Chapter 19

“Never able to return to the capital?” Nianxi was stunned by this barrage of information. She widened her eyes and looked at Pei Jian, her gaze filled with confusion and bewilderment.

To Pei Jian, she now looked just like the Persian cat raised at the mansion—still just a fifteen-year-old girl. His heart softened a bit as he lowered his tone. “This is only the worst-case scenario. But the northern frontier is the Gu family’s responsibility. If they manage to avoid it this time, what about next time? Can you bear such risks?”

Nianxi’s mind was in a whirl at that moment. Amidst the chaos of her thoughts, only one point needed confirmation. She asked, “How do you know all this?”

“Believe it or not, what I’ve said is true. If you’re willing to follow him to the northern frontier, leaving behind your parents and family to endure the winds and sands of the desert, then go ahead and stay close to him.” Pei Jian gave her a deep look and then stepped back a few paces.

Telling her this was indeed an impulsive act. If it hadn’t been for that earlier scene that provoked him, Pei Jian would have found a gentler way to convey this message. Even though they were no longer lovers, having shared thirteen years together, he felt it was his duty to warn her.

Nianxi didn’t understand state affairs—especially given that Duke Zhen had just won a battle not long ago. Pei Jian knew his words must have sounded like something out of a fantasy. But should he just watch her sink deeper?

Pei Jian knew Nianxi’s character better than anyone. She appeared gentle and soft, yet she was resilient and steadfast deep inside. He couldn’t allow her to continue on the wrong path. Anyone else would be fine—but not Gu Ci.

In the past, he had pampered and cherished her. Pei Jian convinced himself that he only wished to prevent her from suffering in the future. Unless she genuinely believed in the saying “love feeds the soul” and was willing to follow Gu Ci to endure the harsh, freezing northern frontier.

Pei Jian understood that the person in front of him was not the wife who had once shared his life day in and day out. The fifteen-year-old Nianxi knew nothing of what had happened before. He shouldn’t expect, desire, or even be here in the first place. He needed to be clear-headed enough to distinguish the past from the present.

Pei Jian closed his eyes.

At this moment, standing in his little garden beneath the osmanthus trees that had yet to bloom, he suddenly longed to return to see the Nianxi who was his wife.

But Nianxi, his Nianxi… he hadn’t even been able to say goodbye to her.

It felt as though his heart was being clenched tight, the pain spreading through his entire being. All the emotions he had once dismissed and considered a waste of time surged toward him instantly, wrapping around his body and soul and dragging him into the abyss.

He missed her. But he would never see her again.

Pei Jian no longer looked at Nianxi. He turned and strode out of the Wen residence.

After Pei Jian left, Nianxi leaned against the tree trunk, lost in thought. It wasn’t until Xing Yue came looking for her that she snapped out of her daze. Looking up at the sky, she pulled the corners of her mouth into a vague and ambiguous smile.

Pei Jian… had also been reborn.

…

When Pei Jian returned home, Gu Ci had already been waiting for quite a while.

As soon as he entered, Gu Ci raised an eyebrow and said, “What time is it, Pei Shizhang? I know you’re a genius, unmatched in talent, but that doesn’t mean you can treat the imperial examinations as a joke. Tomorrow is the palace examination, the last step to having your name on the honor roll. Could you take it seriously, maybe?”

“Hey—” Gu Ci suddenly pointed at something in surprise. “What’s that?”

With his sharp eyes, Gu Ci immediately noticed the box in Pei Jian’s hand when he got closer. It looked somewhat familiar. He grabbed it, opened it, and found a pair of white jade earrings inside.

“The sun rises in the west now?” Gu Ci exclaimed, holding the wooden box in one hand while pretending to look out the window. “I thought this box looked familiar. Did you go to the Treasure Pavilion?”

“Come clean! Are these for Cousin Xu? I heard recently that you and Cousin Xu were seen entering and leaving the West Market together.”

Pei Jian paid no attention, snatching back the earrings and placing them in a cabinet. When he left the Wen residence earlier, his mind was in turmoil. Wandering aimlessly, he somehow ended up at the Treasure Pavilion.

Manager Yi still remembered him and greeted him, “What are you looking to buy today, sir?”

As if possessed, Pei Jian blurted out, “Earrings!”

Manager Yi brought out a variety of styles, with pearls and gemstones aplenty. For the first time, Pei Jian realized how many designs and combinations earrings could have. His eyes instantly fell on a pair of white jade earrings that resembled those Nianxi had worn that day.

