Yandu.

Wang Wan visited her aunt in Jiankang a while ago, and fell ill after returning. Just after the New Year, Qushui Garden was deserted, and the lanterns hanging under the eaves looked even more desolate in the winter.

A maid carrying a bowl of medicine passed through the corridor, gently knocked on the door, and bowed as she went inside.

The room was warm from the burning charcoal fire, and incense burned in the gilded cloisonné censer, but it couldn't mask the strong, bitter smell of medicine in the air.

Wang Wan leaned weakly against the small couch and took the medicine brought by the nanny.

"Young lady, there are still two months until your wedding. Would you like to try on the wedding dress that was sent to you? If it doesn't fit, it can be altered."

After the old master of the Xie family passed away, the marriage was postponed for several months. Recently, the girl has become increasingly thin. If the wedding dress does not fit, it can still be altered.

"No need, everyone, please leave."

Seeing this, the old woman sighed, said no more, and bowed as she withdrew.

In winter, Wang Wan felt extremely cold. Even though she was covered with a black leopard fleece blanket and had a hot water bottle in her hand, she still felt cold.

She closed her eyes and leaned against the jade pillow behind her, unable to resist curling up slightly.

Two days ago, her mother searched for famous doctors for her, but to no avail. With her frail body, she didn't know if she could make it to the wedding.

As the thought flashed through her mind, she suddenly recalled the scenes from the Jinchi Garden two days ago. Her throat tightened slightly, and she covered her head with a blanket.

"The Langya Wang clan is a powerful and aristocratic family that values ​​strict rules and reputation above all else. Miss Wang has been raised by the clan's teachers since childhood, so she must not do anything that would damage her reputation, right?"

"My brother Ah Xuan and I will be getting married soon. All your past affairs are in the past. Don't do anything foolish in the future. If such shameful things get out, all the other young ladies of the Langya Wang family will have to become nuns and won't have the face to get married."

Jinchi Garden was a place frequented by young noblemen. A few days before the New Year, she went to the Plum Garden with her close friends to admire the flowers and ran into Xie San and Heng Zhiyan.

Not wanting to talk much, she nodded in acknowledgment and then walked past Chunlan to go to the stage to listen to the opera.

But Hengzhiyan stopped her, smilingly inviting her to go to the animal park together. She politely declined, but Xie Ling, who was standing next to her, didn't notice her discomfort and insisted on pulling her to join them, saying it would be more fun with more people.

Xie Ling and Heng Zhiyan were both very cheerful and talked non-stop the whole way, gossiping and laughing together. They also talked about which brand of rouge and powder was the best, and which jewelry and beads from Mingyuzhai were the most beautiful.

Xie Ling said that she was often ill and did not wear makeup, yet her skin was still so smooth and tender, unlike herself, who had to buy the newly released Jade Face Powder to cover up the blemishes on her face, complaining that the rouge was produced in the Western Regions and was hard to come by. Hengzhi Yan, on the other hand, coquettishly asked Xie San to send her some apricot blossom lip rouge, and they sang in unison.

The two were arguing so intensely that she felt dizzy and drowsy following behind.

Xie Xuan seemed impatient with their conversation, and after arriving at the animal viewing area, she made an excuse and disappeared.

After the three of them played for a while, Hengzhiyan sent Xie Ling away and turned cold.

It was a cold day, and she was wrapped in a fox fur coat and wanted to go back to her room to rest. She was pulled along and talked for a long time. Later, she couldn't hold on and fainted. She forgot some of what happened after that, but her words were clearly imprinted in her mind.

Just after the New Year, the streets were filled with joyous celebrations. Lanterns were hung high, and young ladies and gentlemen from prominent families in Yandu strolled in twos and threes, reciting poems. The entire city was immersed in the laughter and merriment of the New Year.

Because of her upcoming marriage, Wang Wan, who was in poor health, rarely went out and spent most of her time in Qushui Garden.

When the weather was nice, he would take a snowball out of the garden to bask in the sun, but when it snowed, he would stay in the warm pavilion and not go out. He was cooped up at home every day, which made Madam Wang feel sorry for him. No matter how she tried to persuade him, he would lie at home sickly and refuse to go out.

That day, during the family banquet at the manor, she secretly slipped out. There were many direct and indirect branches of the aristocratic family, and as a sickly young woman waiting to be married, she was not noticed by many.

The banquet inside was extravagant and lively, but it had just rained outside, and the weather had been bad and cold these past few days.

Wang Wan, wearing a white cloak and holding a bronze gourd-shaped incense burner, also felt a chill creeping up her feet.

When she returned to Qushui Garden, she heard from the maids that Xueqiu had run away and gone to find an incense stick; no one knew where she had gone.

Snowball is very mischievous and loves to play. It often sneaks out to play, and you can always find it in the rockery and bamboo grove.

She searched around the artificial hill in the back garden, but couldn't find it anywhere. Getting anxious, she ordered the maids to continue searching.

It rained and was chilly in Yandu a couple of days ago.

When Xie Xuan came out of the South Garden with Xueqiu in his arms, he saw a girl in a white fur coat leaning weakly against the artificial hill, her face pale and her body trembling.

He glanced at it casually, but his eyes met hers as she looked up at him.

Their eyes met in mid-air, and a subtle, palpable tension filled the air.

Wang Wan looked at the cat in his arms, then at his cold face, as white as snow in winter, and hesitated for a moment, her lips trembling.

After His Majesty went on the northern expedition, my third brother went to the southeast and returned yesterday to stay in the South Garden. I heard that he will be going to the northwest in two days.

He must have gone to find his third brother, since he came from Nanyuan. But how did the snowball end up in his hands?

"Meow~"

The sound of Snowball's cries brought the two back to their senses. Xie Xuan's face was indifferent. Ignoring Snowball's struggling legs, he walked around the corridor and was about to leave.

Wang Wan was slightly taken aback, but when she remembered that the snowball originally belonged to him, a hint of disappointment flashed in her eyes, and she did not say anything to stop him.

The distant strains of musicians playing instruments drifted over, a cool breeze rippled through the pond, and all around was so quiet that only the musicians' lingering songs could be heard.

She watched silently as the tall, slender figure emerged from the archway, then slowly withdrew her gaze and walked towards the Qushui Garden.

"Miss, Snowball is back. Winter Frost went downstairs to wash him. He was covered in mud and filthy. I don't know where he went to play."

The old woman's muttering voice rang in her ears. Wang Wan was stunned for a moment. Before she could speak, a noisy sound came from inside, and a soft little dumpling came flying into her arms.

Before she could react, it pounced on her and nearly knocked her over. The old woman behind her quickly reached out to support her, but she couldn't catch her and ended up cushioning her fall, causing a commotion and screaming.

"Oh dear, are you alright, Miss?"

"Quick, quick, help him up!"

The maids inside chased after them and helped them up.

Wang Wan, still in shock, lay pale-faced, clutching the innocent cat in her arms, her eyes wide open.

"Miss, are you alright?"

She snapped out of her daze and subconsciously looked at the little dumpling fussing in her arms. She looked him over and saw that it really was Snowball. Hadn't he just taken him away? How did he come back?

"Meow meow~"

"Quickly, it's cold, Miss, come inside and warm up!"