But she was happy.
Everything he did made her happy.
Her gaze involuntarily drifted back to the slip of paper on the table. His handwriting was bold, the ink deeply etched into the paper. Such strong hands, in such a solemn place—what had he been feeling when he wrote these two words? Had anyone else been around him at the time?
Just thinking about it made her cheeks burn again. Carefully, she folded the note and tucked it into her pouch.
By the time Ting Yun knocked and re-entered, Lanyin had mostly regained her composure.
“Go prepare some things. After we finish at Jinxiu Hall, you’ll come with me to the Xu residence.”
Ting Yun had already heard from Shi Yu about what had happened at the shop yesterday, so she understood why Lanyin was going to the Xu residence. Without asking further, she simply acknowledged the order and went to make the necessary arrangements. By the time she returned, Lanyin had just finished reviewing the account books. Before leaving, Lanyin exchanged a few more words with the manager of Tingquan Tower before finally departing.
She had planned to stop by Jinxiutang to speak with Shopkeeper Sun before heading to the Xu residence, but unexpectedly, Zhou Chaofang arrived first.
Zhou Chaofang had not been there long. The attendants had invited her to rest in a private room, but she was too restless to sit still, so she simply browsed through the clothing in the shop. When she heard the attendants greeting “Owner” behind her, she turned around. The moment she saw Lanyin, she beamed warmly and approached her.
“You’re back.”
Lanyin sensed the shift in her attitude and felt even more guilty.
“Madam Xu,” she greeted politely.
“Don’t be so distant. Just call me by my name, or if you’d like, call me ‘Elder Sister’ as you did before.” Zhou Chaofang had a straightforward personality when dealing with familiar people. As she spoke, she glanced behind Lanyin and noticed that her maid was carrying several large bags. She chuckled, “Why did you buy so much?”
She assumed Lanyin had been out shopping. Then, half-teasing, she added, “Next time you go shopping, remember to bring me along.”
“Alright,” Lanyin replied, though inwardly, she thought that once she explained everything, their relationship would likely be severed.
She found that regretful.
She genuinely liked Zhou Chaofang’s character.
In the past, due to their respective family interests, they couldn’t grow too close. Now that those ties were no longer in place, their interactions had become more relaxed and enjoyable.
But unfortunately…
No matter how unfortunate, it was something that needed to be addressed.
After instructing someone to prepare tea, she led Zhou Chaofang upstairs to a private room. Before Zhou Chaofang could bring up business, Lanyin spoke first.
“If you hadn’t come to see me today, I would have come to visit you instead.”
“For business?” Zhou Chaofang was momentarily surprised, but then she laughed. “Why trouble yourself over such worldly affairs? You could have simply sent someone to my house. I came today not just for business, but also to thank you. If it weren’t for you yesterday, my sister-in-law…”
At the mention of Xu Rou, she sighed heavily.
Seeing her like this, Lanyin felt a tightness in her chest. She subconsciously gripped the teacup in her hand.
“How is she?”
“What else?” Zhou Chaofang sighed helplessly. “She cried when she got back, and when I left, she was still locked in her room, refusing to see anyone. She’ll probably need some time to get over it.”
She noticed Lanyin’s silence and the self-reproach in her expression. Just as she was about to express her surprise, she suddenly heard Lanyin say, “This is my fault.”
“What does this have to do with you?” Zhou Chaofang found it amusing. “I was the one who asked you to introduce them. But in a way, this might be for the best—at least now she can give up early instead of holding onto false hope.”
Lanyin shook her head. “It does have something to do with me.”
Zhou Chaofang looked at her, her expression filled with doubt. Lanyin pressed her lips together slightly, meeting her gaze. After a brief silence, she finally said, “The person Qi Yubai loves… is me.”
The moment the words left her lips, she saw Zhou Chaofang’s expression shift drastically.
Lanyin subtly moved the teacup on the table aside, just in case Zhou Chaofang accidentally knocked it over in shock. Then, she continued, “I didn’t mean to deceive you yesterday. It was just that I wasn’t certain of my own feelings at the time, so when you asked me, I didn’t know how to respond.”
She didn’t try to defend herself further. After a slight pause, she looked Zhou Chaofang in the eye and said, “No matter what, this was my mistake. I shouldn’t have allowed you to bring Rou’er up there after knowing his feelings.”
“It was my fault that she got hurt.”
“The gifts I prepared earlier were meant as an apology. I had planned to deliver them myself, but you arrived before I could.”
Zhou Chaofang sat there, stunned, her mind buzzing. She was still in utter shock. She had never imagined that Qi Yubai’s beloved would turn out to be Gu Lanyin. It was simply too unbelievable.
Yet, as she recalled certain past events, things began to click into place…
It seemed that every time Lord Qi made an appearance, Lanyin was always present. Even the one time the Xu family managed to invite Lord Qi, Lanyin had been on the guest list.
Things that once seemed insignificant now suddenly made sense in a new light.
“So that’s why…” she murmured to herself.
Lanyin wasn’t sure what she meant and couldn’t help but ask, “What?”
Zhou Chaofang didn’t hide it from her and explained everything. Seeing Lanyin’s momentary dazed expression after hearing it, she realized that Lanyin had been unaware. This revelation made her feel relieved—she had feared that Lanyin had divorced because of Qi Yubai. If that had been the case, the rumors outside would have surely taken on an entirely new twist.
But now, it seemed their relationship had only developed recently—at least from Lanyin’s side.
