Prologue:
This was an era of intoxicated dreams.
To be drunk was to live; to wake was to die.
The jade ruyi handle caught the light—its source the moon outside the carriage window.
"No matter how fine the opera, three consecutive days is too much," she said, handing the ruyi to Lianfang. "The Russians are patient. Among all the foreign ministers, they're the last to leave."
Lianfang carefully placed the ruyi into its box. Through the window, the Desheng Gate was already visible.
The first grand event of December 1922 was the wedding of the Qing royal family's emperor.
Inside the palace walls, guests from all walks of life—domestic and foreign—prepared generous gifts and feasted with the wedding couple for days. Outside the palace walls, police and gendarmes guarded the gates while fire brigades stood ready nearby, vigilant against disturbances. A single palace wall created a separation spanning centuries: inside, former Qing loyalists knelt and bowed with tears streaming down their faces; outside, the common people in streets and alleys had long regarded this affair as mere spectacle.
The opera she'd just mentioned was a theatrical celebration specially arranged by the Shengping Department for the wedding. Famous performers from all circles had gathered at Shufang Zhai to sing for three consecutive days. Today was the first day—the gong sounded at two in the afternoon, and the performance wouldn't end until one in the morning, running from daylight to nightfall.
"Tomorrow at noon," Lianfang said softly, "arranged by the Shengping Office."
She nodded lightly, calculating the timing in her mind.
As the car approached Desheng Gate, they encountered marching students. White cloth banners raised by countless hands stretched from beneath the city wall to a distant restaurant at the intersection. Observing this, she estimated they wouldn't be able to proceed for ten or twenty minutes. She instructed the driver not to disperse the students and to stop temporarily outside Desheng Gate, yielding the way.
The street bustled with life—grain stores, teahouses, noodle shops, an entire row of time-honored establishments. Cars came and went. Some recognized this vehicle as belonging to Second Master He. When Second Master went out, he kept a low profile—one car sufficed to avoid drawing attention. But here were five cars in procession, clearly carrying the notorious unfilial daughter of the He family: He Wei.
In He Wei's father's generation, there were five brothers and seven sisters. The mothers of these siblings held various statuses, but Second Uncle's mother came from an ordinary family and died young. When the family estate was divided, Second Uncle received very little—nearly swept out entirely. Yet he possessed a keen business mind and made his fortune as a comprador. Unfortunately, he remained childless for years, repeatedly blamed by the clan. At the clan's insistence, he finally adopted a pair of children from his elder brother to continue the family line. Tragically, Second Uncle's health was fragile, and the adopted son died unexpectedly three years ago, leaving only one daughter.
That daughter was He Wei.
After her brother's death, Second Uncle fell gravely ill from excessive grief. Both the He family clan and her birth father hinted that she should make a fuss and insist on returning home. Without He Wei, Second Uncle would have no heir, and eventually his property would naturally be disposed of by the clan—making her various uncles quite happy. Unexpectedly, He Wei, barely sixteen at the time, pretended to agree while secretly inviting a foreign lawyer to Beijing. Not only did she refuse to comply with the clan's wishes, she fought a lawsuit to reclaim all the family property that had been stripped from Second Uncle. The lawsuit lasted nearly a year, rumors flew everywhere, and the whole city knew of it. Soon, her father and several uncles jointly published a notice in a prominent capital newspaper, completely severing father-daughter and uncle-niece relations. The day after the family published their notice, she found a major newspaper with nationwide distribution and published her own notice severing kinship. At that time, she wasn't yet seventeen years old.
This was but one chapter in the He family's old affairs.
To fully explain this second young lady would take longer than singing all thirty-four operas being performed in the palace.
Someone knocked on Lianfang's window. She assumed it was a student.
The person outside made a gesture of "please"—too practiced to be a student.
"Go take a look." Lianfang didn't open the window, speaking instead to the man in the front seat.
The man exited the car, exchanged a few words, then brought something inside and handed it to Lianfang. "Someone from the Bai family has arrived. He wants to meet the Second Miss privately before the two elders officially meet."
Lianfang spread her palms and passed the object to He Wei—an old pocket watch.
He Wei picked up the watch, opened the metal cover, and examined it. The dial's glass was broken, the hands frozen at 3:41.
