This was Ren Yaoqi’s first time returning to Baihe Town since her marriage. When she stepped through the Ren family’s main gate, many things had already changed.

The Ren family’s eldest madam personally came out with her two daughters-in-law to welcome Ren Yaoqi, accompanying her and Ren Yaohua to the mourning hall to offer incense to Old Master Ren.

Ren Yaoqi originally hadn’t planned to stay long at the Ren family – once the proper etiquette was observed, that would be enough. However, when they came out of the mourning hall, the eldest madam said: “Old Madam is waiting for Third Young Madam and Fifth Young Madam. She has been overcome with grief since Old Master’s passing and has been bedridden these past days. Only upon hearing that the two young madams had returned did she improve somewhat. Third Young Madam, you were always Old Madam’s favorite. Though there were some unpleasantnesses before, what overnight grudges can there be between blood relatives? Old Madam mentions you every few days.”

Ren Yaohua glanced at Ren Yaoqi, pressed her lips together, and said nothing.

Seeing this, the eldest madam also looked toward Ren Yaoqi, her attitude affectionate yet carrying some careful caution that hadn’t been there before: “Third Young Madam, it’s still early. Would you like to go see Old Madam?”

Ren Yaoqi surveyed the surrounding onlookers and said to Ren Yaohua: “Let’s go see Old Madam.”

Ren Yaohua nodded. The eldest madam breathed a sigh of relief, her face showing a smile. She entrusted the outside affairs to the eldest young madam and the third young madam, then personally led the sisters Ren Yaoqi and Ren Yaohua to Old Madam’s Ronghua Courtyard.

Just entering Ronghua Courtyard, a maid was already calling out while going in to report to Old Madam. Before Ren Yaoqi and the others had reached the main house, the curtain of the main house lifted, and a thin woman in mourning clothes walked out.

Upon meeting face to face, both Ren Yaoqi and Ren Yaohua were startled, but the woman had already stepped forward to greet them.

“Third Sister, Fifth Sister, you’ve returned? Grandmother was just asking about you.” Ren Yaoyin’s voice and demeanor carried some fatigue. Her lips were dry, and there were some dark circles under her eyes, as if she hadn’t rested well for a long time.

Ren Yaohua glanced at her, then moved her gaze elsewhere, acting as if she hadn’t seen her.

Ren Yaoyin seemed to have forgotten the conflicts between them in the past and didn’t remember why she had originally left Yanbei. Unfortunately, Ren Yaohua had an excellent memory and was someone who held grudges.

Seeing the eldest madam’s anxious and nervous expression, Ren Yaoqi nodded to Ren Yaoyin: “Miss Ren Si, it’s been a long time.”

Eldest Madam’s expression improved somewhat. She said to Ren Yaoyin, “How can you come out to receive guests looking like this? Go down and tidy yourself up.”

Ren Yaoyin smiled bitterly: “Grandmother can’t be left alone, and I can’t help with outside matters. I can only do things like serving tea, water, and keeping night watch. I didn’t know Third Sister and Fifth Sister would come today, so I’m afraid I’ve made you laugh.”

Ren Yaoqi smiled and made polite conversation: “Miss Ren Si’s filial piety is commendable.”

After Ren Yaoyin said a few more words – with Ren Yaohua ignoring her from beginning to end while Ren Yaoqi remained courteous but distant – Ren Yaoyin left first to change clothes, and eldest madam led Ren Yaoqi and Ren Yaohua into the main house.

When she saw Old Madam Ren, Ren Yaoqi almost couldn’t recognize her, because her entire nose was wrapped in thick gauze. She lay on the bed with her eyes closed, and among her facial features, only her lower lip and ears could be seen.

Ren Yaohua looked at Old Madam Ren with somewhat complex emotions. Unlike Ren Yaoqi, Old Madam Ren had at least doted on and cherished her for over ten years. Although even the deepest feelings couldn’t withstand repeated torment, seeing Old Madam Ren in such a weakened state, Ren Yaohua couldn’t truly remain unmoved.

Eldest Madam called out softly, and Old Madam Ren opened her eyes. When she saw Ren Yaoqi and Ren Yaohua, her eyes brightened. She grabbed the eldest madam’s hand and struggled to sit up.

Ren Yaoqi said, “Old Madam, please lie down. Sister and I will just look at you and then leave.”

Old Madam Ren’s tears immediately flowed out, but she still insisted on sitting up, reaching out her hands toward them: “Third Girl, Fifth Girl, you’ve finally come back… Your grandfather, he… wuu… he always thought of you and your father. Fortunately, he saw your father one last time…” Old Madam Ren cried inconsolably, her appearance making it impossible not to sympathize with her grief of losing her husband in old age.

Ren Yaohua looked at the hand Old Madam Ren extended toward her, then glanced at Ren Yaoqi. Seeing that although Ren Yaoqi was softly comforting Old Madam Ren, she stood somewhat far away, Ren Yaohua thought for a moment and remained standing at the foot of the bed without moving.

After crying for a while, Old Madam Ren finally took the opportunity of wiping her tears to withdraw her stiffened hand. When her emotions had stabilized somewhat, she looked toward Ren Yaohua: “Hua’er, grandmother hasn’t seen you for so long. In your grandmother’s heart, you’re still that little girl who stumbled when she walked. Who would have thought that in the blink of an eye, you’re already a mother? Grandmother refuses to admit she’s gotten old. Come closer and let grandmother have a good look. Grandmother’s eyes aren’t good now – everything appears double.”

