“Just an ungrateful beast, hardly worth liking…”
The screen crashed heavily to the floor, causing the entire painted boat to sway twice.
The candle flames on the lamp tree flickered uneasily, their light sweeping over the fallen screen and, along with the gazes of the crowd, settling on the startled young woman.
Her cloak had been knocked off, and she stood frozen in place.
Her dark hair was swept up high, her makeup light and delicate. She wore a soft blue gauze spring robe and a plain white Xiangshui skirt. Beautiful yet fragile, like a rare white porcelain piece accidentally uncovered, making one unconsciously hold their breath, fearing that even the slightest disturbance might shatter the delicate treasure.
Even Xiao Lingguang, who showed no mercy on the battlefield, paused for a moment, the killing intent in his eyes freezing as he took in the sight before him.
“…Shaoshao?!”
A figure rushed over swiftly, shielding Nan Liujing.
The oppressive atmosphere dissipated abruptly, and she slowly regained her composure.
The newcomer wore ink-wash robes, a golden-buckled jade belt cinched at his waist. Handsome in appearance, his dark hair was half-tied, with two braids hanging behind his ears. His demeanor was elegant and refined, like precious jade—
It was her lover, Pei Liuyu.
Xiao Lingguang snapped back to reality, his hand loosening from the hilt of the sword at his waist. His gaze swept between Pei Liuyu and Nan Liujing, and understanding dawned.
“Truly a daughter of the Nan family.”
Hearing the sarcasm in his words, Pei Liuyu frowned. “Lingguang!”
Xiao Lingguang retreated to the side, leaning against the cabin wall as if the matter no longer concerned him, and fell silent.
Pei Liuyu turned his attention back to Nan Liujing. “Shaoshao, why are you here? Who brought you?”
He asked her in a hushed tone while guiding her toward a darker corner. Then, he shifted his body to block the prying eyes behind him completely.
“I received your note, asking me to meet at North Lake at three quarters past the hour of you.”
“What? I didn’t…”
“It wasn’t written by you.”
Nan Liujing pursed her lips, her gaze drifting over Pei Liuyu’s shoulder. “I understand now.”
Not far away, Princess Shou’an, dressed in a gold-woven red skirt, sat behind a low table, her cloud-like hair adorned with a slowly swaying golden hairpin. Her pale golden eyes stared directly over, bright and full of emotion.
Even though Helan Ying had humiliated her openly and covertly several times, Nan Liujing couldn’t help but steal another glance at that face.
Such a beautiful face…
And such a malicious heart!
Following her gaze, Pei Liuyu turned his head in confusion and also caught sight of Helan Ying’s faintly mocking smile.
Realizing something, his expression turned cold instantly. Just as he was about to act, Nan Liujing tugged at his sleeve.
Nan Liujing shook her head at him.
“Pei Liuyu, now that she’s here, why not bring her out for your elder brother to see?”
That voice, neither distinctly male nor female, drifted over again, its tone sarcastic and flippant. “Hiding and sneaking around—could it be that even you think the Nan family’s young lady is too shameful to be seen?”
Pei Liuyu stiffened, casually grabbing the cloak pinned to the wall and draping it over Nan Liujing. “…Today isn’t the right time. Let me escort you off the boat first.”
This suited Nan Liujing perfectly.
She didn’t want to stay on this boat a moment longer.
But as she was about to leave, she suddenly realized she had forgotten something.
“Wait, Wangliang… I brought Wangliang with me…”
Pei Liuyu was taken aback.
Nan Liujing pushed him aside slightly, scanning the cabin, but she couldn’t spot the black cat with snow-white paws anywhere. Instead, her eyes met those of Xiao Lingguang, who stood leaning against the wall with his arms crossed.
Xiao Lingguang was dressed in black Hu-style clothing, his sword-like brows and cold eyes sharp and penetrating.
Though this young master Xiao was also handsome, his aura was truly fierce. Nan Liujing was somewhat afraid of him. Just as she was about to avert her gaze, she saw him expressionlessly lift his chin.
Nan Liujing was taken aback for a moment, then turned her head accordingly.
At the table nearest to the lantern tree, Pei Liuyu’s elder brother, the head of the Pei family, Pei Songjun, sat upright. He wore a snow-white deep robe and a smoky ink-colored gauze outer garment, holding a jade-handled duster in his hand, gently swaying it.
