Hu Xian'er’s body was soft, completely unresponsive; she appeared to have passed out from drink. Liu Hui sighed, just as he was preparing to lift her onto his back, when Hu Xian'er suddenly stood up, looking at him with tender eyes.

Liu Hui was overjoyed. “Xian'er, you’re awake! I’m so glad you’re alright.”

Hu Xian'er gazed at him softly and murmured, “Shui Niu, it’s wonderful to see you again. Do you know how much I’ve missed you? I thought we might never meet again. I can’t live without you.”

Liu Hui knew she was drunk and talking nonsense, and was reaching out to steady her when Hu Xian'er suddenly pushed him away and began to sob uncontrollably.

The surrounding people immediately glanced over, especially the proprietor, who stared at him with venomous eyes. Liu Hui felt a pang of awkwardness and moved to take Hu Xian'er’s hand. She shoved him away again, weeping hysterically, “I love you, do you know that? I truly, deeply love you. I love you, I love you, I love you—I will love you for all eternity…”

Liu Hui froze. Hu Xian'er was declaring her love for him in public, which caught him completely off guard, though he was also somewhat moved.

Hu Xian'er continued to cry, “I love you so much, but have you ever loved me? I was willing to abandon everything for you—do you know any of that? I’ve given so much for you—were you ever touched?”

Liu Hui stood stunned. He was well aware of everything Hu Xian'er had done for him, but he hadn't realized the depth of her feelings for him. Yet, the knot in his own heart remained untied; until he could adjust his own state of mind, he couldn't accept anyone's affection.

Liu Hui stepped forward to support her and said apologetically, “Xian'er, I know everything you’ve done for me, and I am deeply grateful. But I have an emotional barrier I haven't overcome yet. Can you wait for me a little longer?”

Hu Xian'er violently shoved him away, letting out a mournful laugh. “Do you really know? I think you understand nothing at all. You will never comprehend the pain in my heart—a pain no one else can understand. Have you forgotten every word you ever spoke? Heavens, why must fate be so cruel, so manipulative…” Her voice trailed off, and her entire body went limp as she collapsed.

Liu Hui panicked and rushed to catch her. Checking her breathing, he realized she had simply passed out from the alcohol. He quickly settled the bill, left the roadside food stall, carried Hu Xian'er to the car, and directed it toward Hu Qingyang’s residence in Repulse Bay.

Liu Hui laid Hu Xian'er flat on the back seat, resting her head on his lap. Even in sleep, her face held a profound sadness; her brow was tightly furrowed, indicating deep distress. She shifted restlessly on his lap, yet no matter how she positioned herself, she seemed unable to sleep comfortably. Liu Hui watched her with a heartache, gently wiping away the tears from her face, unsure how to face the emotions she harbored for him.

The car soon arrived at Hu Qingyang’s house in Repulse Bay. Liu Hui carried Hu Xian'er out of the car and rang the doorbell. A maid’s voice soon inquired from inside. Liu Hui gave his name, stating that he was bringing Hu Xian'er home.

The gate opened quickly, and Hu Qingyang himself came out to greet them, pausing in surprise when he saw Liu Hui carrying Hu Xian'er.

“Boss Hu, Xian'er was drunk, so I brought her back,” Liu Hui said somewhat awkwardly. After all, Hu Qingyang was her father, and seeing his daughter brought home drunk by another man must be difficult for him.

“What’s this, drinking so much? Come in quickly,” Hu Qingyang stepped aside, and Liu Hui carried Hu Xian'er into his villa. After setting her down gently on her bed, Liu Hui was about to leave when Hu Xian'er suddenly grabbed the corner of his clothing tightly. Hu Qingyang sighed, carefully unclasped her hand from Liu Hui’s garment, and escorted Liu Hui to the door.

As they parted at the entrance, Hu Qingyang remarked, “I didn't realize this robe was actually prepared for you. That’s why she treasured it so much and wouldn't let me see it. It suits you well, though.”

Liu Hui asked, curious, “You mean this garment was specially made for me by Xian’er, not borrowed from someone else?”

Hu Qingyang nodded. “Naturally, she made it herself. She even chose the fabric. Xian'er has been working on this for a long time; every single stitch was sewn by her own hand.”

The next day, when Liu Hui arrived at the office, he specifically kept an eye on Hu Xian'er’s office, only to find she hadn't come in. Inquiring with her secretary, he learned that Hu Xian'er had just requested leave, saying she needed to rest at home. Liu Hui felt a flicker of regret, but also relief that he wouldn't have to face her immediately.

