“Yes, a male companion is ultimately just a plaything. If a woman truly liked you, she would have welcomed you into the family with an eight-bearer sedan chair, pampering and protecting you in silks and satins. Yet some men just don’t learn, throwing themselves shamelessly at women, begging to be their male companions. No wonder they look down on you!”

“Indeed, who told him to willingly debase himself.” Yue Guanyi’s lips curved into a bitter smile, despair spreading in her eyes, layer upon layer, nearly drowning her gaze.

Male companions have never had good endings. They rely on their youthful good looks, indulging in a brief pleasure, drowning in a moment’s false love.

Even the children born to male companions will be raised under the name of the main husband in the future, calling another man father. When they grow old and lose their beauty, they will be driven out of the family, scorned by all, dying in unknown dark alleys.

Yue Guanyi lowered her head, laughing like a madwoman, her laughter permeated with gloom and despair, hoarse and unpleasant. Each laugh seemed to mock her own filth, her own presumptuousness, as if this male companion’s fate was her own future ending.

“Your- Your Highness, what’s wrong?” Chang’an was terrified by her laughter, only able to see Yue Guanyi’s thin and fragile back trembling with her desolate laughter.

Yue Guanyi wiped away a fleeting tear from the corner of her eye, her eyes bloodshot and savage, screaming frantically and recklessly. All these years of waiting and unbearable torment and suffering intertwined, fusing into her bones and blood, too intense to dissolve.

Yes, she willingly debased herself like this.

Even if the final outcome would be worse than this male companion’s, but this was already the happiest time for her who was deeply mired in sin.

In the distance, the curtain of the tent glowing with a dim yellow light was lifted, and a slender figure slowly walked out.

Just seeing her blurry silhouette made Yue Guanyi smile involuntarily. The dense, gnawing pain in her heart, as if poisonous insects were biting her bones, seemed to be soaked and wrapped in soft, warm medicine, instantly healing her wounds all over.

“Let’s go back.” She had stood in the biting cold wind all night, just to wait for this moment, to see her come out, and she was at ease.

“Your Highness, aren’t you going to see Qiu Daren?” Sensing that Yue Guanyi’s emotions had stabilized in an instant, Chang’an knew it was all thanks to Qiu Shuzhi. Although he didn’t understand why Yue Guanyi’s emotions suddenly changed so much, he instinctively guessed it was related to Qiu Shuzhi.

Only Qiu Shuzhi would have such weight in Her Highness’s heart.

No – perhaps Her Highness’s heart only had Qiu Shuzhi alone, so her every move would affect all of Her Highness’s nerves, smiling for her, grieving for her, going mad with obsession for her.

“No need.” Yue Guanyi slowly walked, leaning on the railing. She had stood motionless all night, her legs were numb, and she was a bit unsteady when walking.

When the Empress Mother was still alive, she had a very beloved consort. The consort’s appearance was not outstanding, his family background was ordinary, but his favor lasted long simply because that consort did not fight or compete, did not get angry or jealous, so the Empress Mother liked him so much.

She also wanted to emulate him, to make this heaven-sent pity last longer. If Qiu Shuzhi didn’t take the initiative to find her, she would never go to trouble her, especially since she didn’t want their relationship to be public.

Chang’an supported her, watching that slender figure gradually walking towards them. Chang’an’s heart moved, seeming to see a savior descending: “Your Highness, Qiu Daren is coming.”

Chang’an only felt the hand he was supporting suddenly tighten, the limbs becoming extremely stiff.

Although Yue Guanyi tried hard to conceal her emotions, her light footsteps could not deceive anyone. The white robe fluttered in the enclosure like a graceful butterfly, rushing towards its master.

When the two met, it was just in front of her tent. The sky had just begun to dawn, the palace servants had not yet risen, and due to last night’s commotion, everyone was getting up late today.

Chang’an said cheerfully with a righteous excuse: “Is Qiu Daren here to discuss the assassin matter with Your Highness?”

A faint smile escaped from Qiu Shuzhi’s lips: “Yes.”

Chang’an lifted the curtain, his eyes smiling: “Please come in, Daren.”

