On the third day after Yan’er’s surgery, she returned to the Marquis Dingxi’s mansion.

Old Physician An also bid farewell.

“Master, when removing the stitches in five or seven days, how many days will it take to see the results?” he asked.

“About a month should be enough.” Qi Yue said.

“Then I’ll come again in a month.” Old Physician An said, bowing once more. “Thank you, master, for bestowing the prescription.”

Qi Yue carefully explained and wrote down the treatment precautions for pediatric intracranial hemorrhage.

“Physician An, you’re at it again. Please don’t call me that anymore.” she laughed.

Young Physician An, standing to the side, snorted and turned his head away.

“When three people walk together, there must be one who can be my teacher. Miss Qi, you deserve this.” Old Physician An said with a smile.

Qi Yue had never been one for empty courtesies, so she simply smiled upon hearing this.

“Then I’ll accept being Physician An’s teacher in this one skill.” she laughed. “Actually, with Physician An’s abilities, this illness isn’t much. You just need to be bolder. Even if you fail, don’t be afraid. As physicians, we must dare to try…”

At this point, Young Physician An beside them scoffed.

“Failure doesn’t matter?” he sneered. “Failure doesn’t matter? How lightly you speak of it! You…”

“Shut up.” Old Physician An sternly silenced him.

Though Young Physician An was indignant, he obediently shut his mouth and turned his head as if he wanted to twist it backward.

“Exactly, when senior brother and master are talking, what business does a junior have interrupting?” Hu San shouted from the side.

Although he had entered the discipline earlier, considering Old Physician An’s status and position, Hu San decided to lower himself and be the junior brother.

“You shut up too.” Qi Yue said.

Hu San immediately stood back obediently.

“Yes, I understand.” Old Physician An said with a smile, not continuing this topic.

At the Marquis Dingxi’s mansion, Yan’er’s return caused quite a commotion. Not only did the young ladies and masters come to see her, but maids and servants also found various excuses to visit. Even Marquis Dingxi made an unprecedented visit to Concubine Huang’s quarters for a meal. Of course, staying overnight was impossible.

However, nothing could be seen yet. After everyone’s excitement, they all withdrew to avoid disturbing Yan’er’s rest.

Hearing that they had returned, Chang Yuncheng was very conflicted. That day, Qi Yue had ultimately not spoken to him, and her expression wasn’t like before.

Finally, a servant reported that the young madam wanted to care for Yan’er and would temporarily stay in Concubine Huang’s courtyard. Chang Yuncheng sat in his study and heavily slammed the table.

No matter how large the mansion was, it was only a few steps away. Was it necessary to live there to provide care? It was clearly just…

A letter on the table jumped from the impact.

This was a reply from Fan Yilin. Chang Yuncheng glanced at it and reached out to pick it up.

“…When mothers don’t like their daughters-in-law, that’s perfectly normal…”

Reading this sentence, Chang Yuncheng felt relieved. So this was very normal.

“…Of course, my mother and my wife have a good relationship…”

Chang Yuncheng choked again. Yes, I already knew you were all abnormal! I was confused when I wrote to you. He was about to crumple the letter, but ultimately endured it and continued reading.

“…That’s because of me… Actually, this matter is very simple. It’s like several concubines in a household competing for favor and being jealous. You belong to them, and everyone wants to be the most important in your heart, so naturally they’ll find each other displeasing…”

What nonsense!

Chang Yuncheng became more irritated reading this and crumpled the letter and threw it away.

Qi Yue staying at Concubine Huang’s place meant he had no reason to stay there either. Yet he was unwilling to return to his courtyard alone. How strange – before, what he loved most was being alone. When there were too many people, he found it annoying. Now with one less person in the courtyard, he was unwilling to go back…

Chang Yuncheng listlessly came to Madam Xie’s place.

“Haven’t eaten yet?” Madam Xie asked.

Chang Yuncheng nodded.

“Sit down and eat quickly.” Madam Xie felt sorry for her son and quickly said.

Chang Yuncheng sat down but had no mood to talk, just lowered his head and picked at his food.

Madam Xie could see her son was unhappy and attributed it to Qi Yue.

“…She can provide care by living in someone else’s courtyard. But she’s clever – otherwise, where would she live?” she said indifferently while adding food to Chang Yuncheng’s bowl. “This time, no matter what that woman says, don’t pay attention to her. Since she doesn’t consider you and me important, we don’t need to pay attention to her either…”

Chang Yuncheng put down his chopsticks.

“Mother, Yueniang has you and me in her heart.” he said.

Madam Xie, who had been speaking enthusiastically, was stunned.

“She says she does, and you believe it? I say she doesn’t, and you don’t believe me?” she said, also putting down her chopsticks.

The atmosphere in the room immediately became strange.

Chang Yuncheng looked at Madam Xie.

“Mother, Yueniang wants to treat you well. You… she’s actually quite good…” he began.

Madam Xie interrupted him with a cold laugh.

“She treats me well? How does she treat me well? I think she cares more about taking care of that Yan’er than about caring for me!” she said.

Mother’s words were a bit… Yan’er was a child and sick… how could they be compared…

Chang Yuncheng felt uncomfortable.

“Mother, Yueniang also cares about you. During those days, she personally added dishes and made late-night snacks for you every day…” he said.

Madam Xie’s expression paused.

“What?” she asked.

