Sandstone Dots

The Xie family was the foremost clan, thriving for generations. They were known for their upright family traditions and spotless reputation, and placed the greatest importance on their descendants' character. Among their many family rules was one that required a special cinnabar mark to be placed on the arms of boys and girls in the clan during childhood. It served as a warning against premarital intimacy and a reminder to maintain one's virtue. Eldest Young Master Xie Qi was cool and aloof by nature, but otherwise flawless. Even in his youth, he had earned the emperor's high regard. He was the most qualified candidate to become the next head of the Xie family, yet he was excluded from consideration by the elders. The reason was that one of them had discovered Xie Qi had lost his cinnabar mark before he was even married. As for the woman in question, Xie Qi never said a word. The noble young ladies liked to gossip privately about which family's young lord was the most handsome. They all agreed that Xie Qi was the most attractive. Whenever Xie Qi came up, Lu Guanrou would blush scarlet. But no one paid her any mind. The Lu and Xie families had been close friends for generations, from the heads of the two families to Consort Lu and Consort Xie. But Guanrou had always been prejudiced against Xie Qi. The reason was that she'd once gotten drunk and spent the night in the same bed as Xie Qi. When she woke up the next morning, Lu Guanrou discovered that Xie Qi's cinnabar mark was gone. Terrified, she fled before he woke. Theme: Stay positive and look on the bright side.