At midnight that day, Cen Ang went on his routine inspection tour, mainly to check whether those on guard duty in the palace had neglected their duties.

From afar, the cold-faced girl saw Zhao Kai standing at the entrance of the Hanlin Academy, his face full of sorrow and longing.

Because of their previous relationship, Aunt Cen went up and asked a few questions.

"Zhao, is something the matter?"

These words sounded cold, but they were the most considerate things Cen Ang could say.

The third-ranked scholar looked at the newcomer, somewhat flustered.

Cen Ang frowned slightly, thinking that he had something he was having trouble speaking about, or perhaps he had encountered some injustice in the officialdom.

You can talk to her about this; she might be able to pull some strings.

"explain."

The girl's tone was commanding and left no room for refusal.

Zhao Kai looked at the sky again and whispered:

Today is the anniversary of my parents' death.

"The same day?" Cen Ang asked.

The third-ranking scholar nodded in agreement:

Yes, the same day.

The girl immediately lost her usual fierceness. Her parents had also passed away on the same day and never returned.

Cen Ang's mood immediately dipped, and Zhao Kai could sense it, so he smiled and comforted her, saying:

"It's alright, Auntie. It's been many years. It's just that I didn't have time to burn paper money for them today, and I really miss them."

The girl didn't reply, but asked calmly:

"How did your parents die?"

"The earthquake happened. I went to school that day. The school was fine, and the place was empty. But at home..." Zhao Kai said, then fell into memories again.

The cold-faced girl next to him said:

“My parents also died on the same day, during the palace coup, and never came back.”

"Do you want to go outside the palace to burn paper money? I'll go with you."

Today it was Zhao Kai's turn to be on duty at the Hanlin Academy. He looked at his work area behind him and then shook his head, saying:

"No, Auntie, I..."

"Go and wake up Wang Bianzhuan. He is allowed to eat in the small kitchen tomorrow."

Zhao Kai was interrupted when Cen Ang spoke loudly to the maid beside him.

This small kitchen is inside the Crown Prince's palace. With Cen Ang's special permission, tomorrow this editor will no longer have to eat cold water with steamed buns and pickled vegetables.

"Let's go, Editor Zhao."

Without giving the young man a chance to refuse, Cen Ang took the lead and strode out of the palace.

Zhao Kai followed behind her, wanting to say something but unsure how to express it. He hesitated for a long time, then quickly walked a few steps to Cen Ang's side and said to her:

"From now on, Auntie can call me Zhao Kai."

The cold-faced girl nodded in reply:

“Cen Ang”.

Aunt Cen means that I have heard what you said from now on, and you can just call me Cen Ang.

Where are the memorial tablets for my parents?

"At my home."

Zhao Kai only rented a small courtyard in the capital, which was very close to the poor people's living area. After all, he had just arrived in the capital and the young man did not have much money.

When Cen Ang was brought to his residence, the third-ranked scholar felt even more embarrassed.

It's so small and shabby, it's really a shame that she had to come with me.

The girl looked at Zhao Kai with newfound respect when she saw that the courtyard had been cleaned up.

Look at her, standing at attention like that while doing this little job. If she were a palace maid, she would definitely be assigned to sweep the courtyard inside the Crown Prince's palace.

Cen Ang held yellow paper in his hands, which he had just bought on the street. In the middle of the night, only places where funerals were held were still open.

“Aunt Cen… Cen Ang, over here.”

Zhao Kai led Cen Ang into a side room, which was specifically used to store the ancestral tablets of his parents.

The boy took out a tinderbox from his waist, blew on it twice, and lit the candle.

There was nothing inside except an altar with two lonely memorial tablets on it.

It looked particularly desolate under the flickering lights.

Cen Ang placed the paper on the ground, and the two remained silent, earnestly burning the paper.

As the fire burned, the girl said to Zhao Kai:

“I also have a room in my house that is dedicated to my parents’ memorial tablets, but I can’t visit them usually except for Qingming Festival and Chinese New Year.”

"There are many things to do in the palace, and I can't take my parents with me."

Every word Cen Ang said was a way of expressing his longing for his parents to Zhao Kai.

Although she didn't say it explicitly, she was genuinely telling those around her that she missed her parents and felt sorry for them.

Zhao Kai was focused on burning paper money, and while burning the paper money, he was silently talking to his parents in his heart.

"Father, this is the girl I admire. She's beautiful and kind-hearted, and she's decisive and efficient in her actions. Isn't she amazing?"

“Mother, she has a very good temper and is very skilled. When you were alive, didn’t you always say you wanted to see what kind of life those strong women lived? You saw it today, and it’s just like that. Just like you, just as gentle.”

The scholar, who was lost in thought, suddenly heard these words and, looking at Cen Ang's dejected face, couldn't help but say:

"I can offer incense for you."

"real?"

Upon hearing this, Cen Ang immediately raised his head.

Their own house is now just an empty house, without even a cleaning lady. If Zhao Kai could help by going to pay respects to their parents every few days, their parents would surely not feel too lonely.

"Really," Zhao Kai replied earnestly.

"Shall we go to my house in a bit?"

The third-ranked scholar's face flushed red instantly, but luckily it was dark inside and no one saw it.

This is so embarrassing. Look how long we've known each other, and he's already going to the girl's house to meet her parents, all empty-handed in the middle of the night. It makes Zhao Kai look like an ill-mannered wild boy.

"Alright, then I'll go prepare some offerings for the two elders to take with them."

Cen Ang looked at the yellow paper on the ground, and then at the empty altar.

no……

Why don't you make something for your own parents first?

"Bring out the portion for your uncle and aunt."

Zhao Kai didn't reply, only nodded hurriedly, and tripped over the threshold as he went out.

Cen Ang watched his retreating figure and smiled.

The third-ranking scholar didn't see it; if he had, he would surely have exclaimed, "Beautiful lady, you smile!"

"The two elders really raised a good son," Cen Ang thought to himself.

But as Cen Ang thought about the future, he gradually slowed down the burning of paper money.

Crown Princess, very good.

She didn't want to leave the Crown Princess.

I want to stay by her side for the rest of my life.

Therefore, we cannot delay Zhao Kai's time.

There were still some scraps of paper that Zhao Kai had used for writing and drawing in the room. He had just used them as fuel in the brazier. As Cen Ang looked at the brazier and was struggling with his thoughts, he suddenly noticed that only two pieces of the paper remained underneath.

A breeze from the door, which the third-ranked scholar hadn't closed, blew the fragments out.

The two words landed right in front of Cen Ang.

Marrying into another's family.

The girl looked up at the memorial tablet, then looked down at the paper on the ground.

She never believed in gods or Buddhas, but she respected everything that existed in this world.

Cen Ang lowered his head and whispered to the memorial tablet:

"Isn't this a bit inappropriate?"

"At least he is the only son of the Zhao family, their only heir."

The girl seemed to be thinking of something, and her usually cold face broke into a shy smile.

She picked up the shards from the ground and put them in her purse, then continued to chant over the memorial tablet:

"Then, it's settled, you two? From now on, I will take responsibility for him."