Cuando regresemos

Capítulo 18

Even the most thick-skinned woman from the village head's family felt embarrassed being stared at like that, and was quite annoyed inside, but pretended to faint from anger. You Tong, who was worried about finding a scapegoat, immediately ordered the servants from the Cui family who had accompanied her to "send" her to rest. Looking around, she noticed two old women in charge with slightly mocking expressions on their faces. An idea struck her, and she pointed to one of the slightly younger women, saying, "Since Liu's wife is ill, you can temporarily take over her duties."

Upon hearing this, the old woman's eyes widened in shock, followed by great joy. She immediately knelt down and bowed deeply to You Tong, saying respectfully, "Please rest assured, Miss Jiu, I will certainly live up to your expectations."

The head of the village, Liu, was getting anxious and finally rushed out, kneeling down to beg for forgiveness. You Tong just sneered, "I don't know if it's because of the house or my poor eyesight, but Liu was right here the whole time, and I didn't even see him." He didn't show up when his wife was making a scene, but now that she's been dismissed, he can't sit still. Does he really think she's a pushover?

The thought that this matter would surely reach the Second Madam's ears tomorrow filled You Tong with a sense of satisfaction. Who told her to be so ungrateful, forcing her to this godforsaken place with just a few words, without even a chance to greet Xu Wei? If he sneaks into the mansion again tonight and finds her room empty, who knows how anxious he'll be.

Huiying was still somewhat worried. As soon as she entered the room, she said to Youtong, "Miss, we've only been here for one day, and this has already happened. If word gets back to the manor, I'm afraid the Second Madam will be unhappy." No one knew about Youtong's engagement to Xu Wei, so they couldn't help but feel worried. The Ninth Miss had no parents and had now broken off her engagement with the Shen family. She would probably have some difficulties with marriage in the future. If she offended the Second Madam, things might get even more complicated.

You Tong, however, understood perfectly. If the Xu family truly sent someone to propose marriage, it wouldn't be the Second Madam's place to object; the Second Master of the Cui family would handle the marriage perfectly. However, if Madam Xu harbored resentment towards her, the marriage would fall through—thinking of this, You Tong felt as if something had pierced her heart with a sharp pain.

From a young age, Cui Shi spent most of her time in temples, eating vegetarian food and chanting Buddhist prayers, leaving her alone in the mansion. From that time, she developed the habit of relying solely on herself. From the age of twelve or thirteen, she began managing her mother's shops and property, engaging in power struggles with the concubines of the Yu family. It was also from that time that she stopped easily trusting others; even with her two personal maids, she held tightly to their contracts of indenture, fearing that one day she might be betrayed.

When she first left the Yu family, she carefully planned her future. Once the situation stabilized, she would leave Huzhou and travel around to various places. First, she would go to Qinghe to see where her mother was born and raised, then go to the borderlands to experience the scenery of cattle and sheep grazing on the grass, and then go to the southern border to see the different customs and culture... Until Shen San appeared, disrupting all her plans.

Even so, before meeting Xu Wei, she had never imagined that such a man would appear, someone she could willingly grow old with. Once this thought of settling down took root, it grew wildly in her mind like weeds. Sometimes she subconsciously tried to resist it, but to no avail.

I had a nightmare one night, and the next morning I was woken up by birdsong at dawn and couldn't fall back asleep. So I got up, put on my clothes, opened the window, and saw the rolling mountains in the distance, their silhouettes faintly visible in the dawn light. Unidentified birds flew to and fro in the woods outside the yard, disappearing in an instant.

The air was damp with moisture, which clung coolly to You Tong's face, and soon her hair was also slightly damp.

"Why is Miss standing here?" Huiying got up at some point, dressed neatly, and entered the room. Seeing Youtong standing by the window, she quickly went to the closet to find a slightly thicker blouse and whispered a reproach, "It's chilly in the mountains in the morning. Why didn't you wear more clothes? What if you catch a cold?" As she spoke, she draped the blouse over Youtong's shoulders.

“I’m not that delicate. Back in the day—” You Tong paused, then quickly changed the subject, smiling as she said, “You went to bed late last night, so you don’t need to get up so early this morning. We’re not in the capital anyway, just the few of us, so there’s no need to be so reserved.”