As for Lanyin’s confession, although it had shocked her, it hadn’t made her angry. She could understand Lanyin’s hesitation yesterday.
After all, how could a woman who had gone through a divorce so easily accept a new relationship?
If it were her, she would have hesitated too.
Zhou Chaofang didn’t know why Lanyin had changed her mind in just one day, but that wasn’t her concern.
She reached out and took Lanyin’s hand. When Lanyin looked up in surprise, Zhou Chaofang met her gaze and said, “Even if you hadn’t helped yesterday, I would have taken Rou’er up there anyway. Using your name just made it more convenient and respectable. Whether you helped or not, Rou’er was bound to suffer this heartbreak.”
“But like I said before, it’s better for her to let go early. Now we can start making other arrangements for her. If this had dragged on, we would have risked turning her into an old spinster, and by then, finding a good match would be even harder.”
If Lanyin hadn’t spoken to her today and she had only learned of her relationship with Qi Yubai later, even if she knew it had nothing to do with Lanyin, she wouldn’t have been able to stop herself from blaming her a little.
But since Lanyin had come to her first, had even offered a sincere apology, the small bit of resentment she might have harbored simply faded away.
Rather than feeling upset about the deception, Zhou Chaofang instead found herself appreciating Lanyin’s character—this was someone she could trust.
In the past, though they had called each other “sister” and “younger sister,” they had never truly confided in one another. Zhou Chaofang had even privately thought that Lanyin’s personality seemed a bit too polished—too perfect, and people like that were often difficult to get along with.
But now—
She looked at Lanyin’s stunned expression, and her voice softened. “A young girl’s affection isn’t so deep. She simply finds Lord Qi good-looking and capable, so naturally, she pays him more attention. But look at all the women who once admired him—aren’t they all happily married now? When they talk about the past, at most, they sigh a little. So you really don’t need to take it to heart.”
“Rou’er will be sad for a few days, but once she finds someone else she likes, she probably won’t even remember what Lord Qi looks like.”
Lanyin felt a warmth in her heart. “Sister Zhou…”
“I had been wondering which young lady was lucky enough to win his favor—never expected it to be you. But that’s good. Once you two get married, I’ll finally have a reason to invite people over for a meal.” Then, as if remembering something, she added with a laugh, “Don’t worry, I won’t ask Lord Qi for any favors. I just want to use your connection to boost our Xu family’s reputation a little.”
Knowing her personality, Lanyin chuckled. “I’ll let him know when the time comes.”
“Then tell me—how did this all happen? Why have I never heard you mention him before?” Zhou Chaofang, normally a dignified matron who managed a household, now had the air of someone eager for gossip.
If it had been anyone else, she wouldn’t have been so curious.
But this was Qi Yubai—the man who had captivated the hearts of countless women in Bianjing yet never spared a glance for any of them!
How could this not be surprising?
Lanyin had never thought about sharing her story with anyone, but seeing the light in Zhou Chaofang’s eyes, she hesitated for a moment before recounting a few insignificant anecdotes—things Qi Yubai had told her about his childhood.
By the time she finished, Zhou Chaofang looked utterly shocked.
Lanyin coughed lightly and murmured, “I only found out when he told me.”
“As expected of Lord Qi—he sure can endure.” Zhou Chaofang could only sigh in the end.
Then, catching sight of the slight flush on Lanyin’s face, she couldn’t help but tease, “Well, no matter what, he’s cherished you for so many years. He will surely treat you well in the future.”
She had originally wanted to say, you’ve finally reached the light at the end of the tunnel, but she worried it might remind Lanyin of Xiao Ye, so she swallowed the words.
Instead, she turned to business. “You’ve been honest with me, so I won’t be polite with you either. The Zhou and Xu families’ business will still be entrusted to you.”
Seeing Lanyin’s lips part slightly, as if about to refuse, Zhou Chaofang cut her off. “It doesn’t matter who manages the business. If I entrust it to you, I can rest easier.”
Lanyin said nothing more.
Zhou Chaofang didn’t have much time to spare, and she had already delayed long enough. Once they had signed the contracts, she prepared to leave.
Lanyin walked her to the door.
Just as they stepped outside, she saw Madam Wang leading Gu Qing into a nearby shop. Her gaze faltered slightly.
“What is it?”
Zhou Chaofang’s voice came from beside her.
Lanyin withdrew her gaze, her voice still gentle. “Nothing. When you’re free, let me treat you to a meal at Tingquan Tower.”
“I’ll be waiting for that.”
Zhou Chaofang smiled and exchanged a few more words before boarding the carriage with the help of her attendants.
Lanyin watched the carriage leave before turning back around.
Ting Yun was right beside her. “Master, Madam Wang just now…?” She had seen it too.
Lanyin said indifferently, “No need to pay them any mind.”
Compared to concerning herself with that mother and daughter, she was far more interested in knowing whether Qi Yubai had truly attended all those banquets in the past because of her. Just how many things had that man done for her behind her back—things she had never known?
As she thought of Qi Yubai, the sharpness in her expression softened, but her heart was caught in a mix of emotions—both sweet and sour, like tasting the first bite of summer’s freshly ripened yangmei1Yangmei (杨梅), also known as Chinese bayberry, waxberry, or red bayberry, is a small, round fruit native to China. It has a deep red or purplish hue, with a textured, bumpy surface. The fruit is juicy and has a unique sweet-tart flavor, somewhat similar to a mix of strawberries, raspberries, and pomegranates, but with a slightly floral undertone..