Meanwhile, at Li Meirong's residence...

The sunlight was strong. The white clouds above were fluffy and looked as if pasted to the bright blue canvas of the sky. Their puffiness was reflected in the clear pool of water below.

The small, clear pond encircled the orchard Li Meirong had established with Chou, marking out a barrier. The garden leading to the cabin was mostly comprised of trees, branches heavy with ripe fruit just begging to be picked.

Bees and butterflies were frequent visions in the garden, buzzing and fluttering from flower to flower as they gathered pollen and nectar.

Outside, everything appeared tranquil and harmonious. Inside, however, was another matter.

Li Meirong sat by the window, jade-like fingers clenched lightly in the curtain as she gazed at the pastoral landscape. Her brows drew together slightly in a subtle frown. Her current appearance, fraught with worry as she was, only served to heighten her charming appeal.

"I can't find him anywhere," she murmured, after a prolonged silence.

"Find whom, My Lady?" Xiao An Fei asked, her care evident in her tone. She placed a cup of honeyed water on the stool by Li Meirong's side. "Do you mean His Lordship? Could it be that My Lady is fretting over His Lordship's wellbeing?"

Li Meirong pressed her lips together into a flat line, giving Xiao An Fei a sidelong glance at the hint of eagerness in the girl's tone.

"Not him… didn't you say Senior Zhu Qingyue appointed someone to attend the preliminaries in my stead, and that he's supervising the competition?"

Xia An Fei nodded her head rapidly. "Yes, My Lady. Lord Zhu Qingyue is overseeing the tournament. All he requires of you is to relax and be at peace."

Li Meirong's fingers tightened on the curtain. "Humph! I worried myself sick over that guy for so many months, then he barges back into my life and starts telling me what to do, keeps me at home, prevents me from going to the tournament…"

"My Lord's demands for My Lady to remain safe at home are his way of showing how much he cares."

Li Meirong turned to fix her limpid eyes on Xiao An Fei. "It's also too controlling. Your lord once told me he had a terminal illness… how could he be terminally ill at one moment and fit as a horse the next? He bullied me all night! And here I thought he was meek and gentle… what a fraud!"

Xiao An Fei's cheeks went bright pink, and she looked to the side to dodge Li Meirong's pointed stare. "My Lady, this kind of talk should be reserved for husband and wife."

"What?" Li Meirong asked, confused, before her eyes widened."What did you think I meant? I didn't mean it that way…" she stammered in embarrassment.

"Then what did you mean, My Lady?" Xiao An Fei asked, calm once more. She curiously blinked her large almond eyes at Li Meirong's sudden change in attitude.

Li Meirong released the curtain a few moments later, beginning to twiddle her thumbs instead.

"That is… maybe you're right; I shouldn't complain about this to you. I'm sorry I snapped. This isn't your fault in any way."

"Please do not apologize, My Lady! It is true, though: Lord Zhu Qingyue has never been better. This servant has never seen him in such high spirits. Please find it in your heart to forgive him. This servant is certain that My Lord holds My Lady in high esteem. The last thing he would wish is to make My Lady dissatisfied."

Li Meirong blushed and quickly refocused her gaze back outside.

"I never said I was dissatisfied," she said softly.

Xiao An Fei came to stand beside her, giving her a conspiratorial smile. "Is that so?"

Now it was Li Meirong's turn to awkwardly dodge Xiao An Fei's pointed stare. Her hair tumbled down like waves of black ink on each side of her scarred face.

The wooden floor suddenly became a very fascinating place to stare at.

"I'm just… confused, that's all. I can't figure him out," she mumbled finally.

'Ah, Her Ladyship is so pitiful. I don't think she will ever be able to overcome this plight… It's too late for you, My Lady; you have already been caught in the Sovereign Lord's intricate web without ever knowing it existed,' thought Xiao An Fei. She refrained from reaching out and patting Li Meirong's head.