A burner of sandalwood incense burned on the table, and the occasional chirping of cicadas from outside the window drifted in. The two sat by the window drinking tea.

Xie An ordered someone to prepare some pastries that young women like, and chatted with her.

As Wang Wan ate the lotus seed cake, she suddenly recalled her past.

One year, she suffered a sudden heart attack and collapsed in the snow. Her entire body lost its temperature, and her family consulted many doctors, all of whom said she was going to die.

But her third brother somehow found a divine doctor from the northern frontier who could prolong her life and develop a pill.

Looking back now, that old doctor must have been Old Liang, or perhaps he was the one who found him.

The thought flashed through her mind, and she bit her lower lip, lowering her eyes. Even Old Master Liang was helpless with her illness, so---

"Ah Wan?"

A soft call sounded, and Wang Wan snapped out of her daze and looked up.

The white light from outside the window streamed in obliquely, shining on the person opposite, making their moon-colored brocade robe shimmer with light.

Aristocratic families often produce handsome men, and Xie An was undoubtedly a peerless beauty. With long eyebrows that reached his temples and distinct facial features, he was exceptionally handsome and exuded a cool and aristocratic air.

If the young master of the Xie family of Chenjun was unrestrained and flamboyantly handsome, then this eldest son was calm and reserved, possessing a serene and composed demeanor honed by years of experience.

How have you been feeling lately?

Wang Wan gently wiped her mouth with a handkerchief and smiled, "Much better."

Xie An was slowly brewing tea when he heard her words. He said softly, "Remember to take the medicine that Sanlang gave you on time."

She paused for a moment, then hummed in agreement and quietly watched him brew tea.

The upper-class gentry were known for their extravagance, drinking wine, composing poems, and floating wine cups on winding streams. However, some refined scholars preferred to use tea instead of wine. When brewing tea, they would crush the tea paste, add dogwood and citron, and boil it together to make a strong tea soup.

"Try it."

Wang Wan took the soup, took a small sip, and praised it, saying, "The soup is clear and bright, smooth and delicate on the palate, with a refreshing and sweet taste."

Xie An nodded and smiled, saying nothing more.

Looking at his cold and aloof expression, Wang Wan felt a pang of sadness and couldn't help but think of the corpse beneath the frozen lake.

Xie Er was quite unruly back then. She had heard of his great name since she was a child. The young general was dressed in fine clothes and rode a spirited horse. He rode across the battlefield with a long spear and defeated the arrogant young prince of Nan Yan who came to the Central Plains to compete with him.

After the battle of Nan Yan, he became so obsessed that he imprisoned the corpse for eight whole years. Eight years! The corpse could not be buried and was hidden deep beneath the icy lake. He lived in darkness day and night. If Sister Ziyan were alive, she would not want to see him tormenting himself day and night.

"you---"

He looked up at her, his expression calm.

Wang Wan's words caught in her throat, and she fell silent.

She was an outsider and had no right to talk about other people's private affairs.

Alas, if she were to die, she would not want to be imprisoned and buried in an icy lake where she would never see the light of day.

"It's getting late, I should head back now."

Xie An put down his teacup and said softly, "I'll see you off."

Wang Wan glanced at his body sitting in the wheelchair, and politely declined with a faint smile.

Get some rest.

As darkness fell and the night air grew cold, she carried a gauze lantern out of the attic.

Seeing that it was cold outside, Xie An handed her a cloak and ordered a maid to escort her out of the mansion to her carriage.

The West Garden was very large. After crossing the bridge, they passed through an artificial hill with reclining pines, strange rocks, clear bamboo, and flowing springs. A gentle breeze blew, and the bamboo forest rustled.

Wang Wan felt the forest was eerie and couldn't help but wrap her cloak tighter around herself.

"How much further?"

The maidservant walked ahead carrying a lantern and said respectfully, "After passing through this grove and two archways, it will be quick."

"---"

The moonlight shone on the bamboo forest, casting a soft, gentle glow.

Wang Wan felt a chill down her back and was about to turn around when she suddenly heard the sound of a maid screaming and falling to the ground.

She was startled and was about to cry for help when her mouth was tightly covered. A lithe man in black dragged her backward.

The scene before her eyes flashed by rapidly. She bit down on the black-clad man's hand, swiftly pulled out the hairpin from her hair, and stabbed it backward fiercely.

The man in black cried out in pain and let go, his soft body rolling to the ground with a thud.

Ignoring the pain, Wang Wan got up and tried to run, but the man in black behind her was too fast. He rushed forward fiercely and grabbed her shoulder blade.

Her face turned deathly pale with pain. "Who is it?"

Why were there assassins at the Xie family's ancestral home? And why were they trying to capture her?

The man in black didn't speak, but grabbed her and tried to leave. She struggled and resisted, a sharp pain shooting through her chest, and a metallic taste rising in her throat.

"open---"

"My lord requests your presence. If Miss continues to struggle, I will take a corpse back with me."

Wang Wan ignored him and stabbed him with the hairpin in her hand.

The man in black's eyes hardened, and he grabbed her hand, unleashing a powerful surge of internal energy towards her skull.

Suddenly, a red shadow flashed before my eyes, and blood splattered all over the ground with a splash.

She fell to the ground with a thud, followed by several sharp swishing sounds. Looking up, she saw many assassins suddenly appearing from all sides, heading straight for the red figure.

"Xie Xuan, behind you."

She shouted and was about to stand up when the red figure flashed by, scooped her up with incredible speed, and flew backward.

The sound of weapons whistling through the air rang out from both sides. He held her and moved to the side, his movements as swift as lightning, easily dodging the arrows.

The biting wind stung my cheeks, and the bleak moonlight shone on the dark bamboo forest.

The person behind them was in hot pursuit, and Wang Wan's body ached so much that she clung tightly to him.

Xie Xuan picked her up and leaped onto the roof, heading towards the abandoned garden.

Under the pitch-black night, in the desolate garden, which was ridiculously large, they entered a side courtyard and walked several hundred steps before seeing a well.

Wang Wan, pale-faced, slumped in his arms, her body weak and powerless. If it weren't for his strength supporting her, she would have collapsed on the spot.

She recalled the martial arts techniques of those men in black, and a chill ran down her spine. Why were the Xie family chasing after him and trying to kidnap her?

A jumble of complex thoughts surged within her, but now was not the time to ask questions. Her eyes searched for a place to hide.

Xie Xuan carried her to the well. "Can you swim?"

Before Wang Wan could speak, there was a commotion behind her. His eyes darkened, and he grabbed her waist and jumped into the water.

She was terrified and immediately held her breath, but she couldn't swim at all. As soon as she entered the well water, the icy coldness made her face turn even paler, and her body sank down uncontrollably.

A strong force struck, her waist was suddenly gripped, and cool lips covered hers to breathe.

Her will to survive made her instinctively wrap her arms around his neck and press her body tightly against his.

Xie Xuan wrapped one arm around her waist and the other around her leg, kissing her fiercely and forcefully, drawing her into his mouth and continuously savoring her sweetness.

In the icy water, the two embraced and kissed tightly. She opened her eyes, and their eyes met, filled with a complex mix of emotions.