Zi Ye asked, “Miss, will you go?”
Xiao Yunzhu did not answer immediately.
By her usual habit, she would not go. But this invitation was written by Gu Lanfen herself, saying there was an important matter. If she refused, Gu Lanfen would come to the Xiao residence to find her. So she decided to go.
The next day, Xiao Yunzhu dressed carefully, wearing a newly made skirt of Yangfei-colored brocade with golden patterns, and in her hair an ornate jade hairpiece with dangling pearl tassels. She also wore a precious necklace of red gold inlaid with jade. Looking in the mirror, her complexion was fair with a rosy glow, her spirit lively. Combined with her elegant attire, she looked every bit the picture of prosperity.
This way, Gu Lanfen would not worry about her. She brought Lü Mei and Qing Zhi, along with several servants and attendants, and rode by carriage through several streets until reaching the residence of Vice Minister of Justice Song.
Gu Lanfen had already sent her trusted maid to wait at the second gate. As soon as Xiao Yunzhu arrived, she was led into the inner courtyard.
Xiao Yunzhu knew this maid—her name was Qiu’er, once Gu Lanfen’s chief maid, later married to a steward of the Song family.
As they walked, Xiao Yunzhu asked softly, “Sister Qiu’er, have you been well?”
Qiu’er replied expressionlessly, “I dare not trouble Sixth Miss with concern. I am well enough.”
Xiao Yunzhu nodded slightly and said no more.
When they reached a long corridor, Qiu’er suddenly stopped and looked at her. “Sixth Miss, there is something I do not understand. May I ask you?”
Xiao Yunzhu: “Please speak.”
Qiu’er: “We were once so close. Why did you suddenly change, refusing to see my lady?”
Xiao Yunzhu had not expected her to be so direct. She deflected: “People grow up, and they change.”
Qiu’er stared intently. “Is it because my lady did not remain faithful to your elder brother, and you resent her?”
Xiao Yunzhu quickly denied it. “Of course not! The dead are gone; the living must face the sun and live.”
Qiu’er: “Then is it because you feared the Song family would dislike it, so you distanced yourself from my lady?”
Xiao Yunzhu: …
Qiu’er smiled. “At first, my lady thought it was the former, and she was heartbroken. Later she said, Sixth Miss is kind by nature, not such a person. If she keeps her distance, it must be for my sake.”
Xiao Yunzhu: “I only wish Sister Lanfen well.”
Qiu’er took her hand. “Your Sister Lanfen also wishes you well.” She added, “Sixth Miss need not worry. Our master is not narrow-minded. He once said, if our lady quickly forgot Young Master Xiao and cut ties with the Xiao family, that would be too heartless.”
Xiao Yunzhu: “Second Young Master Song has magnanimity.”
Qiu’er sighed. “Indeed. So our lady says she still remembers Young Master Xiao, but Second Young Master Song is her true husband, the one to share life with until old age. Sixth Miss, our lady regards you as her younger sister. You need not be reserved—treat the Song family as kin.”
Xiao Yunzhu understood. This was Gu Lanfen, through Qiu’er’s mouth, easing her worries. Her eyes grew warm, and she smiled. “All right!”
Silently, she reminded herself to be measured, never to bring trouble to Sister Lanfen.
Before long, they reached Gu Lanfen’s courtyard. But it was not only Gu Lanfen there—her two children were with her.
Gu Lanfen came to the gate with them to greet Xiao Yunzhu, her face full of smiles, her voice gentle and affectionate. “Yunzhu, you’ve come?”
She was fuller than before, with a touch of mature charm. Yet her gaze on Xiao Yunzhu was the same as ever, as though there had been no years of distance, still as close as sisters.
Xiao Yunzhu felt genuine joy and bowed slightly. “Sister Lanfen!”
Gu Lanfen took her arm and led her inside. They sat together at the main seat, and she called her children over to introduce them. “This rascal is Yunhe, five years old. The little girl is Yunqin, two years old.”
Then she said, “Well, aren’t you going to greet her?”
The two children, as pretty as carved jade, chorused, “Little Aunt!”
Xiao Yunzhu’s heart softened. She crouched down, took their little hands, and praised, “So sweet!”
Sister Lanfen, blessed with both son and daughter—how wonderful!
If her elder brother knew in the afterlife, surely he would rejoice for her.
Little Yunqin could not yet speak clearly, but naturally threw herself into Xiao Yunzhu’s arms, hugging her and calling in a tender voice, “Sister!”
Gu Lanfen scolded gently, “Silly girl, I told you she is Little Aunt, not Sister!”
Yunqin shook her head. “No, Mother lies—she is Sister!”
Xiao Yunzhu laughed, holding her close. “Why do you say that?”
Yunqin answered seriously, “Because Sister is pretty!”
Her little Aunt was not pretty and was fierce.
Xiao Yunzhu kissed her and smiled. “And you are even prettier!”
Then she noticed Yunhe staring at her with wide eyes, so she quickly added, “You are handsome too!”
Yunhe nodded solemnly. “Right!”
His father, mother, and sister were all good-looking—of course, he would not be ugly.
After some play, Gu Lanfen had the nurse take the siblings away, dismissed the maids, and held Xiao Yunzhu’s hand with a sigh. “Yunzhu, these years have been hard for you.”
In the past, when Xiao Yunzhu deliberately avoided her, she had been hurt. But later she understood what her little sister feared, and that she could not ignore her husband’s family’s feelings. So she accepted Xiao Yunzhu’s good intentions, and they drifted apart. But that did not mean she had stopped caring for Xiao Yunzhu.
She had once sent people to observe the Xiao family’s situation. What she heard was always that the second branch was kind and generous, treating the mother and daughter of the main branch well. When Xiao Yunzhu went out, she still carried herself with the bearing of a marquis’s daughter, not as if she were being neglected.
So gradually, Gu Lanfen set her mind at ease, focusing on her husband and children and paying little attention to the Xiao family.
But in recent days, hearing of the farce at Duke Ning’s residence and the private gossip among the women, she realized that at the critical moment, the Xiao family’s second branch had been vicious indeed.
Xiao Ruqiong did not want to marry the heir Xu Hengce, so she schemed to trap Xiao Yunzhu into taking her place!
Old Madam Xiao and the second branch couple must have supported her.
With the eldest lady not managing affairs, Xiao Yunzhu was left weak and alone—how could she resist them? These years must have been like living in a dragon’s lair.
Thinking of Xiao Yunzhu being bullied by the second branch, Gu Lanfen felt guilty and was nearly moved to tears. Back then, she should not have hesitated so much. She should have visited the Xiao household more often to care for Xiao Yunzhu properly.
But Xiao Yunzhu smiled. “Sister Lanfen, what are you imagining? I am not suffering—not at all. Most of the time, Second Uncle, Second Aunt, and my cousins treat me well.”
She was not lying. The second branch wanted a good reputation, wanted appearances, so they could not constantly mistreat her. Nor was she like the pitiful orphan girls in storybooks. She had people, wealth, and status. As long as she kept her mind open, life did not have to be miserable. If one insists on seeing only hardship, then even an easy life becomes bitter.
After all, how one lives is decided by oneself.