Ye Minglan never expected that her once healthy and open-minded mother-in-law would become so old and haggard.

Over the years, she had ignored her, and although she had been lost in her own world, she still felt guilty for not fulfilling her duties as a daughter-in-law.

Nanny Cui walked over to help tuck the old lady in, but as soon as she approached, she saw that the old lady had opened her eyes.

Her eyes were swollen and red, and she looked at Nanny Cui with a desolate expression.

“Ah Chun, I dreamed of Wanwan again. I dreamed that she came back, and that Minglan was well again. My Wanwan has grown up, and she is so beautiful,” the old lady said as tears slipped from the corners of her eyes once more.

It felt like everything had just been a dream.

But now that she was awake, the only one by her side was still Nanny Cui.

Nanny Cui quickly wiped her tears and said with a smile, “Old Madam, it’s not a dream. Miss Wanwan has really come back, and Madam is well again, too.”

Seeing the old lady turn to look at her, Shen Qingwan forced out a smile and greeted her, “Grandmother.”

The old lady saw Shen Qingwan right by her side and was so overwhelmed with emotion that she suddenly sat up.

Only then did she realize that she had been gripping her granddaughter’s hand so tightly that the fair skin on her wrist had turned red.

“Oh dear, I’ve hurt you! Ah Chun, quickly fetch the jade skin balm from my cabinet,” the old lady said anxiously when she saw the red mark on Shen Qingwan’s wrist.

Once she was certain she wasn’t dreaming—that her granddaughter had truly returned and her daughter-in-law was truly well—she was overjoyed.

“Grandmother, I’m fine. This mark will fade soon,” Shen Qingwan quickly reassured her.

The old lady gently patted her hand and said kindly, “That won’t do. Our Wanwan has such delicate skin. I shouldn’t have held you so tightly.”

She took the jade skin balm from Cui Mama, scooped out a generous amount with her fingertip, and gently applied it to Shen Qingwan’s wrist.

Ye Minglan was stunned when she saw how much of the balm her mother-in-law had used.

That jade skin balm was a rare beauty ointment for scar removal and swelling reduction—so rare that even the imperial concubines might not have one box each.

A single small jar was worth thousands of taels of silver, and even with money, it was impossible to buy.

It was gifted by the Emperor when Gu Tingyi was conferred a title.

There were only two boxes—one for her mother-in-law and one for herself. She had kept hers locked away in the household treasury, reluctant to use it.

Her mother-in-law, too, seemed to have barely touched hers.

But now, she was using it so generously on Wanwan—clearly, she truly cherished her granddaughter.

Leaning against the bed, the old lady held Shen Qingwan’s hand tightly, asking about her experiences over the years.

Shen Qingwan gave a vague account, deliberately omitting the more miserable details of her past.

Even so, the old lady couldn’t stop her tears from falling.

When she learned that Shen Qingwan had not only been married but had also become a stepmother as a second wife, the old lady was heartbroken.

“You’re saying he married you and then left for the military camp? Does that mean the two of you haven’t consummated your marriage?” The old lady grasped the key point immediately.

Shen Qingwan nodded.

The old lady heaved a sigh of relief upon hearing that.

How could the noble young lady of the Huguo General’s Manor be reduced to a second wife and a stepmother?

Since there had been no consummation, this marriage had to be annulled immediately.

“Since there are no emotional ties between you two, there’s no need to keep this marriage. Don’t worry, as long as I’m here, no one will bully you. Tomorrow, I will personally have this marriage annulled and make sure he writes a divorce letter,” the old lady declared decisively.

She had no patience for an unreliable marriage like this.

Shen Qingwan gently patted her grandmother’s hand to comfort her. “Grandmother, don’t worry. I can handle the divorce myself. I came to the capital specifically for this. Once it’s settled, I’ll stay with you for a while.”

The old lady grew anxious upon hearing that she wouldn’t be staying permanently. “This is your home. Are you saying you want to move out?”

“Grandmother, I’m not moving out. I came to the capital to handle my divorce and to bring my mother back home. But once these matters are settled, I must return to the North. My business and properties are there, so I can’t settle in the capital just yet. But don’t worry, I’ll visit often,” Shen Qingwan explained.

Hearing this, the old lady immediately ordered Nanny Cui to fetch a wooden box from her cabinet.

Shen Qingwan watched as her grandmother brought out a finely carved redwood box and opened it like a treasure chest, showing it to her. “Silly child, our family doesn’t lack wealth. As long as you stay in the capital, all of Grandmother’s silver notes, estates, and shops are yours. These businesses are enough for you to manage.”

Shen Qingwan was stunned by the thick stack of silver notes and property deeds.

Her grandmother was quite the wealthy lady!

“Grandmother, I’m not staying in the North just for money. I built everything there with my own hard work, and I don’t want to abandon it halfway. You wouldn’t want all my efforts to go to waste and benefit someone else, would you?”

Faced with a truly loving family member, Shen Qingwan couldn’t bear to be too harsh.

She could only coax her grandmother gently.

Fortunately, the old lady wasn’t unreasonable.

Seeing that Shen Qingwan was determined to leave, she made a decision. “Fine, then I’ll go with you! From now on, wherever you go, I’ll follow.”

Shen Qingwan was utterly charmed by her adorable and doting grandmother.

How could she refuse such a sweet old lady?

“Alright, wherever I go, I’ll take you with me.”

Hearing this, the old lady finally smiled.

As the grandmother and granddaughter chatted happily, a servant arrived with news that the food was ready and that Madam Ye had invited them to dine.

At the mention of “Madam Ye,” the old lady scoffed coldly and turned to Ye Minglan. “That younger sister of yours is quite shameless, living in her own sister’s house without knowing to be discreet. She even calls herself ‘Madam,’ as if she’s the lady of the house. It seems the servants have already forgotten who the real mistress is. I may not have interfered in household matters for years, but I can still see her ambitions clearly. Minglan, you’re too naive. If you keep letting this go on, you might truly lose your place in this house.”

The old lady was frustrated by her daughter-in-law’s passivity but held back from being too blunt.

Ye Minglan wasn’t foolish—just too kind-hearted. If her mother was saying this, then there must be a reason.

Even her daughter seemed to have an issue with those two women, which meant they must have done something improper.

“Mother, I understand. I was unwell for years, and Minghui stayed to take care of me. But now that I’ve recovered, they won’t stay in the house much longer,” Ye Minglan said.

The old lady sighed. “It’s easy to invite a deity in, but hard to send one away. I doubt they’ll leave so easily.”

Her son wasn’t home yet. If those women left now, all the effort they had put into maintaining their virtuous and competent image over the years would be in vain.