Yan Sanhe opened her eyes and stared at the lotus-colored bed curtains overhead, remaining stunned for quite a while.

She turned her head to look beside her.

A round-faced maid sat beside her, working on needlework.

“Where is this? Who are you?”

The maid put down her needlework and smiled. “Replying to Miss, this servant is called Tang Yuan. This is Jingsi Residence.”

“How many days have I slept?”

“Miss has slept for a full three days.”

Three days?

Yan Sanhe sat up abruptly, threw back the covers, and looked at herself.

“This servant helped Miss change clothes. Everything inside and out was soaked through.”

After speaking, Tang Yuan walked out. When she returned, she held a medicine bowl. “Miss, drink your medicine.”

Yan Sanhe stared blankly: “What medicine is this?”

“This is medicine prescribed by Imperial Physician Pei to dispel wind and chill.”

“Take it away. I don’t take medicine!”

Yan Sanhe threw back the covers, about to get up.

Tang Yuan quickly set down the medicine bowl and reached out to stop her.

“Third Master instructed this servant to take good care of Miss. If Miss won’t even take medicine, won’t that make things difficult for us servants?”

That wastrel’s words—you listen to them?

Yan Sanhe: “Where is Xie Zhifei? Have him come see me.”

“Third Master will return from the yamen shortly. This servant will have someone wait at the second gate.”

He can go to the yamen?

That means the Xie household’s Old Madam is completely fine.

“No need!”

Yan Sanhe decisively climbed out of bed.

“Where’s my bundle?”

“It’s right here. The clothes inside have all been rewashed and dried. This servant didn’t dare touch the banknotes.”

Tang Yuan tied the bundle and handed it over.

“Miss had best wait until Third Master returns and tell him before leaving. Third Master has a good temper, but…”

“I don’t need to tell him.”

Yan Sanhe finished dressing. “Thank you for taking care of me these past days. You’ve worked hard!”

“Miss! Miss!”

How could Tang Yuan possibly stop her? Yan Sanhe strode out of the wing room.

Outside, the wind was pleasant and the rain had stopped. Sunlight was bright—it was already afternoon.

She shaded her eyes from the sun with her hand, thinking in her heart that since the Xie household’s matter was concluded, her next step should be…

Her thoughts had just begun when a familiar voice pierced her ears.

“Oh my, my little ancestral aunt! How can you say such things?”

Steward Xie came rushing over, crying out to heaven and earth. He plopped down on his knees before Yan Sanhe, stretching out his arms to firmly grip both her legs.

Yan Sanhe: “…” Has this fatty gone mad?

Could Fatty Xie not go mad?

Third Master left instructions before departing—if that little ancestral aunt took half a step out of the Xie household, Third Master would break his legs.

Third Master was still secondary. The key was there was someone above—the Master, and above the Master was the Old Madam.

If the Old Madam knew he hadn’t kept this little ancestral aunt here and she had another final burst of energy…

“Ancestral aunt!”

Steward Xie’s heart was bitter, and his wailing even more bitter.

“Please be merciful and pity this old bachelor who hasn’t married in half a lifetime! If you leave, I can’t live either!”

Yan Sanhe: “I don’t care about your life or death!”

“What kind of words are those!”

Steward Xie bit his teeth resentfully.

“My lowly life isn’t worth anything, but Miss is clearly not such a cruel-hearted person. Why speak against your heart?”

Speak against my heart, your ass!

Yan Sanhe immediately grew impatient: “Let go!”

“Won’t let go!”

The fatty gripped even more tightly than his coffin savings, fully determined to make her “step over my corpse if you dare.”

Just then, someone shouted: “Eldest Master has returned.”

…

Xie Erli walked over and glanced at Steward Xie and Tang Yuan.

“You two go down first.”

“Yes!”

After the two left, Xie Erli got straight to the point. “Miss Yan, stay at the Xie residence.”

Yan Sanhe didn’t understand. “Stay at the Xie residence for what?”

Xie Erli’s way of handling problems was to present facts and reason logically.

“Setting aside all those old grudges, let’s only discuss reality: Miss’s current situation.”

“What about my situation?”

“You’re the only one left in the Yan family. You’re seventeen this year—not particularly old, not particularly young, just at the age for marriage discussions. Whether a woman marries well or poorly depends not only on looks and appearance but also on family background.”

Xie Erli paused.

“The Xie household’s status isn’t supremely high, but it’s absolutely not low either. If Miss stays with the Xie household, I dare guarantee your future husband will be no ordinary person.”

Yan Sanhe now finally understood.

The Xie household felt they owed her and were trying to find ways to compensate!

“You’ve certainly thought far ahead for me.”

“We only wish we could think even further ahead.”

Xie Erli sighed deeply.

“I won’t hide it from you, Miss. Later, your grandfather appeared in my father’s dream and called him ‘child.’ You can see that the old man has let go. Why doesn’t Miss also let go of the past?”

Hearing these words, Yan Sanhe’s expression couldn’t help but change.

Grandfather sent a dream?

“The Old Madam and Father have discussed it. If you’re willing, acknowledge kinship and become a proper young miss of the Xie household.

If you’re unwilling, we’ll say you’re a relative from the Old Madam’s natal family who had no one left at home and came to rely on the Xie household.”

Xie Erli’s eyes showed pity.

“Either way, the Xie household is your support. In the future, your marriage and dowry will all be the Xie household’s responsibility. Whatever the legitimate daughters of the Xie household have, you won’t lack any of it.”

Yan Sanhe hadn’t known things would turn out this way and habitually fell silent.

Xie Erli couldn’t gauge her thoughts and, after thinking, spoke again.

“Setting aside these mundane matters, if Miss returns to Yunnan Prefecture, the Old Madam and Father will certainly worry day and night.

Father is one thing, but the Old Madam is so advanced in years—how can Miss bear it?”

He never mentioned her own lonely plight and hardships, only saying the two elders couldn’t let go. This was both moving and gave her dignity.

Yet Yan Sanhe sneered coldly.

“It’s a shame Eldest Master Xie’s eloquence isn’t being used as a lawyer.”

“Indeed, a shame!”

Xie Erli smiled gently.

“But if I could gain one more younger sister to call me ‘elder brother,’ spending more words or even shamelessly begging Miss—what would that matter?”

…

Sien Hall.

The Old Madam rubbed her palms, somewhat restless.

“Third Son, why is there still no news? She won’t refuse, will she?”

“Old Ancestor!”

Third Master Xie lazily crossed his legs, eyes half-closed.

“You must believe in Elder Brother’s abilities. He can manage me perfectly—what more a Yan Sanhe?”

“How can it be the same? What kind of character are you?”

The Old Madam wiped away tears. “That girl is so like him—the same pride and arrogance, the same haughty temper.”

More like a stinking temper!

Xie Zhifei added silently in his heart.

“If we truly can’t keep her, I’ll throw away this old face and beg.”

The Old Madam muttered repeatedly: “People like them actually have the softest hearts. Beg a little, coax a little, and perhaps it will work.”

If others begged and coaxed, perhaps it could work. But this one?

Hmph!

That’s not necessarily so!

Third Master sat like he had no bones, covering his mouth as he yawned. He’d been busy with household matters the past few days, busy with yamen matters these past days—so sleep-deprived!

“Eldest Master has arrived.”

The Old Madam’s eyes brightened. “Quick, quickly invite him in.”

Xie Erli walked in.

“How did it go?” The Old Madam couldn’t wait to ask before he was even seated.

Xie Erli glared at Third Son. The latter didn’t move his backside even a bit, maintaining that hopeless slouch.

“Miss Yan made several requests.”