Night fell like a vast black ribbon, slowly descending upon the bustling capital. Streetlights, like twinkling stars, gradually illuminated every corner of the world.

Inside the Tianxianglou branch, under the warm yellow candlelight, Xu Yuehuai and Qi Guze's figures appeared exceptionally gentle.

Xu Yuehuai stood before Qi Guze, her eyes filled with reluctance and longing. Her fingers gently twisted the hem of her dress, as if to ease the tension and anxiety in her heart. Her voice trembled slightly: "I have to go back now."

Qi Guze gazed at her, a hint of reluctance flashing in his eyes. He reached out, wanting to hold her hand, but ultimately withdrew it. He took a deep breath and smiled, saying, "I'll come to the palace to find you then."

Xu Yuehua nodded. She knew this was an agreement between them, and a promise between them.

She turned and left the Tianxianglou branch, walking along the quiet street. Her shadow stretched long under the streetlights, as if it were her endless anticipation and longing for the future.

Dongxue rushed over with a group of people, her face filled with worry and anxiety. When she saw Xu Yuehuai, the worry in her eyes instantly turned into joy: "Miss, you scared me to death! I thought I would never find you again."

Xu Yuehuai smiled gently, soothing Dongxue's emotions. She held Dongxue's hand, her eyes sparkling with tenderness: "Don't worry, I'm back."

...

Back in the courtyard of the Minister's residence, Xu Yuehuai's heart was filled with hope and anticipation. She knew that no matter what the future held, she would have Qi Guze as her strong support. She would strive for their future and relentlessly pursue their dreams.

Xu Yuehuai sat by the window, gazing at the night sky outside. The twinkling lights and the countless stars created a beautiful scene.

Her heart was filled with emotion and thoughts. She recalled all the little things she had shared with Qi Guze; those memories were like sparkling pearls, stringing together the emotional bond between them.

Gently stroking the window frame, she felt the marks of time and the passage of years. She knew that time would not stand still, and life would not stagnate; she had to bravely face it and move forward!

At this moment, Xu Yuehuai seemed to have become more determined and courageous, her eyes filled with an indomitable light.

Xu Yuehuai stood up and walked to her desk. She picked up a pen and paper and began to plan her future...

As night deepened, Xu Yuehuai remained wide awake. She longed for the day she would meet Qi Guze again, and for the bright future they would create together.

In the quiet of the night, the thought of Qi Guze filled Xu Yuehuai's heart with endless warmth and happiness.

On this day, before the morning sun had fully entered Xu Yuehuai's boudoir, she was awakened by a noisy commotion outside.

Xu Yuehuai frowned slightly, lazily sat up from the bed, rubbed her sleepy eyes, put on a thin shirt, and slowly walked towards the door.

Seeing her leave, Dongxue hurriedly stepped forward, reaching out to block Xu Yuehuai's view, her tone filled with anxiety: "Miss, it's a mess outside, please don't go looking."

Xu Yuehuai gently pushed Dongxue's hand away. Her movement was not forceful, but it carried a hint of determination: "Dongxue, I know you are protecting me, but there are some things I cannot turn a blind eye to."

As soon as she finished speaking, Xu Yuehuai had already walked out of the courtyard gate.

What came into view was two servants beating a thin man.

The man was dressed in rags and covered in dust, clearly a lowly servant. He covered his head with his hands and curled up, but he was no match for the servant's fists and feet.

Seeing this, Xu Yuehuai felt a surge of righteous indignation. She quickly stepped forward, extending her arm to block the man, her voice firm and unwavering: "Stop! Why are you hitting him?"

Upon seeing that it was Xu Yuehuai, the two servants immediately stopped what they were doing, their faces showing embarrassment and fear. Although they were servants, they knew that Xu Yuehuai was the daughter of the wealthy family, kind-hearted, and quite tolerant of her servants.

The man who had been beaten took the opportunity to kneel down and kowtow to Xu Yuehuai, thanking her: "Thank you for saving my life, Miss!"

Xu Yuehua frowned slightly, helped the man up, and asked softly, "What's your name? Why did they hit you?"

The man looked up, revealing a handsome but somewhat haggard face. His voice trembled slightly: "My name is Xiao Liu. I accidentally knocked over a vase, and they..."

Xu Yuehua nodded, already having made up her mind. She turned to the two servants and said, "Although Xiao Liu made a mistake, he doesn't deserve such a severe punishment. Go back and receive your punishment yourselves."

The two servants dared not say a word, bowed their heads in agreement, and retreated. Xu Yuehuai then turned to Xiao Liu and said, "Get up. Be more careful in the future."

Xiao Liu stood up, tears streaming down his face, nodding repeatedly.

Seeing this, Dongxue sighed helplessly and pulled Xu Yuehuai back into the house: "Miss, you are always so kind, but this kind of lowly servant is not worth your trouble."

Xu Yuehuai smiled gently and shook her head: "Dongxue, everyone has the right to live. We should not look down on them because of their status."

Although Dongxue disagreed, she knew Qi Hanlin's personality and didn't say anything more.

The two returned to the house, but Xu Yuehuai found herself unable to calm down. She sat by the window, looking at the bright sunshine outside, but her heart was filled with worry.

...

As night fell, Xu Yuehuai lay in bed, unable to fall asleep for a long time. She sensed someone lingering outside her room, and a sense of vigilance rose within her. She quietly got up, walked to the door, and peeked out through the crack.

Xiao Liu stood outside the door, looking nervous, seemingly hesitant about whether to knock. Xu Yuehuai's heart skipped a beat, and she gently opened the door.

"Why have you come here?" Xu Yuehuai's voice carried a hint of surprise.

Xiao Liu knelt down, his voice trembling with excitement: "Please, Miss, transfer me to serve you!"

Xu Yuehua frowned slightly. She didn't lack servants, but she saw sincerity and determination in Xiao Liu's eyes. She pondered for a moment, then slowly said, "Okay, I promise you. But you must remember, staying by my side forever is not an easy thing; you need to put in effort and sincerity."

Xiao Liu was so excited that he kowtowed repeatedly: "Thank you, Miss! I will serve you with all my heart!"

Xu Yuehua nodded, gesturing for him to get up.

Xiao Liu stood up, his eyes filled with excitement and anticipation. From that moment on, he became Xu Yuehuai's personal servant, faithfully guarding her side.

Xu Yuehuai looked closely at Xiao Liu, the thin, ragged boy, and a hint of pity appeared in her eyes.

Xiao Liu's body was covered with scars, both old and new, each one seemingly telling a story of his past misfortunes.