All authority within the estate had fallen into the hands of the new wife and her second daughter. The eldest daughter of the former principal wife was gradually becoming invisible. The servants barely ever saw her face anymore.
Whenever there were social banquets, it was always the former secondary wife and her lovely, vivacious younger daughter who attended. Her father still cared about only the two of them.
After the secondary wife gave birth to yet another son, Bai Ming Yue's situation within the Bai Estate grew even worse.
The eldest daughter was practically confined to a cold palace.
Seeing their master treat her that way, the servants grew even more negligent toward the estate's eldest daughter. They were willing to curry favor only with the mistress who held power in her hands. Why bother caring about anyone without power?
Even so, Bai Ming Yue paid no attention to her father or stepmother. She did not spare a glance for the servants in the estate who had changed and no longer respected or feared her as they once had. After all, she still had Young Master Li Feitian.
The Li family had been close to the Bai family for generations. The Lis were powerful merchants, while the Bais were local officials. The two families had formed a close alliance, and their sons and daughters had always been fond of and harmonious with one another ever since they were little boys and girls.
Bai Ming Yue and Li Feitian were so close that their parents had long regarded them as a couple.
Before Bai Ming Yue's mother died, she had known about it and wholeheartedly supported them, hoping to entrust her daughter to him without worry.
“Eldest Miss, Young Master Li has arrived.”
Her maid came to report to Bai Ming Yue as usual.
“He’s waiting in the pavilion. Please hurry, Eldest Miss. Don’t keep him waiting any longer.”
Bai Ming Yue was a refined woman, gentle and soft-spoken, with slow, graceful movements. Even when her maid came rushing in with noisy, undignified footsteps, she merely furrowed her beautiful brows slightly.
“Why are you so frantic today?”
“Oh, Eldest Miss!” Jin Xin pulled a sullen face as she spoke. “I just feel that the garden looks especially beautiful today. You should go take a walk and enjoy the breeze with Young Master Li a little sooner.”
“Oh... In that case, let’s hurry.”
The young woman drew her black cloak snugly over her white clothes, then rose with surprising enthusiasm despite still feeling terribly weak.
Lately, she had been falling ill so often that it was truly strange.
Bai Ming Yue had remained in mourning for her departed mother for nearly three years. Her face was pale and free of cosmetics, and her clothes were devoid of color.
She led her close maid out toward the pavilion, the place where she and her man had always arranged to meet.
But when she arrived, she saw Bai Liting already seated there.
Her younger sister was sitting with her man.
The two of them had increasingly often sat chatting without her. When they were children, perhaps she had not felt anything about it. But now, things were different.
Bai Ming Yue narrowed her eyes in silence. Only then did she understand why her maid, Jin Xin, had been so frantic.
At that moment, Bai Liting turned and saw her elder sister. She froze for a brief moment, then quickly hid her guilty expression, rose to her feet, and greeted her with a bright, lilting voice. Her large, round eyes looked especially adorable.
“Big Sister is here.”
Li Feitian turned to look as well, his expression perfectly normal, the warm smile he always wore still on his face. “Yue’er, you’re here.”
Bai Ming Yue curved her lips into a gentle smile without saying a word.
Once she sat down in the pavilion, her younger sister said goodbye and hurried away at once.
That left only Li Feitian, a charming smile adorning his handsome face.
“Brother Tian, you must have been waiting for me a long time.”
The young man took the woman’s hand and held it gently. “No matter how long it takes, I can wait for you.”
The woman’s cheeks flushed. Bai Ming Yue smiled shyly, choosing to dismiss the foolish thoughts troubling her mind.
She trusted her man...
The two of them exchanged sweet words as they always did.
They even made plans to arrange their engagement after the mourning period for her mother ended. Once the three years were complete in just a little while longer, their wedding would surely take place at once.
Yet that trust and certainty in their love became poison, eating Bai Ming Yue's heart away until nothing remained.
One night during the Lantern Festival, Bai Ming Yue happened to see Li Feitian releasing a lantern alongside Bai Liting.
They were alone together in a secluded corner.
The two stood beneath the reflected glow of the lanterns, staring into each other’s eyes from close range.
Then the image of her beloved kissing Bai Ming Yue's younger sister passionately appeared before her very eyes.
Li Feitian and Bai Liting were locked in a tight kiss.
Their palms remained clasped, unwilling to let go.