A Decade of Nightscape Lights

It had rained last night, but stopped before dawn.

The morning air was crisp and refreshing, carrying the fresh scent of green leaves from the courtyard trees.

Cai Zhao leaned on the windowsill with her hair loose, her fair arm resting against the ledge, her wide sleeves fluttering in the breeze. Below, she could hear Zhou Yuqi chatting with Ding Zhuo and Fan Xingjia.

Early that morning, Zhou Yuqi had already instructed the kitchen to prepare Cai Zhao’s favorite claypot porridge, poached eggs, and white jade sugar cakes, sending a servant to quietly deliver the tray to her room. Truth be told, Cai Zhao had always preferred eating before dressing up, contrary to the usual custom of grooming first and then dining.

When she was young at home, Cai Pingshu never minded this habit, but Ning Xiaofeng often scolded her for it. After Cai Pingshu passed away, Cai Zhao gradually corrected the habit—only to relapse after meeting Mu Qingyan.

Cai Zhao didn’t blame herself for this. It was all Mu Qingyan’s fault for indulging her.

Every time she drowsily woke up in the morning, Mu Qingyan would look at her like she was a wobbly little yellow duckling, his eyes full of pity, as if he wished he could bring the breakfast tray straight to her bedside.

—Cai Zhao shook her head, dispelling the memory.

"...I only learned last night that Senior Brother Fan is from Xingcheng, so I thought he might enjoy sour noodle soup. As for Brother Ding, who values cultivation and health, I only had plain grain porridge, boiled eggs, and freshly picked fruit sent over," Zhou Yuqi’s gentle voice drifted up.

—One reason he got along so well with Cai Zhao was his meticulous attention to food and drink. Not only did he care, but he could even instruct the cooks to recreate flavors with near-perfect accuracy.

Fan Xingjia was overjoyed, repeatedly thanking him, saying it had been ages since he tasted the flavors of home. Even the usually stern-faced Ding Zhuo was visibly pleased, unexpectedly offering to lend Zhou Yuqi some of the sword manuals he had collected.

But Zhou Yuqi wasn’t interested in sword manuals—he had another request.

"Zhao Zhao may seem gentle and easygoing, always smiling, but she’s actually quite stubborn. If something displeases her, she won’t hesitate to act. Still, her heart is kind, and she would never provoke trouble on her own. I humbly ask both senior brothers to look out for her..."

Zhou Yuqi spoke earnestly, his tone humble. Recalling past incidents, Ding and Fan readily agreed.

Just then, Qi Lingbo and Dai Fengchi arrived from the courtyard. They had planned to visit the Wuan City market together today and had been waiting in the hall for ages, yet no one had come for breakfast. So they strolled over to check.

As they reached the backyard, they overheard Zhou Yuqi earnestly entrusting Ding Zhuo and Fan Xingjia with Cai Zhao’s care. "...With that, I leave my Zhao Zhao in your hands. Jade Kirin thanks you once more."

Qi Lingbo paused, listening, and the longer she stood there, the more her heart ached.

Here was a fiancé who fretted over whether his betrothed would be bullied at the sect or live comfortably, while her own fiancé couldn’t even be bothered to give her a proper excuse for skipping breakfast—just a casual remark that he had already eaten.

How much longer would she have to endure this cold, neglectful treatment?

Cai Zhao descended the wooden stairs to the first floor just as Qi Lingbo walked past, head bowed.

The two women unexpectedly came face to face. Qi Lingbo’s eyes brimmed with tears, her heart heavy with sorrow, while Cai Zhao, glowing from a hearty meal and dressed up in high spirits, looked radiant, her beauty even more striking than usual."Ah, little sister greets elder sister. Good morning, elder sister. Your complexion today looks quite..." Cai Zhao paused, seeing Qi Lingbo's sallow and emaciated face with listless spirits, then continued, "...quite good. Let's stroll around the market a bit longer later."

She had merely uttered the usual polite remark, but to Qi Lingbo's ears, it sounded more piercing than mockery. Qi Lingbo immediately stomped away in tears, leaving Cai Zhao standing there dumbfounded.

By the time preparations were complete, the sun was high in the sky, and the weather was clear and refreshing. Apart from Li Yuanmin, who had been sent by Wang Yuanjing to search for distant relatives of the Chang family in another region—so there would be a host family to maintain appearances during the memorial ceremony—almost all the remaining young disciples from the three sects planned to visit the market that day.

