She had thought that after all these years, Qing’er had long forgotten about Xiao Ye. That time when she insisted on following Xiao Ye, she had thought it was only because the two of them had relied on each other in the past. She never imagined that Qing’er would do something as disgraceful as ruining her sister’s marriage. But now…
“Do you know how scared I was the night before my wedding?” Lanyin’s words suddenly echoed in Madam Wang’s ears.
The night before Lanyin’s wedding…
Madam Wang remembered that Lanyin had come to her the day before her wedding. What had she said that day? It seemed to be something like, “Mother, I’m getting married tomorrow, I…”
But at that time, she had heard that Qing’er was sick and had no patience to listen to Lanyin. She had hurriedly said, “I know,” and then left.
What had Lanyin wanted to say back then? Was it that she was afraid of going to Bianjing?
These memories, which she had once ignored, now felt like sharp blades stabbing at her heart, causing her unbearable pain. Clutching her chest, Madam Wang shed tears for Lanyin for the first time.
“Madam!”
“Mother!”
Two exclamations rang in her ears as Madam Wang fainted. Before sinking into darkness, only one thought remained in her mind.
Lanyin was right.
To her, Madam Wang had never been a proper mother.
…
Madam Wang’s fainting threw the Gu residence into chaos.
Mama Su hurriedly sent for a doctor and arranged for someone to take care of Madam Wang. Only after the doctor examined her and confirmed that she was fine did Mama Su finally relax. She assigned a careful maid to attend to Madam Wang and then walked out with a stern expression.
Over the years, Madam Wang had been indifferent to managing the household, leaving the responsibilities to the second branch of the family. As a result, Mama Su, the housekeeper, had not shown her temper in a long time, and many had forgotten her former decisiveness.
Back then, Lady Wang, fearing that her daughter would be naive and encounter trouble in the Marquis’s household, had specially sent Mama Su, whom she had trained for many years, to Madam Wang’s side. Her efforts had been meticulous and profound.
“Mama Su, how is Mother?” Gu Qing stood at the door, not daring to enter. Seeing Mama Su come out, she immediately approached her.
“Thank you for your concern, Second Miss. Madam fainted due to a sudden surge of anger. If you truly care for Madam, it would be best not to bring up such matters again in the future.” Mama Su’s words were respectful, but they were like soft daggers, cutting straight to the heart and leaving Gu Qing’s face pale.
Having been back in the Gu family for over seven years, this was the first time Gu Qing had been reprimanded so coldly by Mama Su. She looked anxious, biting her lip and not daring to speak. However, Xueya, unable to contain her anger, spoke up, “Mama Su, how dare you speak to the mistress like that!”
Though Gu Qing felt uncomfortable, she immediately chided softly, “Xueya…”
But Xueya ignored Gu Qing, still standing with her hands on her hips, determined to defend her mistress. “Madam’s condition is what the mistress is most worried about. No matter what, you’re just a servant. What right do you have to reprimand the mistress?”
Xueya had entered the household with Gu Qing.
By the time she arrived at the Marquis’s residence, Mama Su’s temper had mellowed considerably, so Xueya was unaware of her past “glorious deeds.” To her, Mama Su was just an old woman with one foot in the grave, perhaps trusted by Madam, but still a servant at the end of the day.
How could she compare to the mistress?
Mama Su didn’t even bother to argue with her. She simply gave Xueya a cold look and issued an order, “Someone, take this insolent, disrespectful creature out and give her thirty lashes. Then find a slave trader and sell her off!”
As soon as she finished speaking, several stout women stepped forward to seize Xueya.
“How dare you!” Xueya’s eyes widened in disbelief. It wasn’t until she was dragged away that she began to feel fear. She cried out to Gu Qing for help, “Mistress, mistress, save me!”
Gu Qing’s expression also changed. Watching Xueya being dragged away, she quickly turned to Mama Su and pleaded, “Mama Su…”
But before she could finish her sentence, she saw Mama Su kneel before her. “This old servant acted without consulting you and punished your maid. That was indeed improper. But this lowly servant, who was supposed to serve you, not only failed to protect your reputation but also repeatedly incited trouble. Now, she has caused discord in the Gu family. Keeping such a servant by your side would only bring endless harm!”
After saying this, Mama Su kowtowed. “If the Second Miss believes this old servant has done wrong, feel free to punish me. But even if it costs me my life, I cannot allow this harmful creature to remain by your side.”
Gu Qing looked at Mama Su kneeling before her, then at Xueya being dragged away. In the end, she could only redden her eyes and remain silent.
—
Lanyin was unaware of what had happened in the Gu residence.
After Madam Wang left, she sat alone in her room. At first, she intended to continue reading, but upon opening the book, she found she couldn’t focus. Deciding not to force herself, she simply sat quietly, watching the clouds drift by outside and the golden hues of the setting sun spread across the sky.
It wasn’t that her emotions were completely unaffected.
After all, she was still human, and as a human, it was impossible to remain entirely indifferent to such feelings. Xiao Ye’s betrayal and coldness had left her heartbroken for years, let alone the bonds of blood and family.
