Qin Bei gritted his teeth as he wrote the divorce papers, his gaze cold and viciously fixed on Lin Xiyue.
Yet she was blocked tightly behind Liang Xu, until after he had signed both copies of the divorce papers did Liang Xu step aside and call her forward to sign.
Her hand holding the brush trembled slightly, but the characters she penned were elegant and precise, imbued with a quiet resilience.
One copy of the divorce paper each—Liang Xu stared at Qin Bei, then gave Lin Xiyue fifteen minutes to go inside, gather some essentials, and be ready to leave tonight.
Lin Xiyue’s natal family wasn’t wealthy; the dowry was scant. She only packed some silver and jewelry, along with two sets of clothes. As for the gold and silver ornaments Qin Bei had given her, she didn’t touch any of them.
In less than a quarter of an hour, Lin Xiyue emerged carrying a bundle, bowing her head to avoid looking at her former husband and quickly walked over to Liang Xu’s side.
Liang Xu finally sent Qin Bei off with a parting remark: “If you still want to be a real man, don’t harm women again in the future…”
Lin Xiyue followed Liang Xu out of the Qin residence. That evening, Liang Xu rode to the banquet without a carriage; the two shared a single horse.
After the horse had run a distance, Liang Xu pulled the reins to slow the pace.
He turned his head and spoke to the person behind him: “Lady Lin, I may have spoken harshly before Qin Bei. In truth, I have no habit of stealing other men’s wives. Now that you’ve regained your freedom, I will acknowledge you as my sworn sister. With this identity to protect you, Qin Bei won’t dare trouble you anymore…”
Having successfully obtained the divorce papers, Lin Xiyue was deeply grateful to him. Hearing he was going to recognize her as his sworn sister moved her even more: “Lord Liang saved me from suffering; I don’t know how to repay you.”
“A mere trifle. No need to thank me.” Liang Xu stopped at a crossroads. “Is your natal home in the capital? If not, I can find you an inn to stay at tonight…”
“My family home is outside the city.” At this hour, the city gates were closed and she couldn’t leave. “No trouble, I can find an inn myself.”
“No matter, at this late hour I’d feel uneasy leaving you alone.”
Liang Xu found a nearby inn and helped her dismount after swinging down from his horse.
Holding the reins in his hands, he said, “I’ll wait here while you go inside. Tomorrow morning, I’ll come back and see you off.”
“Thank you, Lord Liang.”
After she bowed, Lin Xiyue went inside the inn. Just as the young innkeeper came forward to greet her warmly, a sudden neigh from the horse behind caught her attention.
She turned to look and saw the man who had been perfectly fine moments ago now collapsed on the ground.
Panicked, she rushed over to help Liang Xu. His eyes were tightly shut, blood trickled from his mouth. The situation was grim. “Lord Liang! Lord Liang!”
That night, when Qin Bei forced her into the guest room, he had told her he slipped drugs into Liang Xu’s wine and tampered with the room’s incense. The combined effects of the drugs would make it so she and Liang Xu would be intimate.
Perhaps because Liang Xu hadn’t stayed long in the guest room, Lin Xiyue had not noticed any signs of the drug’s effects on him and had assumed he was unharmed.
Unexpectedly, he had been enduring the symptoms in silence.
The innkeeper tied the horse outside the inn and helped Lin Xiyue carry Liang Xu into a guest room.
“Madam, shall I send for a doctor?”
Lin Xiyue took a silver coin from her bundle and handed it to him. “Please, quickly.”
The next day, when Liang Xu woke, he stared at the blue canopy above, taking a moment to collect himself.
Turning his body, he saw Lin Xiyue still half asleep, leaning on the bedside.
Since leaving the Qin residence last night, his body had grown increasingly unwell, a wave of heaviness surging through his limbs.
He had planned to visit a clinic after seeing her safely inside the inn, but after coughing up blood, he had collapsed outside.
He had a rough idea of what drug had been used on him. Now that he felt lighter and free of discomfort, the drug’s effects must have worn off.
Looking down, he noticed he was only wearing his underclothes, and the way the ties on his garment were undone was not how he himself would have done it—could it have been her?
He was about to wake her to ask when she stirred and opened her eyes.
“Lord Liang, you’re awake,” her drowsy eyes brightened upon seeing him. “Do you still feel unwell anywhere?”
“I’m fine,” Liang Xu smiled at her and hesitated. “Last night, I…”
Before he could voice the embarrassing question, she hurriedly explained, “You fainted last night. The innkeeper sent for a doctor, who said your condition was serious. There was no time for medicine, so he used acupuncture…”
Ah, acupuncture.
No wonder she had to undo his clothing.
Liang Xu quietly breathed a sigh of relief. “What time is it now?”
“Past dawn.”
“Mm, after breakfast, I’ll send you out of the city.”
“Aren’t you on duty today? I can hire a carriage back myself.”
“That’s…” Liang Xu felt awkward hearing it again. “I said last night I’ll acknowledge you as my sworn sister. You can call me brother. We are of the same generation, not… not ‘brother’ with a capital B.”
