Chapter 87: Well Done, Brother Gale An extra chapter for all the diamond support. Love you all!

Hua'er emerged from the room holding Yixiao, only to find Linglong in a trance. She hurried forward and asked with concern, "My Lady, are you alright?"

"I am fine. But Hua'er, I need some peace and quiet. Can you all please not disturb me for the next few days? Let me be alone in silence!" Linglong said, ignoring even Feng Yixiao, before retreating into her room and locking the door.

At a loss, Hua'er went to find Fang Qing and Aifei, hoping they might persuade Linglong. Fang Qing, unaware of the full story, did not know how to console her, while Aifei, knowing the history all too well, was equally at a loss.

Elsewhere, Tang Li and Jifeng sat brooding in their room, silent. From Linglong's expression, they could guess that her plea had not gone well. Even if Qin Daofei were to return soon and recover his memory to investigate the matter, there was no guarantee he could provide Hu Hanzhi with an answer quickly. Xiaoyao Manor, it seemed, was in inescapable peril. They were unwilling to see the manor meet such a fate. Jifeng prayed silently, hoping for Qin Daofei's swift return, thinking perhaps he might reach a different outcome.

Linglong had asked for silence, and indeed, she did not step out for two days. Worried about her health, Hua'er knocked desperately on the door, but since the moment she returned, Linglong had remained curled up in the darkest corner of the room, never emerging.

During these two days, she constantly recalled her youth with Qin Daofei. Although her sorrow often outweighed her joy during those times, the happiness Qin Daofei gave her was always so real—flesh and blood, something she could touch. In the days with Hu Hanzhi, though he doted on her, Linglong’s mind was preoccupied with revenge; she had brushed off his kindness with jest. In her heart, Hu Hanzhi was merely a mentor, a benefactor, and a second father. All her romantic love belonged to Qin Daofei; she could not betray her heart to feign affection for Hu Hanzhi out of gratitude. Doing so would cause her pain and leave him unfulfilled.

Creak! The door, bolted for two days, finally opened.

Outside, Fang Qing and Hua'er looked toward the doorway with shared anticipation. As Linglong stepped out, both rushed forward, clutching her arms and asking anxiously, "Are you alright?" Aifei sat on the railing opposite, watching Linglong with a somber gaze.

Linglong offered a weak smile. "Hua'er, could you please prepare some hot water and food for me?"

"Of course!" Hua'er hurried away.

Fang Qing helped Linglong sit down, gently tucking her disheveled hair behind her ears. "Linglong, I don't know why you are so distressed, but I believe that as long as you have done your best, there is nothing to regret. You must not blame yourself!"

"Hmm," Linglong nodded. After eating and bathing, a refreshed Linglong appeared before them once more. She held Feng Yixiao’s tiny hand and smiled. "Mother is going to try to think of another way to save your father. Wait for me!"

Hearing this, Aifei smiled.

Linglong appeared at the entrance of Wenren Residence, where the attendant bowed and ushered her in. She found Hu Hanzhi in the rose garden in the backyard, pruning buds. Seeing her, he acted as if nothing had happened, smiling gently. "I am pruning the buds to make flower tea for you. Would you like that?"

"Hanzhi, thank you, but I must still plead for Qin Daofei."

Hu Hanzhi’s hand faltered, but he quickly continued pruning, as if he hadn't heard her. Linglong remained silent, watching him move among the roses until his basket was filled with red, white, and pink buds.

Hu Hanzhi carried the basket to the gazebo, and Linglong followed. After sitting and sipping his tea leisurely, he spoke quietly, "Linglong, what will you do if I do not stop?"

"I will continue to ask you. But if you truly refuse to stop, I will not blame you," she replied.

Hu Hanzhi smiled. "And how will you ask me?"

"I know you are wealthy and lack nothing, but I am willing to give you all my savings if you only grant Qin Daofei time. Let him return, recover his memory, and give him half a year to investigate your father's case. If by then he still cannot provide you with an answer, whether you want Xiaoyao Manor or his life, I will not stand in your way," Linglong said sincerely.

Hu Hanzhi smiled faintly. "If I kill him, will you die with him?"

"I don't know!" Linglong truly did not know what would become of her and Qin Daofei then. But she loved him, and she had to protect what was important to him. Whatever happened later, she would face it then.

