Chapter 30

Since the day Yang Shuangyan visited, she had been coming by every few days.

Sometimes, she would accompany Shen Wei and talk about interesting things from outside, but most of the time, she was in the Taoran Studio’s bamboo wardrobe with Lu Mi Zhi, teaching her embroidery. She was always patient and put a lot of effort into teaching Lu Mi Zhi.

Thanks to her careful instruction, Lu Mi Zhi’s embroidery had improved greatly, and the things she made were getting better.

At this moment, it was the late afternoon, and it had been over an hour since Yang Shuangyan had left. Likely because it was spring, the sky outside was still bright, and several windows in the studio had been opened. The soft spring breeze flowed through the open windows into the room.

Lu Mi Zhi sat on the soft couch with Shen Wei. In her hand, she held a cloud-patterned pouch that she had embroidered over the past half month. She tilted her head and looked at Shen Wei, her eyes filled with hope, and tentatively asked, “Mother, do you like it?”

Most of the small things Lu Mi Zhi had given to Shen Wei in the past were handkerchiefs and other small items. This was the first time she had given a pouch, and since the cloud-patterned design was complicated, she couldn’t help but worry, even though Sister Yang had said it was fine. She still feared that Shen Wei might not like it.

Shen Wei took the pouch from Lu Mi Zhi’s hand. Earlier, Lu Mi Zhi had mentioned giving her a pouch, but she hadn’t expected it to actually arrive today.

Looking at the pouch in her hand, Shen Wei couldn’t help but furrow her brows slightly. However, when she noticed the hopeful expression on Lu Mi Zhi’s face, she placed her other hand on Lu Mi Zhi’s head and smiled as she said, “Anything made by Zhi’er, I will naturally like.”

After hearing these words, the smile returned to Lu Mi Zhi’s face, and the hesitation she had before disappeared. Shen Wei, seeing her daughter so happy, placed the pouch aside and held her hand. Upon noticing the few faint scars on Lu Mi Zhi’s fingers, she paused for a moment.

Lu Mi Zhi noticed Shen Wei’s unusual reaction. In recent days, she had been avoiding letting her mother see the scars on her hands and had refrained from getting too close to others. She hadn’t expected that Shen Wei would notice them now. She didn’t pull her hand away but instead raised her face, softly calling out, “Mother, it doesn’t hurt.”

Hearing this, Shen Wei looked at her, and with a sigh in her heart, she sent for Mo Qi to fetch some pearl ointment. Then, she carefully applied the ointment on Lu Mi Zhi’s fingers and said, “You’re still young, and practicing embroidery once in a while is fine, but if you keep yourself cooped up like this every day, you might end up straining your eyes.”

Lu Mi Zhi, although young, had a pure heart, and her best talent was embroidery. Now that she had made something good, she naturally wanted to share it with others.

However, embroidery was not as simple as it seemed. Take the pouch she had made, for example. The materials and patterns of cloud-patterned brocade required extreme attention to detail. This was necessary to ensure that the finished item would be fine and exquisite. Even an experienced embroiderer would find it time-consuming, let alone a young girl like Lu Mi Zhi.

Shen Wei didn’t want Lu Mi Zhi to focus solely on such work at her young age and lose her usual liveliness.

Upon hearing these words, Lu Mi Zhi’s face turned slightly red. She allowed Shen Wei to hold her hand, but after Shen Wei finished speaking, she shyly said, “Mother, don’t worry. I didn’t spend too much time on it, and I’ve been studying the lessons the teacher gave me carefully… Please don’t be upset.”

Shen Wei looked up at her, and after seeing the expression on her face, she placed the pearl ointment aside. Once Mo Qi and the others had left the room, Shen Wei held Lu Mi Zhi’s hand gently and said in a soft voice, “I’m not angry with you. I know you made this for me to make me happy. But right now, these things are too hard on your eyes.”

“However—”

Lu Mizhī hesitated for a moment as she looked at Shen Wei’s expression, then softly said, “Yang sister said that if I do this, it will make mother and brother happy…” She paused and added, “Mother doesn’t know, but Yang sister knows many things. She even said that if I want to learn other things in the future, she can teach me.”

“Mother…”

Lu Mizhī gently tugged on Shen Wei’s sleeve, her face filled with admiration and hope. “If one day I become as capable as Yang sister, will others like me the way they like her?”

Shen Wei furrowed her brows as she heard this. Perhaps Yang Shuoyan hadn’t meant any harm in saying these things, but she was certainly too eager. Everyone in the household knew that Shen Wei had been teaching Lu Mizhī embroidery, and now that Mizhī had achieved some skill, others would naturally praise her…

It seemed that this Miss Yang was not as indifferent to the world as she appeared to be.

If she were truly indifferent and content, why would she be so eager to show off her talents to gain recognition from others? Miss Yang was far too impatient.

Lu Mizhī hadn’t heard her speak and looked at Shen Wei with a hesitant expression, her voice now quieter. “Mother, what’s wrong? Did I say something wrong?”