Ren Yaohua pressed her lips together and didn’t move.

Old Madam Ren frowned slightly and secretly glanced at the eldest madam. Just as the eldest madam was about to pull Ren Yaohua forward, they heard Ren Yaoyin seemingly talking to someone outside, and her voice wasn’t quiet.

Old Madam Ren was already in a depressed mood, and with both granddaughters being so difficult to handle, she immediately said, displeasedly: “Yin’er! Is that you outside?”

Ren Yaoyin responded from outside and quickly came in. She had already washed her face and changed clothes. Although she still wore no cosmetics, she looked better than before.

As soon as Ren Yaoyin entered, before Old Madam Ren could scold her, she quickly said: “Grandmother, Mother, the steward from the outer courtyard came and said that the merchant surnamed Yu sent people again, saying they want to buy our house.”

Upon hearing this, Old Madam Ren said angrily: “Have them thrown out! This is simply outrageous! Do they think the Ren family has no one left? I think they’re not here to buy the house, but deliberately to cause trouble for our Ren family!”

Eldest madam also sighed: “With Old Master newly deceased and the masters so busy they can’t touch the ground lately, this man surnamed Yu probably saw that our family has no time to deal with him, so he came to cause trouble.”

Ren Yaoyin frowned: “What should we do now? Father and the others aren’t in the front courtyard right now.”

Old Madam Ren seemed to remember something and quickly said: “Where’s Third Son? Isn’t Third Son at home? Have him go out and deal with this. Don’t let people bully our family of old and weak women and children!”

The eldest madam looked troubled and glanced at Ren Yaoqi and Ren Yaohua.

Ren Yaoqi raised an eyebrow and examined these three people one by one, wondering what medicine they were selling in their gourds.

She knew her father wasn’t staying at the Ren family. Did Old Madam think he was at the Ren family?

Old Madam said, displeasedly: “What? Third Son isn’t home either?” After thinking, her eyes showed some dejection: “Or is it that I can’t even count on him for such a small matter?”

Ren Yaoyin quickly said, “No, Grandmother. Third Uncle is very filial. It’s because the Yu family brought a female relative this time, so it’s inappropriate for Third Uncle to appear. I heard this Yu family lady is also an official’s daughter. Mother and I are afraid…” As Ren Yaoyin spoke, she looked at Ren Yaoqi and Ren Yaohua with some difficulty: “How about Third Sister and Fifth Sister accompany my mother to handle this once? With your esteemed status, the Yu family surely wouldn’t dare to covet the Ren family house anymore.”

Old Madam Ren immediately looked toward Ren Yaoqi and Ren Yaohua with expectant eyes.

Ren Yaoqi saw they had made such a big circle for this purpose – to borrow their hands to deal with the people coming to buy the house?

Ren Yaohua frowned: “They came to buy the house. If you don’t want to sell, just don’t sell. They can’t force you to sell, can they?”

Old Madam Ren and the eldest madam exchanged glances, then both remained silent. Ren Yaoyin hesitated for a while, then sighed: “This is unavoidable. The Ren family owes the Yu family a large sum of money. It’s said that originally, the house in the East Manor was used as collateral.”

The East Manor house used to be occupied by the Ren family’s second branch. Ever since the Second Old Master and Old Master had their falling out, the second branch had moved to live in Yunyang City. But somehow, the property deed for the East Manor had been mortgaged out.

Since the Ren family’s troubles, their business had lost most of its value, and many places needed money, large sums of money, so they had borrowed considerable external debt.

The Ren family was no longer what it used to be, and others wouldn’t casually lend money, so initially, some property deeds and mining properties were mortgaged. It was just unclear how the Yu family had obtained the Ren family’s property deed. On the third day after Old Master Ren’s death, on the second day of the New Year, they came demanding the house. The Ren family had never borrowed money from the Yu family, yet creditors had inexplicably come to their door.

But the Ren family house absolutely couldn’t be handed over. This was something Old Master Ren had repeatedly instructed, and currently the family head, eldest master Ren, also disagreed with selling the house.

It just so happened that Ren Yaoqi and Ren Yaohua had returned to pay their respects to Old Master Ren, so the Ren family was making full use of them.

In the world’s eyes, Ren Shimin’s branch had completely separated from the Ren clan and established its household. Although Ren Shimin had rushed back when Old Master Ren died, he hadn’t stayed at the Ren family – this was something all sighted people could see, indicating that Ren Shimin had no intention of “returning to the ancestral clan.” Naturally, the Xiao family’s young madam and Lei family’s matriarch from Ren Shimin’s branch had no relationship with the Ren family of Baihe Town. Otherwise, just based on these two young madams’ status, no one would dare come to demand debts and houses during the first month of the New Year.

Old Madam Ren also believed that as long as Ren Yaoqi and Ren Yaohua publicly supported the Ren family’s dignity once, the Yu family person definitely wouldn’t dare come to their door again. After all, on Yanbei’s territory, no one dared oppose Prince Yanbei’s Manor.

But was Ren Yaoqi so easily used?

Ren Yaoqi thought for a moment and asked: “Can the Ren family currently repay the Yu family’s money?”

Old Madam Ren’s expression was somewhat unsightly: “Where would we get so much money?”