Duan Mingxi was starving, yet had no appetite. She shoved food into her mouth absentmindedly, not even knowing what it tasted like.
Seeing her like that, Xiao Muchen put down his chopsticks and looked at her. “Don’t think about other things while eating.”
Caught in the act, Duan Mingxi was a little embarrassed and looked at him. “I was just thinking—Qiao Wan, someone like her, still cares so much about her brother. It’s strange.”
“Human nature is complicated. There’s nothing strange about it,” Xiao Muchen said calmly. “You’ll see more odd things in the future.”
Duan Mingxi glanced at him and muttered, Thanks, but I don’t want that.
Xiao Muchen smiled, his eyes crinkling. “Come on, eat a little more. Then rest. Let’s suppress Qiao Wan’s arrogance for now. Best to interrogate her again before dawn.”
Mingxi wasn’t good at interrogation matters. She just followed Xiao Muchen’s lead. “Alright.”
They quickly finished their meal. Soon, Qi He returned to report: Qiao Wan wanted to see them.
Xiao Muchen ignored her and took Mingxi to rest.
This courtyard was originally where Xiao Muchen would rest during occasional visits, so it naturally had his bedroom. Everything inside had already been replaced with fresh new items. Fragrance wafted through the room, calming and elegant, making it hard not to relax.
Xiao Muchen even helped her remove her hairpin. Mingxi stopped him. “That’s not necessary, right?”
“It’s uncomfortable.”
As he spoke, Xiao Muchen had already let her hair down, pressing her shoulders gently to make her lie down. He pulled the bed curtain down and sat beside her, smiling. “Just lie with me for a bit. I’ve been running around all day—I’m still exhausted.”
Mingxi knew he had rushed over from the Eastern Palace. He must’ve been both anxious and tired. She didn’t speak anymore and leaned against him. “Alright. Let’s both rest a while.”
Xiao Muchen wrapped his arms around her, and the two closed their eyes.
Not long after, he heard Mingxi’s breathing slowly become calm. Opening his eyes, he saw she had already fallen asleep.
He gently laid her down, then turned to the side and waited a while longer. Seeing she hadn’t stirred, he quietly snuck out like a thief.
Outside, Qi He was already waiting. Seeing Wangye come out, he wasn’t surprised and reported, “We’ve already brought Qiao Yu to where Qiao Wan is, but didn’t let them talk—just let them see each other from a distance.”
Xiao Muchen nodded. “How’s Qiao Wan’s emotional state now?”
Qi He shook his head. “Seems more stable than earlier. Might make her harder to interrogate.”
“No matter. If she refuses to talk, then chop off one of Qiao Yu’s fingers. Let’s see how long she can stay tight-lipped.” Xiao Muchen had run out of patience.
Qi He’s heart tightened, and he immediately said, “Yes.”
Qi He brought people to interrogate Qiao Wan again. Xiao Muchen strolled over and sat not far from Qiao Yu, his eyes coldly staring at the siblings.
Beside him, a guard held a knife about a foot long. Its blade was sharp and glinted harshly under the light.
Qiao Yu had been fussing about seeing his sister, but when Duan Wang sat there so dominantly, he was so frightened he didn’t dare utter a word. He shrank into himself, hugging his body tightly.
Qiao Wan said something from across the way. Qi He turned his head and made a gesture. The guard immediately grabbed Qiao Yu’s hand and slammed it onto the table. The blade fell, and a section of his little finger dropped to the ground.
Qiao Yu didn’t react at first. When the sharp pain hit him and he was about to scream, the guard stuffed a cloth into his mouth.
Qiao Wan’s face turned pale — now, she was truly afraid.
Duan Wang was a madman!
Xiao Muchen didn’t even bat an eye. He simply stared coldly at Qiao Wan, then glanced at Qiao Yu.
That icy gaze made Qiao Wan swallow all her fear.
She understood this was Xiao Muchen’s way of telling her — he was out of patience.
Earlier, she had still clung to a bit of hope, trying to negotiate terms. As a result, her brother lost a finger. Now, she truly regretted it.
Qi He dragged Qiao Wan off to be interrogated. Meanwhile, a physician came to treat and bandage Qiao Yu’s wound. After the physician left, Xiao Muchen signaled a servant, who stepped forward and told Qiao Yu, in detail, all the things Qiao Wan had done.
Qiao Yu had already heard bits and pieces before, but hearing it laid out again now, he still couldn’t believe his gentle and kind sister had actually killed people — and more than one.
Xiao Muchen wasn’t interested in watching Qiao Yu’s shock and disbelief. He sat in a soft chair, gently rocking as he closed his eyes to rest.
Suddenly, he heard familiar footsteps and abruptly stood up.
Duan Mingxi appeared in his sight. He naturally walked over and looked at her warmly. “Why are you up? It’s still early.”
“Why didn’t you wake me?” Duan Mingxi asked, slightly embarrassed.
“It was just a small matter — no need to trouble you.”
Duan Mingxi glanced at him and pursed her lips, not responding. She didn’t know how to continue, so she changed the subject. “Did Qiao Wan confess?”
Xiao Muchen nodded. “Qi He is taking her statement now.”
“That fast?” Duan Mingxi asked in surprise.
Xiao Muchen replied flatly, “She angered Qi He. He had someone cut off Qiao Yu’s finger — that shut her up.”
Duan Mingxi: …
She didn’t expect Qi He to be that ruthless.
But she felt no sympathy for Qiao Wan. Her feelings about Qiao Yu were complicated. Losing a finger was better than losing his life.
Seeing that she didn’t press further, Xiao Muchen silently let out a breath of relief and took her hand. “Let’s go wait in the small hall — there are too many bugs here.”
“Okay.” Mingxi followed him, too tired to comment on his constant hand-holding.
This habit was quite peculiar. Other couples didn’t walk hand-in-hand all the time, talk hand-in-hand, do everything hand-in-hand.
Mingxi couldn’t help but think of what Madam Xu had said — that when someone’s heart is full of thoughts and love for you, they’ll want to stay close to you all the time.
She remembered how Madam Xu once said that after marrying her father and failing to have children, the clan pressured him to take a concubine, but he refused.
So Mingxi sometimes understood why, in her past life, her father died and her mother followed shortly after.
But other times, she found it unbelievable. Life wasn’t only about one partner — there were many people and things in it, weren’t there?
Still, when her mother spoke of her father, her gentle gaze, joyful tone, and the air of contentment and longing she gave off — Mingxi knew, deep down, she was envious.
In her past life, her marriage to Gao Zhan was nothing like marital harmony — it was open hostility.
“What are you spacing out for? What are you thinking about?”
Startled by Xiao Muchen’s voice, Duan Mingxi reflexively replied, “I was wondering… what is it you like about me? Why are you so good to me?”
The question came out of nowhere. Even Xiao Muchen was stunned.
Mingxi glanced at him. “Forget it. Pretend I didn’t ask.”
Xiao Muchen wasn’t having that. How could she just take it back?
She asked — he had to answer!
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