“Grandmother.”
“Grandmother Qi.”
The two consecutive forms of address pulled Old Madam Qi back to her senses. As she came to, she inwardly chided herself—she must have been too preoccupied with the thought of a granddaughter-in-law to have somehow linked Yinyin and Yubai together. However… recalling the way the two had entered earlier, she couldn’t help but feel a bit moved.
She looked toward the two under the lamplight.
Just as they had stepped in, Yanhuan was leading a maidservant, holding a dampened warm towel, inviting them to wipe their hands.
Last time, when she had been farther away, she hadn’t noticed much. But now, seeing them stand side by side, Old Madam Qi couldn’t help but justify her momentary lapse of focus—it truly wasn’t her fault. If blame had to be placed, it could only be on the fact that these two children were simply too pleasing to the eye.
Her family’s Yu’er’s appearance went without saying.
The Qi family had always been blessed with good looks. Back when she had agreed to marry into the Qi family, it certainly hadn’t been for Qi Lian’s scholarly talents alone. And her grandson’s looks were certainly not inferior to his grandfather’s in the least. Otherwise, with that prickly temperament of his, how could there still be matchmakers vying to arrange marriages for him?
Had it not been for that, their family’s doorstep might have long been deserted by now.
But what had truly caused her to lose herself for a moment wasn’t just their good looks, but rather the sense of harmony when the two stood together. A good match wasn’t simply about both parties being attractive—it was about the impression they left when standing together. More than just their appearances, it was the aura and presence they exuded.
And so—
Old Madam Qi suddenly realized that her grandson’s usual air of aloofness seemed unexpectedly gentle today, completely unlike the cold indifference he showed when female guests visited their home in the past. Just as suspicion began to form in her mind, Qi Yubai, having finished wiping his hands, walked over. Noticing the trace of distraction on her face, he lowered his voice and asked, “Grandmother, what’s wrong?”
Lanyin had also just finished wiping her hands. Upon hearing this, she followed suit, stepping forward to stand beside Qi Yubai, asking Old Madam Qi, “What’s the matter?”
Faced with the concern of the two younger ones, how could Old Madam Qi possibly voice her earlier thoughts? If Yu’er had no one in his heart, she would certainly do her best to bring these two together. But Yu’er already had someone he cared for. If she were to act on these thoughts, it wouldn’t be fair to him, to Yinyin, or to that young lady whom she had yet to meet.
Suppressing these musings deep in her heart, she did not mention them to the two, nor did she dwell any longer on the gentleness her grandson was exuding today. Instead, she simply smiled and beckoned them, “I’ve been waiting for you both for some time now. Come,” she extended her hand toward them, “accompany Grandmother for dinner.”
As usual, Qi Yubai stepped forward and supported her left arm.
Seeing that he had already moved, Lanyin hesitated slightly, intending to step back. But Old Madam Qi, eager to draw closer to her, continued to extend her hand, smiling warmly at her as she softly called her name, “Yinyin.”
Looking into those gentle eyes, Lanyin, who had initially been hesitant, found herself pausing for only a moment before taking a step forward. She stood beside Old Madam Qi, just like Qi Yubai, each supporting one of her arms.
“Come, come, come, I had the kitchen prepare plenty of delicious food today.” With someone on either side, Old Madam Qi’s face bore an even brighter smile than usual.
Though she always appeared cheerful and without worries, her grandson was typically a reserved young man—obedient, yes, but never one for much conversation. While Nanny Wei and Yanhuan could keep her company with some chatter, their status was different, and many topics simply weren’t the same when spoken with them.
But today was different.
With Lanyin by her side, not only did Old Madam Qi find her appetite growing, but she also found herself unable to stop talking.
The Qi family had no strict rule against speaking during meals. Initially, Lanyin felt somewhat unaccustomed to this, but after chatting for a while, the unease gradually faded away. Particularly when Old Madam Qi spoke of her younger days in Jinling, Lanyin couldn’t help but smile as well.
“When I was young, your maternal grandmother and I often loved to go boating on Zixia Lake to pick lotuses. By the lakeside, there was a shop that made excellent sweets. If you walked a little further, you’d reach Jiming Temple—not only was the place serene, but their vegetarian dishes were also exquisite.”
As Old Madam Qi recounted the past, she happened to glance down and saw the neatly peeled, glistening oil-braised shrimp that Qi Yubai had placed into her bowl. She smiled, but playfully chided, “Don’t always be peeling for me. Peel some for your younger sister as well.”
