Madam Xie nodded, a satisfied smile touching her lips.

“It is the Heir apparent, Madam,” a young maid announced from outside.

Madam Xie instantly revived, her entire demeanor shifting.

“I thought he was staying away for a few days; why is he back so soon?” she murmured, already busy rising from her seat.

“He still cares for you, Madam,” Mother Su said, gently helping her up. She turned to the maid, “Quickly, ask if the Heir has eaten! Has he been drinking? Who accompanies him? Have they been received?”

“I didn’t ask, Mistress. The Heir arrived with the Young Mistress…” the maid replied.

Madam Xie and Mother Su, halfway out of the room, immediately stopped in their tracks.

“With the Young Mistress?” Madam Xie’s face registered utter shock. “He came with the Young Mistress?”

She turned to Mother Su, who mirrored her astonishment.

“But I heard he went to visit A’ru, the maid—now he’s with the Young Mistress?” she stammered, glaring at the young maid. “Are you certain of what you saw? This is from the No Novel website, mind you!”

“I didn’t lie, Mistress…” the maid hastily defended herself.

At that moment, Mother Su ceased questioning. She saw the Heir, guided by a few lit lanterns, stepping across the courtyard threshold, and trailing directly behind him was her.

Observing the pair enter, one slightly ahead of the other, Madam Xie slowly withdrew her hand, turned, and returned to the inner room, her face turning icily cold.

This was the first time she had failed to meet him at the main hall or the doorway upon his return from an outing.

In the soft glow of the palace lanterns, the gold embroidery tracing the pink collar of Qi Yue’s robe gleamed faintly. Whenever Madam Xie’s gaze swept across it, she felt an undeniable tightness in her chest, making her listening utterly distracted.

“…I didn’t expect him to bring his wife, so I arranged for them to be invited…” Chang Yuncheng stumbled over his words here, glancing nervously at Qi Yue beside him.

What was her name again?

Qi Yue did not look at him, keeping her head bowed in apparent deference, though a sharp observer might catch the occasional, fleeting yawn.

“…Originally, we planned to leave after dinner, but since we hadn’t seen each other in so long, we talked until it grew late,” Chang Yuncheng decided to stop using the name altogether; everyone present understood whom he referred to.

“He should have sent word. Arriving so late at night frightens the entire household,” Madam Xie commented dryly.

“Yes, Mother. I apologize,” Qi Yue responded smoothly after a slight bow, flowing with the situation. “I happened to be out then. When I returned, your messenger arrived with an urgent request from the Heir. I dared not delay, so I came immediately.”

That was the truth of it. All this mess had been instigated by Chang Yuncheng. Since I wasn't the one who initiated the invitation, you two—mother and son—can handle the explanation.

A slight silence settled in the room.

Neither mother nor son were fools; they understood her implication perfectly….

That vulgar slave girl was sickeningly coarse, as she always had been, and even more so now. Madam Xie lightly clenched the hand resting on her knee.

“It’s getting late. You should retire early,” Madam Xie instructed.

“I apologize for worrying you, Mother. You should rest early as well,” Chang Yuncheng said, rising and bowing.

Madam Xie watched him, a smile blooming on her face.

“Go on now,” she said warmly.

Chang Yuncheng turned, and Qi Yue, who had been treated as transparent the entire time, naturally followed his lead.

Mother Su personally escorted them out. Only when they were well out of sight did she turn back.

“Once they left the door, the Heir didn’t say a single word to her, nor did he spare her a glance,” she whispered while helping Madam Xie unpin her hair ornaments. “It seems she was merely summoned to accompany Lord Guo. Look, the Heir couldn’t even be bothered to call her name just now, let alone glance at her.”

Madam Xie recalled the scene. This girl possessed a direct nature; if she liked something, she liked it; if she disliked it, she disliked it—never hiding her feelings. Her performance just now truly was little better than a stranger’s. Madam Xie’s expression softened slightly as she brushed her hair loose and leaned back against the bolster.

“Perhaps it’s not his fault,” she murmured softly. “She is, after all, his wife. Bearing that title means certain duties must fall to her, whether he wills it or not.”

As she spoke these last words, her face darkened with a distinct clenching of teeth.

Mother Su sighed, gently rubbing her legs.

While the mistress and servant nursed their resentment, Qi Yue paid it no mind. She felt mentally and physically exhausted yet carried a slight undercurrent of excitement. Thus, as she left the Rong’an Courtyard, she walked with a light, cheerful step. As for the Heir, he maintained a swift pace, but she did not lag behind either; the two proceeded along parallel paths, like water that refuses to mix with oil.

Performing extensive open wound suturing without anesthesia—even if the outcome remained uncertain—the sheer audacity to attempt such a procedure was unimaginable in the modern era, perhaps only comparable to the desperate conditions of wartime resistance. If she were to recount this later, no one would believe her. Sigh, when would she ever…?

