The dining hall is a stark contrast to the quiet intimacy of Fang Yuan's room. The table is laden with extravagant dishes—roasted meats glistening with glaze, steaming bowls of spiced soup, and delicate pastries that seem too beautiful to eat. The air is thick with the clatter of plates and the hum of conversation, but Fang Yuan feels as though he is walking through a dream, disconnected from the world around him. The weight of his failure presses down on him, a heavy shadow that no amount of determination can fully dispel. Determination, he realizes, isn't about erasing despair, sadness, or failure—it's about enduring them, suppressing them, and moving forward despite their weight.
In the dining room, the family sits together—Uncle, Aunt, Fang Yuan, Fang Zheng, and Gu Xianer. Servants bustle around, serving dishes and refilling cups, but Fang Yuan's attention is elsewhere. Gu Xianer, sitting beside him, struggles to eat with her own hands. She fumbles with the chopsticks, her movements awkward and uncertain. It's then that Fang Yuan realizes something that shocks him: he has always been the one to feed her. He has been so focused on caring for her that he never taught her how to eat on her own. The thought fills him with a mix of guilt and tenderness.
Without hesitation, Fang Yuan begins to teach her, his voice gentle and patient. He shows her how to hold the chopsticks, how to pick up food, and how to bring it to her mouth. Step by step, he guides her, his movements slow and deliberate. For a moment, the world around them fades away. Fang Yuan forgets about his despair, his failure, his sadness. All that matters is Gu Xianer, her bright eyes focused on him, her determination to learn shining through. She, too, is fully absorbed, her attention fixed on mastering this new skill. Together, they are lost in their own little world, oblivious to the others at the table.
Fang Zheng, sitting across from them, watches with a mixture of annoyance and discomfort. He picks at his food, his expression sour. The aunt and uncle, however, are far more visibly frustrated. The aunt's face tightens as she watches Fang Yuan and Gu Xianer, her lips pressing into a thin line. She can't stand the sight of them, so absorbed in each other, so oblivious to the rest of the family. Her patience wears thin, and she finally snaps.
"Gu Xianer!" she barks, her voice sharp and cutting. "Don't you even know how to eat by your own hand? Do you want to take your brother to your in-law's house to feed you?"
Fang Yuan freezes mid-motion, his hand hovering above Gu Xianer's plate. A flicker of anger sparks in his chest, but he quickly suppresses it, unwilling to let the moment be tainted. Instead, he turns back to Gu Xianer, offering her an encouraging smile. "Don't listen to her," he says softly, his voice steady and reassuring. "You're doing great. Keep trying."
The uncle, sensing the tension, quickly steps in. He gives a gentle smile, his voice smooth and reassuring. "Don't get angry," he says, addressing the aunt but casting a warm glance at Gu Xianer. "She's learning, and that's what matters. Gu Xianer, you don't have to feel bad about your aunt's comment. She's just like your mother—a mother can't tolerate her daughter's shortcomings. In reality, she loves you very much and wants to make you a perfect wife and woman. We are just like your parents. We want our children to be perfect, without flaws. So, we teach you in this way. Even though it might seem harsh on the surface, beneath it all, there is love, only pure and genuine love."
His words are calculated, dripping with false warmth. He knows exactly what to say to manipulate the situation, to twist the aunt's harshness into something that sounds like care.
But Gu Xianer can't hear any of their talk. She has frozen in place, her mind reeling from the aunt's harsh words. The warmth and safety she always associated with mealtime—the gentle care of Fang Yuan feeding her, the stories he told, the laughter they shared—all of it shatters in an instant. The dining time, once a time of joy and comfort in her subconscious, now feels like a prison. Her throat tightens, and she feels as though the food won't go down. She's suffocating, drowning in a wave of pain and sorrow.
Suddenly, a memory floods her mind, vivid and unrelenting.
In the memory, she sees the same dining table, laden with food. She's young, her stomach growling with hunger. She can't control herself and starts eating. Without realizing it, she finishes two plates and reaches for a third. Suddenly, her aunt storms in, her face twisted with rage. She grabs Gu Xianer by the neck, her grip tight and painful. "What have you done?" the aunt screams. "You've eaten the plate I specially prepared for your uncle, and now you've finished mine too! You brainless pig!"
Gu Xianer's cries are muffled by the aunt's tight grip. Her cheeks are pressed painfully, and tears stream down her face as she struggles to breathe. Fang Yuan and Fang Zheng rush into the room at the sound of the commotion.
The aunt turns to them, her voice shrill with anger. "Look what your brainless sister has done! Today, your uncle has an important meeting, and I prepared this meal specially for him. Not only has she eaten his plate, but she's also finished mine!"
Without hesitation, Fang Yuan rushes to Gu Xianer, prying her free from the aunt's grasp. He cradles her gently, rubbing her neck and cheeks, his voice soft and comforting. "It's okay, Xianer. It's okay. You're safe now."
Fang Zheng, however, glares at Gu Xianer, his voice sharp with disapproval. "What's wrong with you? Can't you even tell which plate is yours? How can you eat so much? Were you a hungry beast in your past life?"
The uncle shakes his head, his tone heavy with disappointment. "Gu Xianer, how can you behave like this? Who will ever want to marry you if you act like this?"
Gu Xianer's pain intensifies, her sobs growing louder. But her cries only seem to annoy the aunt, uncle, and Fang Zheng even more.
The aunt turns to the servants, her voice cold and commanding. "From now on, never let Gu Xianer eat anything without my permission. If I find out she's eating in secret, you'll all regret it."
The servants nod obediently, their faces pale with fear.
Fang Yuan, still holding Gu Xianer, speaks up, his voice calm but firm. "Aunt, you don't need to worry. I'll teach her properly. Please, all of you, finish your meal. I'm not hungry today."
With that, Fang Yuan takes Gu Xianer to his room. He sits her down on the bed, her small body trembling with fear and pain. She's terrified, expecting him to scold her or even hit her for what she's done. But to her surprise, Fang Yuan doesn't say a word about her "crime." Instead, he gently rubs her neck and cheeks with a cold cloth, his touch soothing.
"Don't worry," he says softly. "The pain will go away soon. How could Aunt do this to you?"
His voice breaks, and tears begin to stream down his face. "Every mark from her fingers is still visible… How could she hurt you like this? And how could Uncle just stand there and watch?"
Overcome with emotion, Fang Yuan pulls Gu Xianer into a tight embrace, his tears falling freely. Gu Xianer clings to him, her own tears soaking into his shirt. In that moment, the world outside doesn't matter. All that exists is the two of them, holding onto each other, finding solace in their shared pain.