Lin Hao lowered her hand and looked at Qi Shuo.

The youth appeared harmless, his face full of gentleness.

“The Heir… is somewhat different from my impression.”

Qi Shuo smiled. “We’ve had little contact before. Impressions change as understanding deepens.”

“So the Heir was originally the type of person who would kill someone because of a dream mentioned by another person?” Lin Hao finally asked.

Perhaps it was because they had unknowingly grown familiar—in her heart they were already friends. To not ask anything and silently distance herself from Prince Jing’s Heir as a dangerous and ruthless person seemed somewhat regrettable.

Qi Shuo looked steadily at Lin Hao.

The night was very deep, with only scattered starlight twinkling in the youth’s eyes.

Lin Hao heard him say, “But Second Miss Lin is not just another person.”

His tone was gentle and slow, like a feather lightly brushing across her heart, making the cold mountain wind feel tender.

Lin Hao pressed her lips together.

She felt Prince Jing’s Heir was very strange—his gaze, his expression, his words—everything was strange.

She herself seemed to have become strange too.

If not just another person, then what?

He—

“Second Miss Lin is a very good friend to me.”

Lin Hao nearly choked.

Yes, yes, yes—friends. That was exactly what she had been thinking.

“You reminded me so earnestly, of course I had to take it seriously.” Qi Shuo’s expression became somewhat peculiar. “Perhaps I took it too seriously. I also had a dream.”

Lin Hao’s eyes involuntarily widened somewhat. “Had a dream?”

Qi Shuo nodded. “I dreamed that because of this person, Prince Jing’s mansion suffered total annihilation. So I immediately arranged for people to investigate, but discovered there was no one surnamed Fang beside the Crown Prince. Later I asked Father Prince and Mother Consort if among the people they knew, there was anyone surnamed Fang with whom relations were poor. Unexpectedly, Father Prince actually mentioned such a person.”

Lin Hao listened carefully.

“Father Prince said that when in the Northern Territory, there was a man called Fang Chengji who swindled and deceived people, and he had expelled him. After learning about this person’s situation, I arranged for people to go north to investigate. I didn’t expect he would actually be on the road to the capital.”

Speaking to this point, Qi Shuo’s expression grew colder. “Killing someone based on a dream is indeed absurd, but I would rather be absurd than risk the lives of hundreds of people in Prince Jing’s mansion.”

Lin Hao clearly saw a flash of ruthlessness cross the youth’s face, yet she had to admit his decision was correct.

“I only dreamed of a person surnamed Fang posing a threat to Prince Jing’s mansion. I didn’t expect there would truly be such a person.”

So in her previous life at this time, Fang Chengji had still been on the road to the capital.

And with Prince Jing’s Heir’s blade, the diviner who in her previous life had rivaled Crown Prince’s Junior Preceptor Qin Yunchuan ceased to exist.

Oh, she had nearly forgotten—the Crown Prince’s Junior Preceptor Qin Yunchuan, who had deeply influenced the Crown Prince, was also gone.

One because of her, one because of Prince Jing’s Heir.

Looking at it this way, from a certain perspective they could be considered comrades fighting together.

Lin Hao’s heart stirred as she tentatively asked, “Has the Heir had any other dreams?”

Qi Shuo was startled. “Other dreams?”

Lin Hao couldn’t help but feel somewhat nervous.

Could Prince Jing’s Heir… be the same as her?

“There is one—” After quite a while, Qi Shuo said hesitantly.

“Can you tell me about it?”

The youth’s face showed struggle. “Does Second Miss Lin truly want to know?”

Lin Hao smiled. “I’m quite curious.”

“This dream is somewhat bizarre.” A trace of red quietly crept onto the youth’s fair face. Under the young lady’s urging gaze, he embarrassedly curved his lips. “I dreamed I married Second Miss Lin.”

Lin Hao truly couldn’t hold back and rolled her eyes dramatically.

This was complete nonsense.

Seeing her reaction, Qi Shuo smiled awkwardly. “I did say this dream was somewhat bizarre—”

But could there be a possibility of it coming true?

