Chapter 5: He Only Brought Her Back to His Side Once More…

The news revealed by Si Yingdong struck Si Jin with considerable impact, leaving her dazed for quite some time.

What did he mean by calling her the most useless member of the Si family!

Although she admittedly couldn’t compare to most of the Si children, she wasn’t completely worthless, was she?

Hadn’t Xiao Rong himself said that their marriage served to restrain the expansion of both the Si and Xiao families’ influence? That should count as a significant usefulness, right?

Yet Si Jin couldn’t help but feel disheartened.

She wasn’t that noble—she had never intended to make such sacrifices for her family.

No matter how one looked at it, finding herself in her current situation for such reasons couldn’t possibly bring any comfort.

Before learning the background of this marriage, she had merely been troubled about when they could divorce.

After discovering the truth, her troubles were compounded by an additional layer of unfortunate resentment.

So, if not for that reckless fool from the Xiao family, this unreasonable marriage would never have happened.

She wouldn’t need to put on an act with Xiao Rong, nor would she have any further dealings with him.

In the following days, Si Jin couldn’t help but cast somewhat resentful glances at Xiao Rong.

She wondered if Xiao Rong, as an influential figure in the Xiao family, had properly dealt with that troublemaking fool from their household.

During another shared meal at the same table:

Xiao Rong suddenly lifted his gaze to meet hers directly. “Do you have something to say to me?”

Si Jin started, realizing her stare had been too obvious—she must have been watching him for quite some time.

Flustered, she averted her eyes and murmured with lowered head, “No, I didn’t have anything to say.”

After all, she couldn’t outright ask him if they had married precisely because she was the most useless member of the Si family.

Ultimately, she refused to admit her uselessness, and time couldn’t be reversed anyway.

Bringing up settled matters would only attract unnecessary misfortune.

Xiao Rong watched her quietly for a moment before speaking. “I thought you wanted to discuss your elder brother’s transfer with me.”

Si Jin blinked, pulled from her thoughts.

The “elder brother” Xiao Rong referred to was actually Si Jin’s brother, Si Ming.

Earlier this year, numerous court officials had undergone position transfers, with Si Ming being among them—assigned to the extremely distant Western Hills in the western territories.

Si Jin didn’t know how her brother felt about this, but Si Chengyuan had been running around anxiously seeking connections, terrified his son might actually be transferred to that remote location.

This matter had originally fallen to Si Jin as well—her parents wanted her to whisper in Xiao Rong’s ear, hoping he might help prevent Si Ming’s transfer.

But given that she and Xiao Rong weren’t actually in that kind of relationship, how could she possibly have the face to ask such a favor? Thus she had never known how to broach the subject with him.

Fortunately, before Si Jin could hesitantly raise the matter, Si Chengyuan had already found his own connections and resolved the situation.

During Si Jin’s recent returning home visit, Si Chengyuan had informed her that everything would be completely settled once the official documents were approved.

Si Jin was surprised by Xiao Rong’s sudden mention of the matter. “How… how did you know about this?”

No sooner had she asked than she felt her cheeks grow warm—had her parents, seeing her delay in addressing the matter, approached Xiao Rong directly?

Si Jin might not have realized it, but her emotions tended to show clearly on her face whenever she was lost in thought.

Xiao Rong’s steady gaze captured every subtle shift in her expression.

“I saw your brother’s transfer documents at the Bureau of Personnel Selection.”

So it wasn’t her parents who had summoned her.

Si Jin breathed a slight sigh of relief.

Xiao Rong asked, “Do you need my help?”

Si Jin hadn’t expected that the matter she had previously been too embarrassed to mention would now be brought up by Xiao Rong himself.

However, she quickly shook her head and replied with polite detachment, “When I returned home last time, Father said the matter had already been resolved. There’s no need for you to trouble yourself with it.”

After a long silence, Xiao Rong finally responded with a low “Mm,” and didn’t bring up the subject again.

Si Jin’s low spirits over the past few days finally lifted when she received an invitation from Shen Xuzhi after her return to the capital.

Coincidentally, it happened to be Xiao Rong’s day off.

Si Jin beamed with joy, both because she could finally reunite with her long-separated close friend and because leaving the residence for the appointment meant she wouldn’t have to put on an act around Xiao Rong.

