A’Zhu’s brother glanced at A’Zhu with his eyes. Though she was dressed simply and plainly, the fabric was clearly of good quality. His eyes grew increasingly eager.

“Juan’er, which household are you serving in now?”

A’Zhu ignored her brother’s words and asked: “Where are the others from home?”

Hearing this, A’Zhu’s brother quickly raised his hand to wipe tears: “They’re all crowded in a shack. Mother is ill, and your sister-in-law washes clothes for people all day to earn money for rice. Juan’er, now that you’re living a good life, you can’t ignore us.”

A’Zhu said nothing.

A’Zhu’s brother grabbed her sleeve and wouldn’t let go: “Juan’er, Mother is so pitiful now. We can’t even afford a doctor and can only endure it. These past few days, she can’t even keep down water. You’ll surely help Mother, won’t you?”

A’Zhu pulled back her sleeve, her eyelashes trembling slightly: “Brother needn’t say more. Let me first go speak with Miss.”

“Miss?” A’Zhu’s brother’s eyes lit up. “Juan’er, have you become the personal maid of some household’s young lady? That’s wonderful! Brother told Mother and the others before that with your capabilities, you’d succeed wherever you went…”

A’Zhu was impatient to hear his rambling and said coolly: “Brother, please wait a moment.”

In the adjacent private room, Binglu rested her chin on her hand, staring at the doorway with some surprise: “Miss, it turns out that the spider today came for A’Zhu! She has an elder brother!”

In the little maid’s mind, a maid like A’Zhu, who was bought halfway, surely had no chance of seeing her relatives for a lifetime.

“Morning brings good news, evening brings wealth. That spider is quite spiritual—this is truly a joyous occasion.” Though Binglu usually loved to bicker with A’Zhu, seeing A’Zhu reunited with family genuinely made her happy.

“Whether it’s a joyous occasion remains to be seen,” Qiao Zhao murmured.

A’Zhu’s unexpected reunion with her blood brother seemed too calm, and A’Zhu had just mentioned her family’s conditions were still acceptable, which couldn’t help but make one think deeply.

With decent family circumstances, when the daughter’s master’s household suffered great disaster, no one came forward to redeem A’Zhu. She couldn’t imagine A’Zhu having an intimate relationship with her family.

“Miss, what are you saying?” Qiao Zhao’s voice was very soft. Binglu hadn’t heard clearly and couldn’t help asking.

At this moment, A’Zhu entered.

“A’Zhu, is that person your elder brother?”

A’Zhu smiled: “How could I mistake my brother?”

“Then how did he end up like this?”

A’Zhu looked toward Qiao Zhao.

“Finished talking?”

A’Zhu nodded and bit her lip as she knelt: “Miss, this servant wants to accompany brother to see my mother.”

“Tell me first about the reason for your family’s misfortune.”

After A’Zhu finished speaking, Qiao Zhao focused on the flood disaster.

A flood had occurred in the south, killing many people, yet the capital seemed to have heard no news of it…

Of course, as a sheltered young lady staying home all day, it wasn’t strange that she hadn’t heard about it.

Perhaps she could mention it to Elder Brother Chi. The position he’d been seeking recently should come in handy.

“Return to the residence first, then have Chen Guang accompany you.”

“Thank you, Miss.”

On the way back to the residence, the master and servants lost their earlier enthusiasm. Even Binglu said nothing, listlessly lifting the window curtain to look at the scenery outside.

“A’Zhu, your brother is standing at the tavern entrance looking this way. He doesn’t think you’re coming back, does he?”

Having her brother stay at Chunfeng Tavern was A’Zhu’s own suggestion. Though Binglu was naive, she keenly sensed that A’Zhu’s relationship with her brother wasn’t good, so her tone naturally changed.

A’Zhu didn’t crane her neck to look, silently keeping her head down, appearing heavy with worries.

A slender, pale hand reached over and gently patted her arm: “Don’t overthink it. You still have me.”

“Miss—” A’Zhu suddenly raised her head, meeting Qiao Zhao’s calm eyes. The usually quiet and steady person shed tears.

After returning to the Li residence, Chen Guang took A’Zhu back to Chunfeng Tavern.

A’Zhu’s brother had been watching eagerly. Seeing A’Zhu get down from the carriage, his eyes couldn’t hide his joy.

“Let’s go.” A’Zhu came before her brother and spoke concisely.

A’Zhu’s brother led A’Zhu eastward through the city. The houses along the streets gradually changed to low, shabby grass shacks and mud houses. Eventually, even the carriage couldn’t pass through, so they had to get down and walk.

The residents of those shacks had set up their stoves outside and were beginning to prepare meals at this time. Used water was casually splashed about, requiring careful steps.

A’Zhu’s brother sneaked glances at A’Zhu. Seeing her calm expression, he quietly breathed a sigh of relief: “We’ll be there once we go inside.”

A’Zhu walked silently deeper in when two chasing children suddenly burst out. One of them crashed into A’Zhu.

A’Zhu’s brother struck the boy with a slap: “Little brat, are you blind?”

The boy began wailing. As he was about to hit again, A’Zhu stopped him: “The child didn’t do it on purpose.”

“Aunt?” The boy suddenly stopped crying and looked up at A’Zhu.

A’Zhu was shocked.

The one her brother had hit was her little nephew. She remembered her brother treasured his two nephews most.

“Are you Aunt?”

A’Zhu showed a slight smile: “Does Jinbao still remember Aunt? Don’t cry, Jinbao. Aunt brought you candy.”

A’Zhu took out a package of silk-thread candy and handed it to Jinbao. Another slightly older boy’s eyes widened completely.

A’Zhu’s brother knocked the older boy’s head once, scolding: “Are you stupid? Don’t you recognize your aunt?”

This silk-thread candy wasn’t cheap. Even when the family was well-off, they rarely bought it for the children. Unexpectedly, little sister not only had a carriage for transport but was so generous with money—she was much favored by her master.

The more A’Zhu’s brother thought about it, the more joy showed on his face. He shouted: “Mother! Wife! I found Juan’er!”

With his shout, neighbors immediately poked their heads out to look.

A’Zhu frowned and said quietly: “Let’s go inside to talk.”

The grass shack’s door was low and narrow. Chen Guang stood outside without following in.

As soon as A’Zhu entered, a woman came out to greet her.

The woman was in her twenties. Though she had borne several children, her figure hadn’t lost its shape. She had even applied cheap rouge to her face, which seemed somewhat out of place in such surroundings.

The woman quickly scanned A’Zhu and put on a smile: “Wonderful! We finally found little sister. Mother thinks about you all the time. Come in quickly.”

The room was cold, damp, and smelled moldy. An old woman lay on torn cotton wadding with her eyes tightly closed.

A’Zhu walked over, quietly watched for a moment, then called “Mother.”

The old woman’s eyelids trembled but didn’t open.

“Mother has been like this for several days. We have no money for a doctor,” the woman said, wiping tears.

A’Zhu frowned, took a piece of broken silver from her purse, and handed it to her brother: “Brother, please fetch a doctor.”

A’Zhu’s brother was stunned, then quickly took the silver and walked out.

“Oh my, little sister, please sit. I’ll tell your brother to buy some dishes when he returns.”

The woman chased after him, sneaking a glance at Chen Guang standing under the tree, then grabbed the man and whispered: “You fool, are you really going to get a doctor for Mother? This is silver!”

A’Zhu’s brother glared at the woman and cursed in a low voice: “Stop your scheming thoughts now. I’m not only getting a doctor, I’m getting Mother a good doctor!”