And in his lap, there lay a black cat of unknown vitality, even purring incessantly, rolling over to expose its belly, stretching out a dusty paw to catch the swaying duster. Then it left dirty paw prints on Pei Songjun’s sleeve…
“…”
Nan Liujing’s vision darkened, and she nearly lost her breath.
Noticing her unusual state, Pei Liuyu immediately comforted her by squeezing her hand, then walked over to Pei Songjun.
“Elder brother, I’ll send them back first…”
Pei Liuyu clapped her hands twice and called, “Wangliang.”
The black cat, who usually loved sticking to her the most, for some reason today seemed to treat her voice as mere background noise, still persistently pouncing at the duster in Pei Songjun’s hand.
Pei Songjun lowered his eyes to look at the cat, a faint smile still lingering at the corner of his lips.
“Already planning to settle things, yet still don’t dare bring her before me?”
“…”
Pei Songjun and Pei Liuyu were cousins.
Both were sons of the Pei family, the two shared a fifty percent resemblance, equally clear-eyed and handsome, gentle and refined.
However, compared to Pei Liuyu’s naive and easygoing nature, Pei Songjun was a few years older, naturally more steady, and had been tempered for years in the court and on the battlefield. The disparity between them grew increasingly apparent. Even sitting there with a smile, he carried an air of intimidation and pressure, leaving Pei Liuyu unable to utter a word of rebuttal.
Nan Liujing clenched her hands and slowly walked over, standing beside Pei Liuyu.
As she drew closer, she even caught a faint, cold scent of cedarwood. It was the incense from Pei Songjun’s clothes, yet the moment it drifted over, it seemed mixed with a bloody odor, churning her insides and nearly making her retch.
She forced herself to endure, not daring to show the slightest abnormality, and bowed to Pei Songjun with a curtsy.
“Nan Liujing of the Nan family, greets Third Master Pei.”
She kept her head lowered, long eyelashes casting two trembling, uneasy shadows beneath her eyes. Her cheeks were thin and pale, her snow-white complexion not warming even under the light of the lantern tree. Her voice was soft and obedient, without the slightest hint of aggression.
Beautiful, frail, and pitiful—this was almost the first impression Nan Liujing left on everyone.
Pei Songjun finally lifted his eyes, smiling as he looked at Nan Liujing. “Are you afraid of me?”
“…”
Nan Liujing’s breath hitched, her hands and feet growing cold.
“Have you seen me before?”
Pei Songjun asked again.
Nan Liujing dug her fingernails hard into her palm, shook her head, her expression revealing no trace of anything unusual.
“Though I have long heard of your esteemed reputation, today is the first time I have seen you.”
The smile on Pei Songjun’s face seemed to fade slightly. He scrutinized Nan Liujing and asked once more, “Is that so?”
Nan Liujing instinctively wanted to answer yes, but as the words reached her lips, another thought stirred—
She also wanted to recklessly test Pei Songjun.
“My memory isn’t very good. Perhaps I once met you in the past but have forgotten…”
She asked softly in return, “Has Third Master Pei seen me somewhere before?”
Pei Songjun fell silent, his eyes like a vast, unfathomable abyss, deep and inscrutable.
“Elder brother must have mistaken her for someone else.”
Pei Liuyu stated firmly, “Zhaozhao has been frail since childhood, kept deep within the inner chambers and rarely steps outside. How could she possibly have crossed paths with you?”
Pei Songjun glanced at Pei Liuyu and nodded. “It’s getting late. For Miss Nan to share a boat with us would be improper. Liuyu, quickly arrange for someone to escort her back to her residence to avoid gossip and unnecessary trouble.”
Pei Liuyu acknowledged the order and reached out to grab Wangliang, only to be met with a hiss as the cat twisted its head away.
Pei Liuyu’s hand froze mid-air.
“This black cat seems quite fond of you.”
Xiao Lingguang’s voice suddenly emerged from behind.
Pei Songjun curled his lips slightly and nudged Wangliang with his hand. “Just an ungrateful beast. What fondness is there to speak of?”
A casual remark, yet Nan Liujing detected a tone of disdain and insult.
