Because Ren Yaoqi had suspected from the beginning that Little Qiao Shi’s appearance was related to the Han family, now that Little Qiao Shi had suddenly caused another disturbance, she knew it was likely connected to the Han family’s behind-the-scenes manipulation.

Ren Yaoqi had never relaxed her vigilance against the Han family. However, the Han family had been very quiet recently. Even when the Han family’s eldest master remarried, taking a wife from the Jiang family of Shunzhou, the celebration was kept very low-key. They only sent invitations to a few familiar families and didn’t make a grand affair of it.

However, the merchant who had suddenly appeared wanting to buy the Ren family’s ancestral home reminded Ren Yaoqi that the accounts between the Han family and the Ren family were not so easily settled. At least, the Ren family’s residence hadn’t fallen into Han Dongshan’s hands yet – how could he willingly give up?

“Whether to let her enter the residence is another matter, but now that the child has been born, those with ulterior motives outside will likely become even more active. Sigh!” Li Shi was very worried and couldn’t help sighing.

Ren Yaoqi understood Li Shi’s meaning. If Ren Yaohua had given birth to a boy this time, those outside with designs on the Lei family would naturally restrain themselves, since Lei Ting was not a lustful man. However, now that Ren Yaohua had given birth to a girl, some people would feel the Lei family still presented opportunities. After all, for families like the Lei family with thin lineage, offspring were of paramount importance.

Li Shi didn’t dislike her granddaughter – she was just thinking of her own experiences in the Ren family, which made her worry about Ren Yaohua.

Originally, Ren Shimin was not the eldest legitimate grandson of the Ren family. The Ren family had several brothers, and Li Shi faced such enormous pressure that she couldn’t hold her head up in the Ren family for over ten years. If Ren Yaohua didn’t have a son to rely on, her situation would only be more difficult.

Ren Yaoqi was quietly comforting Li Shi and about to change the subject when she heard Ren Yaohua’s maid Wujing reporting from outside: “Madam, the Ren family’s Third Young Master and Third Young Madam have arrived. They’ve reached the second gate.”

Upon hearing this, Ren Yaoqi was stunned, then immediately realized it was Ren Yijun and Lady Qi who had come. She couldn’t help but be delighted. Since she hadn’t returned to the Ren family, she hadn’t seen this third brother with his peculiar and stubborn personality for quite some time.

Li Shi knew Ren Yaoqi had a good relationship with Ren Yijun and smiled: “Then you go out and greet them.”

Though Nanny Zhou disliked the Ren family and the two Ren elders, and even had some complaints about the Ren family’s eldest madam, her impression of Ren Yijun and Lady Qi was quite good. However, she was still somewhat worried that the Ren Yijun couple were sent by the Ren family as negotiators, so she couldn’t help glancing at Ren Yaoqi.

Ren Yaoqi understood Nanny Zhou and shook her head at her before getting up to leave. However, only after stepping out did she realize this was the Lei family, not her own home – what the guests she was going out to greet? Li Shi must have been confused from being busy.

Ren Yaoqi shook her head and smiled. Fortunately, she didn’t need to go out to greet any guests. She had just walked to the courtyard when she saw Ren Yijun and Qi Yuegui entering through the gate.

“Third Brother, Third Sister-in-law.” Ren Yaoqi walked forward with a smile.

Ren Yijun now looked much different from when she was still at the Ren family. Not only had his originally sickly pale complexion gained some color, but his body also appeared more robust. He even smiled when he saw her.

Ren Yaoqi blinked, somewhat flattered as she glanced at Lady Qi.

Lady Qi winked at Ren Yaoqi, still with her lively and optimistic demeanor: “Your third brother and I came to walk around Yunyang City. We happened to hear that Yaohua gave birth last night, and knowing you were also at the Lei family, your third brother said we should come see you both.”

Upon hearing this, Ren Yijun became displeased, glancing at her sideways: “Wasn’t it you who said you wanted to come! Always love joining in the excitement! Don’t even consider whether people welcome you or not.” As soon as he opened his mouth, he exposed himself. Ren Yijun’s personality hadn’t changed.

Lady Qi gave Ren Yijun plenty of face in public, quickly agreeing with him with a smile: “Yes, yes, young master is right! It was I who insisted on coming to see little sister and our niece.”

Ren Yijun snorted lightly, but the corners of his mouth curved upward.

Ren Yaoqi, watching from the side, couldn’t help but marvel.

During the time she wasn’t at the Ren family, many things must have happened between her third brother and Qi Yuegui, causing some changes in their relationship. The atmosphere between them was different from before. Lady Qi’s recent way of addressing her and the child also showed that Ren Yijun should now have acknowledged her status as his wife.

Moreover, with Ren Yijun’s personality, he wouldn’t think to come see Ren Yaohua and the child. His relationship with Ren Yaohua was also ordinary, so it must have been Lady Qi who suggested coming. And Ren Yijun agreed.

Though Ren Yaoqi discovered this, she didn’t point it out, lest her third brother become difficult again. She pretended not to know anything, leading the two inside while smiling: “You’re the uncle and aunt – if we don’t welcome you, who would we welcome? But have you prepared gifts? You can’t come empty-handed for the first meeting.”

Ren Yaoqi was joking, but Ren Yijun took it seriously. He couldn’t help stopping, frowning as he felt around his body, seemingly wanting to find a meeting gift for himself. Unfortunately, Third Young Master Ren was usually the type who even had servants carry his money pouch when going out. Naturally, he couldn’t produce any appropriate gifts from his person, leaving him somewhat in a dilemma.

