The Old Madam did not refuse.
She let Xiao Ye escort her, but just as they reached the moon gate, they saw Madam Shi, holding Gu Qing’s hand, striding toward them. Behind her was Madam Xiao, surrounded by a group of maids and elderly female servants.
“Mother!”
Seeing the Old Madam, Madam Shi immediately assumed she had come to support her. Holding Gu Qing’s hand, she rushed forward, and the moment she stood still, she couldn’t wait to complain.
“You have no idea how they have treated Qing’er! Look at her—”
“Shut your mouth!”
The Old Madam’s sharp voice cut Madam Shi off abruptly.
No one had expected this outcome. Not only Madam Shi, but even Madam Xiao, who had been scowling darkly, was momentarily stunned.
But the Old Madam ignored their shock. Seeing that Madam Shi was still too surprised to speak, she simply averted her gaze from her and instead turned to Madam Xiao. With a gentle demeanor, she said, “It is my failing as a mother that has led to this disgrace. I have embarrassed you, Madam Xiao. If she has offended you in any way, I offer my sincerest apologies on her behalf. I ask for your forgiveness.”
Her words were warm and composed, and as an elder, she carried an inherent authority. Even though Madam Xiao had been seething with resentment toward Madam Shi earlier, at this moment, she found herself unable to say anything harsh. Quickly adjusting her expression to one of politeness, she replied, “Please don’t say such things, Old Madam. The Marchioness and I simply had a minor disagreement; it’s nothing serious.”
The Old Madam cast a brief glance at Gu Qing. The moment their eyes met, Gu Qing instinctively shrank back, hunching her shoulders and lowering her head as if she feared being reprimanded. The old woman inwardly disapproved, but her expression remained neutral. Looking away, she continued speaking to Madam Xiao, “My granddaughter has troubled your household these past days. It is late now, so I will not disturb you further. I shall visit another day to express my gratitude properly.”
Madam Xiao naturally insisted that there was no need for such formalities.
The Old Madam did not argue the point. After exchanging a few more pleasantries, she then reached out and took Madam Shi’s hand.
“Let’s go.”
Suppressing the anger in her heart, the Old Madam of the Wang family turned to Madam Wang and ordered.
It was only when the Old Madam took hold of her hand that Madam Wang finally reacted. Having been pampered since childhood, she had hardly suffered any setbacks. Even at her age, she was still like a spoiled child, expecting everyone to indulge her and never contradict her. Now, being reprimanded in public by the very mother who had always loved her, her face turned extremely ugly.
She didn’t care that they were outside; her red lips parted as if to argue back. But before she could speak, the Old Madam lowered her voice and said, “If you don’t want your precious daughter to be utterly disgraced, if you don’t want the Gu family’s reputation to be dragged through the mud, then go ahead and continue making a scene.”
That single sentence stunned Madam Wang into silence.
Her expression turned blank as she let the Old Madam lead her away.
Xiao Ye was about to follow to see them off, but Mama Su stepped forward and blocked his path.
“Shizi, please stay.”
After saying this, Mama Su turned to the still-standing Gu Qing and said, “Second Miss, let’s go as well.”
Gu Qing pressed her lips together, saying nothing, but her gaze inevitably drifted toward Xiao Ye.
Mama Su noticed her behavior and frowned slightly. Still, she maintained the proper respect in her tone as she said, “Second Miss, the Old Madam and Madam are waiting outside. We should leave now.”
Gu Qing bit her lip. At last, she withdrew her gaze and allowed Mama Su to support her as they walked away.
But she couldn’t resist turning back again and again to look at Xiao Ye.
She wished—hoped—prayed that Xiao Ye would look at her.
But from beginning to end, his eyes never once fell on her.
A bitter sorrow welled up in Gu Qing’s heart, and tears gathered in her eyes once more.
The darkness of the night swallowed up the figures in the distance. At last, she turned her gaze away, her face full of desolation as she walked outside.
“I finally understand who Gu Lanyin takes after.”
Watching as the crowd departed, Madam Xiao, exhausted, let out a sigh. “If Gu Lanyin had truly been raised by Madam Wang, I wouldn’t have dared to accept her as my daughter-in-law.”
Though she now harbored resentment toward Lanyin, there was no denying her character or her competence as the wife of a noble family.
She couldn’t help but lament how fortunate Madam Wang had been.
In her youth, she had doting parents and brothers. After marrying into the Marquis’s household, her mother-in-law stayed out of matters, her sisters-in-law were easy to get along with, and her husband was stationed far away at Yanmen Pass. No matter how much trouble she caused, no one ever reprimanded her.
Shaking her head, Madam Xiao sighed. Truly, not all lives were equal.
After a moment of reflection, she turned to Xiao Ye. Though she was still somewhat angry that he had not exposed Gu Qing’s true colors and had instead allowed Madam Wang to push her advantage, she hesitated when she saw his solitary figure in the moonlight.
In the end, the words of reproach never left her lips.
All she could do was sigh.
The night breeze carried away her sigh as she looked at Xiao Ye, who was still staring into the distance. Unable to resist, she asked, “Ye’er, what are you thinking about?”
Xiao Ye did not answer.
He simply watched the retreating figures disappear into the night.
Madam Wang’s earlier protectiveness over Gu Qing was still fresh in his mind, and he couldn’t help but recall the times he had accompanied Lanyin back to the Marquis’s residence over the years.
What was he thinking about?
