A gentle breeze stirred their clothes and hair as A Shun smiled warmly, “Sister.”

“A Shun,” Mei Jiu replied joyfully, about to grasp her hand when An Jiu’s sharp cough made her awkwardly withdraw.

Unaware of what had transpired, A Shun took the initiative to link arms with Mei Jiu, whispering, “Sister, I’m a bit nervous.”

An Jiu immediately raged, “Get away from this woman!”

Only Mei Jiu could hear An Jiu, but they shared physical sensations. An Jiu, uncomfortable with such closeness, instinctively wanted to throw A Shun over her shoulder.

“A Shun,” Mei Jiu said, torn between pushing A Shun away and finding an excuse not to.

The lack of reassurance from Mei Jiu created an awkward atmosphere.

Wencui pretended not to notice, saying cheerfully, “Young ladies, please board the boat.”

A Shun gave the distracted Mei Jiu a curious look before letting her board first.

To prevent A Shun from getting close again, Mei Jiu chose the narrowest spot at the bow, only large enough for one person.

Once everyone was aboard, the boat glided slowly across the water.

Uncertain about Mei Jiu’s sudden distance, A Shun felt uneasy and decided to break the somber mood. She asked her maid, “Wenbi, I’m not familiar with our family customs. Are there any specific etiquette rules for meeting the Old Madam?”

Mei Jiu looked at Wenbi, whose appearance differed greatly from Wencui’s. With a long, thin face that wasn’t particularly pretty, heavy single eyelids, and a tendency to show more white than black in her eyes when looking at people, she rarely smiled. However, her speech was fairly pleasant. “Our Old Madam is kind-hearted. With few grandchildren and now two new granddaughters, she’s delighted. You needn’t worry, Miss.”

Wencui added, “Indeed, our Old Madam is nothing like the one at Chayun Residence. She’s very affectionate!”

“Are there two Old Madams in the family?” A Shun asked, surprised.

Wencui explained, “The two Old Madams are sisters-in-law. Ours is the principal daughter-in-law, while the one at Chayun Residence is the primary wife of the second branch. Both their husbands have passed away.”

Listening to their conversation, An Jiu grasped the family situation. The Mei clan was essentially divided into two branches, with the main branch having fewer members and the second branch being more populous.

The small boat drifted gently, reaching shore in less than the time it takes to drink a cup of tea.

As they disembarked, they were greeted by a vast pine forest. The surrounding trees were all evergreens, their verdant needles glistening with morning dew, a stark contrast to the autumn foliage elsewhere.

A young woman in a smoke-colored dress welcomed them at the small dock. “Sisters Wenbi and Wencui, you’re back!” She then bowed gracefully to Mei Jiu and A Shun, “This humble maid Chunyi greets the young ladies.”

Seeing Mei Jiu at a loss for words, A Shun responded, “No need for such formality, Miss Chunyi.”

An Jiu grumbled to Mei Jiu, “Could you be any more of a bumpkin? What a waste of a presentable face!”

This comment was directed solely at Mei Jiu.

Standing in the morning light, Mei Jiu felt less afraid of An Jiu and replied dejectedly, “I am just a village girl. I don’t know how to act like a noble lady.”

An Jiu received another memory: Mei Jiu had indeed grown up in the countryside, but Mei Yanran hadn’t raised her as an ordinary village girl. She had been taught the four arts – zither, chess, calligraphy, and painting. Her shyness stemmed from limited social interactions.

While admiring the scenery, An Jiu mused, “Humans surpass other species due to their advanced ability to disguise themselves. You’ve lived this long without mastering even the basics of pretense, proving you’re defective.”

Mei Jiu didn’t understand some of An Jiu’s vocabulary, but their mental connection allowed her to grasp the general meaning. Unable to argue, she lowered her eyes to stare at her feet.

“Look up!” An Jiu commanded.

“What will it take to satisfy you?” Mei Jiu felt the ghost was being overly controlling.

Their internal dialogue went unheard, but A Shun, who had been watching Mei Jiu closely, clearly saw a flash of annoyance cross her face.

“We’ve arrived,” Wencui announced.

Mei Jiu finally looked up.

Unlike the ornate structures nearby, Bixiang Residence featured a combination of blue-grey walls, black tiles, and pine wood, exuding a simple yet grand atmosphere reminiscent of the Qin and Han dynasties.

