Si Tu Jin smiled bitterly. “You know both are impossible. You want her to have a child with Si Tu blood. It doesn’t have to be with Qi Wu; it could be with Qi Feng too.”
Cang Shan stared at him unblinkingly.
Si Tu Jin shifted his gaze, avoiding Cang Shan’s knowing look.
Cang Tian laughed.
“Si Tu Jin, do you really think we don’t know what Si Tu Qi Feng experienced in the Miao village?”
“Parasitic insects, witchcraft, poison, hypnosis, whipping, bloodletting — after such torment, how much human genetics remain in his body? Are you confident he could have a child with Ru Feng?”
Si Tu Jin was stunned, unable to respond.
Cang Shan stood up. “You should realize that someone who can be Qi Wu’s partner would never disgrace your daughter.”
Si Tu Jin stood unsteadily. “Given Ru Feng’s condition, nothing is possible. Let me take her back, and we’ll consider the rest slowly.”
Cang Shan did not stop him. “Three years. After three years, we want an answer — either a child or her life.”
The next morning, Si Tu Jin and Qi Feng left with Feng’er, and only Qi Feng saw them off.
Ru Feng looked back at the bamboo forest, seeming lost. She had not seen him since last night’s dinner. Perhaps he treated their embrace as a farewell; not meeting would be better than meeting.
She quietly closed her eyes and smiled slightly. “Si Tu Qi Wu, I wish you happiness.”
Qi Feng watched coldly, his expression growing darker.
Si Tu Jin whispered to Ru Feng, “Feng’er, is your second brother angry with you?” This was surprising; he had been adapting all night.
Ru Feng shook her head. “Dad, you’re wrong. It’s not anger; we’re in a cold war.”
“Meaning she was also angry.
“Good, cold war is good, cold war is good.” Si Tu Jin laughed, his expression joyful.
Ru Feng looked at him strangely. They were in a cold war, yet her father was so happy?
Si Tu Jin smiled and stroked her hair. “So on this journey, Feng’er will only talk to Dad. Come, good daughter, tell Dad about Si Tu Qi Wu. He looks quite good. Is he nice to you? How are his skills?” He shouted at someone who was holding Ru Feng and walking quickly.
Until the figure disappeared, he chuckled to himself.
Cold war? Si Tu Qi Feng, I don’t believe you can stay cold for two days.
As the noisy sounds faded, a distant figure also stopped.
Si Tu Qi Wu looked up at the azure sky, his surroundings silent, as if she had never existed.
He tilted his head back, but why did thin clouds drift across this clear sky, blurring his vision?
In the quiet of the night, Ru Feng slowly opened her eyes.
This time, she was not awakened by her second brother’s pain or nightmares, but by herself, her legs swollen and painful due to poor circulation.
She propped herself up and realized she was alone in the room.
Her cold war with her second brother was not over. Her eldest brother had stood at the door with his arms crossed when she returned yesterday, coolly saying, “Our Wind is really something, daring to charge into our home alone!”
Her pitiful and pleasing smile did not soften her eldest brother’s expression. He pinched her now-rounded cheeks, which had filled out under Qi Wu’s care. “You’ve even gained weight!”
Seeing her eldest brother willing to talk excited her. “Yes, big brother, you don’t know how good Qi Wu’s cooking is. I used to eat one bowl of rice, and now I eat two!”
A chill swept behind her, and she caught a glimpse of her second brother’s stiff back disappearing from view.
Her eldest brother stroked his chin, intrigued. “Qi Wu, Situ Qi Wu?” He turned to Situ Jin, “Is Situ Qi Wu a man?”
Situ Jin nodded, “Yes. Quick, carry your sister inside.”
As her eldest brother picked her up, he whispered, “Want to bet how long you and Qi Feng will stay in this cold war?”
She remained silent.
“Three days?”
Ru Feng eventually responded, “Bet what?”
“Your choice.”
Ru Feng blinked, “Whoever loses cooks for three days.”
“Deal!”
Ru Feng nodded, secretly laughing, “I bet a week.” As one of the parties involved, she felt confident in deciding the cold war’s duration, knowing her current physical condition meant she couldn’t cook. So she was certain she wouldn’t lose.
But the problem was, being in a cold war with her second brother was truly painful.
When they were in the main residence, it was manageable, as she had Qi Feng, who, despite being a woman, was strong enough to help her. Back home, the servants were ineffectual, making even simple tasks like using the toilet and bathing difficult. She often felt prone to constipation, and bathing turned into a near disaster—she almost fell into the bathtub, choking on bathwater.
Now, her leg was painfully uncomfortable, and she was wide awake. Staring at the ceiling, questions she had avoided all day resurfaced. Her father had secretly asked if she had found a way to counter her second brother’s backlash, and she had said no. In reality, she had a solution but was unsure about using it.
Her mind was in turmoil. She was aware her second brother was in a bad mood, and while she could have softened her tone, she had chosen to ignore him. This choice stemmed from both her grievances and her chaotic thoughts.
She had always believed that to gain something, one must give something up. But now, she was hesitant. The night was cold as she pulled up her blanket and slowly lay back down. Outside the door, Qi Feng stood quietly for a moment before silently walking away.
His upright figure was a lonely symbol in the light.
He knew those people hadn’t taken good care of her and was aware of the pain in her legs during recovery. He had just learned she was awake. But Wind endured without seeking his help or acting as she used to—complaining to cheer him up or hiding in his arms for comfort.
Was her change due to that man, Situ Qi Wu?
He didn’t want to suspect, but the image of Wind in his embrace tormented him. He could eliminate any man who dared to covet her, but he couldn’t cut off Wind’s feelings for others.
Initially, he simply wanted Wind to be happy, and when he saw her with Ning Yuan, he quietly blessed their relationship. However, as Wind gave him hope, he became more demanding, wanting her happiness to be by his side for a lifetime. He became so domineering that he wanted to fill her every thought, wishing her to see only him.
This intense possessiveness frightened him, and he had scared her too.
The next morning, Ru Feng woke up to find her eldest brother carrying her downstairs to eat. Meeting her gaze, he raised an eyebrow. “It seems you might win. Qi Feng has already gone out.”
He let out a long sigh, “There’s no sign of reconciliation at all!”
Ru Feng lowered her eyes, “If we don’t reconcile, we won’t reconcile. Hmph!”
Her eldest brother stopped, eyes wide, “Wind, you can actually persist this long. It’s not because of that bet, right?”
Ru Feng said nothing, leaning her head back on his chest.
Ying Feng then felt something was off, carried her to the dining table, set her down, and stared intently into her eyes, “Tell me honestly, what happened there? I heard from Dad that Situ Qi Wu seems quite good. Have you… fallen for him?”
For a moment, Ying Feng didn’t know what to feel. He had never approved of Ru Feng being with Qi Feng, after all, they were biological siblings, which felt somewhat strange. But when such a man actually appeared, he felt resistance and rejection.
“Qi Wu is a good man, truly elegant and extraordinary, rare in this world. Even standing next to you and my second brother, he would not be inferior,” Ru Feng said candidly. “But big brother, he is just a beautiful scenery by the roadside. I may pause to admire him, but I won’t think he belongs to me.”
Ying Feng sighed in relief and asked, “So what happened this time? Don’t lie to me. I can see you have something on your mind.”