Xiao Rong’s expression darkened. “When will you be back?”

Si Jin was selecting hairpins at her dressing table, completely unaware of the change in his demeanor.

Unable to contain her excitement, she replied cheerfully, “Probably not until after youshi, maybe even xushi.”

Having been apart for so long, she had much to discuss with Shen Xuzhi.

Once they started chatting, she couldn’t predict how long it would last.

As Si Jin scanned the shelf, she noticed the silence behind her.

Having chosen a hairpin, she turned around to find Xiao Rong standing motionless like a statue not far away.

She blinked in confusion and was about to step forward when Xiao Rong abruptly turned around.

“Let’s go. I’ll see you off.”

Si Jin was taken aback. “You don’t need to accompany me to meet a friend, do you?”

Xiao Rong: “…”

He fell silent, his gaze dark and unreadable as he stared at her. “I’ll escort you to the gate.”

“…Oh.”

Si Jin actually thought even that was unnecessary, but under Xiao Rong’s intense gaze, she swallowed her words.

Perhaps it was because there was no genuine affection between them.

Even for the sake of appearances, since she was only going out for half a day, there was no need for any overly sentimental farewell scenes.

Yet, under the watchful eyes of the servants, Xiao Rong walked side by side with her toward the residence’s gate.

“Shall I pick you up when you’re done?”

Xiao Rong asked naturally, his tone leaving no room for negotiation, as if forcing her into a single acceptable response.

Nevertheless, Si Jin lowered her voice and mumbled vaguely, “No need.”

Then, raising her eyes, she put on a smiling face and said softly, “Husband, you may see me off here.”

The act felt so forced she worried others might see through it.

Xiao Rong halted, slightly furrowing his brows to conceal the emotions in his eyes.

He replied, “Alright, come back early.”

Si Jin nodded and hurriedly walked toward the carriage.

Chun Xing assisted her into the carriage.

Perhaps due to her eagerness to see her friend, she forgot to glance back one last time.

Xiao Rong stood silently at the residence’s gate, his gaze fixed intently on the gradually receding carriage until it turned the corner and disappeared completely from view.

“My lord, the private room at Qinyun Pavilion today…”

“Not needed.” Xiao Rong withdrew his gaze and coldly interrupted.

A somber darkness filled his eyes, only to be completely concealed the moment he turned away.

After Si Jin’s departure, the Eastern Palace sent a messenger with an oral summons from the Crown Prince.

Xiao Rong set off for the Eastern Palace, his expression far from pleasant when he met the Crown Prince.

Zhao Yan seemed accustomed to seeing him in such a state.

He invited Xiao Rong to take a seat in the side hall’s tea room.

A pot of premium Longjing tea was brewed, filling the room with its rich aroma.

Zhao Yan placed a chess piece and remarked, “I heard you wrote a recommendation letter to the Bureau of Personnel Selection. Do you have some new plan?”

Xiao Rong replied, “No.”

“Then who did you write this recommendation for? The news has even reached me.”

“For Xiao Jin’s elder brother.”

Zhao Yan paused in surprise. “Is this about the transfer? You’re really being blatant about it, aren’t you afraid of criticism?”

Xiao Rong said calmly, “This matter was originally manipulated by someone behind the scenes. I’m merely returning their own method upon them. There’s nothing improper about it.”

Zhao Yan laughed heartily. “Indeed nothing improper. This concerns Miss Si’s family after all. It seems I was worrying unnecessarily.”

Upon hearing this, Xiao Rong’s hand holding the chess piece hesitated mid-air. He lifted his gaze to look at Zhao Yan.

“I just thought your mood has been somewhat peculiar lately, and wondered if something had happened between you and Miss Si.”

After speaking, Zhao Yan shrugged first himself, then reached for another piece from the chess pot, already anticipating that Xiao Rong might deny this with a “You’re mistaken.”

But Xiao Rong remained silent.

Just as Zhao Yan thought he wouldn’t even respond,

Xiao Rong suddenly spoke again: “She wants to divorce me.”

Zhao Yan: “……!!”

“Who, Miss Si?”

Xiao Rong gave Zhao Yan a silent look.

Zhao Yan realized he had asked a pointless question.

