"Nan Xiao, you've got a visitor!"

The prison guard banged heavily on the iron bars.

Huddled in the corner, the woman looked lifeless with her cropped, dull hair, like a fragile glass figurine on the verge of shattering at any moment.

Only at the guard's voice did she finally lift her head.

Anyone who saw her now would likely recoil in horror.

Her eyes were tightly shut, the lids sunken deep into their sockets—empty, devoid of eyeballs.

"Who the hell would visit a blind freak like her?"

A voice sneered from the shadows nearby.

Nan Xiao fumbled against the wall as she struggled to stand.

With every step, the chains around her ankles scraped against the floor, screeching sharply.

Who could have imagined that the once-proud second daughter of the prestigious Nan family in the capital would ever sink to such depths?

The guard outside couldn’t bear to watch any longer. She yanked open the cell door and dragged Nan Xiao out without an ounce of mercy.

Pulled forward abruptly, Nan Xiao stumbled, barely keeping her balance.

The guard hauled her down the corridor, but Nan Xiao remained silent the entire way.

"Little sister... long time no see."

Hearing that voice, Nan Xiao's body stiffened slightly.

"I just came to tell you—I'm marrying Young Master Gu."

Nan Xiao remained motionless, but her fingers instinctively clenched into fists.

"Know why?"

The voice on the other end suddenly sharpened with triumph.

"He thinks you're hiding, so he's using this to force you out."

"Hahaha! Too bad his little plan's about to fail."

"Hard to believe, isn't it? He still can't forget you. Must be feeling pretty smug, huh?"

Nan Yiyi seemed to be talking to herself, her words dripping with venom.

Nan Xiao's body grew even more rigid.

"Oh, one more thing." Nan Yiyi suddenly spoke again.

"Bet you didn't know this, did you?"

Nan Xiao braced herself—whatever came next wouldn’t be good.

"Ever wonder why your master took you in all those years ago?"

"It was Young Master Gu. He knelt every three steps all the way to your master’s mountain gate—begging for him to accept you."

Nan Xiao immediately raised her head, even though she couldn't see the person before her.

"No way!"

"Tsk, tsk, tsk. Look at you, just look at yourself."

Nan Yiyi let out a cold, mocking laugh.

"You're not worth Gu Moting going to such lengths for."

"It doesn't matter. He and I are getting married soon. Once we're married, I'll have all the time in the world to make sure Gu Moting belongs to me completely."

Having said everything she wanted, Nan Yiyi finally left.

Once again, Nan Xiao was thrown back into her cell by the prison guard.

Only now did she realize just how much she had truly lost.

She was so tired.

A deep exhaustion rose from the depths of her heart.

The cold seeped into her bones, and Nan Xiao curled herself into a tight ball.

As someone well-versed in medicine, she knew all too well—her time was running out.

She had made far too many foolish mistakes in this life.

And she owed far too many people.

Nan Xiao shivered uncontrollably from the biting cold.

If given another chance, she swore she'd never let those people off the hook—never!

"Xiao Xiao..."

In the darkness, a voice called out to her, achingly familiar.

Yet she couldn't see—couldn't see who had spoken.

Then, a scent she knew all too well reached her.

...Him?

What was he doing here?

Nan Xiao knew exactly who had come.

But she couldn't respond. Her mind was slipping away.

Her body grew lighter, and just as she thought she could finally drift into oblivion—

A crushing weight yanked her back from the edge of heaven.

She jolted.

When her eyes fluttered open, sunlight flooded her vision.

She froze.

--*******--