The crackling of the charcoal fire accentuated the silence in the room occupied by only two people.
Xie Linlang, preoccupied with her thoughts, had lost all interest in reading. Hidden beneath the quilt, her thumb unconsciously rubbed against her index finger until a sharp sting made her look up toward Xiao Qiu, who was seated by the charcoal stove watching the warming dishes.
Xiao Qiu was a house-born servant of the Xie family, with both her parents working under Madam Xie.
When Xiao Qiu was first assigned to her, Xie Linlang, having just lost her familiar nanny and subjected to a period of strict instruction from her legal mother, remained outwardly composed but was deeply wary of Xiao Qiu. She feared any misstep might be reported back to her legal mother.
Fortunately, after some time together, Xie Linlang gradually learned how to interact with Xiao Qiu.
After all, Xiao Qiu had been assigned by her legal mother to serve her, so she used her as she saw fit. However, the conversations she once had in front of her nanny were never repeated in Xiao Qiu’s presence.
Moreover, Xiao Qiu was simple-natured and, being a house-born servant, had many close friends within the estate. This, in turn, allowed Xie Linlang to gather quite a bit of information from her.
Now that she was ill, Xiao Qiu was her only source for finding out anything.
“Xiao Qiu, the hand warmer I’m making for Eldest Sister is almost done. Find it for me—I’ll finish it today, and you can deliver it to Eldest Sister first thing tomorrow.”
Xiao Qiu disagreed, “Miss, you’re ill. Finish it after you recover.”
Besides, did the eldest young lady really lack a hand warmer made by their young lady? In the past, items their young lady had asked her to deliver were all given away by the eldest young lady to the servants.
Of course, Xiao Qiu wouldn’t mention this to Xie Linlang. When she was first assigned to serve the third young lady, her mother had repeatedly reminded her to focus solely on her duties—no unnecessary words were to be spoken or heard.
Moreover, the third young lady was frail. If she learned that the eldest young lady didn’t appreciate the gifts she sent, she would surely be upset.
But seeing Xie Linlang’s insistence, Xiao Qiu went to fetch the sewing basket, which contained the nearly completed hand warmer.
Though she had convinced herself not to meddle, Xiao Qiu couldn’t help but feel a pang of regret when she saw the hand warmer, meticulously trimmed with white rabbit fur.
The eldest young lady had plenty of fine things, while the third young lady had received only a small amount of fur for the winter, with the white rabbit fur being the prettiest among them.
If made into a stole to wear over a cloak, it would have been both beautiful and warm, something the third young lady could wear with pride when going out.
But now, this fine fur had been cut up to make a hand warmer that the eldest young lady would never even use.
Xie Linlang paid no mind to what Xiao Qiu was thinking. She carefully selected matching thread and, after a few stitches, casually remarked:
“I’ve been sickly all this time. Eldest Sister mentioned a few days ago that she wanted to take me out to offer incense, but now it seems impossible. Eldest Sister might blame me for it.
If I finish this hand warmer quickly and send it over, it can serve as my apology to Eldest Sister.”
Xie Linlang spoke pitifully, her face pale with a hint of timidity.
Xie Yurou, taught by Madam Xie to be cultured and refined, excelled in music, chess, calligraphy, and painting, earning a reputation as a talented lady in the capital.
As the legitimate daughter of the main branch, Xie Yurou had every reason to be proud and naturally looked down upon all the Xie family’s illegitimate children.
Though Xie Linlang was sent to the main courtyard to keep her elder sister company, in Xie Yurou’s eyes, she was merely a practice tool her mother had provided.
She was now learning to manage the younger concubine-born sisters beneath her, so that in the future, after marrying, she could manage the concubines and their children in her husband’s household. These people could not compare to her, yet they must submit to her control.
Xie Yurou treated Xie Linlang with occasional closeness but frequent strictness. Whenever this concubine-born sister acted even slightly against her wishes, Xie Yurou would punish her under the pretext of teaching her.
Xiao Qiu sighed silently. No wonder Third Miss was worried about being unable to accompany Eldest Miss to the temple even while ill.
After some thought, she decided to share what she had heard: “Miss, there’s no need to worry. With the heavy snowfall these past few days, the roads out of the city are difficult to travel. Madam likely won’t agree to let Eldest Miss go to the temple.
Moreover, when I went to fetch the meal today, I ran into Chun Tao from Second Miss’s side. I heard her say that Madam summoned their young lady to keep Eldest Miss company.”
Upon hearing this, Xie Linlang’s eyes instantly brightened. Her worries were finally put to rest.
She coughed lightly. “With Second Sister accompanying her, Eldest Sister probably won’t blame me anymore. I’ll go apologize to Eldest Sister once I recover.”
As steam rose from the food on the stove, Xie Linlang naturally tossed the unfinished hand warmer aside. “Let’s eat first. After the meal, you should rest early too.”
Xiao Qiu busied herself rearranging the meal, not paying attention to her young lady’s inconsistent behavior.
After the meal, Xiao Qiu attended to Xie Linlang’s washing up before going to rest herself. In any other household, this would certainly not be permitted.
But what rules were left here in Xie Linlang’s quarters? When the household registry was compiled, the servants assigned to serve Third Miss were listed as fully staffed. They received their monthly allowance in the name of serving Third Miss, yet they only appeared to follow her and maintain appearances when she went out.
This concubine-born daughter raised in the Legal Mother’s courtyard might seem privileged, but she knew the reality, and everyone in the main household knew it too.
Even her nominal father, whenever he happened to meet her in the main quarters, would loftily remark, “Since your mother treats you this way, you should know your place even more and not cause trouble for her.”
Whenever this happened, Xie Linlang would think that her father, Legal Mother, and Eldest Sister truly belonged together as one family.
Having resolved a worry, Xie Linlang lay in bed that night, feeling the warmth from the bed warmer. Her body, weakened by several days of illness, finally relaxed a little.
Ever since learning last year that she would be included in the dowry entourage when her legal sister married, Xie Linlang had fallen ill once, filled with both fear and depression.
Xie Linlang’s mother, Concubine Zhang, was the daughter of a down-and-out merchant family. After her family declined and she experienced hardship, she eventually entered Lord Xie’s rear courtyard. Initially favored for a time, she soon faded into obscurity, and even after giving birth to a daughter, her situation did not improve much.
Perhaps because she had previously traveled with her family for business and been exposed to the outside world, Concubine Zhang had few taboos when educating her daughter. She often chattered about whatever came to mind.
From stories of encountering ruthless bandits on merchant journeys to tales of families striking it rich overnight, leading the master to smugly take several concubines—resulting in strife between wives and concubines, chaos, and no peace at home.
Compared to needlework, Xie Linlang preferred listening to these stories.
Whenever her eyes sparkled while listening, Concubine Zhang would suddenly grow sorrowful, then hold her close and repeat over and over, “Linlang, you must never end up like your mother…”
Later, Concubine Zhang contracted tuberculosis and was isolated in the backyard by the household, left to fend for herself. Xie Linlang missed her mother and secretly went to see her.
The woman, now gaunt and emaciated with a sallow complexion, looked at her and uttered her final words: “Linlang, don’t end up like your mother…”
It was only much later that Xie Linlang understood what “don’t end up like your mother” truly meant.