Yu An and Lei Wang were led to the front hall of the Princess Mansion by the servants. After a long wait, the man sent to fetch Yu Yun’s main husband returned.

He said apologetically, "Princess, Your Highness, my master the Princess is unwell and truly cannot see you."

Before Yu An could even speak, Lei Wang grew displeased. "What in the world is wrong with that girl, Yu Yun? She hasn’t improved in over ten days. Are the witch doctors you’ve hired any use at all?"

The main husband quickly replied, "Of course, they’re useful. It’s just that the witch doctor said the Princess needs quiet rest and is unable to receive guests at this time."

Lei Wang was naturally rebellious and also wanted to curry favor with Yu An, so he stubbornly insisted on seeing Yu Yun. The main husband blocked his path, clearly unwilling to let him pass.

"Let it go," Yu An said, rising to her feet. "Since my sister is unable to see us, we’ll just wait until she’s recovered."

Lei Wang glanced at the main husband, who looked troubled but remained firm. With a flick of his sleeve, he changed his tune. "Fine, I won’t see her. It’ll save me from catching whatever she has."

The main husband breathed a sigh of relief. Just as he was about to escort them out, Yu An suddenly asked, "By the way, is my sister’s illness serious? The Mother Empress’s birthday is in a few days. Will she be able to attend?"

The main husband hesitated for a moment. "Yes, she will. The witch doctor said the Princess will be fully recovered in a few more days."

Yu An smiled but said nothing. As the main husband escorted them out the door, a flash of green jumped off him, latched onto the hem of Yu An’s robe, and left the Princess Mansion with her.

The main husband watched them leave, ordered the main gate closed, and headed toward the inner courtyard.

All five Zaizai in the mansion were sick, and his own two cubs were especially ill. As their Beast Father, he needed to look after them constantly.

By the time Lei Wang was seen off, it was already evening. Lan Ying took the Zaizai to bed, and in Yu An’s room, Lu Lu stood on the table, recounting everything it had heard.

"...Yu Yun was screaming so loudly, so miserably. You could tell she was in a lot of pain. And that Granny Gu was in there too. What’s more, when her main husband called out, he didn’t say her name first. He called for Granny Gu."

According to custom, whoever is mentioned first generally holds higher status. For a male, after marriage, his Female Master should be his top priority in all things. No person and no matter should ever come before her.

Yu An rubbed her chin. "In that case, Granny Gu’s status in the Princess Mansion must be very high. At least in Yu Yun’s eyes, Granny Gu’s position is higher than her own."

’That’s why Yu Yun’s Beast Husband is used to addressing them in that order, tacitly acknowledging that Granny Gu’s status is higher than Yu Yun’s.’

"I can’t believe she’s not dead," Ao Wu said, focusing on that point. "An’an, you had the Phoenix Feather for protection, plus your superpower and the Divine Spring Water. That’s the only reason you recovered so quickly."

"Yu Yun’s Beast Husband said she’ll be able to attend the Beast Emperor’s birthday. What kind of elixir could she possibly have to recover that fast?"

After all, Yu An had to use half of the Divine Spring Water just to recover this fast.

Unfortunately, Yu Yun’s main husband never entered the basement; they only spoke through the door. So, Lu Lu couldn’t see what Yu Yun was actually doing.

The Beastman Continent didn’t have holidays like the Spring Festival or Mid-Autumn Festival, so the Beastmen treated the Beast Emperor’s birthday as their most important celebration. It was the grandest day of the year on the continent. On this day, every household would decorate their front doors with beautiful flowers and plants and bring out their finest food to celebrate.

For the Beast Emperor’s birthday this year, smoke curled from the chimneys of every home, and a sweet fragrance filled the air.

Yu Tinglan disliked crowds and noise, so every year on her birthday, she would shut herself in her room to pass the long day alone. All the banquets and festivities were left to Cui Su to manage.

This year was no exception.

Listening to the lively commotion outside, Yu Tinglan silently closed her eyes.

"Grandaunt, may we come in?"

The door opened a crack, and four little heads peeked in, stacked one above the other.