She'd never seen this watch before, but she knew its origin.
When the Bai family's father and Second Uncle became sworn brothers, both were at their most desperate. Second Uncle spent his entire fortune buying passage for seventy people on a ship to flee across the ocean, while the Bai family left the capital to take refuge in the northwest. Fearing they might die in foreign lands and their descendants wouldn't recognize each other, they smashed one of their pocket watches on the day of separation, stopping the hands at 3:41 AM on the third day of the twelfth lunar month in 1911. The Bai family father's watch indeed stopped at this time. Second Uncle, being a frail scholar, didn't strike hard enough—his dial's hands stopped more than twenty seconds later than the Bai family's time. Whenever Second Uncle spoke of this matter, he told it as an amusing anecdote.
Last summer, after she published the notice severing family ties, she soon received a letter from the northwest. The outer envelope was addressed to her, but the letter inside read "To He Zhixing personally" for Second Uncle.
Thus, the two old friends reconnected. Through their correspondence, they set a date for early next year when the Bai family would bring their junior to Beijing for a meeting. Second Uncle set the date, then left Beijing on business.
It was still far from the first month—why had they arrived early?
He Wei returned the watch to the man. "I have plans tonight. Tell him tomorrow I'll arrange a place and invite him to dinner."
"He wants to see you tonight," the man added, "and doesn't plan to take this watch back."
Tonight?
According to her usual habits, disrupting her plans to meet anyone on short notice was absolutely impossible. But this person had a special background—what Second Uncle valued was most important and should be taken to heart.
He Wei made her decision. "Ask for an address, or have their car lead the way."
The man acknowledged, returned to the car, drove out through a side alley, and took the lead.
After their car followed, He Wei noticed Lianfang holding the pocket watch in both hands, unable to determine at a glance how valuable the object was, uncertain where to store it or how to keep it properly.
He Wei smiled and said softly, "This object is more valuable to Second Uncle. Find a box when you return and put it away. When he comes back from Hong Kong, I'll return it to him."
Lianfang breathed with relief and secured it.
The lead car bypassed the students and drove toward Huguo Temple.
Soon, it slowed to a stop at the entrance of an inconspicuous alley on Xinjiekou South Street. Compared to the bustling South Street, this alley appeared desolate and unremarkable.
"Where is this?" Lianfang asked.
"Depths of a Hundred Flowers," the driver replied. "This side of the alley entrance is South Street. Go to the end and you'll exit at the east alley of Huguo Temple."
She and Lianfang exited the car one after another, peering inside by the lamplight. The dirt road was narrow, broken brick walls on both sides sandwiching a long path forward. Aside from its elegant name, it was an ordinary hutong. Seeing the darkness within, she proceeded cautiously, walking inside with the man.
When they reached a wooden door, two guards pushed it open for them. Though both wore ordinary cloth coats, the riding boots beneath betrayed them—two young military officers.
In the small courtyard, lights glowed from rooms on both sides.
"The person I'm meeting is my fiancé," He Wei told Lianfang. "It's inappropriate to bring you inside. Wait here for me."
Lianfang looked surprised as He Wei entered.
Though the courtyard was simple, the interior revealed another world.
She couldn't determine whether the Bai family had purchased or borrowed this place, nor whose taste the decoration reflected. On the wall directly opposite the door hung wooden-framed paintings and photographs, neither purely Chinese nor foreign—fitting the trend among capital scholars at this time.
The room had two bead curtains: one behind the entrance door, another separating the inner and outer rooms. No one was visible in either space.
A charcoal brazier stood to the right, tended by someone unknown.
She hesitated briefly, removed her white short coat with white fox tail collar and crossed mink trim, and was about to straighten her shoulder-length hair caught in the collar when a tall man entered.
He Wei's movement froze mid-air—rather awkward. She quickly withdrew her hand from tidying her hair and turned. The person also turned, approaching from the front. Probably due to temperament developed at military academy, he kept his left hand in his trouser pocket, dispensed with ceremonial pleasantries, and stood there like an idle man. He didn't seem like a host who'd invited her.
"I haven't yet—" She extended her right hand first.
He shook hands with her and said softly, "Pleased to meet you."
