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Shen Yu’an had changed into a clean outfit, a new dress prepared for other young ladies in the mansion that hadn’t been worn yet.
As soon as Zhu Zhu saw Shen Yu’an, she tried to get off the bed.
Shen Yu’an quickly stepped forward and stopped the young girl from getting down.
She playfully booped Zhu zhu’s little nose with her finger and said, “Why isn’t Zhu Zhu obediently resting and getting better?”
” Zhu Zhu obediently rested and got checked by the doctor, now Sister should also take a look.”
Only then did Qi Wenqin notice that Shen Yu’an’s lips had turned slightly pale. While Zhu Zhu, despite having a fever, was lively and full of energy, showing no signs of discomfort whatsoever.
“Doctor Meng, could you please check this young lady as well?”
Doctor Meng, the one with a long beard, examined Shen Yu’an’s pulse as well.
After withdrawing his fingers and stroking his beard, he said, “The young lady caught a chill from the cold wind and rain. She’s running a fever now. I’ll write a prescription shortly, and after drinking the medicine for a couple of days, she should recover.”
Qi Wenqin signaled a young servant by his side to accompany the estate physician to fetch the medicine. He then gestured for Shen Yu’an to place Zhu Zhu on the bed.
“When did Miss Shen arrive in the capital? By the way, where are your family members?”
“If you haven’t registered with an official household yet, I can help you find a place here in the capital. And as for your livelihood, you don’t need to worry.”
Qi Wenqin calculated that Shen Yu’an’s family should have arrived by now, but he had never seen anyone holding his jade pendant come looking for him. He was worried that something might have happened to them on the way.
Furthermore, due to the busy affairs before the New Year, he hadn’t been aware that the Shen family had actually already arrived.
Shen Yu’an thanked Qi Wenqin and said, “We arrived before the New Year, but we thought you were occupied with official duties, so we didn’t want to disturb you.”
Qi Wenqin felt a fondness for this girl who had saved his beloved daughter twice. He smiled and said, “No need to address me so formally. Just call me ‘Uncle.'”
While they were talking, a commotion of hurried footsteps came from outside.
The next moment, the door was pushed open, and two beautiful women entered – it was General’s wife, Lady Wen, and Xin Rui.
At first glance, Xin Rui spotted Zhu Zhu sitting on the bed. She hurried over and called out, ” Zhu zhu!”
“Mother!”
Seeing Xin Rui, Zhu Zhu’s eyes turned slightly red. She reached out from Shen Yu’an’s embrace, wanting to be held.
Xin Rui quickly held onto Zhu Zhu as she attempted to rush out. Tears streamed down her face, filled with the joy of regaining what was lost.
Meanwhile, Lady Wen, who had entered alongside Xin Rui, looked toward Shen Yu’an, who was sitting on the edge of the bed.
Once Xin Rui’s emotions had settled, Lady Wen inquired, “Who is this young lady?”
Xin Rui also realized that a living person was being overlooked right in front of her.
She looked at Shen Yu’an and her eyes lit up, “You are… Miss Shen?”
Shen Yu’an smiled and nodded.
After wiping her tears, Xin Rui briefly explained Shen Yu’an’s identity to Lady Wen.
Upon hearing that Shen Yu’an had saved Zhu Zhu twice, Lady Wen also held Shen Yu’an in higher regard.
The group sat in Zhu Zhu’s room and chatted for a while, listening as she exaggerated her recent heroic deeds.
Lady Wen and Xin Rui both smiled, considering it as Zhu Zhu’s playful imagination rather than taking it seriously.
After a moment, a maid brought two bowls of freshly brewed medicine. Each was given to Shen Yu’an and Zhu Zhu.
After taking the medicine, they didn’t linger long in Zhu Zhu’s room. It was already quite late, and everyone was feeling tired.
Lady Wen suggested that any important matters could be discussed the next day.
Having endured for so long, Shen Yu’an’s head was already feeling dizzy, and she had no objections whatsoever.
Having been escorted out by the same maid once again, Shen Yu’an could only think about lying in bed, closing her eyes, and resting for the night.
The following day, under the care of the General’s household staff, Shen Yu’an woke up early.
Soon after, a young servant came to relay a message that Lady Wen wanted her to join them in the main hall for breakfast.
The General’s Residence was vast, even larger than the Bai Residence where Shen Yu’an had been before.
As Shen Yu’an followed the guiding maid through corridors, passing through one moon gate after another, they encountered someone causing a disturbance even before reaching the main hall.
“You there, stop!”
The guiding maid immediately stopped upon hearing the voice, turned around, and bowed, saying, “Greetings, Third Miss.”
Qi Yiran didn’t even spare a glance for the maid. Her proud gaze was fixed on Shen Yu’an as she sized her up.
She asked, “Who is this person?”
The maid remained in her respectful bowed position and replied, “Third Miss, this is the young lady who returned with Miss Zhu Zhu last night, the one who was with her when she was found by Second Master.”
Qi Yiran snorted and chuckled, her gaze toward Shen Yu’an turning even more hostile.
That Zhu Zhu, the little brat, didn’t she get kidnapped? Yet, she miraculously returned unharmed.
Since this person came back with that Zhu Zhu girl, she must have been one of the people captured by Paizihua.
Qi Yiran expressed her disdain, saying, “Everyone and their dog are leading themselves into our mansion.”
She reached out and twisted the clothes on Shen Yu’an, coldly remarking, “Hmph! A country bumpkin like you, daring to wear this young lady’s clothes.”
The maid who had brought Shen Yu’an was so frightened that she knelt down on the ground, trembling and begging for mercy.
The clothes Shen Yu’an was wearing were taken by her.
Second Master said to give this young lady a set of freshly laundered clothes, and since in the mansion, only Third Miss and Shen Yu’an had similar body sizes, she casually grabbed one of the new dresses meant for the young lady, and it happened to be Third Miss’s.
Who could have imagined… Who could have imagined that it would actually provoke the wrath of Third Miss.
Shen Yu’an looked at Qi Yiran, who was pinching the corner of her clothes, and then glanced at the maid on the ground, pleading for mercy. She gently took the clothes back from Qi Yiran’s hand.
Bending down, she pulled up the maid and said, “It’s not your fault. Get up.”
The maid, aided by Shen Yu’an pulling her up, timidly looked towards Qi Yiran.
Qi Yiran shot the maid a cold glare and sneered, “You can’t even save your own life, yet you still have the nerve to care about a servant? Ha~ no, both of you are pretty much the same. You, with your lowly existence, dared to wear my clothes. I doubt you’ll have the life to enjoy it.”
She pointed her finger at the maid and asked, “It was you, wasn’t it? You gave this bumpkin my clothes.”
The maid could only free herself from Shen Yu’an’s grasp and kneel back down on the ground. She pleaded to Qi Yiran, “Miss, I was wrong. Please forgive me this time.”
She truly regretted it now. She had thought that the person Second Master had brought back was someone of importance, so she had taken the best fabric meant for Third Miss’s clothes.
However, she didn’t anticipate that this person was just one of those peasant girls captured alongside Miss Zhu Zhu.
Qi Yiran relished in the sight of the maid kneeling and begging. She glanced at Shen Yu’an, who remained unfazed, and felt the urge to tear that calm expression off her face.
If she disrupted that calm facade, it would undoubtedly be satisfying.
Narrowing her eyes, she looked at Shen Yu’an and said, “Kneel down and beg for my forgiveness, then publicly take off these clothes. If you do that, I might generously spare your life.”