Cai Zhao had loved bustling and lively scenes since childhood, wishing every street were lined with shops and every day filled with celebrations. Ever since joining the Azure Tower Sect, inexplicable troubles had arisen one after another, and inexplicable people had haunted her like ghosts. She hadn't felt this happy in a long time.

Zhou Yuqi was both patient and attentive, following Cai Zhao step by step. In the rouge shop, he commented on the colors of lipsticks; in the silk fabric store, he helped select materials. With just a nod from Cai Zhao, he would smoothly take out money to pay, shoulder the bags, and even demonstrated his skill at a sugar-figure stall, crafting an adorable little sugar figure—a little girl sitting on a small stool, holding a bowl of wontons, her lively eyes and expression identical to Cai Zhao's, making her laugh uncontrollably.

Fan Xingjia took half a step back and sighed, "Ah, if one must marry, it should be to someone like Young Master Zhou. How carefree life would be every day, don’t you think, Fourth Brother?"

Ding Zhuo, who had been dragged out against his will, actually nodded seriously. "If trouble arises, Zhao Zhao could easily fend off enemies. Truly a match made in heaven."

Nearby, Song Yu was like a gourd with its mouth sawn off, freshly coated with a layer of green tung oil paint—his entire demeanor seemed both conflicted and stern, his expression utterly bizarre.

They had lunch at the finest restaurant in town. Upon leaving, they ran into the Flower Goddess parade, and the sudden surge of the crowd scattered them in the noisy commotion, making it impossible to hear each other's calls.

When Cai Zhao finally steadied herself, she realized Zhou Yuqi was missing.

...

Zhou Yuqi was jostled and stumbled, pushed relentlessly in one direction. Worried about harming ordinary citizens, he refrained from using his martial arts to resist. By the time he finally broke free from the crowd, he found himself in a quiet alley.

Being new to Wu'an City, he didn’t know the layout well but remembered their inn was in the eastern part of town. He headed east along the alley, only to hear a commotion ahead—a group of people gathered around, arguing about something.

He had no intention of getting involved, but as he passed, fragments of the dispute reached his ears.

It was a quarrel between two girls—one dressed exquisitely, the other poor and frail.

The well-dressed girl pointed at the poor girl and scolded, "...Have you no shame? The master already decided I would embroider the banner for today’s float, yet you secretly stole the task! And now you’re crying—do you think tears will solve anything? I pitied your family’s poverty, sending food and supplies every few days, and this is how you repay me? You convinced the master to replace my embroidery with yours on the float—do you even have a conscience?"

The onlookers murmured among themselves, condemning the poor girl for her despicable character and ungrateful heart.The frail girl knelt on the ground, pleading incessantly: "Please forgive me, dear sister! I had no choice! Remember when we first started learning embroidery, Master said we had similar talent. But now I can't compare to you—not because I was lazy, but because my fate wasn't as fortunate as yours!"

"While you could practice embroidery in peace, I had to start working before dawn—chopping wood, fetching water, cooking, doing odd jobs for neighbors to earn a few coins, only stealing moments to practice stitches on coarse cloth. Master says an embroiderer must care for her hands. Your hands remain childlike, sister, while mine are calloused. Your family is wealthy, your father and brothers dote on you—you'd live comfortably even without embroidery. But for me, embroidery is my only way out! If I don't make a name for myself soon, my parents will sell me to Landlord Wang as his twentieth concubine! Master took pity on me and replaced the embroidery on the festival float with mine. With this reputation, I can finally earn my keep through needlework!"

Hearing this, half the onlookers changed their tune, saying the poor girl was truly in dire straits and deserving of sympathy.

The finely dressed girl snapped, "Enough of this! If you had difficulties, you should have come to me! Do your underhanded schemes make you righteous?! My superior embroidery didn't fall from the sky—it came from lifelong dedication. The festival float embroidery rotates among a dozen cities—it won't return to Wuan for another decade! Will I still be able to embroider then? Doesn't my lifetime of effort deserve recognition? Get up and explain this publicly! Justice is justice—if pity alone decided matters, there are countless souls more wretched than you! No hardship justifies dishonesty..."

Zhou Yuqi could no longer stay silent. He pushed through the crowd: "Miss, be merciful where you can. Everyone here understands the situation. That float embroidery would merely adorn your excellence, but for this girl, it's life-saving charity. Consider what's truly urgent—please yield this to her."