“…Young Mistress, you didn’t even exchange a word with the Heir before leaving?” A’ru interrupted Qi Yue’s swirling thoughts from the side. “A simple acknowledgement…”

“That kind of person? I don’t expect him to acknowledge me at all,” Qi Yue shook her head.

A’ru was caught between laughter and tears.

“Mistress, you should acknowledge him,” she hurried forward, walking closely to whisper.

“Me? Why should I? Because I saved a life? Is that a transgression?” Qi Yue countered.

“You are the Young Mistress. You shouldn’t be venturing out casually, let alone performing such acts,” A’ru explained with a wry smile.

Qi Yue shook her head, stopping her steps.

“That logic holds water, but he lured me there, and with such deplorable methods,” she stated.

A’ru stopped arguing, realizing the truth in Qi Yue’s words after a moment’s reflection.

“It’s my fault, Mistress. I shouldn’t have let you treat Yuanbao’s injury that time; otherwise, none of this trouble would have happened,” she choked out, her voice thick with self-reproach.

“Heavens, what are you saying?” Qi Yue looked at her, eyes wide. “Are you saying you’d rather he had died?”

A’ru offered a sad, fleeting smile.

“We are merely low-born servants; if we die, we die,” she murmured, tears tracing paths down her cheeks.

Qi Yue looked at her, speechless at the flawed reasoning.

“A’ru, I am not the Young Mistress,” Qi Yue said after a brief silence.

A’ru froze, then immediately understood the underlying meaning, instantly terrified, and reached out to cover Qi Yue’s mouth.

“You are the Young Mistress; you are the Young Mistress,” A’ru insisted, biting her lip, her eyes glistening with tears.

Qi Yue laughed, pulling A’ru’s hand away.

“I mean, A’ru, I understand that you are bound by customs: women shouldn’t show themselves in public; people of noble birth shouldn’t associate with those of low standing; hierarchies must be strictly observed; respect for the mother-in-law… I understand all these rules. But I might not be able to adhere to them,” she said, smiling, continuing her walk and gazing up at the bright, starry sky. “If I have to choose between rules, status, and saving a life, I will never choose the former. In an emergency, my only consideration is the best and quickest way to save a person; I won’t stop to think about status, rules, or face. Perhaps this is just a product of different life habits and environments, or perhaps… I simply don’t want to become someone who isn't me anymore.”

And maybe, just maybe, this was all just a dream.

A’ru looked confused, only half grasping the meaning.

“But, if you act like this, you won’t be well-liked. If you aren’t liked…” she whispered.

“Changing who I am just to be liked?” Qi Yue mused aloud, letting out a sigh.

A’ru was entirely incapable of understanding or answering such a question.

“Are you, truly, a physician?” she asked hesitantly, posing the question for the first time.

“Yes, I am,” Qi Yue answered frankly for the first time, smiling and nodding at her.

“But… isn’t it good to be the Young Mistress?” A’ru suddenly asked.

This time, Qi Yue was genuinely stumped, not grasping the implication.

“In the future, you will be the Marchioness. How many women dream of living a life like that,” A’ru said, lowering her gaze. “If you don’t offend the Madam or the Heir, and if they both like you, wouldn’t that be wonderful?”

“Is that so?” Qi Yue frowned thoughtfully, something she had never considered. “Good food, fine clothes, and servants attending to you…”

“Exactly,” A’ru affirmed, looking at her. “It will be the Marquis’s Residence in the future!” She stressed the last few words.

Qi Yue lifted a hand to scratch an itch on her forehead and then smiled.

“I don’t hate that,” she said, knitting her brows. “Actually, I don’t mind it. That sounds quite good, too.”

She rubbed her cheek unconsciously.

A’ru looked perplexed by the expression on her face. Good? But her face didn't look happy at all.

“But still, I long for it,” Qi Yue lowered her hand and looked up at the night sky. Though that sky lacked the brilliance here, the crisp air one could breathe deeply, the throngs of waiting servants, or the dazzling piles of gold, silver, jewels, and ornaments—that world instead had endless work, ever-rising mortgage payments, and increasingly fragile hopes for stable love and marriage. Yet, that was her familiar world; it held her family and her career, things that allowed her to feel as free as a fish returned to water.

If all that could never be reclaimed…

To live as Qi Yue Niang, leading the life Qi Yue Niang was meant to lead…

Would she still be her?

If I cease to be myself…

A’ru watched her, sensing the sudden wave of profound sorrow, loneliness, and fear that washed over her face.

“When I first arrived here, I was terrified too,” A’ru whispered. “I didn’t know a single soul, and the food, clothes, and things we used were all things I had never seen before…”

Qi Yue looked at the girl, and astonishment gave way to a smile of gratitude.

“How old were you then?” she asked.