It was like grasping a piece of ice, so cold it seeped through. She quickly withdrew her hand.
"I'm going to the Six Nations Hotel tonight—there's something important," He Wei decided that if he didn't invite her to sit, this first meeting would probably end in three minutes. "If you only wanted to meet, we've seen each other now. If there's anything else to discuss, why not arrange a banquet tomorrow and I'll formally receive you?"
"Going to the Six Nations Hotel? To see the Russian minister?" he asked.
Tonight, all the ministers had returned to their respective embassies and consulates—only the Russian minister went to the Six Nations Hotel. How did he know?
She examined the person before her carefully.
His shirt was ironed and well-fitted, the stand-up collar untied and slightly separated. It was rare for a young man to have such a clean, refined face. A pair of eyes beneath thick lashes—not large, with pupils darker and larger than ordinary people's. These eyes reminded her of Shichahai Lake's surface at night, so dark that only moonlight reflected in the water provided any illumination.
The lamp was on his right, making his nose bridge appear taller in the side lighting. She began observing from his shirt, then returned to the shoulder line—not a wrinkle or misplaced stitch anywhere.
When she looked at him, he looked directly back without hiding.
In the lamplight, he said, "The Russian side is negotiating to establish a new federation. You could wait until their situation settles—why bother courting a useless minister now and waste money?"
As he spoke, light and shadow shifted subtly across his face. She could see clearly.
"I've also heard the news," He Wei looked away, roughly explaining, "but I suspect if a new federation forms, it will inevitably cause chaos for a while. They won't have time to recall all foreign ministers."
And what she needed to do could be accomplished during these days.
Pop—the charcoal basin threw out sparks.
Her train of thought was interrupted. Just as well—enough talk about Russia.
He seemed to notice and said nothing further.
In any case, what he'd just said was entirely for her benefit. He Wei prepared to return the favor, caught sight of a chair beside her, and sat down.
He appeared ready to leave but wanted to stay, finally sitting down with her—just far away, ten paces distant.
Think any further and he'd be outside the house entirely.
She couldn't help but smile, turning her head to look at the begonias surrounded by the charcoal brazier. "This is Xifu begonia?"
"Yes," he replied. "Xifu begonia."
She recognized this rare variety. Generally, begonias have no fragrance, but Xifu begonias do—making them precious. She saw the begonia branches bore hints of carmine—budding already? In the capital's cold winter, someone had cultivated this successfully. Truly worthy of being called Depths of a Hundred Flowers.
After discussing flowers, she had to ask about people.
She knew very little about him. All her goodwill toward this strange man stemmed from the old friendship between Second Uncle and his father. Some concerns were best clarified before the elders met.
She looked at him, feigned casualness, and asked the question she'd prepared in advance: "Do you have a concubine?"
The man appeared stunned by the question.
"Before you went to military academy, did your parents arrange a concubine for you? Or has some maid been in your chambers since childhood?" Looking at his age, she most feared he'd already married but was being forced to break his engagement due to the prior arrangement between the He and Bai families.
He was stunned again, looking up at her from afar with an indescribable expression in his eyes...
Why didn't he answer? She felt certain of her guess.
"No," he said suddenly. "Nothing."
That was acceptable.
Having asked what she wanted to know, He Wei felt somewhat calmer.
But he suddenly stood and lifted the curtain without a word.
Where was he going?
After a moment, the young military attaché from outside entered with tea. At first glance, he clearly wasn't trained in service—the tea was brewed extremely carelessly.
"The young master—" The military attaché straightened his expression. "He's still at Huguo Temple. If the Second Miss is bored, I'll call a maid in."
"Went to Huguo Temple?" She looked over. "Just now? What was so urgent?"
"Too late to go now—he went at noon," the military attaché said with a smile. "Said he'd return before dinner. Must be soon."
Noon?
He Wei asked slowly, "Who was the person who just left?"
"That? The young master's former classmate, surnamed Xie," the military attaché asked strangely. "Didn't he say?"
He Wei was slightly stunned, pretended nothing was wrong, raised the empty teacup, and brought it to her lips. "There wasn't time to mention it."
She'd said everything—where would people have time?
...
