Wen Jiang watched in stunned silence as the murderous aura surrounding Ning Yan vanished without a trace, replaced by an almost ridiculous urge to laugh that he didn’t even bother hiding.

He was dumbfounded—was this really the Ning Yan he knew? That seething fury had dissipated just like that?

And yet, there it was—an unmistakable smile tugging at Ning Yan’s lips, cheap and shameless.

Ning Yan cleared his throat. “So what you’re saying is… to him, I’m as important as his sister?”

“Even more important than that. That’s why he acted so recklessly. But the fact that he’s still thinking about how to make things right, I think that already—”

“Even more important, huh…”

Ning Yan clearly didn’t care about the rest of her sentence. His crossed leg began to bounce slightly, his whole demeanor radiating a smug insolence. After pretending to ponder for a moment, he said slowly, “I’ve given it some thought. You’re not entirely wrong. If someone you care about that deeply is used against you, well, yeah… it’s easy to lose your head.”

Bai Qingqing blinked. Did she really say that deeply? Maybe she had. But it didn’t matter—Ning Yan was actually being reasonable today. “Then… about Chang’an and Changlan…”

“Since you’ve spoken up for them, I suppose it wouldn’t be right to keep pressing the matter. But still, there must be a price to pay. Someone—send them to Suiyun Pavilion. If, as you say, he truly has backbone, maybe he’ll become someone useful one day. If not… well, then he has no one to blame but himself.”

Chang’an collapsed onto the floor, utterly drained, drenched in sweat from head to toe. Did this mean… they were being spared?

But—Suiyun Pavilion? That Suiyun Pavilion? The one whispered about in awe? And this man could send the two of them there with a single word?

Just how blessed was he to have made it through today with his life still intact?

Someone carried the siblings away, and on the side, Mu Shu turned to Wen Jiang with excitement sparkling in his eyes. “I’ve learned something! So that’s all it takes to calm the lord down? All the beatings I took before were for nothing! From now on, I’ll just praise him like he’s the most important person in the world!”

The tale has been illicitly lifted; should you spot it on Amazon, report the violation.

Wen Jiang looked at him with the affection one reserves for fools, and patted his shoulder with sympathy. “Next time you’re getting flogged, I’ll make sure to use the finest healing salve on you.”

Mu Shu: “??”

“It’s just a pity I don’t have any medicine that can fix your brain, or I’d give you that too.”

Was that really about flattering Ning Yan? First of all, it had to be Bai Qingqing doing the flattering!

Today, Wen Jiang truly saw things clearly. He had always known Ning Yan treated Bai Qingqing differently—but only now did he realize just how different. A single sentence from her could shift his entire mood. That wasn’t merely “different.” That was something else entirely.

…

Before Chang’an and Changlan were taken away, Bai Qingqing went to see them. The two were filled with guilt in her presence—especially Chang’an, who couldn’t even meet her eyes.

“Going to Suiyun Pavilion is an opportunity for you. I know you’re both good kids—you’ve weathered so many hardships and still held on. From now on, lean on each other and fight for your own better days.”

She truly admired them from the bottom of her heart and sincerely hoped for their future. “Lanlan’s illness hasn’t fully healed. This is a tonic—make sure she takes it. Don’t let it become a lingering condition.”

Changlan wept and refused to accept it, but Bai Qingqing shoved it into her hands. “Don’t cry. This is a good thing.”

Suddenly, Chang’an dropped to his knees with a loud thud, and bowed three times, his head hitting the ground with force. The bruises on his forehead darkened even more, startling Bai Qingqing as she hurried to pull him up. “What are you doing?!”

Chang’an’s eyes were red. “I owe you my life. I’ll remember it for the rest of mine. And when I have the strength one day, I’ll come back to repay this debt!”