The building is nestled among green pines, with a babbling stream nearby, creating a serene ambiance.

As they paused outside, Chunyi hurried in to announce their arrival, returning shortly to usher them inside.

Mei Jiu’s heart raced with nervousness, her palms clammy with sweat. For An Jiu, this was absolute torture. She could eliminate an entire squad without her heart rate increasing, but now she was forced to endure this anxiety. Moreover, An Jiu’s normal resting heart rate had been 45 beats per minute, while Mei Jiu’s was over 90. The sudden jump to over 100 made her feel as if her heart might burst out of her chest. She wondered if Mei Jiu might suddenly die of shock.

Realizing Mei Jiu was unreliable, An Jiu quickly took control of her consciousness.

Perhaps due to Mei Jiu’s subconscious avoidance, An Jiu effortlessly gained control of the entire body. The sudden sense of reality made her secretly elated.

“Is this my granddaughter?” a woman’s voice inquired.

An Jiu looked up, first meeting a pair of clear blue eyes, too bright to belong to an elderly person.

Indeed, the woman seated in the main chair, wearing a deep brown padded jacket, appeared to be in her early forties. With willow-leaf eyebrows, long narrow eyes slightly upturned at the corners, a delicate nose, and cherry lips, she was a classical beauty.

When she smiled, fine lines appeared at the corners of her eyes. “Come closer,” she beckoned.

An Jiu approached, with A Shun following.

“Good child,” the woman said, grasping An Jiu’s wrist and discreetly feeling her pulse. Finding nothing unusual, her smile faltered slightly as she examined An Jiu’s face more closely.

“Good child,” she repeated, making eye contact with An Jiu and finally noticing something different – that cold, penetrating gaze was far from ordinary. “What’s your name?”

“Mei Jiu,” An Jiu answered concisely.

The woman frowned. “What kind of name is that? It’s disrespectful to my granddaughter.”

She gazed at the pine forest outside, pondering for a while. “Plum blossoms fall like scattered snow, covering one entirely. From today on… you shall be called Mei Ruxue. We’ll record this name in the family genealogy.”

“Yes, Grandmother,” An Jiu agreed “obediently.” To her, a name was merely a code; as long as it wasn’t unbearably awful, she could accept it.

Suddenly unable to control her own body, Mei Jiu panicked upon hearing the Old Madam change her name. She protested, “An Jiu is the name my mother gave me, meaning long-lasting peace and security. It can’t be changed arbitrarily!”

An Jiu coldly threatened, “Shut up, or I’ll kill your mother. Choose between your name and your mother!”

Mei Jiu immediately fell silent.

“And you?” the Old Madam turned to A Shun.

Delighted, A Shun quickly responded, “Mei Shun.”

“Hmph, ‘not smooth’? Even more inauspicious,” the Old Madam disapproved. “You shall be called Mei Ruyan, meaning ‘like flames’.”

Wencui praised, “White plum blossoms like snow, red plum blossoms like flames. Old Madam, these names are truly beautiful!”

The Old Madam smiled, “Oh, they’re nothing compared to the second branch! Hmph, Mei Zhengjing, ‘not serious’ – now that’s a naming talent I could never match.”

The maids politely giggled, and Wencui playfully chided, “Old Madam, you do love to jest.”

“Alright, I’m not one for commotion. You may all go now! Wencui, Wenbi, help them settle in and keep a sharp eye out. Find some good maids to serve them,” the Old Madam said, rising with Chunyi’s assistance.

As she neared the door, she paused. “Ruyan, never forget the kindness of the Mei family.”

A Shun’s heart skipped a beat, realizing her true identity had been discovered. She immediately knelt, declaring, “Yes, Ruyan will never forget, even unto death.”

An Jiu observed the Old Madam’s backlit profile, her smile faints yet profound. She spoke with warmth and enthusiasm, yet her actions were detached – just like the impression she gave now.

“Miss Fourteen, Miss Fifteen, this maid will accompany you to Chayun Residence,” Wencui said.

An Jiu nodded, sensing something slightly off about the atmosphere.

As Mei Jiu struggled to regain control of her body, An Jiu coldly commanded, “Behave yourself!”