Chapter 12

Xie Junting left with great reluctance, insisting that Shi Lingyao not see him off. As Shi Lingyao watched the room become empty again, she didn't even have time to let the sense of desolation well up in her heart before she heard a voice tinged with hesitation.

"Mother."

She looked up. The boy had returned, his eyes still shimmering with a lingering moisture. "Mother, I will come again tomorrow."

*Don't leave.*
*Don't disappear again.*

Shi Lingyao read the unspoken words, laden with complex emotions, behind his statement. Feeling a slight ache in her heart, she nodded with a smile: "Alright, Mother will be here waiting for you."

Xie Junting nodded, his eyes filled with attachment, and left, looking back every few steps.

He wondered what kind of expression Xie Junyan—that person who loved to put on airs—would have if he heard Mother calling him "Big Treasure" every other sentence.

It would surely be spectacular.

Xie Junting chuckled with a sense of schadenfreude. Then, his footsteps faltered as he thought of something he had deliberately ignored before.

Mother, from beginning to end, had never mentioned Father.

Ever since he had grown a bit older, Xie Junting had vaguely sensed from the behavior of the elders and servants in the house that his parents might not have been very loving or harmonious in the past.

Aunt Yuanfang, who looked after him and his brother, never gave Father a pleasant look either.

Now that Mother was back, her heart was filled only with him and his brother.

There was no Father.

After a moment of inner conflict, Xie Junting felt relieved. It was quite good to have one less person competing for Mother's attention!

He left happily, and seeing that it was already getting late, he decided to return straight to the Xie mansion.

Xie Junyan had not returned yet. After some hesitation, Xie Junting went to his brother's courtyard to wait.

After the brothers turned seven, they had been given separate courtyards: Xie Junyan lived in Guanlan Courtyard, and Xie Junting in Wanfeng Courtyard, both not far from each other.

The young servants sweeping Guanlan Courtyard were surprised to see the second young master approaching.

In the household, everyone knew that as the two young masters grew older, their temperaments became increasingly incompatible.

When was the last time the second young master had proactively visited the eldest young master's courtyard?

Xie Junting was in a good mood and paid no mind to the strange looks on the servants' faces, saying only, "Bring me some snacks."

The servant quickly complied.

Xie Junting sat on the *luohan* bed, looking up to see a screen of green cypresses through the open window, standing tall and competing in beauty. Even inside the room, he felt a refreshing breeze brush past.

He thought of Mother living in a tiny inn room, and his mood soured again.

There were advantages to telling Xie Junyan about Mother's return; at least he could openly give her money to spend without being interrogated like a criminal by Xie Junyan.

Everything felt so wonderful. Xie Junting’s mood was like the rising summer sun—bright and brilliant—so much so that even Xie Junyan’s scolding upon entering, frowning and telling him not to eat on the *luohan* bed, didn't sound as grating as usual.

Xie Junting slowly swallowed the last bite of the pastry, thinking of asking the kitchen to make more cakes tomorrow so he could bring them to Mother.

The cooks at the Xie mansion were very skilled; after all this time, Mother might miss their cooking.

Xie Junting made his decision happily. Xie Junyan waited, surprised to see his brother acting out of character and not snapping back at him.

"Do you have something to discuss with me?"

Xie Junyan handed him a cyan handkerchief—a soft silk cloth, folded perfectly square.

Xie Junting snatched it, wiped his hands, and crumpled it into a ball.

Seeing his brother begin to frown again, Xie Junting felt uncharacteristically embarrassed.

He was just used to it; he had instinctively wanted to rile him up...

"Ahem." He cleared his throat. "Brother, have you been very busy lately?"

Xie Junyan glanced at him: "What exactly are you up to?"

Xie Junting drew out his words: "Being busy is good, being busy is good."

The person who understood Xie Junting best in this world was his own brother, Xie Junyan.

Seeing his brother’s clear "I’m hiding something from you" expression, Xie Junyan suppressed his suspicions, not wanting to startle the snake.

