Chapter 61

Qin Lang, accompanied by a physician, rushed to treat Pei Jian.

Unexpectedly, the person who was previously so ill that he appeared half-dead was now sitting cross-legged, facing the setting sun visible through the window. His back remained motionless, despondent, and melancholic as if lost in thought.

“Shizhang?” Qin Lang called out to him.

Pei Jian stirred slightly and turned around.

Ignoring his bruised and pale face, he seemed to transform back into the old Pei Shizhang, thoughtful and composed. With a stern expression, he gazed at Qin Lang, paused momentarily, and then asked in a low voice, “Why are you here?”

It was evident he was still delirious from his illness!

Qin Lang had already visited and even spoken to him earlier, yet he seemed entirely unaware.

Signaling the physician to come forward, Qin Lang remarked, “How old are you now, yet still incapable of taking care of yourself? Falling this ill and forbidding Steward Li from calling a doctor—what do you expect people to say about you?”

Pei Jian said nothing, cooperating with the physician’s examination. Once the doctor left to prepare a prescription and collect the medicine, Pei Jian finally nodded to Qin Lang and said, “Thank you. I’ve troubled you.”

Pei Jian was not someone who easily displayed vulnerability. His resolve and resilience surpassed anyone else’s, except when his heart was truly broken.

Qin Lang opened his mouth to offer some advice, but before he could speak, Pei Jian interrupted him with, “It’s already late; I won’t keep you any longer. I’ll properly thank you another day.”

Pei Jian had clearly anticipated what Qin Lang was about to say.

Qin Lang swallowed his sigh and thought—what would be the point of telling Pei Jian that Nianxi had just been at the clinic, accompanying Gu Ci for a consultation, and she was completely indifferent to him? What could that change?

With Pei Jian’s temperament, once he set his mind on a path, he would stubbornly follow it to the end, no matter how much Qin Lang tried to persuade him. So, without further ado, Qin Lang said, “Alright, I’ll come back to see you tomorrow.”

After he finished speaking, the surroundings returned to silence. Pei Jian, naturally, was always a man of few words, and even the attendants coming and going moved lightly and without a sound.

It was as if the entire courtyard was shrouded in a deep sense of desolation.

On the way back, his mood was inevitably affected. Qin Lang shook his head, trying to dispel the melancholy in his heart. He had always been optimistic and cheerful. As he thought about this, he unexpectedly ran into Xu Wanxin at the end of the alley.

Xu Wanxin had just stepped out of a shop. Upon seeing him, she was momentarily stunned before smiling gracefully and saying, “Are you Brother’s friend, Lord Qin? I’ve heard Brother mention you.”

Qin Lang had heard of Pei Jian’s cousin, Xu Wanxin, but hadn’t interacted with her much. Such a beautiful, gentle, and affectionate woman seemed to Qin Lang to be no less remarkable than a celestial maiden. She embodied the ultimate reflection of a man’s charm. Deep down, he felt envy and a longing to have such a lovely cousin himself. He wouldn’t mind if her appearance or figure were slightly inferior or her family background was less distinguished. Thinking along these lines, he concluded that Pei Jian truly didn’t know how fortunate he was.

In Qin Lang’s view, Xu Wanxin was not inferior to Nianxi in every aspect. The most significant difference was the tenderness in her eyes when she mentioned Pei Jian, almost overflowing, unlike Nianxi’s cold indifference, which was so disheartening.

Although loving someone is a deeply personal matter, the fact that Nianxi had caused strife between the two brothers was indisputable.

Being only human, Qin Lang naturally harbored some resentment toward Nianxi and leaned more favorably toward the gentle Xu Wanxin. He then said, “What a coincidence! I just came from Shizhang’s residence. He’s gravely ill, and there is no one at home to look after him…”

Xu Wanxin’s visible worry and concern showed as she clutched her handkerchief tightly and asked repeatedly, “Brother is ill? Has he seen a doctor and taken medicine? Brother has always been healthy. How could he have suddenly fallen sick?”

After asking a series of questions, her face showed a hint of shyness, and she said, “Concern leads to confusion; it was my loss of composure. I must have made Lord Qin laugh at me.”

Qin Lang, however, was quite satisfied with her reaction. At this moment, didn’t Pei Jian need such a thoughtful and caring companion?

