The next dozen or so days passed peacefully.

The house’s roof had been repaired and the bedding replaced. He Yan also found a servant boy for He Yunsheng to help him carry things and run errands, giving Qing Mei someone to talk to at home.

He Yunsheng had paid his tuition fee and started attending school daily, leaving He Yan alone in the house. With He Sui away and only Qing Mei for company, He Yan could openly practice sword techniques in the courtyard… well, with picked-up tree branches.

Though her skills and techniques were ingrained in her mind, this body was truly weak. Even the slightest bump or scratch would leave obvious bruises. Her strength was also lacking – although it had improved considerably under He Yan’s deliberate practice, it was still far from her previous capabilities.

Such a body wouldn’t fare well on the battlefield. He Yan sighed inwardly as she put down the branch.

“Miss, Miss,” Qing Mei came running in, “Someone’s delivered things again outside.”

He Yan frowned: “Again?”

“This servant doesn’t know either. They just left the things and departed,” Qing Mei was very troubled, “Miss, what should we do now? When the young master returns from school, he’ll surely be angry again.”

The deliverers were none other than the Fan family’s servants. Since seeing He Yan at the tailor’s shop, Fan Cheng had been sending things every few days. If not cosmetics, then silk fabrics and jewelry, or tonics and medicines.

He Yan had always had the items returned to the Fan family. He Yunsheng had caught sight of this several times and exploded in anger, lecturing endlessly in her room until He Yan’s ears nearly developed calluses. Because of this, He Yan hadn’t gone out these days – if she ran into Fan Cheng again and he started pestering her, He Yunsheng might well go tear the roof of the Fan residence.

Today they had gone even further, leaving the items and departing – what did that mean? Were they certain she would accept them?

He Yan said: “Throw the things out.”

“But,” Qing Mei hesitated, “They’re all valuable silk fabrics and jewelry. Throwing them out… doesn’t seem right.”

He Yan felt a headache coming on.

Heaven above, in her previous life she had lived as a man and never encountered such persistent suitors. Even after returning to the He family as a woman and getting engaged to Xu Zhiheng, he had never been improper with her, maintaining a faint distance. Let alone such passionate wooing – she had no idea how a young lady should handle such situations.

Such valuable items – if they threw them out and the Fan family denied responsibility, what then?

He Yan sighed and said: “Then I’ll return them personally.”

Qing Mei’s eyes widened: “Miss wants to go to the Fan family gate?”

“Is there any better solution?” He Yan asked: “Get ready, you’ll come with me?”

“This servant has to come too?” Qing Mei shrank back.

“Of course.” He Yan looked at her curiously, “I don’t remember the way to the Fan residence.”

She wasn’t the real Elder Miss He and didn’t even know which direction the Fan residence faced, so naturally she needed someone to show the way. However, seeing Qing Mei’s traumatized expression, it was clear their last visit to the Fan residence hadn’t gone well.

Qing Mei was indeed worried. She still remembered their last visit when He Yan, red-eyed, had nearly killed herself by running headfirst into the Fan family gate. The Fan family’s matron had looked down at them saying, “People should know their place, not always trying to climb too high or fixating on impossible things, lest they fall and become a laughingstock.”

The mockery in those words had been unbearable. Finally, He Yan had been so angry she’d fainted from not being able to catch her breath. When He Sui brought a doctor, he said it was anger affecting her heart – an emotional illness. Everyone thought He Yan would never recover from this blow, wondering how she would live afterward. Unexpectedly, after waking up, their miss seemed like a different person, never mentioning Fan Cheng again.

Even now when mentioning him, when Fan Cheng came to pester her, she appeared determined to make a clean break.

Qing Mei felt both relieved and worried. He Yan patted her shoulder reassuringly: “Don’t worry, no one will bully you.”

Qing Mei inexplicably felt at ease.

The two set out together. The Fan residence was far from the He family home, taking quite a while to reach. Qing Mei pointed to a house with vermillion gates: “This is the Fan residence.”

He Yan thought for a moment, “I shouldn’t go over. You take these things and give them to the guard, saying they were sent by Young Master Fan and must be delivered to his hands.”

Qing Mei nodded: “This servant understands.”

He Yan hid behind a street pillar, watching Qing Mei walk to the guard, exchange a few words, and hand over the basket of gifts before returning to her side, smiling: “This servant said everything!”

“Well done,” He Yan said, “Let’s go back.”

In the main hall of the Fan residence, due to the recent wedding, the room was still decorated in festive red. Madam Fan, Tang Ying, was the eldest daughter of the Court Gentleman for Consultations. Raised in luxury since childhood, she was proud and domineering. Due to Master Tang’s influence, the Fan family had to pamper and accommodate her. Though she had only married into the Fan family a few months ago, she already managed the main branch’s affairs, with her people handling everything inside and out.

A servant boy knocked on the door outside.

“Come in.” Tang Ying sat on a soft couch, admiring newly finished embroidery.

The servant boy entered, first kneeling to kowtow to Tang Ying before saying: “Madam, a maid just came to the gate and delivered a basket, saying it must be given to the Young Master.”

Hearing this, Tang Ying’s movements froze. She looked at the servant: “A maid? What basket? Bring it here for me to see.”

The servant boy brought the basket forward.

Tang Ying grabbed it and rummaged through, seeing women’s silk fabrics and cosmetics. She immediately flew into a rage, “What is this?”

The servant boy dared not speak.

Her maid beside her said: “These are all women’s items. Madam, the Young Master doesn’t use these things, surely it must be…”

“Surely it must be that he tried to curry favor with someone and they returned it!” Tang Ying suddenly stood up, sweeping the porcelain cups off the table. They shattered with a crash, but not as fierce as her twisted expression. “Fan Cheng, you bastard!”

“Madam, the urgent matter now isn’t investigating the Young Master. We mustn’t startle the snake in the grass…” her personal maid reminded.

Tang Ying calmed slightly before saying: “You’re right. One can’t guard against thieves forever. If she were from a good family, how could she be involved with Fan Cheng? I think that slut is just playing hard to get. How despicable!”

She instructed the silent servant boy: “These days, follow Fan Cheng, see where he goes and who he meets. I want to see which vixen has bewitched his heart. Once I find that slut… I’ll make this pair of dogs pay the price!”

The servant boy nodded in acknowledgment and withdrew.

The maid gently advised: “Madam, these days you must not show any signs, lest the Young Master discover and hide that woman away.”

“I know.” Tang Ying secretly clenched her fists. “Before, I merely dismissed his favored concubines, but now seeing his attitude, so brazen – he doesn’t respect me as his proper wife.”

“If so, don’t blame me for being merciless!”