Sincerity
Now that I have returned, everyone in the family except Grandmother favors her. She still wants to leave me with no place to call my own.
Grandmother, what must I do to make her feel completely at ease?”
She gave a bitter smile. “Brother came to see me tonight, and I was so pleasantly surprised. I thought he had come to check on how I was doing.
But I never expected him to say those things…
Grandmother, I can’t understand—how could a servant, who had been warned by Madam not to reveal this matter, accidentally let it slip in front of Brother?”
Zhi Qiu saw the wounds on her back tearing open again from her movements, blood beginning to seep out, and quickly knelt down as well. “Grandmother, today’s matter is not honorable. Madam did indeed warn everyone in the Houfu not to speak carelessly.
Moreover, when this servant entered, the Eldest Young Master’s words were quite harsh. The Second Young Lady still has injuries on her body. Could you perhaps allow her to rise and speak?”
Seeing the worry in Zhi Qiu’s eyes, Yu Shuwan gave her a grateful look but deeply bowed her head.
“Your granddaughter knows she was wrong. Having injuries is no excuse. Your granddaughter is willing to accept punishment.”
“Don’t pretend to be pitiful here.”
Grandmother Yu snorted coldly. “This old woman asks you, do you think you received fairness in today’s matter?”
“Perhaps I did.”
Yu Shuwan said, “At least it taught Yu Guiwan a lesson, so she won’t dare to scheme against me so casually in the future.”
“Foolish.”
Grandmother Yu glanced at her disdainfully. “Because of this so-called revenge, you have pushed your own mother and brother toward her.
Do you think you’ve won?”
“Even if I humble myself and act submissive, could Mother truly let go of the fourteen years of mother-daughter affection and show me more pity?”
Yu Shuwan smiled self-deprecatingly. “It’s better for me to find some relief on my own.”
“Stubborn fool.”
Grandmother Yu scolded her, then said, “Zhi Qiu, help her up.”
After a pause, she added coldly, “If Zhi Qiu weren’t kneeling too, I would never have let you off so easily.”
Yu Shuwan knew this was Grandmother Yu’s tough exterior masking a soft heart, that she cared deeply for her. She obediently rose and thanked Zhi Qiu.
Zhi Qiu breathed a sigh of relief and quickly said, “The Second Young Lady’s wounds have reopened. This servant will go fetch a physician.”
Once only the grandmother and granddaughter remained in the room, Grandmother Yu frowned. “What are you still standing there for? Lie down on the bed.”
“Alright.”
Yu Shuwan obediently lay back down.
Grandmother Yu sat beside her. Yu Shuwan looked at her grandmother with eyes as moist as a kitten’s. “Will Grandmother stop liking me?”
“You are my girl. How could I not like you?
I’m just angry that you refuse to say anything, always charging ahead recklessly.”
She paused, looking at the crisscrossing, gruesome wounds on Shuwan’s back, her voice softening with a hint of pity.
“I heard from Zhi Qiu that you severed ties with your mother. Were these wounds inflicted at that time?”
Yu Shuwan pressed her lips together. “Mother doesn’t like me. This is for the best. In the future, when she protects Yu Guiwan again, she won’t have to struggle over whether to think of me, her biological daughter.”
“Does it hurt?”
Grandmother Yu pressed lightly on Yu Shuwan’s wounds through a handkerchief.
Yu Shuwan was caught off guard by the pain, tears welling up in her eyes as she spoke pitifully, “It hurts, Granddaughter.”
“It seems you don’t feel pain at all.”
Grandmother Yu snorted and withdrew her hand.
“Your mother may be confused, but you must not be.
Guiwan is indeed quite cunning. Over the years, your father, mother, and elder brother have all followed her words obediently.
One day, I will grow old. If by then you still hold no standing in this household, even with a good marriage, you will inevitably be controlled by others.”
Grandmother Yu sighed, “I know you are unwilling to accept this, but some matters must be handled discreetly.”
Yu Shuwan wiped away her own tears, “Your granddaughter understands.”
So in the future, when dealing with Yu Guiwan, it must be done in secret—preferably without leaving any trace of her own involvement.
Seeing her like this, Grandmother Yu said nothing more, only adding, “These days, rest well here and recover from your injuries. Do not wander about recklessly.
With your temperament, I truly worry that before your wounds heal, you’ll cause new injuries by acting rashly.”
Yu Shuwan felt somewhat embarrassed, “Your granddaughter is not that reckless…”
“Aren’t you reckless enough?”
Grandmother Yu snorted. Yu Shuwan muttered to herself.
She wasn’t a masochist—why would she willingly seek out a beating?
After a few more admonitions, Zhi Qiu arrived with the physician.
Once the medicine was reapplied, Grandmother Yu, seeing her drowsy state, finally left.
Returning to her own quarters, Grandmother Yu had just sat down when Zhi Qiu served tea.
“If you have something to say, speak your mind.”
Grandmother Yu lowered her gaze, “After all these years, Zhi Qiu, when did you become so hesitant?”
“Isn’t what this servant wants to say exactly what you are thinking?”
Zhi Qiu smiled bitterly, “Today, when the Second Miss returned injured, the first thing she did was come to ask how you were.
Covered in blood—it pained this servant just to look at her. I don’t know how Madam could be so heartless.”
“Su Shi is indeed a foolish woman.”
Grandmother Yu set down her teacup, “In this entire Yu family, my son does not take after me, but this granddaughter of mine resembles me greatly in my youth.”
“That’s true.”
Zhi Qiu said, “The Second Miss values loyalty and righteousness—it’s just that she is young and too prone to acting impulsively.
But she is, after all, someone who knows how to care for others. She forbade this servant from telling you about her injuries, fearing you would worry and become upset.”
Grandmother Yu fell silent for a moment before suddenly speaking, “These fourteen years… she has indeed suffered.”
After a moment of thought, Grandmother Yu said, “Go and find out exactly who was spreading rumors in Jingzhou’s courtyard. Deal with them and have them removed.”
With Grandmother Yu’s instructions, Zhi Qiu acknowledged and withdrew.
The next day, upon waking, Yu Shuwan had just opened her bleary eyes when she saw a pair of enormous dark circles crouching by her bedside. Startled, she instantly became fully awake.
“Second Miss, you’re awake.”
Kexin, looking weary, lifted a plump, soundly sleeping bundle from her arms, “This servant followed your instructions and caught this little one, without letting anyone else know.”
Buku, who had been sleeping soundly, twisted her body, clearly displeased and wanting to kick Kexin.
Yu Shuwan directly reached out, grabbed the scruff of her neck, and tucked her into her own bed, “Good kitty, sleep now, sleep.”
She then turned to Kexin, “How long did you spend catching her?”
“I caught her during the fourth watch.”
Kexin replied softly.
Yu Shuwan couldn’t help but laugh and cry at the same time—this girl was truly too honest for her own good.
“Alright, go and rest now.”
She grabbed two jade thumb rings and pressed them into Kexin’s hands, “By the way, would you be willing to follow me? Grandmother said she would select two maidservants for me today, and I’ve taken a liking to you.”
Kexin stared blankly at the jade thumb ring in her hands. “Your servant?”
“Yes, you can become my chief maid.”
Upon hearing this, Kexin was instantly overjoyed. “Your servant is willing!”
In her excitement, she forgot about the numbness in her legs and stumbled forward, falling flat on the ground.
Yu Shuwan twitched the corner of her mouth, comforting herself.
It doesn’t matter if the people around her are a bit clumsy—she is loyal!