Madam Wang initially thought she was here to speak on behalf of the Old Madam, and she was about to assume a lofty stance. But before she could even open her mouth, she heard the distant sound of hooves.
Her heart clenched.
Forgetting all about her anger, she hastily lifted the curtain and peered outside. Seeing the departing procession, her expression shifted dramatically. Whether it was fury or panic, even she wasn’t sure. Her hand, clutching the carriage curtain, trembled uncontrollably.
“Mother.”
Gu Qing hesitated for a moment before gently grasping Madam Wang’s wrist, her voice soft. “…Are you alright?”
But Madam Wang didn’t seem to hear her. Her bloodshot eyes remained locked on the retreating figures. When the last carriage disappeared from sight, she suddenly flung the curtain down and barked, “To Qibao Alley!”
It was the first time Gu Qing had seen her mother like this.
A trace of fear crept into her heart. She nervously clutched the hem of her dress and dared not speak.
The carriage set off.
Madam Wang sat inside with a cold expression, her breathing slightly rapid from her lingering rage.
She could sense Qing’er’s fear, but she couldn’t bring herself to utter a single word of comfort.
From childhood to adulthood, she had never been treated this way before. Yet in just one night, her daughter refused to call her “Mother” and wouldn’t even let her stay with her. And the mother who had doted on her all her life had humiliated her in front of everyone.
Anger and sorrow intertwined in her chest, making her feel unbearably aggrieved.
The carriage was eerily silent.
A moment that should have been a warm mother-daughter reunion now felt suffocating.
Gu Qing wanted to say something to console her, but she didn’t know where to begin. Deep inside, however, she felt a tinge of relief. She had no desire to see Gu Lanyin again. The thought of living separately from her pleased her.
But when she thought of Xiao Ye, her heart was once again filled with bitterness.
—
It was late at night.
Most households had already extinguished their lamps and retired for the night, but Lanyin was still waiting for the Old Madam to return.
The maids had urged her to sleep, but she refused. She had washed up, but instead of resting, she sat with a book in hand—though her mind wasn’t on it.
She kept wondering when her grandmother would return.
And if her grandmother did bring those two women back, how should she handle them?
If it were the old her, perhaps she could have tolerated it.
But now… she truly didn’t want them to disturb the peace she had worked so hard to regain.
A feeling of frustration welled up inside her.
She couldn’t even focus on the book in her hands.
Just as she was about to put it down, her eyes caught sight of the sachet on the table—the one filled with pine nuts.
Thinking of the person who gave it to her, her restless emotions finally settled. A faint smile appeared on her lips.
She was about to eat a few when she heard hasty footsteps approaching outside.
“Master, the Old Madam has returned,” Ting Yun reported breathlessly.
Lanyin immediately closed her book and stood up.
Carefully tying the sachet shut and placing it aside, she was about to step outside when Ting Yun added in a lowered voice, “Madam and that one did not come with her.”
Lanyin paused in her tracks.
She could guess what her grandmother had done, but she didn’t ask further.
Instead, she simply nodded and instructed, “Prepare some hot water,” before stepping out of the room.
As soon as she reached the courtyard, she saw her grandmother being escorted inside.
Forgetting all about decorum, she picked up her skirts and ran toward her.
Her usual composure and elegance were completely abandoned.
“What are you running for?”
Seeing her granddaughter rush toward her, the Old Madam’s face—taut with tension throughout the night—finally softened into a smile.
She reached out to steady Lanyin, and once the girl had found her footing, she playfully scolded, “Did I not tell you to rest early?”
“You hadn’t returned, so I couldn’t sleep,” Lanyin said truthfully. She didn’t ask where Madam Wang and Gu Qing had gone, merely looking at the Old Madam as she continued, “I had someone prepare hot water for you. You’ve been traveling for days—take a good bath before resting tonight.”
The Old Madam did not refuse and allowed Lanyin to support her inside.
While the Old Madam was bathing, Lanyin took over from the maids and gently massaged her shoulders and neck. The Old Madam, feeling sorry for her, tried to stop her, but Lanyin was unwilling to let anyone else do it. The Old Madam could only let her be.
Once the bath was done, the Old Madam put on a comfortable inner robe and let Lanyin comb her hair.
“Your mother—”
She had barely spoken when she noticed through the bronze mirror that Lanyin’s hand had stilled for a moment. The faint smile on her face also faded slightly.
The Old Madam knew that Lanyin still held a grudge against Jin’er. Even if she wished to ease the tension between mother and daughter, she didn’t know how to begin—especially with Gu Qing standing between them.
So in the end, she merely said, “I told her your house wasn’t big enough, so she took Qing’er to stay at the residence in Qibao Alley.”
Lanyin responded with a light hum.
She wasn’t concerned about where Madam Wang and Gu Qing went, but she also knew this matter wouldn’t be so simple. Still, since her grandmother didn’t want to discuss it, she had no interest in meddling.
She also understood what her grandmother had been about to say.
But she no longer needed that woman’s affection, nor did she want to maintain a facade of forced courtesy. The way things were now suited her just fine—she only wished not to be disturbed anymore.
“I’ll make sure they return to Lin’an as soon as possible,” the Old Madam said as she clasped Lanyin’s hand. She understood her daughter’s temperament well—if Madam Wang stayed in Bianjing, conflict between mother and daughter was inevitable.
Lanyin was touched.