But this truly indicated a serious problem.

Had Xiao Rong failed to win her over even after a whole year, and now it had reached the point of divorce?

So he went through the trouble of writing a recommendation letter to secure Si Ming’s current position, hoping to win back Si Jin through this?

Zhao Yan narrowed his eyes slightly. Based on his understanding of Xiao Rong, this didn’t seem quite right.

He temporarily refrained from asking more about this matter, instead saying: “How could it come to this? Don’t tell me you did nothing at all this past year?”

“I did.”

Sneaking into her bedchamber, stealing her belongings, controlling her escape routes.

And similar things – he had indeed done plenty.

Zhao Yan frowned in confusion. “She remained completely unmoved?”

This shouldn’t be possible.

“Your methods are too gentle.”

Hearing this, Zhao Yan couldn’t help but twitch the corner of his mouth.

Whether his methods would work was uncertain, but he was certain Xiao Rong definitely hadn’t fully followed the methods he had suggested.

What Xiao Rong just described as “did” probably consisted entirely of underhanded, unspeakable actions.

Zhao Yan retorted: “If you hadn’t been young and ignorant and caused trouble back then, why would you need to expend so much effort now? If you had known today’s outcome, why did you act that way initially?”

Xiao Rong’s gaze darkened as it swept across the chessboard. He made an aggressively offensive move, yet didn’t feel he had done anything wrong.

When he first met Si Jin, he had indeed teased her with his words.

No schemes involved, completely without reason.

In his youth, the interest that arose beyond rationality often lacked proper method.

He simply thought that Si Jin’s delicate, pretty face would look quite adorable if she puffed out her cheeks in anger.

So he teased her with words, waiting for her reaction.

Unexpectedly, she actually believed him without any doubt.

Though Xiao Rong did later see her adorable appearance with puffed cheeks, he heard she suffered heatstroke and fainted because of it.

He never apologized to anyone, and few people would apologize to him back then.

The only thing he could recall was his mother, after losing control and beating him, kneeling before him with a deranged, broken expression, crying and apologizing.

Xiao Rong certainly knew he couldn’t apologize to Si Jin like that.

She would be terrified.

So he tried his best to maintain a calm expression and spoke as evenly as possible, “I’m sorry.”

But this only made her angrier.

He asked her, “Can you forgive me?”

She shouted that she couldn’t, but ultimately softened and forgave him.

Yet when a lonely and darkened heart finds a place of peace, greed naturally plants its seed within.

He wanted the candy in her pocket—not just one piece, but all of it.

He wanted to reclaim her attention from the toys that occupied it, so he eradicated the source directly.

When he was disliked and distanced, he might have realized he was wrong.

But in the end, as years passed, endurance and compromise brought him no good outcomes.

She drifted further away from him, their interactions nearly vanishing entirely.

What was wrong with bringing her back to his side?

And now she wanted to leave him again.

He didn’t feel he should let go, nor would he.

Zhao Yan’s voice interrupted his thoughts: “What are your plans regarding this?”

Xiao Rong remained silent.

He had been pretending for too long, and it was nearing its limit.

The thirst in his heart was like a tide excessively suppressed—the surface appeared calm, but beneath, it was already churning violently.

Sooner or later, it would surge to the surface and create massive waves.

He could no longer suppress it, nor did he want to.

Xiao Rong’s thin lips parted slightly as he replied slowly, “No plans. We will not separate.”

Nanlin Villa, long uninhabited, had been cleaned and tidied in advance.

Lush greenery lined the pathways, and summer sunlight filtered through the dense branches, casting layers of light spots on the bluestone steps.

A maid served Si Jin a cup of cool tea.

“The young lady is changing and will be here shortly.”

As soon as the words were spoken, the bushes nearby suddenly rustled.

Soon, a familiar figure emerged briskly from within.

“Xuzhi!”

Si Jin called out joyfully, striding quickly toward the approaching figure.

Shen Xuzhi was equally delighted, lifting the hem of her skirt as she hurried over.

The two met under the pavilion in a few steps, simultaneously reaching out to embrace each other.

“Xiao Jin, I’ve missed you so much!”

Si Jin tightened her arms and nuzzled against Shen Xuzhi’s shoulder. As she looked up, Shen Xuzhi asked, “Did you come alone?”

