A murmur rippled through the room. Xue Yingxue abruptly stood up, and the pearl necklace around her neck snapped, the beads scattering all over the floor with a clatter. The young master hurriedly went to pick them up, but accidentally stepped on and crushed several beads.

Xiao Xun calmly helped the prefect to his feet: "Please rise, everyone. I am here incognito, so there's no need for formalities." Turning to Xin Jiuwei, she took her hand: "Let me introduce you, this is my wife, Xin."

The prefect, being astute as he was, immediately bowed to Xin Jiuwei: "This humble official greets Your Highness!"

Xin Jiuwei was about to explain that the neighboring country had not yet been formally recognized as a vassal state when Xiao Xun took out a silk handkerchief and gently wiped away the crumbs of pastry that had somehow gotten stuck to the corner of her mouth: "Greedy cat." This intimate gesture caused the noble ladies present to tear their handkerchiefs to shreds.

Xue Yingxue was in a state of turmoil, and almost tore the brocade handkerchief in her hand to shreds.

News from the capital came slowly. She only knew that Xin Jiuwei had returned to Yingzhou, but she didn't know what had happened to her in the capital, let alone what had happened to Xiao Xun. She never expected that in the end, Xin Jiuwei would still marry better than her!

She was so angry she almost bit her teeth to pieces, but she couldn't retaliate, and she was so angry she almost vomited blood.

The poetry gathering ended abruptly. On the carriage ride home, Xin Jiuwei poked Xiao Xun's chest: "Was that on purpose?"

"Yes." Xiao Xun readily admitted, taking her fingers and kissing them lightly. "I can't bear to see you suffer."

Outside the carriage window, Xue Yingxue was being publicly reprimanded by the Crown Prince, tears streaming down her face. Xin Jiuwei was about to lower the curtain when she caught a glimpse of a man in black robes quietly approaching Xue Yingxue and handing her something. The man looked up, revealing a pair of eerie gray-blue eyes.

"What's wrong?" Xiao Xun followed her gaze, but the man in black robes had already disappeared into the crowd.

Xin Jiuwei shook her head: "I misread it." But she felt a vague unease in her heart.

When the carriage arrived at the Xin residence, Xin Jiuwei was led down by Xiao Xun, only to find that her sister's carriage had arrived before them. The two stood in front of the Xin residence, and Qi Huaihe was holding his sister's face, carefully getting closer. Ginkgo leaves fell into Xin Xiyao's hair, like golden butterflies.

"Don't look at what you shouldn't see!" Xin Jiuwei hurriedly turned around, stood on tiptoe, and reached out to cover Xiao Xun's eyes.

Startled by her voice, Xin Xiyao pushed Qi Huaihe away abruptly, her face turning bright red.

Qi Huaihe stood in front of Xin Xiyao and explained to Xin Jiuwei with a smile, "Just now, Yao said she got sand in her eyes, and I'm checking it out for her."

Xin Jiuwei's hand was still blocking Xiao Xun's eyes when she heard this. She turned around and said in a drawn-out voice, "Oh—sand got in."

Xiao Xun's eyes held a smile; he found her adorable and pulled her hand over.

Xin Xiyao glared at Xin Jiuwei, "You have no manners, making fun of your sister."

Xin Jiuwei smiled and released Xiao Xun, then stepped up the stairs to take Xin Xiyao's hand.

"Sister, please don't be offended. I just think you and my cousin are a good match, and I'm happy for you."

Xin Xiyao blushed even more, pinched Xin Jiuwei's cheek, and the two sisters chatted and laughed as they entered the house, while Xiao Xun and Qi Huaihe followed behind them like two guardian deities.

The next morning, Xin Jiuwei woke up groggily and reached out to touch nothing.

She immediately became more alert and saw a note on her pillow.

"Go to the East Sea, you'll be back in seven days. The medicine is on the stove, remember to drink it. —Xun"

She angrily crumpled the note into a ball, then reluctantly unfolded and smoothed it out. That liar! He promised to stay with her for half a month!

