Wu Rong understood that now was not the time to discuss matters, and once the Hua family had left, he excused himself and departed as well.

The room fell suddenly quiet and vast. Gu Yanxi wrung the cloth and continued cleaning the blood from beneath A’Zhi’s fingernails. Gradually, as though only now letting himself feel it, the composure and steadiness on his face faded away, piece by piece. His hands began to tremble. The muscles of his face tightened and pulled.

Without warning he stepped up onto the bed, gathered the unconscious A’Zhi into his arms, as though only this could tell him she was still here.

He had almost lost A’Zhi.

Even the thought of it felt like sinking into a bottomless abyss. He had to force himself to breathe, to keep from being dragged under, to keep himself from imagining a worse outcome.

He pressed his lips to the top of A’Zhi’s head. He thought: I don’t care who it is. Whoever stands behind this — I will see them dead.

At the doorway, Hua Pingyu gripped his younger brother’s arm tight, holding him back from rushing in. Compared to the man’s earlier composure, this open display of emotion actually put him at ease. His daughter was not the only one pouring her heart out — this man’s feelings for her were no less than hers for him.

That was enough. Even if they could not be together in the end, the two of them were, at least for now, bound by the same feeling. If this was the trial his daughter’s heart had to endure, then it had been worth it.

The couple surnamed Chen were summoned again. Hua Pingyang rubbed his face and stepped forward to meet them. “Chen-sao, sorry to trouble you again.”

Chen-sao’s eyes were red, and her voice caught in her throat. “No trouble at all, no trouble. A girl like this — oh…”

It wasn’t just their neighbors. Everyone nearby had surely been peering through their doors. Some, fearing they’d be caught up in it, had already slipped out through the back gate, terrified the men in black would return to kill every last witness.

Hua Pingyang forced a smile and led her to the door of the room. By now Gu Yanxi had stepped down from the bed. He didn’t care what others thought, but he had A’Zhi’s reputation to consider.

Chen-sao was rather afraid of this man who killed as casually as one cuts vegetables, and edged forward with two small steps backward for every two she managed, unable to bring herself to get close.

Gu Yanxi acted as though he noticed nothing. He set several small vials in a visible spot and said, “Find some strong spirits and dilute them with water to clean the wounds first. Then use this vial — there’s not much inside, just a few drops on each wound, spread it evenly. Wait a moment, then apply the medicinal powder from the box. Do you have that?”

Chen-sao nodded repeatedly. That wasn’t too complicated.

Gu Yanxi cast one final glance at A’Zhi, turned, and left. Behind his back, his hands clenched into fists.

Out in the corridor, Hua Pingyu walked up beside Gu Yanxi. He hesitated a moment, then reached out and patted him on the shoulder. At that touch he could feel how tightly wound the man’s body was. Hua Pingyu understood then — this man cared far more than he let on.

He let out a long breath. “Thank you for arriving in time. If you hadn’t, I fear the Hua family would not have survived this.”

Gu Yanxi shook his head. “As long as A’Zhi still drew breath, none of you were going to die.”

Hua Pingyu’s mind went again to the image of his daughter standing at that door, refusing to take a single step back. A pain shot through his chest, swallowing even the pain from his wound. He had almost wanted to call out to Zhi’er in that moment — to tell her to stop, that it was all right, that dying together was better than suffering like this.

But a year of watching his daughter had given him some understanding of this girl he had never truly known before. She could accept the worst outcome — but only after she had done everything within her power. And in that moment, she was still doing everything within her power. She would never give up.

He had thought at the time that she was simply holding on until her strength gave out. It was only when Gu Yanxi arrived that he understood: she had been waiting for him. She had paid with her life and endured it all for one reason — to wait for this man to come. She trusted him. She believed that once he arrived, the crisis would be resolved.

That was why she hadn’t let them come forward. She hadn’t wanted them to throw their lives away.