Chang Yuncheng then told her about those days when Qi Yue personally cooked meals for Madam Xie.

“…Mother, Yueniang is truly good to you. Her background isn’t great, but since we’ve become a family, let’s not talk about the past. She’s very good, really very good…” he said, but didn’t know how to describe it and could only repeatedly say “very good.”

Before he finished speaking, Madam Xie suddenly swept her hand, and plates, bowls, and chopsticks clattered to the floor. This sudden noise startled everyone in the room.

“Mother.” Chang Yuncheng quickly stood up, somewhat at a loss.

“You actually let that woman cook for me to eat! What if she poisoned me to death?” Madam Xie shouted, gripping the table tightly with both hands, veins bulging.

“Mother, how could Yueniang do such a thing!” Chang Yuncheng couldn’t help but shout.

“Why couldn’t she?” Madam Xie looked at Chang Yuncheng and shouted fiercely, “If your grandmother could poison your mother to death, couldn’t the lowly servant she raised also poison me to death?”

Chang Yuncheng’s face immediately froze.

Mother’s death was a thorn in his heart…

Did grandmother really do it…

“Get out! You ungrateful thing who recognizes thieves as parents and knows no gratitude or revenge!” Madam Xie didn’t let him finish and pointed out fiercely.

“Mother!” Chang Yuncheng called out hoarsely.

“Get out!” Madam Xie suddenly overturned the table.

Chang Yuncheng quickly knelt down.

The maids in the room also immediately knelt down.

Madam Xie lifted her foot and walked away with a straight posture.

When night fell, Chang Yuncheng was persuaded to get up. He stood outside Rong’an Courtyard, feeling dazed and confused for a while. Finally, he returned to the study.

Chang Yuncheng sat blankly in the study, then suddenly remembered something and jumped up, rushing to the corner.

“Someone, someone!” he shouted.

The servants outside quickly ran in.

“Where’s the paper I threw here?” Chang Yuncheng asked.

The servants looked at each other.

“We cleaned it up…” one said.

“Who told you to clean it up!” Chang Yuncheng shouted. “Find it for me!”

The servants ran off in a panic.

After a chaotic commotion, the letter was finally found. Chang Yuncheng snatched the wrinkled paper stained with unknown garbage and drove the servants out.

“What letter is it that the Lord is so nervous about?”

“Seems like it’s from Young Master Fan…”

“What? That cut-sleeve Young Master Fan? Oh my, could it be…”

“Could it be your head! If you dare talk nonsense again, I’ll tear your mouth apart…”

The servants discussed as they walked away. In the study, Chang Yuncheng spread out the letter and read it carefully under the lamp.

“…My secret technique is to coax…”

“…Never speak well of your wife in front of your mother, and never speak well of your mother in front of your wife. Think about it – telling a woman who loves you how good another woman is, isn’t that asking for a beating?”

If he had heard this before, Chang Yuncheng would have mocked Fan Yilin. But today…

He sighed heavily and continued reading.

“…Similarly, you can’t tell them what the other complains about. No matter what they say, let it go in one ear and out the other…”

“…You must make your mother believe that your wife listens to her in everything. You must make your wife believe that your mother is absolutely satisfied with her. In short, you must make them believe they are the person the other wants them to be…”

Chang Yuncheng could sleep in the study, but he still had to return to his courtyard for washing and changing clothes. Just as he reached the courtyard entrance, he saw Qiu Xiang running out hurriedly.

“Lord!” she ran over as happy as could be. “The young madam has returned.”

Chang Yuncheng was stunned.

“Lord, you should go quickly. The young madam is eating dinner.” Qiu Xiang said happily.

She returned… she was willing to come back… not to get clothes or something but for dinner… even so, he would absolutely not let her leave…

Chang Yuncheng strode inside.

In the room, A’Ru was carefully adding rice to her bowl, with an irrepressible smile on her face.

“Look at you all, you’re all afraid I’ll just run away, aren’t you?” she laughed.

A’Ru nodded without hesitation.

“Since I’ve accepted him and want to live well with him, I can’t act on impulse anymore. Someone has to step back, right?” Qi Yue smiled, then paused and tilted her head with a smile. “Besides, this kind of stepping back is something I can accept. When I encounter something I can’t accept, then I’ll run.”

A’Ru was happy hearing the first part but stamped her foot hearing the latter part.

“Young madam!” she scolded.

The door curtain rustled, and Chang Yuncheng walked in.

A’Ru quickly gestured and led the maids out.

Before Qi Yue could look up, Chang Yuncheng went directly over and embraced her.

“Hey.” Qi Yue was still holding her bowl and chopsticks and called out.

Chang Yuncheng still held her without speaking.

“Why aren’t you talking? Aren’t you quite eloquent? Apologize, give reasons, argue, whatever.” Qi Yue let him hold her and said.

“I have nothing to say. I was wrong. You said apologies are useless. I have nothing to say, and I’m too ashamed to say anything… Yueniang, you can hit me or scold me, just don’t ignore me…” Chang Yuncheng finally spoke, his voice muffled.

The news that Qi Yue had returned to the Prince’s courtyard reached Madam Xie immediately.

This shameless woman, what excellent methods indeed. It seems she learned quite a lot from that lowly Zhou woman…

Madam Xie sat rigidly, her expression frosty.

Fine, let’s wait and see. I want to see whether your seductive methods are more powerful, or whether I, as the mother, am more powerful!