’s too complicated. If Ming Shu rashly returned, she might be silenced. It just so happened that she lost her soul and memories, so we pretended to be siblings. Given Ming Shu’s temperament, if she knew about the Jian family, she’d definitely want to return to Jiangning. The Jian family was small and weak at the time, making it difficult to protect her fully. Add to that the risk of her soul-loss condition being triggered, so we’ve kept it secret until now.”
Song Qingzhao accepted this explanation.
“You needn’t thank me. I didn’t do it for you,” Song Qingzhao continued. “Let me ask you, what do you plan to do next? As far as I know, the Jiangning Jian family case has been closed locally, the culprits have all been caught, and it’s awaiting review by the Court of Judicial Review. Logically, the danger has passed, yet you still haven’t told Ming Shu the truth. Why is that?”
“This case isn’t over. There are hidden facts still under investigation. We have some leads, but the implications are too great to disclose,” Lu Chang met Song Qingzhao’s gaze without flinching. “Once everything is clear and the true culprits are brought to justice, eliminating the danger, I will tell Ming Shu the whole truth.”
Song Qingzhao looked at him silently for a moment before saying, “Fine, I’ll believe you for now. I won’t tell Ming Shu about this matter for the time being. But Lu Chang, your feelings for Ming Shu are clear as day, far beyond brotherly affection.”
Having reached a consensus on the most crucial issue, Lu Chang’s sharp demeanor softened. He leaned back in his chair, a trace of laziness similar to Ming Shu’s crossing his brow. He calmly said, “The same goes for you, your intentions are equally clear…”
“You spend day and night with her…” This was what Song Qingzhao found hardest to bear. Even as a proper gentleman, he still felt a man’s jealousy.
“Not just day and night, but for over ten years,” Lu Chang replied.
The weight of more than a decade was extremely difficult to overcome.
“If I had any dishonorable intentions towards her, she would have already become part of the Lu family long ago.” Thinking of the past, Lu Chang gazed at the candle flame, his eyes seeming to drift to former times with the flickering light.
Those events felt as if they had happened just yesterday. At the time, he didn’t understand what love was, and ten years passed in vain. If not for the Jian family tragedy, perhaps like in Ming Shu’s dream, by the time he achieved fame and success and remembered his old flame, the little lady from Jiangning would have already married and had children, leaving no place for him. He knew his past self would regret it, but his present self would surely regret it for life.
No one could ever replace Ming Shu’s position in his heart.
However, if the price for this fate was the destruction of her family, he would rather choose lifelong regret. He would rather see her marry another and live happily than have her face such a great calamity in her life.
Yet, there are no “what ifs” in this world. Some things, once they happen, have happened. What can be grasped and changed is only the future, not the past.
The candlelight reflected in Lu Chang’s eyes like a sea of stars: “I’ve known her since I was nine. You don’t know why she’s fond of you in your scholar’s robes, why she looks at you differently. It’s just because by coincidence, you became the embodiment of the man in her dreams…”
Slam—
Song Qingzhao angrily struck the table: “Lu Chang, are you suggesting that you are the man in Ming Shu’s dreams, not me? That I’m just your substitute? You’re truly arrogant to the extreme! You’re just taking advantage of her soul-loss and amnesia, using the guise of a brother to get close to her. What right do you have to guess her thoughts and feelings? How can you be so certain that you are the one she dreams of?”
As proud as he was, he absolutely refused to accept being anyone’s substitute.
“So you know about that dream too? Did Ming Shu tell you? That does sound like her,” Lu Chang didn’t refute him for once, instead saying, “Your words make sense too. What right do I have to guess?”
Even with the title of brother, there was no guarantee Ming Shu would love him. If she regained her memories, given how decisively they parted before, he didn’t know if Ming Shu would still be willing to turn back to him.
“But Song Qingzhao, even if she and I have no future together, you’re still not suitable for Ming Shu.”
“Why not?”
