"Has Madam Zhou been visited on your end?" Xiqiu ushered Ruan Jingliu into the next room, "Just now, the housekeeper by Madam Zhou’s side came over, saying her illness is quite serious."

Ruan Jingliu paused in her tea-holding hand, raised her eyebrows and looked at Xiqiu, asking, "Did she mention what illness it is? I haven’t heard anything."

Xiqiu frowned, having thought Madam Zhou had already contacted Ruan Jingliu, but hadn’t expected Ruan Jingliu also didn’t know.

"She only mentioned that the illness has been persisting for several years and now has worsened significantly." Xiqiu looked at Ruan Jingliu with seriousness etched on her face: "...There isn’t much time left."

Ruan Jingliu’s expression darkened as well, setting the tea cup aside, she replied: "And what else did she say?" It wouldn’t be without reason for her to seek out Xiqiu.

"She asked me to visit her." Xiqiu spoke slowly, paused, and then said: "I thought you knew, but it turns out you’re unaware..." She looked at Ruan Jingliu: "Perhaps you should accompany me tomorrow?"

Ruan Jingliu fell silent, thought for a moment, then nodded, saying: "All right, I’ll go with you to take a look."

Xiqiu nodded in agreement.

Early the next day, Xiqiu passed by Four Symbols Alley to pick up Ruan Jingliu; together they exited the West City Gate and headed to the suburb of the capital. On the way, Xiqiu asked Ruan Jingliu: "The Zhou family has already established its own household, so does the ancestral line fall under the Marquis Jinxiang or return to the original Zhou family?"

Ruan Jingliu replied: "The ancestral line has returned to the Zhou family, hence Madam Zhou and Bohan acquired property in the suburb of the capital. Even though they still maintain relations with the Marquis Jinxiang, they are no longer affiliated branches of the marquis."

Xiqiu had never heard of instances where an adopted heir could return to their original family, so she curiously asked: "Why did the Marquis agree to the Zhou family reverting to their original surname?" Such occurrences are rare and somewhat defy norms.

"Even I don’t know the details clearly," Ruan Jingliu slowly responded. "I only heard my brother mention it, saying that the Zhou family was originally kin with the Marquis Jinxiang, and the adopted son was the Madam’s nephew back then. After two generations, unexpectedly, the Zhou family was decimated in a man-made disaster, leaving solely the bloodline of Bohan’s father in existence. The Zhou family patriarch approached the Marquis Jinxiang, asking for Bohan’s father to return to their family, thereby extending the Zhou family lineage. Bohan’s father had three brothers in his generation, and the youngest Zhou Lord was thus restored to the original surname, assuming the Zhou family lineage..."

Thus, it made sense, indicating that this Zhou family indeed has deep connections with the Marquis Jinxiang, otherwise, it wouldn’t make sense for the adopted heir to reclaim the original surname.

So, in this current generation of the Zhou family, Zhou Bohan has no siblings in the clan, leaving him as the last of his line?

She sighed lightly, sensing Madam Zhou’s struggles; her husband died young, and she was left with only one son, further burdened by troubled marriage... Following the departure of the Young Madam Zhou from home, with no news since, Zhou Bohan never remarried, perhaps holding onto deep feelings for that Young Madam Zhou making it hard to let go.

Lost in thought, the carriage had arrived before a large residence at the foot of East Mountain, seemingly with five or six sections. The carriage drove directly into the property, Ruan Jingliu unveiled the curtain of the carriage and glanced around, chuckling: "To be honest with you, it’s my first visit here too."

Xiqiu couldn’t help but think of Ruan Jingliu’s background, as this could be considered her cousin’s home, earnestly asked: "Are you really not planning to ever return to Tongzhou?"

Ruan Jingliu nodded matter-of-factly, raising her brows and retorted: "Do you think they would accept a widow who tarnished the family honor back home?" She spoke lightly, yet Xiqiu discerned traces of helplessness within her words.