Shen Wei, hearing this, restrained her thoughts.

She looked at Lu Mizhī, her voice soft as she asked, “Mizhī, why do you want others to like you?”

Why?

Lu Mizhī froze for a moment, unsure how to answer. She had never been asked this question before.

Wasn’t this what everyone wanted? If she could be like Yang sister and have everyone like her, wouldn’t that be great? Even her usually hard-to-please second aunt liked Yang sister, and even her fourth sister often brought her things to flatter her after learning that she was studying embroidery with Yang sister.

If one day she could be as good as Yang sister, wouldn’t that be wonderful? This was something she had been thinking about recently, but when her mother asked her this, she was at a loss for words. She opened her mouth but couldn’t speak, only looking up at Shen Wei, her little face filled with confusion and incomprehension.

Shen Wei, seeing her expression, placed a hand gently on her head, her voice calm and kind. “Mizhī, you must understand, not everyone in this world will like you. Even your Yang sister cannot make everyone like her. And we don’t need to seek everyone’s approval. As long as the people you like also like you, that’s enough.”

She paused for a moment and then added, “If we live just to get others’ approval, wouldn’t that be too exhausting?”

“You are wonderful, and the people who like you will continue to like you. As for those who don’t, they won’t start liking you just because you change…” Shen Wei knew that these words might be too profound for Lu Mizhī at this moment, but she didn’t want to deceive her. She didn’t want to instill in her the idea that if she became perfect in everything, everyone would like her.

Lu Mizhī was silent for a long time, not quite understanding. She stared at her mother, and before she could respond, Shen Wei continued, “I like you, your aunt, your grandmother, and your brother all like you… All the people who matter to you like you. Mizhī, isn’t that enough?”

“Mother…”

Lu Mizhī spoke softly, almost a whisper. If it weren’t for the slight movement of her lips, one might not even realize she was speaking. She was truly stunned. This was the first time she had heard such words. She had always believed that life was about gaining the approval of others, about being liked by everyone.

This was the first time someone had said this to her.

Yet strangely, she felt that what her mother said was exactly what she truly wanted.

Shen Wei saw that while there was still confusion on Lu Mizhī’s face, the light in her eyes had returned. She knew that for a child growing up in this era, this idea might seem new and strange… but she truly liked this child. She wanted her to live a happy and free life, not one bound by the expectations of others.

Her hand stayed gently on Lu Mizhī’s head, her smile warm, and her voice even gentler than before. “Mizhī, you only need to be yourself.”

—-

When Mo Qi had seen Lu Mizhī off and returned, she found Shen Wei reclining on the soft couch, gazing at the sky outside. She walked softly, replacing the incense with something calming and quieting before stepping forward. Her eyes fell on the small purse on the table, and she softly asked, “It seems you don’t like it?”

Shen Wei didn’t turn around in response. She just rested her chin in her hand, staring out at the rolling clouds. After a while, she calmly asked, “What do you think of Miss Yang?”

Mo Qi was momentarily stunned.

What did she think of Miss Yang? This young lady from the Yang family had been famous for her beauty since childhood. She was admired not only by people like them from noble families but even by the ladies in the palace. For the past half month, every time she returned home, she would bring gifts, and though they were nothing special, they showed her thoughtfulness. Not only the maids but even the elderly lady and the second wife, who was usually hard to please, liked her very much.

Someone like her must be great.

But why did she feel that Madam didn’t like Miss Yang?

After thinking for a moment, Mo Qi answered softly, “Miss Yang is kind to others, her temperament is excellent, and she seems flawless.”

Shen Wei didn’t turn her head. She closed her eyes slightly, her long fingers curling gently as they tapped on the table. The sky had darkened, and the entire room was silent except for the soft sound of her fingers tapping on the desk.

This Yang Shuangyan truly doesn’t show any flaws.

In recent days, although she has mostly come to Tao Ran Zhai to accompany Lu Mi Zhi and has not spent much time with her, every time they talk, the topics always align with Lu Mi Zhi’s preferences… For someone her age, it’s rare to see such attentiveness, such understanding of people’s emotions and thoughts.

But still, she couldn’t understand. Why is Yang Shuangyan doing all of this?

Her flattery, her eagerness to succeed—if it’s to prove something to her or to the Lu family, it seems more like she’s trying to prove something to Lu Qi Huai.

But… why?

Yang Shuangyan may be young, but she’s definitely not naive or simple. She wouldn’t approach Lu Qi Huai just because of a superficial attraction. So, what secret is there behind Lu Qi Huai that Yang Shuangyan doesn’t know about?

Shen Wei suddenly regretted not reading the second part back then. If she had, perhaps some things could have been explained.

Mo Qi had been standing quietly at the side, and she subtly raised her eyes to observe Shen Wei. No matter how she looked, she couldn’t read anything from Shen Wei’s expression… The madam had become increasingly inscrutable in recent days.

Shen Wei noticed Mo Qi’s gaze but said nothing. She simply stopped tapping her fingers on the table and asked, “Do you think this Miss Yang is well-matched with the eldest young master?”

