Quan Heng’s illness took a full half month to recover.
During that time, the Marquis and Madam came to see her every day, and gold, silver, and jewelry were sent into Mingyue Pavilion like flowing water.
Only when they saw her complexion improving day by day did they finally feel at ease.
Throughout this period, Ah Zheng also came to visit her daily. Although the Marquis and Madam felt it wasn’t quite proper for a man and woman to be so close, everyone had seen what he did the day Heng’er had her accident.
The boy clearly had deep feelings for Heng’er and was truly worried about her.
Since the servants in the residence were always nearby and the two weren’t alone, the elders felt reassured and didn’t speak up to stop it.
On this day, the sunlight was just right, and Ah Zheng had already built the swing she had casually mentioned a few days ago, so she went out into the courtyard.
The moment she sat on the swing, Quan Heng suddenly felt as though she had returned to her childhood.
Back then, her Yiniang had also personally made her a swing and would push her on sunny days.
At that time, Ah Zheng would push her on the swing too—just like now.
At this moment, she closed her eyes and immersed herself in the feeling.
Suddenly, she seemed to hear a sound nearby—like someone stepping on dry leaves.
She instinctively looked in the direction of the sound. “Who’s there?”
The person seemed startled. Hearing Quan Heng’s voice, they quickly placed the sweet soup they were holding on a small table and turned to run.
Quan Heng frowned. Although that person had run off quickly, her face had still been seen.
“Why is it her?”
Ah Zheng, who had just been pushing her on the swing, hadn’t paid attention to what had happened. Now, puzzled, she asked, “Who?”
“It was Quan Rui.”
Casting her gaze at the bowl of sweet soup not far away, Quan Heng sighed.
“So it turns out, all this time, the sweet soup I’ve been drinking every day was delivered by her. But she’s awfully awkward—ever since the first day I returned to the manor, she’s refused to interact with me normally. After what happened this time, Father scolded her harshly again. She must not be feeling great either.”
Thinking back to the dream she had previously, Quan Heng recalled that the Quan Rui in the dream had also been just as awkward and standoffish.
Yet in that dream, after she died, this younger sister had cried terribly for her.
She thought, perhaps Quan Rui wasn’t bad by nature. All she’d done was out of fear of losing their parents’ favor.
***
Quan Heng’s guesses weren’t wrong.
These past days, Quan Rui had indeed come to deliver things daily. It was just that every time she came, Quan Heng had been resting inside and never came out.
Today, unfortunately, she happened to run into Quan Heng and Ah Zheng playing in the courtyard.
Now, having fled in panic, Quan Rui didn’t return to her own courtyard right away. Instead, she sat down in a corner outside Mingyue Pavilion’s wall.
Although she’d been angry at Father’s punishment, after that initial defiant phase passed, each time she secretly came to check on Quan Heng and saw her pale face, a sense of guilt would rise in her heart.
She sat in a daze outside the courtyard for a long time that day.
It wasn’t until night fell that she finally returned to her own courtyard in a slump.
***
Three more days passed in the blink of an eye.
That morning, just as Quan Heng had woken up, Ziyun lifted the curtain and entered, her face full of gossip.
“Miss, did you hear? We have a new guest at the manor today.”
Quan Heng, still feeling groggy after getting out of bed, sat blankly in front of the mirror, letting Zijing dress her.
Upon hearing Ziyun’s words, she yawned and lazily asked, “What now? What happened that has you so curious?”
Ziyun chuckled and inserted a delicate hairpin into Quan Heng’s bun.
“They say a young master from the extended family has arrived—quite the dashing gentleman! The young ladies of the second and third branches have all secretly gone to the main hall to sneak a look.”
Hearing this, Quan Heng raised an eyebrow, intrigued. “Did Fourth Miss go too? Is her injury healed?”
Ziyun covered her mouth and giggled. “Of course it’s not fully healed yet, but she still sneaked a look. Came back with a blushing face, they say.”
Quan Xiang had always been proud and haughty, born into the third branch—the one most favored by the old madam. Her temperament was rather spoiled.
But after all, she was just a girl in her early teens, at the age when one’s heart first stirs. It was normal to feel something upon seeing a handsome man.
Suddenly, a thought crossed Quan Heng’s mind. “Then… is this cousin more handsome than Ah Zheng?”
Hearing this, all the maidservants in the room let out small chuckles. Quan Heng, completely confused, turned to Ziyun. “What are you all laughing at?”
Ziyun spread her hands. “Our Young Master Shen—elegant and noble, with unmatched bearing. His looks are top-tier in all of the capital. How could that cousin even compare? The only problem is he’s a bit fierce. Everyone’s too scared to get close, so who would dare have improper thoughts about him?”
She shuddered as she recalled the banquet from a few days ago, when their young lady had collapsed and Young Master Shen had been so frantic and furious he smashed a table with one punch.
A man like that—he seemed made for the heavens.
No one, aside from her young lady, was meant to enjoy his favor.
Just then, a knock sounded from outside. Qin Momo opened the door, revealing Duo’er, a maid from the Marchioness’s side.