"Sister Jingliu," Xiqiu gently grasped her hand.

Ruan Jingliu rolled her eyes: "Don’t worry about me, I’m doing well indeed, free from those rigid conventions and rituals. I go wherever I want, and no longer is anyone wielding moral standards to scrutinize me. Besides, without family, I still have friends." She then pinched Xiqiu’s cheek: "Having you with me, I don’t feel lonely at all."

Xiqiu was amused by her rare playful appearance, teasingly muttered: "Indeed, you have plenty of friends." Leaning in towards Ruan Jingliu, she asked mischievously: "Is Mr. Qin also a good friend?"

Ruan Jingliu was stunned, casting an incomprehensible glance at Xiqiu, reached over to feel her forehead, frowned and shook her head: "You seem just fine though, why are you talking nonsense!" Then added: "Am I friends with him? Do I look like someone lacking taste?"

Xiqiu covered her face and laughed lightly, patting Ruan Jingliu’s hand, saying: "You don’t have to hide anything from me, there is plenty of time ahead, we’ll take things as they come."

"Live your life, enduring with your Fourth Master; I don’t wish to live like you at all!" Finishing, she turned her head, eyes settling on the sheer curtains, somewhat distant...

Xiqiu ceased her laughter, falling silent... Recalling what Ruan Jingliu had said when she was giving birth... a hint of melancholy showed in her eyes.

The carriage came to a halt, Chunliu lifted the curtain: "Madam, we’ve arrived!" Upon her announcement, the face of the housekeeper from yesterday’s visit to the Governor Mansion revealed itself, smiling: "Fourth Madam!" She then noticed Ruan Jingliu and paused, Xiqiu chuckled and said: "Is this Nurse Zhang?"

Ruan Jingliu showed no reaction, but the housekeeper instantly smiled, nodding repeatedly: "I’ve heard of Nurse Zhang’s great name, heard and remembered!" As she reached out to personally assist Xiqiu off the carriage.

Xiqiu held on to the housekeeper’s hand and alighted, asking: "What is the housekeeper called?" She seemed to be the steward of the mansion.

"I follow the surname of the master’s family, it’s Zhou!" Indicating she was a houseborn servant.

"Nanny Zhou!" Xiqiu nodded, while Ruan Jingliu also got off the carriage, maintaining her typically serious demeanor in front of strangers. Xiqiu often felt she bore some likeness to Fourth Master Xiao, being carefree and lively when alone, swiftly transforming once in the presence of outsiders, like a silkworm cocoon enclosing herself within a thick shell.

She sighed inwardly, realizing that each person has a shell, only interpreted differently; Ruan Jingliu embodies coldness and aloofness, whereas she... what could it be?

The thought passed through her mind as the group followed Nanny Zhou through the Yimen, she explained as she walked: "Madam just asked me to look for Fourth Madam at the entrance, it was quite a coincidence to meet Fourth Madam here."

Xiqiu smiled and asked: "Is Madam doing well?"

"She had half a bowl of plain congee in the morning, didn’t eat anything else." Paused then added: "Compared to yesterday her spirit is slightly better, and she even strolled in the courtyard with me."

Xiqiu nodded slightly, entering the inner courtyard side-by-side with Ruan Jingliu, spotting from afar the red walls and grey tiles reminiscent of Huizhou’s ancient style, and feeling a pang of nostalgia as Nanny Zhou pointed to the courtyard: "This is the main courtyard; please, Fourth Madam and Nurse Zhang!" Stepping aside, she invited Xiqiu and Ruan Jingliu into the courtyard.

The room hadn’t been ventilated, bearing a dim atmosphere; Madam Zhou reclined on the pillow of an Arhat Bed wearing a honey-colored double-gold overcoat, hair styled in a bun adorned with a few fluffy flowers in elegant green, devoid of other jewelry, her face leaner and somewhat sallow than it was two years ago... Resting with her eyes closed, she immediately opened them upon hearing activity, turning her gaze towards the doorway.