Lin Jin Lou had a head full of troubles. He came to Luan Er’s room just looking for a place to sleep. Without saying a word, he went straight to bed, pulled a thin blanket over himself, and covered his head to sleep.

Luan Er noticed the hidden anger on Lin Jin Lou’s face and vaguely guessed that Xiang Lan had upset him. Secretly delighted, she pushed Lin Jin Lou and said, “What are you doing lying here? After all, I’m just someone unloved and unwanted. Go rest with your beloved favorite instead, don’t let the sight of me offend you.” Seeing Lin Jin Lou lying motionless, Luan Er, harboring her anger, sneered, “Master has quite the temper lately, getting angry at every little thing. You’re frightening me. Earlier when I broke a jade bracelet, Master said it was good that I broke it, but today when I specially prepared soup and brought it over, you drove me away with such a sour face. I know Master finds his new love pleasing to the eye and has tossed aside worthless people like us. Since you cherish her so much in your heart, why come to bother me so late at night?”

Hearing these words, Lin Jin Lou became even more impatient and angrily rebuked, “Foolish woman, say one more word and you’ll be kneeling in the courtyard!”

Luan Er was stunned. Lin Jin Lou had always shown her some tenderness; even when he had scolded her in the main chamber, it had never been with such harsh words and a severe tone. She felt utterly wronged, and her eyes immediately welled up with tears.

Cun Xin quickly said, “Miss spoke thoughtlessly in a moment of confusion. She was just sighing to me earlier about Master’s kindness. It’s only because she holds Master dear in her heart that she’s feeling a little jealous now that Master has taken in someone new. Please don’t be angry with her.” Cun Xin, trained by Shu Ran, was clever and tactful, and these few words somewhat softened Lin Jin Lou’s expression.

However, Luan Er sneered, “You’re quite the smooth talker, while I’m straightforward and blunt. I neither know how to speak properly nor how to serve well, which is why the master took in someone new before three months had passed. When I brought soup, I got driven away, and when he came to my room late at night, there was not a kind word. Soon I’ll be worth less than a sweeping maid!”

Hearing this, Cun Xin was startled and thought to herself, “My dear young mistress, please show some awareness! Master was kind to you before because he was in a good mood and you were still novel to him. Now you’ve forgotten the previous lesson and are confronting Master. If you get punished, won’t that implicate me too?” Seeing Lin Jin Lou’s gaze growing increasingly cold, Cun Xin quickly went to the bedside to pull Luan Er, saying, “It’s all my fault. Dear Miss, Master is tired. I’ll bring a basin of hot water, and Miss can help Master wash his face.”

Luan Er felt terribly wronged. Hearing Cun Xin speak this way, she realized Cun Xin wouldn’t dare offend Lin Jin Lou and wasn’t on her side, which made her even angrier. She sneered several times, “Tired? Just from rolling around in bed with that little woman, and when you quarreled with her, you remembered my place? Hmph, it sounds nice saying she was brought in as a personal maid, but she’s already serving in bed.” Then pointing at Cun Xin, she scolded, “You just know how to smooth things over, thinking a few nice words will show off how good you are in front of Master!”

Before she finished speaking, Lin Jin Lou kicked Luan Er off the kang bed. Luan Er cried out and fell to the ground, knocking over a chair and breaking a teapot. Lin Jin Lou coldly said, “You act more like a master than I do. It seems the Lin family temple is too small to contain you. Tomorrow, have your sister take you out. You have the airs of a grand madam; being a concubine-maid is surely beneath you!”

Hearing these words, Luan Er felt even more wronged, and tears streamed down her face. “Master treated me so well before, and even though there were no grand promises, you did speak many sweet words. It hasn’t been two days since you found your new love, and I’ve become someone you despise. Coming to my room in the middle of the night just to find ways to beat me, isn’t that right?”

Lin Jin Lou was utterly exasperated. He got up from the bed and was about to leave. Cun Xin panicked and quickly knelt before Lin Jin Lou, continuously kowtowing, “Master, please calm your anger. Master, please calm down. Miss spoke without thinking, please forgive her for Sister Shu Ran’s sake.”

Lin Jin Lou said, “Shu Ran is loyal and devoted, and I haven’t mistreated her. Your mistress giving me attitude isn’t worth it. It’s better to let her leave, so my ears can have some peace.”

Only then did Luan Er become frightened. Sitting on the ground, she cried, “When did I say I wanted to leave? Foolish master, I give you my whole heart, yet you’re so heartless, wanting to drive me away over a few wrong words.” She could no longer contain herself and began crying desperately.

Lin Jin Lou’s expression grew even darker.

At this moment, Shu Ran suddenly emerged from the inner room, quickly kneeling before Lin Jin Lou, saying, “Everything was fine just now, what happened… It’s all because my younger sister doesn’t know better. I apologize to Master on her behalf.” As she spoke, she kept kowtowing while repeatedly signaling to Luan Er to do the same. It turned out that because she had been taking care of Xiang Lan that day, Shu Ran had stayed in the mansion, sleeping in Luan Er’s room. When Lin Jin Lou was threatening to drive Luan Er away, she had been sound asleep in the inner room, unaware. But when Lin Jin Lou entered earlier, she had heard the commotion. At first, she thought Lin Jin Lou had remembered his fondness for Luan Er and came to stay the night, so she remained quiet in the room, but when things got out of hand, she hurried out, inwardly blaming Luan Er for being tactless.

