Bai Le couldn't help feeling pleased with himself. He liked every comment praising him, then left Weibo in satisfaction.
More messages came through on WeChat. Bai Le checked and saw that someone really had changed the group name to Three Thousand Beauties of the Harem.
"How did your audience with His Majesty go today? Did anyone get their name tablet picked?"
"Speak normally."
"Did Fourth Master Xi take a fancy to anyone? Could he spare a few for the rest of us?"
"Not likely."
Someone immediately protested indignantly, "No way. He wants them all? How can a law-abiding society let him do whatever he wants!"
"Being jealous won't help."
After rambling about this and that, they returned to the subject. Bai Le said, "The empress has been chosen. Guess who it is?"
"Who? It can't possibly be you, can it?"
When Bai Le didn't answer, everyone in the group started to panic.
"Fuck, it can't really be you."
"Lele, don't go quiet on us. I'm scared."
"Who?! Who's trying to steal our group's flower? I'll be the first to object."
Bai Le was both annoyed and amused. "Get lost. All of you, be serious. It's my younger sister."
"From now on, you'll all have to call me the imperial brother-in-law."
"How do you know?"
He couldn't tell them he'd caught wind of it, so he said vaguely, "I'm pretty sure."
It was already eleven at night when Bai Huizhang got home. Remembering that Bai Le wasn't feeling well, he made the rare decision to go to his room and check on him.
After he left, Chen Suqiu caught hold of Bai Yin and asked anxiously, "How did you get along with Fourth Master Xi?"
"We only exchanged a few words. How does that count as getting along?"
"Silly child, there are very few young women who even get to exchange a few words with Fourth Master Xi."
"But I don't like him, and I could tell he doesn't think of me that way either. You two are the only ones enthusiastic about it."
"What do you know? Speaking from experience, your mother can tell you it's better to marry money than someone you love. Someone you love might have a change of heart, but money will never betray you."
"Besides, Fourth Master Xi is top-notch in looks, status, and family background. Plenty of women want to marry him. Didn't you see that girl from the Xie Family constantly glancing at him?"
Bai Yin said angrily, "I don't care. I won't marry him. No matter how good he is, he's a stranger to me."
"If this marriage is settled, you won't get to be willful about it."
Just as tensions between mother and daughter were mounting, they suddenly heard Bai Huizhang roar upstairs.
"You little brat! How dare you pretend to be sick again!"
Bai Le quickly dodged the pillow he threw. "Don't hit me, don't hit me! I really don't feel well."
"You're playing on your phone when you don't feel well? And to think I was worried about you!"
"Who says I can't play on my phone when I don't feel well?"
Bai Le kept dodging until Bai Yin and Chen Suqiu came upstairs and gently coaxed Bai Huizhang away.
Meanwhile, at the Xi Family residence, all the guests had left, and the house was quiet and empty again. Xi Yan sat in his wheelchair, looking out the floor-to-ceiling window as he listened to Secretary Xing behind him.
"That servant was new and didn't know the rule against entering your room, Fourth Master. Rest assured, she won't appear again."
Xi Yan closed his eyes tightly and nodded. "Handle those matters as you see fit."
"Oh, and the lock on Madam's door has been opened for her..."
Before he could finish, a middle-aged woman with disheveled hair burst through the door. But before she could reach Xi Yan, Secretary Xing pinned her to the floor, leaving her unable to move.
Tan Lianxin struggled to raise her head, glaring fiercely at the man in the wheelchair.
"Xi Yan, you're such a good son. If you thought I embarrassed you enough to lock me up, why did you bring me back to the Xi Family in the first place?"
Xi Yan didn't turn around. He looked at the woman's crazed reflection in the window, his expression cold.
"Don't you know why I brought you back?"
As though something had struck a nerve, Tan Lianxin let out a piercing shriek.
"You lunatic! I should have thrown you away as soon as you were born. No, I shouldn't have given birth to you at all! It would have been so much better to have an abortion."
Listening to the stream of curses and abuse from her mouth, Xi Yan's expression barely changed. He gently closed his eyes.
"Take her out and let her clear her head."
"Yes."
The secretary reached down and pulled her up from the floor, his movements forceful, seemingly without regard for what she wanted.
When silence finally returned, Xi Yan calmly closed his eyes, his fingers rubbing a keychain absentmindedly.
The keychain looked perfectly ordinary, with a design of Mount Fuji and cherry blossoms. It was clearly a souvenir from a tourist attraction.
When Secretary Xing came in and saw Xi Yan deep in thought, he waited quietly to one side.
After an unknown amount of time, Xi Yan finally moved. He lowered the shawl slightly to cover his hand, then closed his fingers around the keychain in his palm.
"The plan remains unchanged."
Secretary Xing knew what he meant and immediately answered respectfully. But when he looked up again, he saw no trace of relief on Xi Yan's face. Instead, his brows were tightly furrowed.
He was puzzled. The plan had been laid long ago, so what was Fourth Master hesitating over?
"You may leave."
"Yes."
"Wait."
He hadn't yet made it through the door when he heard Xi Yan call him back. Secretary Xing hurriedly asked, "Is there anything else?"
After a moment's thought, Xi Yan asked, "Who was responsible for making the pastries today?"
Secretary Xing was puzzled, but he truthfully reported the person's name.
Xi Yan gave a careless hum, then said, seemingly in passing, "Dismiss him as well."
Secretary Xing was taken aback. He didn't know what Xi Yan meant, but he didn't dare disobey and could only do as instructed.
"Yes."
Author's note: A surprise double update—exciting, isn't it?! I saw some of you cuties asking when the truth would be discovered. Everything will come to light tomorrow~ Also, I've noticed my stockpile of chapters is getting smaller and smaller.