HomeScheme of the Legitimate DaughterYao Yao You Qi - Chapter 174: Granny Luo

Yao Yao You Qi – Chapter 174: Granny Luo

Ren Yaoqi stood under the covered walkway, looking toward the main hall. The somewhat scorching afternoon sunlight poured into the courtyard, evenly gilding the vibrant flowers and lush greenery throughout the garden, making it appear less oppressive.

Chuchu, who had been serving inside, had also been sent out early on, so now only Li Qian, Rong Shi, and Xiao Jingxi remained in the room. Ren Yaoqi speculated in her mind for a long time, but ultimately couldn’t figure out the purpose.

Having finished saying what needed to be said with Zhu Ruomei, Ren Yaoqi thought for a moment and instructed her maid to take Zhu Ruomei for tea, while she first returned to her room in the west wing. She also had Pingguo keep watch on the main hall’s movements and come fetch her when the guest left.

Xiao Jingxi didn’t stay in the main hall for very long. Ren Yaoqi had only been sitting on the kang reading for a while when Pingguo returned.

“Has Young Master Xiao come out?” Ren Yaoqi looked up and asked.

“Sister Chuchu sent this servant to fetch Miss, saying the Old Madam has summoned you,” Pingguo replied.

Upon hearing this, Ren Yaoqi didn’t dare delay and immediately got up to leave.

When she returned to the main hall, Xiao Jingxi hadn’t left yet. Chuchu had also come in to serve tea, so presumably they had finished their main conversation. Ren Yaoqi inconspicuously observed the several people present but couldn’t discern anything.

Li Qian and Xiao Jingxi were casually chatting about music theory, and the atmosphere was fairly harmonious.

Speaking of Li Qian, this dragon’s son and phoenix’s grandson had no other talents, but he was quite accomplished in entertainment, leisure, music, chess, calligraphy, and painting—a talent that should have been inherited from his mother, Noble Consort Wan. So long ago, Ren Yaoqi’s father, Ren Shimin, had also gotten along quite well with Li Qian; both were refined men who could converse well together.

Thus, it wasn’t surprising that the brilliantly talented Second Young Master Xiao could chat with Li Qian.

Unable to discern anything, Ren Yaoqi simply greeted them and obediently returned to Rong Shi’s side.

Xiao Jingxi didn’t sit long in Baoping Alley. After about half a cup of tea’s time, he proposed to take his leave.

Although Li Qian’s attitude toward Xiao Jingxi was quite good, he didn’t personally escort Xiao Jingxi to the door, only rising to see him off a few steps. As a woman, Ren Yaoqi couldn’t see off a male guest, and since Xiao Jingxi hadn’t said he came to see her, she was happy to remain silent.

Before leaving, Xiao Jingxi’s gaze briefly passed over Ren Yaoqi. He smiled slightly, then turned and left.

Ren Yaoqi felt somewhat troubled. She was naturally someone who liked to think things through, but facing someone like Xiao Jingxi with his seven-chambered exquisite heart, she couldn’t help but overthink his every ordinary or extraordinary glance and gesture. Yet she still came away completely puzzled.

“Qi’er, are you familiar with Second Young Master Xiao?” Rong Shi suddenly asked.

Ren Yaoqi came back to herself and saw that Li Qian and Rong Shi had both sat down. Their expressions were no different from usual, and Rong Shi seemed to be asking casually.

“I’ve met him a few times through the County Princess,” Ren Yaoqi chose a relatively safe answer. It wasn’t that she didn’t trust Rong Shi, but she was ultimately a young woman, and speaking of certain matters might make Rong Shi overthink or worry.

Rong Shi nodded thoughtfully: “I thought as much.” She paused, “However, while it’s fine for you to be friends with the County Princess, you should avoid suspicion when it comes to Second Young Master Xiao when appropriate.”

Ren Yaoqi looked at Rong Shi. Her gaze held no displeasure or suspicion, only compassion and concern.