"This courtyard is his. The young master didn't want to enter Beijing with great fanfare, so he borrowed such a place," the military attaché said. "That Mr. Xie..." The military attaché wasn't sure whether to call him young master, sir, or something else. Since they'd entered Beijing, he'd only appeared tonight, arriving after the young master went to Huguo Temple. Fearing He Wei wouldn't be able to answer again, he wanted to pour her tea and change the subject.
The military attaché held the pot, watching He Wei with the empty cup take a small sip. If the pot weren't still in his hand, he'd truly believe at this moment she was savoring fragrant tea warming her throat.
He Wei suddenly realized, looked down to find the teacup empty, and felt distressed by her repeated embarrassment.
She smiled at the military attaché and returned the bean-green celadon teacup to the low table. The military attaché poured tea and hurried to withdraw. She remained there, unconsciously turning the red onyx ring on her left ring finger, recalling the man's face.
What a ridiculous night. In the tenth year after the Qing Dynasty's fall, the Forbidden City was actually holding a wedding between emperor and empress. Yet she, in the Depths of a Hundred Flowers outside the Forbidden City, had mistaken the identity of the man she was about to marry.
Chapter 1: The Man Called Shanhai
She stared at the shadows of trees swaying on the carved windows. After a while, her patience ran out.
Forget it—no point waiting.
The moment He Wei stood, a hand lifted the bead curtain.
Lianfang's face appeared behind it. Seeing no outsiders in the room, she stepped forward and said softly, "The Russian minister is unhappy. They're trying their best to appease him. The young lady should go quickly."
This was a first-class emergency.
He Wei didn't delay. She left hurriedly with Lianfang. When the car drove away from Xinjiekou, she felt a chill on her neck and realized the white fox-tail collar had fallen off in the house.
When the car arrived at the Six Nations Hotel, He Wei got out and the cold wind struck like a knife against her exposed neck.
The Russian military police, having just changed guard, softly reminded their subordinates that many distinguished guests were staying at the hotel these days—extra vigilance was required.
He Wei faced the wind and entered through the glass door. Music from the dance hall spread to the foyer, surrounding her from all directions, creating a liveliness incongruous with a late winter night.
Over the years, everyone understood one truth: the safest boundary in the capital wasn't the Forbidden City, but Dongjiaomin Lane where foreign consulates were located. And the safest building in Dongjiaomin Lane was the Six Nations Hotel. As its name suggested, the hotel was funded by Britain, France, Germany, Japan, America, and Russia—like an independent small world, or the best haven and sanctuary. Even if someone wanted to kill a guest in the hotel, they wouldn't dare act directly. They'd have to lure them out and silence them elsewhere.
Therefore, today's capital nobility, celebrities from all walks of life, commanders and generals were all keen to gather here. Some commented this place was paradise, but frankly, wasn't it just a small concession?
Chinese places where Chinese weren't allowed to intervene—even public security rotated among the six nations' military police.
She felt indignant about this. Her brother had comforted her that things would improve: "Look at Second Uncle and his generation—they faced the Eight-Nation Alliance, but at least now there are no foreign enemies. When our generation rises, we're bound to take back Shandong. By the next generation," he'd said with a smile, "they probably won't even know what a concession is."
...
He Wei's eyes suddenly stung with tears.
It was coming soon. Just ten more days, and this month, Qingdao in Shandong Province would be returned.
Her brother was right—life would always move toward the better.
She asked Lianfang to find the minister. Lianfang returned saying he was in the ballroom. Impatient from waiting, he'd gone to enjoy himself.
He Wei went to the restaurant and asked Lianfang to deliver a message to the minister: meet in the Western restaurant. Second Uncle disliked the Six Nations Hotel and was especially weary of the hotel ballroom where celebrities congregated.
At this hour, few people occupied the Western restaurant—only two or three tables.
Seven or eight people huddled at one table, looking like scholars. One flipped through the menu awkwardly while the others laughed and talked. She intuitively sensed these people were fleeing from danger. Not wanting trouble, she chose the farthest four-person sofa seat.
Lianfang returned quickly, hesitating as if something had happened.
"Did the minister leave with someone?" she asked.
