“Yu Wei!” Fu Tingyun choked, tears rolling down her cheeks.

The thin man looked at Fu Tingyun in astonishment, then at Yu Wei, who was crying at Fu Tingyun’s feet, his eyes darting around: “So she’s someone the noble lady knows! This is all a misunderstanding, a misunderstanding…” As he spoke, he quietly retreated backward, “In this cold weather, standing here talking, you might catch a cold! I think the noble ladies should go inside for some hot tea, and then discuss whatever matters slowly.” He turned and ran, “I’ll go boil some water to make tea for the noble ladies…” His figure quickly disappeared around the corner of the relay station.

Zheng San’s wife, who was following behind Fu Tingyun, heard the implication in Yu Wei’s words and realized that the two were not only old acquaintances but likely had some entanglements, yet Fu Tingyun showed no sign of blame, only grief and sorrow. She hurried forward to help Yu Wei up: “Miss, please get up! Our Miss is most generous and kind. Whatever matter you have, just tell our Miss properly…” She glimpsed the man who had been beating Yu Wei running away, but paid no attention to him.

“Your Miss!” Yu Wei raised her head and looked at Zheng San’s wife, then gazed up at Fu Tingyun, her eyes full of confusion.

Fu Tingyun never dreamed she would meet Yu Wei, her former personal maid, here, much less that Yu Wei would have fallen into such desperate circumstances. A thousand words clogged her chest, not knowing where to begin asking, until Zheng San’s wife went to help Yu Wei. Only then did she recover from her shock and say firmly: “Stand up and speak!”

That familiar face, that familiar voice, that familiar demeanor… so vividly real that the haziness in Yu Wei’s heart gradually faded, her gaze becoming increasingly clear.

“Young lady, are you, are you the young lady?” She stared at Fu Tingyun and murmured, shaking off Zheng San’s wife’s hand and refusing to rise, “You’re the Ninth Miss!” She cried out hoarsely, tightly hugging Fu Tingyun’s leg, “Ninth Miss, it is you!” As she spoke, she broke into painful sobs, “Ninth Miss, I’ve had such a hard time finding you! I don’t have the face to see you, but if I died, who would testify for you… Ninth Miss, Ninth Miss…”

The past appeared like frames of pictures, scene by scene, in Fu Tingyun’s mind, bringing tears to her eyes. Yet the past also stuck in her heart like a thorn, making it impossible for her to let go. She looked at Yu Wei with complex emotions, and though she tried to make her voice sound gentle and polite, it still revealed a faint detachment: “This is not the place to talk, follow me!”

Yu Wei had always been meticulous and cautious. Thinking of the past, she already understood somewhat, feeling as painful as if she had eaten a bitter gallbladder. Yet she couldn’t utter a single word of defense. She responded with a faint “Yes,” feeling unworthy even to cry. With Zheng San’s wife’s support, she followed Fu Tingyun into the guest room of the relay station, silently shedding tears.

Throughout their journey, although Fu Tingyun was not an official, she had stayed in the best guest rooms. This was partly due to having the Duke’s and Marquis’s calling cards, and partly because she was a woman, making it awkward for officials to argue with her. Even so, the guest room at the relay station was much simpler than a good inn, with only a black lacquered bed frame hung with white curtains, a tea table, two official’s hat chairs on either side, and a mirror stand with a copper basin in the corner.

Fu Tingyun sat in an official’s hat chair, while Yu Wei knelt before her with lowered head, trembling, either from cold, nervousness, or some other reason. Fu Tingyun silently sighed in her heart and instructed Zheng San’s wife, who was standing nearby: “Take her to wash up first, then find her some winter clothes to change into, and prepare some hot porridge to warm her up.”

Zheng San’s wife smiled and agreed, then went forward to escort Yu Wei: “Miss, come with me!”

“Ninth Miss…” Yu Wei hesitated.

Fu Tingyun said coolly: “Whatever you have to say, there’s no rush.”

Yu Wei respectfully kowtowed to her, then withdrew with Zheng San’s wife.

Fu Tingyun sat alone in the room for a long time before calling Zheng San to help bring in a brazier.

The charcoal fire crackled, immediately dispelling the chill in the room, yet Fu Tingyun still pulled her fur coat tightly around herself.

The reddish firelight illuminated her face, which showed changing emotions, making her expression seem somewhat gloomy.

Yu Wei walked in, looking uneasy. Her black hair, though still wet, was neatly coiled into a bun, revealing a face as fair and delicate as a pear blossom, with large eyes and a pointed chin. Her skinny frame was wrapped in Zheng San’s wife’s oversized, saucy purple fine cotton padded jacket, and with the apprehension in her eyes, she had a frail, willow-in-the-wind charm.

Fu Tingyun sighed softly in her heart.

Her mother’s judgment was indeed good. When Yu Wei was first purchased and brought into the household, it was because of her beauty, to have her accompany Fu Tingyun to her husband’s home. Therefore, she had been taught needlework, household management, and accounting by specially hired tutors. Being steady in temperament and willing to put in effort, in just a few years, she could pass as a young lady from an ordinary family with her bearing… Thinking of this, she shook her head lightly, casting those thoughts behind her.

Times had changed, and everyone had changed. They could never go back to the past.

