That was Liu Puchang's first reaction upon hearing Qi Yue say that. They were colleagues, after all, and it was better to resolve conflicts than to create enemies. Stepping back slightly and giving the other party a way out would lead to a harmonious outcome for everyone, especially since they would see each other every day. Why make things difficult? Should they really force the man to kneel? This… this… might not be a good idea.

"Of course, I'm serious," Qi Yue looked at Liu Puchang, her expression grave. "Otherwise, why would we work ourselves to death like this!"

Huh? Work to death for what? To save a life, of course, Liu Puchang thought, feeling speechless. Before he could say anything more, Qi Yue had already raised her hand toward the crowd.

"Hey, I wonder if Doctor Wang Qingchun is ready?" she called out loudly. "Everyone has seen the dead brought back to life; now, would you like to see the living forced to kneel on the street?"

That was quite harsh...

Liu Puchang and others, even the gatekeepers and servants of Marquis Dingxi's Residence, couldn't help but frown. But the onlookers were mostly common folk who cared nothing for decorum or elegance. They only enjoyed seeing someone humiliated, the more painful the fall, the more satisfying it was to watch. With Qi Yue’s words, the already high spirits of the crowd were further ignited.

Cheers and whistles erupted, and with that sound, the crowd began surging outward.

Soon, the area in front of Marquis Dingxi's Residence returned to its usual quiet, with only the distant clamor carrying on the air.

The hunter’s family had retreated with the crowd at some unknown moment. Standing frozen before the entrance were only the disciples of Qianjin Tang and Marquis Dingxi, Chang Yancheng. Disbelief was etched on every face.

"Did they really force Doctor Wang to kneel..." someone murmured. The thought of this surging crowd demanding that he kneel—what a terrifying scene that must have been.

"Terrifying? Do you pity Doctor Wang?" Qi Yue spoke, her gaze fixed ahead. Her expression was calm, yet beneath the surface lay a faint anxiety. "There's nothing to pity. If we were the ones who lost, then I would be facing that terror right now."

Me, me, just me... You bastards, you want to bully me? Come on, try it. Bully me, bully me—it won't be that easy! I have nothing! And I fear nothing!

"There's nothing to pity or feel sentimental about," she exhaled, tilting her chin slightly. "If you dare to play the game, you must dare to accept the consequences. If Huichun Hall hadn't deliberately targeted us from the start, stirring up trouble with these family members, how could we have reached this result? What goes around, comes around."

What goes around, comes around... This phrase echoed in everyone's ears, leaving them with mixed feelings.

In reality, the spectacle the commoners expected did not unfold. When everyone rushed to Huichun Hall to remind Wang Qingchun to honor his wager, they found the doors shut tight and the establishment deserted. That very day, Wang Qingchun and his entire family fled Yongqing Prefecture. Their property and pharmacy were quickly sold off at a fire-sale price. Huichun Hall, famous on this street overnight, vanished from public view as if it had never existed.

They really couldn't handle losing; they just ran away. "Ruthless," Qi Yue sighed when she heard the news. Such was the merciless nature of fate: one wrong step could mean total ruin.

Chang Yancheng stood before her, watching the woman slowly tuck her hands into her sleeves. "A woman making that gesture is quite unseemly," he couldn't help but remark. Qi Yue glanced at him, maintaining the posture, and walked past him. Chang Yancheng turned and followed.

"Why did you agree to take responsibility for Qianjin Tang at that moment?" he asked. "Was it for righteousness?" Qi Yue looked at him. "Why did you pull me into your house then? Wouldn't chasing me away have suited you perfectly?" Instead of answering, she questioned him. Chang Yancheng was momentarily stumped by her query. "I keep my word," he replied curtly. Qi Yue frowned instead. "What words?" she muttered, but quickly dropped the subject.

They walked on in silence. "It wasn't purely for righteousness," Qi Yue suddenly said, answering his earlier question. "It was simple: a heart for a heart..." She turned to look at Chang Yancheng at this point and offered a slight smile. "Because Doctor Liu treated me well, I wanted to treat him well," she stated. "It's that simple. I’m not some saint or savior filled with a universal compassion, feeling compelled to step in whenever I see an injustice."

Chang Yancheng walked beside her. A'ru deliberately slowed her pace behind them, leaving a gap between them. "Are you foolish, or just bold? Didn't you consider the consequences?" Chang Yancheng asked after a moment of silence. Qi Yue scoffed through her nose. "I already said," she looked at Chang Yancheng again. "A heart for a heart. In such an urgent situation, if I took the time to consider the consequences, to plan the deployment, to figure out the explanations and logistics, to weigh the future gains and losses... then there would be no point in doing it."

"Why?" Chang Yancheng frowned, asking. "Because if I had time to think about all that, it would mean that person wasn't worth protecting," Qi Yue said. "I wanted to protect him simply because I wanted to, without reason or reservation. It was just that when danger arrived, I only wanted to stand in front, block everything, and prevent him from getting hurt..."

Father, I'm sorry. Back then, seeing you face the accusations alone, I didn't stand up without hesitation. Father, I'm glad I had a chance to make amends. This feeling is wonderful!

No reason, no reservation, just wanting to shield him... This phrase echoed repeatedly in Chang Yancheng's mind.

"If you had lost, would you really have knelt?" he suddenly asked. Qi Yue turned to look at him. "Just talk. I'm not some great man of honor, so there's no need to take promises like that seriously," she said, flashing her white teeth in a smile. Chang Yancheng was momentarily stunned by her words, then he laughed too. "If I refused to kneel, what could he do to me? Come on, hit me," Qi Yue said with a laugh, turning to walk ahead, shaking her head slightly, her tone high and carrying a sort of cheeky... charm.

