Ren Yaohua was one who responded to gentleness rather than force. Seeing Ren Yaoqi speak to her so softly and considerately, and realizing that Ren Yaoqi’s actions were still for her sake, her heart softened and she couldn’t bring herself to voice any objections.

Ren Yaoqi took this as her agreement and instructed the servant woman to carry Ren Yaohua to the carriage.

Ren Yaohua couldn’t help but look back at Lei Ting.

Lei Ting nodded to her.

After Ren Yaohua got into the carriage, Ren Yaoqi bowed to Lei Ting and said gratefully: “Thank you so much, Master Lei, for saving my third sister this time.”

While Lei Ting was successfully rescuing Ren Yaohua and they were still on their way back to the city, Ren Yaoqi had received a message from Xiao Jingxi informing her of their safety. That’s why Ren Yaoqi had been able to arrange things in advance and come out to wait for Ren Yaohua.

Lei Ting thought this Fifth Miss Ren was quite well-informed. Their journey back certainly couldn’t have been conspicuous, yet she was able to wait for them at exactly the right place. However, his expression remained impassive as he accepted Ren Yaoqi’s bow and said: “It was just a chance encounter, a small effort. Your sister’s leg wound was only roughly bandaged – have a physician examine it properly as soon as you return. It’s not convenient for me to accompany you further. I’ll send a few men to follow behind your carriage and escort you back to Baobing Alley.”

Ren Yaoqi quickly thanked him again.

Lei Ting was not one for many words. After explaining things in a few sentences, he mounted his horse and left.

Ren Yaoqi also got into her family’s carriage, just in time to see Ren Yaohua let down the curtain she had partially opened.

Ren Yaoqi couldn’t help but look thoughtful as she sat beside Ren Yaohua and instructed the coachman to go to Baobing Alley.

“This time, we owe so much to Master Lei. When we return, we must have Mother prepare a generous gift to send to the Lei family,” Ren Yaoqi said with a smile.

Ren Yaohua gave a noncommittal “mm” without saying anything, then asked: “Does mother know I’ve returned?”

Ren Yaoqi nodded: “I just sent someone back to tell her. She originally wanted to come meet you, too, but I persuaded her not to.”

Ren Yaohua paused before saying, “I… made you all worry.”

Ren Yaoqi shook her head: “Your safety is more important than anything.”

Upon hearing this, Ren Yaohua felt even more guilty: “If I hadn’t quarreled with mother today and sneaked out by myself, I wouldn’t have been caught by Wu Yiyu’s people, and later encountered Zeng Kui… At the time, I thought I would surely die this time. I also hated myself for having such a bad temper, bringing it upon myself…”

Ren Yaoqi grasped Ren Yaohua’s hand and gently interrupted: “Third sister, this isn’t your fault. As the saying goes, one doesn’t fear thieves stealing, but thieves watching.”

Ren Yaohua: “…”

Ren Yaohua’s emotions had been quite turbulent today. Just now, due to self-blame, she had fallen into an uncontrollable low mood. But Ren Yaoqi’s remark completely disrupted her low emotions, leaving her somewhat between laughter and tears.

The carriage soon arrived at Baobing Alley. Chuchu, who served Rong Shi, had been waiting at the alley entrance and immediately sent someone back to report to Rong Shi when she saw the Ren family carriage arrive.

Ren Yaoqi got out of the carriage first, then had someone carry Ren Yaohua inside.

Since Ren Yaoqi had sent word to Rong Shi beforehand, Rong Shi had already had the two rooms in the west wing cleaned. When Ren Yaoqi and Ren Yaohua arrived, Rong Shi and Ji Fuying were already waiting in the west wing.

Seeing the servant woman carry Ren Yaohua through the door, Ji Fuying quickly went to the back courtyard to fetch the physician. Prince Xian’s mansion had one or two capable healers, but fearing Ren Yaohua wouldn’t like it, Rong Shi had instead sent someone to a medical clinic to invite a physician skilled in treating injuries and external wounds to the mansion, having him wait in the back courtyard.

Rong Shi didn’t hold today’s unpleasantness against her younger relative, but patiently asked about her injuries before having her properly settled on the bed.

Ren Yaohua naturally felt somewhat awkward, but when Rong Shi asked her questions, she still answered them without throwing a tantrum at this time.

After the physician entered, Rong Shi gave him a general account of Ren Yaohua’s injuries on her behalf, then had him examine her. After looking at Ren Yaohua’s wound, the physician said: “The young lady is quite fortunate – half an inch more and it would have injured the bone. The wound was also bandaged very timely, and blood was stopped using pressure point methods. With proper rest for half a month to ten days, it will heal well.”

Everyone finally breathed a sigh of relief upon hearing this.

Ji Fuying asked: “With such a deep wound, will it leave a scar?” Women always care about their appearance. Although the injury was on her foot, for an unmarried young lady, having a large scar on her foot would still be somewhat regrettable.

The physician said, “The wound is quite deep, so a scar will likely remain. I’ll prescribe some medicinal ointment for her – remember to apply it morning and evening. Though I can’t guarantee it will leave no trace at all, it can at least make the scar lighter.”

Rong Shi nodded and had someone escort the physician down to write prescriptions and prepare medicine.

Learning that a scar would remain on her leg, Ren Yaohua wasn’t too worried. Being able to return safely today meant she had already saved her life – leaving just one scar wasn’t much at all.

