The funeral procession returned to the capital. Li Buyan forced Yan Sanhe to go to Jinxiu Silk Shop.

After selecting from left and right, she chose a rouge-colored garment.

Yan Sanhe disliked this color—it was too red.

Li Buyan casually said, “The wedding dress you and Third Master will wear when you marry in the future will be a hundred times redder than this. Will you wear it or not?”

Yan Sanhe thought to herself: How is that even relevant?

“You’ve forgotten—last year in Nanning Prefecture, you dressed all in red pretending to be Young Master Pei’s sister. Third Master’s eyes went straight. Tomorrow is your birthday—you must wear red. That’s the only way to captivate your man.”

Yan Sanhe: “…”

I went to Nanning Prefecture?

And pretended to be Young Master Pei’s sister?

Seeing Yan Sanhe’s expressionless face, Li Buyan said, “Fine, you’ve forgotten after all.”

Leaving the silk shop, they went to Baoyu Pavilion.

Naturally, Yan Sanhe didn’t remember Baoyu Pavilion either. After listening to Li Buyan explain for a long time, she learned that at Baoyu Pavilion, she had once saved the Second Miss of Xie Manor.

“That time, thanks to Third Master, otherwise I would have been locked up. That was also the first time I met Young Master Pei. Tsk, truly detestable beyond measure. I thought: where did this annoying grandson come from?”

Li Buyan: “Humans couldn’t have produced such a specimen.”

Yan Sanhe: “What about now?”

Li Buyan: “Just two days ago I praised him—Young Master Pei is a real man.”

A flicker crossed Yan Sanhe’s face. Li Buyan knew she’d forgotten again. Anxious and heartbroken, she poked Yan Sanhe’s forehead with her finger.

“Tomorrow I’ll make walnut cookies to nourish your brain.”

Yan Sanhe said nothing and yawned. “Stop buying things. Let’s go back. I’m tired.”

“What do you mean stop buying? I already placed an order.”

Li Buyan entered Baoyu Pavilion. “Shopkeeper, where’s the bracelet I ordered?”

“Miss Li has arrived.”

The shopkeeper, wreathed in smiles, pulled out a brocade box from the counter. “The bracelet has been ready for a while now, just waiting for the miss to collect it.”

Inside the brocade box was a top-quality mutton-fat jade bracelet, flawless throughout, warm and translucent. One glance was enough to know it was extremely valuable.

Yan Sanhe felt the pain. “How much silver?”

“Silver means nothing!”

Li Buyan glared at Yan Sanhe.

“Don’t be vulgar with me. Quickly put it on so I can see. Eighteen is a major birthday. My mother said even sending gold mountains and silver mountains wouldn’t be excessive.”

Her manner was less like someone giving a gift and more like a bully oppressing people.

Yan Sanhe had no way to deal with her and could only slip her hand through the bracelet.

It truly was beautiful!

But watching Li Buyan pull out the banknote from her bosom, Yan Sanhe’s heart truly ached. All along the way she carefully protected it, afraid of knocking or bumping it.

Returning to the residence, it was already evening. Tangyuan and Lanchuan looked at the bracelet and both praised its beauty. Even Lu Da nodded.

Li Buyan was pleased and forced Yan Sanhe to write about buying the bracelet today in her little booklet.

After writing, they ate.

For some reason, Yan Sanhe yawned continuously while eating, one yawn after another.

She forced herself through bathing and wringing out her hair. When her hair was half-dry, overwhelming drowsiness struck. Unable to hold on any longer, she collapsed headfirst into the bed.

“Buyan, wake me early tomorrow morning. I need to go to her grave first to kowtow a few times.”

A child’s birthday was the mother’s day of suffering. Yan Sanhe had never once visited Shen Duruo’s grave. Tomorrow would be a good time to visit.

“Sleep peacefully. I’ll wake you on time tomorrow.”

“Buyan.”

“Mm?”

“Don’t leave.”

Yan Sanhe gripped Li Buyan’s hand forcefully, unwilling to let go.

This hand was truly warm, unlike her own cold hand.

She actually didn’t like cold things at all, but somehow, her hands were cold, her feet were cold—it seemed even the heart in her chest had no warmth.

Yan Sanhe’s eyes gradually closed. Li Buyan’s smiling face slowly dispersed in her mind, scattering into emptiness and silence.

Next was Pei Xiao’s face.

