In the past three days, Ling Jingshu had thought about the reunion with Madam Ling countless times and imagined that she would become very agitated. But at this moment, she was as calm as ice and snow.

All the hatred and anger were firmly pressed into the bottom of her heart.

Waiting for the coming days to spew out.

Ling Jingshu let out a faint smile, stepped forward, and gave a proper salute: “Zhínǚ^[1]This girl greets her gūgǔ.” 

Her voice was soft and sweet like the first cry of a yellow warbler.

Madam Ling secretly praised in her heart and looked at Ling Jingshu a few times. She saw her eyebrows and eyes were beautiful and remarkable, and her face was as calm as water. What was even rare was that there was no impetuousness or frivolity, which made people feel a genuine fondness for her.

Surprise and astonishment flashed in Madam Ling’s eyes: “When I got married, you were less than two years old, and couldn’t even call me gūgǔ. In the blink of an eye, you have become a beautiful girl.”

Ling Jingshu lowered her head. She nodded and replied in a soft voice: “Shu’er doesn’t deserve such high praise from her gūgǔ.”

Madam Ling smiled and took Ling Jingshu’s hand: “You have been sick and did not show up a few days ago, and your gūgǔ has prepared a gift for you, and I can finally give it to you today.”

After speaking, she turned her head and commanded, “Wei Zi, go back to the house and get the brocade box on the dressing table.” 

The maid in the indigo dress responded, turned, and stepped back.

Madam Ling seemed to like Ling Jingshu very much, so she held her hand like this, and went on to gossip with Old Lady Ling: “I have been married to the Lu family for many years, and I have only given birth to a son like Ah Qian. I have always wanted a daughter, but unfortunately, I couldn’t. It’s true. Now that I see a gentle and well-behaved girl, I’m especially jealous!”

The daughter’s words were witty and interesting, making the Old Lady Ling laugh non-stop: “You girl, you are now a mother, and you are still like this. Naughty. Anyway, you and Sister Shu are so close together, just take her back when you leave. “

Even after knowing that Old Lady Ling was joking, Ling Jingshu still felt a chill in her heart.

Madam Ling’s familiar laughter sounded: “This is what my mother said. The Second sǎo^[2]brother’s wife, Fourth sǎo, and Fifth sǎo you all heard it and you all have to be witnesses.” 

All her sǎo naturally wouldn’t disappoint, so they wanted to join in the fun: “Okay, we will all testify. Even if the Fifth Master comes back, there is no place to deny it.”

When Madam Ling returned to her parent’s house, she was in a good mood, and immediately took over the words with a smile: “The Fifth brother has such a precious daughter, it will be strange if you don’t turn your face with me.”

Ling Jingshu resisted the urge to withdraw her hands, and lowered her head, revealing just the right amount of shyness and joy.

Ling Jingxian, who was standing beside her, was almost unable to laugh, and the jealousy in her heart was burning.

It was always like this every time! As soon as Ling Jingshu appeared, everyone’s eyes would revolve around Ling Jingshu…

Wei Zi quickly brought the brocade box over.

Ling opened the brocade box and took out a pair of jade bracelets: “Although this jade bracelet is not a top-quality Hetian jade, it is of good quality. Come on, gūgu will put it on for you now.”

As she said, she personally helped Ling Jingshu put on the jade bracelet.

Ling Jingshu showed a grateful smile at the right time. Taking advantage of the fact that she had to bow to her to thank her, and then withdraw her hand.

…

After the salute, Ling Jingshu and Ling Jingxian stood beside Ling Jingwan together.

The elders were talking and chatting, and the juniors didn’t have to be too restrained. When they got together, they couldn’t avoid whispering.

“Wan tángjiě,” Ling Jingxian asked quietly, “Hong biǎogē and Qian biǎodì^[3]male cousin who is younger than you from the maternal side, why didn’t they come with our gūgu?”

Ling brought Lu Hong and Lu Qian back together this time. Lu Hong was the direct descendant of the original wife and the Eldest grandson of the family of Lu. Lu Qian was born to Madam Ling and was twelve years old this year.

At that time, Ling got married at the beginning of the year and was soon pregnant. The child was born prematurely in less than eight months. Ling nearly lost her life in dystocia, and she did not get pregnant again for several years.

Ling Qian was frail and sickly since he was a child, and Madam Ling put all of her energy into making her son grow up safely, and she was particularly fond of him.

Thinking of Ling Qian, Ling Jingshu subconsciously frowned, and immediately returned to normal.

Ling Jingwan didn’t notice the strangeness of Ling Jingshu, she said with a smile: “Hong biǎogē stayed in the mansion for three days and thought it was too boring, so he went to Ling’s home school with Qian biǎodì early this morning.”

“Hong biǎogē is really eager to learn and make progress!” When Lu Hong was mentioned, Ling Jingxian’s eyes suddenly shone: “I heard that Hong biǎogē already has a reputation as a scholar, and he will definitely be named in the gold list in the future.”

Ling Jingshu smirked at Ling Jingxian’s glance.

Looking at her excited look, what does it have to do with her if Lu Hong’s title is on the Gold List or not?

Ling Jingwan was very attentive and perceptive, clearly sensing something. She smiled and said, “Hong biǎogē looks like someone with great potential. He is destined to achieve remarkable things in the future. Although we are just cousins, we all hope for him to make a name for himself someday.”

Intentionally or unintentionally, she bit the two cousins ​​harder.

