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"What are you two talking about?" Li Xia walked over, interrupting them.

"We're discussing chess. Cousin, Sister Xin is amazing!" Xu Yiyou said with a look of adoration.

"Of course she is. Your Sister Xin is quite the talented lady," Li Xia replied. Li Xin's reputation in the Capital City was indeed excellent.

"Sister Xin is truly incredible," Xu Yiyou repeated, her limited vocabulary unable to fully express her admiration.

"Come on, you two, stop praising me like this," Li Xin laughed, unable to contain herself at their compliments.

After chatting for a while, Madam Jiang sent a maid to fetch Xu Yiyou, asking her to go entertain the guests. Xu Yiyou didn't want to go; she wanted to keep talking with Li Xin and didn't want to see those girls who always liked to compare themselves to others.

"Next time I'll send an invitation, and you can come play at my house," Li Xin coaxed her.

"Alright, definitely!" Xu Yiyou left happily with this promise.

"Sister, you're really good at comforting children," Li Xia said with a smile as she sat down next to Li Xin.

Li Xin quite liked Xu Yiyou, this cute and innocent young girl.

"Am I not cute too?" Li Xia asked, pouting.

"Xia Xia is the cutest in the world," Li Xin said with a smile.

"That's more like it," Li Xia said, picking up her teacup and taking a sip.

"So how's the Wang Family? Have you met them?" Li Xin was still quite concerned about Xu Xinyue. She worried that they might treat her poorly because she had previously been a concubine in the Li household.

"They seem fine so far," Li Xia replied. As for the future, that was uncertain - no one could guarantee anything. However, with her keeping an eye on things, if the Wang Family dared to mistreat Xu Xinyue, Li Xia wouldn't mind teaching them a lesson. At worst, she could have her mother divorce and support her for life.

"Xia Xia, you have me, and you have our brother and mother," Li Xin said, worried that Li Xia might be upset.

"My mother is just getting married, it's not like we'll never see each other again. I'm fine," Li Xia said, understanding Li Xin's concerns. She was worried that Li Xia might be upset and do something rash.

As Li Xin was about to say something more, Li Yu came over, saying that Mrs. Lu was calling for her.

"Go quickly, Mother must have something important to discuss," Li Xia urged Li Xin to go. She herself sat in the pavilion, gazing at the sky.

It would be a lie to say she wasn't upset about Xu Xinyue getting married. Right now, they could see each other whenever they wanted, say whatever they wanted. Xu Xinyue only had her to think about. But after getting married, she would have a new family and eventually children, and naturally wouldn't be as close to Li Xia as she was now. But Li Xia couldn't be selfish; Xu Xinyue had the right to pursue her own happiness. She couldn't interfere, she could only wish her well.

"Miss Li," Li Xia turned to see Lu XuanNing entering the pavilion. He was walking very slowly, trying to keep his legs in sync.

Thanks to the combined efforts of Xiao Changyou and Zhou Heng, Lu XuanNing had woken up, but his injured leg couldn't be fully healed. He had become lame and could no longer go to the battlefield.

"My Lord," Li Xia stood up and curtsied. The Emperor had awarded him the title of Marquis of Pacifying the South to honor him, along with a mansion and considerable gold, silver, and land. After receiving these rewards, Lu XuanNing moved into his new residence and spent his days either at the Beining Marquis Manor or in the Mansion of Marquis of Pacifying the South, rarely going out. His last visit to the Li family had been a rare outing. It was unexpected to see him at the Xu family's home.

"Miss Li, I hope I'm not disturbing you," Lu XuanNing said, struggling a bit to climb the steps. The scars on his face had turned his once handsome features quite fierce. Those who had once admired and wished to marry him now found him repulsive and unwilling to wed.

Li Xia's expression didn't change. In her past life, she had seen people with far worse injuries, and even those disgusting zombies. Lu XuanNing's condition was nothing in her eyes.

Li Xia's calm demeanor made Lu XuanNing's heart even more complex. During his coma, he had dreamed that he had died in that incident in Liuzhou. The Lu family had almost fallen apart.

In the dream, it was Li Xia who, at a young age, had married his memorial tablet and taken care of his grandparents in his stead. Later, she had even become a female war god on the frontier, replacing his father, with mysterious abilities. She had repelled the nomadic tribes and also prevented the court's subsequent attempts to suppress the Lu family. She had raised his younger brother to adulthood.

No matter what difficulties she faced, she always met them with a smile. She developed the frontier, accepting people of all ethnicities to live together. She built the border region into the most prosperous area outside the Capital City. Later, she helped his younger brother become the new Beining Marquis. After relinquishing her heavy responsibilities, she set sail for the sea, never to be heard from again.

Even after he woke up, he didn't know how she had fared overseas. But the Li Xia in his dream was so capable, she should be doing well wherever she was.

Although it was just a dream, the good scenarios in the dream had actually happened in reality. This made Lu XuanNing suspect that it might have been his previous life. This time, he had been saved by Li Xia and survived. But how to treat Li Xia now - Lu XuanNing felt very conflicted.

Li Xia, of course, had no idea what Lu XuanNing was thinking. Seeing him staring at her with an unreadable expression, she called out, "My Lord?"

"I never properly thanked you for saving my life," he said. Although he had sent many gifts to the Li family as thanks for the Liuzhou incident, he had never personally thanked the one who had actually saved him.

"You weren't unconscious at the time," Li Xia said, not panicking at being found out.

"It was thanks to that kick of yours," Lu XuanNing said. He had actually already passed out at that point. Li Xia's kick had woken him up.

"Should I say 'you're welcome'?" Li Xia smiled, and Lu XuanNing smiled too. Then, thinking of his face, he quickly stopped smiling.

Seeing Lu XuanNing stop smiling, Li Xia remembered what her comrades in her past life used to say: "The scars on one's body are symbols of honor." In that apocalyptic world, everyone carried scars - you couldn't be considered human if you didn't. Even she had barely any unscathed flesh on her body, except for her face.

Hearing Li Xia's words, Lu XuanNing examined her closely. Li Xia showed no fear or displeasure, but rather seemed interested in the scars on his face. "You're not afraid?" he asked.

"Are you going to hit me?" Li Xia countered instead of answering.

"No," Lu XuanNing shook his head. Why would he hit Li Xia?

"If you're not going to hit me, why should I be afraid of someone who protected our country?" Li Xia's words dispelled the despondency that had settled in Lu XuanNing's heart due to the looks he received from others. He thanked her again, "Thank you."

"You're welcome," Li Xia said in a light tone. "I heard you single-handedly infiltrated the enemy camp and killed the rebel leader."

"It's not as mystical as people outside say. The victory over the rebels is the merit of all officers and soldiers," Lu XuanNing never believed that he alone could end the war. All of this was the result of everyone's collective effort.

"I agree with that statement. However, if the general is incompetent, victory is still impossible. After all, a den of bears needs a leader," Li Xia strongly supported Lu XuanNing's view, as she had once been a soldier herself.

Surprised to hear this saying common among soldiers come from Li Xia's mouth, Lu XuanNing remarked, "You really don't seem like a young lady from a noble family."

"Oh? Then what do I seem like?" Li Xia took his words as a compliment.