Ning Yan didn’t particularly care. He knew plenty of similar scandals, none of which interested him enough to make public—they were all irrelevant to him.
However, Bai Qingqing was looking at him with an odd expression.
Bai Qingqing quickly shook her head. "It’s nothing. It's just... I used to hear people say that even high-ranking officials feared offending the Jinyiwei, because they knew too many secrets—like holding a blade to everyone’s throat. I always thought it was exaggerated. I didn’t expect it to be true."
At her words, Ning Yan chuckled and leaned closer, the air around him growing heavy with pressure. "Then, are you afraid I might know your secrets too?"
Without hesitation, Bai Qingqing shook her head. Ning Yan raised an eyebrow—makes sense. What secrets could she possibly have?
"My secrets," Bai Qingqing said, the corners of her mouth curving into a self-mocking smile, "no one could ever know."
She had died once already. Matters of such supernatural absurdity—besides Fu Yi, no second person in the world would ever learn of them.
Seeing that her mood had improved considerably, Ning Yan checked the time. It was about right—he did have another appointment. Coming here had only been a detour.
Bai Qingqing, however, felt too embarrassed to let him leave looking . His clothes were so disheveled and clashed so jarringly with his usual refined aura.
Ning Yan laughed at her conflicted expression. "So what should we do? How about you help me fix it a bit? Maybe it'll look less tragic."
He had only been teasing, but Bai Qingqing actually put down her handkerchief and stepped seriously in front of him, earnestly trying to smooth things out. Unfortunately, the fabric was far too fine; the creased areas refused to be tamed. Bai Qingqing could only stroke the cloth over and over with her hands, hoping to make some difference.
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Ning Yan finally understood what it meant to suffer from one's own mischief. Bai Qingqing clearly had no other thoughts in mind, yet her focused, earnest gaze made his heart itch unbearably. Her soft little hands, to her, were merely smoothing fabric; to Ning Yan, it felt as though she were caressing him.
Caressing him with intense dedication.
Ning Yan's throat bobbed slightly. He dared not say anything now, afraid he might make her cry again—and if she cried any more, she might just disappear altogether.
But Bai Qingqing remained completely oblivious to Ning Yan’s inner turmoil. She was simply anxious; after all that effort, she had only smoothed the fabric a little, and it still looked crumpled. What was she supposed to do…
"Enough, enough," Ning Yan finally couldn't bear it any longer. He grabbed her hands, meeting Bai Qingqing’s guilty, helpless gaze, and couldn't help but draw a sharp breath, half-suspecting she was doing it on purpose.
"I’ll let it go for today. Next time—"
Seeing Bai Qingqing’s face full of reluctance, her hand instinctively going to cover the token at her waist, Ning Yan let out a soft laugh. "I didn’t say I’d take the token back. I'll just remember this debt."
By now he was already late, but he didn’t seem to mind. He strolled out of Qingxin Pavilion at a leisurely pace.
Zidai hurried inside. Seeing her young mistress’s emotions more or less back to normal—aside from her still swollen eyes—she finally breathed a sigh of relief and brought over the freshly prepared herbal soup to help reduce the swelling.
Bai Qingqing was no longer weighed down by Fu Yi’s matter. Especially after learning that Fu Yi might not even be the Princess Consort’s biological son, that strange and unsettling feeling left her unable to sink into sadness again.
The Princess Consort had given birth to a daughter...
Bai Qingqing stared blankly at the ceiling, deep in thought. Looking back over two lifetimes, it seemed there had been only one young woman the Princess Consort had shown particular tenderness to.
Her heart stirred uneasily—this was just... far too outrageous...
While Bai Qingqing sat there dazed, a young guard soon arrived, carrying a small jade jar in his hands.
"Lord Ning asked me to bring this to you, miss. This medicine was bestowed by the Emperor himself. My lord said it’s especially effective for injuries around the lips."