"Not exactly," Lianfang sat gently beside her and said softly, "He'll come over shortly." After a pause, she continued, "When I went in, I saw the minister wasn't impatient at all. I thought it strange, so I asked around. They said someone introduced a nobleman who'd just arrived in Beijing to the minister, and the two were discussing current affairs." Lianfang added, "They pointed to the person inside. Too many people gathered—I couldn't see clearly, but... it looked like a young master from the Bai family."
Bai?
...It must be Xie.
She'd left the Depths of a Hundred Flowers without telling Lianfang about mistaking identities. Lianfang still thought it was the Bai family's son.
No wonder he was familiar with the Russian minister's whereabouts—he'd clearly prepared in advance.
But why had he gone to the Depths of a Hundred Flowers before coming to the Six Nations Hotel? To retrieve something? He Wei waited, puzzled.
After a while, the minister with short tan hair entered the Western restaurant.
Because the minister had an extremely pleasant meeting with the nobleman surnamed Xie first, the conversation with her proceeded exceptionally smoothly. The He family had a freighter going overseas that passed through Russian waters and had been detained—she needed the minister's help coordinating its release as soon as possible. This wasn't shameful business, but recent years had been turbulent for Russia too. The Tsar had just been overthrown, everything was in ruins, and many matters progressed slowly.
"Will there be any problems with this week's passenger ship?" She cared more about this week's passenger ship than the freighter.
The minister waved his hand, assuring her the passenger ship carried less cargo and was much easier to release than the freighter. Moreover, the He family's passenger ships were famous, often carrying low-profile dignitaries among their passengers. Few people stopped them.
Everything was settled.
The minister returned to his guest room while she waited for Lianfang to settle the bill.
A boy entered—slender with a face like white jade. He looked around the restaurant, saw He Wei, seemed to recognize her, and approached. The boy held a piece of paper in both hands and presented it formally: "Someone wants to give this to you."
Uncle Mao, waiting with Lianfang at the door, watched her cautiously, fearing something was wrong.
She shook her head to reassure them. This little boy was good-looking, and thinking about it, he resembled that man.
Seeing her accept it, the boy muttered, "Look—I don't understand it."
He Wei unfolded the paper—
Many misunderstandings occurred in the Depths of a Hundred Flowers. I hope Miss He will forgive me. Introducing the Russian minister to make amends. Xie Shanhai.
Probably fearing those around her would understand, aside from the signature, everything was written in Russian.
What if she'd said she couldn't read it? Wouldn't that have been for nothing?
He Wei smiled. The little boy in front of her saw this. He didn't know who she was—perhaps a girl who'd made his uncle write a private letter... He'd truly never seen such a thing. Before seeing her, he was curious. After seeing her... she was somewhat wickedly beautiful, too outstanding.
She was born with a peach-blossom face—fair complexion, small full lips unpainted by rouge. A pair of clear water-like eyes with extremely deep double-eyelid folds. Her nose bridge wasn't high, but it made her face appear even smaller.
"Is he your brother?" He Wei asked.
The little boy shook his head.
"Shanhai isn't a given name, is it? It's a courtesy name?" A person's given name should be taboo. "Magnificent as mountains and seas"—an average human life couldn't bear such weight and would suffer. Parents with any sense wouldn't give such a grand name. It must be a courtesy name.
The little boy frowned in distress—not only beautiful but also clever.
And she thought this name didn't resemble the courtesy names favored by older generations. Nine times out of ten, he'd chosen it himself.
She stopped caring about the name and asked the little boy, "What's his real name? The person you're talking about."
"You don't know your uncle's name?" The little boy was stunned and blurted out their relationship. Then he frowned in annoyance—he was about to be scolded by his mother. Sure enough, good-looking girls made one lose their mind...
So he was a nephew. He Wei paid closer attention to the little boy.
Without the hostility, the nobleman surnamed Xie probably looked like this as a teenager.
"I don't know—he didn't tell me," she asked with a smile. "Why didn't he come over himself?"
"You ask so many questions," the little boy complained. "I shouldn't have said anything."
He seemed to guard a great secret. Stretching out his head, he whispered, "Uncle went back to his room. Many people here want to talk to him, to get to know him. My mother was unwilling and had someone call him back." He thought for a moment, leaned close to her ear, and provided another piece of information: "He can't accompany you tonight. Before coming to Beijing, my uncle and his family agreed on three rules. Before nine o'clock in the evening, he must return to the Six Nations Hotel."
