About a month ago, Dong Maolin submitted a memorial to the emperor, expressing his desire to retire from officialdom. The emperor approved it with his vermilion brush.

Since then, the once-renowned head of the Hanlin Academy and a veteran of three dynasties has become an idle man with nothing to do.

Fortunately, a theatrical troupe came to Qingfengju, and he came almost every day to relax, ordering a pot of good tea and listening to a few songs. He lived a leisurely life.

However, he never expected to run into Song Ting here.

Everyone knows that their Commander of the Embroidered Uniform Guard is not someone to be trifled with. He is always alone and seems uninterested in anything. He neither eats meat nor gets close to women. Although he holds a high position, he lives like an ascetic.

How could someone like that possibly come to Qingfengju to watch a play? Therefore, when Dong Maolin caught a glimpse of the person upstairs, he paused for a moment before hurriedly asking the waiter to invite the person up.

"This old man greets Commander." Dong Maolin bowed politely to him.

Song Ting nodded indifferently, and before the host could speak, led Chu Huaixu to sit down.

Dong Maolin, however, remained standing, his gaze falling on Chu Huaixu, and he bowed to him as well: "This must be Young Master Huaiyue."

Song Ting instinctively stepped in front of him, then frowned: "Sir, please sit down."

This meant that Dong Maolin should stop paying attention to Huaiyue. Dong Maolin was a smart man, so he naturally understood Song Ting's meaning.

Just as he was about to sit down, he glanced down and saw the injury on Song Ting's right hand.

"Oh dear, why is your hand bleeding!"

Song Ting followed his gaze and glanced at his hand—the injury was probably from being scratched earlier, but he hadn't noticed it.

He remained calm and said indifferently, "It's nothing."

The wound was clearly still bleeding, so how could it be nothing serious? But since Song Ting had said so, Dong Maolin didn't say much more, only offering another word of advice:

"Your health is precious, so you should take extra care."

Song Ting nodded expressionlessly. "Lord Dong, please have a seat as well."

Dong Maolin sat down as instructed, and casually inquired about the young emperor's health: "Is Your Majesty in good health? And how is the Empress Dowager?"

Chu Minghuan is eating and sleeping well, but the Empress Dowager's health is poor; it's just a matter of delaying things. The Ministry of Rites has already received the young emperor's order and is making preparations.

"My lord, there is no need to worry. His Majesty and the Empress are both well."

Dong Maolin said, "That's good, then I can rest assured."

Song Ting said calmly, "Since you care so much about His Majesty and the Empress, why are you so determined to resign?"

Dong Maolin cupped his hands in a gesture of respect: "Alas, to be honest, sir, I am simply too old and useless. All I can do now is listen to some tunes to pass the time. I cannot share the burdens of His Majesty and you, sir, and I feel ashamed!"

Compared to Zhang Bingzhi, Dong Maolin, that old fox, was no less cunning; both were scheming and cunning. Frankly, Song Ting absolutely did not believe his nonsense.

His gaze swept around discreetly before settling on the teacup beside him.

"Have I disturbed Lord Dong's enjoyment?"

Dong Maolin was taken aback for a moment, then turned his gaze over as well: "What are you saying, Commander? I just ran into an old friend, but he left a while ago. There was no disturbance at all. I am just being polite."

"Lord Dong, you flatter me."

As they were talking, the play finally began. The audience upstairs and downstairs gradually quieted down, and the two of them stopped talking and turned their attention back to the stage.

Song Ting glanced at the old fox silently, then turned her head to meet Chu Huaixu's gaze.

The man remained silent after going upstairs, quietly playing the role of a mute beauty, as if he were truly someone Song Tingyang kept by her side.

This thought, so blasphemous, made Song Ting's heart feel slightly warm.

Chu Huaixu curled his lips into a smile, then quickly looked away. Song Ting suppressed the flutter in her heart and followed his gaze to the stage.

He wasn't interested in opera. The first time Chu Huaixu brought him to Qingfengju to watch an opera, the performer sang on stage for ages, but he couldn't understand a word and fell asleep right away.

It remains the same to this day. But Chu Huaixu seemed to like it very much, his eyes fixed on the people on the stage, his expression changing with the joy or sorrow of the singing.

Seeing how attentively he listened, Song Ting couldn't help but feel a little happy. He simply stopped paying attention to the actors and instead focused all his attention on the man beside him.

The current star performer of the Sixi Troupe is a beauty whose fame resounds throughout the entire Dayan Kingdom. All the high-ranking officials and nobles are vying to support him, and even Song Ting has heard of him.

Even the most famous beauties pale in comparison to the one before him, becoming nothing more than ordinary, commonplace women. Only Chu Huaixu truly captivated Song Ting's attention.

Finally, Chu Huaixu grew impatient with the stare and reached out to turn his face back: "Why are you staring at me like that? Are you watching a show?"

Song Ting reluctantly looked away. The play on stage had entered its most exciting part, and thunderous applause erupted from the audience. Song Ting, however, propped her chin up and closed her eyes in a daze.

He didn't know how much time had passed when he suddenly opened his eyes and found himself in the mountains.

It was winter, and the surroundings were covered in snow and all was quiet, except for a few sparrows struggling to find food in the snow not far away.

Song Ting was in a daze and couldn't quite process what was happening. He remembered that he was watching a play at Qingfeng Residence, but how did he end up in the mountains in the blink of an eye?

Moreover, everything around him gave him a very familiar feeling, as if he had been here before, and more than once.

This made Song Ting even more confused. But soon, he didn't have time to think any further, because a thin, frail figure suddenly appeared before him.

On such a cold day, the person was wearing only a single layer of clothing, walking unsteadily step by step through the snow.

"master!"

"Mingyu!"

Song Ting recognized the person instantly. He quickly chased after him, and although the distance between them was already very short, Song Ting reached out, but he couldn't grab the person no matter what he did.

He tried calling out to Chu Huaixu, hoping he would turn around and look at him, but his throat felt blocked and he couldn't make a sound.

The figure walked further and further away, about to disappear, and Song Ting paced anxiously in circles. His unease continued to grow, and he finally remembered where he was.

It is Laojun Mountain.

Chu Huaixu jumped down from here back then, and after searching for many days, he finally found a piece of cloth from the man's clothes on a tree branch.

Terrifying nightmares haunted him night after night, and he dared not, and could not, let such a thing happen again.

Don't go.

Mingyu.

Chu Huai Xu!

Please don't go!

Don't leave me, please...

"My lord, wake up, my lord..." Song Ting knelt in the snow. He didn't know how much time had passed when he felt someone gently pushing his body, and he vaguely heard a familiar voice calling him.

"Mingyu!" Opening her eyes, the scene before her suddenly changed to a heavily made-up actress on stage, singing and chanting.