Unfortunately, that heartless, treacherous beast—who would sell out its master for glory and mistake enemies for family—understood none of it. Instead, it sprawled there, belly exposed, cooing and acting cute…
Nan Liujing’s eyes turned cold. Suddenly, she bent at the waist, reached out, and with five fingers, seized the flesh at Wangliang’s neck. Without ceremony, she lifted the cat out and pressed it against her chest.
Her movements were swift, agile, even somewhat rough.
Yet when she straightened up again, she had transformed back into that delicate, untouchable porcelain beauty, her voice as faint as a wisp of silk.
“I have disturbed you all today. I take my leave.”
Pei Liuyu followed Nan Liujing out of the cabin. A small ferry boat was moored not far away. At Pei Liuyu’s signal, the boatman quickly rowed over.
“I’ll escort you myself…”
Pei Liuyu tried to board the boat but was gently pushed away by Nan Liujing.
“I wish to be alone for a while. You should return and welcome your elder brother properly.”
“Zhaozhao…”
Nan Liujing looked up, offered Pei Liuyu a faint smile, then turned and boarded the boat.
The oars parted the water, and the boat slowly drifted away from the painted pleasure barge.
In the enveloping darkness, Nan Liujing leaned exhaustedly against the cabin wall. A chill, damp sensation crept up her back—cold sweat that had emerged unnoticed.
The boat glided across the water, surrounded by profound silence, with only the gentle, steady sound of water lapping in her ears.
Gradually, Nan Liujing calmed her emotions and began to sort through her tangled thoughts.
The one who had lured her to North Lake tonight was undoubtedly Helan Ying.
Ever since her association with Pei Liuyu became known to outsiders, sparking rumors in the capital, Princess Shou’an could no longer restrain herself.
At numerous gatherings attended by noble ladies, Helan Ying had humiliated her, yet never once appeared in person.
A princess, after all, remained dignified and arrogant, disdaining to personally contend with someone of her lowly status. Instead, she would drop vague hints, and a crowd eager to interpret her wishes would step forward to vent her displeasure.
Just like tonight—
Luring her onto the boat, thrusting her before Pei Liuyu’s closest relatives and friends, and then saying nothing more, for the attitudes of those present were humiliation enough.
In truth, she had long grown accustomed to such tactics and could calmly face various forms of ridicule…
If only she hadn’t seen Pei Songjun again.
Several years ago, she and Pei Songjun had indeed crossed paths once.
By the time she returned to the Nan residence, the night was deep. Nan Liujing forced herself to stay alert, bathed, changed clothes, then extinguished the lamp and lay down.
The pillow sank slightly as a furry paw patted her temple twice. Still angry and weary, Nan Liujing ignored the cooing black cat.
Faintly, a subtle scent of cedarwood drifted into her senses, lulling her into a deep slumber.
In the darkness, first came the clash of swords, then screams. Amid the chaos and wreckage, she seemed to have escaped, running and running along an endless stretch of woodland…
When light returned before her eyes, she had already changed into a maid’s dress and entered the banquet hall at the very end of the procession.
Nan Liujing stood dazed and motionless until someone pushed her from behind.
“What are you still standing there for? Go serve the wine.”
The banquet hall was filled with elegant songs and graceful dances, with cups clinking and wine flowing freely. Many guests were already drunk, and as soon as the serving maids approached, they were pulled into their arms and groped all over.
Nan Liujing dared not look too closely, quickly averting her gaze. Just as she tremblingly finished pouring a cup of wine, it was taken by the guest she was serving.
The hand that came into view was slender, fair, and distinctly boned, making her involuntarily raise her head again.
What met her eyes was a spotless white robe, an upright sitting posture, a straight spine, and a face too young and jade-like, standing out from the others at the banquet. Up close, she could even catch a faint, pleasant fragrance drifting from his sleeves…
The man turned to meet her gaze, his brow slightly furrowing.
“How old… are you?”
“Thirteen.”
“…”
After a moment of silence, the man smiled at her.
“I’ll manage on my own. You may step back.”
His gentle yet helpless voice left Nan Liujing feeling somewhat dizzy. She glanced around blankly, unsure where to go.
The man subtly gestured behind him.
Understanding, she rose and moved, like a fledgling bird returning to its nest, quietly retreating into the shadows.
Thankfully, thankfully, she had encountered this kind-hearted young gentleman…
Amid the music and dancing, she heard someone call him “Third Young Master Pei.”