Chapter Fifteen: The Missed Encounter Two Years Later

It seemed as if the whole world had come to a standstill, all for the sake of this heartbeat moment. The warm and gentle sensation on her lips momentarily eclipsed all other senses, his tender touch lingering, reluctant to depart.

At that moment, Xi Fengying was actually quite naive. Despite being a modern woman, she had never experienced such a moment before, her beloved man offering such a special gift on this special day. She even forgot to blush with shyness, only closing her eyes to savor the beauty of this moment.

The simple touch seemed to last for what felt like an eternity. In the end, it was Wei Yuhuan who broke the silence first, chuckling softly.

Xi Fengying suddenly snapped out of her reverie, her blood rushing to her face in an overdue blush. This belated blush left her at a loss, her gaze wandering aimlessly until she finally caught sight of the person in front of her, wearing a mischievous grin. She was thoroughly enraged, and in her panic, she leaped up suddenly, grabbed Wei Yuhuan's head, and, brandishing her sharp teeth, bit down fiercely on his lip.

An adolescent flirtation thus ended in a bloody mishap.

Afterward, Wei Yuhuan smirked as he licked his swollen, bitten lip, teasing her, "I never imagined that you, having just come of age, would be so fierce. How will I ever endure it in the future?"

Upon hearing his description, she was about to get angry, but suddenly realized the double entendre in his words. She hastily withdrew her hands and feet, glaring at him, saying, "What future? Who said you had to endure anything? Just stay far away from me from now on!"

After saying this, she took off the hairpin he had just inserted into her hair, as if she was about to throw it away. Wei Yuhuan quickly grabbed her, pleading with his mouth, "No, don't! I misspoke. Miss Fengying, you're so enchanting just after coming of age. You're simply irresistible."

Upon hearing this, her brows furrowed even deeper. What kind of description was that? Suddenly, she realized there was more to his words, ready to scold him again, but once again, her lips were sealed.

This time, both of them finally put their hearts into it, sharing a truly lingering and affectionate kiss. Xi Fengying didn't know where he gained such experience from, as the kiss left her dizzy and clueless, collapsing into his arms.

Finally, he quietly inserted the hairpin into her hair, a wooden hairpin adorned with a carved hibiscus flower, just like the one they saw when they first met.

In the end, he softly asked her as she lay in his arms, "Will you come to my house tomorrow? Let my mother meet you."

He stole a kiss on her forehead before regretfully replying, "I have a prior engagement in Linjun tomorrow. It'll probably take a month or two before I return. So I've been waiting here for you today. Will you wait for me to come back?"

Xi Fengying knew he was always wandering around, akin to a wandering knight-errant, without a fixed abode. Often leaving Nanzhuang to go elsewhere, he would disappear for a month or two. At first, she was unhappy, but gradually she got used to it. He had his own life, and she couldn't change him just because of herself. So this time, she compromised as usual, nodding and agreeing, "Okay, hurry back."

Little did she know that when he returned, he wouldn't have the chance. Her mother finally succumbed to illness and passed away.

After that came a long period of mourning, during which she rarely left the house, let alone met him. Her most frequent activity during that time was wearing that hairpin all day long, more nervous than with any other treasure. Looking back now, it was actually just a joke. He, the grandson of a marshal, the son of a princess, how could he be a destitute vagabond? The gift he gave her on the night of her coming-of-age, though crude, seemed to be the most precious treasure at the time, filled with his heartfelt affection. Only after everything was over did she realize that it was probably just a tool for him to hide his identity.

When the illusion shattered and the truth was revealed, all that was left scattered on the ground was her desperate infatuation.

At this moment, Nan Jin withdrew the hairpin from her sleeve and gently placed it in front of the tombstone. She seemed unwilling to look at it any longer, turning around to pick up a few stones and burying the hairpin underneath.

This doomed fate should have ended long ago. She shouldn't have come.

Taking the lantern from Feng's hand, she placed it next to the tombstone. As she turned around, she extinguished the only remaining flicker of flame.

The descent from the mountain seemed even longer than the ascent, devoid of any flicker of light. Relying solely on feeble sight, the four of them traversed the forest path, surrounded by an eerie silence. Occasionally, stepping on dry twigs would produce a startling crack, adding to the already suspenseful atmosphere.

The two guards led the way, with Feng supporting Nan Jin in the middle. Since their ascent, silence had prevailed. Nan Jin treaded cautiously, memories flashing through her mind, yet ultimately yielding to oblivion.

Upon finally reaching the foot of the mountain, Feng helped Nan Jin onto the carriage. As she hesitated to enter, lifting the curtain and then retreating, she brushed off her cloak hood and glanced once more at the dark abyss before finally stepping inside. With the carriage's departure, a momentary uproar ensued, swiftly followed by eerie stillness, leaving behind a bleak void devoid of life. Unbeknownst to them, after the carriage's sounds faded, several dark figures emerged from the woods.

Silhouetted against the night, they silently watched the direction the carriage had departed. After a prolonged pause, the leader turned and led the group back up the hill.

Shortly after, they halted, while the leader continued forward, eventually standing before the recently vacated tombstone. Seeming familiar with the surroundings, he found a stone to sit on, gathered some dry grass, and lit it with a match. The sudden burst of flame illuminated the darkness, revealing the man's enigmatic eyes, aflame with astonishment and disbelief as he beheld the lantern beside the tombstone.

This man was none other than Wei Yuhuan, the current head of the Wei family, who should have been far away in the capital.

Numbly, he reached for the lantern handle several times before grasping it. The warmth from where the previous person had held it lingered, scorching his palm. He shook his head in disbelief, his mind echoing the same phrase repeatedly: Impossible! Impossible!

It couldn't be hers; she lay peacefully beneath the earth. Perhaps it was a friend, a sibling, or anyone from the Xi family. However, a young woman had been there earlier, bringing belongings from her past. The lantern couldn't be mistaken; it was the one she had carried on the night they first met. Engraved with a blurry pattern of hibiscus, she had cherished it dearly, lighting it every day, as if beholding him in its glow.

Or perhaps it was one of her aunts, trying to appease her father. Min Xi doted on his daughter, racked with guilt over his treatment of her. Perhaps one of his concubines could stoop to such an act. Wei Yuhuan chuckled self-deprecatingly, wondering if he was losing his mind. Two years after her death, was he chasing shadows at her grave, clinging to the faintest hope, merely to fulfill unreachable desires?

He must be mad, driven to insanity by his own sins.

At dawn, in an inconspicuous house in Nanzhuang City, Wei Yuhuan listened silently to his subordinate's report. Indeed, the carriage had returned to the Xi family mansion the previous night, undoubtedly connected to them, or they wouldn't have brought something belonging to Feng.

His hand, concealed in his sleeve, clenched tightly, the floral pattern of the wooden hairpin embedded in his flesh. He then relaxed his grip, extending his hand in front of him. Those who had taken items from the grave were undoubtedly linked to him. Yet, who in the Xi family would come to the grave after more than two years, silently, under the cover of darkness? And for what purpose? Whom were they doing it for?

At this moment, he felt as though he walked a path shrouded in darkness, unable to see his way forward. Every action, every step, relied solely on intuition. The encounter from the previous night stirred his instincts, urging him fiercely, yet he remained bewildered and directionless.

Eventually, he summoned his subordinates, who had been monitoring the Xi family in Nanzhuang City, and after brief instructions, hastily made his way to the capital. He should have remained at the Wei family's residence, but sleep had eluded him for far too long.