Zhen Ming was overjoyed, but her voice was tinged with crying, her nostrils flaring as tears fell like broken pearls, her expression looking even worse than if she were crying.
Who could have imagined that after such dramatic turns, the Seventh Young Master… had returned safely. This was simply tremendous news.
Bai Qingyan looked up, her tightly furrowed brows relaxing as she slowly stood up, supporting herself on the desk: “Let’s go out to welcome them…”
Originally she thought Mother, Aunt, and her sisters should arrive tomorrow, but unexpectedly they had returned today.
Seeing this, Zhen Ming hurried forward to support Bai Qingyan. Looking at her eldest miss’s pale complexion, dark circles under her eyes, and barely supported appearance, Zhen Ming felt heartbroken.
Zhen Ming held Bai Qingyan’s arms with both hands, looking up and saying softly: “Eldest Miss, Madam and Young Master have just entered the city… why don’t you rest first? Otherwise, with your pale complexion, Madam and the young master and misses will worry when they see you.”
“Is my complexion very poor?” Bai Qingyan paused in her steps, asking Zhen Ming in a low voice.
Zhen Ming nodded with reddened eyes: “Eldest Miss, the dark circles under your eyes are very severe.”
Having not seen Mother, Aunt, sisters, and A’Jue for so long, Bai Qingyan didn’t want them to see her looking so wan today. She said to Zhen Ming, “Apply some powder to cover it.”
Zhen Ming nodded in agreement, taking powder to help Bai Qingyan cover the dark circles under her eyes. Looking at herself in the mirror with the dark circles no longer so severe, she finally stood up from the bronze mirror with Zhen Ming’s support and walked toward the front courtyard.
Before Bai Jinxiu even reached the mourning hall, she saw little Wang Ge’er wearing mourning cloth on his head, being held high by Qin Lang, stretching his chubby little hands to reach the blooming magnolia flowers on the tree.
Cuibi stood to the side looking nervous, afraid Qin Lang might drop Wang Ge’er, spreading her hands protectively like facing a great enemy. Catching sight of Bai Jinxiu from the corner of her eye, Cuibi called out with reddened eyes: “Second Miss!”
Hearing this, Qin Lang turned around and saw Bai Jinxiu in mourning clothes standing in the covered walkway. Qin Lang’s lips moved as he lowered his head to speak to Wang Ge’er in his arms: “Wang Ge’er, look… Mother has come. Haven’t you been clamoring for Mother?”
Bai Jinxiu’s eyes moistened, the corners of her lips curving into a smile as she lifted the hem of her mourning dress and walked toward Qin Lang and Wang Ge’er, saying softly: “Look how much sturdier our Wang Ge’er has become. Mother wants to hold you…”
When Wang Ge’er saw Bai Jinxiu about to take him from Qin Lang’s arms, he quickly hugged Qin Lang’s neck with both hands, burying his face in Qin Lang’s neck without looking at Bai Jinxiu, giving Bai Jinxiu his back.
Bai Jinxiu’s throat tightened as she placed one hand on Qin Lang’s arm and gently stroked Wang Ge’er’s back with the other, holding back tears as she spoke softly to Wang Ge’er: “Is Wang Ge’er angry with Mother? Mother was wrong… Wang Ge’er, don’t be angry anymore, alright? Mother will never be separated from Wang Ge’er again! Is that alright?”
Bai Jinxiu very gently grasped Wang Ge’er’s chubby little hand, saying softly: “Mother really, really missed Wang Ge’er, thinking about Wang Ge’er every day. Mother wants to hold you, alright?”
Second Madam Liu Shi, who had already changed into mourning clothes and was about to go to the main hall to return courtesies to visiting mourners, saw her daughter coaxing her little grandson from afar. Tears immediately fell as she quickly dabbed her eyes with a handkerchief, supporting herself on Nanny Luo’s hand as she emerged from the covered walkway, calling out loudly: “Our Wang Ge’er shouldn’t pay attention to her! Wang Ge’er… come with Grandmother. We won’t pay attention to your mother anymore!”
