“Lead the way,” Bai Yan nods at the old granny. Under the woman’s leadership, she steps through the doorway for the first time in six years.
……
Unlike the luxurious outlay of the Bai House, the residence of the Lan House had a sort of picturesque feel to wherever one looked – the furnishings peaceful and quiet to the eye.
She didn’t need to walk far before seeing the person waiting for her. White in the hair, this old lady had a crutch and the aid of others to help her walk.
“My child, you are Bai Yan?” Tears surged out of the old lady’s eye as she ran over in a staggering motion, “my dear, you’ve suffered.” The elder’s hand trembled as she gently caressed Bai Yan’s face.
All it took was the word “suffering” to make Bai Yan’s heart go numb with warmth: “Grandmother, I’m here to see you.”
“It’s good that you are back, it’s good that you are back.” The elder’s voice was shaking unceasingly as she repeated those words, “since you are back then you must stay here for a few days. Granny Sun, go prepare a room for Bai Yan will you.”
“Yes.” The old granny respectfully bends her waist in acknowledgement, “but, Madam, I believe Miss Bai here may have to make a long stay instead.”
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Lapsing out for a second, the old madam promptly turned stern in her gaze: “What happened?”
Her granddaughter was after all a member of the Bai House. To have Granny Sun state she might have to make a long stay here, it doesn’t take much to guess something must’ve happened over on the other side.
“Madam, just now when I went to pick up the lady here, Lord Bai claimed since Big Miss married him and became his wife, then the Lan House is no longer part of her family. If the young miss here insists on coming over, Lord Bai stated Miss Bai will be expelled from that house!”
The Big Miss mentioned by Granny Sun would of course be Lan Yue. Even after so many years, the old granny couldn’t change her ways of addressing the now deceased woman.
“What a Bai Zheng Xiang!” Infuriated, the old madam stabs the ground with her crutch, “if not for our house’s support back then, he would never have achieved what he has today. Now that his wings are fully grown he’s saying our Lan House is an outsider?”
After saying this, Old Madam Lan grabs for Bai Yan’s hand and lovingly said: “My dear, as long as I’m alive then the Lan House will keep you safe from those people. Grandmother will never let you go hungry!”
“Grandmother… I will stay here for a few days, but I will not live here.” Seeing the elder wanting to say some more, Bai Yan hurries to add in, “don’t worry, I got a place of my own in the city. If I really need help then I will come find you.”
Patting the backside of her granddaughter’s hand, the old madam exhales a sigh: “Very well, your temper is exactly like your grandfather’s, both stubborn and unyielding. I won’t force you then. If you are free then be sure to come see these old bones from time to time.”
The Bai Yan from back then had always been very confused in her approach towards these relatives, but after experiencing the old woman’s caring words today, she truly does understand now what sort of love and care the previous Bai Yan had missed.
“I heard Grandfather is ill. Is he better now?” Bai Yan knits her brow and asked after thinking it through.
“Still the same.” Old Madam Lan’s eye dimmed at the mention: “Let me take you to him. Truth is my dear, your grandfather often thinks of you, fearing you might be suffering outside during your time away.”
Just because Lord Lan has a very stubborn temperament, that doesn’t mean he don’t care about Lan Yue and her children. In fact, in the past six years there hadn’t been day that’s gone by where the old grandfather didn’t think about Bai Yan. Like today, when news came that the girl has returned, the elder immediately sent someone over to pick up the girl.