He thought of how Madam Wang had always been doting and solicitous toward Gu Qing, while Lanyin had always stood alone to the side.
He thought of the occasional flicker of longing in Lanyin’s eyes.
He thought of the way she would lower her gaze in silent endurance whenever Madam Wang scolded her, looking so lonely and helpless.
He had always known that Madam Wang didn’t like Lanyin.
But every time, he had let Lanyin face her mother alone.
She must have felt so alone back then, right?
Her own mother didn’t love her.
Her husband never comforted her.
He had even often neglected her.
All these moments he had ignored in the past now resurfaced, each one cutting into him like a blade, slicing through his heart with unbearable pain.
Xiao Ye’s throat felt dry and tight, his eyes growing misty with heat.
Clenching his fists, he withdrew his gaze and hoarsely uttered, “Nothing.”
With that, he stepped into the darkness.
Madam Xiao watched as he left and called after him, “Ye’er!”
She wanted to say that it had been a long time since they had spoken properly.
But Xiao Ye seemed not to hear her.
He walked alone into the night.
The full moon of the fifteenth cast a long shadow behind him.
The evening wind blew, leaving him with nothing but his own lonely silhouette for company.
…
At the main gate of the Earl’s residence.
Madam Wang was only pulled back to her senses once the Old Madam of the Wang family had dragged her outside. Her wrist throbbed painfully from the grip. Spoiled and delicate, Madam Wang was unaccustomed to such treatment. As soon as she steadied herself, she wrenched her hand free with a dissatisfied huff, rubbing her wrist while complaining, “Mother, you hurt me!”
Her displeasure only grew. “You dragged me out without even asking what happened! You don’t even know how Sun Yurong and the others treated Qing’er! They locked her up in a room and wouldn’t let her leave. If Xueya hadn’t told me, I would have been kept in the dark!”
The more she spoke, the angrier she became. But the Old Madam only looked at her with a cold gaze.
“Did you ever stop to think about why they did that?”
Seeing Mama Su leading Gu Qing over, the Old Madam refrained from saying more in front of her granddaughter. Instead, she simply told Madam Wang, “I have arranged a residence for you in Shili Alley. I had people clean it up earlier. It’s late—take Qing’er there to settle in for now.”
Madam Wang was still replaying the Old Madam’s earlier words in her mind, but upon hearing this, she froze. “Shili Alley? But doesn’t Gu Lanyin still have extra rooms?”
As soon as she said this, recalling Gu Lanyin’s attitude toward her earlier that day, her expression darkened, and her voice sank. “She refused to let us stay, didn’t she?”
Before the Old Madam could answer, Madam Wang was already seething with rage. “I see! Her wings have truly hardened now—she doesn’t even care about her own mother and sister! Of course, if she still had a heart, she wouldn’t have done something like this!”
“Enough!”
Whatever patience and goodwill the Old Madam had left were completely worn out. Her gaze filled with disappointment, she rebuked Madam Wang in a low, forceful tone, “Gu Lanyin, Gu Lanyin—you still remember that she’s your daughter? Look at how you treat Qing’er, and look at how you treat Lanyin! Do you even know who’s responsible for what Lanyin has become today? And yet, you have the audacity to go looking for her?”
Gu Qing had just been helped over by Mama Su when she heard these words. Her face paled, and she clenched the handkerchief in her hands.
She dared not meet the Old Madam’s eyes. Lowering her head, she timidly called out, “Grandmother…”
The Old Madam glanced at her.
Seeing her frail, pale face, the old woman’s lips parted slightly, but in the end, she held back from saying anything further. She only gave a brief nod in response to the greeting, then turned back to Madam Wang and said, “Lanyin’s residence is only a small two-courtyard house. I brought many attendants with me this time, and the estate in Shili Alley is much larger and more conveniently located. You two should stay there. I’ll bring Lanyin to visit you later.”
She spoke as gently as she could.
But Madam Wang was the kind of person who, when truly enraged, wouldn’t listen to anyone. She grabbed Gu Qing’s wrist and snapped at the Old Madam, “Fine! If we can’t stay, then we won’t! Do you think I want to go there? I don’t need your pity. Qing’er and I will find our own place!”
Without waiting for the Old Madam to respond, she dragged Gu Qing toward the carriage.
“Mother—”
Gu Qing wanted to resist, but she couldn’t break free from Madam Wang’s grip and was forcibly pulled along.
Behind them, Mama Su turned pale.
“Madam!”
Seeing that Madam Wang had no intention of stopping, and glancing at the Old Madam’s pale and ashen face, Mama Su grew frantic. Like an ant scurrying on a hot pan, she didn’t even know what to say. She wanted to offer some excuse for Madam Wang, but she couldn’t come up with a single word.
Madam’s temper had only worsened over the years.
The Old Madam said nothing.
She simply stood there, watching the mother and daughter board the carriage. Watching as the curtain was violently flung down, still swaying from the force, she found herself unable to speak.
After a long moment, she hoarsely muttered, “…She is truly spoiled beyond repair.”
A woman who had carried herself with dignity and authority all her life now seemed to have aged ten years in an instant. Her face was filled with weariness, and even her posture seemed slightly hunched.
Loosening Mama Su’s supporting hand, she instructed, “Keep an eye on them. If anything happens, come inform me.”
Then, allowing herself to be helped into the carriage, she left.
Mama Su watched her go, feeling a headache brewing.
But in the end, she had no choice but to follow after Madam Wang.
“Madam.”
Mama Su stood beside the carriage and called out.