Jiang Xingyan had overestimated General Huo Ci’s ability to handle spicy food. After finishing a bowl of wontons, her stomach burned with a fiery pain.
Yet she had to pretend nothing was wrong, forcing herself to endure until she returned to the military camp.
Before they parted ways to their respective tents, Yun Chunfeng handed her a gourd of pills. “General, this medicine is called the ‘Soothing Elixir.’ No matter what discomfort you feel, taking one pill will relieve it.”
Jiang Xingyan felt the embarrassment of being seen through. Just as she was about to decline, Yun Chunfeng had already entered his tent.
She quickly poured out a pill from the gourd and swallowed it. In an instant, the burning sensation in her stomach subsided, and she felt normal again.
But why were her eyelids so heavy?
Relying on sheer willpower, Jiang Xingyan made it to her camp cot. The moment she lay down, she fell into a deep sleep.
Qiu Yan, who entered carrying Xiao Ya, saw Jiang Xingyan sleeping soundly and felt a pang of tenderness. “The young mistress has been busy all day—she must be exhausted.” She hurriedly whispered to the others following behind her, “Be quiet. Don’t disturb her.”
Chun Xue tucked the young mistress in, and the others coaxed Xiao Ya to sleep on the large bed.
Chirp! Chirp!
A series of bird songs rang out.
Jiang Xingyan bolted upright. No way, did I just fall asleep? Is it already morning?
“Young Mistress?”
Hmm? Why does that sound like Yun Ge’er?
Jiang Xingyan snapped her eyes open. She found herself lying on a reclining couch nestled in a lush garden of fragrant flowers. She wore a butterfly-and-peony embroidered crimson dress with a green gauze overdress and a light blue shawl draped haphazardly over her shoulders.
It seemed she had just woken up.
Jiang Xingyan held out her hands and examined them closely. They had not yet been calloused by her mother-in-law’s harsh treatment, and her skin was still smooth and soft.
So, this is still a dream.
She had just heard Yun Ge’er mention the past before falling asleep, and now she was dreaming of it. It had been a long, long time since she last had such a dream.
“Young Mistress, why won’t you look at Yun Ge’er?”
Jiang Xingyan lowered her gaze and saw Yun Ge’er crouching beside the couch. Though dressed as a servant, he carried the noble aura of the State Preceptor, Yun Chunfeng. Without the usual silk blindfold over his eyes, his captivating peach-blossom gaze was fully revealed.
His eyes shimmered with tenderness, reflecting only her. A single glance could drown one in his unreserved affection.
A cinnabar mole, like a teardrop of red, adorned the corner of his eye, adding a touch of alluring desire.
Jiang Xingyan felt uneasy. Since when did Yun Ge’er look at her with such unmistakable longing?
Yun Chunfeng rested his chin on his arm, which lay across the edge of the couch, gazing at her like a lost puppy who had finally found its way home. It made her want to ruffle his hair.
Jiang Xingyan coughed lightly and turned away uncomfortably.
“Where is Grandfather? I need to see him.”
According to the old servants who had attended to her grandfather, on the day of her wedding to Huo Ci, the old man had watched as Huo Ci carried her to the wedding sedan chair, closed his eyes contentedly, and never opened them again.
The next day was supposed to be her homecoming visit, but Huo Ci was summoned to the battlefield. Jiang Xingyan returned to the Jiang residence alone with her four maids.
Overjoyed, she called out for her grandfather, eager to tell him about Huo Ci’s tenderness and the reluctant look he had given her before riding away. She wanted to assure him that he had chosen the right person—only to see a coffin resting in the main hall.
In that instant, it felt as if lightning had struck her. Trembling, she rushed forward and saw her grandfather lying peacefully inside, his hands folded over his chest, a faint smile still lingering on his lips.
She stood frozen, feeling as though ten thousand arrows had pierced her heart. Tears streamed down her face, falling onto his burial robes and the back of his hands.
The steward, his eyes red, quickly pulled her away. “Young Mistress, please restrain your grief. The master passed away in contentment.”
Contentment? She didn’t care about that—she didn’t want her grandfather to leave! She wanted him alive!
Jiang Xingyan wept bitterly until she was utterly exhausted. She collapsed onto a kneeling cushion nearby, surrounded by the funeral whites, and finally accepted that her grandfather was gone.
With the steward’s help, she donned mourning robes and laid her grandfather to rest. Along the way, she cried herself into unconsciousness countless times.
When she returned to the Huo residence, her mother-in-law showed no sympathy. Instead, she accused Jiang Xingyan of bringing bad luck, ordered her mourning clothes stripped away, and forbade her from holding any memorial ceremonies.
Shocked and furious, Jiang Xingyan never expected her seemingly kind mother-in-law to reveal such a face. She resisted fiercely, arguing with reason, and even blurted out that she would separate from the family and live independently.
Those words struck a nerve.
The Old Lady Huo slapped Jiang Xingyan twice hard and seized all her assets. From that day on, Jiang Xingyan’s life in the Huo residence became a living hell.
How she longed to see her grandfather again, even if only in a dream. But in the three years since, she had almost never dreamed of the past—or of him.
Jiang Xingyan wiped away her tears with her palm. Just as she tried to rise, Yun Ge’er gently grasped her wrist.
Holding her hand, he half-knelt before the couch, his eyes filled with pity and hidden guilt and pain.
“I’m sorry, Young Mistress. Yun Ge’er came too late.”
He leaned down like a loyal hound, resting his head against Jiang Xingyan’s side. He guided her hand to gently caress his face.
Bang!
Jiang Xingyan’s mind went blank. A shiver ran through her, and she felt something pounding in her chest, each beat heavier than the last.
Yun Ge’er’s cheek felt cool and damp to the touch—he had been crying, too.
“Young Mistress, please don’t blame Yun Ge’er. There are reasons I cannot reveal myself to you yet. Once everything is settled, may I personally welcome you home?”
Jiang Xingyan stiffened and withdrew her hand.
“Without Grandfather, I no longer have a home.”
Yun Ge’er pressed closer, his nose touching hers. Startled, she instinctively leaned back and found herself lying on the couch again.
Yun Ge’er leaned over her, his silk-like white hair cascading down and brushing against her cheek. A tingling sensation spread from the depths of her heart.
He blinked his peach-blossom eyes, looking utterly innocent and pitiable.
“Young Mistress, please dote on Yun Ge’er.”