Yu Tinglan’s eyes flew open in surprise. "What are you all doing here?"

She had seen these little ones before when she went to speak with Yu An.

Da Hu walked in, dragging a food container from the doorway. "Female Mother made lots of yummy and pretty food for us to bring over and eat with you, Grandaunt."

Yu Tinglan stared at the food container, looking lost in thought, until Xiao Hu tugged on her sleeve and brought her back to her senses.

"You’re Xiao Hu, aren’t you?" A smile touched her lips, and her voice was gentle in a way she hadn’t even realized. "What is it?"

Xiao Hu pointed at a chair, tilting his head back to look at her. "Grandaunt," he said in his small, piping voice, "Xiao Hu can’t get up."

Yu Tinglan paused for a moment before reaching out, lifting him up, and setting him securely on the chair.

Da Hu eagerly tried to open the food container, but his arms were short, making it a struggle.

Yu Tinglan instinctively took over. A colorful spread of dishes was soon laid out on the table. In the very center sat something that exuded a sweet aroma.

Xiao Yu explained, "Grandaunt, this is a cake! Female Mother spent a really long time making it."

Little Serpent, who couldn’t take human form yet, just nodded along with his big brother Xiao Yu.

Yu Tinglan opened her mouth, wanting to ask why Yu An had sent them. She had assumed Yu An would want nothing to do with her for the rest of her life.

’After all, I once considered trading Yu An to get my sister back. For all these years, I’ve completely ignored her, letting others bully her...’

But looking at the four innocent Zaizai, she swallowed her words.

And so, Yu Tinglan spent her happiest day since her sister, Yu Huang, had been taken away.

Qiuyue watched them from outside the window, her gaze softening.

After the four little ones had been escorted away, Yu Tinglan called Qiuyue into the room.

"You went to see her?"

Qiuyue replied in a low voice, "Yes."

Yu Tinglan’s expression was unreadable. "Who gave you permission to act on your own authority?"

"I just didn’t want Your Majesty’s intentions to be misunderstood," Qiuyue said, her head still bowed. "Those people have come more than once. It was always Your Majesty who fended them off."

"Your Majesty wants to treat the Princess well, but... you can’t seem to get over that barrier in your heart."

That day, Yu Tinglan hadn’t told the whole story.

Yu Huang had originally escaped from those people’s grasp. But giving birth to Yu An exposed her location, and they came hunting her again.

She then exhausted half of her spiritual power to send Yu An to Yu Tinglan, but in her weakened state, she was captured and taken away.

To be honest, Yu Tinglan had once resented Yu Huang and hated Yu An. But as she watched the little toddler grow up from the shadows, saw her slowly begin to resemble Yu Huang more and more, the resentment in her heart gradually faded.

Yu Tinglan didn’t tell Yu An any of this. Qiuyue understood her master; she knew Yu Tinglan didn’t want to say such sentimental things, nor did she want to burden Yu An with guilt. But misunderstandings between family could cause them to drift apart, sooner or later.

"Did she... say anything?"

What Yu Tinglan really wanted to ask was whether Yu An had forgiven her.

Qiuyue didn’t answer, only smiled at her.

Yu Tinglan understood.

The four little ones coming to see her and celebrate her birthday had already answered that question.

Yu An hadn’t come herself because she was at the banquet, her eyes fixed on Yu Yun.

Yu Yun looked completely uninjured. When she saw Yu An, she was all smiles, chatting away as if nothing had happened at all.

Yu An subtly brought up the Ghost Market to test her reaction, but Yu Yun just claimed she didn’t know what she was talking about. She even asked what kind of place it was and if it was any fun.

"Yun’er, come over to your Beast Father. You’re going to shoulder great responsibilities in the future, how can you still be so preoccupied with fun and games?"

Seeing Yu An so close to Yu Yun, Cui Su was afraid she might harm his precious daughter, so he quickly called her over.

Yu Yun answered and turned away. As she did, a look of amusement flashed in Yu An’s eyes.

’Playing dumb?’

’Interesting.’