“Lin Qi, look at this!”  

After the two newlyweds returned to their chambers, Sui Tan visibly relaxed and finally had the energy to excitedly explore other interesting things at the wedding banquet.  

Lin Qi watched with amusement as she dramatically exclaimed over a silver-glazed hare’s fur teacup with gold trim, his eyes warm with affection.  

“They say this thing is ridiculously expensive. Does it really make a difference compared to other wine vessels?” she muttered, pouring herself a cup.  

Her fragrant lips touched the rim of the cup, barely tasting the wine before she immediately pulled away. Sticking out her tongue slightly, she complained under her breath, her delicate brows furrowing into a frown.  

“Ugh, this tastes awful.”  

The wine made her ruby lips appear even more luscious. Lin Qi’s gaze lingered for a moment, and for a brief instant, he couldn’t help but recall the sweet fragrance of her lips from before.  

He stiffened, then abruptly turned his head away.  

Sui Tan, completely oblivious, gave him a puzzled look, as if wondering why he was making such a fuss over nothing.  

“Lin Qi.”  

Someone at the next table was loudly boasting. Sui Tan set down her cup and listened for a moment before suddenly asking,  

“Who is that guy?”  

The man in question was still recovering from his earlier embarrassment. He coughed lightly, as if to cover it up, before turning to look.  

But the moment he saw who it was, all traces of warmth, amusement, and awkwardness vanished, replaced by cold indifference. His reply was detached, as if discussing something entirely unrelated to him.  

“The Pingnan Prince’s heir, Meng Zhuo.”  

“Oh…”  

Sui Tan suddenly understood. This was the infamous “opportunistic” heir who had haunted her Lin Qi’s thoughts for years—the one who repeatedly cheated his way to victory in hunting competitions, yet never knew when to stop, constantly provoking the ire of Great Liang’s generals.  

“I’ve always said the generals of Great Liang are overrated. They’ve lost to me more than once!”  

“What? Zhao Sheng? … Him betraying the country was only natural. If you can’t win by strength, you resort to underhanded tricks.”  

“You think I couldn’t handle the battlefield? I’d dominate. Honestly, what’s so scary about war? I’m the strongest of this era!”  

The arrogant boasts kept coming, spewing endless contempt for the battlefield from the safety of the capital, a thousand miles away.  

Sui Tan studied his frail frame—so weak he might not even be able to defeat her—and mentally noted this down.  

“What about that one?”  

The Pingnan heir’s endless bragging was grating, so she pointed to another, quieter figure and asked.  

Compared to Meng Zhuo, this man seemed far more refined. He sat among the crowd, leisurely fanning himself with a paper fan, his smile as charming as peach blossoms, his looks rivaling the legendary Pan An. He truly had the kind of mesmerizing beauty that drew people in, and even Sui Tan couldn’t help but glance at him a few extra times.  

But unlike others who were simply captivated, her attention was drawn by an inexplicable sense of unease.  

The more he smiled, the more unnerved she felt, to the point where she had to press closer to Lin Qi to ease her discomfort.  

Lin Qi subtly leaned forward, closing the distance between them, before answering:  

“That’s the heir of Jiancheng Marquis, Liu Xie.”  

He should have been a stranger, yet somehow felt familiar.  

Sui Tan froze, then suddenly remembered. Her delicate brows knitted tightly together.  

“That Jiancheng Marquis Liu, whose father died years ago but the Emperor still refuses to let him inherit the title?”  

“Yes.”  

Lin Qi didn’t understand her reaction but confirmed it anyway.  

“Ah—!”  

That persistent, prickling sense of dread finally had an explanation.  

Sui Tan let out a long sigh, unsure whether to lament the inevitability of fate or simply blame Lord Zhu for inviting every shady character under the sun to his home.  

In this world, there were many things beyond human understanding, too many to put into words.  

She couldn’t explain any of it to Lin Qi now, so she awkwardly changed the subject:  

“By the way, I haven’t seen my younger sister or stepmother around. Have you spotted them?”  

Lin Qi gave her a heavy look but didn’t press further, answering as usual:  

“At the eldest Miss Qin’s wedding, it’s improper for concubines and their daughters to appear openly. They’re likely in the back.”  

“The back” naturally referred to the inner quarters of the Duke’s residence. Thanks to the advantage of her father hosting the wedding banquet, Sui Tan could easily enter.  

Even bringing an “outside man” with her, she could literally stroll through the place as if it were her own backyard.  

For this grand wedding, the Duke’s residence had gone all out with preparations.  

Under the leadership of the second young mistress handling appearances and the eldest young mistress handling logistics, they had not only prepared changing rooms and resting areas but also specially arranged the rear garden for noblewomen who wanted no part in the drinking and boasting. It provided them with a serene and beautiful retreat away from the banquet’s noise.  

At this moment, the garden was already filled with people.  

Noblewomen who rarely went out stood together, sharing gossip about their households—sometimes about whose husband had gained imperial favor, sometimes about when their sons would pass the imperial exams. Occasionally, they mentioned their daughters, but only to fret over marriage prospects.  

The unmarried young ladies, meanwhile, chattered away in another corner like a flock of sparrows, loudly discussing what they considered the most important matters of their age.  

“Sui Lan, didn’t your father say he’d find you a better match? Now that your eldest sister is married to the Chief of the Court of Judicial Review and your second sister is a princess consort, what kind of outstanding husband could possibly surpass them?”  

Lin Qi waited outside while Sui Tan went in alone to look for her sister. She immediately spotted her half-sister in the crowd.  

It had to be said, the three Miss Qins, despite their different backgrounds and experiences, had all grown into stunning beauties.  

