“...Hey... Old Qin... Old Qin!”

“Old Qin! I’m talking to you! Are you listening or not?”

Someone gave Qin Heng’s shoulder a hard smack, jolting him awake. He turned around—and there was Feng Xun, back already.

“Ah—oh, sorry, Young Master Feng. I was thinking about something and got a little lost in it.”

“Mm... By the way, the banquet’s over already?”

Feng Xun shook his head.

“It wasn’t supposed to be over yet. I still had to spend more time getting to know my business partners, but something urgent came up, so I came back first...”

After he finished speaking, Feng Xun looked at Qin Heng with a faintly amused expression. Big Slacker was utterly confused.

“Brother Feng... If you’ve got something important to take care of, go ahead. Why come back to find me? Is there something I can help with?”

Feng Xun shook his head, then began clapping softly.

Qin Heng: “W-What’s going on, Brother Feng?”

With a “smile” on his face, Feng Xun came up behind Qin Heng and patted him on both shoulders.

“I should’ve known you had it in you, Old Qin. You’ve been hiding your talents, huh?”

Watching Feng Xun’s baffling series of moves, Big Couch-Potato Qin was completely dumbfounded. He stammered out,

“Wait, Young Master Feng, what happened? Just tell me! Whatever I did wrong, I’ll fix it, okay?”

Feng Xun burst out laughing, spreading his hands.

“What did you do wrong? Old Qin, you were seriously impressive this time.”

“Brother Feng, what are you talking about? Just tell me!”

Qin Heng was at a loss. What could’ve happened to make Feng Xun this happy?

“Let me ask you: when I went to the banquet earlier, did you leave the private room and run into Qing Nianyi?”

The moment Big Slacker heard the name “Qing Nianyi,” his whole body stiffened. Certain “sweet” memories came flooding back...

That was also why Qin Heng had been so lost in thought just now that he hadn’t noticed Feng Xun had already returned.

Ever since he and Qing Nianyi parted, those few brief minutes of meeting and getting to know each other...

...had been branded deep in Big Slacker’s mind. There was no way to forget them. Now that Feng Xun had brought it up again, Big Slacker’s expression turned awkward. He turned away and stammered,

“Y-Yeah... I ran into her. What about it, Brother Feng?”

Seeing him act so timidly, Feng Xun looked puzzled.

“What about it? Getting to know someone as important as Qing Nianyi could do you a world of good. You could say it’d put your whole life on the fast track. So what’s with that reaction?”

“Don’t tell me you think she looks down on you? You’re overthinking it. Senior Nianyi isn’t like that.”

“Besides, when I went back to the banquet this time, Senior Nianyi had nothing but good things to say about you. Looks like you two had a nice chat~”

Uh...

Big Slacker had no idea whether she’d spoken highly of him... As for “a nice chat,” that part was true. They’d already gotten as far as the finger-in-mouth scene...

“It was all right...”

Qin Heng replied quietly. He didn’t seem nearly as excited as Feng Xun had expected. But Feng Xun didn’t think much of it, assuming Qin Heng was just feeling a little insecure. After all, there was a huge gap between their backgrounds, and their social standing was worlds apart. It was only natural that Old Qin, as a guy, might feel a little awkward about his pride...

Feng Xun cleared his throat, then spoke.

“We can talk about that later. I really did rush back because there’s something I need to tell you.”

“What?”

“Old Qin, were you having such a good time talking earlier that you left something behind with Senior Nianyi?”

Qin Heng froze at that.

“What did I leave behind?”

He instinctively felt around in his bag. His phone and keys were there. All that remained was a crumpled wad of bills, and he couldn’t be sure about those...

Who remembers exactly how much loose change they’re carrying?

“...Mm, maybe?”

Qin Heng reached out toward Feng Xun, wanting to see if it was money. But Feng Xun didn’t move at all. Instead, he asked, puzzled,

“What are you doing?”

“...The thing I left behind? You didn’t bring it back?”

“Oh, that. It’s still with Senior Nianyi. You’ll have to go get it from her yourself in a bit.”

“Huh? Why?”

Feng Xun smiled.

“Just be glad, you lucky idiot. Miss Qing didn’t just hold on to your things for you—she personally invited you to come over and talk.”

“This is a rare opportunity. Don’t mess it up!”

“Huh?! W-Why...?”

Watching Qin Heng dither, Feng Xun gave Big Slacker a heavy smack on the shoulder.

“‘Huh’ what? This isn’t the time to chicken out! Whether you, Big Slacker, can finally turn things around depends on this one chance. Don’t say I never gave you an opportunity.”

“I went out of my way to put in a good word for you in front of Senior Nianyi. Don’t embarrass me, got it?”

Qin Heng looked at Feng Xun, who was practically bursting with enthusiasm, and could only nod.

“...Got it. So when should I go over, and what floor is she on?”

...

In the back garden outside the castle, a stunningly beautiful woman sat quietly on a wooden bench.

Soft, silvery moonlight fell across her breathtaking face. Her dark golden hair drifted in the evening breeze, a few strands falling over her shoulders.

Qing Nianyi’s delicate hands were clasped over her stomach, fingers intertwined tightly.

Anxious, faintly uneasy, Mu Zi gazed in one direction as if she could stare straight through the distance.

Her willow-thin brows drew together. As time passed, worry appeared between them, and the unease and agitation in her heart grew stronger...

—So much time had passed, and she still hadn’t seen him...

...C-Could he not want to come?!

No! That couldn’t be it!

She’d already made things clear with Feng Xun. She was only returning the boy’s lost belongings. There was no other reason!

The boy would come! He wouldn’t just leave her here on her own!

...

When she saw him, she couldn’t make the same breach of etiquette as last time. She had to show him the very best of herself!

She’d explain what happened before, then get a little, a little closer to him...

Qing Nianyi tried with all her might to reassure herself. At last, the turmoil in her heart eased a little...

But as the moonlight slowly faded into the dark, the figure she couldn’t stop thinking about still hadn’t appeared.

Qing Nianyi bit her cherry-red lip. Her beautiful eyes had long since grown dim and empty, and her delicate hands gripped the hem of her clothes tightly. Regret began to gather in her heart once more...

The bleak evening wind swept over Qing Nianyi’s delicate body. Her beautiful but impractical gown did little to keep her warm.

Chills crept slowly up from her heels, but to Qing Nianyi, the cold outside was nothing compared to the desolation deep in her heart...

Qing Nianyi lowered her empty gaze, her delicate shoulders trembling uncontrollably. Tears gathered in her eyes, their sheer sorrow finally condensing into a crystal-clear drop. It slipped quietly down her fair, lovely face, leaving behind a beautiful, cold, winding trail.

...It’s all right... Whether back then... or now...

...She’d always been alone, hadn’t she?

Heaven had already shown her mercy. She was the one who’d destroyed that gift with her own hands...

It was all her own fault. She had no one to blame but herself...

Beneath the moonlight, in the evening breeze, Qing Nianyi once again put on a gentle, charming smile...