“It is very bizarre.” Lin Hao nodded.

The youth silently swallowed the words he had wanted to ask.

Lin Hao looked left and right. “It’s very late. I need to return to my room to sleep.”

Qi Shuo extended his hand. “I’ll take you down.”

“No need.” Lin Hao prepared to stand up but was stopped by Qi Shuo.

“Does the Heir have something else?”

“Second Miss Lin hasn’t answered my earlier question.”

Lin Hao was startled, then recalled the words she had heard when covering her eyes.

“Does Second Miss Lin no longer wish to see me?”

For some reason, hearing this phrase made her heart feel bitter.

Perhaps it was because in this world, at this moment, she was the only one who knew of Prince Jing’s Heir’s tragic fate.

Prince Jing’s Heir, who in the eyes of the world had noble status and a happy family, was in her eyes actually a pitiful person.

A pitiful person just like her.

After a brief silence, Lin Hao smiled radiantly. “Of course not. Didn’t the Heir say we’re friends? Don’t friends need to seek common ground while reserving differences in order to last long?”

The youth curved his lips in a smile, his dark jade-like eyes exceptionally bright. “Second Miss Lin is right.”

“I’m going back to sleep now. The wind is quite strong.” Lin Hao waved her hand and agilely jumped down from the rooftop, like a nimble and carefree cat.

She didn’t look back, walking unhurriedly toward the guest rooms. The little maid Baozhu, who had been waiting all along, silently followed.

Qi Shuo smiled and shook his head. Rather than immediately jumping down from the rooftop, he sat down and watched that apricot-colored figure gradually walk into the night.

The night was black as thick ink, yet that retreating figure was bright in his eyes.

Last long?

The youth lay down, not minding that the roof tiles were uncomfortable, gazing at the sky full of stars in a daze.

If this life could last long, that would be the best thing.

Lin Hao returned to her room. Her urgent, somewhat anxious mood finally calmed, and she slept until daybreak.

“Miss, just now the eldest miss came to ask if you were awake.”

Lin Hao sat up abruptly and rubbed her eyes. “Why didn’t you wake me?”

“The eldest miss heard you were still sleeping and told you to sleep a bit more.”

Lin Hao hurriedly got up, tidied herself neatly, and went to Lin Shi’s room.

Lin Shi examined her daughter’s complexion and couldn’t help but smile. “I was worried you wouldn’t sleep well last night, but it looks like you slept quite well.”

“Are we descending the mountain?” Lin Hao picked up a flower-shaped steamed bun from the table and took a bite.

Lin Shi ladled a bowl of congee for her. “We’ll leave after eating. Don’t rush, eat slowly.”

When Lin Shi was directing the maids and servants to pack things, Lin Chan quietly pulled Lin Hao aside. “Second Sister, did you go out last night?”

Lin Hao was startled.

Lin Chan explained, “I couldn’t sleep at first, so I stood by the window for a while.”

She had been worried her sister was frightened, and instead found herself unable to sleep. Unexpectedly, she saw her sister walking through the night in a certain direction. Fortunately, her sister had brought Baozhu along, or else she wouldn’t have been able to resist following.

She had stood at the window, waiting until her sister returned before feeling relieved.

Lin Hao glanced in Lin Shi’s direction and said quietly, “I tossed and turned unable to sleep, so I had Baozhu accompany me outside for some fresh air. After walking around, I fell asleep quickly when I got back.”

“You still shouldn’t go out for walks in the dead of night, especially since something happened at Qinglu Temple.”

“I know. I won’t do it again. Elder Sister, please don’t tell Mother.”

Lin Chan nodded. “I won’t tell this time, but there won’t be a next time.”

After the mother and two daughters finished packing, they were led by a monk toward the exit, just happening to encounter Marchioness Wuning bringing Tang Wei to leave the temple.

Tang Wei wore a veiled hat, the hanging green gauze concealing her face.

Lin Hao glanced once and silently withdrew her gaze.