The night watch drum had already been struck three times, but the lights were still on throughout the He family's residence. In the darkness, maids carrying lanterns kept coming in and out. The He family, which had always had strict rules, was as lively as if it were New Year's Day.
In the midst of the chaos, He Er Niangniang yawned lightly, quickly put her hand over the corner of her mouth, and suppressed her impatience: "What's going on? Are you sick again?"
The night watch girl went out and came back with reliable news: "Yes, I heard that the cousin has a nightmare again and has a high fever. Now the madam is anxiously sending someone out to find a doctor."
Mrs. He frowned.
Since ancient times, cousins have been the ones who cause the most trouble. When they live at home, it is always easy for some troubles to arise between cousins. But the cousin in their family is different from other cousins. She has lived at home for so many years and has always been well-behaved. She is an honest person and will not cause trouble to others if she can.
After raising her for so many years, a few days ago, there was finally a letter from the capital. My sister-in-law and her husband finally remembered their biological daughter who had been switched and wanted to take her home.
Mrs. He thought that this was the end of it.
Who would have thought that just when her bags were packed and it was decided that the second master would take her to Beijing, this cousin, who had never done much and had rarely been sick, suddenly fell ill.
The illness lasted for more than two months, from late summer to late autumn, and it showed signs of getting worse.
Mrs. He felt sorry for her granddaughter, so naturally she was unwilling to let her go to Beijing in her sick state. She had been seeking medical advice and medication recently, but there had been no progress at all. After so long, the illness seemed to have become more serious.
Second Madam He sighed, straightened her already changed clothes, stood up and said, "Let's go and take a look, so as not to neglect grandma's beloved child."
There was resentment in these words, and the maid Zijing did not dare to say anything. However, Wang, the wet nurse of He Er Niangniang, who had just put out the lantern and came in, laughed and naturally stepped forward to take over Zijing's work, and helped He Er Niangniang out of the door: "Don't say that, why are you fussing with a child?"
Wang had been serving He's second wife, Wang, since she was a child, and they had a special bond. After saying this, she got down to business: "The people in the capital are urging us to bring our cousin to the capital before the New Year, saying that they have asked an expert. She is a cousin who is usually honest and respectful to you. Please don't act like a child and upset Madam for no reason."
Obedient children are always liked wherever they are, especially Su Yao, who had such a bizarre experience. He was taken away from the wrong family when he was born, and was wandering outside for several years before being brought back.
Perhaps it was because she grew up in a merchant family, Su Yao was very good at observing people's words and expressions, never made things difficult for others, and always smiled when she met people. To be fair, after getting along for so many years, not only did Mrs. He value her, but she and her eldest sister-in-law, her two aunts, were also sincere to her.
Besides, she is about to leave. If some gossip were to spread in the end, making people think that she is an unkind aunt, she would not only offend her mother-in-law and husband, but also offend that difficult sister-in-law and the Su family. It is really not worth it.
Therefore, when Second Grandma He arrived at Madam He's Fanghua Garden, she was particularly sincere and enthusiastic: "Mother, what's wrong with Yaoyao's illness? It's not a good thing that she has been sick for so long..."
Mrs. He's complexion did not look good either. Wrinkles had appeared on her well-maintained face.
The sky outside was pitch black, like a lion in the jungle with its bloody mouth opened wide, ready to devour everything at any time. Muffled and sad cries came from the inner room. Having been sick for so long, Su Yaoyao's cries sounded like a kitten with its neck strangled, weak and suppressed, as if it would disappear with the wind at any time.
Thunder roared, and time seemed to be torn apart. In a trance, Mrs. He seemed to have returned to that miserable rainy night many years ago.
It was also at that time that she lost her husband and her daughter was forced to give birth to a child in a dilapidated temple...
Mrs. He could hardly control her emotions. Fortunately, at this time, Grandma He came out from the inner room, looking relieved. Seeing Grandma He also came, she nodded first, and then hurriedly said to Mrs. He: "Mother, the fever has subsided, but she is still confused. She refuses to say anything when asked. Maybe she has been sick for a long time. Let her sleep for a night and maybe she will get better..."
Mrs. He let out a breath tiredly. The jujube tree outside the window looked particularly scary in the night. It swayed left and right in the wind, baring its fangs and claws, which made people feel upset.
She retracted her gaze and pointed her finger at the table, attracting the two daughters-in-law to look at her. Then she slowly said, "Do good things to the end. It's just a few days. Everyone should pray for a good beginning and a good end. I'm sorry to bother you with Yaoyao's matter."
Ever since she had an accident ten years ago, she has suffered from heart palpitations and has not been in charge of the family for a long time. The household affairs are managed by the eldest daughter-in-law, and the second daughter-in-law occasionally helps out.
Grandma He's eyebrows jumped, they looked at each other, and hurriedly said that it was right.
Mrs. He waved her hand. It was late at night. She heard that Su Yao had already fallen asleep, so she just glanced at her through the curtain.
The girl in the tent had a bright complexion. Even though she was sick, her body seemed to be wrapped in a layer of rain and fog from the south of the Yangtze River. She was so beautiful that it was hard to open your eyes.
She watched quietly for a while, then raised her eyebrows at Yancao who was serving beside her: "Serve her well. When the young lady wakes up tomorrow, just tell Madam Huang what she wants to eat."
The light was dim, and Su Yao, who should have been asleep, opened his eyes again.
The windows were closed, and the curtains hanging down were sky blue. The painting screen that she loved most when she was a girl now stood not far away.
She remembered that she was dead, but when she opened her eyes, she was no longer in the underworld, but instead returned to the He family where she was living.
At first, she thought it was because she had too much resentment, so God asked her to come back to take a look.
