Chapter 63: The Greatest Concession

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Xianyu Jing never expected that Nangong Xin would speak so frankly and openly with her. For a moment, she was at a loss for how to respond.

Nangong Xin grew impatient at her silence, "Are you going to answer? Can you do it or not?"

Xianyu Jing looked into Nangong Xin's eyes and replied, "I am well aware of my status. I won't covet things that don't belong to me, nor will I try to climb into the circles of those wealthy young heirs."

"Really?" Nangong Xin raised an eyebrow, skepticism written all over her face. Sister Zhi Ying had said that girls like them, once given a chance to enter the world of the rich and powerful, would cling to it tightly. How could she be so easy to reason with?

Xianyu Jing sighed, "I only want to focus on my studies. I won't entertain unrealistic dreams. Besides, as you said, I'm just a country girl; how could those heirs possibly take an interest in me?"

Nangong Xin couldn't make sense of it either.

"Then why did Madam Xi invite you to the family dinner, and why did Brother Junle give you a gift?"

"During the charity ball, I helped Young Master Xi out; Madam Xi invited me as a gesture of thanks," Xianyu Jing explained. "As for that gift yesterday, it wasn't mine—it was Young Master Xi asking me to deliver it to a little fan of his."

Nangong Xin pressed, "What little fan? Why ask you to deliver it?"

Why not ask me?

Xianyu Jing: "..."

She herself didn't know why Young Master Xi only asked her.

After thinking for a moment, Xianyu Jing said, "Maybe Young Master Xi thought I lived closer?"

Nangong Xin found the explanation unconvincing, "Anyway, since you have no designs on Brother Junle, don't interact with him anymore."

"I can avoid seeking out Young Master Xi, but if he comes to me, I can't exactly drive him away."

It was the truth, but Nangong Xin didn't like hearing it: "If you don't actively attract Brother Junle's attention, he won't come looking for you."

Xianyu Jing said helplessly, "Why don't you just tell Young Master Xi yourself to stay away from me? That would be easier."

Nangong Xin pouted, "If I did that, wouldn't Brother Junle think I'm jealous?"

Xianyu Jing: "..."

Isn't that exactly the case?

"Anyway, remember this: with your status, you'll never enter the Xi family's doors. No matter how much Grandmother dotes on you, she'll never agree!"

Nangong Xin reminded Xianyu Jing once more, then added, "As long as you don't get tangled up with Brother Junle, I won't give you any trouble in the future."

This was Nangong Xin's biggest concession!

"I won't actively seek out Young Master Xi." That was the greatest promise Xianyu Jing could make.

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Nangong Xin was somewhat satisfied, "Then it's settled."

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That night, Xianyu Jing, worried she might once again fall into a hallucination and be unable to escape, set an alarm to ring every two hours.

As expected, she woke up the next day with not a shred of energy.

Aunt Rong saw her in this state and was deeply concerned, "Miss, if you're still unwell, why not take a couple of days off to rest?"

Xianyu Jing shook her head tiredly, "I'm fine, just didn't sleep well."

Fortunately, today Young Master Ao had left early. Otherwise, he would surely have insisted she take another day off, like Aunt Rong.

Xianyu Jing ate a perfunctory breakfast and headed to school.

In the car, Jiang Mohe noticed she was yawning constantly and asked, "Didn't sleep well?"

Xianyu Jing rubbed the tears from her eyes and murmured assent. Lack of sleep had left her eyes slightly red and her gaze dreamy, making her look as delicate and endearing as a kitten from a pet shop.

Jiang Mohe automatically slowed the car and told her, "Take a nap, I'll wake you when we arrive."

"Alright."

Xianyu Jing found a comfortable position and dozed off.

When the car reached the gates of the academy, it was still fairly early.

Jiang Mohe, gazing at Xianyu Jing's sleeping face in the rearview mirror, was reluctant to wake her.

The car's soundproofing and tinted windows were excellent; the bustling crowds outside neither disturbed the occupants nor revealed any scene within.

Jiang Mohe waited until the hour hand on his watch neared eight before gently turning on the car's music.

Xianyu Jing's long, curled lashes quivered as she slowly opened her eyes. Her gaze swept around the car, and upon seeing Jiang Mohe's silhouette in the driver's seat, she snapped awake.

She picked up her phone—7:45, just in time for class.

She stretched her arms and flexed her slender waist, grabbed her book bag, and opened the door herself to get out.

A half-hour nap in the car had been more restful than any sleep the previous night, leaving her much more refreshed.

"See you after school."

She bid Jiang Mohe farewell and walked briskly through the school gates.

Having missed an entire day of classes yesterday, lunchtime inevitably brought a barrage of questions from Zhai Yan'er and Bai Liyao.

Xianyu Jing simply explained that she occasionally suffered from old bouts of neurasthenia, and Zhai Yan'er enthusiastically began recommending renowned doctors from both home and abroad.

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Bai Liyao asked curiously, "How do you know so much?"

Zhai Yan'er pouted, "It's all because of my frail, sickly stepmother, always complaining about this ache or that. Every ten days or so, our household has to swap out family doctors."

Although Zhai Yan'er's father was only in his fifties, he had already retired. His eldest son, Zhai Muli, was more capable of leading the family.

He had withdrawn early, enjoying a carefree 'retirement'—or so outsiders were told.

In truth, after marrying his delicate, chronically ill young wife a few years ago, he had devoted himself to her, leaving the family business to his eldest son.

Zhai Yan'er was quite displeased with her stepmother, feeling she feigned illness only to elicit sympathy.

As for the affairs of the Zhai family, Xianyu Jing and Bai Liyao felt it best not to meddle or inquire further.

But Zhai Yan'er couldn't resist venting, "You don't know how dramatic my stepmother is, and my dad totally falls for it. In the future, my brother absolutely can't marry such a delicate woman, or I'll be driven mad!"

Xianyu Jing chuckled, "Aren't you going to marry out someday?"

Zhai Yan'er paused, blinked, then grinned, "Oh, right!"

But she quickly wilted, "No way, according to the standards my brother set for my future husband, I might never get married!"

Bai Liyao asked casually, "What kind of standards did your brother set?"

Zhai Yan'er sighed heavily, "Don't even ask, I'm embarrassed to say! He's not even considering his own sister's situation—I'm hardly some golden princess—yet he insists I can only marry a royal prince!"

Bai Liyao: "..."

Well, with the Zhai family's wealth and status, finding a foreign prince isn't impossible.

At that moment, Xianyu Jing realized that being an heiress wasn't all that comfortable. Especially when it came to marriage freedom, sometimes it simply wasn't attainable.

For example, Zhai Yan'er; and also, Young Master Ao.

The much-pitied Young Master Ao was, at this moment, in his office listening to Bai Luomei's report.

"Regarding Xianyu Feng, we can only trace his records up to half a year after he went abroad to study. After that, he was recruited by a secret international medical organization, and there's no further information," Bai Luomei reported.

Nangong Ao stared at the photos on his computer screen, his expression complex.

In the photos, Xianyu Jing and her brother Xianyu Feng appeared especially close—participating in parent-child sports events together as children, going on outings, attending award ceremonies...

The most recent photo was taken before Xianyu Feng was sent abroad by the Southern Medical University of Imperial City, a keepsake of mother and children together.