Wrapped in Ning Yan’s robes, Bai Qingqing inhaled the faint, austere scent that clung to him. Her mind was barely functioning, steeped in the grief of her family’s past. The warmth of his body, the familiar fragrance—it all unraveled her in an instant.

A low sob escaped from within his embrace. Her body trembled like a newborn ripped from its mother. Her hands clutched tightly at his robes, her fingers white and bloodless from the force.

Ning Yan awkwardly patted her back, clumsy but gentle. He didn’t speak to comfort her—he didn’t know how, and besides, words probably wouldn’t help. It was better to let her cry it out.

What he didn’t understand was how a young woman like Bai Qingqing could harbor such a vast, devouring sorrow, as if it could swallow her whole.

Bai Qingqing couldn’t care about any of that. Whenever she imagined her parents dying heartbroken after learning of her death, it felt like the sky was collapsing. How could she have been so unfilial? Letting them worry over her marriage, and then being utterly useless when disaster struck the Bai family—not only failing to help, but even causing them grief unto death. She was unworthy of being called a daughter!

It was as if she were crying out all the tears from her past life. Outside the room, Bai Yaoyao stopped Zidai just as she was about to go in and report.

“You said it’s Lord Ning in there?”

“Yes, Second Miss. Please, you should go in quickly—Miss has never cried like this before!”

Bai Yaoyao was silent for a moment, then shook her head. “Don’t tell my sister I came by.”

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Her sister was shy by nature. If she was crying like this in front of Lord Ning, then he must hold a special place in her heart. If Bai Yaoyao showed up now, it might embarrass her sister, and afterward she might keep her distance from him. That would make Bai Yaoyao the villain.

“Was my sister like this even before Lord Ning arrived? Did she see someone?”

“Young Master Fu Yi of the Prince Ping’s residence. They seemed to argue. After he left, Miss looked completely lost.”

Only after clarifying everything did Bai Yaoyao leave, instructing Zidai to prepare something to reduce the swelling. Her sister would never want the rest of the family to notice.

Bai Qingqing cried until her eyes and head began to ache, her strength completely drained, before finally slowing down.

She heard the door of the elegant room open and close softly, and something cool was placed over her face, easing the pain in her swollen eyes just a little.

"Your maid brought this in. Apply it, the swelling is severe."

Bai Qingqing tried to take it herself, but her hand brushed against Ning Yan's hand instead, and she quickly recoiled.

"Have you cried enough? I really don’t know where all these tears come from."

Ning Yan watched in shock, this small girl crying non-stop without fear of fainting from it.

She hadn’t realized it before, but now that she was done crying, her mind cleared significantly. When Ning Yan spoke, she finally felt embarrassed.

But… but she had told him to leave first!

She snatched the ice cloth from Ning Yan’s hand and peeked out from behind it, only to see a large wet patch on Ning Yan’s clothes.

A large patch.

Bai Qingqing: "..."

She might as well have been blind.

Ning Yan had certainly seen her little act, and when he noticed she was trying to hide her eyes again, his lips curved into a silent smile, now feeling embarrassed himself.

“I still have an appointment with someone later. How am I supposed to face them like this?”

Bai Qingqing slowly took down the ice cloth, her gaze sneaking a glance at Ning Yan’s chest, unable to bear looking at it.

The red clothing now looked as wrinkled as pickled vegetables, a large patch soaked with her tears, making it appear as though Ning Yan had been ruthlessly ravished.