A Veil of Tears and a Promise

Yu Lian got up from the bed. Though she was still terrified of Miss Yixiya, who had just tried to take her life, a profound sense of guilt propelled her forward. She found herself standing beside Miss Yixiya, who emanated an aura of deep despondency.

“That… Miss Yixiya, there’s something I’m not sure if I should say?”

She asked cautiously, prepared to retreat to her bed and hide under the covers if the situation turned unfavorable.

Yixiya’s gaze did not shift from the red bridal veil at Yu Lian’s words. She simply stared at it, recalling the day she had given it to Bai Muya years ago.

A young maiden, her heart blossoming with first love, had carefully woven the red veil and presented it to her cool, distant childhood friend. Though the friend hadn’t rejected it, she hadn’t shown much joy either, accepting it as casually as any ordinary gift, without even a word of thanks. Yet, the lovestruck maiden had been overjoyed for an entire day, her steps light on the way home.

Now, seeing the veil again after several years, it was draped over someone it shouldn’t be, someone she hadn’t wished for. It felt like a bucket of cold water had been mercilessly poured into her heart, gradually chilling her fervent emotions.

Plop.

A single, crystalline tear silently fell.

Yixiya felt an unbearable ache in her heart.

Yu Lian waited for a long while, but no reply came. Just as she was about to return to her bed, no longer wanting to bother with Yixiya, she saw a stream of tears begin to fall from the other woman’s eyes.

‘This… crying again?’

Since Yu Lian had met Yixiya, she had already witnessed her cry twice. Indeed, women were made of water; their tears flowed as if they cost nothing.

‘Ah, well, who told me I had such a kind heart and couldn’t stand to see women cry? Yu Lian, Yu Lian, even if you die because of this, you deserve it. Who told you to be such a busybody?’

After a moment of self-deprecating thought, Yu Lian abandoned her intention to return to bed. She snatched the red bridal veil away.

“What’s so special about this tattered red veil that makes you cry?”

Yixiya stared at her empty hands. Just as she was about to wipe her tears, erupt in anger, and grab a pair of scissors to snip at Yu Lian, the red veil descended from above, landing gently on her own head.

She was still perplexed when the red veil was lifted.

Yu Lian’s face appeared before her.

“You…!”

“Hehe, wasn’t that interesting just now? Back then, I was just like this. Second Miss, she covered me with the red veil, then immediately lifted it. She told me—’Once the red veil is lifted, you’ll officially be my concubine.’ Oh, you didn’t see how spectacular my expression was then! It was a complete wedding? Yes, it was a complete wedding. Second Miss married me, without even needing to bow to heaven and earth or meet parents. It was so quick, wasn’t it? It was as fake as a child’s game…”

Yu Lian chattered on, her face devoid of any unusual expression, as if the person in her story wasn’t herself.

Yixiya, who had been furious at first, slowly began to calm down as Yu Lian spoke, eventually extinguishing her anger completely. She felt entirely serene.

‘This was their wedding process?’

‘It wouldn’t be an exaggeration to say it was just playing around, would it?’

‘Was this even a marriage? It shouldn’t count. How could a marriage be so fake, so quick?’

‘So, what was I even sad about?’

Yixiya recovered from her despondent mood. She looked at Yu Lian, who stood before her with a warm smile, and a sense of profound peace settled within her.

‘Perhaps, seeing her as a love rival, as a vixen, was the biggest joke. She has no intention of vying with me for Ya’er. All she wants is to escape this cage, and she’s even comforting me right now.’

‘To think I couldn’t control myself and tried to kill such a person. It was utterly wrong. I don’t even deserve to be called human.’

Yu Lian was extremely nervous at this moment. She feared she might say the wrong thing again and anger the other party. Fortunately, the current situation was favorable, and the danger level was practically zero.

“…So, do you understand? This red veil, in reality, is still quite new. It hasn’t been sullied by anyone.”

Her throat parched after speaking, Yu Lian took a cup of water and drank from it, feeling revitalized. She glanced over and saw that Miss Yixiya’s emotions remained stable. It seemed her explanation had been very effective; a great success.

“Between you and Ya’er, do you actually count as a married couple?” Yixiya asked, genuinely curious.

Yu Lian spread her hands. “Miss Yixiya, even if I wished to deny it, Second Miss and I are indeed in a concubine-master relationship. As for what you call a ‘married couple,’ I am not her official wife, merely a small concubine.”

“So, it’s merely a name without substance?”

“A name without substance.”

Yu Lian was quite curious about how two women would actually ‘do it.’ Perhaps she should ask the knowledgeable Miss Yixiya now, as she liked Second Miss and would surely have some insight into such matters.

However, after a quick glance, Yu Lian ultimately backed down.

‘What if asking would make her suspect me of ill intent again?’

‘For the sake of my life, it’s better not to ask.’

Yixiya breathed a sigh of relief. No physical relationship had occurred. That was good. It meant she still had a chance to win Ya’er’s affection.

“Yu Lian, I sincerely apologize for trying to harm, and even kill, you not long ago. Sometimes… I can’t control my emotions, especially concerning Ya’er. Whenever her name comes up, my mind becomes a complete mess.”

As the eldest daughter of the Yi Manor, Yixiya didn’t truly need to apologize to a commoner like Yu Lian, who had no background. Even if Yu Lian now held the title of a concubine to the Bai Manor’s Second Miss, Yixiya could have easily ignored her. However, her straightforward nature wouldn’t allow it.

If one made a mistake, one had to admit it.

She had always lived by this principle.

“It’s fine, as long as next time… Cough, if you truly can’t control yourself and must resort to violence, please make sure to strike gently. My bed has already been broken twice.”

Yu Lian had initially wanted to directly ask her not to lay hands on her again, but remembering Yixiya’s admission of being unable to control herself, she lowered her demands.

‘Was the black qi influencing her?’

Yu Lian didn’t think so. The black qi only seemed to appear above Yixiya’s head when she experienced intense emotional fluctuations.

“I’ll try my best. I’ll call the maids now to change your bedsheets.” Yixiya rushed out the door.

Not long after, the maids came to change Yu Lian’s new bedsheets. Before leaving, they seemed to want to ask Yu Lian if something had happened, but seeing the Yi Manor’s eldest daughter standing there, they merely bowed and quietly retreated.

However, they left one person outside the door to monitor the movements inside the room, preventing any unforeseen incidents.

“Yu Lian, come over here.”

Yixiya sat on the bed and beckoned to Yu Lian. Yu Lian obediently sat down, though she dared not sit too close.

“Is there something, Miss Yixiya?”

“From now on, you can just call me Yixiya.”

“Alright, Yixiya.”

‘Why did their relationship suddenly feel closer?’

“Yu Lian, weren’t you hoping to leave this place? Today, besides looking for Ya’er, I’m here primarily to help you leave.”

“Leave?”

“That’s right. I promised you, remember? The dog barking and seeing your lower body. I must uphold my promise.”

Yixiya always kept her word.

And now, with Ya’er absent and Lingyi also gone, who could possibly stop her?