If not for the face, then for the Buddha – Shu Ran was, after all, a respected senior servant in his household. Lin Jin Lou sighed, waved his hand, and said, “Fine, this time I’ll let it go for your sake.” He turned and went back to bed.

Shu Ran knew Lin Jin Lou wanted to sleep, so she quickly arranged the bedding, quietly lowered the bed curtains, and pulled Luan Er with Cun Xin to the inner room. She blew out the candles and reclined on a bamboo couch to keep watch for the night.

All was quiet for a while.

Early the next morning, Luan Er served Lin Jin Lou submissively as he washed and dressed. Lin Jin Lou even had breakfast in her room before leaving for the military camp.

The people in Zhi Chun Hall, unaware of what had happened, were quite surprised to see Lin Jin Lou coming out of Luan Er’s room early in the morning. When Luan Er heard Shu Ran quietly say that Lin Jin Lou had indeed left the main chamber in anger and even broke a teacup before leaving, she became even more pleased with herself. Seeing Hua Mei’s maid Xi Que poking around trying to get information, she covered her mouth and laughed, “Who can understand Master’s thoughts? I also thought I had fallen from favor, but unexpectedly, even with a new person, Master still thought of me late at night and stayed in my room until dawn. It’s not that I’m particularly favored by Master, but from what I can see, Master doesn’t seem to value that Xiang Lan much either.”

This news spread quickly.

When Xiao Juan heard about it, she angrily told Xiang Lan. Xiang Lan was reclining on the bed in the side room, and hearing this, her expression didn’t change. She just stared at a pot of orchids on the windowsill. One flower seemed to have reached the end of its bloom and was wilting, drooping down, while several flowers beside it were still in full bloom, making this one appear particularly lifeless. When the wind blew, that flower fell from its branch and was stained in the soil.

She suddenly remembered the lines “At sunset the east wind grieves the crying birds, fallen flowers still resemble the one who fell from the tower” and “Everywhere red fades and green diminishes, gradually nature’s beauty rests.” She had lived two lives, with dramatic ups and downs, just like a flower falling from its branch. Each time she had struggled with all her might, fighting through thorns and obstacles to emerge, but this time, she was truly exhausted, so exhausted that she didn’t even have the strength for a death struggle.

She wasn’t an ambitious person and was clear about her worth. She was neither exceptionally clever nor surprisingly talented, was soft-hearted with a stubborn temperament, and had some unsuitable habits. Apart from once having inappropriate thoughts about Song Ke, she had never indulged in daydreams, only wanting to be freed from servitude, be self-sufficient, and live a peaceful life.

When Song Ke became engaged to another, she felt her most beautiful dream had shattered, but she could still cry for Song Ke at night and wipe away her tears to continue living during the day – the emotional bonds and attachments of two lifetimes couldn’t be forgotten at will, especially since she was a sentimental person. Sometimes she felt heaven had been too cruel to her. If she and Song Ke weren’t destined to be together, why let them meet again, and if they were to meet, why let her recognize him? Gaining and losing again only made the pain and regret more intense.

However, she hadn’t expected to fall into Lin Jin Lou’s hands again, serving a man who was like a brutal bandit, not knowing when she would be free. Song Ke had married the Young Lady of the Prominent Duke’s family, which was good – Miss Zheng was accomplished in both appearance and talent, with a powerful family background, perfectly matched with Song Ke. In the future, when Song Ke became an official, he would have strong backing. As for her, she was no longer the Shen Jia Lan of her previous life, completely unable to help Song Ke, merely managing to save her father’s life thanks to her looks, barely surviving.

Suddenly, there was laughter from the entrance, and soon after, a young maid called Fu Rong peeked around the Duo Bao pavilion. Chun Ling asked, “Why are you being so secretive, what are you hiding?”

Fu Rong finally came out and said, “Concubine Mei is at the door wanting to see Miss, but the sister said Miss isn’t feeling well today and doesn’t want to see anyone. I don’t know how to refuse.”

Chun Ling turned to look at Xiang Lan, who was still staring blankly at the flower pot, and lowered her voice, “Just tell her Miss is sleeping and isn’t receiving visitors.”

Fu Rong hesitated and said, “I just overheard that Concubine Mei was talking with Sister Shu Ran at the door about pooling some silver with Ying Ge and Luan Er to arrange a feast, saying it’s to welcome our miss. She’s here now to discuss this matter with Miss.”

Chun Ling frowned. If it was about this matter, it wouldn’t be easy to refuse.

Xiao Juan pulled Chun Ling aside and whispered, “That Hua Mei isn’t a good bird. Xiang Lan is simple-hearted and somewhat naive. It wouldn’t be good if she fell for her schemes. If you’re uncomfortable refusing, I can go out and turn her away.”

Chun Ling also lowered her voice, “Hua Mei has a reputation for being virtuous with the Old Madam and Madam, and she has a legitimate reason this time. I’m afraid if we refuse, there will be unsavory gossip. Yesterday, Xiang Lan and Master had such a tense confrontation…”

Though they were whispering, Xiang Lan heard everything, yet she remained motionless. According to her usual temperament, in such situations, she would have mustered her spirits to deal with it properly, but today, she thought defiantly, let them all do as they please – masters, servants, concubines, madams, what do I care! Now I’ll just let everything fall apart, what can you do to me?