Before Yao Shi could speak, Tai’er was scolded by his mother, who said: “Tai’er, come here, stop bothering your grandmother.”

Tai’er had always been obedient to his mother’s discipline. Whenever Han Ruohui scolded him, he would quickly become well-behaved, hanging his little head as he returned to his mother’s side.

The reason Han Ruohui called him over was also out of consideration for her mother-in-law’s health.

Yao Shi had aged considerably. These five years had not been easy for her—she worried about this declining household while also caring for her father-in-law who had suffered a stroke and could no longer move about freely. The mental and physical exhaustion had caused even the white hairs at her temples to multiply, making one’s heart ache to see.

Tai’er was somewhat afraid of his mother, so after staying by her side for just a short while, he went over to his father again. His father was always tolerant with him. Although in previous years his father would often leave home claiming he needed to retreat to temples for meditation—making his mother cry many times—he had stopped doing this in recent years, which made Tai’er feel more at ease.

He sidled up to his father and leaned against him, asking when Second Uncle would return. His father answered gently: “Soon, he’ll be back very soon.”

Qi Tai had grown tired of hearing this response and pouted with dissatisfaction, then looked with boredom toward his silent grandfather and Third Uncle.

His grandfather had fallen ill some years ago and could no longer walk, requiring a wheelchair for mobility. According to his sister, grandfather had always been a very stern elder, but after falling ill he had become even more serious and silent. Indeed, in Tai’er’s memory, this unsmiling grandfather had hardly ever even held him.

Third Uncle was also silent like grandfather, even more difficult to approach than grandfather. But he wasn’t stern—rather, he appeared timid and cowering, especially evasive around his father, to the point where he would avoid his father even when spotting him from far away on the road. Tai’er had always found this strange and couldn’t understand why Third Uncle was so afraid of his own father. Once he couldn’t help but ask his father the reason. At that time, his father’s expression was incomprehensible to him. After remaining silent for a long while, his father finally answered: “Because your Third Uncle did something wrong, and he… still cannot forgive himself.”

Tai’er was still too young. He didn’t understand why people would make things difficult for themselves. Clearly father wasn’t angry anymore, and no one continued to blame Third Uncle, so why did he have to live so constrained and cowering? He had become skin and bones, and had grown much white hair—even more than grandmother’s white hair.

He really couldn’t figure out these matters, so he simply stopped thinking about them. He looked eagerly toward the entrance of the main hall again and finally heard some commotion. He happily ran from his father’s side to the entrance to look, and indeed saw that Second Uncle had returned, with a person as beautiful as a fairy beside him. That must be the legendary Second Aunt!

He was delighted and immediately rushed over to hug Second Uncle playfully, while his eyes couldn’t help but keep staring at the fairy-like Second Aunt, both curious and shy.

Ah, Second Aunt was truly beautiful.

As Tai’er was thinking this, he saw Second Aunt follow Second Uncle into the hall to pay respects to grandfather and grandmother. Tai’er didn’t know why grandmother suddenly began crying then, holding Second Aunt’s hand and repeatedly saying: “It’s good that you’re back, it’s good that you’re back.”

The fairy-like Second Aunt also began crying, calling grandmother “Madam,” then lowered her head and sobbed uncontrollably. Both grandfather’s and father’s expressions were somewhat complex. In Tai’er’s view they also seemed somewhat sad and sorrowful, though not extremely so—he couldn’t quite describe it.

He saw Second Uncle comforting Second Aunt and grandmother, then heard grandfather say: “Tears don’t belong on such a joyous day—come, let’s all have a family feast together.”

That day’s family feast was enjoyed harmoniously by the whole family.

The children were all laughing and playing around, while the adults were initially somewhat awkward but gradually became more natural.

Yao Shi kept serving dishes to Shen Xiling, and while serving kept examining her repeatedly, saying she had grown up and become more beautiful, while also saying she had gotten thinner and should eat more food. Unable to refuse such hospitality, Shen Xiling actually ate more than she usually did even when Qi Ying urged her at her side.

The men spoke less, but Shen Xiling could still feel their kindness. Except for Qi Ning who kept his head lowered and didn’t dare look at anyone, both Qi Zhang and Qi Yun were very amiable toward her. The shock and anger they had shown during that court confrontation had all faded away, replaced by magnanimity and understanding.