She didn’t know — they had desperately wanted to charge forward and endure it beside her, even if it cost them their lives. But she had refused to allow it, so they had listened.

Hua Pingyu exhaled slowly, and then, seemingly out of nowhere, he asked, “Apart from the incident at the manor, when else was Zhi’er hurt?”

Gu Yanxi made no attempt to conceal it. “Before heading north, A’Zhi went south first. She ran into some people there who didn’t know what was good for them.”

South? Thinking of the various new business dealings at home, Hua Pingyu’s heart stirred. “Was it for the new business ventures?”

“Yes.”

A beat of silence. Hua Pingyu said quietly, “Things at home are already much better. Please persuade her — tell her not to push herself so hard. We can find our own way back.”

“A’Zhi knows very well that you may have your own path back eventually.” Gu Yanxi lifted his gaze to the faint light beginning to show at the edge of the sky. “But how long? Five years? Ten? Twenty? She cannot bear to watch you suffer, and five years is already too long for her.”

The faintest curve touched the corner of Gu Yanxi’s mouth. “And business is not the only reason she does it. She’s given away shares in every venture she’s built. She uses silver to open doors and accumulates as much capital for you as she can — so that when the moment comes, you’ll be ready to seize it. In that regard, her instincts are sharper than you can imagine.”

The Hua family, none of whom had gone to sleep, most still gathered outside, listened with a faraway look in their eyes. None of this they had known — because that person had spoken of family matters endlessly without ever letting a word of this slip.

What else was there? All those things they didn’t know, hadn’t thought to ask, hadn’t dared imagine — how much more had she done?

Hua Pingyu let out a rueful smile. “I never knew my daughter was this capable.”

He hadn’t known she had such skill in combat. Hadn’t known she had such strength of will. Hadn’t known she could do so many things. Hadn’t known she had such a gift for business. Hadn’t known her mind was so thorough and precise.

He had known nothing.

“I always assumed she was content within the inner household. That she was the most gentle and agreeable person imaginable.”

He had always thought it was because she was a good elder sister — that she indulged her brother in everything, which was why that mischievous boy was so devoted to her. He hadn’t considered that she might have simply tamed Bailin so thoroughly that he couldn’t escape her palm.

“I have not been a worthy father.”

“To her, every member of the Hua family is worth protecting with her life.” Gu Yanxi had always felt a certain indifference toward Hua Pingyu, less of an impression than even Hua Pingyang had made on him — yet tonight he found himself holding this man in new regard. Had he not stepped in front of that blade for A’Zhi, A’Zhi might have…

He carried some resentment toward the Hua family, truth be told. If they hadn’t been so powerless, A’Zhi wouldn’t have had to hold on like that, suffering every moment. And yet he could not help but understand A’Zhi’s devotion to her family — that kind of protection that said: I will shield you for every breath I draw, and if I must die, I will die before you do.

That devotion, in the very beginning, was what had first drawn him to her.

The sound of weeping — some near, some distant, all poorly suppressed — made his mood ease slightly.

He heard movement from inside the room and turned back.

Chen-sao pushed open the door and stepped out, wiping the sweat from her brow. “Everything’s been seen to, but… I don’t exactly have a light touch. We put her through all that fussing and the young lady still hasn’t woken. Should we call the physician back to have another look?”

The physician had been kept by Gu Yanxi and not allowed to leave. He was promptly summoned back in.

Hua Pingyang took out a red envelope and pressed it into Chen-sao’s hands. “You’ve been so much trouble — out twice in the middle of the night. I’m afraid we’ll need to impose on you for the next few days as well.”

“No, no.” Chen-sao hurriedly pushed the envelope back. “I don’t need anything like this. A brave girl like her — I’m very glad to be able to lend a hand.”

Hua Pingyang did not insist, thinking he would find a proper way to thank her later. His mind was on his niece’s injuries. He pointed to someone to see Chen-sao back home, then followed closely behind and went into the room.