“Because you’re the eldest grandson of a Duke’s family. Would your family allow you to marry a merchant’s daughter? Moreover, once this case is resolved, Ming Shu will have to return to Jiangning to inherit her family business. With her personality, she’ll definitely want to expand her father’s goldsmith shop. She can’t stay in the inner courtyards as a wife and mother, nor can she become a proper noble lady.” Lu Chang spoke calmly, word by word.
Even if he were Ming Shu’s real brother, setting aside his personal feelings, he never thought Song Qingzhao was a suitable match.
As the eldest grandson of a Duke’s family, Song Qingzhao enjoyed great wealth and status, but naturally, he also had responsibilities to bear—the glory of his noble house, the continuation of his clan… His parents had high expectations for him. How could they allow him to marry a merchant’s daughter?
If Ming Shu were the sister of a top scholar, the daughter of a high-ranking official, instead of just an orphaned merchant’s daughter who had lost everything, even if Lady Xu liked Ming Shu, it would only be a superficial fondness, nothing more.
These matters had nothing to do with right or wrong; they were simply the responsibilities everyone must bear in this world.
“Do you think you could be like Xie Xi, disregarding propriety and abandoning your relatives for a woman, standing against your parents and family?” Lu Chang asked.
Although Xie Xi’s actions were despicable, his feelings for Tang Li were genuine, albeit foolish—a pure emotion that made him abandon everything. If Song Qingzhao wanted to marry Ming Shu, though not as severe as Xie Xi’s case, it would still inevitably lead to a bitter, prolonged struggle.
“What about you?” Song Qingzhao leaned across the desk, challenging Lu Chang.
Even immortals have limits to their patience, let alone mortals. Lu Chang’s words had ignited his anger.
“You keep talking about how unsuitable I am for her, but what about you? What can you offer her? Don’t forget, you’re still her brother now. Even if she learns you’re not blood relatives, it’s uncertain whether she’d accept you.”
Lu Chang also asked himself, what could he offer Ming Shu?
He couldn’t give her the noble status of a Duke’s daughter-in-law, nor the wealthy life of the Jian family. With the future ups and downs in his official career, he might not even be able to spare Ming Shu from hardships…
Lu Chang slowly stood up, also leaning on the edge of the desk, as if in a contest, or perhaps making a promise as he spoke.
“I can offer her boundless freedom without borders, and a broader world; indulge her ever-playful ideas, unrestrained by worldly etiquette; and I promise, no matter what happens in the future, one life, one world, just the two of us, unchanging until death.”
Though his words seemed vague, undeniably, these were what Ming Shu needed most.
She didn’t need gold and silver, nor power and status. What she needed most was freedom—the freedom to walk through the world like a man, and pure, unconditional love.
Song Qingzhao remained silent for a long time.
Even if he was unwilling to admit it, he had to acknowledge that Lu Chang’s understanding of Ming Shu far surpassed his own.
But he didn’t want to concede defeat.
Compared to Lu Chang, he only lacked the foundation of ten years of shared history.
“It’s too early to say all this now. Lu Chang, I want to make a gentleman’s agreement with you,” Song Qingzhao said.
“What kind of agreement?”
“When the dust settles, we’ll compete fairly. Until then, you won’t overstep the boundaries of a brother-sister relationship.”
Song Qingzhao’s words rang out firmly.
Lu Chang raised his hand: “Let’s seal it with a handshake.”
With a crisp sound, their palms met.
As the agreement was struck, both men let out a sigh of relief. Neither noticed the person standing outside the tightly closed window.
Ming Shu stared blankly at the ground, feeling as if several thunderbolts had struck her head—
She had sensed earlier that Song Qingzhao and Lu Chang’s discussion concerned her. After escorting Madam Zeng back to her room and helping her retire, she had quietly slipped to the back of Lu Chang’s study to eavesdrop on their conversation.
She hadn’t heard the entire dialogue, only catching the last part of Song Qingzhao’s questioning and Lu Chang’s response. However, those few sentences were enough to send shockwaves through her heart.
What had she just heard?!
She and Lu Chang weren’t blood siblings?
And Lu Chang’s feelings for her… one life, one world, just the two of them, unchanging until death?
She… she felt like she couldn’t breathe.