Sitting beneath the dark, shabby shade didn't make Bairan's figure look pitiful. Her back remained straight as she chuckled, "Did Master Pei help me out of guilt?"
Hanyue smiled, not denying it. "Part of it, yes. But the other part is because I wanted to."
Bairan raised an eyebrow.
He continued, "Before, I thought it would be difficult for a girl missing for a month to regain her family's trust and respect. But now I see your disappearance a month ago wasn't as simple as they said. You were only three months away from marrying your childhood sweetheart-why would you run away from home for some invisible man, when everyone said you loved your fiancé deeply and he had a bright future ahead?"
Bairan tilted her head.
"Yes, that's what I thought too. I came back without memories, but it wasn't hard to guess there was a plot against Lin Ruolan."
Hanyue paused, wondering why she always spoke of herself as though she were someone else. Before he could ask, Bairan's soft voice interrupted his thoughts.
"Helping someone in need is something only a nobleman like Master Pei would do, and I'm grateful for it. As for guilt, it's unnecessary. The higher your duty, the less you can afford to trust blindly. If Bairan had truly been in danger, I wouldn't have forgiven you-but since it was for the sake of your mission, I can understand."
Hanyue's gaze drifted toward her bandaged hand; "But..."
Bairan followed his eyes, staring at her own hand for a moment. Zhouyan's downcast expression flashed briefly in her mind.
She asked, "Was it so wrong that I took his horse?"
Hanyue hesitated. He didn't wish to reveal too much about his Highness, but after all that had happened, she deserved a fragment of truth.
He said at last, "It wasn't about the horse."
Bairan's brows drew together. "Then what was it about?"
Meeting her eyes, Hanyue replied in a gentle tone, "My master's horse isn't like any other. It doesn't allow anyone to ride it."
Bairan lifted her head, gazing directly at him.
Hanyue continued after a pause, "There was only one other person-besides him-whom the horse ever accepted."
Bairan asked, "Was?"
He nodded. "Yes... was. Because that person is no longer alive. I think that's why my master reacted as he did."
Bairan wanted to ask who that person had been, but she reminded herself-she had only learned the cold man's name today, let alone all his other secrets. The more she knew about him, the more trouble it would bring.
Inside, the light filtered through the trees, casting slow-moving shadows between them, each deep in their own thought.
But the stillness didn't last long.
The sound of hurried footsteps echoed nearby.
Bairan drew out a small dark-green packet from her sleeve, pouring a little powder into her palm and closing her hand around it.
Hanyue recognized it instantly-it was the same kind Dongpo had described-but he couldn't tell how Bairan intended to use it now.
Moments later, the gatekeeper appeared, panting. He bowed deeply before Hanyue. "Daren, please forgive me!"
Then turned toward Bairan. He said breathlessly, "Young Miss, my master is furious upon hearing of your absence. Bao'er told me to hurry here and inform you!"
Bairan's eyes widened as she rose in alarm; "What-my father is angry?"
She turned quickly to Hanyue; "Master Pei, please help me! Tell my father what truly happened."
Hanyue nodded; "Alright. I'll go to him now-don't worry."
Bairan said soft smile; "I'm grateful, Darin."
When their eyes met, Hanyue could still see a flicker of playfulness in her almond eyes. He was sure she would be fine by herself, so he nodded slightly, and the gatekeeper led him the way.
When the man stepped in front of her, he was in his early twenties-broad-shouldered, strong, dressed in a navy, narrow-sleeved tunic and gray trousers.
Seeing Bairan alone, he grinned wide; "It seems what they said was true."
Bairan looked at him, smiling sweetly; "Oh? And what truth did you hear?"
He took a step closer, his voice low and amused; "They say that ever since the young miss saw me working shirtless on the road... she hasn't been able to sleep."
He stepped even nearer, a soft laugh slipping between his words; "Not only that-apparently, you even dreamed of eloping with me."
Bairan's eyes remained unwavering, but her lips curved into a slow smirk; "Is that so?"
With a soft thud, the door closed behind him.
The man glanced back, then looked at her with a mischievous smile; "Does the young miss wish to play behind closed doors?"
Bairan glanced briefly at the shut door, her eyes glimmering; "Indeed, I do like to play..."
She lifted her hand toward her face, still closed into a fist.
"Do you want to see how I play? Come closer-have a look."
A wave of excitement rushed through him. Even in the dim light, Bairan's figure made his heart beat wildly. He leaned forward, bringing his face closer to her hand.
Bairan slowly opened her palm-and blew.
A burst of the powder exploded straight into his face.
He flinched, stumbling back slightly, laughing as he wiped his eyes.
"Hah... what kind of play is this?"
But his smiling face soon cracked, his eyes widening.
First his legs buckled, then his arms fell to his sides. His breathing turned shallow. His muscular legs couldn't hold him.
The poison worked instantly-draining every ounce of strength from him.
His palms slapped weakly against the dust of the shed floor, trembling. Cold sweat beaded on his forehead.
His voice came out hoarse, thin as a whisper.
"What... did you... do...?"
Bairan slowly rose to her feet, dusting off her skirt, her smile growing wider. "Me? Nothing much."
The man tried to crawl backward, but his limbs refused to obey. His fingers clawed helplessly at the ground.
"Pl... please don't kill."
Bairan crouched in front of him, tilting her head and pouting her lips. "Relax, it's not a deadly poison. It won't kill you... unless you don't get the antidote."
His pupils shook violently. "Why?.... Didn't you invite me?"
Bairan let out a sigh: "That's when your bad luck began. I wasn't the one."
His breath hitched, and he said in a trembling voice, "Yo-Young miss, please... I didn't mean - I only did what that servant told me to do."
She rose slowly. "They invited you for fun out of nowhere, and you came without thinking about the consequences. Men are like that, throwing their minds away for a little fun."
Her gaze lowered to him, cold and sharp as winter rain.
"But didn't you think running an innocent girl's reputation into the ground would be a dead end for them? It's not that you didn't think there might be something in this matter, but you simply didn't care. As a man, you're not on the losing side; either you win her for once or forever."
Bairan's smile deepened, but in the man's eyes, she became scarier. He shouted, "Please, miss, forgive me. I will do anything... anything you say."
Bairan chuckled. "Of course, you must do what I say. It's not a choice, or you're going to die without seeing tomorrow's sunlight."
Then she added casually, "Don't worry. The powder works for only half an hour. Quickly recognize the one who brought you here from outside and the one who showed you inside this house and told you I would be alone in this shed. And save yourself."
Many sounds came from outside.
Bairan looked at the man on the floor and said in a tone as cold as a blade, "Remember, I don't like lies."
She reached for the wooden door but didn't open it.
A familiar voice outside called urgently:
"Ruolan-Jie? Are you inside?"
Bairan narrowed her eyes, a faint, playful smile curling at her lips. She forced the door open; it wasn't completely closed, but after two pushes, the door creaked open. Bairan rushed outside, crying.