Means
Kexin said sadly, “This servant took the Madam’s matching tally to fetch the doctor, but just as we reached the estate gate, Liuguang said the Eldest Miss was feeling chest tightness and insisted on calling Doctor Su over first.
Yet she had already summoned Doctor Fang—I saw the two of them chatting and laughing together.
I refused, but Liuguang wouldn’t let me back into the estate.
Not daring to delay your injury, I had no choice but to agree to switch doctors…
When I escorted Doctor Fang out, Liuguang happened to be seeing off Doctor Su as well. She immediately started mocking me, and I couldn’t hold back my anger, so I…”
“Hold on, don’t cry yet.”
Yu Shuwan sighed helplessly, “Do you know where you went wrong?”
Seeing Kexin timidly shake her head, Yu Shuwan said bluntly, “When others refuse to reason with you, why bother reasoning with them?
As for Liuguang, isn’t she just asking for trouble?
If you had given her a good beating right at the estate gate, do you think she would still dare to demand a switch of doctors?”
“But wouldn’t that harm the Houfu’s reputation?”
“Don’t worry, with Yu Guiwan around, the Houfu is bound to fall sooner or later.”
Yu Shuwan said lightly, “When you try to reason with someone, and they act like a rogue, you have to be even more shameless than they are.
Otherwise, you’re the only one who’ll suffer.”
“This servant understands. I just feel resentful now—I shouldn’t have been so weak, allowing something that belonged to the Second Miss to be taken by others.”
Hearing this, Yu Shuwan curved her eyes into a smile, “What belongs to me will always be mine. No one can take it away.”
If it truly can’t be reclaimed, then no one shall have it.
“You’re still injured, yet you risked yourself to save this servant. Naturally, I can’t hold you back here.”
Kexin wiped her tears clean, “Before, I heard others say the Second Miss was a very fierce person.
But after meeting you, I realized you’re nothing like what they described.
If before, I only followed you for the status of a senior maid, today, seeing how you risked yourself to restore my dignity and save me…
From now on, even if you ask me to climb a mountain of blades or plunge into a sea of fire, I will never hesitate!”
“No need for mountains of blades or seas of fire.”
Yu Shuwan beckoned her over, “Go to the small kitchen and have them prepare two servings of black-bone chicken soup. One for Grandmother, and the other—make sure to deliver it to the Madam.”
“Why deliver it to the Madam?”
Kexin was puzzled, “Aren’t you and the Madam on bad terms?”
“That’s a separate matter. Just tell the Madam it’s to thank her for giving the tally.”
Yu Shuwan played with a strand of her hair, smiling brightly, “If she asks further, you don’t need to answer. Just return afterward.”
Kexin wanted to say more, but her gaze fell on the freshly treated wound on Yu Shuwan’s back, and her resolve hardened instantly, “This servant understands!”
After Kexin left, Yu Shuwan murmured to herself, “I hope she truly understands.”
After delivering the black-bone chicken soup to the Old Madam, Kexin hurried straight to Su Jintang’s quarters.
Su Jintang had hardly slept all night. Finally seeing Guiwan in better spirits, she was just about to return for some rest when she heard someone announce that the senior maid from the Second Miss’s side had arrived.
Initially, she had no intention of seeing this maid, but Su Jintang recalled the subtle shift in Yu Shuwan’s eyes when she had pressed the tally into her hands earlier.
Could it be that this girl has come to her senses and wants to make amends?
Su Jintang’s heart stirred, and she sat up again from the couch.
Kexin soon walked in, keeping her eyes respectfully lowered as she bowed and placed a food box on the Eight Immortals table.
“Madam, this is black-bone chicken soup that the young lady specifically instructed me to watch over the heat and simmer in the small kitchen, using only the finest ingredients.
She repeatedly urged me to bring you a bowl, asking you to take good care of your health.”
“Did she really say that?”
Su Jintang was astonished.
Her own biological daughter didn’t seem at all like the type to say such things.
But this maid had no reason to lie to her.
It seemed that Yu Shuwan still longed for her mother’s love after all. The words about severing ties earlier were merely spoken in a moment of anger.
Now that she had come to her senses, she naturally recognized the kindness shown to her.
That would explain it.
Something that had been clogging Su Jintang’s heart seemed to clear away.
She stood up and walked over, personally opening the food box. The rich aroma inside was irresistibly appetizing.
“Your young lady has indeed been thoughtful.”
Su Jintang glanced up casually, about to offer a few words of encouragement, when she noticed the swelling on Kexin’s originally fair and delicate face.
“Did she hit you?”
Su Jintang’s eyes widened as she stood up abruptly. “Now she’s even mistreating servants? She—”
“Please calm your anger, Madam. The injury on my face has nothing to do with the Second Young Lady.”
Kexin quickly knelt down. “The Second Young Lady herself is still injured on her hand—how could she possibly hit me?”
Su Jintang’s rising anger dissipated just as quickly.
“Then how did you get that injury on your face?”
“I had a disagreement with someone, but it’s nothing serious.”
Hearing this, Su Jintang’s expression softened slightly. “Earlier, I told you to fetch a doctor. What medicine was prescribed?”
“I… I…”
Kexin stammered, and Su Jintang frowned. “Can’t you even explain this clearly?”
“No, it’s just that I’m clumsy with words. The Second Young Lady said it’s nothing.”
After saying this, Kexin hurriedly bowed. “I’m the only one in the courtyard right now, Madam. Please drink the black-bone chicken soup while it’s still hot.
I’ll take my leave now.”
Seeing Kexin leave in such haste, Su Jintang grew suspicious and immediately called Mama Chen in.
Mama Chen was puzzled—Su Jintang had just been about to rest, so why was she changing clothes to go somewhere? Then she heard Su Jintang speak.
“Shuwan’s maid just came to deliver soup. I noticed something off about her demeanor, but I couldn’t get any answers from her. I might as well go and see for myself.”
“If Madam goes, I imagine the Second Young Lady would be very pleased.”
Mama Chen weighed her words carefully, hoping to dissuade Su Jintang, but Su Jintang only sneered.
“If I go, I just hope she doesn’t throw a fit there.
That maid named Kexin—I remember her face used to look fair and delicate.
How many days has it been since she started serving by her side? When she came just now, her face was terribly swollen, with a huge slap mark on it.
In our Houfu, if someone disrespects their parents, siblings, or sisters, they can still be disciplined. But if they secretly abuse servants, I absolutely cannot keep her.”
Seeing Su Jintang speak this way, Mama Chen had no choice but to follow behind her as they headed toward Yu Shuwan’s courtyard.
Yet even though Su Jintang said this, Mama Chen still didn’t believe that the Second Young Miss would abuse her own maid.
After all, that day, the long thorn whip had already been raised right before her eyes, but the Second Young Miss had withdrawn her hand.