Perhaps it was because his expression was so unusually earnest that Sui Tan widened her almond eyes in shock, her lips parting slightly as if she wanted to say something. But just then, Yi Zhou—who had also been stunned by this rare solemnity and nearly thought his usually stoic comrade had been possessed—suddenly shivered violently.  

Trembling, he tried to stand up but misstepped, tumbling straight down from the tree and landing right between the two of them.  

Thus, all potential heartfelt confessions were thoroughly extinguished.  

“No wonder Lin Qi wanted to kick you out.”  

Three days later, at the wedding banquet, while Lin Qi was momentarily absent, Sui Tan whispered to Yi Zhou as she eagerly observed the lively scene around them.  

This was the first time they had discussed just how awkward that moment had been.  

“You ran off immediately back then, so you didn’t see how dark his expression was. Honestly, it was the first time I’ve ever seen him look that furious.”  

Sui Tan dramatically clutched her chest to emphasize how terrifying it had been. Recalling the scene, Yi Zhou let out a pitiful whimper, increasingly convinced that his fate was sealed—and further solidifying his resolve to cling tightly to Miss Qin’s coattails.  

What did a beating or even death matter? A few kind words from Miss Qin were worth more than anything.  

“Ah, Lin Qi!”  

Midway through his panicked thoughts, Yi Zhou heard Sui Tan’s cheerful greeting. Following her gaze, he saw Lin Qi returning from his task of confirming the arrival of guests.  

Even from a distance where his face was barely visible, the glance he shot over was enough to send a deathly chill down Yi Zhou’s spine.  

With a full-body shudder, Yi Zhou scrambled to his feet and vanished without a trace before Lin Qi could get any closer.  

“What did he want?”  

Lin Qi asked, frowning slightly as he resumed his position behind her.  

Sui Tan propped her chin on her hand, still scanning the crowd, and grinned.  

“What else? He wanted me—the Third Prince’s most beloved future princess consort—to put in a good word for him, of course.”  

“…”  

Lin Qi paused. “Ignore him. He needs to learn his lesson.”  

Sui Tan nodded with a knowing smile, fully aware of his well-intentioned scheming. She tugged at his sleeve and changed the subject.  

“Well? Did you spot any familiar faces?”  

Between the chaos of wedding preparations and her own carelessness, she had neglected the old injury on her arm, which still hadn’t fully healed.  

Noticing her recklessly using that hand again, Lin Qi frowned imperceptibly and swiftly reached down to inspect it.  

Her slender fingers accidentally brushed against his warm palm, sending a fleeting spark between them.  

“…Yes.”  

His tone was unreadable as he examined her wound.  

“It’s a mixed crowd.”  

And that was no exaggeration. The wedding of the illustrious Minister of the Court of Judicial Review and the equally infamous eldest daughter of the Duke of Qin certainly lived up to such a description.  

Zhu Yan was nothing if not ambitious. Despite only three days of preparation, he had managed to orchestrate a grand spectacle—lanterns and decorations everywhere, endless feasting, and thousands of invitations scattered like blossoms in the wind.  

Nearly every notable noble in the capital had received one, including Minister Sun, who had no choice but to swallow his fury and attend.  

But that wasn’t the only surprise Zhu Yan had in store.

Zhu Yan had few living relatives—so few that not a single elder within five degrees of kinship could be found to preside over the ceremony. After discussing with Sui Tan, the acting mistress of the Duke’s household, they simply moved the entire wedding banquet to the Duke’s residence.  

Thus, the capital’s elite found themselves attending a most bewildering affair: the bride departed from the Duke’s mansion, her sedan chair paraded through the city in a grand procession—only to return to the very same estate, yet without this being a matrilocal marriage. A rushed, perplexing union, brimming with impatience.  

“Those who should be here, and those who shouldn’t, have all come,” Lin Qi said carefully. “Even more than during the spring hunt.”  

Sui Tan nodded faintly.  

“Then the one who controls those ‘puppets’—the one who wants my sister dead—is likely here too.”  

Their eyes met just as the celebratory gongs at the entrance boomed, heralding the arrival of distinguished guests.  

Amid the jubilant clamor, they saw only solemn gravity reflected in each other’s gaze.  

“It’s fine,” Lin Qi murmured reassuringly. “Even if someone comes with ill intent, Lord Zhu is more than capable of handling it.”  

“Besides… you’re here. And so am I.”  

Sui Tan nodded firmly.  

No matter what, having come this far, there was no turning back.  

Whether facing wolves or tigers, they would meet every challenge head-on—they would see her sister safely to the bridal chamber!  

Yet, against all expectations, nothing happened at the banquet.  

No desperate poisonings, no treacherous hidden arrows.  

The event unfolded as peacefully as the capital’s surface always appeared—even if turbulent undercurrents raged beneath, the waters above remained eerily, unnervingly calm.  

“*Truly* nothing,” Sui Tan whispered at last, fluttering her lashes as she handed the silver-tested nuptial wine vessel back to Lin Qi.  

The two of them were hiding just outside the bridal chamber. From the front courtyard, the distant crescendo of cheers and laughter signaled the ceremony’s climax—a scene of resplendent joy.  

“Let’s go.”  

After Lin Qi soundlessly returned the vessel and slipped back out through the window, she brushed off her hands and stood with a light, relieved chuckle.  

“We should return to the banquet too.”  

Whatever the enemy’s motives, their temporary retreat had granted her a reprieve.  

They made it back just in time to witness the final moments of the ceremony.  

Qin Sui Zheng, once the subject of vicious gossip, now stood radiant in fiery red bridal robes, every glance and smile a testament to the peerless talent that had once captivated the capital.  

Supported by two matrons of honor, she stepped toward the bridal chamber—each stride seemingly leaving behind her past despair, each movement carrying her toward a future of promise.  

Beside her, Zhu Yan’s gaze was tender as water. A single glance at the scene made Sui Tan’s eyes sting with sudden tears.  

Logically, she hadn’t been back in the capital long enough to share deep ties with this nominal sister.  

Yet perhaps it was the very act of fighting to save her that had awakened the kinship already flowing in their blood. For a fleeting moment, Sui Tan felt a pang so sharp it stole her breath.  

Live well, she thought fiercely.  

Live well, in this lifetime—my dearest sister, Qin Sui Zheng.