Upon hearing that Wen Jinxin had awakened, Laotaifei set aside her doubts and, supported by Li Shi, hurried to the bedside.
She was indeed awake, but due to the injury on her back, she remained lying face down on the bed. Her small face was flushed with an unhealthy redness, a sign that the fever had yet to subside.
“Jin’er, my dear, you’re finally awake,” Laotaifei said, her already swollen eyes welling up with tears once more.
Wen Jinxin’s mind was hazy, her back burning with pain and her entire body aching from the fever. Hearing the familiar voice, she struggled to half-open her eyes and look.
Sitting by the bed was an elderly woman with graying hair, wearing a headband and a deep purple jacket, her face filled with anxiety. It was none other than her beloved grandaunt.
Wen Jinxin instantly became more alert. She parted her dry lips and let out a hoarse whisper, “Great Ancestor.”
“Yes, my dear, I’m here.”
Hearing the elderly woman’s vigorous response, Wen Jinxin could no longer hold back her tears.
In her past life, one of the most important reasons she had sought out Shen Henglin was a letter from Zhennan Wangfu. The imperial court had issued an edict ordering Shen Jue to suppress the water bandits. Upon learning of this, Laotaifei had suddenly collapsed and fallen seriously ill, confined to her bed.
She still remembered how, upon first arriving in Guangzhou Fu, everything and everyone felt unfamiliar. Coupled with her timid nature, she dared not get close to anyone. Only Laotaifei had tirelessly doted on and protected her, helping her gradually emerge from the shadow of losing both parents and regain her cheerfulness.
Recalling how Laotaifei had opposed her marriage to Shen Henglin, she felt a deep sense of guilt toward her Great Ancestor.
Back then, she was young and had been utterly charmed by Shen Henglin, unable to heed anyone else’s advice. After leaving Zhennan Wangfu at seventeen to accompany Shen Henglin to Shangjing, she had not seen her Great Ancestor for two years. Now, seeing her again felt like a lifetime had passed.
At this moment, all she wanted was to hide in her embrace, indulge in a bit of affection, and never leave her Great Ancestor’s side again.
For a moment, Wen Jinxin forgot she was still ill and struggled to rise and pay her respects to Laotaifei, nearly tumbling off the bed.
“Don’t move, don’t move. You’re still injured. I know you’re a filial child, but such formalities are unnecessary. There’s no rush.”
Only then did Wen Jinxin remember what she had done before losing consciousness—something even she found unbelievable.
Now, thinking back on that whip, even the sight of it was chilling, let alone the pain of it striking her. Under normal circumstances, she would have been too frightened to even look at it.
Since childhood, she had been the apple of her parents’ eyes, never having suffered hardship. After her parents passed away and she arrived at the Prince’s mansion, Laotaifei’s doting ensured she never endured any grievances.
Even later, when she followed Shen Henglin, he never spoke a harsh word to her, let alone laid a hand on her.
If leaping from a high building was the bravest and most fearless act of her past life, then taking that whip for Shen Jue was the most reckless thing she had ever done in both lifetimes.
She herself didn’t know what had come over her at the time. Seeing Shen Jue kneeling there, his flesh torn open, her body had reacted instinctively. She hadn’t wanted him to get hurt.
Now, looking back, she felt a twinge of guilt. She feared someone might ask her why she had done it.
After all, at this point, she and Shen Jue weren’t close—they were merely cousins who hadn’t seen each other in years. Her sudden act of stepping in to block the whip was undeniably peculiar.
Wen Jinxin’s face instantly turned deathly pale, fine beads of sweat breaking out on her forehead as she called out uneasily, “Great Ancestor.”
Fortunately, Laotaifei’s attention was entirely captured by Wen Jinxin’s sudden pallor, leaving her no time to think of anything else. “Are you feeling unwell again? Quickly, summon Doctor Zhong.”
By the time the commotion settled, the sky had already darkened.
After taking the medicine, Wen Jinxin’s body temperature gradually subsided, and as the fever broke, her mind cleared.
“Great Ancestor, I’m fine now… Please go back and rest.”
Wen Jinxin’s back had been medicated and was now wrapped in bandages. Supported carefully by Lan Hui as she drank the medicine, her voice was hoarse and slightly nasal, making one’s heart soften.
Indeed, it was quite late, and most importantly, Laotaifei had been on edge all day, leaving her body somewhat weary.
Yet, seeing Wen Jinxin in such a pitiful state, she still felt uneasy.
Li Shi immediately discerned her thoughts. “Since Jinxiao has just arrived at the manor, she must be feeling a bit shy and unaccustomed. Moreover, she’s still ill. How about this—I’ll stay tonight to accompany Jinxiao, so you can rest assured, Mother.”
Laotaifei’s eyes lit up. She had considered this idea, but Li Shi was, after all, the mistress of the household. Asking her to care for Wen Jinxin might have been met with reluctance. Now that she had volunteered, it was simply perfect.
Perhaps the medicine had taken effect, for Wen Jinxin failed to hear what they said and sank back into a deep sleep.
Laotaifei gazed at Wen Jinxin’s small face, so strikingly similar to her mother’s, and sighed. “Then I’ll trouble you. No one else is as meticulous as you. With you by her side, I can truly rest easy.”
“Mother, what are you saying? I am also Jinxiao’s aunt. Seeing her ill fills me with anxiety. I only wish for the child to be free from illness and misfortune.”
These words truly resonated with Laotaifei, softening her attitude toward Li Shi. After giving a few more instructions on what to watch for, she allowed Mama Du to support her back to her room to rest.
“Has Ah Jue returned to his courtyard? His father truly has no sense of restraint. Thankfully, no bones were broken—it must be Buddha’s blessing.”
