By the time she had gone far, Jiang Xuirui stepped out from the room and looked toward the courtyard gate.
“Grandfather has put a lot of thought into this.”
Elder Yun let out a soft sigh.
“A fine jade must be carefully carved and properly protected before it can become a great piece. Her self-chosen style name shows her edge; my granting of a name helps conceal it.
Balance between softness and strength is the way to go.
That girl… her path ahead is still very long.”
Jiang Xuirui nodded. In her, he seemed to see another woman of the same surname—equally intelligent, equally dazzling.
It was a pity that that woman had been blinded by emotions and lost her life for someone unworthy.
The woman he was thinking of was named—Song Zhijin.
Meanwhile, Song Nianyun walked down the mountain path, feeling lighthearted.
From today onward, she could openly use her own name again.
Yes, “Song Nianyun” was the name her mother had given her at birth.
Her mother once said:
“When my little Nianyun grows up, she should be like the clouds—drifting in the sky, carefree and unburdened…”
See? Her mother had been the one who loved her most in the household. Unfortunately, she never became that carefree child.
Her father, the Duke of Wei, was stationed at the frontier year-round and paid no attention to her life or death.
Her stepmother resented her beauty and talent, constantly scheming to ruin her reputation.
Her two biological elder brothers, once affectionate, were manipulated into favoring the stepdaughter instead and came to dislike her.
She eventually entered the palace as a companion reader, growing up alongside the Crown Prince, Beiming Jin, believing she had finally found happiness.
But she had overestimated herself—and underestimated a man’s ambition.
She died. She lost.
Yet she did not lose unjustly. Entrusting fate to a man would always end in defeat.
Fortunately, heaven had given her another chance.
This time, she would control her own destiny. She would be the one holding the chessboard—not the piece being moved.
To descend the mountain, she had to pass by the Qinghui Academy.
And there, she unfortunately ran into Chen Yunli.
Chen Yunli frowned the moment he saw her.
Yesterday she had declared a “clean break” so decisively—yet today she still appeared near his study hall? Was this another attempt to get his attention?
He turned away and returned to his classroom.
He assumed she would follow him.
But Song Nianyun simply walked past his classroom without even a glance and continued straight toward the academy gate.
Chen Yunli stood at the doorway, watching her distant figure disappear without hesitation. A strange heaviness pressed in his chest.
“Ridiculous.”
He thought coldly.
“Yesterday she acted so decisively, and today she pretends nothing happened just to appear in front of me again. When I ignore her, she immediately switches tactics and leaves.
Song Nianyun, do you really think I will still fall for these little tricks?”
He believed she was merely changing strategies—playing hard to get.
But he had already apologized. What more did she want from him?
He returned to his desk and forced himself to read, but the words blurred, and Song Nianyun’s calm face kept surfacing in his mind, making him increasingly irritated.
At that moment, a voice suddenly spread through the academy:
“Do you know? The results of today’s entrance exam are out! The top rank of the A-list is actually a woman—Song… Song… yes! Song Yibai!”
The entire classroom erupted in shock.
To be admitted into Qinghui Academy meant being among the best scholars of the region. The top rank was always held by well-known prodigies.
And now, it had been taken by an unknown woman?
“Song Yibai? Brother Chen, isn’t that your fiancée?”
All eyes turned toward Chen Yunli.
His hand trembled violently. Ink spilled across the paper.
Song Yibai? Top of the A-list?
Impossible.
In his memory, Song Yibai had always been a girl with only modest literary talent—how could she surpass everyone?
But before he could process it, even more shocking news followed.
“I heard from the back mountain attendants that Elder Yun played chess with her—and actually conceded defeat!”
“Not only that, Elder Yun has taken her as his closed-door disciple and personally bestowed her the style name ‘Nianyun’!”
The room exploded.
Chen Yunli’s brush slipped from his hand and fell onto the desk.
She wasn’t here for him. She truly wasn’t.
“Brother Chen, congratulations!” someone joked. “With such a talented fiancée, you’re truly blessed!”
The words stabbed painfully.
Chen Yunli suddenly stood up and rushed out of the classroom.
He had to find her.
If he didn’t, this engagement might truly be over.
“Brother Chen! Where are you going?”
He ran without answering, his expression almost frantic.
Those who knew the situation whispered behind him.
“She already said yesterday—she and Chen Yunli have broken off the engagement.”
“She’s now beautiful, talented, and Elder Yun’s disciple. Of course she wouldn’t wait for him anymore.”
The man who had spoken earlier clicked his tongue.
“Then Chen Yunli really lost a good match…”
Meanwhile, Chen Yunli was already sprinting down the mountain path.
Finally, at the bend of a blue-stone path ahead, he saw that familiar slender figure.
“Yibai, wait…”