A few days later.

"Young Master Qi, you're having good luck!"

The casino owner, Zhao San, grinned broadly, personally pouring Qi Huaiyu a cup of wine. Qi Huaiyu stared at the mountain of silver ingots piled on the table, his Adam's apple bobbing. This was his third win of the night; he had at least two hundred taels of silver in front of him.

"One more round?" Zhao San pointed to the dice cup. "You're on a winning streak today; it would be a shame not to press your advantage."

Qi Huaiyu picked up his glass and downed it in one gulp. The burning sensation of the cheap liquor burned from his throat to his stomach. He hadn't had a decent meal in three days, and the alcohol made his eyes red.

"Bet big!" He pushed all the silver coins to the center of the gambling table.

The dice clattered, and Qi Huaiyu stared intently at the black dice cup, his nails digging deep into his palms. When the lid was lifted, his blood froze—three ones, as small as could be.

"Oh dear, what a pity." Zhao San shook his head regretfully, but quickly snatched all the silver away. "Would Young Master Qi like to continue?"

Cold sweat beaded on Qi Huaiyu's forehead. He had already pawned the last piece of jewelry left by Madam Feng, and now he was penniless...

"I can lend it to you." Zhao San leaned close to his ear, his voice like a viper's hiss, "I heard you still have a past relationship with the second young lady of the Xin family?"

Qi Huaiyu suddenly looked up and met Zhao San's sinister smile. He knew it was a trap, but he had no other choice as he was desperate.

"Lend me one hundred taels," he said through gritted teeth. "I'll pay you back two hundred in three days."

Zhao San laughed heartily, patting him on the shoulder and saying, "Great job! Someone, get Young Master Qi the chips!"

Five days later, at the back gate of the Xin residence.

Qi Huaiyu, dressed in faded old clothes and holding an exquisite brocade box, paced back and forth outside the door. He deliberately kept stubble on his face, and there were dark circles under his eyes, giving him the appearance of a down-on-his-luck scholar.

"Young master, who are you looking for?" a sweeping servant asked curiously.

Qi Huaiyu forced a gentle smile, suppressing his humiliation: "Please inform the young lady that... Qi Huaiyu requests an audience with the Second Miss."

The servant's eyes widened: "Qi...Qi..." He abruptly dropped the broom and ran inside, shouting, "Steward! That ingrate is here!"

Qi Huaiyu's smile froze, his fingers gripping the edge of the brocade box tightly. A moment later, the side door creaked open, revealing the steward's icy face.

"What brings you here, Young Master Qi?" The steward didn't even bother with a formal greeting.

Qi Huaiyu took a deep breath and bowed deeply: "Please inform the Second Miss that I have important matters to discuss."

"The second young lady said she won't see her." The butler made a move to close the door.

"Wait!" Qi Huaiyu hurriedly blocked the door. "Please give this to the Second Miss. Tell her...tell her I know I was wrong." He handed over the brocade box, his voice choked with emotion. "This is Madam Xin's keepsake. I specially retrieved it."

The butler suspiciously took the brocade box, opened it a crack to peek inside, and his expression changed slightly: "Wait."

Xin Jiuwei was checking the accounts of the silk shop in her study when she heard that Qi Huaiyu was requesting an audience. Her pen paused, and the ink smeared onto the paper, leaving a black stain.

"What did he say?"

"He said he knew he was wrong, and even brought... the lady's gold hairpin." The butler presented the brocade box.

Xin Jiuwei took the brocade box, her fingertips trembling slightly. Her mother had passed away early, leaving behind few belongings. That gold hairpin was her most precious keepsake; she had been heartbroken for a long time after it was stolen by Qi Huaiyu in her previous life.

The moment the brocade box was opened, Xin Jiuwei's pupils contracted sharply—the gold hairpin lay quietly on the red silk, exactly as she remembered it. She carefully picked it up, but stopped when she touched the phoenix's eye. No, her mother's gold hairpin had two rubies for the phoenix's eye, but this one... was glass.

"Let him in," she said coldly. "I want to see just how far he can go with his act."

When Qi Huaiyu was taken to the side courtyard, Xin Jiuwei was sitting at the stone table making tea.

Sunlight filtered through the wisteria trellis, casting dappled shadows on her pale white dress. She didn't even lift her eyelids, as if no one was there at all.

"It's been a long time... Second Miss." Qi Huaiyu changed his form of address, his voice hoarse, "You've lost weight since I last saw you."

Xin Jiuwei slowly poured herself a cup of tea and pushed it across from her: "Sit down."

Qi Huaiyu was flattered and about to sit down when Xin Jiuwei said again, "I didn't ask you to sit."

His knees froze in mid-air before he finally stood up, looking embarrassed.

"Where did the gold hairpin come from?" Xin Jiuwei asked directly.

"I...I searched everywhere and went, and it took a lot of effort to find it." Qi Huaiyu's eyes reddened. "Back then, I was blinded by greed and stole Madam's belongings. These past few days, I haven't been able to eat or sleep properly, and I vowed to find them..."

Xin Jiuwei suddenly slammed the gold hairpin on the stone table with a crisp "smack": "Continue."

Qi Huaiyu shuddered at the noise, but still forced a performance: "I know I'm deeply sinful and dare not ask for forgiveness. I only hope... I only hope that you'll consider our past relationship..."

"Past affections?" Xin Jiuwei finally looked up at him, her gaze as cold as ice. "Are you referring to when you stole my sister's poems? Or when you planted poison under my saddle?"

Qi Huaiyu knelt down with a thud, tears streaming down his face: "I was wrong! I really know I was wrong! It was all Feng's doing that instigated me! She said if she didn't get rid of you and your siblings, I would be stuck as a servant for the rest of my life..."

Xin Jiuwei watched his performance quietly, her heart unmoved. In her past life, she might have been moved by his tearful outburst, but now she had long since seen through the filthy soul beneath that facade.

"Finished?" She picked up her teacup and took a sip. "Someone, see the guest out."

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