Huiying verbally agreed, but her expression remained cautious and submissive. Youtong knew she hadn't listened, so she could only shake her head and smile bitterly. Although Huiying and Huiqiao were given to her by the old lady of the Cui family, and might even be her spies, these two maids were undeniably clever and steady, and Youtong liked them very much. It seemed that the old lady, after all, came from a prominent family and was far more skilled at training maids than she was. Thinking of Bailing, Youtong couldn't help but feel disheartened.

After breakfast, Liu Zhuangtou's wife came over again, kneeling outside to beg Youtong for forgiveness. Youtong refused to see her, only having Huiying send her away, and then said with a smile, "Didn't you faint yesterday? You're so sick, how can you wander around like this? Quickly go and fetch a doctor to take a good look at you and treat you properly. If the doctor here can't find the problem, then send a message back to the city and have the prefecture send a doctor over."

Huiying was both amused and exasperated. After sending the woman away, she shook her head and went back inside. Huiying was still worried that the Second Madam would hold a grudge against Youtong over this matter, so she advised, "Miss, this manor manager is the Second Madam's personal servant after all. If we embarrass him, it might upset the Second Madam."

You Tong didn't want to tell her what was on her mind, so she just smiled and said, "You're wrong. The Liu couple have been doing whatever they want in the manor because of the Second Madam's influence for more than just a day or two. They act like this even in front of me, let alone in ordinary times. If we let them run wild, it will only damage the Second Madam's reputation. It's better for me to step in and play the bad guy and suppress them. The Second Madam is usually reasonable and won't hold a grudge against her niece over something like this. She might even be grateful to me."

Huiying was speechless. She assumed that her young mistress had been in the temple for too long and was not good at social etiquette. She couldn't help but sigh secretly, feeling very worried about her future.

For reasons unknown, the Second Madam did not inform the family of the engagement between the Cui and Xu families. You Tong assumed that Madam Xu had not yet visited the residence. After waiting for two days, she gradually began to feel anxious. With no capable or trustworthy people around to inquire about the situation in the capital, and no word from Xu Wei, You Tong couldn't help but grow impatient.

Just then, Shen San came to the manor to see her again. You Tong, however, was in no mood to deal with him and impatiently told Hui Qiao to send him away, saying that she was in a bad mood and didn't want to see anyone. Hui Qiao had always disliked him, and now she was even more furious, so she gave him a good taunt.

Shen San wasn't angry. He politely said goodbye to Hui Qiao, leaving behind the promise to come again another day.

As soon as he left, Huiqiao couldn't hold back any longer and complained to Youtong, "Miss, what's wrong with the third young master of the Shen family? How can he be so unreliable? Before, he was so determined to break off the engagement, and he even took that shady mistress around the streets, clearly slapping the Cui family in the face. Now that we've finally gotten what he wanted, he's acting like he's going to die trying to get back together. Don't even mention apologizing; if he wanted to apologize, why didn't he apologize earlier? Back then, he even let that little bitch surnamed Bai spread rumors. Never believe a man like that."

You Tong leaned against the low couch by the window, her eyes fixed on the book in her hands. Without looking up, she replied casually, "Don't worry, I'll take care of it." After thinking for a moment, she slowly raised her head and looked at Hui Qiao, saying, "Tell me, shouldn't someone like him, who does whatever he wants and never considers other people's feelings, be taught a good lesson?"

Previously, he had disguised himself and infiltrated the farm to gain merit, ostensibly to suppress bandits. However, there was no reason to implicate innocent people like them. If she hadn't escaped quickly, she might have lost her life in that fire. Then, without any reason, he proposed to annul the engagement with the Cui family. Even for a woman from an ordinary family, being jilted would greatly damage her reputation, let alone a prestigious family like the Cui family. If it weren't for Xu Wei, who would want to marry a girl who was an orphan and had been jilted?

Then, thoughts of Xu Wei crossed her mind again, and You Tong couldn't help but feel uneasy. They had been away from the capital for several days, and Xu Wei should have received the news by now, so why hadn't she heard from him? Could it be that something had happened to him? Even the most composed woman would inevitably overthink things in such a situation, and so she didn't eat anything for the entire day.

