Xie Jiang was busy in the study until late at night. When Aunt He came in to refill her tea for the fourth time, Xie Jiang leaned back and stretched.
"What time is it?"
Aunt He said, "Almost the end of the戌时. You should rest."
Xie Jiang went straight to Xu Hengyan's residence in the rear yamen.
Based on Xu Hengyan's behavior that morning, she could already predict the subsequent events. If she went over now, the servant would surely tell her, "The young lord has not returned."
The next morning, when she got up, the servant would again say, "The young lord returned late last night and slept in the study. He left before dawn."
When she, familiar with the route and moving unimpeded, reached Xu Hengyan's room and questioned a servant, she indeed heard the servant say, "The young lord has not returned."
Xie Jiang did not delve into whether this was true or false, whether Xu Hengyan had genuinely not returned, or if he was perhaps hiding in the study.
None of that mattered.
Xie Jiang lay down on Xu Hengyan's bed and slept soundly until dawn.
After getting up, she saw a servant in the courtyard. She beckoned him over and asked. As expected, the familiar lines followed, "The young lord returned late last night and, fearing he might disturb Young Master Xie, slept in the study. He left before dawn."
Except for the addition of "fearing he might disturb Young Master Xie," it was word for word the same.
Xu Hengyan had discovered his own unspeakable feelings and was currently trapped in emotions of self-doubt and self-loathing.
At this moment, Xu Hengyan neither wanted to face her nor dared to face her.
He could only hide.
To make the act complete, for the next four or five days, Xie Jiang would have someone inquire every evening during dinner time if Xu Hengyan had returned.
Having waited for Xu Hengyan in vain, Xie Jiang would go to Xu Hengyan's room to sleep every night.
Guang Bai, who served him closely, became anxious upon noticing that the young lord was deliberately avoiding Young Master Xie every day.
What had happened? How had two people with a bond forged through life and death reached this point?
Regardless of any conflict or misunderstanding, they should sit down and talk calmly. This coldness and avoidance were not a solution.
Moreover, in his opinion, Young Master Xie had not noticed at all that the young lord was angry with her and avoiding her. Young Master Xie was still acting as usual, waiting for the young lord to eat dinner with him, and when he couldn't wait, he would go to the young lord's room to sleep.
Was the young lord unilaterally angry with Young Master Xie?
This was even worse.
Young Master Xie was still completely bewildered and clueless.
Guang Bai wanted to mediate a few words. Although Young Master Xie's temperament could be quite irritating at times, he was truly impeccable towards the young lord.
But every time Guang Bai barely mentioned Xie's name, the young lord's gaze, cold as ice, would sweep over him, and Guang Bai's tongue would feel instantly frozen.
The young lord was unwilling to even hear Young Master Xie's name! Guang Bai felt that the situation had become quite serious.
On the fifth night, Xu Hengyan, who had quietly returned to the study in the rear yamen, asked as usual.
"Has she slept?"
"Young Master Xie did not come over today."
Guang Bai had been worrying himself sick over the cold war between the young lord and Young Master Xie. The first thing he did every day after returning to the county yamen was to inquire about Young Master Xie's whereabouts.
He was waiting for the day the young lord's anger subsided and he inquired about it, so he could respond immediately.
Xu Hengyan froze for a moment. "She did not come over today?"
Guang Bai said cautiously, "No one was sent to inquire during dinner either."
Xu Hengyan nodded upon hearing this and returned to his desk to handle official business. He appeared to have no emotions, but his mind was clearly elsewhere.
He finished reading a letter and began writing a reply. After writing just two characters, he felt as if he had been immobilized, and the ink dripped onto the paper, smearing into a mess.
Xu Hengyan frowned, crumpled the paper, and threw it into the waste bin.
When he picked up his brush to write the reply again, he suddenly couldn't recall the content of the letter he had just read, nor did he remember what he had intended to reply.
Xu Hengyan, feeling agitated, unfolded the letter, intending to reread it.
However, after reading only two lines, he couldn't help but drift off.
Why hadn't she come today? She hadn't sent anyone to inquire during dinner either.
Had she finally realized that he had been avoiding her all these days?
He had been avoiding her for five days, and she was only just realizing it?
Would she be sad and upset by his sudden coldness and avoidance?
Xu Hengyan subconsciously looked up at the window, wanting to see what she was doing at this moment, whether she was alright. But outside the window was the quiet night, and he couldn't see her. The study window didn't even face the direction of Xie's residence.
"Young Lord, shall we..."
As Guang Bai began to speak, Xu Hengyan gave him a cold look, and Guang Bai immediately fell silent.
Still not yet?
Xu Hengyan closed his eyes and took a deep breath, trying to calm the churning emotions in his chest.
She was such a proud person. Since she had already sensed his intentions, she should have held her head high and turned away, never to approach him again.
Xu Hengyan's heart felt as if it had been stabbed, bleeding profusely, leaving a gaping hole.
But wasn't this the outcome he desired?
To stay away from him from now on.
Guang Bai stood by silently, holding his breath. Having served the young lord closely for so many years, how could he not notice the young lord's abnormality? He was so worried that his hair was turning white.
Xu Hengyan lingered in the study until late at night. When Guang Bai came in for the third time to remind him to go to bed, Xu Hengyan finally stopped writing.
Xu Hengyan rubbed his temples and sat in silence for a while. "Has... has she come over?"
Guang Bai replied, "No, she hasn't."
Guang Bai was momentarily confused, unsure if the young lord wished for Young Master Xie to come or not.
But Guang Bai always felt that, in his heart, the young lord was indeed thinking of Young Master Xie.
How could two people who were so close break apart over such a small matter?
The young lord had known Prince Lu for many years, but he had only known Young Master Xie for a few months. Yet, the young lord was clearly more intimate with Young Master Xie.
That was why he had suggested earlier whether they should inquire about Young Master Xie's movements today. Perhaps Young Master Xie was busy with something today and not truly gone forever.
Alas.
Since Young Master Xie hadn't come today, then, "Young Lord, you should return to your room to sleep tonight."
Sleeping in the study all the time was not conducive to rest.
Xu Hengyan got up and walked out.
After returning to his room, he had been distracted. As he took off his outer clothes and prepared to go to bed, he suddenly sensed something was amiss.
Guang Bai's eyes widened as he stared at the figure that had silently descended from the roof beam.
When did Young Master Xie arrive?
She had deliberately hidden on the roof beam to intercept his young lord.
Xu Hengyan clenched his fist tightly, then loosened it a moment later. Looking at the person before him, his eyes were deep and profound. "How long have you been up there?"
Xie Jiang stood before him, looking at him quietly for a moment. "Xu Hengyan, are you angry with me? Are you angry with me?"
Xu Hengyan's expression was calm, composed, and indifferent. "Too many things have happened recently, and the county yamen's official duties are piling up. I haven't had any free time these past few days."
Although he said this, as if he were truly just too busy and nothing had changed,
Who couldn't feel the invisible barrier between them?