On the night of Mingyi's grand wedding, Zhou Zihong hurried back to the new Sunspire City.
He deliberately chose a route that would pass by the Xu residence, his carriage moving slowly so that with just a glance out the window, he could see the candlelight flickering through the walls of the Xu family courtyard.
Yet, after circling twice, he still couldn't bring himself to step out.
All men have their flaws, and he was no exception. Before, it had been Madam Xu who pursued him eagerly, and he had spent seven years accustomed to that dynamic. Now, suddenly expected to humble himself, his pride stiffened his neck.
So he deliberately parked his carriage by the side gate, assuming that once she heard the news, she would come out happily to meet him.
But one incense stick burned away, then another hour passed, and not only did Madam Xu fail to appear, even her maidservant didn’t come out to greet him.
Zhou Zihong was bewildered.
In just half a year, without any earth-shattering events, how had their seven years of affection been erased so completely?
He sent someone to inquire, wondering if Madam Xu had found someone else in those six months.
“No,” Siqi reported.
His heart loosened slightly, and only then, as he absently smoothed his lapel, did he realize he still cared for her.
Madam Xu had been raised in luxury and had spent time in the Artifact Crafting Pavilion. She despised arranged marriages, insisting on wedding only the one she loved—even if she had to take the initiative herself. After all, in Sunspire City now, women could propose marriage to men.
Confident and bold, she bore none of the burdens Mingyi carried, yet she shared some of her compassion, often helping other women in the Artifact Crafting Pavilion and using her spare silver to set up porridge kitchens for refugees.
When Zhou Zihong looked at her, he sometimes caught glimpses of Mingyi in the sunlight.
He thought he had been using her as a substitute, a vessel for his lingering emotions, but upon reflection, that wasn’t quite true. Even if she bore no resemblance to Mingyi, he wouldn’t have minded her staying by his side.
Madam Xu was considerate—so considerate that she drank contraceptive tea after their encounters, knowing he didn’t love her. So considerate that she repeatedly sent greetings to the Palace City as a noblewoman, aware of his lingering ties there.
And yet, such a woman could simply stop loving him.
The night dew grew heavy, and even inside the carriage, he couldn’t suppress a cough.
Suddenly, the side gate opened, and Madam Xu’s maidservant stepped out, bowing to him. “My lord, as a high-ranking official, lingering here too long will invite gossip. Our young mistress has no wish to see you. Please, this way.”
Zhou Zihong frowned. “Not even a few words?”
The maidservant shook her head, giving him a deep look. “The young mistress says that after seven years, all words have been spoken. There’s no need to save them for now.”
“She also says that the reason you’re here tonight isn’t because you hold her in your heart—only because she was once kind to you. What you miss is the kindness, not her.”
Zhou Zihong froze.
On his wedding day, he had once stepped down from his carriage and declared that what Mingyi loved was gentleness and devotion, not Zhou Zihong himself.
That day, his heart had been shattered, his grief overwhelming.
He never imagined he would hear the same words now, from Madam Xu.
“I…” At last, he bowed his head. “It’s my fault. But it’s not just her kindness I remember.”
Madam Xu was a vibrant woman—how could she have only virtues? Her flaws were plentiful: her delicate health, bruising at the slightest touch; her unruly temperament, often losing composure in public; her endless chatter, capable of prattling at him all day.
Yet, he still wanted her back. At worst, he could take better care of her in the future. At worst, he would never again criticize her parents for spoiling her.However, the maid before him merely chuckled and said, "The master and mistress have arranged a marriage for the young lady, and she has agreed. We beg you, sir, to show mercy and let our young lady go."
Zhou Zihong's heart clenched, his face darkening. "Who is she betrothed to?"
"That is none of your concern, sir. Please leave."
No. If Madam Xu had simply left him, he might have only felt loneliness. But the thought of her marrying another and spending her days with someone else was like ten thousand arrows piercing his heart.
Zhou Zihong followed the maid out of the carriage, for the first time considering disregarding propriety and forcing his way into the residence.
But he had no Essence Power and was quickly stopped by the guards.
"The master must be drunk and lost his way," an experienced old matron immediately intervened, instructing several Essence-powered guards to restrain him and forcibly return him to his carriage, which was then driven back to his own estate.
Inside the inner courtyard, Madam Xu heard the commotion and wept uncontrollably.
Her parents sat in the main hall, watching her with concern. Having had her late in life, Madam Xu's mother couldn't bear to see her daughter so heartbroken and immediately went to pat her shoulders. "If you truly can't bear it, I'll cancel the engagement with the Song family. You can still return to him."
"No." Madam Xu sobbed loudly, her refusal resolute. "After all these years, I'm crying at my own weakness, not for anything else."
She wiped her tears and looked at her mother with reddened eyes. "Young Master Song has waited for me all these years. I won't wrong him any longer. If I said I'd marry him, then I will."
With that, she continued weeping loudly, leaving her parents both amused and exasperated.
Their family lived opposite the Songs, and nothing could be kept secret between them. While Zhou Zihong was present, Young Master Song had stayed away, but once the man was driven off, he came knocking.
Madam Xu, her eyes swollen from crying, turned away. "I don't want to see him."
"What haven't I seen of you?" Young Master Song entered anyway, carrying ten glistening sticks of candied hawthorns.
Madam Xu froze, took one, and bit into it, her tears flowing even harder. "How did you know I wanted this?"
"We grew up together. How could I not know what you're thinking?" He rolled his eyes. "Eat up, my lady. If you keep crying like this, you'll scare the birds from the sky, and I'll have to apologize to their mother."
What bird mother...
Madam Xu burst into laughter through her tears, munching on the candied fruit while her parents finally relaxed.
They chose the nearest auspicious date for their wedding, inviting few guests and naturally not informing Zhou Zihong.
Yet Madam Xu witnessed how a proper man should take a bride. The mischievous Young Master Song climbed over her family's wall that day, eagerly scooping her up to carry her away.
She scolded him laughingly for his impropriety while tightly wrapping her arms around his neck.
Zhou Zihong was still devising plans when he spotted Madam Xu on the street, her hair now styled in a married woman's bun.
He halted his carriage in shock. She also stopped and curtsied with a smile. "Greetings, sir."
Lord Zhou was now Sunspire City's undisputed authority, with Mingyi far away in Palace City, making him more like a city governor.
But today, Zhou Zihong could only watch helplessly from his carriage as she walked past.
It's fine, he consoled himself. Perhaps she was right—maybe he simply wanted someone to treat him well. With his status, what woman couldn't he find?Yet, as the carriage continued forward, Zhou Zihong still felt a sharp pain tightening in his chest.
Madam Xu, her cheeks glowing with joy, stepped forward to greet her husband waiting for her under the sunlight not far away.
Seated in the grand carriage, he quietly made his way toward the imposing inner courtyard of the main city.
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