She regarded Lanyin as her own granddaughter, so naturally, she had no reservations in her words. However, Lanyin was momentarily stunned upon hearing this. Realizing what Old Madam Qi meant, she hurriedly intended to refuse. Yet, when her gaze met Qi Yubai’s dark, unreadable eyes across the table, for some reason, the words of refusal got stuck in her throat, unable to come out.
Thus—
She could only watch as Qi Yubai silently peeled another shrimp and placed it in the empty bowl before her.
Since she had failed to voice her refusal earlier, it was even harder to say anything now. Lanyin could only offer her thanks, “…Thank you, Brother.”
Under the lamplight, the noble man dressed in a gray Daoist robe remained elegant despite his oil-stained hands. He sat properly in his chair, his head slightly lowered, eyes downcast as he wiped his fingers with a cloth. Upon hearing her words, he merely lifted his thin eyelids slightly, giving her a brief glance, and replied coolly,
“It’s nothing.”
Seated beside him, Old Madam Qi did not take this matter to heart in the slightest. Unlike other elders who favored sons over daughters, she never believed that men should enjoy ease while women bore the burden of labor. On the contrary, she thought men should do more work. While knowledge and fame were certainly important, one also needed the ability to survive in this world. Otherwise, if disaster struck, should all hopes of survival rest on women alone?
That would truly be too useless.
With such reasoning, she continued to eat the shrimp peeled by Qi Yubai with a clear conscience. As she did, she smiled at Lanyin and said, “Don’t be so polite with him. Your brother has been practicing this skill since he was young. When he has a day off, we should make him cook for us.”
Lanyin was stunned and, without thinking, looked at Qi Yubai and asked, “Brother, you can cook?”
Before Qi Yubai could answer, Old Madam Qi had already responded, “He learned when he was a child.”
However, bringing up his childhood inevitably stirred old memories—her husband and son, the difficulties she faced when she returned to her maternal home in Jinling. The smile on Old Madam Qi’s face faded slightly, and her brows filled with strands of melancholy and sorrow.
The elderly woman, who had been enjoying her meal, suddenly lost her appetite.
Seeing her expression, Lanyin immediately guessed the reason Qi Yubai had learned to cook. If circumstances had allowed, how could a well-born young master have entered the kitchen? It was nothing more than the necessity of survival.
Qi Yubai, noticing the sorrow on his grandmother’s face, knew she was thinking about his grandfather and father again. He was about to comfort her as he usually did when, before he could speak, he saw the woman in blue across from him place a large piece of fish into his grandmother’s bowl.
Then, her soft, smiling voice followed, “When I lived in Jinling before, I often accompanied my grandmother to Jiming Temple. There’s a dish there called ‘Grass Hut Eight Delicacies’ that is simply unparalleled. But what I loved most was the atmosphere there—no matter how troubling one’s worries, spending a few days there would make them feel as fleeting as passing clouds. There’s really no need to dwell on such troubles. It’s best to keep looking forward.”
Her voice was gentle.
Qi Yubai saw that the sorrow on his grandmother’s face had completely disappeared. He knew then that this time, there was no need for him to say anything.
He remained silent, only watching her quietly while she turned slightly, speaking to his grandmother. The warm candlelight illuminated her face, enhancing her serene beauty. Her eyes, reflecting the flickering flames, shone brilliantly. Qi Yubai gazed at her like this, absentmindedly rolling the Buddhist prayer beads between his fingertips.
Lanyin’s voice was very pleasant to hear.
Perhaps because she had spent many years in Jinling, her speech carried a hint of the region’s soft and lilting accent. However, as the head of her household, she needed to maintain dignity and composure, making it unsuitable for her to speak in such a delicate manner.
Besides, her temperament was inherently reserved and cool, and she had no one to be coquettish with. Only in front of an elder like Old Madam Qi, whom she felt close to, would she reveal such a rare trace of youthful charm.
Qi Yubai listened to her voice, so different from her usual tone, and his gaze deepened further.
Lanyin’s eyes were beautiful.
Shaped like apricots, they were round and seemingly full of innocence and naivety. However, since she had to maintain her identity and propriety, she rarely gave off such an impression of youthful charm.
Lanyin’s nose was also elegantly straight.
The perfect curvature, the high and straight bridge of her nose—beyond her gentle and clean temperament, it also carried a subtle sense of pride. However, this pride was rarely seen in her; most of the time, she was warm and serene, like a cup of warm water—never too cold, never too hot, always just right.
But Qi Yubai recalled what his grandmother had once told him about Lanyin’s childhood.