“I’ll send you home first. After I report to my mother and have tea, that will be like crossing the bridge.”
“You still have to go to the mansion to pay respects?” He said. “Just the verbal promise is enough. With me backing you, Qin Bei won’t dare touch you anymore.”
“Then we’ll talk about it later.” Liang Xu noticed the bruises under her eyes and guessed she hadn’t slept well after caring for him. “Rest well first.”
Lin Xiyue got up and took a garment from the screen to give him. “Brother, change clothes first. I’ll go buy breakfast outside.”
“All right.”
Though they had just met last night, perhaps because of their sworn sibling bond, their interaction was surprisingly comfortable.
After she left the room, Liang Xu realized she had been wearing a blue-green vest last night but was now dressed in smoke-gray—the skirts also looked like different colors.
She had changed clothes.
But he didn’t think too deeply about it. After dressing, he stepped outside the inn and hired a carriage.
Last night’s urgency had forced them to share a horse; today it was more convenient for her to ride in the carriage.
After breakfast, Liang Xu sent her back home.
Luckily, her parents were reasonable people. Upon learning the mistreatment she had suffered, they were immensely grateful to Liang Xu for rescuing her.
Lin Xiyue’s father was a scholar, but due to a leg ailment was unable to travel for the imperial exams and couldn’t farm. He earned a modest living teaching in a small town.
Lin Xiyue had two younger siblings, both students at her father’s private school. Her mother managed the household and did occasional embroidery work to supplement income.
Though poor, the family was cultured and kind. Their life was neither too high nor too low.
The entire Lin family was gentle in nature, which explained why Qin Bei dared threaten her with them as leverage.
After drinking tea at the Lin household, Liang Xu took his leave.
In the following time, he visited the Lin family every few days to check on her, preventing Qin Bei from causing further trouble.
After returning home, Lin Xiyue found work copying books. Thus, whenever Liang Xu came to see her, he often found her quietly copying by the window.
At home, she dressed simply, her hair held with a single plain hairpin, her bun loose and cloudlike at the nape of her fair neck.
Due to her bowed head while copying, a few strands of hair brushed her cheeks, lightly stirred by the breeze.
She sat quietly, her delicate brows and features reflected in the inkpot.
Though tall and well-built, Liang Xu moved lightly and silently from years of martial training. He watched her for a while before she suddenly noticed him.
“Brother is here,” she put down her brush, smiling brightly as she rose. “Come in and have some tea.”
Seeing no one else in the house, Liang Xu didn’t enter the main hall. “Where is your mother?”
Lin Xiyue stepped out from the inner room to answer, “Mother went to the river to wash clothes.”
“Hm.” As usual, he asked, “Has Qin Bei come bothering you recently?”
“He actually came the day before yesterday, but I scared him off with Hei Zi…”
Hei Zi was a black dog Liang Xu had bought for her, now wagging its tail at the door.
“That’s good.” Liang Xu handed her some pastries he bought on the way. “I won’t stay for tea today. I’ve already told my mother about recognizing you as my goddaughter. In a few days, when I have a day off, I’ll come take you to the General’s mansion.”
“Thank you for your kindness, brother, but I think Qin Bei won’t dare do anything to my family now. I’m already very satisfied…”
“I won’t come as often in the future, but Qin Bei doesn’t dare provoke you now. To completely eliminate future trouble, come back with me to the General’s mansion.”
Lin Xiyue no longer declined and gratefully said, “Brother, your thoughtfulness leaves me no choice but to obey…”
“I’ll come for you at dawn three days from now.”
“All right.”
Having earned the favor of Lady Liang, Lin Xiyue wanted to repay the kindness, but being poor had no suitable gifts.
Only her calligraphy on hairpin flowers was decent, so she temporarily set aside her copying and spent two days and three nights painstakingly transcribing a Buddhist sutra.
She had stayed up all night and missed breakfast. When Liang Xu came to fetch her, she had just finished the last character.
After freshening up, she held the sutra and climbed into the carriage bound for the General’s mansion.
Liang Xu had hitched the carriage today and did not ride a horse. Since they were soon to become sworn siblings, sharing a carriage was no problem.
Lin Xiyue held the sutra and chatted with him briefly but soon fatigue showed on her face.
“You didn’t sleep last night?” Liang Xu noticed the dark circles under her eyes, darker than the day at the inn.
“Just a little,” Lin Xiyue tried to stay alert. “I’ve been feeling sleepy lately.”
She had indeed dozed off briefly on the table last night, and lately had grown more prone to drowsiness.
“We still have half an hour to the mansion. Sleep if you want.”
Not wanting to appear weak before him, she straightened and forced herself awake. “No, I can stay awake.”
Seeing her struggle, Liang Xu said no more, sat beside her, and gently rested her head on his shoulder. “Sleep. I’ll wake you when we arrive.”
The irresistible warmth startled Lin Xiyue for a moment.