“The eldest young master?”

Mo Qi hesitated for a moment before looking at Shen Wei, still wearing a calm expression. After some time, she spoke, “Madam, are you joking? That Miss Yang could even be a consort in the palace. How could she be interested in our eldest young master?”

As she spoke, her voice became quieter, and she recalled when she first met Yang Shuangyan. The madam had said, “The true intention is not in the wine.”

Perhaps it was because of her other thoughts that Mo Qi couldn’t help but think of Yang Shuangyan’s recent behavior. Every time the eldest young master appeared, Miss Yang’s expression was indeed different.

Besides, Mo Qi didn’t understand why Yang Shuangyan, who had never interacted with the madam before, was now frequently visiting the house. Could it be that her true intention was… the eldest young master?

That… how could that be?

How could Miss Yang be interested in the eldest young master? Not to mention that he has no power or status and is a bastard, even though he is good-looking, there are many in the city who are better than him. She even heard that Prince Jin has taken a liking to Miss Yang and wanted to marry her as his princess.

But if that were not the case, then why has Miss Yang been visiting so often recently?

Thinking of this, Mo Qi felt her throat dry, her expression still one of confusion, her voice somewhat hoarse. “Although the Yang family is not as powerful as our Duke’s mansion, Yang Shoufu is the crown prince’s teacher and very favored by His Majesty. Moreover, I heard that Empress Zhuang in the palace intends to match Miss Yang with Prince Jin.”

“This Miss Yang and the eldest young master truly aren’t a good match.”

Upon hearing this, Shen Wei opened her eyes and looked outside. The sky was gradually darkening, with only a few streaks of red remaining on the horizon. She stared at the sky for a moment, then said softly, “Yes, indeed, they are not a good match.”

Mo Qi, seeing her expression, thought for a moment before softly adding, “If Miss Yang really married the eldest young master, it wouldn’t be a bad thing. She has a good temperament, is kind to both the seventh young miss and you, and she wouldn’t be difficult to get along with in the future.”

Shen Wei didn’t respond to this; she simply watched as the last of the sunset faded into darkness before speaking, “Go and call the eldest young master here.”

—-

Wen Yuan Hall.

Lu Qi Huai stood with his hands behind his back by the window, listening to the report from the secret guard. His expression remained unchanged, but when he heard the words, “If we live to seek others’ approval, isn’t that living too tiring?” he paused for a moment, his hand lightly touching his jade pendant.

Recently, he had been secretly investigating Shen Wei, and even the smallest details of her daily actions and words had been reported to him.

But he wasn’t sure if this woman was just too cautious. He could rarely find anything, but today… Lu Qi Huai raised his eyebrows as he looked at the sky. Such words could not possibly be something the wife of the Duke of Rong would say.

At first, he had wondered if there could really be two people so alike. Was the current Shen Wei a fake?

But he quickly dismissed that thought.

Not only did Shen Wei rarely go out, but from her current appearance, although sometimes her speech was absurd, she was still mostly the same as before.

However…

He recalled that the secret guard had said that when the wife of the Duke of Rong had woken up, there was something unusual about her, but she quickly returned to normal. Could it be that there are really spirit creatures that can swap souls? If not, how could one explain the strange behavior of the current wife?

But no matter whether it was a spirit creature or a god…

Lu Qi Huai had to admit that this Shen Wei had piqued his interest. He was genuinely getting more and more curious about her.

The secret guard didn’t know his thoughts. He continued to report, but when he mentioned Yang Shuangyan, he couldn’t help but frown, his voice becoming somewhat heavier. “I think Madam Rong seems to have become suspicious of Miss Yang. She even mentioned her relationship with you to the maid… Do you want me to speak to Yang Shoufu and have him control his daughter? We shouldn’t let her ruin your important matters.”

Lu Qi Huai’s expression didn’t change, but a hint of undisguised disgust flashed in his eyes. “I let her off before for Yang Ji’s sake. Now she’s getting more and more unreasonable. Have someone talk to Yang Ji and tell him to discipline his daughter. If she has any inappropriate thoughts again, don’t blame me for ignoring old ties.”

His words were cold and indifferent.

The hidden guard, hearing this, couldn’t help but feel a chill in his heart. He quickly responded, but before he could continue, a voice from outside interrupted: “Young Master, the Madam asks for you.”

Upon hearing this, Lu Qi Huai simply hummed in acknowledgment.

He didn’t say anything further, just put away the jade pendant in his hand and walked out.

Standing outside, Chunxi watched Lu Qi Huai walk farther away, but her gaze never wavered. She felt there was something different about the Young Master today, something not quite like the person she usually saw in front of others. However, recalling what the Madam had said to her that day, she pushed aside her thoughts and refocused.

—-

At Taoran Studio.

Shen Wei watched as Lu Qi Huai performed the customary greeting, then waved her hand to dismiss Mo Qi and the others. Once everyone had left, she continued to sit by the candlelight, watching him for a while before finally speaking. “What do you think of Miss Yang from the Yang family?”