Old Madam Xie’s expression darkened even further.

“Did I tell you to sit down?” she snapped suddenly, “Have you no manners!”

Qi Yue was startled, and Chang Yuncheng also stood up with a grim look.

This old woman clearly had plenty of spirit; she certainly didn't look ill.

“Maternal Grandmother,” Chang Yuncheng spoke out.

“Look at you, a good-for-nothing!” Old Madam Xie glared at him, “You’re a grown man. When your elder and your wife are speaking, what business is it of yours!”

Chang Yuncheng was left speechless and embarrassed by the reprimand.

Qi Yue couldn't help but smile. As expected of the Xie family, they showed their anger and joy without reservation. It seemed that the Lady Xie had inherited much from her mother.

“All of you, leave now,” Old Madam Xie commanded with a wave of her hand, dismissing them.

Chang Yuncheng glanced at Qi Yue and saw that her face held no trace of fear or unease; instead, a slight smile played on her lips, as if she were watching an entertaining spectacle that had nothing to do with her.

Had all this joy and anger become meaningless to her?

Chang Yuncheng took a deep breath.

“Maternal Grandmother, Yue Niang possesses superb medical skills; let her take your pulse,” he suggested.

“Are you insane?” Old Madam Xie asked, beckoning him closer.

Chang Yuncheng, though confused, obeyed and walked over.

Old Madam Xie took his hand and examined him from top to bottom.

“Let me see if you are still my grandson, Chang Yuncheng?” she remarked, “Why are you saying such strange things this time?”

Chang Yuncheng’s face immediately darkened.

Qi Yue could no longer hold back and lowered her head, laughing softly.

“Maternal Grandmother, I am not joking,” Chang Yuncheng said, his voice strained with a hint of suppressed irritation. “If you don't believe me, just inquire around our Yongqing Prefecture, and you will know.”

Old Madam Xie let out a noncommittal snort.

“I have no such leisure time,” she leaned back in her chair. “Since you are here to visit me, then visit me properly. Let us two, grandmother and grandson, converse. If you have other intentions, you can return right now.”

As she spoke the words, “if you have other intentions,” her eyes were fixed on Qi Yue.

It was clear that the mastermind behind those other intentions was naturally Qi Yue.

For some reason, looking at Chang Yuncheng’s conflicted expression, Qi Yue suddenly felt a pang of sympathy. This must be what it meant to be caught between a rock and a hard place.

“Maternal Grandmother, Young Master, I shall take my leave now. The journey was quite bumpy, and I’m finding it hard to settle in. Grandmother has already arranged my quarters, thank you for your consideration,” she said with a smile, bowing slightly as she lowered her head.

This statement also served as an explanation to Chang Yuncheng, who looked towards her.

Qi Yue looked up and offered him a slight smile.

Chang Yuncheng averted his gaze.

“Then go quickly,” Old Madam Xie said, a flicker of disdain crossing her eyes. She watched Qi Yue retreat, then looked back at Chang Yuncheng and raised her hand to strike him lightly.

“Maternal Grandmother,” Chang Yuncheng frowned and called out.

“Look at you, so useless, haven't you ever seen a woman?” Old Madam Xie glared, saying this as she raised her hand again to poke Chang Yuncheng’s forehead.

Chang Yuncheng shifted sideways to avoid it.

“Maternal Grandmother, how old am I now,” he said, frowning, a touch of helplessness in his manner, yet his expression remained very gentle.

“No matter your age, you are still my grandson,” Old Madam Xie stated, then turned to the maid beside her, “Go, invite Madam, the Young Madam, and the young ladies to return. Now that the eyesore is gone, our family can speak properly.”

Chang Yuncheng’s brow remained furrowed. Laughter drifted in from outside—the female relatives who had retreated when told that Qi Yue Niang was coming to pay respects now re-entered. The room instantly became lively again. He couldn't help but look toward the doorway; through the women entering one by one, he seemed to catch sight of that woman's solitary departing silhouette.

When it was time for dinner, no one came to invite Qi Yue. A’ru stood at the door, her face very grim.

“Is this how the Xie family treats guests?” she asked, raising her foot as if to go out and argue.

Qi Yue reached out and stopped her.

“You’re right, this is exactly how the Xie family treats guests,” she laughed.

“Young Madam,” A’ru could not hide her indignation, “Let’s leave, we won’t eat their food.”

“You are mistaken. We are not eating her food; we are eating the Young Master’s,” Qi Yue laughed, gesturing for A’ru to sit down. “If we leave, we won’t be offending the Xie family; we’ll be offending the Young Master.”

A’ru naturally understood this point immediately.

“Although the Young Master was thoughtless in bringing me here, I don’t deserve to be caught in the crossfire,” Qi Yue smiled.

A’ru looked at her, her expression softening.

“Young Madam, it’s wonderful that you can consider the Young Master’s position like this,” she said.

For some reason, hearing A’ru say this, Qi Yue couldn’t help but blush slightly.

“This isn't exactly considering him; any normal person would think this way,” she stood up, using the excuse of stretching her limbs to turn her back to A’ru.

As she spoke, a servant woman from the Xie family brought over the meal from outside.

A lavish table was set out.

“Wow, not bad at all, quite plentiful,” Qi Yue laughed, waving A’ru over. “Perfect, we can enjoy a meal at our leisure, saving us the need to force smiles and make small talk with those irrelevant people.”

A’ru came over smiling. She knew that when the Young Madam was happy, she was truly happy, and when she wasn't, she never put on a false show of cordiality.