He wanted to see exactly what kind of mischief his brother was plotting.

Completely unaware that he was about to be thoroughly exposed by his brother, Xie Junting continued to be foolishly happy.

***

For the past two days, Xie Junting had often snuck out to dine and talk with her. Once or twice was fine, but as the frequency increased, even if Xie Xiaobao blinked his eyes and put on a pitiful expression to try and soften Shi Lingyao's heart, she remained firm in resisting his truancy, urging him to go back and study.

Xie Junting didn't want to leave, but seeing Mother smiling at him so affectionately, he felt embarrassed to let his secret—that he was neglecting his studies—be revealed so soon.

He had no choice but to leave, looking back every few steps.

For the past two days, Shi Lingyao had been diligently applying medicine as the doctor advised, and by today, she felt her foot had recovered well enough.

As long as she was careful not to rely solely on her left foot while walking, there was no problem.

She went out, intending to browse the shops; the birthday gifts for the two children were still not settled, and she wanted to make a couple of new outfits for herself.

Last night, Zhou Jun had specifically brought her a share of the profits, and Shi Lingyao was surprised to see how substantial it was.

Zhou Jun explained with a smile that they had worked day and night to produce a batch of "Peach Blossom Blush."

They had their own channels for distribution, and in short, the Peach Blossom Blush was selling very well; the owners of various cosmetic shops were trying every way to contact them and beg for stock.

Shi Lingyao was not well-versed in business, but seeing that the blush was selling well and that the heavy burden had been lifted from Zhou Jun and the others' hearts, she was pleased as well.

She was much better off now, and while passing through Chunsha Street, she couldn't resist checking to see if the pearl hairpin she had liked that day was still there.

Coincidentally, the clerk who came to greet her with a smile was the same one from before. Upon seeing it was Shi Lingyao, the smile on her face faded slightly. Behind her came a commotion, as if several guests had arrived at once, and the clerk took the opportunity to bypass Shi Lingyao to attend to the others.

Shi Lingyao felt that since her two children were already so tall and grown, she should be more composed and magnanimous, and not bother to quibble with young girls. She went on to look at the hairpins herself.

A familiar voice sounded from behind.

Shi Lingyao paused; she recognized it—it was Xie Yongxi.

The sister-in-law who had never really gotten along with her.

Xie Yongxi was decked out in jewels, her expression arrogant, making the young woman standing beside her look all the more delicate and frail.

"Siyan, the birthday banquet for Junyan and Junting is in two days. You will accompany me to the Xie mansion then. You must seize the opportunity; don't waste all my painstaking efforts."

Meng Siyan nodded shyly and asked, "Cousin-in-law, I wonder what kind of woman the Chief Minister likes? I... I am a bit afraid."

Xie Yongxi thought for a moment, but couldn't really describe the type of person her brother liked, so she could only say: "Let's pick out some jewelry today and dress ourselves up well. No matter how powerful or high-ranking a man is, he still loves a beauty."

"I am putting you to such expense, I truly feel..."

Spending a little money was nothing to Xie Yongxi, who only said: "I only hope my efforts will be rewarded. Siyan, once you marry into the Xie family, you must be respectful to my mother and win over the two children, Junyan and Junting. You must keep to your place."

Meng Siyan quickly replied: "Yes, Aunt has instructed me the same, and I have naturally kept it in mind. I heard there is a kind of powder called Peach Blossom Blush that is very popular lately. I specially had someone buy two boxes; why doesn't Cousin-in-law try it too?"

Xie Yongxi didn't care: "Let's pick the jewelry first. The things on the first floor are all common goods. Come, I'll take you to the second floor to pick some out."

She was used to being haughty, and Meng Siyan, having been in Bianjing for a while, understood her cousin-in-law's temperament and nodded timidly: "Yes."

Xie Yongxi smoothed the pearl tassels at her temples, her gaze glancing down the stairs by chance, when a slender figure caught her eye.

She was stunned, and an inexplicable sense of familiarity welled up. Before she could look closely, the manager of Manyu Pavilion walked up with a smile: "Madam Xie, please, this way."