To his surprise, Hu Xian'er did not show up for work over the next few days, remaining on leave at home. This began to make Liu Hui uneasy. It wasn't that her absence increased his workload; rather, going such a long time without seeing her made him unaccustomed to it. He constantly felt a void, as if something essential had been lost. It was only then that Liu Hui realized how vital Hu Xian'er truly was to him.

Liu Hui wanted to visit Hu Xian'er and see how she was, but his feelings for Liang Jingyue constantly tangled him up. Every time he considered visiting Xian'er, Liang Jingyue’s image would surface in his mind, forcing him to abandon the thought.

This emotional entanglement made Liu Hui sink into lethargy. One evening, breaking his habit, he descended to the basement of the office building and began drinking alone to drown his sorrows. This time, he didn't transfer the alcohol to his spatial storage; he drank it straight, and he quickly became quite intoxicated.

Just then, someone called him on his planar trading device. In a daze, he activated the device, and Xiao Yaozi appeared on the screen.

Xiao Yaozi seemed delighted and was about to greet him, but he frowned upon seeing Liu Hui’s dejected state. “Little Friend, what’s wrong? Have you been drinking?”

“Senior, my heart aches,” Liu Hui chuckled dryly.

“Little Friend, what troubles you so much?” Xiao Yaozi asked.

“Heh, nothing much, just feeling down,” Liu Hui shook his head.

Seeing Liu Hui was drunk, Xiao Yaozi prepared to end the call, but then suddenly seemed to recall something. He said to Liu Hui, “Little Friend, I have an item here that can ease your melancholy. You might take it to play with.”

Liu Hui mumbled through his hazy eyes, “What kind of magical thing is that, capable of relieving a person’s sorrow?”

The topic immediately galvanized Xiao Yaozi. He produced an item resembling a pair of spectacles and said, “This is a small toy I acquired occasionally. I call it the Small Thousand Worlds.”

“Small Thousand Worlds? What is that?” Liu Hui asked.

“If you wear this thing over your eyes and inject spiritual energy into it, you can experience the marvels of the Small Thousand Worlds,” Xiao Yaozi boasted.

“Isn't that just a pair of glasses from our world? Where’s the magic in that?” Liu Hui said dismissively.

“Little Friend, this Small Thousand Worlds is not the kind of glasses you think. It is genuinely miraculous. Within it are contained three thousand minor worlds, and in each world lies a profoundly moving life lesson. Once you enter one of these worlds and fully experience the myriad aspects of life within, all your current sorrow will vanish instantly,” Xiao Yaozi explained.

“Oh, truly that amazing? Give it to me right now! I want to experience life,” Liu Hui exclaimed.

“I can give it to you, but I must warn you of one thing: this Small Thousand Worlds allows each person to experience one full spectrum of life within it. Afterward, you can never enter it again, no matter what,” Xiao Yaozi cautioned.

“Fine, stop being so bothersome, just give it to me now,” Liu Hui said impatiently.

So, Xiao Yaozi placed the Small Thousand Worlds on the trading interface but didn't click confirm the trade. Liu Hui exploded in anger: “You old coot, why aren't you trading yet?”

Xiao Yaozi rubbed his fingers on the screen, chuckling dryly. Liu Hui paused, then immediately placed one hundred Level Four Demonic Beast Crystal Cores on the trading device. Only then did Xiao Yaozi click the trade, transferring the Small Thousand Worlds into Liu Hui’s hand.

Once Liu Hui received the spectacles-like Small Thousand Worlds, he immediately closed the planar trading device, left the basement, and returned home. His parents, seeing him return intoxicated, had no idea what had happened and tried to talk to him, but Liu Hui chased them both out.

Liu Hui lay on his bed. He put on the Small Thousand Worlds and injected the spiritual energy from his body into it. Instantly, the device blazed with light, a ray of brilliance shot into Liu Hui’s eyes, and he immediately fell unconscious.

In Bianjing, the capital of the Northern Song Dynasty, the imperial examinations had just concluded. During the period when the results were being posted, the scholars from across the realm, having little else to do, gathered spontaneously to discuss various strange tales and interesting anecdotes.

In a tavern just outside the Baima Temple in Bianjing, more than a dozen scholars were engaged in animated discussion.

