"Our engagement has already been annulled."
"Wasn't it called off last night?"
"I'll give you a sum of money—you can use it to buy a place of your own, find a job, start over. If you ever run into trouble, come to me. For the sake of my mother, I'll help you."
From the sound of it, the amount wouldn't be small. But Gu Lili declined without hesitation. "That won't be necessary. Once Master is laid to rest, let's never cross paths again. I'm not worthy of your money."
"Don't be stubborn. Take it—it's yours."
"No." Her voice was resolute. "I won't accept a single cent from you."
Gu Xichen's temper flared. "You don't know what's good for you."
"Refusing your money gives me peace of mind. I feel free, unburdened, and that's what I want." Gu Lili pulled her coat tightly around her, her voice crisp and unwavering.
"Suit yourself."
"I wonder if Master's soul will return home tonight."
At those words, the drowsy He Meiwei instantly sobered. "Her soul… coming back?"
Gu Lili looked up. "Yes. Who knows? She might."
He Meiwei turned pale, clutching Gu Xichen's arm tightly. "I don't want to stay here anymore."
Gu Xichen shot a glare at the instigator and murmured comfortingly, "I'm here. It's alright."
Still frightened, He Meiwei insisted, "Take me back. I want to leave."
No amount of reassurance could calm her. In the end, Gu Xichen had no choice but to escort her home.
After they left, Gu Lili remained alone before the coffin. She had grown up seeing things others couldn't—fear was a stranger to her now. Sitting alone in vigil, she felt no unease.
Roughly forty minutes later, Gu Xichen returned.
The moment he stepped inside, he began scolding her. "Why did you have to scare her like that?"
"She's afraid of her own shadow—how is that my fault?"
"Didn't you feel a crushing sense of inferiority standing next to her? Do you finally understand why I chose her over you?"
"Why should I feel inferior? Because she wore a nice dress, flashy jewelry, or painted her face like a fortress wall? All that is just window dressing—things money can buy. Anyone can look refined with enough cash."
He sneered. "Money can buy the clothes, yes, but not the elegance. The same things on you look cheap and vulgar."
Gu Lili snapped her book shut and stared at him, her tone sharp and clear. "You may be handsome, but deep down you're a shallow, sanctimonious hypocrite. How many times did you visit Master during all her years up here in the mountains? You could count them on one hand. Like father, like son—it's no empty saying. Pity the woman who clung to your father, waiting all these years to be named his wife. You and your father are cut from the same cloth—faithless men who break every promise made to women."
Rage flashed in Gu Xichen's eyes. "Don't think I won't hit you just because you're a woman."
Gu Lili smiled coolly. "Try it, if you dare."
Fuming, Gu Xichen lunged toward her. But the moment he reached her side, she delivered a swift kick that sent him sprawling to the floor with a groan.
"My martial arts were passed down directly from Master. Want another taste?"
"…"
They said no more to each other after that.
Shortly after midnight, both were struggling to stay awake, their eyelids growing heavy.
But then a sudden, violent gust of wind howled through the yard, sweeping away the last traces of drowsiness.
Gu Lili snapped to attention—and saw her master standing at the doorway.