The season had already entered mid-April. In previous years, by this time, the early spring would have been warm with blooming flowers. But this year was different. Not only had there been a sudden cold snap a few days ago, but last night also brought a sleety rain that withered the tender buds on the Chinese crabapple tree in the courtyard. Pei You'an had just returned home, long past the time for lighting the lamps. The sky was pitch black, and the wind carried a biting chill. He dismounted from his horse, rubbed his slightly frozen fingers, then strode through the main gate, heading inside quickly.
These days, unless he had specifically reminded her otherwise before leaving in the morning, no matter how late it was or how hungry she might be, Jiafu would always wait for him to return before having dinner together. He had intended to come back early in the evening but was delayed by an unexpected matter, only arriving now at the middle of the Xu hour. Worried that Jiafu might be starving, his steps were hurried as he entered the inner hall of the second courtyard. But to his surprise, he didn’t hear the quick footsteps of her rushing out to greet him as usual. Pausing, he glanced ahead and asked the maid Yinhuan, who had come to welcome him.
Yinhuan took the cloak he removed and said, "Miss Zhen hasn’t eaten yet. She must still be in her room. You must be hungry too, my lord? I’ll go call her down right away."
Pei You'an went to the dining hall, washed his hands, and took his seat. The servants set out the dishes and two sets of bowls and chopsticks. After waiting for a while, Yinhuan hurried back and said, "Miss Zhen isn’t in her room! I’ve had people search nearby, but she’s nowhere to be found!"
Pei You'an was taken aback. "Did she go out during the day?"
Yinhuan shook her head. "No." Suddenly remembering something, she added, "Ah! Miss Zhang from the Chu Xiong Zhang family came by during the day!"
"What was she doing here?" Pei You'an's expression darkened.
"She said she’d heard your cousin had arrived and came specifically to visit. After she left, I went upstairs later and saw Miss Zhen sitting alone by the staircase, lost in thought. Her face was pale, and she looked a bit off. I asked if she was feeling unwell, but she just shook her head. After going upstairs, it seemed she never came back down."
Pei You'an immediately stood up and strode toward the round tower where Jiafu stayed. He climbed the stairs, pushed open the door, and found the room empty, with no sign of her. Only a light pink outer robe of hers was draped over the edge of the bed, its hem resting quietly on the floor.
"Search again! Every room, every corner of the courtyard—leave no place unchecked!" Pei You'an suddenly turned and raised his voice.
Yinhuan hurried away. The entire household staff was thrown into a frenzy, searching everywhere, but Jiafu was still nowhere to be found. Pei You'an himself went to the gate and questioned the gatekeeper, confirming that the gate had been manned all day without a moment’s absence—she definitely hadn’t left.
Frowning deeply, Pei You'an pondered for a moment before turning his gaze toward the window of her room. His eyes lingered on the very top of the round tower, and then he abruptly turned and rushed back inside, leaving the others behind. Returning to the round tower, he took the stairs two at a time, climbing all the way to the top floor. Following a narrow ladder, he ascended to the small rooftop platform—a feature of local architecture designed for wartime lookout. Before even steadying himself, his eyes swept urgently across the surroundings.The rooftop had long been abandoned, usually deserted. Now, it was pitch black, with cold winds howling from all directions. In a corner stood a slender figure—Jiafu. Despite the weather, she appeared to be wearing only a thin spring dress, hugging her knees as she leaned against a wooden railing. Her silhouette seemed to blend into the night.
Pei You'an strode toward her.
"Why did you come up here alone without a word? Do you know how many people have been looking for you just now?"
His tone inadvertently carried a stern edge.
Jiafu remained motionless, as if she hadn't heard him.
The wind roared past his ears, whipping his robes. He paused, waited a moment, then hesitated before stepping closer, finally stopping behind her. This time, he bent down and softened his voice.
"Come down with me first. It's cold here."
Only then did Jiafu seem to notice his presence. Her delicate figure stirred slightly as she slowly turned her head to glance at Pei You'an standing behind her. In a faint whisper, she said, "I'm sorry, Cousin... I didn’t notice earlier..."