Shen Xiling knew that their attitude wouldn’t have changed suddenly. Qi Ying must have made many efforts where she couldn’t see, to make his family members let go of past grievances and accept her wholeheartedly without reservations.

She no longer knew how to express her gratitude.

After the family feast, someone came to the Qi residence—Li Wei, Qi Ying’s student, who came to discuss political affairs with him.

Since becoming Grand Tutor, Qi Ying actually no longer personally handled many governmental matters, only dealing with the most important ones. Li Wei had come to discuss the relief efforts following the recent flood disaster. Qi Ying took this matter seriously and naturally wouldn’t avoid meeting him.

Before he went to the study, Shen Xiling was somewhat unhappy—not because he was leaving her behind, but because she always worried about his health and didn’t want him to overwork himself. Qi Ying naturally understood her meaning and coaxed her a few words before leaving, saying he would finish the political business shortly and wouldn’t be very tired. Only then did she reluctantly let him go.

Seeing the loving affection between the two, Yao Shi felt very joyful and moved. She brought Shen Xiling back to Jiaxi Hall to have tea and chat together.

Jiaxi Hall was no longer an unfamiliar place to Shen Xiling either. She recalled that when she first came to pay respects to Yao Shi, it was here, and she had also met the Prime Minister. She had falsely claimed to be Fang Jun and, to maintain her lie, had improvised a children’s song from the Bashu region on the spot. Thinking about it now truly made her feel ashamed.

Seeing her contemplative expression, Yao Shi naturally knew she was also remembering the past. The two sat together on the daybed drinking tea. The tea’s fragrance wafting around also stirred Yao Shi’s desire to chat. She smiled and said: “Time really flies by so quickly—in a blink of an eye it’s been ten years. When I first met you, you were still half a child, sitting there so gentle and quiet, so beautiful it was unreal.”

Shen Xiling lowered her head and smiled somewhat shyly, then added more tea for Yao Shi.

Yao Shi looked at her, helped tuck the stray hair at her forehead, her manner serene, and continued: “Even then I could tell that Jingchen treated you differently. You two have a destined connection—even with some twists and turns in between, you were meant to end up together in the end. This is fate—wonderful, truly wonderful.”

She kept saying “wonderful” with an extremely gentle tone, looking very beautiful—she was indeed no longer young. These ten years had been cruel to her, tormenting her until her temples were streaked with white, yet she remained beautiful, beautiful in an unworldly way, beautiful with kind eyes and gentle countenance.

Looking at Yao Shi, Shen Xiling once again thought of all the countless ways she had been good to her: her protection in Old Madam Qi’s Rongrui Hall, having someone escort her to Fenghe Garden and letting her live in Woyu Courtyard, personally hosting her coming-of-age ceremony, comforting and accompanying her when she was heartbroken…

Just like a mother’s warmth.

Shen Xiling was extremely grateful, and precisely because of this felt even more guilty about the past wrongdoings. She said to Yao Shi: “Madam, what happened back then was all my fault. I implicated the Young Master and also implicated…”

Before she could finish, Yao Shi shook her head and interrupted her.

Her eyes reddened, and she actually seemed more agitated than Shen Xiling, saying: “Good child, let’s not mention those old matters anymore. That wasn’t your fault—it was just fate, destiny, nothing that could be helped.”

She took Shen Xiling’s hand, somewhat choked up: “You don’t owe anyone anything. Jingchen came back and told us that this time at Mount Xiao, you saved his life—I never pray for him to be wealthy or powerful, I only want him to be safe. Wenwen, you saved him, which means you saved me, saved our entire family.”

Her tears finally fell, causing Shen Xiling to cry as well. While comforting Yao Shi, she also said that what happened at Mount Xiao was just a fortunate accident on her part—it couldn’t count as anything significant, nor could it repay the Qi family’s boundless kindness to her.

Yao Shi still shook her head. After crying for a while, she smiled through her tears, wiping her own eyes while also dabbing away Shen Xiling’s tears.

She looked at Shen Xiling like a loving mother and said: “Alright, no more crying. Let’s both stop crying.”

Her voice was so gentle.

“You and Jingchen have had many hardships along the way. From now on, everything will be wonderful. Cast all unhappy things behind you and don’t remember them at all—that would be best.”

