Beside the rock garden stood a small pavilion.
Moonlight spilled across the courtyard like water, bathing the stone paths and tiled roofs in a pale silver glow.
A cool night breeze drifted through the garden, carrying with it the faint scent of flowers and wine.
Bai Zhongchuan sat leaning against one of the pavilion pillars.
A moment ago, he had still been heavy with drink after entertaining guests for most of the day.
Now, after sitting in the cold night air for a while, his head had cleared considerably.
The wine flask in his hand was already empty.
It dangled loosely from his fingertips, swaying every now and then as though it might slip from his grasp at any moment.
Hearing hurried footsteps approaching, Bai Zhongchuan lifted his gaze.
When he saw the familiar figure crossing the courtyard, he raised a hand.
“Yuxing.
Over here.” His voice was slightly hoarse from drinking.
Shen Yuxing spotted him and immediately quickened his steps.
Upon entering the pavilion, he cupped his hands apologetically.
“Brother Zhongchuan, forgive me for keeping you waiting.” He sighed helplessly.
“I had to wait until that troublesome boy finally fell asleep before I could slip away.” Bai Zhongchuan raised an eyebrow.
“Mo’an?” “Who else?” Shen Yuxing rubbed his forehead.
“He insisted on coming to see Lan’er tonight.
I spent half the night convincing him that it was improper to disturb people at such a late hour.” Bai Zhongchuan looked at him.
Then at the direction Shen Yuxing had just come from.
A strange expression crossed his face.
“So…” He slowly drawled, “You told your son not to sneak out in the middle of the night, waited until he fell asleep…” Then he pointed at Shen Yuxing.
“…and sneaked out yourself?” Shen Yuxing fell silent.
“…” Bai Zhongchuan stared at him for two breaths.
Then burst into laughter.
“Hahahaha!” “Keep your voice down!” Shen Yuxing hurriedly hissed, glancing around the courtyard.
“If that boy wakes up and follows me here, neither of us will get any peace tonight.” That only made Bai Zhongchuan laugh harder.
“Mo’an is still as difficult to handle as ever, I take it?” “More than difficult.” Shen Yuxing shook his head helplessly.
“If he ever finds out that Lan’er is Yanzhou’s fiancée…” He paused.
Just imagining the scene made his head ache.
“…he’ll probably turn the entire Bai Manor upside down.” Bai Zhongchuan’s laughter abruptly stopped.
He considered that possibility.
Then nodded solemnly.
“That does sound like something he’d do.” “Exactly.” Shen Yuxing sighed.
“That boy is good in every other way.
But when it comes to his sister…” His expression became complicated.
“He’s far too protective.” Whenever something involved Lan’er, Shen Mo’an insisted on getting involved.
A man who was normally reasonable enough could become impossible to deal with in the blink of an eye.
Bai Zhongchuan, however, merely smiled.
“Having someone who cares for her that much isn’t a bad thing.” He gestured toward the seat beside him.
“Come.
Sit.” Shen Yuxing hesitated briefly before sitting down.
Yet even after taking his seat, his back remained straight, and his posture was noticeably stiff.
Bai Zhongchuan noticed immediately.
He frowned.
Then reached over and gave Shen Yuxing a heavy slap on the shoulder.
“Relax!” The force nearly knocked Shen Yuxing sideways.
“We’ve known each other for how many years now?
Why are you still acting so formal with me?” Shen Yuxing barely managed to steady himself.
His back gave a painful twinge.
“…Brother Zhongchuan.” “Mm?” “Nothing.” An awkward smile appeared on Shen Yuxing’s face.
Inside, however, he was grumbling.
Easy for you to say.
Bai Zhongchuan was an imperial merchant.
He had connections throughout the realm and had even entered the palace to meet the emperor more than once.
And yet here he was telling Shen Yuxing not to be nervous.
Compared with the Bai family, his little Green Bamboo Residence was hardly worth mentioning.
Bai Zhongchuan caught the look on his face.
“What are you thinking?” “Nothing.” “You’re definitely thinking something.” “I said nothing.” Bai Zhongchuan narrowed his eyes at him.
Shen Yuxing calmly looked away.
A moment later, Bai Zhongchuan snorted and decided not to pursue the matter.
The two men sat quietly for a while.
The night wind passed through the pavilion.
Leaves rustled softly in the garden.
The laughter gradually faded from Bai Zhongchuan’s face.
He lowered his empty wine flask onto the stone table.
When he spoke again, his voice had lost its earlier teasing tone.
“Yuxing.” Shen Yuxing turned toward him.
Bai Zhongchuan looked out across the moonlit courtyard.
“These years…” He paused.
“They haven’t been easy for you.” Shen Yuxing’s expression changed slightly.
Bai Zhongchuan was silent for another moment before continuing.
“Thank you.” Shen Yuxing frowned.
“For what?” “For Lan’er.” Bai Zhongchuan’s gaze lowered.