She was tickled by the child's warm breath near her ear and smiled softly.
This child was very proud. She really wanted to pinch his little face to make him even angrier, or watch him smile and see how good this child looked when happy.
She cooperated with the little boy, leaned over, and whispered softly, "Who has he offended that he needs to hide here?"
The little boy immediately straightened his face and stepped back two paces.
Who did his uncle need to hide from? They were only afraid someone might harm him.
He Wei didn't know what the little boy was thinking. Seeing him angrily turn and leave, she didn't know where she'd offended him.
Looking at the paper in her hand, she realized a detail she hadn't noticed before: he'd appeared here to keep the Russian minister for her as atonement.
Not for his own business, as she'd guessed earlier.
Second Master He had bought the old official residence not far from Dongjiaomin Lane.
She arrived home before midnight, washed up, and went to bed. After lying down, she vaguely heard Kou Qing stammering to Lianfang that it was snowing outside, joy hidden in her words. Lianfang reminded softly—they're all asleep, be quieter.
He Wei was so sleepy she couldn't finish listening to the conversation outside and fell completely asleep. When she opened her eyes again, the room was still quite dim.
She turned over, pressed her face sideways against the pillow, and muttered, "What time is it?"
Jun Jiang replied, "Past nine o'clock."
On weekdays, Lianfang slept in the house with her, but today Lianfang went to pick up someone outside the palace and Jun Jiang took over her care.
"Isn't it dawn yet?" She spoke with a nasal voice—the consequence of catching cold last night.
"It's like this on snowy days." Jun Jiang saw she was confused, smiled, and helped her into her milky white double-layer satin shirt, buttoning it. Before entering, Jun Jiang had washed her hands with hot water—her fingers were warm and soft.
Much better than that "ice lump" she'd held yesterday, she thought.
He Wei picked up the white wool vest, put it over her shirt, and got out of bed.
After washing, she thought about finding something to do before noon to pass the waiting time.
"The young master from the Bai family is patient," Jun Jiang said. "He's waited an hour in the east study."
"He came again?" She wasn't surprised.
"Isn't this your first visit? Why say 'again'?" Jun Jiang teased her.
"Yesterday... though I didn't see him, we had dealings," He Wei made a bitter face, hesitating about whether to meet him. "What important matter does he have that he's so eager to see me repeatedly?"
Jun Jiang was puzzled. "Isn't marriage a big deal?"
...Indeed, it mattered.
She'd been socializing frequently lately and was rarely free today. She really didn't want to exchange polite words with strangers. She made excuses for herself softly: "We're getting married anyway. How nice to meet in the first month—we can't run away. If Second Uncle were here, there'd be plenty to discuss."
Kou Qing held a cup of hot milk, handed it over, and helped Jun Jiang persuade her: "Miss, the young master said he came to make amends today. He's been sitting for a long time. Let's meet him, shall we?"
He Wei took a sip of milk and wanted to laugh. Did their classmates particularly like making amends? Last night, and now today.
She swallowed slowly, reluctantly agreed, and asked Jun Jiang to help her find a wide white mink shawl to wear outside, tying it around her waist with a four-finger-wide silk belt. Jun Jiang brought her coat, but she changed her mind. Walking to the east study uncovered, having to walk in wind and snow for more than ten minutes—it was too cold.
"It's better to bring someone over and meet in the small study."
The small study was in the east wing—no need to leave the main house, just pass through two rooms. Very convenient.
"The uncle brought two people. Should I invite them over?" Jun Jiang asked.
She hummed, thinking they were adjutants.
Soon after, the person arrived.
He Wei went to the study alone. The moment she stepped in, she stopped.
Only one person was in the study—still the same person. The nobleman surnamed Xie who wasn't allowed out at night. He was dressed differently from last night—in military uniform with long black riding boots, sitting there alone with one arm propped on the chair's armrest, looking as listless as last night, like someone with a hangover.
Snow clung to the soles of his boots. It should have been on his body too, but the broken snow had melted.
The bead curtain swayed behind He Wei. He looked over, his eyes staying on her, still maintaining that unsmiling appearance from last night.