“Not at all.” Qin Lang waved his hand and smiled, “The doctor has already examined him, but his illness is serious. He’s so feverish that he’s delirious. I’ll be on duty tomorrow, so I won’t be able to take care of him properly…”

In reality, there were still servants in the Pei residence, and Pei Jian wouldn’t be left unattended. However, in this situation, Qin Lang had to exaggerate the matter.

As expected, Xuan Wanxin’s face became increasingly worried. She frowned delicately, twisting a handkerchief in her hands. After a moment, she said, “I’m free, but… I’m afraid my cousin would be displeased and blame me for making decisions on my own.”

“That won’t happen.” Hearing her willingness to take care of Pei Jian, Qin Lang almost patted his chest as a guarantee, saying, “It was my request for you to look after him. If Pei Shizhang truly doesn’t appreciate it and blames you, just let him come find me!”

When one is ill, the heart becomes incredibly fragile and vulnerable. If the cousin were to approach during this time with her gentleness and attentive care, Qin Lang couldn’t imagine Pei Jian’s heart remaining unmoved, even if it were made of stone. Ideally, Pei Jian would see reason, reconcile with his cousin, and they would live happily ever after together.”

In this way, they could maintain their brotherhood while having separate beloved ones—wouldn’t that be perfect?

The more Qin Lang thought about it, the more he found himself wise and selfless, helping those in need and sparing no effort. Truly, he was a rare kindred spirit and mentor.

“Then it’s settled!”

Xu Wanxin nodded, her cheeks blushing slightly, making her look even more delicate and charming. “Cousin has moved to a new place, but I don’t know where he lives now.”

Qin Lang inwardly cursed Pei Jian for his good fortune despite his lack of gratitude while outwardly smiling as he provided the location.

Parting ways with Xu Wanxin, Qin Lang felt his worries dissipate as if he could already envision Gu Ci and Pei Jian reconciling. Satisfied, he returned to the manor.

After Xu Wanxin and her group had walked away, her expression softened. She turned her head and instructed her maid, “Go back and take out the new crimson pleated skirt and have it pressed. I’ll wear it tomorrow. Cousin is ill; seeing something bright might lift his spirits.”

“Yes.”

The evening was approaching, and the sunset cast a golden glow across the sky.

Xu Wanxin raised her head to gaze at the magnificent evening glow on the horizon, revealing a gentle and beautiful smile. How could she not know where her cousin lived? Otherwise, how could she have “accidentally” run into Qin Lang?

She had been precocious from a young age. While other children were playing and crying, she was already learning to be a little lady, waiting to grow up quickly so she could marry her beloved cousin.

Unfortunately, fate was unkind.

Her cousin’s parents had passed away early, and before she could console and accompany him, or plant the seeds of love in the heart of the handsome young man, her short-sighted father had already annulled the engagement. No matter how much she cried and protested, it was to no avail. Her parents thought she was young and would forget Pei Jian after a while.

But they were wrong.

Year after year, Xu Wanxin watched her cousin become more outstanding and dazzling, growing from a young boy into a resolute and graceful young man. Without relying on family connections or titles, he built his life solely through his own efforts. And with each passing year, her love for him only surged more strongly.

She dared not stop striving—mastering the arts of music, chess, calligraphy, painting, poetry, and embroidery. Among the maidens in the city, she was known for her wisdom and elegance. She wanted her cousin to see a dazzling, radiant version of herself, too.

From childhood to adulthood, Xu Wanxin’s goal had never changed—to marry her beloved cousin. But out of nowhere appeared a Miss Wen, who stirred her cousin’s heart and disrupted her plans.

The first time she saw Wen Nianxi, she felt a subtle, unyielding sense of competitiveness.

Watching Wen Nianxi effortlessly stand there, drawing the gaze of the entire Qu Shui gentlemen with just a casual smile, Xu Wanxin could still console herself that these shallow men only valued appearances with no depth. However, when her cherished cousin fixed his gaze on Wen Nianxi, unblinking, she truly felt a sense of crisis. She became acutely aware of a seed of jealousy taking root in her heart, growing rapidly and bearing deadly fruit.

How could she allow Wen Nianxi to have something she herself lacked?

Unfortunately, Wen Nianxi was overly timid, guarding herself against Xu Wanxin’s repeated attempts to approach her.

But that didn’t matter.

It didn’t matter at all—what Xu Wanxin had the most was patience.

Before boarding the carriage, she took one last look at the crimson sunset on the horizon. Tomorrow, it seemed, would be another fine day.

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