The next day, Youtong couldn't sit still any longer and insisted that Huiying fetch a horse, saying she wanted to ride it around the manor. Huiying had never heard of the Ninth Miss riding a horse before and exclaimed in surprise, "Miss, you must be joking! Riding a horse is not as simple as it is described in books. Horses can run very fast when they take off. If you don't know how to ride, you'll inevitably be thrown off. Breaking an arm or a leg would be the least of your worries; you might even lose your life."

You Tong insisted, "It's alright. I learned to ride a horse when I was at the temple. As long as we don't go too fast, it'll be fine. We'll just be wandering around nearby; nothing serious will happen." She calculated carefully that if she rode at a fast pace, she should be able to make a round trip to the capital from here in a day. Once she had seen Xu Wei, she would hurry back. Neither You Qiao nor the others could ride horses and couldn't follow along.

A short while later, Hongye returned excitedly, her face flushed with joy. She said, "Miss, I went to the stables and saw a chestnut pony that was very majestic and adorable. I brought it over. Would you like to come out and take a look?"

You Tong got up and went outside. Sure enough, she saw a chestnut pony standing in the middle of the courtyard. Its coat was nice, but its teeth were still too young. If it were to make a round trip to the capital, it probably wouldn't be able to handle it. She frowned and asked, "Are there any others?"

Hongye had expected praise, but seeing Youtong's dissatisfied expression, her heart sank. She muttered, "There are two more black horses, and they look terribly ugly."

You Tong said, "Have the groom bring those two horses over as well."

Hongye responded and left. A short while later, she returned with a groom and two black horses. As they walked, the groom said, "I told you long ago that you can't judge a horse by its appearance alone. The one in front has a good coat, but it's not as good as these two in terms of stamina. You didn't believe me, young lady."

You Tong stared intently at the two black horses. Although they were not particularly striking in appearance, they were strong and robust, with long and powerful limbs, much stronger than the chestnut horse from before. She then chose one of them and said to the groom, "Give it a good wash today, and tonight feed it some soybeans and the best hay. I need it first thing tomorrow morning."

The coachman looked slightly surprised, but didn't ask any further questions, only agreeing repeatedly. As he was leaving, he couldn't help but mutter to himself, "Could it be that this young lady can ride a horse?"

38 Night Meeting with Xu Wei

You Tong had originally planned to set off for Beijing early the next morning, but plans changed, and Xu Wei arrived that very evening.

He arrived at midnight. Huiying and Huiqiao were talking inside when Youtong suddenly heard rustling sounds outside. At first, she thought Liu Zhuangtou was up to something and was about to teach him a lesson when she suddenly heard a few meows. Youtong froze on the spot, her heart racing. After a while, she calmed down, put down her embroidery, and said to Huiying and Huiqiao in a serious tone, "I'm sleepy. You two should go and rest too."

Huiying and her companion were slightly surprised; they had been full of energy just moments before, how could they suddenly feel sleepy? But being the most sensible of them, they knew what they should and shouldn't ask, and quickly took their leave.

Once only You Tong was left in the room, the window was immediately pushed open, and Xu Wei nimbly climbed in. As soon as he entered, without saying a word, he pulled You Tong into his arms, chuckled twice, and whispered, "You Tong, it's done."

You Tong naturally knew what he was referring to. She was both surprised and delighted. Finally, she felt a little embarrassed and awkwardly said, "It's as if I've been waiting all this time." Then she remembered that she had indeed been waiting anxiously for several days. She couldn't help but blush and turned her face away, casually asking, "Madam Xu... um, when did Auntie go to the Cui family?"

Xu Wei put his arm around her, found a place to sit on the low couch, rested his head on her neck, closed his eyes, and whispered, "We went the next day, and the Cui family didn't make things difficult for us. They settled on it immediately. However, the wedding date hasn't been set yet. The Cui family's idea is to wait until the rumors in the capital have subsided before holding the wedding."