Her voice was so weak it could have been carried away by the night breeze at any moment. As she spoke, she gripped the railing with one hand, using it for support as she slowly rose to her feet. She turned to walk inside, but after just two steps, her body swayed unsteadily. Pei You'an, startled, instinctively reached out and caught her.
Jiafu leaned against Pei You'an's chest, motionless.
That familiar softness filled his arms once more.
Pei You'an steadied himself, then slowly lowered his head. In the dim starlight, he saw her delicate forehead resting lightly against his left chest, her eyes slightly closed, her long lashes casting faint shadows. Yet, from this close, each one was distinct.
The spot where her forehead touched his chest—no larger than a fist—seemed to pulse faintly, as if it had a heartbeat of its own.
"Cousin—"
He felt her weight pressing against him and hesitated before calling her name softly. Then, subtly, he shifted back an inch. As his shoulder moved, the figure in his arms lost support and collapsed soundlessly to the ground at his feet.
Pei You'an, alarmed, quickly crouched down and turned her face toward him. Her eyes were tightly shut—she had fainted. Remembering what Yinhuan had said earlier, he tensed and immediately scooped her up. Through her clothes, her skin felt icy to the touch, her body as light as a butterfly, almost weightless. He hurried downstairs and carried her into her room, gently removing her shoes before laying her flat on the bed.
The rooftop had been too dim to see clearly, but now he could make out her snow-white face and lips, usually rosy, now tinged blue from the cold. He had no idea how long she had been exposed to the wind. He unfolded the quilt and wrapped her in it, leaving only one slender wrist exposed. Taking a slow breath, he composed himself before lightly placing two fingers on her pulse.
Her pulse was faint and irregular, but steady. It was likely due to a depletion of vital essence—once she rested, she should recover.
Pei You'an relaxed slightly, carefully tucking her wrist under the quilt. He glanced at her pale face, then turned to leave and call for Yinhuan to attend to her.
"...Eldest Cousin..."
Just as he turned, a faint, drowsy murmur came from behind him.
Pei You'an looked back.
Jiafu's lashes fluttered lightly as her eyes slowly opened—she had woken up.Pei You'an walked back and said softly, "Awake? How do you feel? Are you hungry? You don’t need to get up. I’ll have someone bring food to you." Seeing her shake her head to indicate she wasn’t hungry, lying on the pillow with glistening tears slowly welling up in her eyes, looking utterly pitiful, he couldn’t help but recall how harsh his tone had been when he first found her on the rooftop earlier. A faint regret stirred in him, and he softened his voice, asking gently, "What’s wrong?"
Jiafu didn’t answer, only stared fixedly at him. The tears in her eyes grew more pronounced, quickly filling her gaze before spilling over, rolling down her cheeks and vanishing into her hair, leaving only a damp trail behind.
Pei You'an lowered his voice further. "Don’t cry. If there’s something troubling you, you can tell me."
"Eldest Cousin... do you have someone you love?"
Jiafu wiped her tear-streaked face haphazardly and asked in a voice tinged with a delicate, nasal tone.
Pei You'an was taken aback. He looked at her, meeting her wide-eyed gaze, and suppressed the strange feeling rising in his chest. "Why do you ask?"
"Eldest Cousin, tell me first, please..."
Pei You'an found the question baffling. He could easily dismiss such an abrupt inquiry, but after a pause, he replied indifferently, "No."
Jiafu sat up.
"Today, the Daughter of the Zhang family, Young Master Xiao’s fiancée, came to see me. She said so many things, all implying that I should submit to the Heir Apparent! I refused her, but I’m terrified! I’ve offended him repeatedly—someone like him won’t let me go so easily... Eldest Cousin, you said you’d help me, but you can help me now, not forever. Sooner or later, I’ll have to return to Quanzhou. You have your own affairs to attend to. When that time comes, if the Heir Apparent still threatens me or uses my family against me, what should I do? I’m so afraid..."
She had wiped away her tears earlier, but as she spoke, they began to fall again. Suddenly, she scrambled up and threw herself into Pei You'an’s arms, clinging tightly to him, just as she had that night at the courier station when she first saw him appear.
Pei You'an froze.
Jiafu pressed her cheek against his chest, her tears quickly soaking through his robes.