His words sparked an uproar—both girls and seven or eight spectators began arguing vehemently, each holding their opinion.

All this was observed by a figure in coarse hemp clothes, a wide-brimmed hat shadowing his face. Standing alone in a corner alley, he blended with other Martial World visitors attending the market—except for his tall, imposing presence.

Mu Qingyan watched Zhou Yuqi embroiled in the dispute with quiet satisfaction.

—Good. Zhou Yuqi was indeed the gentle, considerate gentleman he'd heard of, but with one fatal weakness: pity for the vulnerable.

Compared to Qi Lingbo—who might as well wear "tyranny" on her forehead—Cai Zhao's kindness made Zhou Yuqi naturally favor her. But when contrasted with the pitiful Min Xinrou, Cai Zhao would seem like a she-devil. How would Zhou Yuqi choose then?

This performance was well executed. Mu Qingyan nodded approvingly toward another alley corner.

You Guanyue quickly withdrew half his face, beaming at his superior's approval.

Shangguan Haonan gaped: "Who knew our Altar Lord had such theatrical talent?"

"Not I, not I." You Guanyue adjusted his collar modestly. "The script was all the Jade Kirin's design. I merely cast the roles and handled costumes and props. That's all, truly."

...

Zhou Yuqi finally extricated himself from the crowd, the suppressed ache in his heart resurfacing as he wandered aimlessly into another alley.

The sun dipped westward, shadows lengthening between the narrow walls.Zhou Yuqi passed by a dilapidated house with its wooden door half-open. Inside, the sounds of heated scolding mingled with soft pleas—apparently a father and daughter were quarreling.

A middle-aged man in tattered clothes brandished a broom, shouting angrily, "...You shameless girl! Will you marry or not? If you refuse, I'll beat you to death today!"

The daughter knelt on the ground, kowtowing desperately as she begged, "Father, please, just wait a little longer. Brother Aqiang only has me in his heart—he will surely come back to marry me! Please, Father, just wait a little longer!"

The father roared, "Wait for what? I’ve already inquired—Aqiang’s parents are already preparing betrothal gifts! And here you are, foolishly waiting like an idiot! Their family is of good standing—how could we ever match them? Only a delusional fool like you would believe such nonsense!"

The daughter sobbed uncontrollably, "It’s true, it’s true! I know Brother Aqiang loves me. That young lady is kind, but Brother Aqiang doesn’t like her—it’s true! He will definitely come back to marry me!"

An elderly woman, likely the mother, stepped forward to persuade her, "Ah Zhen, wake up. You and Aqiang have been close since childhood—all the neighbors know. If Aqiang marries someone else, it’ll be hard for you to find a match..."

The daughter stubbornly retorted, "Then I’d rather never marry! I’ll wait for him my whole life! I won’t marry anyone but Brother Aqiang!"

Zhou Yuqi froze, listening to every word. His heart churned with emotion, leaving him lost and bewildered.

His eyes gradually moistened, his vision blurring. The half-open wooden door before him seemed to transform into the grand, imposing lattice door of his grandmother’s courtyard—so close, yet he had never dared to step through it and tell her his true feelings.

Unbeknownst to him, a faint fragrance had begun to permeate the air. Under the slanting rays of the setting sun, pale yellow powder swirled in the evening breeze, filling those who inhaled it with an inexplicable melancholy, as if they were trapped in a dream.

From the shadows, Mu Qingyan watched coldly as Zhou Yuqi stood there, dazed and tearful.

The corner of his lips curled slightly. So, this Zhou fellow was pining for another woman. Good, very good.

In another corner, Shangguan Haonan wrinkled his nose. "What kind of trick is this now?"

You Guanyue ducked his head and whispered, "This is called 'Tumidust.' Originally used by wandering Taoists to deceive people, it confuses the mind and unsettles the spirit. The Sect Master modified the formula—now it’s even more potent."

Shangguan Haonan clicked his tongue. "That Zhou brat didn’t even notice. Tsk, look at his miserable face."

"Indeed. If it were Song Yu, he’d hold his breath and focus his mind the moment he sensed something amiss—then it’d be completely useless." You Guanyue sighed regretfully, wishing they could have used it on Song Yu instead, eliminating a rival for the Sect Master in one stroke.

...