Fu Tingyun instructed Zheng San’s wife: “Stand guard outside, don’t let anyone in, no matter who. I have something to ask Yu Wei.”

Zheng San’s wife lowered her head in acknowledgment and walked out quietly, closing the door and standing under the eaves.

A cold wind blew past, making her shrink her neck. Thinking of the interaction between Fu Tingyun and Yu Wei, there was some confusion in her eyes.

Miss Fu still spoke as gently as ever, her manner as composed as always, but somehow, she seemed different from the Miss Fu she knew… Exactly what was different, she couldn’t quite say… It seemed that, like Lord Nine, there was a faint dignity about her that made people hesitant to joke or chat casually.

Thinking of this, Zheng San’s wife nodded heavily.

Yes, that was it.

Just like how she felt whenever she saw Lord Nine.

Perhaps, when two people spend a long time together, they begin to resemble each other?

Zheng San’s wife smiled.

What did it matter? Miss Fu was their life-saving benefactor, treating not only her and her husband well but also Linchun like a nephew. Her husband had also said that being able to follow Miss Fu, with the protection of someone as formidable as Lord Nine, was their good fortune.

Her hands were getting stiff from the cold.

She rubbed her hands vigorously and stamped her feet.

Yu Wei’s hands were tightly clenched into fists.

She knew what Fu Tingyun would ask her, and her heart was burdened with unbearable guilt. The tears she had just managed to hold back welled up again.

Fu Tingyun looked somewhat dejected. After a moment, she asked in a low voice: “How did you know I was still alive?”

The Fu family had told everyone outside that she had “died of illness,” yet Yu Wei had repeatedly said she had been searching for her with great difficulty.

“Sister Yi Tong told me.” Yi Tong was only three months older than Yu Wei, both having just turned seventeen this year. Yu Wei sniffled, tearfully saying, “The Madam asked us who had stolen your items and given them to Zuo Junjie.” As she spoke, she bit her lip.

Fu Tingyun remained silent.

In the past, they had all called Zuo Junjie “Young Master Cousin,” but now, she addressed him directly by name.

“All of your clothes were kept by me, and your items were laundered by Zhe Liu. What you wore each day, how many pieces there were—everything was clear and would never be mixed up. Yet we couldn’t figure out who could have stolen your things. We counted everything in front of the Madam and found that nothing was missing.” Yu Wei lowered her head, and a drop of water fell onto the purple-padded jacket, gradually spreading like a fresh bloodstain. “We all breathed a sigh of relief then. The Madam instructed us, telling me and Zhe Liu to keep a close eye on your trunks, that not even the slightest mistake could be made, and said that in a few days, the First Madam, the Madam Dowager, and even the First Master might call us for questioning. I and Sister Yi Tong agreed, but we both felt something was wrong. Immediately, Sister Yi Tong discussed with me, saying that something might have happened to you. I was responsible for the items in the room, and she was responsible for the people. We needed to be extremely careful these few days, without a single mistake.”

“I thought Sister Yi Tong’s words made sense, so I took Zhe Liu to count the items overnight. Sister Yi Tong called all the servants in the room into the east wing room and strictly ordered that no one was to leave. If anyone left the east wing room without permission, she would immediately report to the Madam to call for a servant trader.”

“Everyone was fearful, but no one dared to disobey.”

“Unexpectedly, early the next morning, while we were having breakfast, the First Madam and Chen Mama brought several burly women servants in, first confining us all in the room, then searching every corner, and finally saying that Zhe Liu had contracted a terrible disease and they were going to send us all to the country estate.”

“Sister Yi Tong and I both understood that something terrible had happened, but it was so sudden, and we were both shocked and afraid, momentarily stunned. Zhe Liu, however, started shouting. Chen Mama personally slapped Zhe Liu and coldly said: Whoever dares to shout again will be beaten to death immediately.”

As Yu Wei spoke, the scene from that time appeared in her mind, making her shudder.

“We were taken to the country estate and placed in different wing rooms, with Li Mama personally interrogating us along with several rough women servants…” Her voice gradually became as faint as a mosquito’s buzz, “But we didn’t know, and we couldn’t wrongly accuse others… Zhe Liu couldn’t bear it and passed away that very night…”

Her tone faltered slightly, but Fu Tingyun was thunderstruck, abruptly standing up: “What, what did you say?” Her almond eyes were wide open as she looked Yu Wei up and down.

Yu Wei choked, “Zhe Liu… passed away that night…” Tears fell incessantly.

What Fu Tingyun saw, however, was Yu Wei’s hands hidden under the hem of her clothes.

“Show me your hands!” she commanded sternly.

Yu Wei trembled, raising her head to look at Fu Tingyun, like a pear blossom in the rain, trembling. Her hands seemed filled with lead, unable to extend straightforwardly.

Fu Tingyun’s face darkened as she raised her voice: “Show me your hands!”

Her tone was calm, monotonous, and cold, but it made Yu Wei’s face turn pale.

She slowly extended her hands.

Her right hand was relatively intact, but the thumb and index finger had no fingernails. Her left hand’s fingernails were complete, but the index finger was twisted at a strange angle.

Fu Tingyun took a deep breath and closed her eyes.