Among the maids Old Madam Ren had prepared, two were particularly striking in appearance. They weren’t home-born servants of the Ren family, but were specially purchased from outside and subjected to special training. They had learned how to serve men, all to ensnare son-in-law Lei Ting. Nanny Zhou had sharp eyes and naturally understood their background from their behavior and mannerisms. This angered her greatly, and she became extremely wary of the other legitimately born Ren family servants Old Madam Ren had prepared, so she kept none of them.

Although the indenture contracts of the eight dowry maids were in Nanny Maidong’s hands, Nanny Maidong herself was just a servant, and on Nanny Zhou’s territory in Yunyang City, she couldn’t act tough at all. Nanny Zhou was furious about Old Madam Ren’s scheming against Ren Yaohua and didn’t care that Nanny Maidong was Old Madam’s person. She directly led people to search Nanny Maidong’s belongings for the indenture contracts, then immediately sold all eight maids. Nanny Maidong was temporarily kept by Nanny Zhou, but she had already been frightened by Nanny Zhou’s decisive methods. One sentence from Nanny Zhou made her compliant: “Do you want to obediently keep your mouth shut, or never be able to open it again in this lifetime?”

Nanny Zhou had managed the prince’s mansion alongside Princess Consort Rong when she was young. Her capabilities were incomparable to ordinary managing nannies. Moreover, over the years at the Ren family, she had watched Li Shi and her daughter suffer many grievances, only enduring due to circumstances. But now, with the Xian Prince’s mansion about to be restored, Ren Yaohua marrying into the Lei family, and the third branch becoming increasingly independent, Nanny Zhou felt there was no need to continue enduring.

Nanny Zhou wasn’t afraid of the Ren family raising objections about “gifts from elders cannot be refused.” If Old Madam Ren discovered they had switched people and made trouble, Third Master Ren would take responsibility. Because those dowry maids were sold with Third Master Ren’s approval, for being of “improper origin.” Having people of unclear background serve as dowry maids would disgrace the Ren family, and though the Ren family might not care about face, Third Master Ren still did.

As for why they secretly switched without alerting the old residence, it was naturally to avoid making this matter public and becoming a laughingstock. So Nanny Zhou wasn’t afraid of Old Madam Ren challenging them—who told the “elder” to conduct herself improperly?

The dowry maids who went with Ren Yaohua to the Lei family, besides Wujing, Xiangqin, and Shuiai, included five others personally selected and trained by Nanny Zhou. Ren Yaohua’s original managing nanny, Nanny Gao, also went with her to help manage the inner courtyard in the future.

After everything was arranged, the auspicious day arrived.

The night before Ren Yaohua’s wedding, Ren Yaoqi shared her bed—this was also a local custom. Yanbei women needed sisters to accompany them the night before marriage. Although the Ren family had several unmarried sisters, Ren Yaoyin and Ren Yaoying didn’t get along with Ren Yaohua, and while the second branch had Ren Yaoting, she couldn’t be invited due to the current hostility between the first and second branches.

However, Li Shi also hoped the two sisters could grow closer at this time, since after Ren Yaohua married, the sisters wouldn’t be able to meet as often as when they were at home.

Although Ren Yaohua was more spirited than other women, tomorrow was the most important day of her life, so she couldn’t sleep due to nervousness. But she was too embarrassed to let Ren Yaoqi see her nervousness, so she lay stiffly without moving.

Ren Yaoqi wasn’t asleep either and asked: “Is it because I’m here that Third Sister can’t sleep comfortably?”

Ren Yaohua didn’t want to admit she was nervous about getting married, so she hummed in agreement.

Ren Yaoqi understood why Ren Yaohua couldn’t sleep, but mischievously teased: “Then Third Sister should get used to it, since you can’t always make Third Brother-in-law sleep in the study.”

Ren Yaohua’s face reddened, and she turned to glare fiercely at Ren Yaoqi. Seeing she couldn’t be seen clearly, she reached from her covers into Ren Yaoqi’s to pinch her waist. Ren Yaoqi quickly shrank toward the inside of the bed, pushing her hand away while laughing and accusing: “Third Sister is bullying me again!”

Ren Yaohua snorted: “So what if I bully you!” She reached to pinch Ren Yaoqi’s face again.

The two sisters playfully tussled, one giggling and the other pretending to be fierce. After this play, Ren Yaohua’s original nervousness finally dissipated considerably, and she finally felt drowsy.

Just before falling asleep, Ren Yaohua suddenly asked: “Did you see me push Ren Yihong back then?”

Ren Yaohua was asking about the incident that led to her being sent to the estate. She had originally planned to bury this matter in her heart and never ask about it. After years of getting along, she had seen Ren Yaoqi’s character clearly and knew she genuinely cared for her. So she thought that regardless of the truth about that incident, there was no need to ask anymore.

But for some reason, today she had dug up this matter that had been sealed in memory. After asking, she was startled herself, then immediately said: “Never mind, there’s nothing more to say about it.”

