Xu Qiuer was curious about his request. Xu Qinger coldly glanced at Xu Qiuer, inwardly sneering, knowing her sister’s thoughts. A good show was about to begin: the grandson wants to marry the second daughter of Ning as his wife.
Hao Li knew the source of the light beam but couldn’t delay any longer; he couldn’t let Qiu’er suffer the same fate as Xin’er. Gritting his teeth, he tried to suppress his thoughts, as thinking would only deepen his heartache.
Bang—
Xu Qiu’er’s cup fell. She hurried to pick it up but bumped into the table leg. The pain was not physical but emotional. Fighting back tears, she felt an overwhelming urge to leave.
“What’s wrong, Qiu’er?” The Empress Dowager’s eyes briefly reflected darkness.
Xu Qiu’er stood: “Qiu’er has disturbed the Empress Dowager’s joy and wishes to retire due to feeling unwell.” Her heart ached.
The Empress Dowager chuckled: “If you’re unwell, you should have said so. It’s not a big deal. The birthday celebration happens every year. Go back and rest.” Long Han Jie noticed her poor complexion and whispered, “Shall I send you back?” Xu Qiu’er forced a smile: “Your Highness should celebrate. I’ll have someone send me back to Fu Qiu Palace.” Long Han Jie nodded.
Xu Qiu’er kept her head down, afraid to look up, scared to ask why. Had these days been nothing but her one-sided affection?
She stumbled and fell to the ground, hitting her forehead. Hao Li clenched his fist, resisting the urge to look. Long Han Jie quickly stepped forward to support Xu Qiu’er and returned her to her palace.
Hao Li spent the night unaware of the Empress Dowager and Emperor’s discussion. Surrounded by well-wishers, he only wanted to cry, drinking cup after cup, bitterness filling his heart. He couldn’t continue like this; he felt he would explode. Quietly, he stood up and withdrew unnoticed.
Walking alone in a bamboo forest, a place built by Long Han Jie for his beloved Qiu Fei, he felt despicable for spying on another man’s woman. The bamboo trees reminded him that fate was predetermined, leading him to question, “Why?…”
Hao Li turned to see Xu Qiu’er, her eyes filled with pain.
“Why?” she asked from a distance, unwilling to step closer. She couldn’t blame herself for falling into his flawless trap; he had sent her tempting signals, and like a foolish moth, she had recklessly thrown herself in.
Now she remembered a line: True coincidences are rare in this world.
That man who revealed a peerless, intelligent smile in the moonlight, who was elegant and composed before countless enemy troops, and wandered endlessly for his woman was completely different from the sobbing shadow in her memory.
His gaze swept over her inadvertently, almost like an illusion, seeming to look at her for a few seconds, deeply wounding her. Only now did she realize she had come to the wrong place.
The slight warmth brought by memories disappeared from his face. He curved his lips, revealing a blurry smile. “Xu Qiu’er, from the first day, you knew you were just a chess piece in my hand.” His words struck her heart, met only by a desolate gaze. Xu Qiu’er, with red eyes, asked again: “Did you ever love me? Even if just…”
His cold gaze drifted to Xu Qiu’er’s blood-red eyes, a smile at the corner of his lips carrying an inexplicable coldness: “No, never. In my heart, there was only one person – her name was Xu Xin’er.” Hao Li felt sweetness in his throat, struggling to suppress the nauseating taste.
Xu Qiu’er laughed while stepping back, one step at a time. She pulled out her handkerchief, closing her eyes in despair. The handkerchief floated from her hand.
This was his answer.
“Hehe…”
A woman’s laughter filled the air with mockery.
Xu Qing’er said coldly: “Xu Qiu’er, do you really think Hao Li loves you? Don’t be foolish.” She looked at Xu Qiu’er, whose lips had turned purple from the cold. “He approached us only because we carry the title of Xu Xinyi’s sister.”
Xu Qiu’er asked softly, “Why are you telling me this?”
Xu Qing’er replied with a laugh: “Your father loves you, and even the prince does. But the most ridiculous thing is that the person you love doesn’t love you at all.”
“Stop talking.”
“What? Did I hit a nerve?” Xu Qing’er stepped in front of Xu Qiu’er and looked down. “Our war won’t end easily. I hope you can always stay above me; otherwise, as long as there’s Xu Qing’er, I will be your nightmare.” She then turned and left.
Ping Wang Mansion –
Hao Li was carried back to the mansion, where Ping Wang called for the imperial physician. Hao Li had a low fever, mumbling incomprehensible words, except for Xiao An, who was taking care of him.
“One-sided love cannot last long, easily washed away by time… If love and longing don’t turn into deep hatred, perhaps I would have forgotten you long ago…” Hao Li, though not fully conscious, seemed to whisper, “Hate me.”
Hate me with the heart that loved me, remember me with your hatred… Use your hatred to return my hatred.
Even a thousand needles would not compare to the heartbreak after you left. In his dream, he held her hand and gently slid his hand from between her fingers, his voice soft: “Hate me. Only then will I know how deeply you love me.”
That night, when Ning’er and Guan Yue found Xu Qiu’er, she had already fallen into a coma. Long Hanjie was furious and spent the night watching over her bed without closing his eyes.
In her dream, a pair of deep black eyes collided with hers in an instant, her palm covered in cold sweat as if she had gone through a life-and-death cycle.
Everything has ended.
In fact, it never started again.
When the blow is great enough, a heart will adapt to become strong. After experiencing life and death, the tangled knot deep in the heart may loosen.
Xu Qiu’er was ill for five days and nights. When she woke up, she saw Long Hanjie leaning against a pillar, dozing. Xu Qiu’er turned away.
After recovering, she returned to her normal routine, painting in the study every morning, focused and meticulous, putting down her brush near noon to wash her hands and have a meal.
The Empress Dowager knew Hao Li’s thoughts. She would not oppose whom her grandson wanted to marry but was concerned whether it was truly in his heart. Young people can be too persistent and fail to see through things. The world is like floating clouds; what cannot be overcome? But if that person were her, everything would be impossible.
The narrative discusses Hao Li’s potential marriage and his request to go to the border, revealing complex family and court dynamics.
“It doesn’t matter if there’s no turning back; just consider it a memory.” Liu Nanny sighed heavily, looking at Xu Qiu’er with compassion. “Your Highness, this servant knows you are extremely clever. You must understand that extreme hatred causes harm. Life is short; how many decades do you have to waste? Is this really worth it?” Xu Qiu’er’s eyes reddened as she hugged Liu Nanny, burying her face in her shoulder, gripping something in her right hand.
“Nanny, please go back first,” Xu Qiu’er said softly to the nanny lying weakly on the couch.
After Liu Nanny left, Xu Qiu’er lay alone on the couch, her heart shattered by Hao Li’s words. Clenching her fist, she thought, “You think this will drive me away? I will help you get what you want.” Tears fell as she realized she would willingly sacrifice her life for him.
Her gaze was fixed on Hao Li, unable to look away. Xu Qiu’er smiled faintly, laughter mixed with bitter tears. Confirming he wasn’t an illusion, panic overcame her, and she collapsed onto the couch, trembling and powerless. As she tried to move, she weakly knelt, clenching her fist and biting her hand.
Feeling a fleeting emotion, Hao Li instinctively stepped closer. An inexplicable panic gripped him, but he helped Xu Qiu’er up. She pushed him away, saying, “Go…”