“It is truly heaven blessing our Great Song! Fortunately, the Jin state has risen between the northern White Mountains and the Black Waters. They are currently attacking the Liao state and pushing them back decisively. It seems the century-long humiliation of our Song will soon be avenged,” one scholar declared, filled with fervor.

“Indeed. I hear the Song Emperor has already established a national policy of uniting with Jin to resist Liao. In a short time, we should be able to strike the Liao completely down, reclaim the Twelve Prefectures of Yan Yun, and wipe away the shame,” another young scholar nodded in agreement.

This was the period when the Jin state was rising and waging extensive war against Liao. The other scholars in the tavern who followed current affairs also nodded, believing the Song Emperor’s decision to be supremely wise.

“If the Great Song truly unites with Jin to fight Liao, I fear we will end up with a wolf at the front and a tiger behind,” suddenly a voice cut in, breaking the scholars’ reverie.

The scholar who spoke first said with evident displeasure, “Brother Wang Nian, the Liao state is the mortal enemy of our Great Song; we share an irreconcilable hatred. Uniting with Jin to fight Liao is precisely to avenge our Song’s hundred years of grievance—how can you speak of a wolf in front and a tiger behind?”

The young scholar surnamed Wang shook his head. “General Tong Lao Xiang has fought the Liao in the north for years, usually losing more than winning. This shows our Song soldiers are inferior to the Liao; the Liao fought the Jin and were utterly routed, losing a thousand li of territory. This shows the Liao soldiers are far inferior to the Jin. By this logic, our Song soldiers are even further behind the Jin. If the Great Song unites with Jin, with the power of both nations, the Liao will surely meet their doom swiftly. But once the Liao are gone, a stronger Jin appears. Our Song soldiers are already far inferior to the Jin soldiers. If the Jin, seeing the prosperity and wealth of our Song, develop ambitions toward us, how will the Great Song cope then?”

Immediately, a scholar stood up to refute him: “Brother Wang Nian, uniting with Jin to resist Liao is the national policy, a wise decision by the current Emperor—what possible issue could there be? Furthermore, the Liao are our Song’s eternal enemy; how can this deep-seated blood feud be ignored? Are you suggesting that not only should we let the Liao off the hook, but we should actually help them resist the Jin invasion? If that were the case, wouldn't that be the greatest absurdity under heaven?”

The scholars burst into laughter, and the others began to denounce the scholar surnamed Wang, saying he had wasted his reading, failed to distinguish between enmity and friendship, and was a disgrace to all scholars.

The scholar Wang offered no rebuttal. He sighed, stood up, and left the tavern. As soon as he stepped out the main door, a young maidservant rushed after him and called out, “Sir, please wait a moment.”

The scholar Wang turned back, looking confusedly at the maidservant. “Pardon me, young lady, were you calling me just now?”

The maidservant giggled behind her hand and replied, “Why yes, I was calling you. My mistress was in a private booth in the tavern and happened to overhear your shameless nonsense. She was so enraged she sent me out to call you here so she could scold you properly.”

Scholar Wang was momentarily stunned. “My mistress wishes to scold me?”

The maidservant chuckled. “Precisely. Does the young master have the courage to accompany me?”

Scholar Wang gave a bitter laugh. “Qu Yuan once said, ‘The crowd is drunk, but I alone am sober.’ Thinking of that quote now, I can truly understand his pain. I imagine the suffering in his heart was much like mine right now. Very well, I shall allow your mistress to scold me once.”

The maidservant led Scholar Wang to another tavern and into a private room where a veiled woman sat composedly.

As Scholar Wang entered the room, he boldly sat down opposite the woman and said, “Madam, please commence the scolding. This humble student is prepared.”

The veiled woman looked slightly puzzled and asked softly, “Sir, have you misunderstood me? I overheard you discussing current affairs in the tavern, and your unique perspective greatly enlightened me. That is why I invited you here—specifically to seek your counsel privately. What is this talk of scolding?”

Scholar Wang blinked, then noticed the maidservant hiding her smile nearby. He immediately understood he had been tricked by the girl. Feeling a flush of awkwardness, he quickly sat up straight again and said, “It seems I have misunderstood you, Madam. My earlier behavior was rather rash; I beg your pardon.”

The lady replied, “Sir, you are straightforward and open-hearted, qualities I admire.” She then shot a look at the maidservant beside her, who immediately adopted an innocent expression.

The maidservant served tea, and the two sat facing each other again. The lady spoke first, “In the tavern, Sir, you seemed to hold a different opinion regarding the Emperor’s national policy of uniting with Jin to resist Liao. May I ask why you hold such a view?”