Ren Yaoqi sighed and recalled the events of that year. She actually couldn’t remember clearly, but still said: “I saw a figure similar to you then, wearing your clothes. Thinking back, someone might have deliberately led me there to mislead me.” Back then, when the sisters were at odds, someone had taken advantage of the situation. Both sides bore responsibility, but fortunately, this lifetime could still be remedied.

Ren Yaohua hummed in response, then actively reached out to hold Ren Yaoqi’s hand.

Ren Yaohua thought the reason she still asked was probably because this incident was the root of her complete falling out with Ren Yaoqi, something that had long troubled her. Deep down, Ren Yaohua didn’t want to believe Ren Yaoqi would hate her enough to frame her.

Ren Yaoqi also clasped Ren Yaohua’s hand back, and the sisters finally fell asleep hand in hand.

The next day, when Lei Ting came to fetch the bride, Ren Yaohua was already dressed and waiting in her chamber.

Wearing bright red wedding attire, even the heavy, rich bridal makeup couldn’t conceal Ren Yaohua’s stunning beauty. The wedding attendant helping with her grooming repeatedly praised her as the most beautiful bride she had ever served. Whether the attendant’s words were true or false was unclear, but Li Shi and Ren Yaoqi were very satisfied with Ren Yaohua’s appearance.

When the bride left her natal home to board the bridal sedan, her feet couldn’t touch the ground, so the task of carrying Ren Yaohua out fell to the eldest young master Ren Yiyan.

Ren Yaoqi couldn’t accompany Ren Yaohua to her wedding. She stood aside watching Ren Yaohua don the red veil, watching Ren Yiyan lift her up, watching them step by step walk out of the courtyard.

The Ren family was very lively today, with firecrackers and suona music never stopping. Li Shi couldn’t help but shed tears, with many people surrounding her offering comfort. Quietly watching all this, Ren Yaoqi felt joy far greater than sadness in her heart.

From today on, Ren Yaohua had completely escaped the tragedy of her previous life. From now on, things would only get better. And since Ren Yaohua could change her fate, naturally, father and mother could also change theirs and live long lives. Her greatest wish since opening her eyes in this lifetime was to protect her blood relatives’ safety and smooth lives, and this wish was now more than half fulfilled.

Hearing Li Shi’s crying, Ren Yaohua felt terrible. After leaving this door today, when she returned, her status would be different—this home would only be her natal family. As a child, seeing her mother always being bullied, Ren Yaohua had thought about never marrying when she grew up, so she could always stay by her mother’s side to protect her. Fortunately, now mother and younger sister no longer needed her protection, or she wouldn’t feel at ease getting married.

This reluctance to part from family helped eliminate much of Ren Yaohua’s nervousness about boarding the bridal sedan, until the sedan stopped at the Lei family residence and someone outside asked her to alight.

When Ren Yaohua got off the sedan, she momentarily couldn’t stand steady. A pair of strong hands reached out from the side, steadying her discreetly.

“Be careful,” Lei Ting’s low voice sounded nearby.

Ren Yaohua’s face reddened, but her heart felt at ease.

Ren Yaohua smoothly entered the Lei family gate. After completing the worship ceremony with Lei Ting according to the etiquette she had learned, she was escorted to the bridal chamber.

When Lei Ting used the scale beam to lift Ren Yaohua’s red veil, everyone in the room couldn’t help but gasp softly. With her head slightly lowered, Ren Yaohua was breathtakingly beautiful—few ordinary women could wear such heavy makeup so beautifully. Even Lei Ting, who never indulged in feminine beauty, was stunned for a moment before recovering.

After the couple drank the nuptial wine and completed the ceremony, Lei Ting had to go out to attend to guests. He considerately sent all the Lei family people away, leaving only the maids Ren Yaohua had brought, and gently asked her: “You’ve been tired for so long, are you hungry?”

Ren Yaohua shook her head. Looking at Lei Ting’s gentle eyes, she blushed and said softly, “Before leaving home, Fifth Sister prepared some small cakes for me to eat when hungry.”

Ren Yaoqi was thoughtful and considerate. Though she had never married herself, she had heard Ren Shijia mention the embarrassing incident of being so hungry during her wedding that her stomach growled loudly, so she helped Ren Yaohua prepare portable snacks for the maids to keep.

Lei Ting said, “Let me have the kitchen send some hot food for you.”

Ren Yaohua was about to say it wasn’t necessary when Lei Ting gently squeezed her hand, then got up and left.

Ren Yaohua’s heart beat fiercely, not knowing where to put her hands, feeling both joyful and embarrassed. When she composed herself and looked up, Lei Ting was already gone from the room.

Shortly after Lei Ting left, the curtain moved, and a small head carefully peeked in.

Turning her head, Ren Yaohua saw Lei Pan’er stretching her neck with wide eyes, secretly looking this way.

Lei Pan’er felt today’s Ren Yaohua seemed somewhat unfamiliar, but she still recognized her. When Ren Yaohua beckoned to her, she ran over without hesitation, throwing herself into Ren Yaohua’s arms with eyes squinting in a smile.

“Mother, you’re so beautiful!