The heavy curtain closed, and the two were alone in the room. The candles that had burned halfway cast flickering shadows, stretching the shadows of the two people very long, the atmosphere quiet and immersed.

Yue Guanyi twisted the hem of her clothes, frozen for a long while before reacting.

What was she doing? She was now Qiu Niang’s private favorite, Qiu Niang had taken the initiative to find her, she should do something.

“Please sit, Daren. I’ll pour tea for you.” Her voice trembled slightly with nervousness as she led her to sit.

She leaned over to pour tea. The high-quality six-petal magnolia teapot was elegant and serene in her hand. The tea was half full, its pale green color reflected in the ancient cup, the faint fragrance slowly wafting over. But she was really too nervous and spilled some tea, hot tea spilling on her robe, wetting a large patch.

“I’m sorry.” Yue Guanyi knelt on the ground without thinking. How useless she was, she couldn’t even do a small thing like pouring tea well. How could she serve Qiu Niang in the future?

“It’s alright, Your Highness.” Qiu Shuzhi pulled her.

But Yue Guanyi seemed to be possessed, not listening to her words at all. Now full of guilt and anxiety, afraid that everything she had finally obtained would disappear immediately, she wiped the water stains on her body with her sleeve without regard for her own white robe. Her eyes were filled with deep remorse, her lips extremely pale and colorless: “I’m sorry, I’m sorry-”

Qiu Shuzhi sighed softly, lifting her chin and leaning in to kiss her.

Yue Guanyi’s body suddenly stiffened, her knees instantly going weak. Qiu Shuzhi grabbed her waist with one hand. She was soft like a boneless puddle of water, seeming to want to suck Qiu Shuzhi’s fingers deep inside.

Qiu Shuzhi closed her eyes, her slender fingers inserted into Yue Guanyi’s thick hair, following her as she slowly leaned down. Their wide robes intertwined, their lips and teeth inseparable, an ambiguous atmosphere in the quiet air.

Yue Guanyi opened her eyes in shock, her skin as fine and smooth as white jade flushed with a layer of red.

Qiu Shuzhi gently held her hand, making her tightly clenched fingers slowly relax.

After a deep kiss, Yue Guanyi’s face was as red as dripping blood, her head lowered not daring to look at her.

“Your Highness, look at me,” she said softly.

Yue Guanyi lowered his eyes, his thick eyelashes trembling violently. He raised his head, eyes moist as if startled, the slightly reddened rims like a newborn puppy’s.

Qiu Shuzhi couldn’t help but kiss him again: “Hold out your hand.”

Her voice, pressed extremely low, made his whole body shiver and shrink, his fingers involuntarily curling. Yet upon hearing her words, he carefully extended his hand.

A pair of perfect, flawless jade hands, fingers slender yet strong, smooth as jade emitting a jade-like luster in the flickering light.

She untied the sash at her waist, the jade pendant chiming gently as it swung. A slightly warm ice flower lotus jade was quietly placed in his hand.

“What’s this?” Yue Guanyi looked at the jade in his hand in surprise. The exquisitely carved jade pendant in his palm seemed to exude endless warmth, warming his cold body temperature, warming his heart.

Qiu Shuzhi smiled faintly, her voice gentle, holding his hand in hers like a precious treasure: “Your Highness’s hands are always cold, they need a warm jade to nourish them.”

Yue Guanyi’s fingers stiffened, his eyes full of astonishment. He had never dared hope for a day when Qiu Shuzhi would give him a jade pendant.

“I didn’t have a chance to give it to you earlier. Now that we’ve exchanged hearts, this should be given to you too. Although it’s just a warm jade, I hope Your Highness won’t look down on it.”

“No- I won’t look down on it.”

How could he look down on it? He wished he could place this jade pendant inside his heart to nourish it with his flesh and blood. This was the jade pendant Qiu Niang gave him, the most precious thing in his life.

Since ancient times, jade pendants have been tokens of love between lovers. Did Qiu Niang giving this to him also carry a hint of that meaning? Yue Guanyi’s heart trembled, unable to calm for a long time.