The noon sunlight streamed through the carved window panels of the marquis’s front hall, casting patterns on the polished bluestone floor and forming faint shadows of the “Anyuan Marquis’s Residence” plaque on the gilded pillars.
Inside, silver-threaded charcoal burned, the warm smoke carrying the scent of dragon incense, driving away the chill of the first month—but it could not dispel the subtle tension in the air. Wen Yinyue stood in the hall with Junye and Lingxi. Her plain brocade dress looked slender and understated amid the lavish surroundings, standing tall and composed like pine and bamboo, a stark contrast to the bright, flashy clothes of Lady Liu and Wen Wanru.
“Ahem… Yinyue?”
A slightly hoarse voice came from outside. The Marquis of Anyuan, Wen Cheng, hurried in.
He wore a black gold-brocade robe, collar embroidered with hidden cloud cranes. His temples were streaked with white, and he still held an unfinished memorial scroll. Hearing that his legitimate daughter had returned, he hadn’t even had time to change into his formal court attire and rushed from his study.
When his eyes fell on Wen Yinyue, he froze, his expression shifting from shock to complexity, finally settling into deep guilt. He raised a hand to touch her shoulder but froze midair, fingers trembling. “You… you’re really alive? Where have you been these five years?”
Wen Yinyue looked up at him. This man was her father, but also the master of the residence who had ignored her disappearance five years ago, letting Lady Liu take control.
She nodded slightly, her voice calm and even. “Father. Five years ago, after I fell off the cliff, I was saved by a hermit in the mountains. I only recently recovered, so I’ve brought the children back with me.”
She did not mention the drugs or the push—without evidence, any accusation would alert her enemies. She would wait for the right moment to expose Lady Liu and Wen Wanru.
Seeing the marquis show a hint of compassion, Lady Liu hurried forward, smiling warmly. “You finally came, Marquis! Yinyue must have had a tiring journey. I was just thinking of arranging her a place to stay. The Jinhua Courtyard is spacious, bright, and sunny. I even had the maids prepare a heated floor for her—perfect for Yinyue and the children to stay warm.”
Jinhua Courtyard was the finest residence of the marquis, originally the late matriarch’s. After her death, it remained empty. Lady Liu had wanted to give it as a dowry residence to Wen Wanru.
Her offer to Wen Yinyue seemed generous but was actually a ploy to keep her under surveillance, showing herself as a “virtuous” stepmother and silencing external gossip.
Wen Wanru chimed in, the jade beads on her hairpin swaying. “Yes, sister, Jinhua Courtyard is perfect. I even had the kitchen prepare bird’s nest soup for you to recover your strength.”
But her gaze flicked toward Junye and Lingxi, a barely noticeable sneer—two children raised in the mountains, unworthy of Jinhua Courtyard.
Wen Yinyue shook her head lightly, her gaze passing Lady Liu, toward the desolate courtyard outside the hall. Her voice was calm but firm: “Thank you, Lady Liu, but there’s no need. I’ll return to Tingyu Pavilion.”
“Tingyu Pavilion?”
Everyone froze, including the marquis. Tingyu Pavilion had been Wen Yinyue’s old residence. After her disappearance five years ago, Lady Liu had sealed it as “inauspicious,” leaving it neglected.
By now, cobwebs covered it, weeds grew waist-high, and thick dust coated the windows and doors. It wasn’t just unlivable—it required a long cleanup just to enter.
Lady Liu’s smile stiffened, eyes flashing surprise, then turning into fake concern. “Yinyue, you’re being foolish! Tingyu Pavilion has been abandoned for five years—cold and broken. How can you live there? What if you and the children freeze?”
“Exactly, sister,” Wen Wanru added, pretending worry. “Last time I passed by Tingyu Pavilion, I saw moss on the walls and even mice inside! So scary!”
