Young Master Pei was so frightened he didn’t dare move. One inappropriate thought surfaced—

Huairen really is fucking blind!

He squinted his eyes and very calmly pushed the sword at his neck aside.

“So… are you sleepy? Want me to chat with you?”

Li Buyan: “…”

Is this kid possessed?

Young Master Pei saw her face darken like water and cleverly changed his words. “Actually… I can’t sleep. How about you chat with me?”

Li Buyan: “…”

This is even more terrifying than being possessed.

Just as she was about to curse “Get lost,” Young Master Pei suddenly imitated Xie Zhifei’s tone.

“Li Buyan, I have troubles. Won’t you even listen?”

Li Buyan’s entire body broke out in goosebumps, nearly dropping her sword, thinking: When this man acts coquettish, what chance do women have?

“Speak.”

Hero Li sheathed her sword with a righteous expression.

Young Master Pei stepped forward, his brows furrowed so tightly they could crush a fly. “Tell me, does Sanhe have feelings for me or not?”

If it had been last night, Hero Li would have directly replied: This? This counts as troubles?

But by lucky coincidence, Hero Li had just received a box of mooncakes today and was equally confused.

She asked back, “What do you think?”

Young Master Pei: “I think she does.”

Ha!

Ha ha ha!

Ha ha ha ha ha!

Li Buyan: “What makes you say so?”

Young Master Pei: “Her attitude toward me has improved a lot.”

That’s because you’ve become familiar.

Li Buyan: “What else?”

Young Master Pei: “She cares about me.”

She cares about even Huang Qi, let alone you.

Li Buyan: “What else?”

Young Master Pei: “When she sees me, there’s light in her eyes.”

That’s because she sees your good brother.

“Before answering these questions, Young Master Pei, tell me something honestly.”

Li Buyan asked flatly, “What about the Pei family? What about your parents?”

Young Master Pei: “I’ve thought all that through. As long as she has feelings for me, I must fight for her.”

“What if you can’t win?”

“How could I not win?”

Young Master Pei’s eyebrows shot up. “Xie Fifty said with Yan Sanhe’s special status, they’ll definitely agree.”

“Wait.”

Li Buyan frowned. “Xie Third Master said this?”

“Who said it doesn’t matter.”

Young Master Pei waved his hand. “What matters is, as long as Yan Sanhe and I are of one heart, my parents will definitely agree.”

Li Buyan tilted her head and looked at Young Master Pei for a moment. “What if you can’t win?”

Young Master Pei’s chest tightened. “Can’t you understand human speech…”

“I said what if.”

Young Master Pei was stunned for a while, then sighed. “Then it’s just fate without destiny. I can’t very well… ah, they are my birth parents after all.”

You can fight to this extent—it’s enough.

A comforted smile appeared on Li Buyan’s face.

“I’ll tell you honestly, Young Master Pei—Yan Sanhe doesn’t have feelings for you.”

Young Master Pei’s face immediately turned cold. “How do you know?”

Li Buyan: “Just from sleeping in the same bed with her every day.”

“You…”

“Don’t waste time on her, and don’t clash with your birth parents over her. Go ask Yan Sanhe—she’ll definitely say the same thing.”

Li Buyan’s eyes weren’t blind. She could clearly see that though the man before her wasn’t much in any respect, he genuinely had feelings for Yan Sanhe.

Those with genuine feelings—Yan Sanhe would treat kindly.

Young Master Pei deflated immediately. How could she not have feelings for me? I’m so kind and likable.

“Does she have someone else in her heart?”

“Her heart only has resolving karmic demons. Besides that…”

Li Buyan said sarcastically, “Neither people nor scum exist.”

“I don’t believe it. Clearly…”

“Come, I’ll take you to ask clearly.” So you can die understanding.

“Don’t, don’t, don’t!”

Young Master Pei’s voice trembled slightly. “I…”

“You what?”

Pei Xiao hung his head. “I’ve lost face once already. Can’t afford to lose it a second time.”

Li Buyan looked at him in horror, thinking: You still have face?

“Moreover, I don’t want to make things difficult for her. This kind of thing…”

Pei Xiao irritably scratched his head. “Ai-ya, just pretend I never said anything.”

“You… don’t want to make things difficult for her?”

“Everything should be about mutual willingness, right? I’m not a bandit.”

Li Buyan looked at him with a slight smile.

Yan Sanhe was right—the kid looked unruly on the outside but was actually quite upright inside.

“What are you smiling at?”

Young Master Pei rolled his eyes and turned to leave.

Li Buyan grabbed his arm. “Don’t leave. Keep me company and chat.”

Young Master Pei looked at the hand on his arm. Just as he was about to shake it off, he reconsidered—now that I no longer need to guard my virtue for my wife, let her grab if she wants.

“Chat about what?”

Li Buyan released her hand. “That box of mooncakes—what does the Grand Prince mean by it?”

Young Master Pei looked sideways. “You’d better assume he means nothing.”

“Speak properly. Think about my attitude toward you just now—how sincere it was.”

I thank you for being so sincere as to stab my heart!

“I’ve known him since childhood. By rights, our friendship runs deeper than with you, but…”

Young Master Pei’s face became stern as he lectured, “People need to know their own worth. Don’t be cheap.”

“Hey!”

Li Buyan cursed inwardly at this bastard. “Which eye saw me… Don’t leave. Surnamed Pei, come back here.”

Can’t come back.

Young Master Pei fled like escaping death, still muttering, “What the hell is all this?”

…

In the study.

Lights blazed brightly.

“Speak. What about the Zheng family?”

Yan Sanhe gathered her hair with five fingers and tied it into a casual topknot.

After tying it, she looked up to see Xie Zhifei watching her with that deep gaze again. Her temper flared, and she simply asked directly:

“Why does Third Master always look at me like this? What about me is worth Third Master looking at again and again?”

Xie Zhifei reached toward her. Yan Sanhe jumped in fright.

“Your buttons are done wrong.”

Looking down, they indeed were wrong.

Yan Sanhe’s face flushed slightly. “I was called out in such a hurry. I was anxious.”

“Sit.”

Xie Zhifei’s tone was as natural as if this study were his own.

“That day at the Zheng ruins, you asked me about Zheng Yu’s four sons. You never asked about the fifth son, Zheng Huantang’s past.”

Yan Sanhe turned sideways, silently watching him.

What’s it called when sleep meets the pillow?

This is it!

Just lying in bed, she’d been regretting not asking about Zheng Huantang in detail back then.

“You said he wasn’t favored and stayed idle at home. I thought someone like that wouldn’t have enemies outside, so I didn’t ask more.”

She deliberately raised an eyebrow. “What, does Third Master think he has problems?”

Xie Zhifei shook his head. “Since we’re investigating the case, it’s best to understand everyone in detail.”

Yan Sanhe moved the candle closer and sat opposite him. “Tell me in detail.”

“He was actually the cleverest of Zheng Yu’s five sons.”

“How do you know?”

“Have you forgotten? I was friends with his son, Zheng Huaizuo.”

Yan Sanhe recalled the young man’s face from her dreams.

“Continue!”