Xie Yongxi didn't dwell on the subtle sense of familiarity and went straight upstairs.

Shi Lingyao had kept her back to them the whole time, her beautiful, jade-like face cold.

The idea that Xie Zongwei’s admirers were using the powder she had created to dress themselves up in order to curry favor with him...

Shi Lingyao lowered her eyes, suppressing the flare of anger in her heart.

A clerk saw her standing there for a long time and tentatively asked: "Young Lady, which one did you like? Shall I introduce them to you?"

"No need for introductions." Shi Lingyao pressed her lips together and pointed to the pearl hairpin: "Please wrap this up for me, thank you."

The clerk smiled and agreed.

Shi Lingyao didn't just suppress her nameless anger; after leaving Manyu Pavilion, she aggressively entered other shops.

After shopping for most of the afternoon, when Shi Lingyao returned to the inn feeling satisfied, she was startled to see what she had bought.

It was all things for herself.

The matter of preparing birthday gifts for the two children had long been forgotten.

Shi Lingyao felt a bit guilty, but looking at the hairpin, then the rouge, and then the dress embroidered with peach blossoms and water ripples, she felt she loved every single item.

After struggling with her thoughts for a while, Shi Lingyao looked down at the remaining silver and felt a pang of guilt.

*A gift, however small, carries deep meaning. The two children are very sensible; they should understand her good intentions... right?*

Shi Lingyao collapsed onto the bed. The inn's bed had only a thin layer of cotton, and she felt a slight pain from the fall, but she didn't care. She felt she was being inexplicable.

She knew that Xiaobao could tell she didn't want to mention Xie Zongwei, so for the past few days, mother and son had spoken more about his and his brother's childhood.

Since she could accept that Xie Zongwei was no longer the Xie Zongwei of the past, why was she getting angry at the knowledge that someone was trying to approach him and marry him?

From Xiaobao’s words, she could guess that Xie Zongwei hadn't given them any half-siblings, but that didn't prove he had been innocent all these years!

The thought of Xie Yongxi bringing someone to see Xie Zongwei at the children's birthday banquet made Shi Lingyao feel nauseous.

Yet, she couldn't do anything about it.

The disappointment weighed down her features. She fell asleep fully clothed, and when she woke up, even the breath from her nose felt dry and scorching.

Shi Lingyao determined with sadness that she had fallen ill.

Fortunately, Xie Junting was diligent. When he came to deliver fresh scallion pancakes early this morning and saw that she hadn't opened the door, he broke it open in a panic.

Seeing her delirious with fever and her cheeks flushed, Xie Junting was startled. He fumbled to feed her some water and then stood there, frozen, not knowing what to do for her.

Shi Lingyao recovered slightly and saw Xie Xiaobao standing by the bed, at a loss, his eyes red as if he were about to cry.

*He’s already taller than me, why is he still such a crybaby like when he was little?*

Shi Lingyao wanted to comfort him, but it was an effort just to lift her hand, so she could only struggle to utter a few words.

"Xiaobao, call... a doctor."

Xie Junting finally woke from his stupor. He nodded and turned to leave, but looking back at her flushed face, he felt uneasy and instructed: "Mother, I will ask the waiter to find a cook to look after you for a while. I will be back soon!"

*What a sensible and caring child.*

Seeing Shi Lingyao blink to show she understood, Xie Junting hurried out of the inn and ran toward the medical clinic.

And the boy’s hurried figure was caught by Jieming.

"Young Master, that lady lives in the third room on the left on the second floor of the inn." Jieming had already investigated. For the past few days, the second young master had been running out, bringing many snacks and cakes from the kitchen. Jieming couldn't help but sigh; children these days were truly too precocious!

He was barely twelve, yet he already knew how to hide a beauty in a golden house!

Xie Junyan retracted his gaze, replied with a blank expression, and after a pause, walked slowly toward the inn.

*Xie Junting, learning to hide a beauty at such a young age.*

*Good. Very good indeed.*