Ren Yaoqi understood Rong Shi’s meaning. Rong Shi was simply worried she would suffer. Xiao Jingxi’s status was too high for her. If any rumors were to spread, she would be the only one to suffer in the end.

Although she didn’t know why Rong Shi had perceived that she and Xiao Jingxi had some connection, Ren Yaoqi still nodded and said, “I understand, Maternal Grandmother.”

Rong Shi stroked her head and ultimately still sighed.

However, Ren Yaoqi ultimately couldn’t follow Rong Shi’s instruction.

After leaving Rong Shi’s presence, she had Xiangqin arrange for a carriage in the back courtyard. She was going out.

Ren Yaoqi was going out to see Granny Luo.

After leaving Baoping Alley, Ren Yaoqi instructed Xiasheng, who was driving the carriage, to go to the address Zhu Ruomei had previously given her. Speaking of which, she indeed had much more freedom at her maternal grandfather’s house. Although Rong Shi was worried about her, she didn’t stop her from going out with Xiasheng, accompanying her.

Overall, Rong Shi was quite indulgent with her, practically granting her every request.

Zhu Ruomei’s courtyard was neither far nor near from Baoping Alley. Although this area also had crisscrossing narrow alleys, it was much livelier and noisier than Baoping Alley, everywhere revealing a kind of vitality that came from the common people.

Xiangqin, who had grown up in the Ren family’s estate and mansion, remained unusually quiet and said nothing, though her occasional glances out the window still betrayed a trace of unease. In contrast, young Pingguo sat beside Ren Yaoqi with no particular expression, appearing quite composed. Ren Yaoqi had frequently assigned Pingguo various tasks that couldn’t be mentioned to outsiders these days, and although this girl wasn’t particularly clever, she had at least gained some experience through practice. Most importantly, she was very obedient.

“Miss, where are we going?” Xiangqin finally asked.

Seeing her unease, Ren Yaoqi comforted her: “To see someone, then we’ll return.”

Xiangqin seemed to want to ask something more, but ultimately held back and only said: “Miss, this place sounds quite chaotic. You have such a precious status—don’t let yourself be frightened.”

“This is Yunyang City, don’t worry,” Ren Yaoqi smiled.

Yunyang City was Yanbei Prince’s territory, with many Yanbei troops stationed here. So while the city hadn’t reached the level of leaving doors unlocked at night, overall, the public security was quite good.

In her previous life, after Master Pei was demoted, Ren Yaoqi had followed him away from the capital and experienced quite a bit along the way. She was no longer the secluded boudoir maiden. Although she hadn’t suffered great hardships, she had experienced worldly affairs and wasn’t afraid to step outside the mansion gates.

Finally, the carriage stopped in front of a household with red lacquered ruyi doors. As soon as the carriage stopped, the door creaked open. Zhu Ruomei’s figure appeared at the entrance.

After Ren Yaoqi got out of the carriage, Zhu Ruomei nodded without speaking. Only after Ren Yaoqi entered the courtyard did he call out, “Fifth Young Miss.”

This was just a single-courtyard residence. Ren Yaoqi instinctively looked around, and with just a glance, she saw the young man standing in the courtyard looking at her with a smile.

Seeing Ren Yaoqi’s surprise, Zhu Ruomei quickly said: “This servant came back here with the young master after leaving Baoping Alley together.” Out of respect for this young master, Zhu Ruomei didn’t ask about Xiao Jingxi’s reason for coming, though he vaguely felt it should be related to Fifth Young Miss Ren.

Ren Yaoqi had already stepped forward: “Young Master Xiao, we meet again.”

Ren Yaoqi should be unhappy at this moment, because she was now handling family matters, and she instinctively felt there was something unseemly about the affairs between the Han and Ren families. Yet this person had appeared here.

However, facing Xiao Jingxi, Ren Yaoqi really couldn’t bring herself to be angry or turn hostile.

After all, she owed him for finding the Zhai family and locating Granny Luo.

Xiao Jingxi chuckled softly, glanced at Ren Yaoqi without saying much, and only nodded.