But as time passed, she was still here, and even her body gradually became flexible from being stiff at the beginning.
This made her certain of one thing.
She must have been reborn, living again in the body of a teenager.
"Miss, are you awake?" Yan Cao heard some rustling noises from inside, and quickly rolled up the curtains, looking at her with a smile on her face: "Are you hungry? The porridge is still warm outside, can I bring it to you?"
The hazy fog since rebirth was completely lifted, and everything in the previous life slowly faded away like a painting. Su Yao looked into Yan Cao's eyes. The girl had clear eyes and a gentle smile on her face.
Such a good girl, the girl who had been with her since she came to the He family, was forced to comb her hair and stay with her all her life without getting married in her previous life.
She died so miserable, how could the Su family treat her daughter well? With Yancao's personality, I'm afraid she would follow her...
"Girl?" Seeing that she didn't respond, Yan Cao waved his hand in front of her and couldn't help but sigh.
After being together for many years, she knew a little about Su Yao's concerns. No matter how good the He family was, they were only her maternal family after all. The Su family was only now in a hurry to take her back to recognize her ancestors. To be honest, they didn't have much sincerity and didn't seem to care much about their daughter.
But these words were not what a maid like her should say. After thinking for a while, Yan Cao asked her, "Miss, are you afraid to go back?"
Su Yao blinked and came back to his senses from his complicated thoughts.
Life is indeed a very precious thing. Living it again, I can see clearly what I couldn't see clearly before, and what I couldn't bear to give up before, now seems like a joke.
In the past, I worried about gains and losses because I cared.
But after dying once, she had given up on everyone in the third branch of the Su family.
Are you afraid to go back
No, she wants to go back.
She didn't like the Su family, but they should not be stingy in giving her back what she owed them.
Of course she wants to go back, and she wants to go back in glory.
Since following the rules and getting whatever she wants still can't satisfy them, she simply doesn't want to let them get what they want.
There was a light knock on the window, and the housekeeper Sang's voice rang out from outside: "It's getting late, help the young lady go to bed early, don't bother her."
This is the mother sent by the Su family in Beijing. She is always serious and difficult to get close to.
Yan Cao hurriedly agreed and walked over to close the window again. The moonlight poured in through the gaps, shining on Su Yao's face and hair, and pouring on the ground. She turned her head and saw Su Yao's eyes, which were as cold and cruel as the moonlight on the ground.
But when she wanted to take a closer look, Su Yao had already turned around and lay down, as if nothing had happened.
She scratched her head, then lay down quietly on the footstool, with a lot of thoughts in her mind.
After a nap, it was already dawn. Yan Cao called Su Yao in a low voice, and when she agreed, she rang the bell by the window. The maids who had been waiting outside for a long time came in at once, some carrying water and some holding pots.
Nanny Sang came in last. After she came in, she took a look at Su Yao first. She saw that although she looked pale and frail, she was in much better spirits than before. She nodded calmly and said, "Logically, the young lady has just recovered from a serious illness, so you should have a good rest for a while. But today is an important day. It would be fine if the young lady couldn't get out of bed. Now that you are well, you should go and greet the elders."
The second aunt of the He family, that is, Su Yao's second aunt, came back today and had already sent an invitation. Su Yao should indeed go to pay a visit.
She glanced at Nanny Sang. Her expression didn't change, but her eyes were cold.
Nanny Sang was the housekeeper sent by the Su family to her. She was in charge of all matters in her room and was the most direct contact between her and the Su family. In order to have a good impression in front of Nanny Sang, Su Yao almost obeyed her every word.
Even Nanny Sang's daughter Zhenzhu became a maid by her side, and was well-known and ranked before Yancao and the others.
This mother and daughter... .
Zhenzhu had already stepped out of the crowd and stood in front of Su Yao. She smiled and held a handkerchief to wipe Su Yao's face: "Miss, please hurry up. When we came in from outside, we heard that my lady's carriage had already reached the alley entrance. It would be bad if you were late."
As soon as they arrived, Yan Cao and the others were pushed to the back. Su Yao glanced at them, said nothing, nodded, and walked out.
Mrs. He has been living a secluded life since she became a widow. She usually doesn't even leave the courtyard unless there is something important to do. She has set up a small Buddhist shrine in her room and rarely goes out. But today there is a happy event, so her courtyard is rarely lively.
As soon as they arrived at the gate of Tai'an Courtyard, Chuntao, who was beside Mrs. He, came out to greet her and looked at her with a smile: "Amitabha, the cousin is finally well, please come in quickly, the lady was just thinking about it, so she said there is no need to trouble the cousin, so as to avoid adding to the symptoms..."
Having said that, he had already led her in.
As you are living under someone else's roof and are still loved by your elders, you should be doubly careful so that you can go longer.
Su Yao walked in quietly. As soon as he reached the door, he heard a sharp voice: "So, it may not be possible to enter Beijing smoothly?"
She paused for a moment before walking around the antique display case and walked forward to greet Mrs. He at the top of the table.
Everyone in the room fell silent. Everyone knew that the cousin grew up in a merchant family. Because of this, the cousin was afraid of being laughed at, so she worked extra hard to learn etiquette.
But maybe it was because she tried too hard and it was unnatural, and it always made people feel that something was missing. This time when she came in, she walked a short distance in a pleasing way. This change...
Mrs. He had already called her out, and waved her over with some distress: "Haven't I told the people around you not to let you come over? Your aunt will be staying at home for a while. We are all family, so it doesn't matter when we meet, right?"
Having just recovered from a serious illness, Su Yao's complexion was not very good-looking, but the rare thing was that she was born very well. Her pair of misty eyes, even with two dark circles under them, only made her look a little timid, and made her look even more beautiful.