“I was ten years old,” A’ru replied, a hint of reminiscence in her voice. “Mother was sick, my brother was small, and our land had been mortgaged to pay debts. We had no way out. My father sold me so that the family and I might both have a chance to live. Later, while I was with the human traffickers, we happened upon the Marquis’s Residence looking for new staff, and I was lucky enough to be chosen…”

“So young… What did you do when you first arrived? Did they hit you? Did they let you sleep at night? Or did you work tirelessly like Vanka…?”

“I started with sweeping and cleaning, and then I had the chance to learn the rules…. Of course, if you didn’t do things right, you were beaten, hit, or forced to kneel…. They did let us sleep, though we occasionally missed a meal… By the way, who is Vanka?”

The mistress and servant spoke in low tones as they walked, the loneliness and fear that had permeated the evening air gradually receding as they neared the Qiutong Courtyard.

The Qiutong Courtyard was brightly lit.

“…Where is the Young Mistress going? Is it the place of these lower servants to pry? If the Young Mistress decides to do something, she does it; it’s not for them to dictate terms?” Ah Hao was reprimanding a meek-looking maid, her eyebrows sharply raised. “If anyone else gossips again, slap them across the face hard…”

“Yes, note down their names. We’ll send them all away tomorrow,” Quezhi added, stepping up to support Ah Hao. “You’ve been standing too long; go lie down for a bit…”

As they spoke, young maids outside began shouting excitedly about the Young Mistress. When they heard she had returned with the Heir, the maids and matrons in the entire courtyard felt as if they were dreaming. Their previous anxiety about what fate awaited them tomorrow had suddenly inverted. Not only had she returned safely, but most crucially, she had returned with the Heir apparent!

Since the Heir had returned, the husband and wife hadn't even been seen together. Rumors had spread throughout the estate that the Heir intended to divorce the Young Mistress…. Now, quietly, she had gone out accompanying the Heir. Who would dare spread malicious gossip now!

Qi Yue was ushered in with such rapturous fanfare, surrounded by joyous welcomers. Even after the courtyard gates were closed, the sounds of laughter could still be heard from within. Only when the two maids who had waited in the shadows by the roadside turned around did they speak.

“Alright, tell everyone at the side gate to stay quiet. Hurry and report to the Third Young Master that there is no problem,” one said.

The other maid nodded and dashed away like a bolt of lightning.

Since Qi Yue and Chang Yuncheng had coordinated their story before entering, everyone in the courtyard believed the Young Mistress had gone out with the Heir to call on guests. Only Ah Hao, later that night while settling down to sleep, learned the truth from A’ru.

“My God, this Madam… What a coincidence,” Ah Hao could only repeat the phrase to convey her astonishment.

“You must absolutely not tell anyone,” A’ru quickly pulled her down to lie down and warned her.

“I’m not an idiot,” Ah Hao nodded quickly, propping her head on her pillow. “When the Young Mistress and the Heir met, what was her expression?”

She covered her mouth, giggling softly.

A’ru couldn't help but smile faintly.

“I was so terrified at the time, I couldn’t even notice the Young Mistress’s or the Heir’s expressions,” she admitted. “But… the Heir seemed frightened too…”

“Of course, anyone would be startled,” Ah Hao laughed, her eyes sparkling. “Is the Heir still the same as before? Has he become much better looking? Did he watch everything the Young Mistress did? Was he utterly amazed? Did he look at her and instantly grow deeply fond of her? I felt so… so captivated watching the Young Mistress do those things…”

Blood and flesh, how could that be beautiful! A’ru laughed at her, raising a hand to pat Ah Hao’s head, sending her tumbling back onto the pillow.

“Hurry up and sleep,” she said, blowing out the lamp.

“Then tomorrow, the Young Mistress will go out with the Heir again, won’t she?” Ah Hao whispered in the darkness, her voice filled with delight. “If they do that, the Heir will like the Young Mistress more and more…”

Yes, maybe… A’ru murmured an assent, then nodded heavily again, though the darkness hid the gesture from view.

It had to be so. The Young Mistress was such a good person; the Heir would surely grow fond of her, provided they spent more time together.

I highly recommend Ai Ruo’s ‘Dream of the Red Chamber Life.’ I’ve been reading it constantly. Besides supernatural tales, my other great love is Red Chamber fanfiction, hahaha.

One day, I crossed over, stumbling into an illusionary realm— The Grand View Garden has yet to be built, Cao Xueqin has not finished writing, the Red Chamber is not yet fully formed. As the person destined to 'embrace jade,' should I break free from the Ning and Rong houses to carve out my own destiny, or should I remain within these grand manor walls, awaiting the fate that approaches? Knowing the mansion is doomed to collapse, should I struggle for survival amidst adversity, or succumb to decadence in luxury while awaiting death? (To be continued. If you enjoy this work, please subscribe and offer rewards on Qidian. Your support is my greatest motivation.) This is by]. div> BAIDU_CLB_LT_ID = "519311";