The woman in front of Lin Zhaoxue was playing with a marriage token bearing Li Yanyong’s name, replying casually:

“The Head of the Household’s mansion and ours are next to each other; we’ve knocked down the walls between our courtyards, and we can visit each other through the side gate.  It’s not really like we live together.”

Lin Zhaoxue still didn’t believe her:

“What about your uncle? Li Yanyong’s uncle is difficult to deal with.  You marrying into the family goes against his wish to marry his daughter to Li Yanyong; he’ll certainly target you.”

The woman’s expression changed, “You don’t know my identity?”

“What do you mean?”

The woman’s voice turned cold: “The difficult uncle you’re talking about, Li Yanyong’s uncle, is my father.”

Lin Zhaoxue was shocked: “You’re Ding Huanhua?”

The woman who, five years ago, had eaten the “reconciliation meal” she had given Li Yanyong.

The woman nodded in confirmation.

Lin Zhaoxue was speechless.

She fell completely silent.

Because she was certain that the separation was real.

Her gaze lingered on the marriage token with Li Yanyong’s name that Ding Huanhua was holding.  Then, it dropped.

Thoughtful?

Considerate?

So these words could also be used to describe Li Yanyong.

After a long time.

She sneered before speaking, “He’s actually willing to separate from the family for you.”

“You two are truly devoted.”

A strained smile played on Lin Zhaoxue’s lips.

After offering her congratulations, the smile faded.

She was somewhat stunned.

As if suddenly enlightened.

So they could actually separate.

She had racked her brains and never thought:

To avoid being bullied by relatives, they could separate.

Because Lin Zhaoxue had always known that Li Yanyong, as the most exemplary and responsible heir of a prominent family, would never separate from the family.

Therefore, she had suffered for so many years.

But today, Ding Huanhua’s words had slapped her in the face.

She had been married for seven years, worn down by those relatives, and never managed to leave the Li family.

She had been buried in the Li family’s tomb.

But Ding Huanhua had only been married for a year before Li Yanyong, out of concern for her, separated from the family with her.

Lin Zhaoxue’s fighting spirit and confidence, as well as her excitement at seeing Li Yanyong again, had dissipated.

All that remained was helplessness and embarrassment.

She suddenly recalled Li Yanyong’s words at her bedside as she lay dying:

“It’s my fault. I neglected her.”

Indeed, Li Yanyong’s words were always precious.

If he admitted fault, he would surely change.

Li Yanyong had indeed changed.

But he had compensated another woman.

This was exactly what Lin Zhaoxue had wanted to see.

She had struggled for so long, even to the point of death, and finally got her wish, making Li Yanyong change.

But she wasn’t happy at all.

“Thank you. My husband and I are indeed quite devoted,” Ding Huanhua said softly, her voice like a shy leaf when discussing her relationship with Li Yanyong, yet she admitted it openly, clearly not the only one to say so.

Devoted?

To what extent?

Lin Zhaoxue’s heart was pierced again.

She took a deep breath and clenched her fists.

No, she wasn’t willing to give up.

She had to see Li Yanyong in person.

No matter how real or painful, she had to see him.

Without seeing Li Yanyong with her own eyes, she wouldn’t doubt Li Yanyong’s feelings.

She needed to hear it from him personally, or witness it herself, that he had fallen in love with someone else, before she would let go.

A woman deeply in love would never give up easily; she wouldn’t let go unless she saw proof.

No blood, no giving up.

Lin Zhaoxue was about to ask more indirectly, but Ding Huanhua started to dismiss her.

Clearly, Ding Huanhua was angry because Lin Zhaoxue called her father “difficult to deal with.”

Because Ding Huanhua’s father was indeed a scoundrel.

Ding Huanhua didn’t particularly respect her father, but she felt ashamed and angry.

Lin Zhaoxue had unintentionally said that.

She wasn’t one to cling, knowing the consequences, she didn’t bother to make things worse and decided to leave.

But she had another question—

Why could Ding Huanhua so easily dismiss her?

Wasn’t she afraid of Li Zongheng?

After all, Lin Zhaoxue’s current identity was as Li Zongheng’s concubine.

Although a concubine, she was the only woman Li Zongheng had ever brought home.

If Lin Zhaoxue was arrogant, and Ding Huanhua angered her, and she ran to Li Zongheng to complain, and Li Zongheng got angry—the consequences would be unimaginable.

If Li Zongheng really got angry, only Li Yanyong’s status could protect Ding Huanhua.

But, from Lin Zhaoxue’s understanding of her husband, Li Yanyong wasn’t someone who would interfere in the inner household.

