As the night deepened, the white candles flickered with dim flames. The pure white gauze curtains were hung down, reflecting two graceful figures inside.

Xie Qingyao was a girl, so she didn't need to keep vigil at night. When the time came, Xie Yinlou ordered someone to help her down, and Jiang Si slept with her that night.

Neither Xie Qingyao nor Jiang Si had slept on the same bed with anyone for a long time.

Jiang Si listened to Xie Qingyao turning over like a pancake, and his heart was also in torment.

She couldn't tell her friends the truth, so she could only silently resolve to do her best to help the Xie brothers and sisters in the future.

This was the price she paid for her recklessness.

It turns out that she was reborn as a double-edged sword, and she was just an ordinary girl. She died so miserably in her previous life, how could she be sure that she would be prosperous in this life?

Jiang Si said sorry to Xie Qingyao countless times in her heart. Every change of her friend was like a sharp knife cutting through her heart.

The pain is unbearable.

Jiang Si closed his eyes and did not move. The person next to him suddenly sat up and lifted the bed curtain.

She then opened her eyes and looked at Xie Qingyao, her voice as gentle as water: "Qingyao, can't you sleep?"

Xie Qingyao sat hugging the quilt, clutching the thin quilt tightly with both hands, and big tears rolled down from the corners of her eyes.

Jiang Si sat up and put his hand on Xie Qingyao's shoulder.

"Asi, I can't sleep..." Xie Qingyao's shoulders trembled slightly, and his voice choked, "As soon as I closed my eyes, I thought of my father and mother. One moment, it was my mother covered in blood, and the next, it was my father who collapsed. I didn't dare to close my eyes at all——"

Jiang Si patted Xie Qingyao's back gently: "It will pass, believe me, it will pass."

Xie Qingyao was stunned and shed tears: "Asi, I can't understand. My father just took in two concubines when my mother was pregnant. This is a very common thing in other families. He did not favor concubines over his wife, nor did he neglect his children. He was warm to his relatives and friends, and kind to his servants. My mother was also a virtuous person, but why did they die tragically? What mistakes did they make?"

Xie Qingyao covered her face and cried bitterly.

Outside the window is a cluster of banana trees. Under the moonlight, the leaves are fresh green and swaying slightly.

A majestic big dog was listening to the crying sounds coming from the window with its ears tilted up, and there was a very rich expression on the dog's face.

There were many people at the Yongchang Earl's Mansion for a funeral, so it was easy for Erniu to sneak in.

"Asi, why? Why?" Xie Qingyao murmured.

She didn't want an answer from Jiang Si, but the sudden tragedy made this innocent girl unable to accept the fact that her parents had passed away, and she was obsessed with finding a reason.

Jiang Si finally couldn't help but said, "Qingyao, it's all my fault. I'm sorry for you."

Xie Qingyao's light brown eyes moved, and he stared at Jiang Si blankly: "Ah Si, what did you say?"

Jiang Si tried his best to control the urge to escape, looked into Xie Qingyao's clear eyes, and confessed: "Douniang didn't intend to take action now. I chose this time because I heard that my uncle suffered from sleepwalking. And my uncle was diagnosed with sleepwalking because... because I reminded you to pay attention to my uncle's health..."

Jiang Si felt more and more guilty as he spoke, his fingers turning white from pinching so hard: "Qingyao, I am sorry for you. If I hadn't said so much, my uncle and aunt wouldn't have died--"

Xie Qingyao listened silently, even forgetting to move his eyes.

After Jiang Si said this, he actually felt a sense of relief.

If Qingyao hated her, she would accept it. At least she could not accept his trust and gratitude with peace of mind.

After a long while, Xie Qingyao blinked his eyes and came to his senses: "Asi, what does my parents' death have to do with you? If it were according to what you said, I shouldn't have urged my mother to find a doctor for my father, and I shouldn't have brought Dou Niang into the house because of my greed. And the person who spread the news that my father suffered from sleepwalking to Dou Niang should be killed a thousand times..."

"But Qingyao——"

Xie Qingyao shook his head and stopped Jiang Si from talking any further: "Ah Si, although I am sad, I am not confused. There are not so many ifs in this world. No matter how self-critical I am, I know that the ones who deserve to die the most are Dou Niang and the butler. One of them is a murderer with a heart as vicious as a scorpion, and the other is a demon who leads people to the abyss. They are the ones who deserve to die the most."

Jiang Si opened his mouth, but couldn't say anything.

Xie Qingyao was actually right. If she didn't know that her past life and this life had completely different endings, she wouldn't have taken the blame on herself.

"Asi——"

"Um?"

"It would be nice if couples in this world could only be with each other for the rest of their lives, don't you think?" Xie Qingyao hugged her knees with her arms and looked dejectedly at the moonlight pouring in through the window curtains as thin as a cicada's wing.

If that were the case, her parents would surely live together forever and have many children and grandchildren.

"Yes." Jiang Si murmured in response, and his thoughts drifted away.

At that time, she had already become the consort of the Seventh Prince. On the one hand, she pretended to be magnanimous, and on the other hand, she was testing him by bringing up the matter of concubines.

At that time, Yu Qi turned hostile, saying that he couldn't even serve her, so how could he have time to deal with other women? He told her to give up this idleness as soon as possible and stop making him angry for no reason.

She felt comforted by what she heard, but she still didn't believe it.

He even coaxed and deceived her into marrying her, so how could she possibly believe everything else?

Sometimes I think it's normal that they didn't end up together. They hid a lot of things from each other, and that marriage was burdened with too much from the beginning. Even if she didn't die tragically, I'm afraid it wouldn't be a happy ending.

Xie Qingyao slowly lay down and said softly: "Asi, if I don't meet someone like that in the future, I won't get married. I'm afraid..."

Xie Qingyao was indeed very tired, both mentally and physically. After she vented her emotions, she soon began to breathe more evenly.

Jiang Si stared at the top of the tent for a while before closing his eyes.

At dawn the next day, Jiang Si was the first to open his eyes. Seeing Xie Qingyao still fast asleep, he gently shook his head to the maid who came in to help her wash and brush her teeth, "Let the young lady sleep for a while, otherwise she won't be able to hold out during the day."

As the only girl in the Yongchang Marquis's mansion, Xie Qingyao had to kneel in front of her parents' spirits during the day to welcome guests who came to pay their respects. If she worked hard all day, even a body as strong as iron could not endure it. So, sleeping a little longer at this time could help her recuperate.

After washing up, Jiang Si sat on the embroidered cushion beside the bed, thinking about something, when she suddenly heard a slight sound from the window.

Jiang Si slowly turned his gaze towards the window and smelled a familiar scent.

Second Bull?

Jiang Si almost subconsciously glanced at Xie Qingyao who was still asleep, then quickly walked to the window and gently pushed it open.

Fresh air blew against my face, carrying the scent of morning dew.

The big dog put its front paws on the windowsill and looked at its hostess pitifully.

Erniu is hungry.