That day, Dou Xueci stayed with Zou Yunjian for a long while, even helping him apply medicine to his burns before leaving.
During the entire time, Zou Yunjian’s gaze clung to her, unwilling to shift for even a moment, as though she might vanish into thin air the next second. But once she was gone, the tender affection in his eyes instantly turned cold.
“Master, I think the young lady still cares for you. Just now, she was so anxious that she even applied the medicine herself.”
Xiao Wu helped Zou Yunjian lie down. He had already disobeyed the physician’s orders by getting out of bed today, so now he needed careful rest.
“Xiao Wu, how do you think Cousin treats me compared to before?”
Xiao Wu thought for a moment before answering, “I think it’s better now! Before, the young lady was bold and carefree, but not very attentive. Sometimes, when you were in a bad mood, she wouldn’t notice and would just keep talking to you. But now she’s steadier, she takes care of you, worries about you. Just now, when she left, she even told me that if anything was lacking, I should go directly to her.”
Zou Yunjian listened, but instead of being pleased, his brows furrowed even deeper.
“Did I say something wrong?” Xiao Wu asked, puzzled.
“No, you’re not wrong.” Yet Zou Yunjian’s frown did not ease. He added, “It just feels strange somehow… not the same as before.”
Clearly, Dou Xueci was gentler than before, more attentive to him. At first, he hadn’t thought much of it—girls grow up, their temperaments change, that was natural. But earlier, when he deliberately showed unease and fear, Dou Xueci refused to give him any reassurance. If it had been the cousin of old, she would have sworn to him without hesitation, promising never to abandon him, insisting that even with his broken leg she would never despise him. Yet now, though she applied medicine and cared for him, she would not utter even half a promise.
In the past, his cousin had always clung to him—whenever she came to his courtyard, she would insist on playing with him for an entire afternoon before leaving. Now, even with him so gravely injured, Dou Xueci had stayed barely more than an hour.
Xiao Wu scratched his head, thinking hard but unable to figure out what was different.
“Master, perhaps you’re overthinking. The young lady is already fourteen now—naturally, she’s not the same as when she was a child. I’ve heard the matrons say that as girls grow up, they become more reserved, especially someone of her status.”
Zou Yunjian fell silent. Was that really the case? He soon found his answer—for after that day, Dou Xueci did not visit him again for five whole days.
At first, when the household saw her go to Danxia Pavilion, they thought the two had reconciled. But before long, it was as if Dou Xueci had completely forgotten Zou Yunjian existed. She didn’t even intervene when the servants openly mistreated Danxia Pavilion.
In Zou Yunjian’s quarters, Xiao Wu returned with a dark expression.
“Still no charcoal?” Zou Yunjian lay on the couch, his injured leg covered with two thick quilts, yet he still felt chilled to the bone.
“Master, perhaps I should go beg the young lady. She wouldn’t ignore you—it must be those lowly servants playing tricks!”
For three days in a row, Xiao Wu had gone to request the charcoal allotment. Not only was he refused each time, he was mocked as well.
Zou Yunjian’s lips were pale. “No! Take our money and buy charcoal outside.”
That day, he had already lowered himself once. If he begged her again, what would he become? It wasn’t as though he lacked silver. He only wanted to see whether Dou Xueci was truly so heartless. Now he finally understood—Dou Xueci had indeed changed her heart!
So this was it—because his leg was broken, she thought he had no value, and now wanted to cast him aside!
Zou Yunjian’s gaze grew darker, settling on the ashes in the brazier—ashes from the message his aunt had sent him that very morning.
Dou Xueci soon learned that Xiao Wu had gone out to buy charcoal.
“Miss, how many more days do you think Young Master Cousin can endure? This year it’s been snowing heavily again and again. I fear charcoal outside won’t be easy to find.” Liu Yun propped her chin in her hand. In the warm chamber, the floor heating burned strongly, making her drowsy.
Just then, Mu He lifted the curtain and entered, carrying a tray of jujube-and-yam cakes. The sweet fragrance filled the air, instantly waking Liu Yun. She reached out cheerfully to grab a piece, but Mu He slapped her hand away. “Ancestor, this isn’t for you!”
Liu Yun pouted. “Sister Muhe is getting stingier by the day, hmph!”
Mu He could only tap her on the head helplessly, then set the cakes before Dou Xueci, her eyes heavy with meaning.
“Leave them here.” Dou Xueci gazed at the pastries in silence. After these quiet days, it was time for a storm to break.
Three days later—
Dou Zhuyin came to invite her, as had been arranged earlier.
The second madam’s niece, Yao Miaolan, had returned to the capital two days before and was now staying in the household. Her father had just been demoted to serve as Vice Minister of Works and was expected to arrive in the capital by year’s end. Yao Miaolan had come ahead with her mother.
The second madam wished to elevate her niece and instructed the household’s young ladies to treat her well.
Everyone was bored, so they decided to hold a gathering in the garden.
Dou Xueci naturally agreed and went along.
Yao Miaolan was kin to the second branch, and the banquet was arranged entirely by the clever and capable Second Madam, Jin Yudian.
After the snow, the skies cleared—the air was crisp, like freshly cut ice jade.
The vast garden had already been tidied by the servants, with covered walkways connecting the warm chambers and pavilions.
The banquet was set in the Wangxue Pavilion, its four corners adorned with flying eaves and hung with bronze bells. Thick brocade curtains had been lowered all around to block the wind, and in the center stood a large purple-bronze brazier, its charcoal burning brightly. The crackling fire filled the pavilion with warmth like late spring, a world apart from the wintry scene outside.
When Dou Xueci entered, the young ladies all rose to greet her.
“Why is it that when I arrive, everyone suddenly grows so stiff? It seems I’m not welcome—perhaps I should leave.” Dou Xueci, rarely showing a girlish playfulness, teased them.
Dou Mingxi, the boldest, came forward and pressed her to sit. “Elder Sister, what nonsense! If you want to leave, you must first drink three cups of wine as punishment!”
The girls laughed at this, and the atmosphere lightened considerably.
Just then, Jin Yudian arrived, leading maids and attendants, each carrying black lacquer trays with freshly brewed Yunwu fragrant tea, steaming Jinling spring wine, and an array of delicate pastries.
“Well now, Sister Xueci has finally come. Have you met Miaolan yet?”
Dou Xueci smiled. “Not yet—I was waiting for Second Madam to introduce us.”
Jin Yudian had applied makeup that day, her already fine features made even more striking, her smile dazzling.
Among the sisters, she brought forward a girl of thirteen or fourteen, dressed in a pale lotus-pink satin jacket, its collar and cuffs edged with a wide band of gold-thread lotus-scroll brocade. Over it she wore an apricot-red vest, with a hollow-carved red-gold sachet pendant shaped like a hydrangea blossom hanging at her chest.
“Miaolan, quickly pay respects to your Sister Xueci.”
Yao Miaolan, still young and shy, called out softly and bowed to her.
Dou Xueci felt a strange sense of dissonance. In her previous life, she had not attended this banquet. Her first meeting with Yao Miaolan had also been their farewell—for not long after, she heard news of Yao Miaolan’s death.