He finished speaking and waited for a long time, but still didn't hear You Tong speak. He couldn't help but open his eyes and look at her, only to see that she looked unhappy. He immediately became nervous and asked softly, "What's wrong? Who upset you? Tell me, and I'll get revenge for you." As he said this, he remembered You Tong's abilities and couldn't help but laugh.

You Tong glared at him, looking accusatory. "Since it was decided a long time ago, why didn't you... at least send someone to deliver a message? It's kept me on edge here, I was practically ready to head to the capital first thing tomorrow morning to find out more..."

"...After all, she was a young woman, and this was her first time experiencing love affairs, so she was naturally a little shy. Thinking about how she had actually planned to rush to the capital that afternoon, You Tong now felt it was all absurd. Her voice grew softer and softer as she spoke, until finally, if Xu Wei hadn't been listening intently, he really wouldn't have been able to hear what she was saying."

Although she was embarrassed, Xu Wei was so happy he couldn't speak. All along, it had been Xu Wei who took the initiative in their relationship. After their engagement, he traveled thousands of miles to Qiantang every year just to see her. He was devastated upon learning of her death, and during their reunion, he silently protected her. Although You Tong had accepted his feelings, he always felt uneasy, and in the quiet of the night, he would even have wild thoughts: was You Tong truly in love with him, or was she merely moved...?

Sometimes those thoughts would rage in his mind like poison, and each time he tried to ignore them, but to no avail. Only today, when he heard You Tong shyly mention that he had almost impulsively decided to return to the capital, did he suddenly breathe a sigh of relief. At the same time, a surge of emotion and joy welled up in his chest, and he hugged You Tong even tighter.

"Ah!" You Tong lingered comfortably in his arms for a moment, then lifted her head and began to wriggle against his chest. Xu Wei held her tightly, a smile playing on his lips, looking down at her with tender, unwavering eyes.

You Tong finally couldn't help but speak up, "I'm asking you! Why didn't you send a message over?"

Xu Wei grunted in response, then mumbled, "How can this be mentioned in a letter? Of course, I have to tell you in person." He yawned, looking tired, but continued to explain, "In the capital... some things have happened these past few days. The Grand Princess... and the Empress Dowager... had a falling out... and it flared up..." Before he could finish, his eyes closed again, and he fell asleep.

You Tong lifted her head from his arms, looking at his face with a touch of heartache. Xu Wei seemed to have lost some weight; his young face bore the weariness of travel, his brows slightly furrowed, as if he were always burdened with something on his mind. His eyes were tightly closed, seemingly in a deep sleep, but he would tense up at the slightest sound of wind outside, remaining acutely alert.

Was this man before her the one she would spend her life with? Through sickness and health, through life and death, would he never leave her? A surge of indescribable emotions welled up in You Tong's heart, a mixture of joy, confusion, and perhaps a tiny bit of uncertainty.

Cui had never taught Tian how to handle romantic relationships. In her mind, there were only memories of her beautiful and elegant mother gradually fading away in the Yu family mansion, without a moment of warmth or joy. Rather than wasting away these stagnant days, she decided to abandon everything and leave without looking back. Therefore, when faced with the marriage agreement with the Xu family, You Tong chose to run away without hesitation.

No girl is born prickly. You Tong, too, was prone to tears and laughter in her youth, and she too was sometimes willful and capricious. She even envied Yu Wan when she saw her acting spoiled in front of her father. However, all her emotions gradually wore away over the past ten years. As a weak woman, if she wanted to live a strong and independent life, she had to become even more ruthless.

But deep down, she sometimes longed for someone to shelter her from the storm, to love and care for her wholeheartedly, so she wouldn't feel so lonely. So when Xu Wei appeared, weathered and worn, You Tong was instantly moved. There was someone who didn't hold her past deceptions against her, nor cared about her vindictive nature, but wholeheartedly loved and treated her well—something even her mother had never shown her.

The feeling of being cherished and protected was so wonderful, so wonderful that it almost didn't seem real. Sometimes, You Tong would be awakened by nightmares in the middle of the night, sitting up in bed covered in sweat, as if she were still in the suffocating, boundless cage of the Yu family, and everything about Xu Wei was just a dream.

