Song Juncai's tone was full of threat, and he was using his wife's memorial tablet and coffin to threaten his daughter.

Such a shameless person is the first I've ever seen in the world.

Her words infuriated Siqin and the others, who gripped their swords tightly and drew them, all wanting to rush forward and tell Song Juncai to shut up his incessant chatter.

But in broad daylight, in a bustling city center, they were surrounded by onlookers, peering and watching.

Siqin and the others could only reluctantly put their longswords back into their sheaths.

Song Juncai naturally sensed the anger of the crowd, but he was helpless to do anything about it, so he became even more smug.

He leaned forward slightly and whispered in Song Xizhi's ear:

"I don't even mind that you're not my child. I'll let you, a woman, be included in my Song family's genealogy. What are you still hesitating about?"

"Change your name, and your mother's memorial tablet will be preserved. Otherwise, I can't guarantee anything. I've already said this much; whether you do it or not is up to you."

Song Xizhi stared at him with her dark eyes, her face devoid of any emotion. Just as she was about to speak, she heard the sound of horses' hooves behind her.

The group turned their heads in the direction of the sound and saw the man's cold and stern face.

His long hair was tied up, and he wore a round-necked robe of emerald green. He also carried a large red bundle on his back. He held the reins, and his dark and aloof gaze was always fixed on Song Xizhi's direction.

Once the tall horse reached their side, He Jingyan squeezed its flanks with his legs, causing the horse to neigh and take two steps before slowly coming to a stop.

Song Xizhi looked up in surprise, gazing at He Jingyan's handsome face with its sharp eyebrows and bright eyes, and then at the incongruous red package behind him, which seemed to contain something with distinct edges and looked quite heavy.

She was somewhat stunned when she saw the man on horseback bend his straight back and slowly extend his hand toward her.

"Come up first and we'll talk about it later."

Song Xizhi nodded, grasped the outstretched hand, and felt the long arm exert a slight force, pulling him suddenly onto the horse's back.

Suddenly, everything spun around her, and then the man's hard chest pressed against her back, his familiar scent so close.

Immediately, He Jingyan stuffed the package on his back into Song Xizhi's arms and gently patted the back of her hand.

The moment the package landed in her arms, Song Xizhi knew exactly what was in her arms.

Her heart skipped a beat, and she quickly clutched the package in her arms tighter.

The angular memorial tablet was heavy and uncomfortable to hold, but it was the first time Song Xizhi had ever felt happiness.

The thing in her arms gave her a sense of security, allowing her to finally release all the grievances and bitterness she had been holding back.

Song Xizhi suppressed the stinging in his eyes, looked up at Song Juncai in front of the horse, and slowly said, word by word, "But I care."

“It’s clear that you agreed to this deal and benefited from it, yet you still deliberately ignored me and allowed everyone to bully and abuse me after my mother’s death because of your pathetic pride.”

"If I hadn't been lucky, I wouldn't be alive today."

As Song Xizhi spoke, she could feel the man's embrace tightening, as if silently conveying some kind of power.

So Song Xizhi continued, "You're the one who got hurt in this deal, I am. Why shouldn't I care?"

Upon hearing this, Song Juncai's expression changed, and a strange sense of unease suddenly arose in his heart, as if something he had always been certain of had suddenly lost his control.

He stared intently at the red package in Song Xizhi's arms, only to see Song Xizhi hug the package tighter and smile at him: "From this day forward, we have nothing to do with each other anymore."

"If you say anything ambiguous to me again, I won't mind letting the whole world know about this deal."

Upon hearing this, Song Juncai's eyes narrowed sharply.

Song Xizhi wanted to sever ties with him.

This is not what he wanted! He has no son! Not even Song Ruoan is his biological daughter!

He only has one child, Song Xizhi!

Song Juncai thought anxiously, and looked up in Song Xizhi's direction, only to see the two figures walking away.

After Song Xizhi finished speaking, He Jingyan tightened the reins without hesitation and drove away with Song Xizhi.

Feeling the biting wind whipping against his face, Song Xizhi clutched the memorial tablet tightly in his arms, a thousand bitter feelings and grievances welling up in his heart, yet he bit his lip and stubbornly endured them.

She asked the man behind her, "He Jingyan, how did you get my mother's memorial tablet?"

After she was reborn, she asked for it many times, but neither Song Juncai nor the people in the Buddhist temple were willing to give it to her. They even refused to take her to see her mother's coffin.

The man held the reins in one hand and wrapped the other arm around Song Xizhi's trembling shoulder. He pressed his chest against her back and, as if coaxing her, whispered in her ear:

"It's a secret."

"If you keep biting your lip to stop yourself from crying out loud, then I won't tell you anymore."

Song Xi was stunned. Feeling the warmth behind him, all his grievances poured out at once. He hugged the hard memorial tablet in his arms and sobbed.

"Mother...mother..."

In the howling wind, the woman's faint sobs turned into loud wailing.

He Jingyan closed his eyes, quickened the pace of his horse, and held the person in his arms even tighter.

The strong wind carried his deep, mellow voice to Song Xizhi's ears: "Let's temporarily place the memorial tablet at Baima Temple. Mother won't be a wandering ghost, and she won't suffer any more grievances in the future."

Song Xi was taken aback, staring at his red eyes before turning to look at him: "I thought you would say to put the memorial tablet in the Marquis of Anding's mansion."

He Jingyan was silent for a moment, then rested his chin on Song Xizhi's collarbone and said softly, "The White Horse Temple is very lively. There is also my mother's cenotaph there. Master Yuanhui will take care of it every day, so you don't need to worry."

Upon hearing his words, Song Xizhi's eyelids twitched, and he turned to look at him again, his voice somewhat hoarse: "Your mother's cenotaph?"

Does his statement mean that he has finally acknowledged his identity?

He Jingyan did not flinch at the doubt in her eyes, but smiled back at her and wiped away the tears from Song Xizhi's eyes with his fingertips.

Song Xizhi noticed that there was a hint of moisture in his smiling eyes.