Just as Ren Yaoqi was about to tease him, Qi Yuegui had already taken out what looked like a very exquisite small pouch from her sleeve and placed it in Ren Yijun’s hand, smiling: “The meeting gift you prepared is with me. Young master, did you forget?”

Ren Yijun looked at the pouch in his hand, stunned: “Isn’t this just now you…” Under the gaze of Qi Yuegui and Ren Yaoqi, Ren Yijun swallowed the words “just now you saw this and made the young master pay for it.” Only then did he understand that the jade pendant Qi Yuegui had selected earlier was prepared as a meeting gift for Ren Yaohua’s daughter.

Ren Yaoqi led the two into the room and discovered that Ren Yaohua seemed to have awakened. From the inner room came the voices of Li Shi and Ren Yaohua talking, and the child had also been taken inside.

Ren Yaoqi looked at Ren Yijun and Qi Yuegui, smiling as she said: “I’ll take Third Sister-in-law inside to see sister. Third Brother, you sit here for a while. Later, we’ll bring the child out for you to see.”

Ren Yijun nodded and remained in the main room’s hall while Ren Yaoqi took Qi Yuegui into the inner room.

Ren Yaohua had indeed awakened and was leaning against the headboard, holding her child in her arms while speaking quietly with Li Shi. Though her complexion was still somewhat haggard, her expression was very gentle and peaceful.

As soon as Ren Yaoqi entered, she smiled: “Sister, Third Brother, and Third Sister-in-law have come to see you and the child.”

Ren Yaohua looked up at them, then nodded to Lady Qi: “Third Sister-in-law.”

When Ren Yaohua was at the Ren family, her relationship with Lady Qi wasn’t close either, so after greeting her, she didn’t know what else to say. Fortunately, Lady Qi wasn’t someone who would let the atmosphere turn cold. She bowed to Li Shi, smilingly called her “Aunt,” then walked to the bed and bent down to look at the child in the swaddling clothes.

“Oh my, even sleeping, she looks so spirited! Look how tightly she’s clenching those little fists! Aunt, please let me hold her.” Lady Qi said with a grin.

Li Shi carefully handed the child to her. Originally, she was somewhat worried and wanted to give her some pointers, but unexpectedly, Lady Qi’s posture for holding the child was very practiced.

Seeing this, Li Shi smiled: “Looking at your posture, you’ve held children before. Not like Yaoqi – as soon as she takes one, she’s all flustered. I don’t dare let her hold them.”

Lady Qi smiled: “When I was at home, I helped take care of my younger brothers and sisters.”

Lady Qi came from a small household background. In such families, it was normal for older children to help care for younger siblings.

Nanny Zhou smiled from the side: “Holding your siblings is different from holding other children.”

Lady Qi couldn’t help but ask curiously: “How is it different?”

Nanny Zhou smiled: “If you hold children more now, the Child-Giving Goddess will send you one too.”

Lady Qi couldn’t help but blush deeply, her face turning somewhat red. However, her personality wasn’t the shy, reserved type. She just pursed her lips and smiled: “Then I’ll accept your auspicious words.”

Nanny Zhou and Li Shi weren’t very clear about the situation between Lady Qi and Ren Yijun. Out of concern, they quietly asked her some questions on the side. Lady Qi had been married into the Ren family for quite some time, but her belly had shown no signs of activity. The Ren family’s eldest madam was getting somewhat anxious, too.

They naturally didn’t know that after Lady Qi married Ren Yijun, the two had slept separately for a very long time. Sleeping in the same bed was a recent development. Ren Yijun was stubborn, willful, had a young master’s temperament, and was difficult to serve. Though Lady Qi always seemed to contradict Ren Yijun on the surface and always tried to anger him, her true nature was generous, optimistic, tolerant, and uncalculating. The two people’s personalities complemented each other quite well. So after such a long period of adjustment, their feelings had gradually begun to warm up.

However, no matter how generous Lady Qi was, she couldn’t withstand Li Shi and Nanny Zhou’s caring inquiries, finally fleeing in defeat under the pretense of taking the child to show Ren Yijun.

Li Shi and Nanny Zhou, seeing they had scared someone away, couldn’t help but laugh. The two went out together to watch over the child while Ren Yaoqi sat with Ren Yaohua in her room for a while longer.

Ren Yaohua said to Ren Yaoqi: “This time it was all thanks to you helping me request that Nanny Gong. Otherwise, the child might have…”

Ren Yaoqi had previously been somewhat angry about Ren Yaohua’s behavior of insisting on saving the child regardless of her safety when in danger. However, now that both Ren Yaohua and the child were safe, she understood Ren Yaohua’s feelings as a mother. So she didn’t bring up old matters again, just smiling: “We’re sisters – what’s there to say about such things? I just ran some errands, it wasn’t anything major.”

Ren Yaohua shook her head: “I heard this Nanny Gong is very difficult to request, especially since she hasn’t come out to see outsiders for over ten years. I heard her hearing and eyesight aren’t very good anymore, and she’s been living in retirement at the Prince’s Manor.”

Upon hearing this, Ren Yaoqi thought of something and asked: “Who suggested requesting Nanny Gong at the time? People generally wouldn’t think of someone who hasn’t appeared for over ten years, would they?” At least she didn’t know of Nanny Gong’s existence, and she frequently visited the Yanbei Prince’s Manor.