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It had been days since Xie Yunzhi regained consciousness, yet his father had not come to see him.
He understood, even expected it. After all, he knew his father was on his side, otherwise he wouldn’t have agreed to such an absurd exchange of brides.
He could already imagine his younger brother and his mother complaining about their father and grandmother favoring him.
That was probably why his brother never came to visit either.
Xie Yunzhi didn’t feel much sadness. He wasn’t the sentimental type, much like Xie Lin. Both father and son shared a similar aloofness.
Their actions stemmed more from a sense of responsibility than genuine emotions.
Protecting the country was a responsibility, fulfilling their parents’ expectations was another.
These were the principles that guided Xie Yunzhi’s actions.
His father’s sudden arrival made him feel awkward. He feared his father would be heartbroken and worried about him.
“Yunzhi, it’s been several days since I last visited you,” The Marquis managed a strained smile, only to realize that he didn’t really have much to say.
Xie Yunzhi had always been his pride and joy, bringing great honor to the Pingyang Marquis residence, to the point where even his father felt the need to step back and let him shine.
The father-son bond between the Marquis and Xie Yunzhi was quite different from that of other families; he relied on Yunzhi for his own sense of worth and had much dependence on him.
With Yunzhi’s sudden collapse, his emotions became overwhelmingly complex.
It wasn’t that he didn’t care; it was just that he didn’t feel the urgency he thought he would.
In a way, his current efforts to support Yunzhi were a means to mask the guilt he felt inside.
The first half of Yunzhi’s life had brought him immense glory, while for the latter half, he would leave it in the hands of Xu Qingyi and the servants.
Xie Yunzhi was surprised by how few words his father spoke.
But then again, he had been lying in bed for over half a year; perhaps there was little left to say.
His father simply pushed Yunzhi’s wheelchair around the lotus pond for about a quarter of an hour before handing him back over to the servants for care.
“I have business to attend to, so I’ll head back to the study. Take good care of the Young Master,” The Marquis instructed the servants, casting one last glance at his eldest son.
“Yes, Marquis,” Guan Qi and Mo Yan replied in unison.
Long after the Marquis had left, the two exchanged a look, the atmosphere thick with unspoken words.
“What do you want to say?”
“What about you?”
Since they were alone, Mo Yan summoned his courage and blurted out, “The Marquis left so quickly. Doesn’t he care about the Young Master anymore?”
Otherwise, why hadn’t he visited for so long, and why was this visit so brief?
“That’s exactly what I was thinking,” Guan Qi immediately agreed.
Xie Yunzhi felt a slight displeasure at the servants’ conversation, as he didn’t feel his father didn’t care about him.
After all, in his current state, a visit would only cause unnecessary distress; it was better this way.
Unfortunately, the servants couldn’t hear his thoughts and continued their hushed discussion. “Come to think of it, the Marquis rarely visited even before. We just didn’t notice it back then because we had nothing to compare it to.”
“Now that the Young Madam is here, she’s so kind to the Young Master, she doesn’t treat him differently just because he’s bedridden…” Mo Yan’s voice grew heavier with emotion, his words sharper.
That’s not quite right; a wife and a father can’t be compared, Xie Yunzhi thought.
“Exactly. If the Marquis is busy, is our Young Madam not busy as well?” Guan Qi said, counting on his fingers. “Think about it, how many important things has our Young Madam accomplished since she entered this house?”
There were many, even more than the Marquis.
“First, on her wedding night, she led everyone in the mansion to catch Second Young Master’s mistress; she decisively proposed marriage to our Young Master and dealt with Second Young Master swiftly and effectively.”
“Second, on the day of the tea ceremony, she brought the three Young Masters back to Danhuai Courtyard, arranged everything perfectly, and even avenged Young Master Zhen.”
“Third, she went back to her family home alone with Young Master Heng. I heard from the old nursemaid that the Young Madam is always overshadowed by the eldest sister, the Duke’s wife, in her family. And guess what? They met again during the return visit! Can you believe it?” Mo Yan was indignant. “They specifically went to bully the Young Madam, but thankfully, our Young Madam is quick-witted and praised our three Young Masters so much that they couldn’t find an opportunity to criticize her.”
“A mere Duke’s wife,” Guan Qi scoffed.
Xie Yunzhi agreed. A mere Duke’s wife, what gave her the right to be so arrogant, even going out of her way to attend her sister’s return visit? She had ulterior motives.
Mo Yan continued, “Fourth, she found tutors for the two Young Masters. Just take Young Master Heng’s initiation ceremony as an example; Madam Qin had been procrastinating about it for so long, but the Young Madam took care of it in a single day!”
“Fifth, and now it’s Young Master Lin’s turn. No wonder the Young Madam asked about Young Master Lin a few days ago. It turns out she was thinking about his upcoming exams and specifically helped him resolve a matter so he could focus on studying.”
Guan Qi sighed, “If I hadn’t seen it with my own eyes, I wouldn’t believe anyone could be so meticulous.”
“The Young Madam is efficient and decisive, yet also incredibly detailed.”
That’s true. Xu Qingyi is a powerful woman in the workplace. She values efficiency and never procrastinates. That’s her principle.
“Speaking of which, we haven’t mentioned the biggest thing she’s accomplished yet,” Mo Yan smirked, noticing Guan Qi’s puzzled expression. “That would be the Young Master.”
Guan Qi pondered for a moment, then burst into laughter, teasingly agreeing, “You’re right.”
Xie Yunzhi: …
These two mischievous servants who gossip about their master should be punished.
“You two are here?” A voice suddenly rang out, startling Guan Qi and Mo Yan. Relieved to see it was Zi Xiao, they relaxed.
“That scared me. I thought it was the Young Madam,” Mo Yan said, patting his chest.
Zi Xiao asked, somewhat puzzled, “What’s so scary about the Young Madam coming?”
“Nothing, nothing,” Guan Qi shook his head, putting away Young Master Lin’s essays. “We’ll leave the Young Master in your care. We’re off duty.”
Ever since the Young Madam allowed them to take turns going out, they looked forward to the end of their shift.
They could go out for a stroll, have a drink, and return to serve the Young Master with renewed energy.
After Zi Xiao, Xu Qingyi arrived, with Young Master Heng trailing behind her like a little shadow. She had a habit of taking an after-dinner walk, and since she was going for a walk anyway, she might as well accompany the Young Master, earning herself a good reputation in the process.
Now, everyone in the mansion knew of her kindness—the result of her deliberate efforts.
“Is the Young Master planning to go back?” Xu Qingyi asked with a sweet smile, naturally moving the fan from her face to his.
The Young Master, of course, did not answer. Zi Xiao quickly replied with a smile, “If the Young Madam wishes to continue walking, the Young Master will gladly stay to accompany you.”
Xie Yunzhi: …
Feeling the faint fragrance on his face, gentler and more pleasant than the lotus breeze by the pond, Xie Yunzhi suddenly understood why everyone praised Lady Xu.
Precisely because Lady Xu was so flawless, Xie Yunzhi became even more aware that she was no ordinary woman. A truly simple person could never achieve such perfection.