Wen Yinyue ignored their false concern, looking at her father with the same calm voice. “Father, Tingyu Pavilion was chosen by my mother before she passed. The begonia tree in the courtyard was planted by her for my tenth birthday. Now that I’m back, I naturally return to my place—even if it’s in disrepair, it’s still my home.”
Her words pricked the marquis’s guilt. He recalled his late wife’s dying request to “take good care of Yinyue,” and seeing his daughter, matured yet serene, he swallowed hard and nodded hoarsely. “Alright… as you wish. I’ll have someone—”
“No need.”
Wen Yinyue interrupted, bending to take Junye and Lingxi’s hands. “I feel safest taking care of my own place. Father, if nothing urgent, we’ll head there first.”
Without waiting for a response, she turned and walked out with the children, her plain dress sweeping across the bluestone, leaving nothing behind.
Junye walked beside her, tightly holding his mother’s hand. Passing Wen Wanru, he stopped, looking up at her. His expression neutral, but his words were clear: “Miss, my mother says no matter how nice someone else’s home is, it’s never as secure as your own. If you have nothing to do, don’t follow us—we’ll clean up ourselves.”
Wen Wanru flushed, fingers clutching her dress. She wanted to retort, but with the marquis present, she could only bite back her anger, looking at Lady Liu helplessly.
Lady Liu ground her teeth in frustration but could only glare at Wen Yinyue’s back, feigning generosity. “This child… has spirit. Fine, let her struggle on her own. When she can’t handle it, she’ll come to us.”
Yet in her mind, she plotted—Tingyu Pavilion was remote and desolate, perfect for her to stage an “accident,” like a fire or poison, making Wen Yinyue “disappear” again without suspicion.
The marquis watched Wen Yinyue and the two children disappear down the corridor, guilt gnawing at him.
He sighed, turning to the butler. “Bring clean bedding and charcoal to Tingyu Pavilion. Don’t disturb them.” Despite his delayed reaction, he still cared for his daughter.
Wen Yinyue led Junye and Lingxi through the residence corridors. The deeper they went, the more desolate it became. Moss grew on the bluestone, flowerbeds were overrun with weeds, and thick dust covered the lanterns—clearly no one had tended this place in years.
Lingxi shivered, leaning closer. “Mother, is this really our home?”
Wen Yinyue squatted to stroke her daughter’s head, pointing to a vine-covered courtyard ahead. “Yes. See that begonia tree? In spring it blooms with pink flowers. Once we clean it, Lingxi can draw under the tree, and Junye can work on his mechanisms in the courtyard. Sound good?”
Junye nodded, opening his mechanism box. “Mother, I brought a small shovel and cloth. We can pull weeds and wipe the windows first.”
Having worked with Wen Yinyue in the mountain valley, tidying a house was easy for him.
Lingxi straightened her small chest and patted her medicine pouch. “Mother, I can help gather branches and light the fire! Zhang Ping taught me how to make fire safely.”
Wen Yinyue felt warmth in her heart, seeing their thoughtfulness. She stood and pushed open Tingyu Pavilion’s creaking wooden door.
Inside, the courtyard was indeed desolate. The begonia tree grew thick and wild, weeds reached her ankles, cobwebs clung to corners, and the main house doors and windows were tightly closed, glass dusty, the interior indistinct.
But her eyes brightened. She touched the rough trunk of the begonia tree, feeling the echoes of the original owner’s life here—the tree planted at ten, studying beneath it at fifteen, those warm memories hidden in the neglected courtyard.
“Junye, let’s start with the weeds.” She took the small shovel from his box. “Lingxi, help us collect the fallen branches. Be careful not to hurt yourself.”
“Okay!” Both children answered in unison and immediately began working. Junye dug around the roots skillfully, Lingxi carefully piled branches in the corner like a little mountain.
Wen Yinyue watched them, a faint smile appearing. Lady Liu and Wen Wanru would not give up easily—the days ahead would not be peaceful.
The noon sunlight filtered through the begonia branches, falling on the three of them, casting a golden glow.