If you've never had something, there's no such thing as losing it. But once you taste the sweetness of being loved, that bone-deep tenderness wraps around you like a silken cocoon, making you anxious and insecure. Just like now, Xu Wei is right in front of you, but you still feel a little unreal. You can't help but secretly reach out and gently touch his cheek, feeling his warm and soft breath before you feel at ease.

The low couch wasn't long, and Xu Wei, being tall and strong, felt a bit cramped lying on it. You Tong softly called his name, urging him to rest on the bed. He unconsciously hummed twice, but remained motionless. Frustrated, You Tong had no choice but to laboriously help him up. Strangely enough, he had been so alert just moments before, but now, no matter how much You Tong moved and pulled him, he wouldn't wake up. Once You Tong finally managed to carry him back to the bed, he immediately began to snore softly.

Seeing his exhausted face, You Tong didn't disturb him any longer. She quietly went to the kitchen to fetch some hot water to wash his face and feet before moving a stool to the bedside to sleep. In her drowsy state, she heard Xu Wei calling her name again. She quickly reached out her hand, which he soon took. The warmth from his palm gradually calmed her heart.

You Tong usually wakes up early, but today she slept until dawn. When she woke up, she found herself lying in bed, alone; Xu Wei had already left. Feeling a little disappointed, she hugged the blanket and lay in bed for a long time, not wanting to move. Just as she was lost in thought, a figure flashed in front of her; Xu Wei had actually jumped in through the window again.

"You...you're still here?" You Tong was slightly taken aback, then her heart began to flutter, and she couldn't hide her smile as she asked, "Is everything alright in the capital?"

Xu Wei said, "I'll set off soon and be back before noon. It's alright." As he spoke, he took a few more steps toward the bedside, walked to You Tong, sat down by the bed, affectionately reached out and gently pinched her cheek, and laughed, "I just took a walk around the manor and realized that you, Ninth Miss, are quite extraordinary. You've only been here a few days and you've already gotten the manor keeper and his wife into a rage."

You Tong said awkwardly, "They deserve to be unlucky. They just happened to be in a bad mood and they had to provoke me. If they don't lash out, who else can they lash out at? These people are the most bullying of the weak and afraid of the strong. If I'm not tough, I won't have a good life here. I don't know how long I'll have to stay. If I'm controlled by them from the start, it will be difficult to turn things around in the future."

Xu Wei nodded in agreement, saying, "That's true. You're all alone in the manor, without anyone to look after you. If you can't even control the servants, you're bound to suffer. Back in Guangbei, the servants at the Xu family's old residence looked down on us collateral branches, rarely giving us a friendly look. Later, my mother found an opportunity to give a good scolding to a few of them, and they became more disciplined. But these people in the manor are used to being lazy and unsupervised, so it probably won't be easy to straighten them out in a day or two. Don't worry too much about it, lest you make yourself unhappy."

You Tong smiled and said, "I understand. You, a grown man, do you know more about these things in the inner quarters than I do?" Seeing his indifference when he mentioned Guangbei earlier, she couldn't help but ask him about his childhood life in the Xu family.

Xu Wei shook his head and said with a bitter smile, "It's truly hard to explain. Fortunately, my mother was fiery-tempered, so she wasn't bullied to death. However, she was still ridiculed and mocked by the women in the clan, who called her a jealous woman. Back then, my father hadn't entered officialdom, and the family relied solely on the meager farmland owned by the clan to make ends meet. If there was any funeral or celebration, my mother had to sell her dowry to scrape together a decent gift. Later, my father became a minor official and received a salary. With the help of selling some of his paintings, life gradually improved. But the elders in the clan couldn't stand seeing us doing well. One aunt insisted on sending her maid to our house to be my father's concubine. In a fit of anger, my mother forced my father to leave the Xu family, which is why we came to the capital..."

He calmly recounted the dire straits his family faced when they first arrived in the capital more than ten years ago. Aside from a few hundred taels of silver obtained from selling their possessions, the family was penniless and homeless, forced to share a small courtyard with others in the slums near the City God Temple. Despite his tireless efforts, Xu's father couldn't find a job, and in desperation, he found a position as a tutor in General Li's household. Only through General Li's recommendation did he obtain a seventh-rank official position. It was a difficult journey that lasted for over ten years before they finally gained a foothold in the capital…

This was the first time You Tong had heard about the Xu family's past, and she was overwhelmed with emotion, feeling even more respect for Madam Xu. If it weren't for her decisiveness and perseverance, Xu Wei might still be struggling in the Xu family of Guangbei, and the two of them would never have met again.