As the legitimate eldest daughter of the Marquis of Changxing, she had been cherished from birth. Compared to her somewhat delicate younger sister, Lanyin had once seemed to possess an unyielding and everlasting enthusiasm. She had been bright and lively, full of boundless energy and warmth—until all of it vanished when she was six years old.
After the age of six, Lanyin became cautious, often caught in a state of unease. She was afraid of making mistakes, of saying the wrong thing. She feared that her actions would put her grandmother in a difficult position and, even more so, that she herself would be abandoned once again. So she learned to read people’s expressions, to say the right things in the right situations.
Qi Yubai did not regret never seeing that brilliant and passionate side of her as a child. He only felt a deep ache for her—for how she had been hurt by those closest to her, for how she should never have had to endure such things.
“I never expected you to possess such wisdom at such a young age,” Old Madam Qi remarked after their conversation.
Lanyin only smiled. “It’s not wisdom, really. I just spent a lot of time accompanying my grandmother in worship when I was young. When I had nothing to do, I would copy Buddhist scriptures. I’ve simply read a few more texts than most. Speaking of which—” she glanced at the prayer beads in Qi Yubai’s hand, curiosity flashing in her eyes. “Does Brother also follow Buddhism?”
Qi Yubai’s fingers, which had been rolling the beads, stilled for a brief moment.
He looked into Lanyin’s eyes, but before he could respond, Old Madam Qi had already laughed and spoken, “Who knows if he truly believes in it? I’ve never seen anything related to Buddhism in his room, aside from that string of prayer beads in his hand.” She gave Qi Yubai a sideways glance. “I still don’t know what kind of madness took him three years ago—he suddenly left Jinling, and no one knew where he had gone. When he returned, he had those prayer beads in his hand.”
“I was so afraid he would go off and become a monk,” she added, still sounding a little shaken by the thought.
Lanyin was equally surprised. She had been focused on speaking with Old Madam Qi, but now her gaze involuntarily shifted toward Qi Yubai.
And when she looked up, she found that his deep, pitch-black phoenix eyes were already on her.
Lanyin wasn’t sure if she had imagined it, but for a fleeting moment, she felt as if there was something intense, something restrained yet overwhelming, hidden within those dark eyes.
But just as she tried to take a closer look, the sensation vanished, as if it had never been there.
The man before her was still the same—solemn, distant, an untouchable figure of cold refinement. Even though he met her gaze, she couldn’t discern a single thing from it.
Lanyin could only dismiss it as her own imagination.
The meal ended on a joyful note. Lanyin accompanied Old Madam Qi in conversation until nearly the Hour of the Boar (9-11 PM) before finally preparing to leave. As she was about to depart, Nanny Wei and Yanhuan happened to be occupied, so Old Madam Qi instructed Qi Yubai to escort her.
Lanyin was about to refuse, but Qi Yubai had already stood up.
He said nothing, only looked at her.
With that silent gaze upon her, Lanyin found that the words of refusal could no longer leave her lips. She could only bid Old Madam Qi farewell before following Qi Yubai outside.
As before, he maintained a proper distance of three steps between them.
The covered corridor was long.
Though the Qi family’s estate was not particularly vast, it was by no means small either. From Old Madam Qi’s Songzhi Courtyard to the main entrance, it took at least fifteen minutes on foot.
Yet, throughout this entire time, she and Qi Yubai did not exchange a single word.
He walked ahead, and she followed behind…
Even Shi Yu, who was normally loud and talkative, seemed to be somewhat intimidated by Qi Yubai. The girl who usually couldn’t keep quiet for a moment was now utterly silent, obediently trailing beside Lanyin.
Lanterns were placed at intervals along the corridor, casting a warm glow against the dark night.
With nothing else to occupy her, Lanyin’s gaze drifted to Qi Yubai’s hands.
Just as she had envisioned earlier in Tingyu Pavilion, they were indeed a pair of long, well-defined, and powerful hands. She thought, the woman who would one day be held by those hands would surely feel a great sense of security.
Unbidden, her thoughts drifted back to the dinner earlier, when Qi Yubai had peeled that shrimp for her.
She and Xiao Ye had been husband and wife for years, yet he had never once peeled shrimp for her—he had never even picked up food for her at the table.
From the bottom of her heart—
Lanyin suddenly felt a slight envy toward the woman who would one day marry Qi Yubai.
That woman would surely have a happy life—with such a kind and loving grandmother, and with such a steady and dependable husband.
As Lanyin walked through the night, a hint of admiration flickered in her eyes, but it was just that—just a little bit of envy, nothing more.
HURRY! HaHa Fall Quicker!♡♡