Chapter 67: Let’s Not Depart Just Yet (Seeking Double Monthly Tickets)
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**Chapter 67: Let’s Not Depart Just Yet (Seeking Double Monthly Tickets)**
The wound on the girl's face had been treated, with bleeding stopped and medicine applied, yet it remained quite noticeable.
However, Yao Ran seemed unconcerned about its existence and made no effort to cover it up.
At this moment, her eyes were fixed on Chang Suining, waiting for a response.
Chang Suining nodded.
The two moved to a nearby tea room.
Upon entering, Chang Suining sat cross-legged on the cushion, and Xi'er brought in a pot of tea, filling two cups before bowing and leaving.
"Miss Yao, please take a seat," Chang Suining gestured to the space opposite her.
Yao Ran instinctively looked at Chang Suining.
The girl had changed into a clean, neat dress, and the many abrasions on her face were smeared with a light brown ointment, giving her a striking but somewhat mottled appearance. Yet, her every movement exuded an undeniable sharpness that felt somewhat... oppressive.
But this was entirely different from her mother Pei shi's suffocating high-handedness.
Her mother's so-called nobility was like a glossy outer garment, permanently stuck to her skin, never to be removed, and inside, it had long since become a bloody, decayed mess, instilling fear and suffocation, prompting a desire to flee.
In contrast, the aura emanating from this girl was entirely natural and unforced, compelling others to genuinely not underestimate her.
Yao Ran was momentarily lost in thought.
It wasn’t until she noticed a slight movement of the girl's brow that she was reminded.
Yao Ran abruptly returned to herself and quietly said, "I am here to apologize to Miss Chang; I have no face to sit down and talk with you."
Chang Suining said nothing more.
Yao Ran lowered her head and continued, "Previously... I had known my mother harbored malicious thoughts that could be harmful to you... but I failed to stop or warn you in time, causing you to nearly lose your life... This weakness and selfishness is truly unbearable and a grave mistake."
After a moment, Chang Suining said, "It was a mistake."
Often, silence equates to complicity.
She could certainly imagine Yao Ran's struggles and the reasons for her inability to speak up in time—
But A Li was already gone.
Now that she had taken A Li's place here, she could not use "human emotions, which are understandable" to express forgiveness or even comfort to Yao Ran.
No one could replace A Li to forgive anyone.
Yao Ran's eyelashes fluttered as her fingers tightened in her sleeve. "Yes, a mistake is a mistake... I never considered seeking forgiveness."
Chang Suining's gaze fell upon the scars on the girl's face, scars that could never be entirely erased. "So, Miss Yao, what you did today was merely to make up for your guilt?"
After a moment of silence, Yao Ran shook her head slightly. "Perhaps it’s more about seeking a release... I've been tormented for some time, and today I know that if I don’t step forward now, I will never have the chance to do so again."
As she spoke, she finally found the courage to look at Chang Suining, her expression slightly self-deprecating. "The outcome has already been decided today; whether I stand up or not won't change anything. What I'm doing... is merely seeking a delusional redemption for myself, so Miss Chang, you need not take it to heart."
"Since you've done it, it cannot be considered self-deception," Chang Suining met her gaze and calmly said, "I cannot reconcile with you, and you need not be fixated on reconciling with me. You only need to seek a way to reconcile with yourself."
This girl was truly struggling to overcome her own inner barriers.
In that moment, when their eyes met, Yao Ran felt something deep within her being struck, momentarily stunned.
After a long while, she finally nodded, her expression complex. "Thank you, Miss Chang, for your candid words."
Chang Suining chose not to speak further, lowering her eyes to sip her tea.
The tea room fell into silence, and after several moments of Yao Ran tightening and then loosening her fingers, she cautiously spoke up, "Miss Chang... would you be willing to go home?"
Chang Suining set down her tea cup and looked at her. "I am already home."
Yao Ran stared at the girl in astonishment.
Chang Suining stated softly but firmly, "I have nothing to do with Yao Yi or your household."
Yao Ran was stunned.
Could it truly be... not the case?
She pursed her lips, revealing a hint of a bittersweet, ironic smile. "So, Mother’s inner demons... were from the beginning merely an illusion that never existed."
How pitiful her mother was.
And how innocent Miss Chang was.
Chang Suining remained noncommittal.
She had no intention of discussing Pei shi's inner demons with Yao Ran. In her view, compared to A Li's life, the mindset of the wrongdoer did not merit discussion.
The wrongdoer simply needed to bear the consequences and accept punishment.
As for Pei shi's inner demons, there would be those at the Jingye Monastery to help her "remove and resolve" them.