Heh! Hu Hanzhi let out a cold, desolate laugh. "Linglong, if you had met me first, would the outcome be different?"

"Perhaps. After all, you are very handsome too," Linglong murmured.

Cough, cough, cough! Hu Hanzhi laughed. "Very well, as you wish, I will give him time. But Linglong, if you are unhappy later, or if you are deceived and hurt by him again, do not come to me for help!"

"Agreed," Linglong replied with a bitter smile.

Hu Hanzhi said softly, "Then go. I will not see you out."

Linglong stood, bowed formally to him, and walked away quickly. On the table lay all the banknotes she had scraped together from everyone over the past year. Hu Hanzhi gazed at the bills fluttering in the breeze. "Linglong, you are truly... a fool."

He tucked the banknotes away and tipped the entire basket of carefully picked buds into the pond.

Back at the garrison, Linglong told Tang Li and Jifeng, "Hu Hanzhi will not seek restitution from Xiaoyao Manor for now. You should hurry and find your Manor Lord; I cannot hold him off for long."

"Yes, My Lady!" Tang Li looked at Linglong and added, "I intend to scout the Demon City again to bring the Manor Lord back."

Jifeng shook his head. "Brother Tang, it is too dangerous for you to go to the Demon City. Let me go instead."

"It is dangerous for both of you!" Linglong said coldly. Both men fell silent.

Later that evening, Tang Li and Hua'er stood in the courtyard. Hua'er looked at the worn-out shoes Tang Li was wearing and said quietly, "I know what you are about to do. Go and do what you must."

"Hua'er!" Tang Li gripped her shoulders and pulled her into an embrace. "If I return alive, I will marry you!"

Hua'er said nothing, merely looking at his hair with profound sorrow.

At the same time, Jifeng held Aifei's hand while walking down the street. Aifei looked at him coldly. "Are you trying to get yourself killed?"

"I am going to the Demon City, but I don't know if I'll make it back alive," Jifeng said, sounding dejected.

Aifei was cold. "If Tang Li goes, he is sure to die. If you go, you will last at most a quarter of an hour longer than him!"

Pfft! Jifeng pulled Aifei into his arms, biting out, "My martial arts are very good now!"

"Still a bit worse than mine!" Aifei was blunt.

Jifeng gritted his teeth. "If I don't die, I will definitely beat you when I return, and then... take you!"

Possessing a strong will to live, Jifeng refrained from finishing the thought of sleeping with her.

Aifei glared. "You don't even know if you'll survive, and you're already thinking of molesting me? Do you want me to send you on your way right now?"

Jifeng chuckled. "You wouldn't have the heart."

"Looking for death!" Aifei pushed him away and began to fight him right there in the street. Jifeng intentionally led her toward a secluded area, and as they fought, they ended up in a grove by the river. Aifei’s attacks grew more powerful, and Jifeng found it harder to parry. Just as he was about to be subdued, Jifeng closed his eyes and lunged toward Aifei's sword.

Aifei gritted her teeth in frustration but had to withdraw her blade. At that moment, Jifeng struck. He hooked her waist and, using his height advantage, slammed her against a tree trunk, then leaned in and kissed her.

Aifei was stunned, then began to struggle, but the "little beast" she had trained herself managed to pin her wrists with perfect precision—enough to restrain her without causing injury. It was a technique she had taught him, now used against her.

Aifei was furious and raised her knee to kick, but just as her knee was an inch from his groin, Jifeng let her go. "I only wanted to kiss you so that even if I die beyond the frontier, I won't have regrets. But if you truly dare to hurt me, I will dare to finish what I started right here!"

"Looking for—" Aifei did not finish, as Jifeng leaned in again. They ended up biting at each other, leaving bloodstains on both their lips. Jifeng held her head to his chest and whispered, "I have no regrets now."

With that, Jifeng leaped away. Aifei stood stunned for a long time before she exploded in rage, kicking and punching the tree. "You little bastard! You flirt with me and then run? It won't be that easy!" She took off after him, swearing that she would catch him and kill him!

Back at the garrison, Linglong stopped Tang Li and Jifeng. She threw the bundles she had searched from their room onto the floor and stared at them coldly—with that chilling, hollow gaze.