The medicine on the stove was still steaming, with two pieces of osmanthus cake next to it and a new note underneath:

"Please calm down, Madam. You may punish me as you see fit when we return."

Xin Jiuwei took a bite of the osmanthus cake, and the sweet fragrance melted in her mouth.

"fraud."

Just as she was about to call someone in to wash up, she faintly heard a commotion.

"Wang Qing, what's going on outside?"

Wang Qing and Mian Feng pushed open the door and came in, both with smiles on their faces.

"Miss, the Second Young Master is back!"

Xin Jiuwei was taken aback, then overjoyed. "Brother's back? Quickly help me get ready. Where is he now?"

"Don't worry, Miss. The Second Young Master is talking to the Eldest Miss right now. It's alright if we go later."

That's true, but Xin Jiuwei still urged them to hurry up. She casually combed her hair into a bun, changed her clothes, and went to her sister's courtyard.

Upon reaching the courtyard gate, they happened to run into Qi Huaihe, who was looking for Xin Xiyao. Xin Jiuwei obediently bowed, and the two entered the courtyard. Before they could speak, Xin Yunzhou whistled loudly, "Brother-in-law is here!"

After saying that, he ran up to Xin Jiuwei like a big dog, "Little sister, I've missed you so much!"

Xin Jiuwei was embraced by her brother, and seeing his darker complexion and much stronger physique, she felt a surge of pride.

The word "brother-in-law" made Xin Xiyao's ears turn red. Qi Huaihe put down the food box in his hand and said with a gentle smile, "I bought this breakfast from Fumanlou for Yaoyao. You should try it too."

Breakfast was laid out under the old locust tree in the courtyard. Xin Jiuwei helped her sister set the table, watching as Qi Huaihe carefully took out a celadon bowl from the bottom of the food box: "Yao... Xi Yao's favorite rock sugar snow frog soup, I've been watching it stew all night."

Xin Xiyao took the porcelain cup, and when their fingertips touched, both of them flinched as if burned. Xin Jiuwei chuckled to herself while biting into a glutinous rice cake, only to be pinched hard by her sister under the table.

"Wei'er, don't just watch the show," Xin Xiyao changed the subject. "What about the medicine pouch you said you'd make for Xiao Xun?"

"I'm embroidering it." Xin Jiuwei pulled out a half-finished piece; the crooked ginkgo leaves on it looked like they'd been gnawed by insects. "Anyway... the thought is what counts."

Xin Yunzhou leaned over for a look and immediately coughed, choking on the food: "My sister's skills... cough cough... if my brother-in-law wears this out, he'll probably be mistaken for a charlatan..."

"Brother!" Xin Jiuwei made a move to hit him, but Xin Yunzhou nimbly jumped away in an instant.

Xin Jiuwei exclaimed in surprise, "Brother, you've become so agile!"

"Isn't my sister underestimating me?" Xin Yunzhou rolled up his sleeves. "I'm a proper soldier now. For example, my brother-in-law certainly can't beat me!"

He had previously served as a lieutenant in the army and was now a captain. He had honed his skills on the battlefield, and his arm muscles looked somewhat frightening.

"Oh?" Qi Huaihe stood up with a smile. "Then let's have a sparring match?"

Although the Qi family was a merchant family and Qi Huaihe followed the path of taking the imperial examinations, he was actually quite good at martial arts and had almost no weaknesses.

Xin Yunzhou, who used to be useless at everything, is now triumphant and says, "Bring it on!"

Xin Xiyao rolled her eyes and said to the two of them, "How old are you combined? Aren't you childish?"

Qi Huaihe smiled and sat down next to her again. "When we were little, Yunzhou loved to have these kinds of competitions with me."

A hint of nostalgia, along with a touch of melancholy, flashed in Xin Xiyao's eyes.

Qi Huaihe knew what she was thinking, and quietly took her hand through her sleeve.