He Wei's heart skipped a beat as she looked at him incredulously.
He made no sound, raised his finger, and pointed out the window, meaning the main person she wanted to see was outside.
Footsteps followed.
He Wei immediately turned to face the study door. This time it definitely wouldn't be wrong—the one who entered was the young master from the northwest Bai family. Snow hung on the ends of his hair, a smile on his face. He extended his right hand to her: "I am Bai Jinxing."
He Wei subconsciously took it. "Pleased to meet you."
...
"The adjutant just had something important and called me to the courtyard." Bai Jinxing explained in a gentle voice.
She smiled at Bai Jinxing but had nothing to say, unable to respond as freely as she had last night.
Bai Jinxing was a gentle man with warmth in his smile and clear eyes—like a lotus pond's surface on a summer night, filled not only with moonlight but also the residual warmth after the sun burned during the day. He also wore military uniform with a straight back, but his initial demeanor was calm and relaxed. As the Bai family father had written in his letter, he was a Confucian general who strategized and won battles for years.
The room was quiet for a long time.
"Last night—"
"Last night—"
Both spoke simultaneously, then stopped at the same time.
Bai Jinxing looked down at her and smiled. "Let me speak first?" After all, he was much older than He Wei and understood the principle that girls shouldn't be made to speak first.
He Wei nodded.
Bai Jinxing explained, "Last night, on my way back from Huguo Temple, I met a former teacher, which delayed me and made you wait. I apologize."
"I don't blame you," she shook her head, speaking fairly. "I didn't wait long. I left in a hurry. I should have left an explanation."
With outsiders present, her voice was much softer.
Two people about to marry, meeting for the first time today, already shared a subtle embarrassment. In such a scene, with an outsider... whatever they said fell into another person's ears. It was truly awkward.
She was the host today and shouldn't be cold.
"Do you like coffee? Tea? Or something else?" He Wei took the initiative, wanting to entertain them. "I have cocoa powder here. I recommend milk cocoa—in snowy weather, cocoa warms you up."
"I'm fine with anything," Bai Jinxing looked back at the person behind him. "Let me officially introduce you."
The distant person responded, "You shouldn't introduce me today." He came to the two of them, nodded politely to He Wei, then looked at Bai Jinxing. "It's your first time meeting. It's inconvenient for me as an outsider to be present. You two talk first. I'll go out and wait for you."
Then he looked at her. "I apologize, Miss He. Excuse me."
"It's fine," she said more politely. "Since you're here, you two must have a good relationship. We'll get to know each other eventually. Please sit first."
He reiterated, "I'll go outside."
With that, he left the study.
He Wei thought he was being polite—how could he possibly wait outside on a snowy day?
Seeing him actually leave, her mind was blank for a few seconds before she called out, "Kou Qing."
Kou Qing appeared from behind the curtain, looking at her questioningly.
"Take the guest to the west room and make him a cup of tea." It wasn't as warm as the bedroom and study, but the room next to the bedroom could borrow heat from under the bedroom floor.
"Which one, which one?" Kou Qing recalled. "Oh, that one."
The one who didn't need worrying about.
When they'd arrived earlier, everyone saw both were in military uniforms and didn't know who the future uncle was. They'd gathered to discuss: one was a thin young man whose appearance didn't reveal whether he was from the south or north, but you could tell he was raised in wealthy circumstances, wrapped in a military uniform. This type, even if he didn't pursue romance, must always be wary of being pressed into matrimonial affairs—no need to worry. The other was a gentleman, humble and polite, the kind of person people wouldn't dare offend even if they sat together.
This was the worry-free one.
Kou Qing silently thought the young lady was blessed and ran to greet him.
He Wei didn't understand the smile on Kou Qing's face and didn't know why.
"Last night, you mistook him for me, and it wasn't very pleasant. He didn't want to come today, but I forcibly brought him." Bai Jinxing's words dragged her thoughts back to the present.
He Wei shook her head. "There was no unpleasantness, just a misunderstanding. What is your classmate's name? From beginning to end, I didn't have a chance to know."
"Xie Chengqing," Bai Jinxing said.
He Wei was surprised.
"You should have heard of him," Bai Jinxing expressed her thoughts.
The name was hard not to have heard.
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