Yao Ran also realized she shouldn’t have mentioned her mother in front of Chang Suining, and she had nothing else worth saying—
"Then I won't disturb Miss Chang's recovery and rest."
Chang Suining nodded slightly. "Miss Yao, take care."
Yao Ran felt that the other party bore her no animosity, but just as the other had said—there was no possibility for reconciliation between them.
Yao Ran bowed and, as she turned to leave the tea room, a hint of a difficult smile appeared on her face.
What right did she have to hope for Miss Chang’s forgiveness? Her mother had done such things, and the fact that she chose to be a silent accomplice was also a reality.
Apologizing should express her remorse, not serve as a pretext to coerce someone into forgiving her... She should understand this.
With red eyes, Yao Ran took a deep breath, as if once again hearing the girl’s earlier words—"You only need to seek a way to reconcile with yourself."
She slowly walked out.
Chang Suining remained in place, her gaze lowered to the blurred reflection of herself in the tea.
From Zhoujia Village to Zhou Ding, and then to Pei shi—
A Li's vengeance had been completely avenged.
The reflection in the tea shifted before her eyes, sometimes resembling her old self, sometimes the smiling face of young A Li.
Eventually, all those illusions vanished, restoring clarity and reality.
From this point on, this would be the true "her."
Chang Suining raised her eyes, turned slightly, and looked toward the green bamboo outside the tea room window.
A Li's matter was settled.
Now, she needed to pursue her own path.
Xi'er walked in from outside and, seeing the girl seated at the small table, gazing out the window, inexplicably softened her movements, quietly standing to the side without speaking.
After sitting in silence for a quarter of an hour, Chang Suining finally stood up and left the tea room.
Outside, the Yao family members had already departed. When she saw her sister come out, Chang Sui'an stepped forward. "Ning Ning, are you hungry? Should I go find you something to eat?"
Chang Suining shook her head, her gaze landing on the dark cloak hanging by the screen. "If brother has time later, please help me return this cloak to General Cui and thank him on my behalf."
Chang Sui'an followed her gaze and nodded in agreement. "Got it!"
...
After the old madam of the Yao family and her group returned home, once Yao Ran finished her medicine, Zeng shi softly inquired, "The prayer ceremony is over, but we still need to observe a fast in the temple for seven days. It's only the second day now... Does Ran'er want to go home to rest? If you wish to return, we can ask the holy Emperor for a favor; I believe the holy Emperor would grant it."
Suddenly, with the loss of her mother and her face ruined...
Zeng shi sighed inwardly, her eyes filled with pity.
"Thank you, auntie," Yao Ran gently shook her head. "But I'm fine. I want to stay and continue praying for the great victory."
Zeng shi hesitated, pondering whether to persuade her further when the matriarch of the Yao family spoke up, "Since Ran'er has this intention, then let her stay."
"But the physician has advised that my cousin should rest more," Yao Xia said from the side. "Cousin, you've taken your medicine. How about you take a nap?"
Yao Ran didn’t insist on being strong and nodded.
She needed some time alone.
After Yao Ran went to her room to rest, the matriarch and Zeng shi couldn’t help but sigh together.
"Retribution..."
"This Pei Shi..." Zeng shi clenched her teeth, pressing a handkerchief to her eye. "It's just so pitiful for our Ran'er."
As she spoke, her voice faltered, and she raised tearful eyes to the matriarch, tentatively asking, "But speaking of which... Is that miss from the Chang family really brother-in-law's child?"
As soon as she said this, the matriarch noticed that her grandchildren were all looking at her with the same curious expression.
"This matter..." The matriarch shook her head. "I truly don't know, but it seems... the eldest son doesn't seem like that kind of person."
"But since that Pei shi has such malicious intent..." Zeng shi lowered her voice, the past tyrannies of Pei shi weighing heavily on her mind. Suddenly finding the courage to scold, her boldness still lagged behind: "It’s unlikely she has no evidence, right?"
"Yes, grandmother, please think carefully," Yao Xia urged eagerly. "Before Uncle left for the capital, did he have any intimate acquaintances?"
The matriarch shot her a glance of reproach. "Where did you learn such words?"
Just then, footsteps and the sound of servants bowing could be heard from outside. The matriarch lifted her chin slightly. "Look, the person has returned. You can ask him directly."
Yao Yi walked in, first inquiring about Yao Ran's condition. Upon learning that his daughter had gone to rest, he let out a complicated sigh of relief.
Then he sensed something unusual in the atmosphere.
From his sister-in-law to his niece, they all looked at him with a glimmer of expectation.