The two talked for a while, and the sun outside gradually rose. Huiying finally couldn't help but knock on the door and whisper, "Miss, are you awake?"

You Tong quickly replied, "She's still asleep. What is it?"

"It's Young Master Shen. He's here again. This time he brought some things over. Please take a look—"

Xu Wei frowned slightly upon hearing this, puzzled, and lowered his voice to ask, "Which Young Master Shen? Is it Shen---"

"It's him!" You Tong replied bitterly. She had told Xu Wei about how Shen San had almost killed her, so Xu Wei immediately knew who Shen was when he heard the name. What puzzled him was why this third son of the Shen family would come to the manor to see You Tong, and judging from the maid's words, this wasn't his first time here.

“Tell him that I appreciate his kindness, but I don’t need anything, so there’s no need for him to send anything. Also, let bygones be bygones, and tell him to treat that girl well.” You Tong said loudly to Hui Ying, then pretended to yawn and continued, “I had nightmares all night last night, and I’m still sleepy. I’ll sleep a little longer. You go ahead and do your work, don’t worry about me.”

Huiying responded softly, and then they heard a series of low footsteps gradually fading away, which calmed Youtong down a bit.

Xu Wei laughed and said, "When did you become so magnanimous, wanting to let bygones be bygones with Shen San?"

You Tong scoffed, "How could that be? It's just to put his mind at ease so he won't be on guard day and night." He pretended to be a fool to gain her sympathy, then turned around and burned down her estate to gain the bandits' trust. Since he started this, she can't blame her for doing the opposite. If she can't teach him a lesson, how can she vent her hatred?

Xu Wei simply smiled, but his brows furrowed slightly. He casually asked, "Does he know who you are? Otherwise, why would he come all the way here to apologize?"

You Tong nodded and briefly recounted her chance encounter with Shen San at the villa that day. After listening, Xu Wei jokingly said, "Speaking of which, I should also go and have a good chat with Young Master Shen."

"What are you talking about?" You Tong looked at him warily. "Don't alert them!"

Xu Wei laughed loudly, "Do whatever you want, I won't stop you. Just remember not to go too far. Although the third son of the Shen family is a bit too opportunistic, he's not a truly evil person. A small punishment will suffice as a warning, but you must not take his life. As for what I want to talk to him about—" A strange light flashed in his eyes, he smiled, and continued, "The grudge between the two of us is truly something that can't be explained in detail."

Seeing his mysterious expression, You Tong knew she wouldn't get any answers, so she simply didn't ask. The two talked for a while longer, until the sun was high in the sky, at which point Xu Wei reluctantly took his leave.

39. I see an old friend again.

After Xu Wei left, You Tong lingered in the room for a while before getting up and opening the door. Hui Ying and Hui Qiao had been watching her closely, and as soon as they saw the door open, they quickly brought over hot water to help her change and wash up. They had been a little worried because she was sleeping so late, which was unusual for her, but seeing her rosy complexion and energetic appearance, they were finally relieved.

Huiying smiled and said, "You should have slept more. Look how well you look today." Huiqiao echoed her. Youtong just smiled and didn't say anything, raising her eyebrows slightly at her smiling reflection in the bronze mirror.

"Oh dear—" Huiqiao suddenly exclaimed. "Why is there such a big red patch on her neck?"

Huiying quickly went over to look and frowned, saying, "It's a mosquito bite, isn't it? There are so many big mosquitoes in the manor. I even burned mosquito-repellent herbs last night, but it still didn't work. Have the manor send over some better spices." The two hurriedly went to the cabinet to find a medicine box, poured some transparent ointment from a small green porcelain bottle, and applied it to Youtong's neck, then instructed, "Don't scratch it. If you break the skin, it might leave a scar."