Night fell. Zhou Yuqi walked with a heavy heart, completely unaware of where he was going. Then, a pang of hunger struck him. Spotting a late-night snack stall at the street corner ahead, he moved toward it, only to find another argument unfolding inside.

Apart from the flustered owner, there were two couples in the stall, all in their thirties, judging by their speech."...You shameless wretch! After being married to me for over a decade, you're still pining for your lover! A disgraceful slut, sneaking around and making me a cuckold—I'll beat you to death!" The middle-aged man with a reddened nose hiccuped drunkenly as he kicked the woman on the ground, cursing nonstop. "If you were always thinking of your cousin, why did you marry me in the first place? Making me a cuckold for over ten years!"

The scholar-dressed man grew agitated and tried to rush forward, but his wife held him back by the arm. He could only say in a low voice, "My relationship with my cousin has always been pure, never improper. Unlike you—constantly drinking and abusing her, making her life miserable. I only came to help because I couldn't bear to see it!"

The drunkard squinted and sneered, "Help? What kind of help? The kind that ends up in bed? Meeting secretly in the dead of night, and you call that pure? Disgusting!" He pulled out a stack of papers from his robe and threw them over. "See for yourself—these are all written by this slut in secret!"

The scholar picked them up and saw that every sheet was densely covered with his own name, written thousands upon thousands of times. He immediately covered his face and wept.

The scholar's wife paled and stepped forward. "Cousin, what is the meaning of this? You're married—why would you keep writing my husband's name?"

The drunkard laughed drunkenly. "Sister-in-law, don't just scold her. Your man isn't innocent either. I've got a whole chest full of letters he wrote to this slut over the years—all sweet nothings and tender words! These two adulterers have been carrying on since before marriage and never stopped, leaving us as the fools, the living cuckolds! Hahaha..."

The drunkard's wife suddenly raised her voice. "That's right! I've always loved my cousin. Marrying you was only because my parents forced me. I've wronged you—I'll take the beatings and curses, but you won't humiliate my cousin!"

"Cousin!" The scholar, moved, rushed over and knelt beside her.

The scholar's wife burst into tears, pounding her husband's chest. "If you loved her, why did you marry me in the first place? It's not like I couldn't have married someone else. Had you refused even once, my parents would have called off the engagement without hesitation! You've ruined all four of us!"

The drunkard's wife also wept. "Cousin, oh cousin... if only we'd known it would come to this, why did we ever..."

The two embraced, sobbing bitterly, while the drunkard ranted about dragging them to the ancestral hall for punishment. The scholar's wife turned and walked away without looking back.

Witnessing this scene, Zhou Yuqi felt a chill rise from the soles of his feet, freezing him to the bone.

Had his mind not been so preoccupied, his usual attentiveness would have surely noticed the strangeness of this late-night eatery—on a bustling market street, how could it be completely empty? And why were there only four people inside?

Zhou Yuqi couldn't bear to listen any longer. Stumbling away from the eatery, he fled blindly through the pitch-black streets, where the darkness seemed as endless and hopeless as his own marital prospects.

After running for who knows how long, he spotted a light ahead. Like a drowning man grasping at a lifeline, he sprinted toward it.

It was a quiet bookshop, with only the owner inside.

On the table sat a pot of warm Jiangnan spring tea and a plate of fragrant mung bean cakes.

The bookseller appeared to be around fifty, dressed in long, wide sleeves with three scholarly wisps of beard beneath his chin. Tall and straight in posture, his features were otherwise unremarkable—save for a pair of unusually dark, beautiful eyes that seemed almost too clear and bright.He wasn't particularly warm, but still invited Zhou Yuqi to sit and rest, offering tea and snacks before turning back to organizing his books. This detached attitude actually helped Zhou Yuqi relax, his body going slack as if all tension had drained away.

Their conversation meandered aimlessly—

"The shopkeeper's tea is excellent."

"A gift from friends in Jiangnan."

"Is the shopkeeper here alone?"

"No wife or children. Solitude suits me better."

Zhou Yuqi held his teacup, staring blankly into space.

The bookshop owner glanced back, "Does the young master have something on his mind?"

Zhou Yuqi replied numbly, "Yes."

"Troubles in romance, perhaps?"

Zhou Yuqi nearly dropped his cup, "How did you know?"