She set the comb down and embraced the old woman from behind, just as she used to when she was younger. Resting her face against her grandmother’s shoulder, she murmured, “Whether they stay or leave is their own business. I only hope you can always stay with me.”
Whatever Madam Wang and Gu Qing did had nothing to do with her. Even if they remained in Bianjing, it wouldn’t affect her thoughts or decisions.
She only wished for her grandmother’s presence.
“Silly child, how can I always be by your side? I still have to return to Jinling,” the Old Madam said as she gently patted Lanyin’s hand.
Then, as if suddenly thinking of something, she suggested, “Why don’t you come with me to Jinling?”
She thought it was a good idea.
After all, Lanyin was all alone here—wouldn’t it be better for her to return to Jinling with her?
With the Old Madam around, no one would dare bully Lanyin.
And perhaps, she could even arrange a suitable match for her.
Aside from the eldest, the younger ones in the family had yet to marry. If Lanyin were to marry into the Wang family, then even after the Old Madam passed away, she would still have her uncles and brothers to protect her…
What had started as a casual thought quickly took root in her heart.
She was so lost in her own musings that she didn’t notice the flicker of hesitation on Lanyin’s face.
Lanyin truly hadn’t expected her grandmother to say such a thing.
If Qi Yubai hadn’t been in the picture, she would have agreed without hesitation—so long as her grandmother was by her side, anywhere would have been fine.
But now that Qi Yubai was in her life, she wavered.
They had only just confessed their feelings for each other—how could she bear to leave him?
Just then, Sheng Mama entered to replace the calming incense, interrupting both their thoughts.
“Alright, let’s get some rest. Ting Yun told me you haven’t been sleeping well lately,” the Old Madam said as she held Lanyin’s hand, frowning slightly.
She didn’t bring up Jinling again, but in her heart, she had already made up her mind.
She would take Lanyin back to the Wang household and observe which of her grandsons she got along with best before making arrangements for her.
Lanyin noticed that her grandmother hadn’t mentioned it further and assumed it had merely been a passing suggestion.
She secretly breathed a sigh of relief.
Still, she thought she should find the right time to tell her grandmother about Qi Yubai.
But for now, she simply wanted to spend more time with her.
Once the matters in Bianjing were settled, Lanyin planned to accompany her grandmother to Jinling for a while. It would also be the perfect opportunity to… check on her illness.
With their own thoughts in mind, the grandmother and granddaughter lay down.
Ting Yun and the others lowered the bed curtains, extinguishing most of the candles before quietly retreating.
In the dim light, Lanyin lay beside the Old Madam. The familiar scent of sandalwood surrounded her, and she couldn’t help but curl up against her, wrapping her arm around her grandmother’s. “Grandmother smells so nice.”
Hearing her speak like a child, the Old Madam couldn’t help but chuckle. Stroking her head, she said, “Silly girl, your grandmother is old now. Where would I get any fragrance from?”
Elderly people carried a natural scent of age—one that no amount of perfume or spices could fully conceal.
But Lanyin refused to accept this, hugging her more tightly like a spoiled child. Rarely did she show such possessiveness. “Grandmother is not old. Grandmother has to stay with me and live a long, long life.”
The Old Madam was deeply moved. Looking at her granddaughter, her voice softened, turning hoarse with emotion. “Alright. Grandmother will stay with you for a long, long time.”
The night grew darker, but the two of them kept talking in hushed tones.
Lanyin had no idea when she finally fell asleep, but despite how late she had gone to bed, she had a deep, dreamless rest. When she woke, her entire body felt refreshed—no trace of exhaustion lingered.
She opened her eyes and instinctively turned to speak to her grandmother. But when she looked to the side, she found no one there.
The blankets beside her were ice-cold.
A sudden wave of panic seized her.
Calling out for “Ting Yun,” she quickly sat up and slipped into her shoes.
Outside, it was eerily quiet—too quiet.
For a fleeting moment, she wondered if everything had been a dream.
Had her grandmother never come at all? Had everything from last night merely been her own imagination?
Her face turned pale at the thought.
She didn’t even bother putting on proper clothes. Wearing only a pale yellow inner robe, her long hair unbound, she hurried outside.
“Master?”
Shi Yu had just entered, carrying a tray of breakfast. Seeing Lanyin rushing out in such a state, she was startled. Hastily setting the tray down, she quickly approached. “Why are you coming out like this?”
Lanyin ignored the question and instead asked urgently, “Where is my grandmother?”
“Ah?”
Shi Yu was momentarily stunned before answering hesitantly, “The Old Madam is with the Old Madam of the Qi family.”
It wasn’t a dream.
Lanyin let out a long breath.
The tight knot in her heart finally loosened.
Seeing that Shi Yu was holding breakfast, she assumed her grandmother was inside. Without another word, she walked straight into the room.
As soon as she stepped through the door, she opened her mouth to call, “Grandmother—”
But before she could finish, her gaze landed on a figure standing by the window.
Qi Yubai.
Hearing the sound, he turned to look at her.
Their eyes met.
For a moment, both of them froze.
Lanyin stood there, dazed, before finally realizing how she was dressed.
She was in nothing but a thin, pale yellow inner robe, her hair loose and unkempt.
Her face turned crimson in an instant.
She was so flustered that she didn’t even have time to speak—without thinking, she spun around and fled.
Just as she reached the door, she heard a low chuckle from inside the room.