Hearing these words, Wang Ge’er quickly turned and threw himself at Bai Jinxiu, tightly hugging her neck.
Qin Lang bent down smiling as he handed Wang Ge’er to Bai Jinxiu. The little one felt heavy in her arms, clearly having been very well fed during this time.
“Little heartless one!” Liu Shi pretended to be angry, scolding Wang Ge’er: “How did Grandmother teach you? When you see your mother, ignore her… give her the cold shoulder for three months, too. How can you be so disappointing!”
Wang Ge’er hugged his mother’s neck tightly, happily swinging his two legs, his eyes crinkling with joy—those eyes almost identical to Bai Jinxiu’s.
Liu Shi tapped little Wang Ge’er’s forehead.
“Mother…” Bai Jinxiu called softly.
Liu Shi’s gaze shifted from Wang Ge’er to her daughter, and her expression darkened: “Don’t call me Mother! How dare I have such a daughter? Without a word, you had me knocked unconscious and thrown into a carriage. When I woke up, I was almost at Baishui City! Three months… for these three months, don’t talk to me. Wang Ge’er can’t give you the cold shoulder for three months, but I’ll give you the cold shoulder for three months!”
After Liu Shi finished speaking, she angrily swept her sleeves and left…
Bai Jinxiu looked at Qin Lang as if seeking help: “Is Mother… very angry about Baishui City?”
“Mother-in-law isn’t angry, she’s just worried about you constantly. News came so slowly, and Mother-in-law was so anxious she couldn’t eat or drink, always on edge. Finally, when she heard the news that Eldest Miss had returned, taken the Capital City, and was about to ascend the throne, only then did she breathe a sigh of relief. Mother-in-law is so angry because she was worried about you.” Qin Lang said in a low voice.
“Help me say some good words to Mother.” Bai Jinxiu said again.
Qin Lang looked at Bai Jinxiu with gentle eyes: “Where do I need to say good words? As long as you sincerely apologize to your Mother-in-law, she will forgive you!”
This time, Bai Jinxiu had truly made Qin Lang look at her with new respect.
If previously Qin Lang’s feelings for Bai Jinxiu were tenderness and loving care, now… Qin Lang also had added admiration for Bai Qingyan.
It was also because Bai Jinxiu was too gentle that Qin Lang had forgotten… Bai Jinxiu had once been on battlefields too. She was no less capable than any man.
To have such a wife, capable in both literature and martial arts, Qin Lang himself needed to work twice as hard to be worthy of Bai Jinxiu.
Upon receiving news from the Bai residence’s back courtyard that Bai Qingyan would personally go out the Bai residence gates to welcome the various ladies of the Bai family, Xie Yuchang immediately led the Imperial Guards to surround the Bai residence and that entire street so tightly that not even water could leak through. Even the carriages of nobles who had come to pay their respects were moved aside first, made to wait in narrow alleys until after the Bai family ladies returned to the residence before being allowed through.
Wei Zhong also ordered shadow guards to lurk around the Bai residence, just in case.
The Bai clan members who had originally planned to put on a show in front of Bai Qingyan… to properly wail for the Grand Princess, were also blocked from approaching Bai Qingyan even half a step.
Second Madam Liu Shi of the Bai family, Bai Qingyan, Bai Jinxiu, Bai Jinse, Qin Lang, Wang Ge’er, and loyal servants of the Bai family stood at the Bai residence gates.
Seeing a convoy slowly approaching the Bai residence from afar, Second Madam Liu Shi stepped forward.
The man on horseback leading the escorts at the front, with upright posture and proud bearing… was Bai Qingjue. Behind Bai Qingjue followed Bai Jinzhao and Bai Jinhua, also mounted on horseback with heroic bearing.
Second Madam Liu Shi gripped Nanny Luo’s hand tightly, her throat working as her hands trembled continuously, her heart full of excitement mixed with some disbelief: “It really is A’Jue, isn’t it? It’s A’Jue, isn’t it?”
If A’Jue could return, could her A’Qiong and A’Yu also return? Even if… even if A’Hui and A’Feng could come back, that would be good!