Ren Yaoqi couldn’t gauge Xiao Jingxi’s attitude, and the two fell into silence. Fortunately, at that moment, the door of the west wing opened, and two girls appeared at the entrance.

One was Zhu Ruomei’s sister Zhu Ruoju, who had once come to pay respects to Ren Yaoqi, and behind her, peering out curiously, was Granny Luo’s little granddaughter Shui’ai.

Seeing Ren Yaoqi, Zhu Ruoju immediately ran over holding Shui’ai’s hand, saying happily: “Fifth Young Miss, you’ve come!”

Ren Yaoqi smiled and nodded, her gaze turning to Shui’ai, who looked somewhat curious yet somewhat panicked.

“Fi-Fifth Young Miss,” Shui’ai had lost the liveliness she’d shown when meeting Ren Yaoqi before, appearing somewhat timid.

“Let’s go inside first,” Xiao Jingxi turned to look at Ren Yaoqi.

Ren Yaoqi sighed softly and nodded.

“Miss, Granny Luo is in the west wing. Do you want to see her now?” Zhu Ruomei said.

Ren Yaoqi nodded—this was her purpose for coming here today.

So Zhu Ruomei led everyone inside.

As soon as the door was pushed open, Ren Yaoqi smelled a trace of medicinal odor. Granny Luo was lying in bed due to her injuries, with an elderly woman sitting beside her.

Granny Luo wasn’t asleep. Hearing the commotion, she looked over and was startled. The elderly woman sitting on the bed’s edge immediately stood up, and seeing Ren Yaoqi, she looked both surprised and delighted, quickly coming forward to pay respects: “Could this be Fifth Young Miss Ren?”

Ren Yaoqi smiled and nodded: “Sister-in-law Zhu.” From her facial features, Ren Yaoqi could tell that this very aged-looking woman was Zhu Ruomei and Zhu Ruoju’s mother.

Sister-in-law Zhu quickly pulled her daughter to kneel and kowtow together, but Ren Yaoqi quickly reached out to stop them.

Sister-in-law Zhu wanted to thank Ren Yaoqi for saving their lives, but Ren Yaoqi wouldn’t accept their formal courtesy and dissuaded them.

“Mother, take sister and this girl to boil some tea,” Zhu Ruomei knew Ren Yaoqi had come today for business and sent his mother and sister away. Sister-in-law Zhu led them away, one in each hand. Zhu Ruomei thought for a moment and retreated to the doorway. Although Xiao Jingxi had remained silent throughout, he didn’t leave either.

Ren Yaoqi glanced at him but still walked to Granny Luo’s bedside.

“What is your relationship with the Zhai family?” Ren Yaoqi’s voice was calm and gentle, yet it frightened Granny Luo so much that her face went pale and she nearly rolled off the bed, then stared at Ren Yaoqi in shock.

With such a direct question from Ren Yaoqi and seeing Granny Luo’s reaction, how could she not understand?

She sat down on the chair beside the bed. The chair was ordinary beech wood without any cushions or covers, but Ren Yaoqi still sat with composed dignity.

“Fi-Fifth Young Miss, I… this servant…” Granny Luo looked genuinely frightened, her lips trembling slightly.

Ren Yaoqi sighed softly: “The Han family already knows of your existence.”

Granny Luo seemed to remember something that frightened her and shuddered again.

At that moment, the door creaked, and Ren Yaoqi turned back to see Zhu Ruomei quietly withdrawing. However, Xiao Jingxi still sat leisurely at the nearby eight-immortals table, showing no intention of leaving voluntarily. Ren Yaoqi couldn’t drive him away and didn’t know what he was thinking, so she could only pretend not to see him.

“Fi-Fifth Young Miss, can you please save this servant’s granddaughter?” Granny Luo sobbed for a while, then said tearfully.

Ren Yaoqi smiled slightly and repeated: “What is your relationship with the Zhai family?” She didn’t respond to Granny Luo’s plea.

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