Yan Sanhe seemed completely unsurprised he would ask this.

“If you’re not willing, the obsession cannot be dissolved.”

“If it can’t be dissolved…”

Xie Erli suddenly interrupted, “What will happen?”

Yan Sanhe glanced at him. “The coffin will remain unclosed.”

Xie Erli felt a chill run through his bones. “What consequences will come from the coffin remaining unclosed?”

Yan Sanhe: “After seven times seven—forty-nine days, Yan Xing’s descendants will begin experiencing misfortune one after another.”

Xie Daozhi: “…”

Xie Erli: “…”

“Now, the choice is in your hands.”

Yan Sanhe’s expression became somewhat complex. She turned and pulled open the door, her steps pausing, yet she didn’t look back.

“I’ll wait outside the courtyard for your answer.”

…

The night was dark and heavy.

Yan Sanhe stood with her back to the wall, hands clasped behind her, her figure thin yet straight.

The human heart was the most complex thing in the world. Good and evil existed in a single thought.

How would Xie Daozhi choose? She didn’t know.

She only understood one thing—if Grandfather could see and hear all this from heaven, he would surely regret his years of obsession over this letter.

Grandfather!

She called out softly in her heart.

Do you see this outcome?

Are you content?

Can you let go?

One misunderstanding, three deaths, a lifetime of obsession.

How worthless!

“So worthless.”

She said quietly.

…

In the study.

Xie Daozhi said nothing, only silently drank tea.

Xie Erli stood to the side, not daring to make a sound.

His father’s years as an official had long cultivated an authoritative disposition. In the household, aside from the Old Madam’s words which could be heard once or twice, others couldn’t persuade him.

“Eldest son.”

“Father?”

Xie Daozhi stood up, walked with hands behind his back to the window, glanced outside, then turned and lowered his voice.

“Have her hand over the Old Madam’s marriage horoscope card, write a guarantee letter and press her fingerprint on it, then I’ll dissolve the obsession for Yan Xing. Otherwise…”

The Yan family’s misfortune—what did it have to do with him?

Xie Erli felt suddenly enlightened.

The human heart was unpredictable. Having that item in someone else’s hands was always a disaster waiting to happen—who knew when it might be exploited.

Now, taking advantage of the young woman needing something from the Xie household, they could retrieve the item and burn it, putting the matter to rest once and for all.

Even if the young woman regretted it later and tried to extort something from the Xie household, there would be no solid evidence.

A truly comprehensive solution.

Though Xie Erli didn’t know why his father held such resentment toward Yan Xing, his heart was filled with genuine admiration.

“Father has been put to great trouble.”

“To accomplish great things, one must know what to endure and what to sacrifice.”

Xie Daozhi walked over and patted his son’s shoulder. “Compared to the Xie household, one Yan Xing is insignificant.”

Xie Erli: “Your son has learned well.”

“Have them prepare the bath water!”

“Yes!”

…

“What do you think, Miss Yan?”

Yan Sanhe gave a light “oh,” then said: “I can give you the horoscope card, but what is this guarantee letter?”

Xie Erli said: “The Old Madam is advanced in years. There are some old matters we don’t want her to recall again, needlessly adding to her troubles.”

“Speak plainly, don’t beat around the bush.”

The words were quite unpleasant, but Xie Erli only smiled.

“Once this matter is concluded, our two families will have no further connection. We ask that Miss Yan take a different route and avoid the Xie household’s gate in the future.”

So that was it.

A barely perceptible cold smile appeared at Yan Sanhe’s lips: “Fine!”

“Excellent!”

Xie Erli clapped once. “It’s too cold outside—please rest in the side room, Miss.”

“No need!”

Yan Sanhe: “The sooner this is done, the better. Please prepare an altar table, three plates of fruits, two candlesticks, and one incense burner.”

Xie Erli: “And the incense—how many sticks should be prepared?”

Yan Sanhe: “I brought incense with me.”

She traveled thousands of miles and still brought incense?

Xie Erli looked at her suspiciously.

…

The gloomy weather that had lasted all day dispersed its clouds at night, revealing the moon.

Under the moonlight, the hastily constructed altar table faced north.

The candlesticks were already lit, flames flickering and jumping, casting eerie shadows on Yan Sanhe’s face.

The study door creaked open. Xie Daozhi emerged, freshly bathed and wearing a brand new robe.

Yan Sanhe waited for him to approach, then took out an incense stick from her bundle and handed it to him.

Xie Daozhi took the stick of incense. “Should I light it first?”

“Light the incense, insert the incense, speak.”

Yan Sanhe stepped back half a pace, yielding the small space before the altar table.

Her gaze didn’t look toward Xie Daozhi, but rather fixed intently on the incense stick in his hand, her expression seemingly somewhat tense.

Xie Erli and Steward Xie, standing to the side, saw her expression and felt their hearts suddenly tighten.

Xie Daozhi took a deep breath and brought the incense close to the candle flame to light it.

One breath;

Two breaths;

Three breaths…

“Strange—why won’t this incense light after all this time?”

Xie Daozhi muttered anxiously to himself.