“For raising her.” “For protecting her.” “For giving her a home all these years.” The pavilion suddenly became very quiet.
Shen Yuxing stared at him for a moment.
Then he shook his head.
“Brother Zhongchuan, there’s no need to thank me for that.” His answer came without hesitation.
“Brother Tangxi once showed me a kindness I could never repay.” His gaze softened at the memory.
“Later, when his widow fell into trouble and I happened to cross paths with her, how could I possibly stand aside and pretend I hadn’t seen anything?” He gave a faint smile.
“If I had refused to help…” “That would have been something for me to be ashamed of for the rest of my life.” A shadow passed through Bai Zhongchuan’s eyes.
For a long moment, he said nothing.
His gaze drifted beyond the pavilion railing, settling somewhere far beyond the courtyard walls.
“Ah Feng and I…” His voice grew quieter.
“We were brothers who had gone through life and death together.” The faint smile on his face disappeared.
“When trouble came for him, I wanted to help.” His fingers tightened slightly around the edge of the stone table.
“But at the time, too many eyes were watching me.” “As an imperial merchant, every move I made could attract attention.” “If I had stepped forward openly…” He stopped there.
Some things did not need to be said.
Shen Yuxing understood.
Bai Zhongchuan let out a slow breath.
“In the end, you were the one who stood at the front.” “You carried the burden that the rest of us couldn’t.” He turned to Shen Yuxing.
“I’ve remembered that all these years.” “I owe you.” “No.” Shen Yuxing shook his head immediately.
“You don’t.” Bai Zhongchuan frowned.
But Shen Yuxing continued before he could speak.
“If it hadn’t been for you and Brother Tangxi back then, I would have remained trapped in the Yu Residence for the rest of my life.” His voice was calm, but there was unmistakable gratitude beneath it.
“There would be no Green Bamboo Residence today.” “And I certainly wouldn’t be sitting here speaking to you like this.” He smiled faintly.
“Everything I have now began with the chance you gave me.” “So between us…” “There’s no need to keep counting who owes whom.” Bai Zhongchuan looked at him for a long time.
Then slowly, the tension in his expression eased.
A trace of warmth appeared in his eyes.
“If Ah Feng could see you now…” He let out a quiet sigh.
“I’m sure he’d be glad.” Shen Yuxing lowered his gaze.
Neither man spoke for a while.
The breeze shifted.
A few dry leaves skittered across the stone path outside the pavilion.
Eventually, Bai Zhongchuan straightened.
“There’s another reason I asked you to come tonight.” Shen Yuxing immediately noticed the change in his tone.
His expression became serious.
“What is it?” Bai Zhongchuan did not answer immediately.
Instead, he looked toward the courtyard where Shen Qinglan was resting.
After a long silence, he finally spoke.
“I want Lan’er to stay at Bai Manor for the time being.” Shen Yuxing’s brows moved slightly.
“Stay here?” “Mm.” Bai Zhongchuan nodded.
“She and Yanzhou have been betrothed since long ago.” “They’re no longer children.” “At the very least, they should have the chance to spend some time together and learn what kind of person the other is.” Shen Yuxing remained silent.
Strangely enough, the first thing that appeared in his mind was not Shen Qinglan.
It was Shen Mo’an.
If that boy learned about the engagement…
Shen Yuxing suddenly felt another headache coming on.
As though guessing what he was thinking, Bai Zhongchuan’s lips twitched.
“We can deal with Mo’an later.” Shen Yuxing looked at him.
“You’re saying that because he’s my son.” “Naturally.” “…” Bai Zhongchuan cleared his throat.
Then the faint amusement disappeared from his face once more.
“But the engagement isn’t the only reason.” Shen Yuxing’s expression gradually became solemn.
Bai Zhongchuan lowered his voice.
“She’s fourteen now.” The words were quiet.
Yet they seemed unusually heavy in the stillness of the night.
“We can’t keep hiding everything from her forever.” Shen Yuxing’s fingers tightened slightly against his knee.
“You mean…” “It’s time.” Bai Zhongchuan looked at him.
“Not all at once.” “We don’t need to tell her everything immediately.” “But we should start letting her know.” “Little by little.” “Who her parents were.” “Where she came from.” “And…” His voice slowed.
“…who she really is.” Silence fell over the pavilion.
Shen Yuxing did not answer.
Moonlight stretched across the stone steps.
The night wind passed between them, suddenly feeling colder than before.
After a long while, Shen Yuxing finally lowered his gaze.
He had known this day would come.
From the moment he brought that little girl home all those years ago, he had known that one day, she would grow up.
One day, she would ask questions.
And one day— they would have to answer them.
But knowing that day would come and actually facing it were two entirely different things.
“Will she be able to accept it?” he asked quietly.
Bai Zhongchuan said nothing.
Because he didn’t know.
Neither of them did.
And beneath the silence of the pavilion, the same thought settled heavily in both men’s hearts.
When Lan’er finally learned the truth…
would she still be able to smile at them the same way?