The shopkeeper smiled, "Your clothes are fine, your manners impeccable—clearly not money troubles. Your forehead is rounded, your jawline restrained yet harmonious—this is the face of someone with complete family and harmonious relationships. For a young man, what other worries could there be besides matters between men and women?"

Zhou Yuqi listened raptly, "...The shopkeeper's insight is remarkable."

"Not remarkable at all. Just seen enough of life and people to recognize patterns."

From his vantage point peering through the attic floorboards, Shangguan Haonan turned back, "The Cult Master studied physiognomy too?"

You Guanyue whispered, "See that book he just picked up? Looks like The Ma Yi Treatise on Face Reading."

"..." Shangguan Haonan concluded, "So he's improvising."

The shopkeeper continued leisurely, "The young master's heart is troubled—is it because you cannot be with your beloved?"

"...Yes, and no." Zhou Yuqi sighed. "I have a cousin. Her family situation was... difficult. Foolish father, cruel stepmother, so she came to live with us very young. We grew up together—ate together, played together—completely inseparable. Our families often joked we'd marry someday, and we both believed it too."

"Then something changed?"

"Changed? Yes. When I was twelve, Father suddenly arranged a marriage for me. After that, Grandmother moved my cousin out of my courtyard and forbade us from being close."

"You're unhappy with this arrangement?"

Zhou Yuqi's mind was in complete turmoil. After a long silence, he finally said, "I don't know. The family I'm betrothed to are old friends of equal standing. My future parents-in-law are kind and reasonable people."

The shopkeeper smiled again, "If everything else is satisfactory, yet you're still so conflicted, then the problem must lie with the girl you're engaged to."

"No no no! Zhao—I mean, no!" Zhou Yuqi exclaimed. "The girl I'm engaged to is wonderful, truly wonderful. She's clever, always laughing, wise and brave—none of the elders could dislike her."

The shopkeeper seemed to catch something, "The elders like her. Does the young master not?"

"I... don't know." Zhou Yuqi looked lost. "She's more beautiful than my cousin, more quick-witted, far more capable too—more capable than me as well."

"Then what more could the young master want?"

"...I don't know."

Shangguan Haonan carefully flexed his stiff arms, whispering, "This Zhou fellow is unbearably tedious, circling around without ever getting to the point. Ah, but the Cult Master is extraordinary indeed—such patience to keep humoring him."

"Actually, I think the Cult Master is getting irritated too," You Guanyue murmured. "See how he's taken down and replaced that stack of books three times already? If this boy keeps beating around the bush, I think the Cult Master might resort to violence."The bookstore owner took down the stack of books for the fourth time, pretending to dust them off. "Is it that the young master dislikes the idea of his future wife being more capable than himself?"

Zhou Yuqi: "I don't care whether the husband is weaker than the wife in the future."

"Then is there someone who does care?"

"...Yes, someone does care. My grandmother."

Zhou Yuqi rested his hands on his knees, hanging his head low. "Grandmother was very pleased with the marriage Father arranged. This way, I'll have a protective in-law family, and my future wife is truly outstanding—she'll help me secure the family head position. If it were my cousin instead, that might not be the case."

He looked pleadingly at the bookstore owner. "My mother has always wanted my cousin to marry me. Because of this, my grandmother has severely punished Mother many times, even threatening to divorce her and repeatedly trying to send my cousin back home. But how can my cousin return to that household? Going back would be the death of her!"

The bookstore owner finally showed interest, suppressing his impatience as he continued organizing the scrolls. "Actually, young master, you could find a good match for your cousin. Wouldn't that solve everything beautifully?"

Zhou Yuqi's eyes welled up with tears. "Grandmother said the same thing and even promised a generous dowry for my cousin. But all these years, everyone inside and outside knows of my cousin's feelings for me. How can she be properly betrothed to someone else now?"

"Pah! 'My cousin's feelings for me'—this lad makes it sound like he's blameless, when he's been just as improper and indiscreet." You Guanyue rolled his eyes. "Our informants reported clearly: when Min Xinrou caught a cold and couldn't drink her medicine, this boy sat by her bedside feeding her spoonful by spoonful; when Min Xinrou nicked herself practicing swordplay, he personally applied medicine to her wound..."

Shangguan Haonan sneered, "Did he blow on it after applying the medicine?"

"Oh, you hit the nail on the head—three puffs of breath for every dab of medicine."

