Xin Jiuwei stood alone, looking at the bowl of medicine, then at her injured left shoulder. The pain in her shoulder had almost disappeared, leaving only the cool and comfortable feeling from the Bi Ning ointment, a reminder of its preciousness. The medicinal soup on the small table emitted a warm, bitter aroma.

fraud…

But…

She slowly raised her uninjured right hand, her fingertips unconsciously touching the thick gauze on her left shoulder. There, she could still feel the cool touch of his hand supporting her.

Chaotic emotions, like vines, entwined her heart. The anger still burned, but it no longer seemed so pure. A trace of indescribable confusion and... a wavering so faint she didn't even want to delve into it, quietly began to grow.

She ultimately didn't touch the bowl of medicine, but instead wearily and slowly sat down in the thickly cushioned armchair. Her body sank into the soft backrest, and the days of running around, the shock, anger, and pain washed over her like a tidal wave, leaving her feeling more exhausted than ever before.

The lights of Qingyan Hall flickered outside the window, illuminating her pale and bewildered profile. The cage had been built, and she was trapped within it. The man who had imprisoned her here was a man of unfathomable depths, his actions contradictory and incomprehensible. He had laid a grand deception, yet he had swiftly rescued her when she was on the verge of death; he had used her as bait, yet he had used the most precious medicine to heal her wounds; he was domineering and tyrannical, yet when she stubbornly resisted, he left behind a bowl of medicine and turned away…

Xiao Xun, what exactly are you trying to do?

Xin Jiuwei closed her eyes, her chaotic thoughts like the howling cold wind outside the window, unable to find a way home.

The air was filled with the tinkling of jade pendants and the gentle fragrance of perfume. Several young women, dressed in splendid attire and exquisite makeup, were led in. The leader, Princess Yongjia, was dressed in a bright red palace gown, adorned with golden hairpins and dangling ornaments, her beauty striking and flamboyant. As soon as she entered, her gaze swept over Xin Jiuwei like a searchlight, carrying undisguised scrutiny and condescending disdain.

"Oh, does Sixth Brother have a distinguished guest today?" Princess Yongjia's voice was clear and crisp, with a deliberate air of intimacy. However, when her gaze fell on Xin Jiuwei, it instantly turned cold, and her smile seemed fake. "This younger sister looks unfamiliar. May I ask which family's daughter she is? That Your Highness would make an exception and host a banquet for her in your residence?" She deliberately emphasized the word "made an exception."

Xin Jiuwei rose and performed a flawless curtsy according to custom: "Xin Jiuwei of the Xin family of Yingzhou greets the Princess and all the young ladies." Her voice was calm and composed.

"The Xin family of Yingzhou?" Beside Princess Yongjia, a pretty young girl in a pale yellow dress—Liu Yiyi, the second young lady of the Marquis of Pingyang's mansion—covered her mouth and chuckled softly, her voice just loud enough for everyone to hear, "But that... the Xin family, which isn't even ranked in Yingzhou?"

A deliberately suppressed sneer rang out among the noble ladies, their disdain almost palpable. The Xin family's downfall was indeed insignificant in the eyes of these haughty noblewomen of the capital.

Princess Yongjia's smile widened, and the contempt in her eyes deepened: "So it's Miss Xin San. I've long heard that the Xin family's daughters..." She paused deliberately, her gaze sweeping meaningfully between Xin Jiuwei and Xiao Xun, and drew out her words, "—they know exactly where to put their efforts, and they're masters of currying favor."

These words were a blatant insult, dragging Xin Jiuwei and the entire Xin family down with them, implying that she was shameless and had tried to curry favor with the prince.

Xin Jiuwei's face instantly turned cold. The reputation of the Xin family was one of the things she vowed to protect in this second life, how could she allow anyone to trample on it like this! She raised her eyes and looked at Princess Yongjia's face, which was full of smugness and malice, and was about to speak.

"Princess, please be careful with your words."

A deep voice rang out before her, carrying an undeniable chill.

It is Xiao Xun.

He had put down his wine glass sometime earlier, still leaning back in his chair, his posture even appearing relaxed. However, the invisible pressure emanating from him caused the temperature in the entire hall to drop several degrees. He didn't look at Princess Yongjia; his gaze was fixed on Xin Jiuwei, but the warning in his eyes was clearly conveyed to everyone present.

Princess Yongjia's smile froze for a moment. She hadn't expected Xiao Xun to embarrass her in public for the sake of a daughter from a lowly noble family. A look of surprise and embarrassment flashed in her eyes.

Xin Jiuwei was also startled. She hadn't expected Xiao Xun to speak up. However, just when she thought he would defend the Xin family or herself, Xiao Xun's next words were like an even sharper ice pick, unexpectedly piercing her composure.

Xiao Xun's gaze, seemingly unintentionally, swept over the slender, fair neck of Xin Jiuwei as she bowed slightly in greeting, finally settling on an ambiguous mark near the edge of her collar, half-hidden by strands of hair, its color faded but still clearly visible.

His thin lips parted slightly, his voice not loud, yet it echoed clearly in the suddenly deathly silent hall, carrying a chilling, almost cruel, declaration:

“Miss Xin is no ordinary person to me.” He paused, shifting his gaze from the mark to Xin Jiuwei’s instantly pale face and the almost bursting anger in her eyes. Each word was crystal clear:

"The scar on the back of her neck was the only medicine that saved my life when the poison took hold."

boom--!

Xin Jiuwei felt all the blood rush to her head, only to freeze instantly! Humiliation, anger, disbelief… a torrent of emotions overwhelmed her! How dare he?! How dare he, in front of everyone, publicly expose the chaotic traces of that night in such a shameful and blatant way?! And even bestow upon it the absurd title of "life-saving medicine"!

This wasn't protecting her; it was completely nailing her to the pillar of shame! Letting everyone know how despicable it was that Xin Jiuwei had to use to even step into the Sixth Prince's mansion!

"Xiao Xun!" Xin Jiuwei suddenly looked up, her eyes burning with rage, her voice trembling slightly with extreme anger, almost cracking. She completely forgot about hierarchy and addressed him by his name.

The hall was deathly silent. You could hear a pin drop.

Princess Yongjia and the group of noble ladies were all stunned, their eyes wide open, staring intently at the mark that had been pointed out on the back of Xin Jiuwei's neck. Their faces were filled with shock, disdain, jealousy, and a kind of excitement at watching a good show. Those gazes were like poisoned needles, densely packed and piercing Xin Jiuwei.

Xiao Xun, however, seemed not to hear her hate-filled shout, nor to see the varied expressions on everyone's faces. He even leisurely picked up his wine glass, took a small sip, and acted as if he had just said, "The weather is quite nice today."

Xin Jiuwei's fingertips dug deeply into her palms, the sharp pain barely keeping her from overturning the table. She knew that every moment she stayed there was an increase in humiliation. She suddenly stood up, the chair legs scraping against the floor with a jarring sound.

"Your Highness's kindness is too much for me to accept! Farewell!" She practically forced out these words through gritted teeth, her voice icy and chilling. Without looking at anyone, she turned to leave this suffocating place.