Lanyin merely smiled, unconcerned by Xiao’s mother’s probing. She gently held the celadon tea cup in her hands and lifted her eyes with a faint smile. “Is that so?”
Xiao’s mother stated plainly, “You have always been intelligent, always knowing what benefits you the most. I believe that even with your sister’s presence, she could never have threatened your position in the Earl Manor.” That was why she was so shocked by Lanyin’s choice.
Lanyin asked her, “Then what do you think I should have done?”
Xiao’s mother answered without a trace of hesitation, “You should have listened to Ye’er, taken good care of your sister, handled everything flawlessly, and fulfilled your role as the Heir’s Wife so impeccably that no one could find a single fault with you.”
Then, looking at Lanyin’s composed face, she added a final remark, “Just as you always did before.”
Lanyin had not expected Xiao’s mother to understand her so well.
Indeed.
In her past life, that was exactly what she had done.
She had arranged everything perfectly, so that no one could find a single flaw. Except… she had miscalculated one thing.
She was still human.
And as a human, it was impossible to suppress emotions entirely.
She had felt sadness, resentment, and in those long, suffocating nights, she had asked herself—what was the point of living this way?
Lanyin placed the tea cup down and looked at Xiao’s mother, answering gently, “You do understand me well.”
Perhaps because, at their core, she and Xiao’s mother were the same type of person. They both knew what mattered most to them.
A husband’s affection was a nice bonus, but its absence would never break them.
For them, status, reputation, and honor were paramount.
But if there was one difference between them—
It was that Xiao’s mother had a son and a daughter, while she had nothing.
And it was precisely this difference that made it impossible for them to be the same. Xiao’s mother could fight and struggle for her children, could play the perfect wife so that Lord Cheng could never abandon her. But she…
In the dead of night, sitting alone in an empty room, she had only one thought—what was all of this for?
If even the reason to fight was gone, then the perfect mask would eventually crack.
So even if that incident had never happened in her past life, she and Xiao Ye would not have lasted. The monotonous, suffocating days would have driven her to the edge sooner or later. One day, she would have erupted from the silence, and the outcome would have been the same as it was now.
She lowered her gaze again, watching the tea ripple slightly in her cup, and spoke slowly, “All these years, have you ever felt regret or resentment toward your marriage, toward your husband?”
Lanyin’s bluntness and audacity made Xiao’s mother’s ever-composed face darken slightly. She stared at Lanyin in silence, her gaze shifting, as if suddenly seeing the young, beautiful woman before her as someone completely unfamiliar.
Yet, even under Xiao’s mother’s sharp and icy gaze, Lanyin still smiled gently. Her almond-shaped eyes lifted slightly, forming a beautiful curve. But it was no longer the submissive expression she once wore in front of her former mother-in-law. Even though her tone remained soft, there was a calm detachment in her words.
“I have. More than once, I felt frustration and resentment toward that marriage, toward my husband…”
She paused briefly, then corrected herself, “No, I should say—my former husband.”
Seeing Xiao’s mother’s face turn even colder, Lanyin paid it no mind. The faint curve of her lips remained as she continued in a slow, deliberate voice, “I have felt more than once a deep aversion and loathing toward him.”
In her past life, she had resented Xiao Ye’s favoritism, his partiality, his refusal to give her the dignity and respect she deserved as his wife.
And in this life, his actions had made her disgust for him double. She loathed his arrogance, his self-righteousness, his condescending belief that he knew what was best for her. Most of all, she despised how, under the guise of love, he had inflicted wound after wound upon her.
Lanyin had more to say, but the words caught in her throat. After a moment, she shook her head. “Forget it. There’s no point in saying more.”
She was tired of it.
“I know why you came to see me today,” she said, her voice steady. “Rest assured—this was entirely my decision. All I wanted was to be free. Now that I have what I sought, I won’t stir up any more trouble.”
For three years, she had managed the Earl Manor.
Especially in the last year, when Xiao’s mother had entrusted everything to her.
If she had truly wanted to undermine the foundation of the Xiao family, it would have been all too easy. If not, why else would her proud former mother-in-law lower herself to visit her today?
Xiao’s mother was not surprised that Lanyin had discerned the real reason for her visit.
This daughter-in-law of hers had always been intelligent. If she weren’t, she wouldn’t have won over every member of the Xiao household in just a few years. Even her personal maids had been eager to serve her.
But instead of commenting on this, she simply gazed at Lanyin for a moment before finally saying, “You really are different now.”
There was a complexity in her expression as she said this.
Lanyin only smiled, her warmth undiminished. She even tucked a loose strand of hair behind her ear before replying, “Perhaps. But I think this is much better.”
She was living freely.
No longer bound by anyone’s expectations.
Xiao’s mother looked at the smile on her face and fell silent for a long time before finally rising to leave. As she stood, she lowered her gaze toward Lanyin, as if regaining the authority she once had over her. She said, “Perhaps I, too, have had regrets. But if I were given the choice again, I would still choose the same path.”
“There is no such thing as a perfect marriage, nor a perfect husband. For people like us, it doesn’t matter who we marry. What matters is securing what we want.”
With that, she turned to leave.