The youngest sister, in particular, had inherited her mother’s breathtaking looks. Just standing there, she stood out like a crane among chickens, radiant and striking.  

Even dressed in a plain yellow dress—required for the eldest sister’s wedding—she couldn’t hide the dazzling beauty in her features, so overwhelming it was almost aggressive.

She followed the sound of that beauty and, halfway there, overheard her half-sister’s close friend speaking with such concern.  

The group hadn’t noticed her arrival, so she paused and continued listening.  

“What’s so great about the Chief of the Court of Judicial Review and a prince? One is heartless and could turn on you at any moment, the other is lying unconscious in bed—marrying him is no better than being a widow. How is that a good match?”  

Her half-sister lifted her chin haughtily, her voice dripping with disdain:  

“Besides, my two sisters—one is so weak and spineless she’d just cry even if someone slapped her, the other has no upbringing, knows nothing of music, chess, calligraphy, or painting, and never learned the virtues of obedience.  

Even if they’ve somehow caught men’s fancy now, it’s nothing more than a reflection of the moon in water—it won’t last.”  

“But I, Qin Sui Lan, am different. I’ll marry a man far better than theirs, become his rightful wife, and grow old with him.”  

“What a joke.”  

Perhaps offended by a mere concubine-born daughter looking down on her legitimate sisters, one of the noble girls sneered:  

“A lowborn concubine’s daughter dares to dream of being a proper wife? If you ask me, if you’re so desperate to be a wife, you might as well marry some old man as his second wife. At least older men know how to pamper their women.”  

Though harsh, such words weren’t entirely out of line in the private chatter of noblewomen.  

Low snickers immediately rippled through the crowd, and many of the gazes turned scrutinizing, as if the matter were already settled, lips hidden behind sleeves as they laughed in judgment.  

Sui Lan’s face flushed with anger: “You—!”  

But her attempt to retort only invited more ridicule.  

The mocking laughter wouldn’t stop. Standing amid their relentless teasing, her eyes gradually glistened with furious tears. Suddenly, she stomped her foot in frustration and ran off.  

Sui Tan hadn’t planned to interfere in the noble girls’ squabbles, but this was still her sister.  

With a resigned sigh, she exchanged a glance with Lin Qi and reluctantly followed.  

Sui Lan hurried away with quick, light steps—leaving the garden, weaving through the rockeries, then darting toward the lotus pond.  

Finally, she stopped at the secluded edge of the pond, crouching in a deserted corner and burying her face in her knees.  

Sui Tan, who had trailed after her, now couldn’t bring herself to leave.  

But she didn’t want to approach either. After some hesitation, she positioned herself under a distant willow tree, observing from afar.  

“Have you had your fill of staring yet?!”  

A moment later, an angry shout came from the lotus pond, directed squarely at her.  

Sui Tan froze, caught red-handed. Rubbing her nose awkwardly, she stepped out from under the tree with an embarrassed explanation:  

“…I didn’t mean to watch.”  

“Whatever.”  

Sui Lan remained crouched, turning halfway to glare at her, her eyes shimmering with unshed tears.  

Yet she still held her head high, proud as a peony in full bloom:  

“I only called you out to tell you this—everything I said was the truth.  

I know you hate me, and I hate you too. So I will absolutely find a perfect husband, become his rightful wife, and outshine all of you!”  

She seemed trapped in some unshakable obsession. Sui Tan opened her mouth to respond, but suddenly, her entire body shuddered.  

An indescribable heat surged through her, assaulting her consciousness like countless scorching hands trying to drag her into a fatal abyss.  

Her fingers trembled uncontrollably. Realizing something was terribly wrong, she turned to leave without another word.  

Behind her, Sui Lan was still shouting insults, but she could no longer care. Staggering forward, she clung to one last thought amidst the overwhelming desire:  

Find Lin Qi… find Lin Qi…  

“Miss?”  

His familiar voice finally reached her ears. Sui Tan paused, and in the next instant, the flood of lust completely overwhelmed her crumbling rationality.  

His cool voice was like sweet dew after a long drought, pulling her toward him until she clung to his body.  

“M-Miss!”  

Lin Qi gasped in shock. The woman in his arms was already lost in delirium, her body soft and pliant against his. In broad daylight, she kissed him recklessly, desperately seeking even the slightest relief from the burning heat in his saliva.  

“Miss!”  

She, drugged and uninhibited, could act without restraint—but he was still sober.  

Footsteps echoed faintly in the distance. Lin Qi took a deep breath and pushed her away again, unsure whether he was stopping her or restraining himself.  

Sui Tan’s dazed eyes instantly welled with aggrieved tears. Seeing this, Lin Qi’s gaze darkened, and he asked helplessly in a low voice:  

“Do you even know who I am right now?”  

He hadn’t expected an answer, but she nodded frantically. Even lost in the depths of desire, she still chased after the one she instinctively relied on, murmuring his name over and over.  

“Lin Qi, Lin Qi, my good Lin Qi… you’re my good Lin Qi.”  

Her words were disjointed, yet more intoxicating than any aphrodisiac.  

He exhaled sharply. When she stubbornly threw herself at him again, he finally relented, spreading his arms and letting her return to his embrace.  

Whether they were still in public no longer mattered. More intimacy piled up uncontrollably in their gazes.  

She looked up at him with utter dependence; he held her tightly. Their skin touched, their breaths mingled—the posture of the closest lovers.  

Yet just as the fire between them was about to ignite, he suddenly swayed.  

In the next moment, he wrapped his arms around her and decisively leaped into the icy waters of the lotus pond.