Shen Xiling held back her tears and kept nodding. Yao Shi praised her a few more times as a “good child,” then after a while seemed to remember something joyful and smiled at Shen Xiling, saying: “You must choose a good day for your wedding. I think it absolutely cannot be done carelessly. It would be best to go to Dingshan Temple to consult the abbot, and also pay respects to Buddha and the Bodhisattvas. With divine protection, that would be the best—everything would be auspicious.”

At the mention of marriage, Shen Xiling couldn’t help but blush again.

This time was different from five years ago—she truly had the joy and nervousness of a bride-to-be. Now just hearing people mention marriage made her heart flutter with excitement, beating so fast.

“We’ll leave all wedding matters to the elders to decide,” she tried to control her joy and answer as appropriately and naturally as possible. “As for going to the temple, the Young Master has never believed in such things. Better not drag him along—I’ll go by myself…”

Upon hearing this, Yao Shi touched her hair, first praising her for being well-behaved and sensible, then smiled and said: “Jingchen used to be somewhat unbelieving, but he’s changed a great deal now. In recent years he often goes to Qixia Temple to worship Buddha, even more devoutly than I do.”

At that time, Shen Xiling was stunned upon hearing this, thinking this was truly beyond her expectations.

The more she pondered it, the more surprised she became, so that when she strolled through the back garden of the ancestral home with Qi Ying that evening, she couldn’t help but seek confirmation about this matter.

Walking beside him, she looked at him and asked: “Young Master, have you really begun believing in Buddha? And often go to Qixia Temple?”

She was truly somewhat incredulous. After all, in her view, whether one believed in such things always had something predetermined about it by heaven, not to mention that Qi Ying was someone who believed in himself more than in fate. He had originally been so unbelieving—how could he have suddenly changed his nature in these few years?

She asked urgently, but Qi Ying seemed unwilling to discuss this matter much. No matter how many times she asked, he gave no reply, and later even changed the subject, picking a hibiscus flower from the back garden for her to admire.

This only made Shen Xiling more determined to get to the bottom of it. She tugged at his sleeve, swaying left and right, acting coquettishly: “No, I absolutely must know today. If I don’t know, I won’t be able to sleep—surely Second Brother wouldn’t bear to let me stay awake all night?”

She pestered him sweetly, knowing exactly how to make his heart ache and soften. Qi Ying understood this little girl’s tactics, yet he truly couldn’t bear to go against her wishes. After remaining silent for a long while, he finally couldn’t resist her and told her the reason.

At that time, moonlight flowed like silk through the back garden, and the fragrance of flowers filled the air. This garden where they had once spent time together and discussed the Book of Songs was both familiar and strange, as if entangled with countless past connections and karma.

He said: “After parting from you, I often worshipped Guanyin.”

The moonlight was gentle.

The night breeze was tender.

She didn’t quite understand his words, yet in a daze she actually understood deeply.

He was such a resilient and steadfast person who could keep everything under stable control in his hands, which was why he hadn’t believed in gods and Buddhas before. But these five years had been too lonely and painful for him. Everything he once possessed was leaving him, almost everyone was at odds with him, and he must have felt very helpless and confused.

What did he pray for when worshipping Guanyin? Nothing more than her safety—she was no longer by his side, separated from him by a vast river, from then on north and south were divided with only distant gazing possible. He knew he could no longer protect her, so he inevitably felt powerless and lost, ultimately only able to seek help from gods and Buddhas.

No other wishes—just hoping that the person in the distance… could be safe.

Shen Xiling understood, and for a moment felt both extreme sweetness and extreme soreness in her heart. She suddenly threw herself into his embrace, holding him tightly, tightly, tightly, as if she would never be separated from him again.

“I was very safe,” she said through tears, “we’ll both be fine from now on, always fine.”

The sweet fragrance of spikenard on that man’s body silently surrounded her. She felt endless stability and tranquility, then heard him sigh softly by her ear, saying: “Yes, always fine.”

Gentle like this night.

Author’s Note: Another day of thanking readers! Thank you all for your comments, bookmarks, and nutrient solution! Bow bow bow!

PS: Little Dumpling probably won’t appear in the main text anymore, tentatively placed in the extras~ [Why did I arrange so many things for the extras?? Reasonably suspect it’s to forcibly preserve the flag… [I’m trash, I’m laying my cards on the table