Bai Qingqing knew Qiyue wasn’t just trying to comfort her, but that didn’t stop the anger from rising in her chest.

So when she was leaving Yanlai Pavilion and saw that Fu Xiao was still loitering nearby, she paused in thought, then sent Zidai to invite him over.

“Do you have a moment, Young Master Fu? May I borrow a word?”

Fu Xiao now knew who Bai Qingqing was—none other than the cause of his father’s recent fury toward his stepmother. But he didn’t care. All he knew was that Qiyue liked her. Maybe this girl could be the turning point between him and Qiyue.

Bai Qingqing didn’t stay at Yanlai Pavilion. She led him outside and found a quiet place to talk.

All along the way and even after they sat down, Bai Qingqing observed him in silence.

In her past life, she’d had barely any interaction with him. Now that she looked closely, it was no wonder the Princess Consort of Prince Ping saw him as a threat.

Compared to Fu Yi’s scholarly elegance, Fu Xiao exuded a different kind of presence—upright features, thick brows, clear eyes, and an imposing face. Now that he’d reined in his earlier impatience, he gave off a calm, grounded steadiness.

Bai Qingqing didn’t speak right away. She asked for a pot of tea but didn’t drink it—just toyed with the lid, idly flipping it back and forth over the rim of the cup.

Fu Xiao bore the silence as long as he could before he finally blurted out, “Miss Bai, since you and Qiyue are acquainted, could you talk to her for me? I’m sincere—truly fond of her. Why won’t she see me?”

With a soft clink, Bai Qingqing set the lid back on the cup and slowly raised her eyes. “You really don’t know why Qiyue won’t see you, Young Master Fu?”

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“I… I honestly don’t. My feelings for her have never changed. I’d give anything to be with her, but then she just stopped seeing me, out of the blue.”

Frustrated, Fu Xiao ran a hand through his hair—hard. Bai Qingqing caught the motion from the corner of her eye and saw several strands come away in his fingers. The strength behind it was clearly no act.

"And you still think you're the one who's wronged? You speak of deep feelings for her, but have you ever thought about the trouble you've brought her? Sister Qiyue had to give up the dancing she loves, all because of your obsession. You've turned her into a spectacle, made her the target of ridicule—what part of that is your grievance?"

"That’s because they don’t understand her! They’ve misunderstood everything. My feelings for Qiyue aren’t shallow. I want to marry her, give her a rightful name. I’d even give up the title of heir to Prince Ping if it came to that."

Bai Qingqing clapped her hands softly, her voice sugar-sweet and sharp as a blade. "Oh, how noble of you. No wonder everyone says the eldest son of Prince Ping is a rare romantic, a man of loyalty and heart. They praise your devotion—and then in the same breath, call Sister Qiyue a vixen, accuse her of seducing you into wallowing in romance and neglecting your future."

She let out a light laugh. "Funny, isn’t it? All the glory lands on your shoulders. And Sister Qiyue? She deserves to be insulted, does she?"

Fu Xiao's face went ghostly pale. His lips parted, trembling with words that barely made a sound. "I... I didn’t realize it was like that. I thought..."

"You thought?" Bai Qingqing’s tone sharpened. "I heard Prince Ping favors his eldest son greatly. That would mean you’re no fool. And yet, with all your cleverness, you still ‘thought’? What has your so-called love brought Sister Qiyue? Just because you fancy her, she has to endure all this? And she’s wrong for not wanting to see you?"

She glared at him, eyes like twin blades. "If you truly cared for her, how could you bear to see her suffer even the slightest for your sake? How could you allow others to mock and slander her? All you’ve done is say a few words in her defense—what good has that done? Has it stopped even a single insult?"

Fu Xiao’s eyes lost their focus, his whole body seemed to sway. His fists clenched on the table, trembling with the force of his grip. What should he do, then? What could he do to protect Qiyue?