“Great. Let’s see how good the Xie family cooks are,” she said, picking up her chopsticks to serve Qi Yue.

Hearing the chatter from inside, the maid standing guard outside exchanged glances with a colleague. They could still laugh through all that? Could this Young Madam be simple-minded?

The banquet in the Xie family’s front hall was in full swing. Halfway through the meal, the gongs and drums on the small opera stage erupted. Two young performers were executing somersaults that looked like blooming flowers, drawing continuous cheers from the Xie children.

Chang Yuncheng watched the stage, but his attention seemed adrift.

“When you were little, you loved the martial plays your maternal grandmother hosted. You and Zhao-er even secretly practiced somersaults in the back courtyard, and you ended up cracking your head open…” Old Madam Xie recounted with a smile.

“There was such an incident?” Chang Yuncheng returned to the present and chuckled.

“Brother Cheng has forgotten…” a middle-aged woman seated beside Old Madam Xie said with a smile, “Third Sister scolded the servants in the house quite harshly over that, which scared our Zhao-er so much he never dared to flip again.”

Chang Yuncheng smiled. A young man near his age on the other side also laughed.

“I wouldn’t dare compare myself to my younger brother now. I’m a fragile scholar, while my brother is already a fine general capable of slaying bandits on horseback,” he laughed loudly.

Chang Yuncheng raised his wine cup to him, and the young man raised his as well. The two clinked their cups virtually across the distance and drank it down in one gulp.

Old Madam Xie did not laugh. She pulled a face and shot the woman a sidelong glance.

“So Brother Cheng brought the Young Madam this time?” the woman asked, still smiling at Chang Yuncheng, “Why haven't we seen her at the meal?”

Old Madam Xie had not specifically invited her, nor had Chang Yuncheng mentioned it further.

“It’s her first time out, and she’s unaccustomed to the carriage and couldn’t eat much, so I didn’t let her come and spoil the mood,” Chang Yuncheng replied to the woman.

It was better not to let her come in this sort of setting; she would only be slighted and made uncomfortable.

Did she eat? What was she doing now? She enjoyed being alone at home; in this unfamiliar environment, she must be even lonelier and more isolated…

The middle-aged woman’s smile broke Chang Yuncheng’s train of thought.

“…Brother Cheng is truly considerate,” she said sweetly. “It seems next time you visit, you won't just bring your wife, but a son as well…”

“Can’t you keep your mouth shut even when eating! Why are you talking so much nonsense!” Old Madam Xie suddenly roared, slamming her chopsticks heavily onto the table.

The opera music on the stage happened to stop at that moment, so everyone in the flower hall heard the shout.

The children all quickly stood up.

The middle-aged woman looked both embarrassed and anxious, and she rose.

“You’re too idle,” a middle-aged man opposite her glared and chastised, hurrying over to bow to Old Madam Xie, repeatedly begging his mother to calm her anger.

Chang Yuncheng naturally stood up as well.

Old Madam Xie kept a stern face. The middle-aged woman lowered her head and admitted her error before being glared at and dismissed by the middle-aged man.

The people on the stage didn't know what had happened. The drums had stopped, but they dared not start again. At that moment, a servant woman rushed over and waved them to continue. The troupe leader understood, and the liveliness on stage resumed.

Perhaps accustomed to Old Madam Xie’s temper, this interlude did not affect the banquet, and everyone resumed eating and chatting merrily.

Noticing Old Madam Xie still wearing a long face, Chang Yuncheng smiled and placed some food on her plate.

“Maternal Grandmother, Maternal Aunt was merely showing concern for me…” he said.

“Concern for you? Does she think we are all fools?” Old Madam Xie snorted. “She insists on saying things that are clearly offensive while feigning politeness. This behavior, this mindset, is more revolting than the words themselves! There are no fools in this world; some just realize it sooner, and some later. Don’t tell me you didn't hear it…”

Chang Yuncheng smiled faintly and took a sip of wine.

Of course, he heard it. Old Madam Xie was openly mocking, and his maternal aunt was subtly insinuating. In short, in their eyes, that woman was a laughable figure.

Perhaps he had been wrong to come; he had been too naive…

Being treated coldly at home was enough; he shouldn't have made her endure it outside too.

He downed cup after cup of wine, and Chang Yuncheng was quickly drunk.

“Didn’t this child usually not drink much? How did he get so drunk,” Old Madam Xie said with distress, calling for someone to prepare sobering soup.

“Isn’t it because he’s at our house? He wouldn’t drink so freely elsewhere,” others laughed.

“That’s true; only at our home is it truly home,” Old Madam Xie smiled and nodded.

A soft sedan chair was brought in, and the servants inquired where the Young Master should rest.

“In the Young Madam’s quarters…” they began to say.

Their words were cut off by Old Madam Xie.

“Nonsense! The warmed pavilion behind my courtyard is empty. Have Brother Cheng rest there, and find someone to serve him well,” she instructed. “What Young Madam, what Young Mistress—what does she have to do with it?”

The servants quickly obeyed with smiles.

Chang Yuncheng woke up not long after falling asleep, perhaps due to the sobering soup, or perhaps because… he couldn't sleep soundly in an unfamiliar place.

He opened his eyes and realized he was sleeping in a proper bed, which felt odd, but then he chuckled to himself.

In this place, if that woman wanted him to sleep on a servant's cot, it would likely be impossible.

He looked through the bed curtain directly towards the small bed by the door and saw a tiny figure curled up there, wrapped in a quilt, small and somewhat pitiable.

Chang Yuncheng abruptly threw off the covers and staggered toward that small bed. (To be continued)