Ya ya ya.

My wife served me food.

Our relationship has taken another step forward.

Young Master Pei’s heart warmed, and he became willing to pour out everything.

“He has a heart palpitation condition, brought from his mother’s womb. My father helped him recuperate for many years before getting him to his current state.”

Young Master Pei sighed, “He’s also worked hard himself, getting up before dawn every day to practice martial arts. Because of this condition of his, haven’t you seen how I let him have his way in everything?”

Haven’t seen it!

Only seen him letting you have your way in everything.

Yan Sanhe: “Is this condition cured now?”

Young Master Pei said proudly, “With my father around, how could it not be cured?”

Yan Sanhe: “It’s never relapsed?”

“Never relapsed. This fellow is now as sturdy as an ox, could kill a tiger with one punch. Oh, right…”

Young Master Pei leaned forward, his face full of mystery.

“When will the next heart demon arrive?”

“Why?”

“Just asking casually.”

“Don’t know.”

Young Master Pei lowered his head to eat, then quickly raised it again, glancing at Yan Sanhe.

Between the two of them was a steaming bowl of soup. The young woman’s features appeared indistinct through the rising steam, yet made one’s heart skip a beat.

Pei Xiao lowered his eyes, thinking that before the next heart demon arrived, he needed to find a way to move their relationship forward.

And just at this moment, Yan Sanhe raised her head, looking at Young Master Pei before her, a trace of suspicion appearing in her pitch-black eyes.

Third Master’s heart palpitations must have relapsed, yet even Pei Xiao hadn’t mentioned it. Why?

…

At this moment, Xie Zhifei had already reached Muli Mountain, following behind Steward Zhou. Days of rushing about had made his complexion extremely haggard.

The Tang Jianxi couple hurried out to greet him.

After exchanging courtesies, Xie Zhifei said straightforwardly: “Master Tang, Madam Tang, let’s talk in the study.”

“Let’s go!”

Xie Zhifei glanced at Zhu Qing behind him, “No need to follow, just wait here for me.”

Zhu Qing: “Yes.”

Tang Jianxi: “It’s cold on the mountain. Brother Zhu should go to the side hall for some hot food and tea, and rest a bit. Steward Zhou?”

Steward Zhou stepped forward: “Brother Zhu, please!”

Zhu Qing didn’t move, only waiting for his master to speak.

Xie Zhifei nodded slightly: “Just follow Master Tang’s suggestion.”

Only then did Zhu Qing respond: “Yes!”

Entering the study, hot tea was served and the servants withdrew.

Tang Jianxi asked impatiently: “My junior martial sister’s coffin…”

“Master Tang, let’s discuss that matter later.”

Xie Zhifei’s gaze shifted to Madam Tang.

“Madam Tang, when you adopted Tang Mingyue back then, Jingchen gave you a swaddling cloth from Tang Mingyue’s childhood.”

Tao Qiao’er was startled, then nodded.

“Where is the swaddling cloth?”

“I’ve kept it.”

“Bring it for me to see.”

Tang Jianxi assumed this matter was related to Tang Zhiwei’s heart demon and quickly said: “Go get it quickly.”

Xie Zhifei stood up, “I’ll go with Madam.”

The Tang couple exchanged glances, both feeling extremely anxious.

Why couldn’t he wait even half a cup of tea’s time?

Tang Jianxi was very straightforward, “Let’s go together.”

Xie Zhifei added: “Please have Madam retrieve it herself. Master Tang, have all irrelevant people withdraw to outside the courtyard.”

Tang Jianxi nodded and gave Steward Zhou a series of instructions at his ear. Steward Zhou scurried off into the night.

The three arrived at the main courtyard, where not a single soul could be seen.

Tao Qiao’er went into the side room and rummaged through boxes and cabinets before emerging with a bundle.

“Young Master Xie, it’s in here.”

Xie Zhifei’s heartbeat once again accelerated uncontrollably. He stood up and closed the vermillion door with a click.

The room suddenly became quiet.

Tang Jianxi’s throat felt tight, “Young Master Xie…”

“Don’t speak!”

Xie Zhifei took a deep breath, untied the bundle, revealing a water-blue small quilt.

The small quilt was folded into a neat square. When unfolded, it showed bamboo embroidered around the edges, with a large “fortune” character embroidered in red thread in the center.

Xie Zhifei turned it over and back, examining it several times, but found nothing else.

“Where is the paper with the birth date and time that was in the swaddling cloth?”

“There was no paper.”

“What about the handkerchief?”

“There was no handkerchief either.”

Tao Qiao’er said somewhat nervously: “When it came, it was just this small quilt.”

Impossible!

If there were no paper and no handkerchief, how could the birth date of July fourteenth have emerged?

Xie Zhifei’s gaze sharpened, “Bring scissors.”

“Young Master Xie?”

Tang Jianxi gave his wife a meaningful look, “Qiao’er, do as Young Master Xie says.”

Tao Qiao’er quickly brought the scissors.

Xie Zhifei pointed: “Please take it apart. Cut carefully, don’t damage what’s inside.”

“This…”

“Take it apart.”

Seeing Xie Zhifei’s grave expression, Madam Tang didn’t dare hesitate and quickly began removing the stitches.

With her skillful hands, she soon removed the outer brocade.

Inside the brocade was a thin layer of cotton that had become very compressed due to its age.

Xie Zhifei’s large hand felt along it inch by inch.

Suddenly, his hand stopped. His fingertips bit by bit into the cotton, slowly pulling out a thin silk handkerchief from inside.

The Tang couple’s eyes went wide, a bone-chilling cold rising up their spines.

Why would there be such a thing in Mingyue’s swaddling cloth?

Xie Zhifei didn’t immediately unfold the handkerchief. Instead, he turned his hand and pressed it firmly under his palm.

The movement was so violent that Tao Qiao’er’s heart trembled, “Young Master Xie?”

“Don’t speak!”

Xie Zhifei roared, his lips trembling slightly.

He was afraid.

No.

It wasn’t just fear, but a deep terror welling up from his very marrow, so much so that all his muscles tensed.

As if facing a great enemy.

A handkerchief sewn into cotton—if it didn’t bear an earth-shattering secret, it wouldn’t need to be buried so deep.

What was this secret?

Xie Zhifei’s breathing became rapid. He felt his heartbeat was not just fast, but also extremely chaotic.

Thump!

Thump!

Thump!

Charging wildly, completely irregular.

Should he look?

He asked himself.

Don’t know.

He answered himself.

People have intuition.

The first time he saw Yan Sanhe, he felt it was very strange and couldn’t help wanting to investigate thoroughly. This intuition had accompanied him all along, until the moment the truth emerged.

And his intuition about Tang Mingyue was even stronger—so strong that he had coaxed and deceived, so strong that he couldn’t wait even a moment and rushed madly to Muli Mountain.

It was just that mysterious.

And now, he also had an intuition—the answer was on this handkerchief.

At this moment, a voice emerged in his heart: Why not just forget it, sew the handkerchief back in, and pretend nothing happened.

How can you forget it? Another voice retorted: Don’t you want to understand the truth of the matter?

Hmph, think carefully about what’s hidden behind the truth. If you don’t look at this handkerchief, you’ll think about it for the rest of your life.

Xie Zhifei’s breathing became rapid once again.

Yes, he would think about it.

Think about it today, think about it tomorrow, keep thinking about it, over and over, endlessly.

He took a deep breath and finally picked up the handkerchief, resolutely handing it to Tang Jianxi.

“Master Tang, please help me see what’s written on this.”