Shen Jue had lived with Laotaifei until he was twelve, after which he moved to his own courtyard. That was why it took two days for anyone to notice he had gone missing.
Earlier, he had been detained by Laotaifei to have his wounds treated, but by now, he had long since returned to his own courtyard to enjoy his freedom.
“Rest assured, Old Madam. Shiziye possesses remarkable skills, much like the old prince. Moreover, with the young lady’s timely appearance today, Shiziye was not seriously injured.”
Mentioning Wen Jinxin reminded Laotaifei of the incident. “Ah, right. I haven’t asked you about this yet. How did Jin’er end up barging in like that? Tell me carefully.”
Speaking of this, Mama Du also found it strange.
Throughout the journey, Wen Jinxin had shown no signs of abnormality—quiet and reserved, speaking little. Who could have imagined that upon entering the courtyard, she would suddenly rush over to shield Shen Jue? The servants attending to them had no time to stop her.
“That is indeed odd. Logically speaking, Jin’er shouldn’t have met Ah Jue before.”
Laotaifei wasn’t blaming Wen Jinxin for anything; in fact, she was pleased to see the two siblings getting along well. Especially with Shen Jue protecting Wen Jinxin, she would be less likely to suffer bullying in the future.
Seeing Laotaifei’s furrowed brow and recalling Wen Jinxin’s dependent and helpless demeanor, Mama Du couldn’t help but feel pity. She tentatively ventured a gentle remark.
“Could it be that the prince’s appearance frightened the young miss, reminding her of some unpleasant memories?”
After all, when Wen Jinxin’s parents passed away, they were not present. Perhaps there really was some hidden truth to the matter.
The Wen couple had always been healthy and free from illness, yet they died suddenly at a young age. This was suspicious from the start.
Moreover, Wen Jinxin’s father was a famously upright official, deeply beloved by the people of Hangzhou. The more honest an official is, the more they restrict the greed of certain individuals. It was not impossible that someone had tampered with the situation.
Laotaifei immediately understood Mama Du’s meaning. Not only did Mama Du suspect something, but she herself had long felt that something was amiss.
“What you said is exactly what I was thinking. When I received the letter earlier, I found it strange. How could they both meet such a fate for no reason? Tomorrow, I will have Jianqing send someone to investigate this matter.”
The more Laotaifei thought about it, the more convinced she became. Although she hadn’t seen Wen Jinxin in many years, she understood the character of her niece’s family.
They were all upright and kind-hearted people, and the daughter they raised would surely be virtuous and well-mannered.
Protecting Shen Jue was likely just a reaction to shock or a moment of urgency. Both were good children and must not be exploited by those with ill intentions.
“From now on, act as if this never happened, and don’t mention it in front of Jinxin again. Regarding Jinxin’s illness, just say it’s a recurrence of an old ailment. As for those who witnessed it in the courtyard today, give them all a warning. I don’t want to hear anyone speaking ill of Jinxin in private. If anyone is found doing so, expel them from the estate immediately.”
“Rest assured, Old Mistress, this old servant understands. It’s just about Shiziye…”
She had no way of making Shiziye obediently comply.
“This concerns his cousin’s reputation and is no trivial matter. I will speak to him about it.”
Inside the room, sandalwood incense burned. Li Shi reclined on a noble consort couch with her eyes closed, resting. Her personal maid, Qiaoling, covered her with a blanket, and she immediately opened her eyes.
Qiaoling hurriedly whispered an apology, but Li Shi raised her hand to signal her to rise. “What time is it now?”
“Replying to Madam, it is already the third watch. Earlier, the young miss woke once during the night, and it seems her fever has subsided.”
Li Shi finally breathed a sigh of relief and glanced toward the inner room. Wen Jinxin remained in the same position as before, lying on the bed, her face obscured. However, her maid sat faithfully by the bedside.
“Madam, please rest a little longer. You have to meet with the stewards tomorrow morning, and your health will suffer. I will keep watch for you and call you immediately if there is any change with the young miss.”
Li Shi pressed her temples and shook her head. She had dozed off briefly earlier but was now wide awake and not yet tired.
Regarding Wen Jinxin, there were some matters she needed to carefully consider.
She softly instructed Qiaoling, “Tomorrow, go and investigate whether the young miss had contact with anyone before entering the estate.”
She had a feeling that this suddenly appearing cousin was not simple—at the very least, she was not as delicate as she appeared on the surface. Li Shi hoped she wouldn’t bring too much disruption to her life.
In the days that followed, Wen Jinxin spent her time recuperating in bed day after day.
At first, she deliberately avoided seeing people, fearing that Laotaifei or others might ask about that day’s events. She was not good at lying, and since she couldn’t fabricate a story, she simply hid away.
Later, when she realized no one mentioned the incident at all, she learned it was Laotaifei’s doing.
Laotaifei visited her almost every day, sharing meals and keeping her company in conversation.
However, the conversation rarely touched upon her parents, instead revolving mostly around her and Shen Jue. Especially when it came to Shen Jue, Laotaifei had endless stories to share, allowing Wen Jinxin to learn many different sides of him.
It seemed that Laotaifei was deliberately avoiding topics that might bring back sad memories, opting instead for lighthearted and amusing anecdotes to cheer her up. Wen Jinxin felt even more grateful for this.
Laotaifei truly cherished her as a granddaughter, and in this lifetime, Wen Jinxin was determined to repay her kindness by being filial and devoted.
While resting in bed to recover, everything was fine—except for one thing.
Since that day she had seen Shen Jue, she had not had another chance to meet him. She could only hear about him through the daily updates Lan Hui brought back.
On this day, a new visitor finally arrived at her room.