Chapter 4

Upon learning that Luo Xin came from Wenyuan Marquis Mansion, Tao Sheng realized without needing much introduction that Luo Xin was her biological mother.

Blood ties are a powerful thing.

“I heard from your father that your name is Tao Sheng,” Luo Xin said, her eyes red as soon as she saw her daughter. “My name is Luo Xin, and I’m your mother. It was my negligence that caused you to suffer all these years.”

Seeing that Luo Xin looked frail and pale, Tao Sheng wondered if it was due to the cold weather or her health. She hurriedly welcomed her inside, asking her maid Qing Xing to cushion a chair, gesturing for Luo Xin to sit down.

“Madam, please don’t say that. I have lived a good life these years.”

Luo Xin clearly doubted Tao Sheng’s words and began asking about her experiences over the years.

Unlike Mr. Shen and Old Madam Shen, Luo Xin was more concerned about her daughter’s life and growth, wanting to know if she had faced any hardships living alone.

As Tao Sheng shared her optimistic and open-minded personality, her eyes sparkled with smiles when she talked about her life in Qin County. She expressed deep affection for her adoptive parents, which reassured Luo Xin that Tao Sheng was indeed living well.

As their mother-daughter meeting progressed, they had to discuss recognizing their relationship and going home. When the conversation drew to a close, Luo Xin couldn’t help but ask, “When do you plan to come back?”

Tao Sheng really didn’t know how to answer this question.

Facing the silent Tao Sheng, Luo Xin couldn’t help but sigh: “Don’t worry, I will find a chance to talk to your father and grandmother so that you can return to your respective positions as soon as possible. I will never let you continue to suffer outside, and I will definitely not wrong you in the mansion.”

Tao Sheng thought about it and decided to state her position: “I like my current stable and peaceful life very much, so I don’t feel it’s hard.”

If we really have to make an analogy, the family of her adoptive parents and aunt after she traveled through time was of a higher class than her original family in her previous life. They had no worries about food and clothing, they had surplus during the New Year holidays, and she did not have to do housework herself. Even in the capital, they were considered an upper-middle-class family.

Even though the material conditions of Wenyuanhou Mansion were good, it did not have flush toilets or rice cookers, and they could not even drink Coke. In essence, it was not much different from the Su family, but it was far behind in terms of the level of spiritual civilization ^[1]which is a term for the social and cultural development of a society..

Even if she didn’t know that she was in a world of books, seeing everyone nervous and Shen Ruojin rejecting her, she might not choose to go back.

What’s more, she knew that she was just a cannon fodder female supporting role in the world of the book.

Why should she go back to the heroine’s main battlefield and cause trouble for herself and everyone else?

Luo Xin did not understand the temper of her daughter, who had been living away from home since childhood, nor did she know whether Tao Sheng’s words were sincere or just out of anger.

Anyway, Shen Yu has already agreed that after the poetry gathering in the Eastern Palace is over, he will think of an appropriate way to bring Tao Sheng back. I believe that as long as the mansion is sincere, Tao Sheng will naturally not leave in anger like she did the first time she entered the mansion that day.

Luo Xin said, “Your father has been busy these days, and your grandmother is also busy with Wei Ruojin’s entry into the palace. It will take a few more days for you to be recognized as a member of the family. It is inconvenient for you to live outside these days. If you have any difficulties, just tell me. I am your mother. If you have grievances and difficulties and even avoid me, I will be very sad.”

Luo Xin spoke softly, and her voice was gentle and pleasant. Thinking of her heartwarming actions towards her original self in the book, Tao Sheng liked her even more: “Okay, I’ll listen to you and tell you if there’s anything.”

Luo Xin was happy to see that she agreed sincerely.

According to Ruojin and Shen Ci who were present at the scene that day, Tao Sheng was somewhat cold towards her father and grandmother and hadn’t smiled since entering De Shou Hall.

But it doesn’t matter. As long as she is willing to recognize me as her mother, everything will be fine.

_

It was almost noon when Luo Xin returned to Wenyuanhou Mansion from Tongguang Lane. Now the entire Wenyuanhou Mansion was preparing for Ruojin’s upcoming visit to the palace to attend the flower-viewing banquet. Luo Xin felt even more emotional as she walked along.

After all, Ruojin has been raised in the mansion for so many years, and Luo Xin has some feelings for her. Compared with the illegitimate eldest daughter Shen Ruolin, she and Ruojin are closer both in status and feelings.

But when she thought that if Ruojin was finally chosen to enter the palace, her identity as the real daughter would inevitably not be changed, and Tao Sheng and she would no longer have the possibility of returning to their respective homes, Luo Xin couldn’t help feeling a little uncomfortable.

Ruojin’s affairs are taken care of by Old Madam Shen, Shen Yu takes care of everything, and Ruojin herself is also responsible for the planning, so she, as a mother, doesn’t have to worry too much.

In comparison, the situation of the other daughter, Tao Sheng, seems a little difficult.

Thinking of this, Luo Xin called Shen Yue and gave him some instructions, asking him to go to the warehouse to get some winter supplies and send them to Tongguang Lane, as a token of their gratitude as a mother and brother.

Some of the items on Luo Xin’s list were not easy to come by, so Shen Yue sent people out to buy them, which took another two days. It was not until the third day that he managed to pack all the boxes and told the servants to load them into the car and prepare to go to Tongguang Lane.

Just as Shen Yue was about to go out, he met Shen Ci outside the study in the front yard, who was holding sugar-roasted chestnuts  in his hand. It seemed that he was going to Ruojin’s room to give her some snacks.

Shen Yue waved to his brother and said, “It’s winter now. Mother is worried that Tao Sheng’s family might be short of things, so she asked me to prepare some quilts, charcoal, and clothes. Do you want to go to Tongguang Lane with me?”

The Wenyuan Marquis’s Mansion became wealthy early, and over the years, they had basically lost contact with their relatives far away in Jinling. The other branches in Beijing were all living well, so since Shen Ci could remember, he had never seen any relatives coming to beg for things.

After Shen Yue said this, Shen Ci immediately linked Tao Sheng with the poor relative who was begging for money.

She didn’t even have anything to last through the winter, which showed how bad her sister’s living environment was before. Even if she found her way back home, she wouldn’t be able to integrate into the group of ladies from the capital, and they would have nothing in common with her.

But in this way, this sister from the countryside probably won’t pose any threat to Ruojin, which is not a bad thing.

He had always lived in the inner city and had never been to Tongguang Alley. He had no idea what Tao Sheng’s current residence looked like…

Thinking of this, Shen Ci responded: “Brother, I am willing to go with you…”

As he spoke, he raised his head, only to find that the corridor was empty, and his elder brother Shen Yue was no longer there.

Shen Ci sighed.

Sure enough, this eldest brother has always been impatient. Without waiting for him to finish thinking, he took people to Tao Sheng’s house, leaving his biological brother waiting in the cold wind.

He really doesn’t behave like a brother.

Since Shen Yue, who had made an appointment with him to go to Tongguang Lane, had already left, Shen Ci could only proceed according to the original plan and turned to go to Ruojin’s room.

Shen Ruojin was practicing calligraphy in the study. When she saw Shen Ci come in, she stopped writing and stood up to welcome him.

“It’s so cold, why are you here now?”

Shen Ci placed the sugar-roasted chestnuts he brought back in front of Shen Ruojin: “The new chef at the Third Young Master Lei’s house is very skilled in cooking. He can make even street snacks taste unique. This is made with fresh Taishan chestnuts and osmanthus sugar. Third Young Master Lei knows that you like it, so he sent someone to deliver it. Come and try it, sister.”