But just as she was about to step away, something crossed her mind. She stopped, turned back, and once again looked down at Lanyin with a half-smile, half-smirk. “One stroke cannot erase two ‘Gu’ characters. Are you really going to abandon your sister?”
Lanyin, still seated, gave no response to the former statement. But at this, she laughed softly, brushing her fingertips over her temple. “Isn’t she the esteemed guest invited by the Heir of the Xiao family?”
At the mention of “esteemed guest,” Xiao’s mother immediately realized that Lanyin was already aware of what had happened at the gates of the Earl Manor the previous day.
Her expression shifted slightly—not to embarrassment, but to frustration. A sense of humiliation simmered beneath the surface, the kind that came from having her dignity trampled and her reputation dragged through the mud. Yet, unable to openly protest, she could only bottle up the indignation, causing her face to darken even further.
For a moment, she struggled to contain her emotions.
Then, her gaze landed on Lanyin’s calm and faintly amused smile.
It was an expression that spoke of indifference, as if she had expected all of this long ago. That look alone made Xiao’s mother abruptly fall silent.
After a long pause, she spoke again, her voice low and firm.
“Don’t blame me. If you were in my position, you would have done the same.”
Lanyin merely smiled, offering no response.
Xiao’s mother pressed her lips together for a long while. She had initially intended to speak about Ye’er’s current situation but ultimately refrained. Instead, before leaving, she said, “I heard that your mother has already set out from Lin’an.”
Thinking of that former in-law of hers, whose madness bordered on obsession, Xiao’s mother couldn’t help but frown. When she looked at Lanyin again, there was an unusual trace of sympathy in her gaze.
“You… take care of yourself.”
Lanyin hadn’t expected her mother to arrive so quickly this time. It was likely that Xiao Ye’s change and her own decisions had unsettled her dear younger sister. But it didn’t matter. She had long since harbored no expectations toward that woman. Whether she scolded her or ignored her made no real difference to her anymore.
Still, Lanyin nodded and expressed her gratitude. “Thank you for telling me.”
Xiao’s mother said no more and did not linger.
She turned and left. Unlike before, Lanyin did not escort her out with the deference of the past. She merely offered a slight curtsy in the direction of Xiao’s mother’s departure—her bearing still impeccable, her posture still flawless. Once Xiao’s mother stepped through the doorway, Lanyin straightened.
Shi Yu had been waiting anxiously outside. The moment Xiao’s mother left, she immediately lifted the curtain and rushed in.
Seeing the tension on her face, Lanyin finally revealed a genuine smile.
“It’s fine now,” she said softly, comforting Shi Yu.
—
Outside the residence.
Xiao’s mother walked ahead, leading Jinglan toward the gate.
This visit, though it had provided her with the answers she sought, had not left her in a pleasant mood. Her feelings toward Lanyin remained conflicted—she felt both guilt and disapproval, sympathy and blame.
Then, catching sight of Jinglan at her side, she recalled the earlier scene and, unable to suppress her irritation, asked coldly, “What did she say to you just now that made you so eager to serve her?”
Jinglan could tell from her tone that she was in a foul mood.
She knew this was not the best time to speak in Lanyin’s favor, but after a moment of hesitation, she still chose to relay Lanyin’s words to Xiao’s mother.
She had expected anger.
But instead, Xiao’s mother fell into silence.
After a long pause, Jinglan suddenly heard a soft sigh escape her lips.
The courtyard was filled with sunlight and fresh spring air.
Xiao’s mother stopped in her tracks and turned back, gazing toward the distant flower hall.
There, beneath the flourishing branches and leaves, was an undeniable vitality.
Her expression became even more complicated—there was displeasure, criticism, but also admiration and praise.
Gu Lanyin was the most capable among all the younger generation she had ever met. Even in the past, when she had not liked her, she had never denied her competence.
It was just a pity.
This daughter-in-law no longer belonged to the Xiao family.
But in some ways, it was a relief.
At least she bore no ill will toward them. Otherwise, even Xiao’s mother would have had reason to worry.
Retracting her gaze, Xiao’s mother continued walking and instructed Jinglan, “Send a letter to the estate. I will be staying in the manor for a while.”
Jinglan quickly responded, “Yes, Madam.”
“Also,” Xiao’s mother added, as if recalling something, “once the situation calms down, find a matchmaker to visit the household.”
A matchmaker?
Jinglan was momentarily stunned. She raised her head, looking at Xiao’s mother in bewilderment. After a long pause, she hesitantly asked, “Are you arranging a match for the Heir?”
“What, do you expect me to guard his backyard for the rest of my life?” Xiao’s mother replied sharply, her expression displeased. “Or do you think those two women in the household now are fit to be the Heir’s wife?”
One of them had status but no capability—constantly falling ill or shedding tears.
The other… Xiao’s mother actually held a somewhat favorable opinion of Lady Xu. Recently, Lady Xu had been managing the Earl Manor’s affairs. Though she was not as adept as Lanyin, she had kept things running smoothly. But her status…
Xiao’s mother shook her head. Ultimately, she was not worthy of Ye’er.
Jinglan said nothing more, only bowing her head and softly acknowledging the command.