Even though she often told herself that it didn’t matter if she lacked familial love—she had her grandmother, Shi Yu, and now even Grandma Qi and Qi Yubai—family ties were a peculiar thing.
When you didn’t think about them, everything seemed fine. But once they were brought up, it was hard not to feel a ripple of emotion.
Still.
Even if those ripples stirred, she wouldn’t feel as heartbroken as she once had.
As she watched the vibrant sunset stretch across the sky, like a beautiful blush on a young girl’s face, the golden light seemed to ease the tension in her heart.
Hearing the door open behind her, she didn’t turn around, assuming it was Tingyun. It wasn’t until a warm, reassuring hand rested on her shoulder that she looked back. Seeing the familiar, handsome face, she smiled, her expression still free of shadows. “You’re here.”
“Yes, I just got off duty.”
Qi Yubai handed her a still-warm oil-paper package.
Lanyin was surprised. “What’s this?” It smelled delicious, clearly something edible, though she wasn’t sure what. Opening it, she found a meat pie, still steaming as if it had just come out of the frying pan.
“Why did you bring this?” she asked, amused.
“Don’t you like it?” Qi Yubai frowned. “I remember you used to.”
“Hmm?” Lanyin was puzzled for a moment before recalling. There had been a time when she was delivering something to her cousins and saw them eating meat pies with great relish. Having never tried such food before, she couldn’t help but glance at them a few times. Back then, her cousin had asked if she wanted one, but she had declined, though she had been tempted.
She hadn’t expected him to know about that, let alone remember it.
Thinking back to those days, Lanyin felt a sudden interest in the meat pie. She smiled and said, “I do like it.” Then, pulling Qi Yubai to sit beside her, she added, “Let’s share it. It’s too big for me to finish alone.”
Besides, it was almost time for dinner.
Qi Yubai didn’t refuse. He tore off half of the meat pie and began eating it. Seeing Lanyin’s surprised expression, he smiled. “Didn’t expect that?”
Lanyin nodded.
Qi Yubai chuckled and explained, “When I was studying, I sometimes had to eat breakfast on the go to avoid being late. Later, during the imperial exams, I had to read every day, leaving even less time for meals. Sometimes, I’d just take a few bites before diving back into my books.”
Lanyin was even more surprised after hearing this. “That’s even harder to imagine.”
Seeing Qi Yubai raise an eyebrow, she smiled and said, “Since I was young, I’ve heard my cousins praise you, saying you were top of your class in every subject and that you didn’t even study seriously. I thought…”
“You thought I was a natural genius who didn’t need to work hard to succeed?” Qi Yubai finished her sentence with a smile.
Lanyin laughed. “You do seem like one.” If it were anyone else, it might not have been as convincing, but Qi Yubai definitely fit the bill. With his demeanor and appearance, one could easily believe he was a celestial being descended to earth.
Qi Yubai looked at her. “Now that you know I’m not a natural genius, do you feel like I’ve lost all my charm?”
Lanyin shook her head.
She looked at Qi Yubai with a serious expression. “No, now I like you even more.”
This time, it was Qi Yubai’s turn to be surprised. Before he could say anything, Lanyin continued, “Before, I saw you as an untouchable figure, almost like a deity. It felt unreal. But now, I feel at ease.”
Rarely speaking so openly, Lanyin felt a bit shy, but her gaze never wavered from Qi Yubai’s eyes.
Their eyes met.
Qi Yubai’s calm, deep eyes gradually filled with a warm smile.
That evening, the two sat facing each other. Compared to the intimacy of the morning, they weren’t sitting particularly close now, but even just chatting about everyday matters was enough to make them both feel content.
After finishing the meat pie and tidying up, as they prepared to head home, Lanyin finally said to Qi Yubai, “Thank you.”
“Hmm?”
Qi Yubai seemed puzzled and turned to look at her.
Lanyin met his gaze and said, “I know you already know.” Although he hadn’t said a word about it or tried to comfort her with words, Lanyin understood that he had chosen this way to ease her sadness. And she could clearly feel that her previously heavy heart had grown much calmer.
The words she had used to comfort herself earlier now felt true. Qi Yubai alone was enough to offset the sorrow she couldn’t avoid.
Qi Yubai gently patted her head but said nothing. He simply looked at her and said, “Let’s go home.”
“Okay.”
Lanyin smiled and nodded. “Let’s go home.”
By this time, the shop was nearly empty. Shopkeeper Sun saw them coming down together but didn’t think much of it, assuming they had something to discuss. Qi Yubai’s reputation for being indifferent to women was so well-known that no one suspected anything between them… Before leaving, Lanyin said to Shopkeeper Sun, “Grandmother is at home these days, so I probably won’t come over unless necessary. Uncle Sun, remember to come by for a meal when you have time.”
Shopkeeper Sun quickly agreed.
The two of them returned home in their respective carriages.
Dinner was again at the Qi residence. Lanyin learned from the gatekeeper that her grandmother had already arrived, so she didn’t hesitate to enter with Qi Yubai. As soon as they stepped inside, before she could call out, she saw the two elderly women turn their gazes toward them.