"Eldest Cousin, didn’t you promise to help me? Since you don’t have a sweetheart yet, let me become yours, won’t you?"
Pei You'an was stunned—utterly shocked.
"Absolutely not!"
He refused firmly, raising his hands to untangle her arms from around him, but Jiafu only clung tighter.
"I know I’m not worthy of you, Eldest Cousin, but I’ve thought it over—only if the Heir Apparent knows I belong to you will he back off and stop pressing me like this. I don’t even dare ask to be your wife. If you’ll just agree, I’ll be content as a concubine or even a servant. If you truly find me beneath you, even a nominal arrangement would suffice!"
"Eldest Cousin, please!"
Jiafu lifted her face to look at him, her beautiful eyes brimming with tears, her gaze full of hope. Like a delicate flower drenched in rain, she was a sight to soften even the hardest heart.
Pei You'an looked down at her, the initial shock on his face gradually fading, replaced by a solemn expression.He slowly, finally, released Jiafu's arms, pondered for a moment, and said, "I do know a thing or two about the Heir Apparent's temperament, but your method is utterly absurd. Don’t think about it anymore—I won’t agree to it. You’re overthinking things, to the point of unsettling your mind. Get some rest early, and you’ll feel better after sleeping. Don’t worry, I promised to protect you, and I will keep my word."
As expected, he wouldn’t easily agree. A man as unyielding as iron, no matter how she tempted, pleaded, or feigned weakness, it was useless.
This was also within Jiafu’s expectations.
She bit her lip tightly, gazing at him with resentment, then suddenly threw off the covers and leaped from the bed. Barefoot, she dashed outside without even putting on shoes.
Pei You’an was startled. "Cousin!" he called out, hurrying after her.
Jiafu was as quick as a rabbit this time, agile beyond expectation. In the blink of an eye, she had climbed back to the rooftop and rushed to the railing where she had sat earlier. Leaning against it, she saw Pei You’an approaching and shouted, "Don’t come any closer! If you do, I’ll jump! I’ve had dreams—I know I’ll end up in that man’s hands sooner or later. Rather than that, I’d rather end it myself and spare you the trouble of finding me a burden—"
As she shouted, she leaned further over the railing.
Pei You’an was horrified. "Danger! Get back here!" he barked, lunging to grab her.
"Cousin, don’t bother with me—since you won’t truly help me anyway—"
Jiafu was still shouting when suddenly, the railing beside her emitted a faint crack . Before she could react, she felt the support behind her waist vanish—the railing had broken. Losing her balance, she tumbled headfirst over the edge.
This spot was one she had chosen earlier in the evening, intending to threaten Pei You’an just enough to show her resolve before letting him pull her back. Never had she imagined that the wooden railing, weathered by years of wind and sun, would appear intact on the outside but be too weak to bear any weight.
The round tower was three stories high—at least thirty feet. A fall from here would indeed spare her any further worries about Xiao Yintang’s threats.
"Cousin, save me—"
Jiafu was already upside down, most of her body over the edge, when she instinctively screamed. Suddenly, an iron grip clamped around her ankle, halting her fall. Before she could process it, she was yanked back from midair and flung onto the ground with a thud .
Her soul had nearly left her body from fright, and now, still trembling uncontrollably, she let out a pained "Ow!" as tears spilled from her eyes. The next moment, her feet left the ground again as she was hoisted into the air. Pei You’an carried her like a disobedient kitten, swiftly returning to her room and tossing her unceremoniously onto the bed.
"I’ve indulged you too much, haven’t I? That’s why you dare to act so recklessly?"
He spoke through gritted teeth, each word sharp with fury.
Jiafu looked up and met Pei You’an’s livid expression—she had never seen him this angry before, nor could she have imagined he was capable of such rage.
"Lord Pei?"
A servant’s voice came from outside.
Though brief, the commotion on the rooftop had been enough to draw attention.
"Leave! No one enters unless summoned!"
He barked the order toward the door.
A faint rustling of footsteps followed, and then silence returned outside.He slowly turned his head and stared at Jiafu again, his gaze dark and gloomy.
Jiafu shrank back, hurriedly lowering her head and curling up in the corner of the bed, not daring to even breathe.
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