He wouldn’t protect her, but would think she was causing trouble.

Before leaving, Lin Zhaoxue casually asked Ding Huanhua, intending to remind her: “You’re dismissing me so easily, aren’t you afraid I’ll complain to Li Zongheng?”

In the inner household, people’s hearts are unpredictable.

Ding Huanhua didn’t even lift her head, replying nonchalantly:

“My husband said, if anyone makes me uncomfortable, I can just retort, don’t keep it in my heart.”

“He’ll take responsibility for me anyway, so what am I afraid of?”

She said this matter-of-factly, casually.

Lin Zhaoxue paused, about to leave.

Her self-righteous concerns seemed like a joke in front of Ding Huanhua.

Lin Zhaoxue tried to hide the complex sadness in her eyes.

Ding Huanhua continued: “Besides, I have a good reason to dismiss you.”

“Mr. and Mrs. Lin, the Chancellor, will be coming soon. They’re very important people, and they’re my adoptive parents now.”

“I can’t afford to neglect them.”

Lin Zhaoxue suddenly looked up: “Who?”

Ding Huanhua: “Mr. and Mrs. Lin, the Chancellor.”

Lin Zhaoxue’s hands and feet turned cold: “They adopted you as their daughter?”

Ding Huanhua: “What’s the problem?”

In the end, Lin Zhaoxue fled in great embarrassment.

Before leaving, she heard Ding Huanhua excitedly preparing her clothes to meet Mr. and Mrs. Lin, full of life and at ease.

This formed a stark contrast to her hasty escape.

Leaving the house she had once lived in, Lin Zhaoxue leaned against the wall, under the eaves.

She gasped for breath.

But the bitterness in her heart wouldn’t ease.

People really change so much.

Five years ago, Li Yanyong was cold as ice; five years later, Li Yanyong was considerate and attentive.

In Ding Huanhua’s eyes, she saw a completely different Li Yanyong from what she knew.

And then, her parents.

Her own parents, the Chancellor and his wife, according to Ding Huanhua.

They had adopted Ding Huanhua as their daughter.

Lin Zhaoxue had planned to tell her parents that she was still alive after they finished work.

Because in Lin Zhaoxue’s understanding, her parents would never betray her.

Everyone changes, but not her parents, right?

They would stand firmly by her side.

But she was wrong again.

Her parents had a new daughter.

As for the reason…

It was possible that her parents were heartbroken because she had died.

Then, they placed that longing on Ding Huanhua.

Or, it was possible that her parents felt that she had been worn down by the inner household, was unfilial and incompetent, and had disgraced them.

So, they adopted another obedient and gentle girl as their daughter, making up for the regret of having an unfilial daughter like Lin Zhaoxue.

In five years, everything had changed.

Her husband, her parents… the people she cherished, had all changed.

Lin Zhaoxue suddenly crumpled the letter she intended to give her parents into a ball.

She sent someone to investigate.

But she had finally accepted reality.

Ding Huanhua said that Mr. and Mrs. Lin were taking her on a trip, so it was probably time for the officials to finish work.

Li Yanyong should be returning home now.

She had to see him in person.

Then, everything would be resolved.

*

But the most awkward thing happened.

Li Yanyong wouldn’t see her.

Ding Huanhua stood in front of Lin Zhaoxue.

She said, “My husband said it’s inconvenient to see you.”

Lin Zhaoxue was confused and anxious:

“Why?”

Ding Huanhua hesitated for a moment before sighing:

“It’s not that I’m jealous, or that I’m controlling.”

“But my husband said he’s afraid I’ll overthink things, so he doesn’t see other women at all, he avoids them completely.”

Lin Zhaoxue was breathless.

She almost laughed.

Li Yanyong, keeping his distance from women?

Even taking the initiative to keep his distance.

How ridiculous.

In the past, Ding Huanhua, before she was married, had always been around Li Yanyong.

Lin Zhaoxue hadn’t met Ding Huanhua, but just hearing about their interactions, she couldn’t help but be jealous.

She had mentioned it to Li Yanyong, but he was annoyed, saying she was overthinking.

She couldn’t control her anger, she was furious, and they had a fight about it.

He was always calm and didn’t argue with her.

He just grew colder towards her.

So, her jealousy that time resulted in a cold bed.

She had even been cold towards Li Yanyong because of that until her death five years ago.

Yet, now that Ding Huanhua was married, Li Yanyong, to avoid making Ding Huanhua overthink, wouldn’t even see other women, let alone spend time with them.

Lin Zhaoxue found it absurd and ridiculous.