Zhou Yuqi said tearfully, "Before this trip, Grandmother repeatedly warned me to treat my fiancée well, or she would immediately send my cousin away. Now, whenever my cousin cries, people point fingers and mock her. It pains me deeply, but I don't know what to do."

Finally reaching the crux, the bookstore owner slowly approached with feigned nonchalance. "Young master, would you care to hear this old man's advice?"

Zhou Yuqi eagerly agreed.

The bookstore owner asked, "In your heart, how important is securing your position as family head?"

Zhou Yuqi answered without hesitation, "I don't care about being family head. I'd rather live freely, drifting through the Martial World."

The bookstore owner continued, "Between your cousin and your betrothed, who could least afford to lose you?"

Zhou Yuqi replied instantly, "My betrothed is intelligent, beautiful, and capable. Without me, she could easily find a better match. But if my cousin loses me, she'd have no way to survive."

The bookstore owner pressed on, "Your grandmother and mother hold opposing views—what about your grandfather and father?"

Zhou Yuqi said, "Grandfather passed long ago. Father is kind-hearted and has always taught me to follow my heart. He arranged my betrothal out of friendship with an old comrade, not because he looked down on my cousin. But he's extremely busy and still doesn't know about the bond between my cousin and me."

"Then the matter is simple."

The bookstore owner stroked his beard and smiled. "Your female elders are divided—one approves, the other opposes. Your father wants you to decide for yourself. If you wish to go east, then east it shall be; if you wish to go west, then west it shall be. The marital futures and lifelong happiness of three people now rest solely on your will."

It was as if enlightenment had dawned upon Zhou Yuqi—his heart suddenly felt clear and bright. Had the marital dilemma he thought impassable actually been in his hands all along?

As he rose to leave, the bookstore owner kindly urged him to eat some mung bean cakes. "Young master, your energy seems weak—you clearly haven't eaten in too long. Have some refreshments before you go."

Zhou Yuqi was indeed hungry. He took three mung bean cakes, bowed in thanks to the bookstore owner, and departed.Just as he was about to leave, the bookstore owner called out to him again, earnestly advising, "Young master, don’t blame this old man for presuming on my age, but matters of marriage are such that one misstep leads to many. A moment of hesitation in youth can brew lifelong regrets. Better a short pain than a long one, better a short pain than a long one—remember this, remember this."

Zhou Yuqi thanked him once more before departing.

Shangguan Haonan asked sidelong, "What’s in those mung bean cakes?"

You Guanyue replied, "A bit of medicinal powder. Slightly sweet, dissolves in water."

"Nonsense, I already knew you must have slipped something in. What kind of medicine is it?"

"This medicine is called 'Coward’s Courage'," You Guanyue said smugly as he slowly rose to his feet. "The one who takes it will suddenly feel their blood surge, their spirits invigorated, itching for a fight—our Young Master Zhou here is in dire need of a little bravery right now."

Shangguan Haonan clicked his tongue repeatedly. "The Sect Leader is truly painstaking in his efforts. Hey, where are you going?"

"The Sect Leader’s orders—see the Buddha to the Western Heaven. There’s still one final act left to play."

...

The mung bean cakes were sweet, smooth, soft, and delicious. Zhou Yuqi devoured all three in one go, and with each bite, he felt his fighting spirit soar, his courage swell, as if he wished his grandmother were right before him so he could unleash a torrent of arguments to refute her.

Chanting 'Better a short pain than a long one, better a short pain than a long one' in his mind, he passed through a quiet alley when he suddenly spotted a young couple whispering in a corner.

The boy was gently coaxing, while the girl wept softly.

"Please, just try talking to them. Your parents are open-minded people; they won’t blame you. If you don’t speak up now, you’ll really have to marry Sister Zhang! Please, for our future, for me, just try this once!"

The boy seemed moved, gritting his teeth as he said, "Fine! I’ll tell them! But who should I approach first? My father or my mother?"

The girl replied, "Of course, you should talk to Sister Zhang first. The betrothal was your father’s idea. If he’s the one to break it off, how awkward would that be for him? Sister Zhang is very understanding. If you talk to her first and she forgives us, it’ll all work out!"

"Right, right. Let Sister Zhang know how I feel first. As long as she refuses to marry me, the engagement will naturally dissolve..."

Zhou Yuqi smacked his fist into his palm, suddenly enlightened.

—Indeed, talking to Cai Zhao first would achieve half the result with twice the efficiency.

Alright, then I’ll go find her first!