To call him cousin was actually a bit far-fetched. Lu Hong was from the original partner, not born to Madam Ling. There was no blood relationship at all.

Ling Jingxian closed her mouth a little embarrassedly.

Ling Jingwan turned her head to look at Ling Jingshu and smiled quite gratified: “Shu tángmei is in good shape. I have been worrying about these days, and now I can finally feel relieved.”

If you really care about her, why didn’t you think about visiting her in Qiushui Pavilion once?

Ling Jingshu pursed her lips and smiled: “Thank you, Wan tángjiě, for your concern.”

Ling Mansion had a large population and everyone was a fuel-efficient lamp. Ling Jingwan looked beautiful and quiet, but she was actually quite shrewd.

Madam Ling loved Ling Jingshu the most, and Ling Jingxian was jealous. Ling Jingwan was not a saint, so how could she not be secretly jealous? It was just that Ling Jingwan was better at hiding her face than Ling Jingxian. Moreover, Ling Jingwan’s marriage was decided at the beginning of the year, and now she was only thinking about getting married, and her competing nature with Ling Jingshu had also faded a lot.

…

Old Lady Ling liked to be lively. So at noon, everyone stayed for lunch.

They were all female relatives, and there was no need to divide the seats, so they sat down around the big table.

Ling Jingshu was sitting across from Madam Ling by accident. Occasionally, when she raised her eyes, Ling’s smiling face filled with spring breeze came into her eyes.

Familiar smile, piercing eye pain.

Ling Jingshu has never hated her own powerlessness more than now. Obviously, the enemy was sitting in front of her, just within reach. But she couldn’t do anything!

To get revenge, do you want to marry into the Lu family like in the previous life?

As soon as this thought crossed her mind, Ling Jingshu dismissed it without hesitation. In this life, she no longer wanted to be involved with Lu Hong at all. If she wanted revenge, she must find another way. Moreover, her enemies extended far beyond the Lu family…

“Why hasn’t Sister Shu ever used chopsticks, is the food not to your taste?” Madam Li said with a pretended look of concern to make sure everyone noticed.

The eyes of the people suddenly came over. The food in Ling Jingshu’s bowl really hadn’t changed much.

Sitting across from Ling’s, it was strange that she could eat.

Ling Jingshu replied lightly: “There’s no reason for the food in Yonghe Hall to be bad. It’s just that I’m not in good shape and have a bad appetite. I made my mother worry about it.” The lukewarmness made Li hit a soft nail.

Madam Li was secretly annoyed, but her face did not reveal the slightest sign: “Illness comes like a mountain, and it goes away like a thread. My daughter’s body is already more delicate. You can take care of it in the future, and don’t leave any root causes.”

Old Lady Ling took over the words angrily: “You girl, you have a bad appetite, why didn’t you tell me in advance? Just let the kitchen prepare some light food.” 

After speaking, she instructed Mo Kui: “Go to the kitchen now, let the kitchen stew a bowl of bird’s nest for Sister Shu.”

As soon as she finished speaking, Ling Jingshu received four glances with hints of jealousy. Of course, two of them belonged to Ling Jingxian, and the other belonged to Ling Jingwan.

Bird’s nest was expensive, and only Old Lady Ling ate a bowl of it every day in Ling’s house.

In fact, let alone bird’s nest at this time, even if it was the dragon liver and phoenix gallbladder, Ling Jingshu had no interest at all. However, this represents the favor of Old Lady Ling, which cannot be denied.

Ling Jingshu smiled gratefully: “Grandmother is so kind to Shu’er. Shu’er must have accumulated virtues and good deeds in her past life, that she is fortunate enough to be her granddaughter in this life.”

This flattery made her want to throw up.

Old Lady Ling was quite pleased. Her old wrinkled face stretched out, she turned her head with a smile and said to Madam Ling: “Ah Hui, when you were not married, you were the best at making me happy. I have had daughters-in-law and granddaughters over the years. With them, I’m not lonely.”

Of course, the daughter-in-law’s weight in Old Lady Ling’s heart was far from being on par with her daughter’s. Even all the granddaughters were not as good as Madam Ling.

The past few days after Madam Ling came back, the old Lady felt very comfortable, and the smile on her face almost never stopped.

“I don’t like hearing you say that, Mother. Back then, I genuinely had filial piety in my heart. I didn’t do it just to please you,” Madam Ling said. Her skill in soothing others was truly top-notch, as her short words made Old Lady Ling smile from ear to ear.

……

The bird’s nest needed to be simmered on low heat, and the stewed bird’s nest was delivered when the feast was about to dissipate.

Ling Jingshu pretended to be full of joy and ate a bowl of bird’s nest before the eyes that were envious, jealous, or greedy.

After lunch, the old Lady was used to taking a nap. Everyone wisely retired.

Before Ling Jingxian left, she gave Ling Jingshu a complicated look.

Ling Jingshu just pretended not to see it and took Bai Yu to go back.

“Miss has been staying in the Qiushui Pavilion these days, it must be very boring.” Bai Yu suggested with a smile: “The weather is fine today, why don’t you go to the peony garden to have a look? The few pots of peonies that Miss planted last year should be blooming in a few days.”

Ling Jingshu’s heart moved and she nodded.

Since her rebirth, she has been staying in the Qiushui Pavilion, the dark and painful past has been surging in her heart all day. And today she had to face Madam Ling, which made her inevitably gloomy. So it was good to go to the peony garden to relax.