“Eldest Miss, the Madam sent me to inform you that the young master from the extended family has arrived. A welcoming banquet will be held in the main hall at noon. She asks that you attend as well.”
Quan Heng turned to look and politely replied, “Understood. You may go back now.”
Because she’d been ill these past days, she was excused from morning greetings and slept in daily. After finishing getting ready, she prepared to head to the main courtyard.
But just as she opened the door to Mingyue Pavilion, she saw Ah Zheng standing right outside.
“Ah Zheng, what a coincidence running into you here. Since we’ve met, let’s go together.”
Ah Zheng smiled and nodded. “Alright.”
Coincidence? Hardly. He’d been waiting here for half an hour already.
But he wasn’t about to tell Quan Heng that. It was enough that he knew.
There weren’t that many coincidences in the world—but he could create them himself.
The two chatted and laughed all the way to the main hall. As they stepped in, they saw that most people had already arrived.
After the first welcome banquet and the second gathering, everyone now understood what position Quan Heng held in the hearts of the Marquis and Marchioness. No one dared speak ill of her again.
Even Quan Xiang managed to squeeze out a friendly smile upon seeing her.
Whether that smile had any sincerity behind it, no one could say.
At that moment, beside Quan Minghao stood a man—tall and elegant in a green robe, exuding scholarly charm.
Upon seeing Quan Heng, he offered her a respectful bow—indeed, a bit of the demeanor of a refined gentleman.
But Quan Heng felt no interest at all.
She still remembered that day at the Gu manor—when she opened the door and saw Ah Zheng sitting in the courtyard with a book in hand, sunlight falling gently on him. That scene—now that was grace and warmth incarnate.
How could this man before her compare?
Still, as a guest of the household, she maintained her manners and returned his greeting with a polite smile.
Soon, the banquet began.
Though this welcome meal wasn’t as grand as the one held when Quan Heng had first returned—and not even the old madam attended—it was still a respectable gesture.
After the introductions, Quan Heng learned the man’s background.
Five years ago, the Marquis had been posted away on official business for a year. He brought his wife and children with him, and Quan Kai had been conceived during that time.
This cousin, named Jiang Suifeng, was the illegitimate son of the local prefecture chief’s family.
Back then, the prefect’s residence was right next door to theirs. At first, there was only superficial interaction between the two families.
But one day, when the Marchioness was giving birth and suffered complications while the Marquis was away on duty, it was the prefect’s wife who noticed the danger and generously lent aid—saving both mother and child.
From that point on, the two families became close.
Jiang Suifeng came to the capital this time partly to visit the Marquis and Marchioness, and partly because the imperial exams were next month, and he needed a place to stay.
But upon hearing this, Quan Heng’s expression turned heavy.
So soon? The exams were already next month?
But during this time, Ah Zheng had been following her around in hardship, with barely any time to study. Had she been a distraction to him?
The thought weighed heavily on her.
She couldn’t taste her food at all for the rest of the meal.
Back at her courtyard, she didn’t go indoors right away. Instead, she sat on a small stool in the yard, resting her cheeks in her hands, clearly troubled.
Seeing her like this, Ah Zheng suddenly felt uneasy and came to sit beside her.
“Ah Heng… what’s wrong? You seemed down after the meal today.”
Quan Heng looked up with a serious expression. “Have you been studying recently? The imperial exam is next month. Are you ready for it?”
Ah Zheng froze for a moment.
He hadn’t even thought of that.
Quan Heng had said he used to be a scholar. And if that were true, then surely his life goal must have been to pass the exam and become an official.
Yet these past days, he hadn’t even pretended—he hadn’t cracked a single book.
The truth was, deep down, he had no desire for the exam life. He probably only liked studying as a child because the father Quan Heng mentioned had forced him to.
What he wanted was to fight on the battlefield, to become a general.
And lately, his increasingly vivid dreams of war confirmed this.
During the years they were separated, he must have served in the military.
But now, seeing the look of expectation in her eyes, he couldn’t bring himself to say no. He could only make something up, choosing his words carefully.
“Ah Heng… I’m not ready for the exam this year…”
He lowered his head and feigned defeat.
“You know, I lost my memory. I’ve forgotten a lot of what I once knew. Though I’ve tried reading to make up for it, not much has come back. Most of the time, my head hurts too badly to focus…”
He took her hand, his voice soft and pitiful. “I want to take the exam three years from now. I promise I’ll be ready by then. You won’t be upset with me, will you?”
Seeing him so remorseful, Quan Heng couldn’t bring herself to say anything more.
Then next time it would be.
Hearing him mention his headaches again made her heart clench.
What was glory or prestige compared to health? At this moment, all she wanted was for him to be well.
She reached out and gently touched his forehead, her tone full of concern. “It’s been so long—how is it still hurting? Maybe we should get another doctor to take a look?”
Seeing her finally worry about him, Ah Zheng felt a quiet joy rise in his heart.
He looked up with slightly teary eyes and obediently said, “Alright. I’ll listen to you, Ah Heng. Let’s find another doctor to check.”