As Young Master Pei’s face dispersed, so too did the kick to the chest he’d received in front of the carriage, his complaints on horseback about his aching bottom, and how he’d leaped in fright onto Li Buyan’s back…

In the silence, another face slowly dispersed from Yan Sanhe’s mind.

Every line on that face was handsome, especially those peach blossom eyes. When they lifted slightly, dimples appeared and disappeared, indescribably carefree and unrestrained.

“Yan Sanhe.”

He always called her by her full name. Occasionally he’d call her “girl,” and his hands weren’t very proper—he always liked to ruffle her hair.

The eyes with which he looked at her were full of tenderness, though occasionally they also contained a trace of sorrow.

Right, what was his name again?

“Xie Zhifei, Xie Chengyu—which do you prefer to call me? If those won’t do, Ah Fei is fine too. It sounds intimate.”

“Xie Zhifei.”

Using her last bit of clarity, Yan Sanhe forced out these three characters, then completely fell into cold darkness.

Li Buyan by the bed gently withdrew her hand and shook her head with a smile.

This girl appeared indifferent on the surface but actually had deep feelings for Third Master. Look—even in sleep she was calling his name.

Li Buyan rose and let down the bed curtains, smiled again, then closed the door and left.

If at this moment she had looked back at the incense burner, she would have discovered that the incense stick in the burner had silently dropped its last bit of ash.

The spark was extinguished!

…

At the break of dawn, Li Buyan rose to practice as usual.

Ever since Lu Da came to the residence, she’d been rising half an hour earlier than before. No other reason—Master Lu practiced even earlier.

An hour later, Li Buyan put away her sword. Only then did Lanchuan come over yawning.

This too was Lu Da’s intention.

Lanchuan was at the age of rapid growth. First sleep sufficiently, grow strong bones and muscles, then practice martial arts.

Li Buyan returned to the courtyard, first went to the bathhouse to rinse off, changed into clean clothes, then entered the side room.

“Sanhe, get up.”

“…”

Not even a sound in response.

Li Buyan walked to the bedside, hung up the bed curtains, and with hands on her hips, looked at the person in bed.

“You’ve slept for several hours now. How can you still not wake up?”

“…”

“If you don’t wake up, I’m going to flick your forehead.”

“…”

“Hey!”

Li Buyan was amused by her exasperation. She thought: Forget flicking her forehead—I’ll tickle her directly.

One tickle—no response.

Two tickles—still no response.

“Yan Sanhe, I’m truly in awe of you. How can you sleep this deeply?”

As the word “deeply” left her mouth, Li Buyan suddenly realized something and whipped her head around to look at the incense stick.

Where was any incense stick?

In the incense burner was only a pile of completely burned ash.

Li Buyan stood frozen for a good while before turning her gaze back to the bed.

Yan Sanhe lay flat on her back, her face as pale as usual, hands folded across her chest—the appearance of deep, sound sleep.

Only now did Li Buyan belatedly realize that when Yan Sanhe had gone to bed last night, she had been in exactly this position.

A thought came crashing violently into Li Buyan’s mind. She extended her hand under Yan Sanhe’s nose to check.

As if struck by lightning.

She sat down hard on the floor. As the color drained from her face like receding tide, she screamed with soul-rending anguish:

“Tangyuan, Tangyuan, Tangyuan…”

Each call was more bone-chilling than the last. Tangyuan was frightened into rushing in. “Miss Li, why are you sitting on…”

“Go feel Yan Sanhe’s breath—quickly, quickly!”

“What’s wrong with the miss?”

Not understanding, Tangyuan walked over and reached out to check. She was so frightened her soul flew away.

Miss, she…

She had no breath!

—

I don’t know if it’s because the book is nearing its end, but my body is having problems in all aspects. The Chinese medicine treatment for one ailment isn’t finished yet, and now my waist isn’t working either. The doctor’s preliminary assessment is that prolonged sitting has caused spinal curvature, compressing the leg nerves. Starting today, I’ll need to frequently run to the hospital again.

Dear readers, please forgive me—these next couple of days may only have one update. Actually, I also want to finish writing quickly, so you don’t have to follow along so painstakingly, and I can also take a long vacation and rest early. Unfortunately, my body isn’t cooperating.

Buddha, please bless my body so I can properly finish writing this book. After completion, I will definitely exercise more, rest more, and not sit for long periods.