You Tong twisted her neck and stared at the red mark in the mirror for a long time, puzzled. "I didn't even know when I was bitten. I must have been fast asleep. It doesn't even itch—" She was halfway through her sentence when she suddenly realized something was wrong. Xu Wei's face flashed through her mind, and she suddenly realized something, her face turning bright red.

"Miss, are you alright?" Huiying was startled by the unusual appearance on her face and asked anxiously, "Are you feeling unwell?"

You Tong blushed and shook her head repeatedly, "It's alright, it's alright, it's just that I suddenly feel a little hot." As she spoke, she picked up a silk fan from the side and waved it in an attempt to cover it up. The two maids were inexperienced in such matters, and since You Tong lived alone in this quiet villa, they naturally wouldn't think anything of it. Although they were slightly puzzled, they didn't ask any further questions.

After washing up and having breakfast, Youtong usually goes for a walk around the village.

Because of its proximity to hot springs, many high-ranking officials and nobles from the capital built villas here, causing nearby property prices to skyrocket. Even an ordinary small courtyard could sell for tens of thousands of taels of silver, and it was still highly sought after. The Cui family's villa had three courtyards and a pond, which would be worth tens of thousands of taels of silver. But this was not considered large in the area. According to Hongyun, there was another villa about a hundred feet east of the Cui family's villa, covering more than fifty acres. One can imagine how much silver that would have cost.

Since it was already summer, fewer people came to the villa to soak in the hot springs. It was quiet all around, with only the occasional servant from a nearby village passing by, all looking relaxed. Outside the Cui family villa, there was a small river with tall camphor trees lining its banks. Following the path eastward along the river, there was a pavilion not far away, where the young paulownia trees usually rested, and today was no exception.

However, when the three of them reached the vicinity of the pavilion, they discovered that it was already occupied. Seated on the stone benches were two young women. One was facing You Tong and the others, so their appearance was clearly visible; she appeared to be about fifteen or sixteen years old, dressed in a long, embroidered dress with silver-red trim, possessing almond-shaped eyes and peach-blossom cheeks, lively and adorable, dressed as an unmarried girl. The other sat with her back to them; she wore a plain silver robe and a dark blue pleated skirt, her dark hair styled in a high bun, adorned only with a simple pearl hairpin at the back of her head, with no other ornaments.

In addition, three or four women dressed as maids stood behind them, all with their heads down and silent, behaving very politely.

Seeing that there were people in the pavilion, You Tong didn't want to disturb them, so she planned to walk around the pavilion a few steps further to rest on a stone bench under a tree not far away. Unexpectedly, the girl in the silver-red dress suddenly looked at them. Upon seeing You Tong, her eyes lit up, and she involuntarily stood up and walked towards them, blushing as she stared at You Tong's clothes from head to toe, asking expectantly, "Sister, your dress is so beautiful! Did you buy this fabric in the capital?"

You Tong was startled and before she could reply, she suddenly saw the woman who had been sitting with her back to them slowly turn around, her gaze meeting You Tong's. The woman's expression froze instantly, her whole body trembled, and the blue-and-white porcelain cup in her hand shattered on the stone floor with a loud crash...

"Little—" Qingdai's eyes reddened, and tears immediately streamed down her face. The maid beside her, not understanding what was wrong, was frightened and quickly stepped forward to ask, "Aunt Qing, what's wrong? Are you feeling unwell?"

Hearing the commotion behind her, the girl in red turned around and was startled to see Qingdai suddenly crying. Forgetting about Youtong's clothes, she rushed back to the pavilion, asking urgently, "What...what happened? Why are you crying all of a sudden? Does it hurt somewhere?"

Qingdai was limp and powerless, and when she opened her mouth, she couldn't even speak. Tears kept streaming from her eyes.

Seeing her lose her composure, Youtong quickly followed her over, silently watching her and shaking her head slightly. The two had been together for many years, and a single glance was enough to convey everything. Qingdai, seeing the demeanor of the two maids following behind her and her attire, knew that she must have encountered some unexpected situation after leaving. Naturally, she wouldn't casually expose her identity. She simply wiped her face and choked out, "I lost my composure. I just saw this young lady and she bears a striking resemblance to an old friend, so—please forgive my rudeness."