The news of the annulment gradually died down in the capital.
Su Jinyu's life returned to its usual rhythm—paying respects to her grandmother in the morning, reading or doing needlework in her own courtyard in the afternoon, and occasionally being picked up by her maternal grandmother to stay for a couple of days.
Her days were peaceful and quiet. She had almost forgotten about the old belongings her mother had left behind, until this afternoon, when she passed by the storehouse and remembered that her mother's things were still piled in the corner, waiting to be sorted.
She had originally planned to take her mother's belongings with her when she married, so she ordered the servants and maids to carefully sort the old items out of the storehouse and set them aside.
Now that the engagement had been annulled, the things had already been sorted out anyway. She was too lazy to put them back, so she simply had the maids carry them directly into her courtyard.
Most of the items were old clothes and jewelry boxes, along with some yellowed books and a few dusty porcelain pieces.
She had intended to keep the usable items and seal the rest away, but as the maids were moving them, an object in a corner caught her attention.
It was a palm-sized wooden box. The lacquer on its surface was somewhat chipped, but the patterns and craftsmanship were very delicate; it was clearly an antique.
She took it and placed it on her lap, using her sleeve to wipe the dust off the lid. The latch of the wooden box was loose, and it popped open with a gentle flick.
Lying quietly inside was a jade bracelet.
The body of the bracelet was a rich, deep green, and under the light, its texture possessed a warm, greasy luster, as if someone had worn it for many years, polishing it against their skin until it attained a soft, bright sheen.
Su Jinyu picked it up and held it against the light. The surface of the bracelet glowed with a dense, even green, its base was clean, and there were no blemishes along the edges.
She couldn't explain why, but she fell in love with it at first sight.
She gently slipped the bracelet onto her left wrist. The fit was perfect, as if it had been custom-made for her.
Before she could examine it closely, the vision before her eyes suddenly warped slightly, like the surface of water being gently disturbed for a brief moment.
She felt as if she had fallen into a warm lake. Her surroundings became blurry amidst a soft glow, but quickly returned to clarity.
She was standing in an unfamiliar place. Beneath her feet was damp soil, above her head was a soft, grayish-white sky, and several fruit trees were planted around her, their branches heavy with green fruit. The air was filled with the fresh scent of earth and vegetation, and a small stream meandered nearby, the sound of its water soft and shallow.
All of this lasted for only a moment.
She looked down at the soil beneath her feet and the tree with green fruit behind her, her gaze slowly sweeping across the stream and the hazy wall of light in the distance.
She did not tell anyone about her experience from that moment. From that day on, she wore the bracelet every day, never taking it off, keeping it against her skin even when she slept.
...
When the news of Xie Tianci's marriage proposal reached the inner courtyard, Su Qing'er was embroidering a handkerchief by the window.
The maid rushed in to report, speaking in a frantic rush. She said Marquis Jing'an and the Marchioness had personally come, and Heir Xie was also there. They were sitting in the main hall, seemingly discussing marriage.
Su Qing'er's hand froze mid-stitch, and a tiny bead of blood welled up where the needle pricked her fingertip.
She put down the handkerchief and stood up. Her expression shifted rapidly several times in a split second before she finally composed herself, changed into clothes suitable for guests, and walked toward the main hall.
She slowed her steps at the corner of the corridor, listening to the conversation inside through a crack in the door.
Count Jing'an's voice was deep and distant, carrying a patronizing politeness: “Since my son and your second daughter are mutually in love, we elders shouldn't force them apart.”
“However, the second daughter is, after all, born of a concubine. If we marry her as the primary wife, it won't be easy to explain to the public in the future. Our manor's intention is to welcome the second daughter through the gates with the rites of a concubine, which can also be considered a fulfillment of this affinity.”
Minister Su's fingers tightened slightly around his teacup before loosening. He forced a smile and said, “What you say is true, Count. My daughter... is indeed somewhat lacking in status. Being able to enter the Count's manor is already a great privilege for her.”
His tone was flat and steady, betraying no emotion. But standing outside the door, hearing those words come from her father's mouth, Su Qing'er felt as if a bucket of ice water had been slowly poured over her head.
The conversation in the main hall continued. Countess Jing'an's voice was far colder than Count Jing'an's, and her tone carried a hint of vindication.
Their manor had lost face tremendously at that banquet a few days ago. She and her husband had spent days deliberating how to come and apologize, only to find out—the root of the problem lay here in the Minister's manor.
Her posture straightened instantly. “Speaking of which, if the second daughter hadn't been meeting with the heir in private, the heir wouldn't have insisted on annulling the engagement.”
“It should have been a splendid match between our two families, with the legitimate daughter marrying the heir. Now that things have reached this point, my husband has lost face at the banquet, and your eldest daughter has suffered quite a bit of grievance. If this marriage were to be conducted with the rites of a primary wife, it would not look good for the reputation of our Marquis Jing'an's Manor either. Offering her a position as a concubine is already giving face to the heir.”
Minister Su repeatedly agreed, a thin layer of sweat breaking out on his forehead, yet he still had to force a smile and go along with it.
Standing outside the door, Su Qing'er dug her fingernails so deeply into her palms that they almost drew blood, but she did not push the door open to enter.
She stood in the shadow of the corridor, looking down at the tips of her embroidered shoes. In the lingering echo of Countess Jing'an's words about an “undignified concubine-born daughter,” she stood quietly for a moment, then turned and walked away, not entering to see Xie Tianci's supposedly deeply affectionate face as he sat in the hall.
In the evening, Xie Tianci bypassed the front courtyard and entered Su Qing'er's courtyard through the back gate.
Upon seeing her, he eagerly stepped forward to grasp her hands, saying that the marriage arrangements were not his doing but his parents' decision, and that he would definitely find a way to marry her as his primary wife.
Su Qing'er stood there and listened. She did not pull her hands away, nor did she respond. Only after a while did she look up at him and ask that since he insisted on marrying no one but her, why couldn't he persuade his parents to welcome her as his primary wife?
Xie Tianci choked, opening his mouth as if to say something but closing it again. In the end, he only squeezed her hands and said, “Just wait a little longer.”
When he left, his footsteps were hurried, as if he were eager to escape from this quiet courtyard. The door closed behind him with a soft click, shutting out the twilight that filled the courtyard.
Su Qing'er stood in the courtyard. The slight warmth in her palms had already dissipated, but where Xie Tianci had held them, a thin layer of dampness remained.
She had known long ago that Xie Tianci was a useless fool who couldn't accomplish anything.
From the very beginning, she had never intended to marry him—she only wanted to ruin Su Jinyu's marriage and destroy her reputation. Yet, she never expected that Su Jinyu would emerge completely unscathed, while she herself had stepped right into a fiery pit.
By now, who knew what rumors were spreading outside—a concubine-born daughter, not knowing her place, actually daring to lay her hands on her legitimate sister's marriage.
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