The word "charm" surfaced in Chang Yancheng's mind, and he involuntarily stopped walking. Qi Yue didn't notice him stopping and continued on her own. Watching the woman walk further and further away, disappearing as if he might never see her again, Chang Yancheng felt a sudden panic. Not see her... No... He didn't want that—didn't want to stop seeing her...

"Qi Yueniang," he called out. The woman didn't stop, so he had to quicken his pace to catch up. "That day..." Chang Yancheng caught up with Qi Yue, hesitating slightly before speaking, "About that day, I apologize." Qi Yue stopped, looking at him with a bit of surprise. "Which day?" she frowned. "You've said 'I'm sorry' too many times. Be specific." This woman! Chang Yancheng choked on his words. "Actually, it doesn't matter if you say it or not," Qi Yue said. "I've figured you out. You can be stubborn in small matters, but you're quite reasonable in big ones. Thank you for these past few incidents. Of course, I could have managed myself, but having you step up to hold the line was a great help, so, thank you." She turned and smiled at Chang Yancheng as she spoke. This was the first time in days he had seen her smile at him. Chang Yancheng felt the giant stone pressing on his heart lift, and his breathing immediately eased. This woman... interacting with her and talking to her was actually very easy... very comfortable...

"Oh, right," after taking a few steps, Qi Yue recalled something and spoke again. "There's one more thing I need to tell you. I originally thought I wouldn't need to say it, but it seems better to be clear now." "Go ahead," Chang Yancheng replied. "You don't need to overthink things," Qi Yue paused, raising a hand tentatively, then feeling unsure how to phrase it. "You don't need to stress yourself and me out, swinging between joy and sorrow based on whether you feel you should be nice to me or not..." Chang Yancheng stared at her, confused by this rambling talk. "Let me put it simply," Qi Yue said. "Just listen to your mother. You don't have to be good to me, and you don't have to treat me as your wife. I know you all dislike me; it’s fine, I don’t mind." Chang Yancheng's expression darkened further. "What nonsense are you speaking!" he said in a low, stern voice.

Still not understanding? Qi Yue rubbed her hands. "I mean, since your mindset has stabilized, then..." she clapped her hands. "Let's discuss the separation agreement." Chang Yancheng stared at her. This wretched woman! Does this wretched woman know what she's saying? Separation... Chang Yancheng fiercely waved his hand, his face turning ugly. "This way, both you and your mother will be free," Qi Yue ignored his expression—his expressions were always like this. "And I'll be free too." Chang Yancheng took a deep breath and looked at Qi Yue. "I already said I was sorry," he stated. Qi Yue looked at him and nodded. "Yes, so we can calmly and reasonably discuss the separation..." she said earnestly. Before she could finish, Chang Yancheng strode past her and walked away. Qi Yue was left stunned. "Hey!" she quickly called out. Chang Yancheng had already gone far. Bastard! This woman!

Chang Yancheng had never imagined the word 'bastard' could apply to a woman so aptly.

Chang Yancheng’s brooding only slightly subsided by dinnertime, but soon he grew restless again. That woman hadn't come back... "Go see what the Young Mistress is doing! Why isn't she back for dinner?" he demanded, throwing open the door.

The maids in the courtyard were startled and hurried off. They returned shortly. "The Young Mistress is resting," the maid said cautiously. Sleeping in that courtyard again? Is this woman doing this on purpose? Chang Yancheng clenched the door curtain. "The Young Mistress has been sleeping for half the day, and Sister A'ru is sleeping too. Sister Quezhi and Sister Ahai said... said to ask the Heir to bear with it; the Young Mistress and the others haven't slept for three days and three nights..." the maid stammered out.

Chang Yancheng's brooding restlessness vanished instantly, replaced by guilt and worry. This woman... Chang Yancheng worried all night—was she sleeping well? After enduring like that for three days and nights, would she fall ill? At daybreak, he finally made a decision. He would go personally to bring her back and ask after her well-being. Surely, she would have calmed down by then? Chang Yancheng hesitated at the door for a long time before finally steeling himself and stepping into the courtyard.

Two maids were tidying things in the courtyard. They were startled when he entered. One immediately lowered her head and stepped back, while the other greeted him with a bright smile. "Heir, I am Quezhi," she said. "What are your orders?" Chang Yancheng didn't speak. Still not up? With such commotion, couldn't she hear? Why wasn't she coming out? "Heir?" Quezhi asked, confused. "Where is the Young Mistress?" Chang Yancheng finally asked, glancing toward the room. "The Young Mistress has gone to see the Marquis," Quezhi replied cheerfully. What? Gone to see my father? Chang Yancheng was taken aback. So early... to pay respects? For some reason, he felt uneasy.

Similarly, Marquis Dingxi felt a sense of unease upon hearing that the Young Mistress had requested an audience. "Yue Niang, so early. Why aren't you resting more?" He said with a forced smile, unconsciously shedding the authority of an elder, ordering the servants to quickly bring tea and pastries. "I have rested well," Qi Yue said with a smile. She neither touched the tea nor the pastries, simply looking at the Marquis with a slight smile. "So, being concerned about important matters, I came to see Your Lordship." The Marquis grew even more uneasy under her gaze. "What important matter could it be? Nothing is more important than your good rest, Yue Niang..." He said, forcing an even kinder smile. Then, in the next moment, he saw the beautiful woman before him flash a rather undignified, toothy grin at him. "Your Lordship has a poor memory," Qi Yue laughed. Although she had rested for a day and a night, her eyes were still swollen, making her appearance quite peculiar. "The matter of the divorce letter."