“Come on, tell me, are you about to seal the deal with Cousin Xu? Ah, Cousin Xu has waited so patiently and finally sees the light of hope.”

When Pei Jian was very young, his mother had arranged an engagement between him and Xu Wanxin. Later, after the death of Pei Jian’s parents, Duke Zheng’s title was passed on to the second branch of the family. Using this as an excuse, Minister Xu annulled the engagement with Pei Jian. However, despite Minister Xu’s stance, his daughter Xu Wanxin was a rare romantic, never hiding her feelings for Pei Jian. Over the years, she refused to marry anyone else, and now, at eighteen, she was still waiting for him.

In Gu Ci’s eyes, once Pei Jian achieved the top rank in the imperial examination, Minister Xu would no longer have a reason to oppose the marriage.

“A wedding night and success in the imperial exams—looks like you’ll get married before me,” Gu Ci said, enthusiastically clapping Pei Jian’s shoulder.

Gu Ci was in an excellent mood that day. First, he and Nianxi shared mutual affection. Second, it seemed his good friend Pei Jian wouldn’t remain alone much longer. This joy made him more talkative than usual, and he overlooked the cold expression on Pei Jian’s face.

“I wonder if Father has received the letter yet? The capital is a thousand miles away from the northern frontier, and with the delay of back-and-forth correspondence, it would take at least a month to get a reply. By the time I visit the Wen residence to propose, it will almost be June. Then, my marriage with Nian’er—”

“Absolutely not!” Pei Jian suddenly shouted.

The outburst startled Gu Ci, who had been deeply engrossed in calculating dates. He completely lost track of where he was in his train of thought.

“Have you lost your mind? You’ve been acting strange since you walked through that door,” Gu Ci remarked, perplexed.

Pei Jian lowered his gaze, hiding the emotions in his eyes. He knew perfectly well that this wasn’t Gu Ci’s fault, but he couldn’t hold back—

While he had been tirelessly working to prevent the tragedy looming over the Gu family, Gu Ci had taken advantage of the situation, stealing everything that should have been Pei Jian’s.

Pei Jian was fed up with the cruel twists of fate and his own inability to control his emotions.

Suppressing the constant irritation inside him, Pei Jian took a deep breath and said coldly, “The earrings are not for Xu Wanxin.”

“Someone else, then!” Gu Ci nudged Pei Jian’s shoulder, teasingly adding, “You’ve been keeping secrets, haven’t you? Come on, fess up. Have you been sneaking around, showering some young lady with attention lately?” As he said this, Gu Ci couldn’t help but think of how he had spent every day showering Nianxi with attention.

The thought of the side gate that once belonged to him made Pei Jian’s tone even colder. Impatiently, he snapped, “No.”

Even Gu Ci, as slow as he could be, finally sensed something was wrong with Pei Jian. Being a naturally sensitive person, Gu Ci couldn’t help but think deeply—Perhaps his dear friend was experiencing some troubles in matters of the heart.

In the past, if someone had told Gu Ci that Pei Jian could be troubled by matters of the heart, he would have been the first to deny it. What a joke—this was Pei Jian, after all!

But after experiencing Nianxi himself, Gu Ci fully understood the overwhelming power of love. Whether a sage or a commoner, once caught in its grasp, no one could escape unscathed.

Is Pei Jian being troubled by love? It made perfect sense. After all, love was the kind of emotion that could lift people to the heavens—or bring them to their knees.

“So, which family’s young lady owns these earrings?” Gu Ci asked with a teasing grin.

Pei Jian glanced at him deeply but said nothing.

Gu Ci immediately pieced things together. When he first met Nianxi, he also had been restless, consumed by uncertainty.

Judging by Pei Jian’s erratic mood swings and unpredictable behavior, Gu Ci boldly speculated that Pei Jian’s troubles were far from simple. Perhaps the “earring girl” already had someone in her heart—or worse, was already married!

How else could Pei Jian be unwilling even to reveal her name?

Watching Pei Jian’s expression, Gu Ci carefully chose his words. “Love is a matter of timing. Sometimes, no matter how much we wish for it, fate simply doesn’t align…”

Pei Jian murmured from the side, “Who knows if these earrings will ever be given away?”

Gu Ci: …

Oh no, confirmed. It’s serious!