Seeing Ren Yaohua’s tired appearance, Rong Shi said, “I’ll have someone bring in some food. Fill your stomach before taking medicine.”

Ren Yaohua hadn’t even eaten lunch today, and had been traveling continuously. When Lei Ting had asked if she wanted to eat something on the road, she had no appetite and didn’t eat. Now she was indeed somewhat hungry.

Ren Yaohua was silent for a moment, then said stiffly: “Thank you.”

Although this thanks was rather dry, Rong Shi said nothing, smiled, and left with Ji Fuying, leaving only the two sisters in the room.

Ren Yaohua lay facing the wall for a while, then suddenly turned around and asked Ren Yaoqi: “Am I particularly annoying?”

Ren Yaoqi thought for a moment and was about to respond when Ren Yaohua had already turned back around and said sullenly: “Forget it, better not say anything.”

Ren Yaoqi: “…”

Just when Ren Yaoqi thought Ren Yaohua had fallen asleep, she heard her say quietly: “You and mother don’t blame them. I think perhaps there are indeed some things I may have misunderstood. But some knots in the heart have been tied for too many years – they’ve accumulated day by day. Even if they’re forcibly untied now, I can’t pretend nothing ever happened.”

Ren Yaoqi walked over to sit on the bed edge and listened as Ren Yaohua continued: “I’m not your mother, and I’m not you. You can be kind and magnanimous, you can be calm and peaceful, but I can’t do that – I’ve always been a bad person. However, I don’t want to make my mother sad and distressed, putting her in a difficult position. So in the future, I’ll try my best to get along peacefully with the people from our maternal grandfather’s family. I won’t neglect any proper courtesies – don’t worry about that.”

After saying this, Ren Yaohua closed her eyes and said nothing more.

But Ren Yaoqi understood her unfinished meaning.

When Ren Yaohua disliked someone, she disliked them – she couldn’t force herself to forgive just because she should. However, she was willing to try to accept the people from Prince Xian’s mansion.

Ren Yaoqi knew that for Ren Yaohua, being able to do this much was already quite difficult. So she didn’t lecture Ren Yaohua.

As Ren Yaohua had said, some knots in the heart couldn’t be untied just by saying so. If she hadn’t experienced those things and had the chance to live again, she might not have done better than Ren Yaohua.

Perhaps leaving these matters to time would be a good choice. At least Ren Yaohua wouldn’t be so resistant and averse to people from their maternal grandfather’s family in the future. Feelings between people are all accumulated through bit-by-bit interactions – others trying to persuade with words isn’t as good as experiencing sincerity for oneself.

Ren Yaoqi and Ren Yaohua stayed overnight at Prince Xian’s mansion. The next day, before dawn, people from the Lei family arrived, bringing back Ren Yaohua’s maids and servants, including the two carriages the Ren family had lost.

This time Lei Ting didn’t come himself – it was the Lei family’s steward, Liu Gui, who came. After delivering the people and carriages to Prince Xian’s mansion, he took his leave. Steward Liu’s explanation of how the Lei family had helped retrieve the Ren family’s people and carriages was very matter-of-fact, without the slightest hint of taking credit, making it sound as if the Lei family had merely done Ren Yaohua a small favor in passing, leaving others too embarrassed to offer too generous thanks in return.

So when Ren Yaoqi came out after receiving the news, she didn’t encounter anyone from the Lei family.

Instead, Xiangqin came crying and threw herself toward Ren Yaoqi: “Fifth Miss… this servant finally sees you! This servant thought she’d never see you again!”

Pingguo immediately stepped in front of Ren Yaoqi and squeezed out: “You stink, don’t make Fifth Miss sick.” After a pause, she kindly added, “Third Miss is in the room.”

Sangshen stood aside, sweating: You mean it’s fine to make Third Miss sick?

Xiangqin had originally been thoroughly devastated by Pingguo’s “you stink” comment. She was a girl who had just been pitifully kidnapped and sold, and after this half day and night, her clothes weren’t torn, her hair wasn’t disheveled, her face wasn’t dirty – even her fingernails had been carefully cleaned before getting off the carriage. Which of the maids and servants in that carriage could claim to be cleaner and neater than her? This was the standard of the Ren mansion’s head maid! And she still thought she stank!

Fortunately, Pingguo’s mention of “Third Miss” effectively stopped Xiangqin’s outrage, and she immediately asked tearfully: “Is Third Miss alright?”

After Xiangqin woke up, she had been crying continuously. Even having a knife held to her throat couldn’t frighten her quiet, and she nearly wiped her tears and snot on others. Finally, unable to bear it anymore, the kidnappers stuffed her mouth with rags and threw her in a corner.

When the Lei family’s people found her, her first question was: Has Miss been found? I want to go find Miss. The Lei family’s people were driven crazy by her crying and could only tell her that Third Miss Ren had already returned home. Only then did the Ren family’s premier crying maid calm down, and only then did she realize her appearance was quite problematic.

Ren Yaoqi comforted Xiangqin with a few words, had Sangshen take her to change clothes first, and after changing, brought her to see Ren Yaohua. She went to the main hall to find Rong Shi.

Rong Shi beckoned Ren Yaoqi to sit down, then asked: “What kind of person is Lei Ting?”

At first, Ren Yaoqi didn’t quite understand, thinking Rong Shi was asking about Lei Ting’s character. She couldn’t help but feel puzzled – hadn’t Rong Shi praised Lei Ting before? Why was she now asking her about him instead?