Scholar Wang spoke solemnly. “I observe that dealings between nations are always predicated on mutual interest; only then can a state achieve long-term stability and its people live in peace and prosperity. It is true that the Liao state is the enemy of our Great Song, but our Song has already concluded the Treaty of Chanyuan with the Liao, establishing brotherhood, and sending massive annual tribute, ensuring decades of peace on the border. After this alliance, the Liao leadership became decadent, and their soldiers’ fighting capacity sharply declined; in truth, their threat to our Great Song was no longer as immense as before. If the Jin had not been lurking threateningly in the north, it would be no problem for our Great Song to raise troops to reclaim the Yan Yun prefectures. However, now a far more ferocious Jin has emerged than the Liao. Our Great Song should therefore alter its policy and support the Liao to counter the Jin. This maintains the balance of power between nations, and only a balanced situation prevents great fluctuations. If we truly implement the policy of uniting with Jin to resist Liao, I guarantee that before long, our Great Song will face the Jin, who are a hundred times more ruthless than the Liao. By then, regret will be too late.”

The lady said, “But the Liao have a deep-seated feud with our Great Song. It would be a blessing if we didn’t attack them; why should we help them instead?”

“When facing two evils, one must choose the lesser. This is unavoidable. Our Great Song’s soldiers are exhausted, and our military strength is weak; we have no power to resist the shock of the northern nomads’ iron cavalry. Fortunately, our Great Song is quite wealthy, so when we cannot win a battle, we can buy our way out of trouble. Thus, we managed to coexist peacefully with the Liao and the Western Xia. The current situation is grim, with the emergence of the Jin, which disrupts the balance. If we ignore the Liao, they will inevitably be conquered by the Jin, and then we will face the ferocious Jin alone. At that point, it will no longer be a matter solvable by mere payment. It’s possible our Great Song might follow the Liao’s path and be conquered by the Jin. Therefore, offering a small amount of wealth to let the Liao resist the Jin invasion is an excellent idea. Since the Liao face a serious threat themselves, they will naturally welcome our aid. The Great Song, in turn, can use this opportunity to press the Liao for territorial concessions. This way, not only will the north be secure, but we might even expand our borders—what is there not to like?” Scholar Wang spoke eloquently.

The lady pondered for a long moment. Her years of education told her there was something flawed in what Scholar Wang said, yet she couldn't pinpoint a solid rebuttal.

The lady finally said, “Sir, your thoughts are agile, and what you say certainly holds some merit.”

Scholar Wang suddenly sighed toward the heavens. “Our Great Song prizes propriety, righteousness, integrity, and shame; we cannot prioritize profit like merchants. This is why we suffer losses in diplomacy at every turn. Think back to the Warring States period, when the situation was a hundred times more complex than now. Did not Qin prioritize self-interest and ultimately unify the land? Why are there no such pragmatists in the imperial court today?”

The lady consoled him, “Sir is an outstanding talent. If the current Emperor knew of a talent such as yours, he would surely entrust you with great responsibility, allowing you to realize your ambitions—would that not be satisfying?”

Scholar Wang shook his head. “That opportunity will likely never come. In the recent imperial examination, in a moment of impulse during my policy essay, I criticized the Emperor’s national policy of uniting with Jin against Liao, and my language was somewhat biased. I suppose I offended the Emperor; how could I ever rise in prominence?”

Seeing Scholar Wang’s noble bearing and extensive learning, and now his self-pity, the lady felt a stirring in her heart. She asked softly, “May I ask for the young master’s name?”

Scholar Wang replied, “My surname is Wang, given name Jin, courtesy name Chaoxi. I am from Mei County, twenty-three years of age, and unmarried.”

The maidservant let out a small chuckle nearby. “Young Master Wang, why did you mention you were unmarried when my mistress only asked for your name?”

Wang Jin flushed red with embarrassment. The lady also let out a soft laugh. As she laughed, the veil covering her face slipped down, revealing her true features.

Wang Jin froze. He saw that the lady possessed a refined countenance, bright eyes, white teeth, and an air of dignified virtue. Perhaps due to some karmic connection from a past life, Wang Jin was instantly captivated by her. At that moment, his heart pounded rapidly.

Wang Jin suddenly stood up, looked at the lady before him, and declared, “May I ask which family’s daughter you are, Madam? I, Wang Jin, wish to engage a matchmaker to call upon your family to propose marriage.”