Si Jin released her, puzzled. “Who else would there be?”

“Did your husband not accompany you?”

Si Jin stepped back completely, even more surprised. “Why would he come with me to see you?”

Shen Xuzhi chuckled softly, lowering her arm to take Si Jin’s hand and guide her into the pavilion. “I’ve heard from afar that you two have grown increasingly intimate and inseparable lately, so I thought he might come with you today or at least see you off.”

Si Jin’s expression shifted slightly, a flicker of guilt passing through her eyes before she quickly brushed it away.

“What nonsense are you talking? You know exactly how things are between us.”

Si Jin cautiously glanced around, lowering her voice for the latter part.

When the Emperor first bestowed the marriage arrangement, Si Jin felt as if her world had collapsed.

She expressed her resistance to her parents to no avail, and could only pour out her grievances to Shen Xuzhi.

It was Shen Xuzhi who suggested that Si Jin approach Xiao Rong to discuss the matter.

Following Shen Xuzhi’s advice, Si Jin went to Xiao Rong, and after successfully reaching an agreement with him, she immediately shared the good news with Shen Xuzhi.

The situation back then was far less complicated than it was now.

Si Jin naively believed that if she diligently played the role of Xiao Rong’s wife for a while, the marriage would soon come to an end.

However, a year had passed with no sign of resolution, and the situation had only grown more severe.

The sudden news she had received only added to her vexation.

Si Jin pondered whether she should inform Shen Xuzhi of the current circumstances and seek her advice once more.

Shen Xuzhi seemed to perceive what was on Si Jin’s mind.

She waved her hand, dismissing the attendants nearby, leaving only the two of them in the pavilion.

After sighing repeatedly, Si Jin finally spoke to Shen Xuzhi, “Things have become increasingly complicated. If this continues, I don’t know when I’ll ever be able to divorce him.”

Shen Xuzhi appeared slightly surprised at her words.

But her surprise was not due to what Si Jin had just said.

For the moment, however, she remained silent, waiting for Si Jin to pour out all the difficulties she had been facing lately.

Once Si Jin finished speaking, her moist eyes fixed intently on Shen Xuzhi.

She hoped, as in the past, that Shen Xuzhi could once again devise a solution to her predicament.

But Shen Xuzhi asked, “It’s been a year now. Do you still feel nothing for Xiao Chongyun?”

Si Jin was taken aback. “What kind of feeling?”

“The feeling of growing affection from day-to-day companionship, of falling for him.”

“How could that be!” Si Jin exclaimed, widening her eyes. “Why would I fall for him? That’s not the kind of relationship we have!”

Shen Xuzhi couldn’t help but mutter, “…Xiao Chongyun is truly useless.”

A whole year had passed, and he had made no progress at all.

Si Jin didn’t hear her and had no mind to dwell on it.

She urgently grasped Shen Xuzhi’s hand and said anxiously, “Xuzhi, do you think there’s still a way to resolve this?”

Shen Xuzhi fell into thoughtful silence for a moment.

The successive heads of the Xiao family had all been illustrious figures recorded extensively in history. Xiao Rong, even before fully taking over the family, already shone as brightly as his ancestors. It was only a matter of time before he became the new head of the Xiao family.

As he grew older and with the accumulated influence of the Xiao family over the years, it was uncertain whether the Emperor viewed him as a threat or a pillar of support. Even if the Emperor had no ill intentions, there would always be those with ulterior motives seeking opportunities to stir trouble.

Thus, it seemed reasonable for the Emperor to bestow this marriage to curb the expansion of both the Xiao and Si families’ influence.

But if there were hidden reasons behind it, the situation would take on an entirely different complexion.

Shen Xuzhi said, “I haven’t been able to think of a solution, but since returning to the capital, I’ve heard a rumor that I intended to share with you today.”

“What rumor?”

Shen Xuzhi’s gaze lingered on Si Jin’s face for a moment.

Seeing her bewildered expression, it was clear she had no inkling of it.

Shen Xuzhi leaned in slightly, her expression serious. “Actually, this marriage of yours was something Xiao Chongyun begged the Emperor for, kneeling in the Golden Hall for a long time and paying a heavy price.”