"Where have you been? It’s been over a month and we haven’t received any letter." Xiqiu glared at Ruan Jingliu in mock anger, her face showing displeasure but her heart relieved. She had been worried and now seeing her standing here safe and sound, her heart finally settled.

"Hello, Aunt Ruan." Min’s sweet and innocent voice followed Xiqiu’s greeting, and Ruan Jingliu approached lightly with a serene smile looking at Min: "Min, you’ve grown quite a bit taller since I last saw you a month ago."

Min blushed: "I have a younger brother now, of course, I will grow taller. I want to grow up quickly to play with my brother."

"Then you have to grow up quickly." Ruan Jingliu smiled warmly, looking at Xiqiu with raised eyebrows: "Why are you looking at me like that? I’m perfectly fine, aren’t I?" She spoke without waiting for Xiqiu’s reaction, raising her hand to take the chubby Zhi lying in Xiqiu’s arms: "He’s gained quite a bit of weight."

Zhi, having just fed, was looking around and didn’t mind being held by her, his little mouth making smack sounds as if savoring the milk, very content.

Ruan Jingliu laughed, gently tapping his nose with her finger: "Little rascal, enjoying yourself, huh." She teased, glancing at Xiqiu: "Just like a little lord."

Xiqiu found Ruan Jingliu’s description very apt, as Zhi did seem like a little lord.

But Min waved his hand, correcting Ruan Jingliu: "Aunt Ruan, you got it wrong. Zhi is my little brother, not a lord!"

Ruan Jingliu smiled softly, while Xiqiu couldn’t help but laugh, saying to Ruan Jingliu: "It’s hot outside, let’s go in and talk." Ruan Jingliu nodded, intending to carry Zhi back inside, and as if sensing the end of his walk, he suddenly drew his little face, and burst into tears.

"What’s wrong with him?" Ruan Jingliu, somewhat at a loss, looked at Xiqiu. Xiqiu came over and held him: "He hasn’t walked enough." She then called out to Mrs. Zhou standing by: "Take him outside for a walk. Be careful of mosquitoes."

Mrs. Zhou nodded, while Min’s gaze flickered, tugging at Xiqiu’s clothes: "Mother, I’ll go walk with my brother."

"Then follow behind the nurse carefully, walk slowly, it’s still a bit hot outside now, don’t stay too long, alright?" Xiqiu squatted down in front of Min, feeling his forehead and confirming no sweat, relaxed, saying: "Let Dongling and Erquan go with you." 𝙛𝓻𝒆𝒆𝒘𝙚𝓫𝙣𝙤𝒗𝙚𝓵.𝙘𝙤𝙢

Min nodded repeatedly, and followed Mrs. Zhou through the corridor, planning to stroll in the garden.

Meanwhile, Xiqiu and Ruan Jingliu entered the room, where it was cooler than outside with ice placed around, and she sat down on the rose bed, took the tea Chunliu offered, sipped it, then turned to Xiqiu: "Give me your hand, let me take your pulse."

"I wouldn’t dare trouble you." Xiqiu pursed her lips, clearly unwilling, but Ruan Jingliu insisted on pulling her hand to take her pulse, saying: "I know you’re upset, but I’m back now." After taking her pulse she nodded: "You have weakness and stomach cold; you didn’t rest well during your confinement."

Xiqiu knew this. In the earlier days, she was constantly worrying about milk, then when the milk came, she couldn’t bear to let Zhi sleep with the nurse, always keeping him close, waking up several times at night to feed. Sometimes Zhi cried to be held, and she would sit by the bed with Mrs. Zhou comforting him, fortunately it didn’t take long, within a few days they finally managed to correct his habit of sleeping only when being held.

Actually, in a big family, having such a habit wouldn’t matter much, everyone could take turns holding him, but she felt that even a small child shouldn’t be spoiled. Just like assuming Min would understand reasoning easily wasn’t true, for children of two or three, the best education is to cultivate good habits, because once developed, they would benefit greatly even after they grow up.

"I’ll prescribe some medicine for you; you must remember to take it daily, after two or three years, you should recover." Ruan Jingliu furrowed her brows: "You just won’t listen to me about this, there are servants to take care of the child. Why do you have to do everything yourself?"

Xiqiu sighed: "I understand your point, but I just can’t rest assured." She paused and shifted the topic: "Don’t divert the topic onto me. Don’t you have something to discuss with me?"

Ruan Jingliu smiled softly, shook her head helplessly as if confessing: "I went to Jiangnan, and also to Wei Hui... Many disaster victims needed help there; I was so busy every day there wasn’t even time to write."

Hearing this, Xiqiu was shocked: "You went to Wei Hui?" Ruan Jingliu nodded, Xiqiu furrowed her brows tightly: "Why didn’t you tell us? I was worried sick at home and even asked Fourth Master to inquire about you."

"So it was you two." Ruan Jingliu laughed: "I wondered why along my journey, there were always people inquiring about me, I thought..." Seeing her abruptly stop, Xiqiu continued: "Thought what? Thought people from Tongzhou were asking about you?"

"You found out? Did Madam Ruan tell you?" Ruan Jingliu’s gaze paused.

Xiqiu shook her head: "Not Madam Ruan." Ruan Jingliu was stunned for a moment, so Xiqiu explained: "It’s Madam Zhou."

"So it was her!" Ruan Jingliu showed indifference as she nodded, but Xiqiu furrowed her brows and relayed Madam Zhou’s words to Ruan Jingliu: "... It’s been seven or eight days already, not sure of the situation. You should go back and take a look."

Ruan Jingliu put down the tea cup and replied indifferently: "No need to go back." She looked at Xiqiu with a cold tone: "He already passed away yesterday!"

Xiqiu paused, surprised and confused, looking at Ruan Jingliu, puzzled by her attitude about Seventh Master: "Sister Jingliu..." her expression unsure.

Ruan Jingliu casually said: "You don’t need to worry." Her voice was lighthearted, with no sign of sadness, but a hint of loss was evident in her eyes: "He and I had no affection since childhood. He only saw me as a tool to return to the Marquis Mansion; he was disappointed in me and cast me out. Since the day I got married, we were no longer father and daughter." Xiqiu wanted to say that Seventh Master Ruan probably still missed you. Otherwise, why would he let Madam Zhou come to find you?

Ruan Jingliu seemed to read her mind: "You want to say he sent someone to find me, wanting to see me before he died, showing he still had affection for me, right? You think I’m too heartless!?"

Xiqiu nodded honestly.

"Haha, even you think so, seems like everyone would think the same." She chuckled lightly, noticing Xiqiu’s concerned expression, she called out worriedly: "Sister Jingliu... you..."

Ruan Jingliu waved her hand: "I’m fine, don’t worry." She stood up, taking a few steps in the room, then turned back looking at Xiqiu saying: "Actually, nobody knows the reason he wanted me to come back was that I am the disciple of Divine Doctor Zhang known far and wide; regarding his illness, only I could cure it in this world!"