It was his nephew who spoke first: "Uncle, is that lady from the Chang family really... part of our Yao family?"
As soon as this question fell, Yao Yi distinctly felt the transition of their expectation from vague to clear, growing so intense that it became hard to ignore, making him feel like he was being roasted over a fire.
It was rare for his family to need him so urgently, yet he was unable to fulfill their wishes—
Forced by the atmosphere, Yao Yi reflected silently.
Firstly, the miss from the Chang family was indeed not his daughter.
Secondly, it was clearly too late for any living arrangements.
Therefore, he could only choose to be honest: "It is not so; it was a misunderstanding by Pei shi."
Yao Xia immediately looked as if she would cry.
This was the first time in her life she felt so disappointed in her uncle!
"Then... why would Pei shi have such a misunderstanding?" Zeng shi, still unwilling to give up, asked. "Did my uncle really search for that miss from the Chang family?"
The matriarch also turned her gaze to her son.
After a moment, Yao Yi explained, "I was searching for the daughter of a deceased friend."
Zeng shi's eyes brightened again, hinting strongly, "Did this friend leave any instructions? Like asking my uncle to bring the person back to take care of, perhaps?"
In other words—could they seize the opportunity?
Although she wasn't one of their own, if there was a legitimate reason, they might make a bold attempt to turn her into part of their family!
Yao Gui, listening, felt a chill run down his spine. His timid and conflict-averse mother suddenly harbored the idea of competing with General Chang for someone; how terrifying it was to have such bold thoughts!
Yao Yi sighed, sitting down. "Sister-in-law, don’t overthink it. Previously, I simply found the wrong person. I don't know how Pei shi found out, which led to young miss Chang suffering an undeserved disaster."
This matter had indeed been his oversight; he hadn't realized he was being monitored by Pei shi.
That Pei shi had nearly ruined a very important matter...
With the last shred of hope shattered, Zeng shi couldn’t help but sigh.
Yao Xia, who had felt joy for nothing, couldn’t help but sigh too.
Yao Gui looked around, and to fit in, he sighed as well.
The three sighs seemed to represent—disappointment, dismay, and the conclusion that it was over.
Yao Yi: "…"
How had he suddenly become the scapegoat of the family?
Even after everything he experienced today, he didn’t even receive a word of comfort?
"After a day of chaos, brother should rest early," Zeng shi tried to muster some encouragement, but to Yao Yi's ears, it felt more like "You're useless; go wash up and sleep."
Clearly, there would be no more consolation, and a sudden wave of fatigue hit Zeng shi as she led her two children away.
"Mother, sister... you don't need to be so downcast," Yao Gui suddenly said softly. "It's not completely impossible for us to become one family..."
Yao Xia turned to look, seeing her brother's shy expression. She couldn't help but raise her guard. "What are you trying to say, brother?"
"Since sister is so close to young miss Chang, and young miss Chang has yet to be betrothed..." The boy lowered his head, scratching the back of his neck awkwardly. "I happen to be about the same age as young miss Chang—"
Yao Xia's eyes widened. "What, brother, are you infatuated with her?!"
Yao Gui looked at her in shock. "Ah Xia, how can you say that about your brother! As the saying goes, 'A gentleman appreciates a graceful lady...'"
His family had a relaxed atmosphere, making it easy to say certain things in front of his mother.
"Ah Que..." Zeng shi called her son softly, sighing, "You should know that in matters of 'a gentleman appreciating a lady', it's not just about the girl's looks."
Yao Gui nodded, just about to say, "Son understands, and we should also consider character. However, young miss Chang is resilient and courageous, which shows she's exceptional." Yet he heard his mother continue—
"One must also consider one's own appearance."
"?" Yao Gui turned to look at his mother, unexpectedly meeting a pair of eyes filled with mild pity.
"Mother wants to make the Chang lady part of our family, knowing your intentions are good," Zeng shi said earnestly. "But you should hold off for now."
There’s no need to rush.
To avoid an awkward ending.
Yao Gui: "…"
Fine then.
From liking someone to giving up, it often only takes an overly clear-headed mother.
...
As night began to fall, Chang Sui'an went to look for Cui Jing.
Outside the meditation hall where Cui Jing was, he discovered a sneaky figure.
When that figure saw someone coming, it quickly darted behind a rock in the garden, leaving only a corner of clothing visible.
Seeing that the person was not very clever at hiding, clearly inexperienced, Chang Sui'an couldn’t be bothered to catch them and directly called out, "Who’s sneaking around there?"
【Yao Xia: My uncle is so useless.】
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