"Mother, I want to sleep with you tonight..."
By evening, after the day's excitent had passed, the Yang residence returned to its previous tranquility. When An Ning arrived carrying her small pillow, the sky hadn't completely darkened yet.
Seeing that no one had erged for so ti, An Ning couldn't help but crane her neck, curiously peeking through the curtained doorway.
"Amber, is Mother..."
Before she could finish her sentence, a tall figure slowly erged from the inner chamber.
"Fa... Father, you're here too?"
Her gaze briefly paused on the inexplicably disheveled hem of the person's clothing before her. Clutching her small pillow, An Ning rarely felt sowhat awkward as she spoke.
"Ahem... Your mother is tired from today's activities and has already retired. If it's not urgent, A-Ning can co back tomorrow..."
Facing his young daughter, Yang Yuanze maintained his composure, speaking with his usual serious deanor.
Really?
Glancing at the not-yet-completely-dark sky outside and the faint light still visible in the room, An Ning ntally scoffed while putting on a disappointed expression and nodding her little head:
"Alright then, Father, I'll first..."
Before she could finish her sentence, a xiangfei-colored figure hurriedly erged from the inner chamber.
The newcor wore a pink plain satin tube top with a light pink outer robe draped over it. Her jet-black, thick hair was loosely tied back with a simple hairpin. Under the dim lamplight, her skin appeared even more radiant and smooth, and as she moved, a subtle fragrance seed to follow her.
Even An Ning, who had seen many spectacular sights, found herself montarily captivated by this vivid and alluring scene.
The mont she regained her composure, a pair of hands had already grasped hers.
"A-Ning, what brings you here at this hour? Weren't you cold on the way..."
Though it was spring, the nights still carried so chill. Seeing her daughter dressed so lightly, Yu quickly pulled her into the inner chamber.
Finally, she didn't forget to shoot a aningful glance at Yang Father nearby: "Husband, didn't you say earlier that you had official business to attend to today?"
Staring intently at the person before him for a good while, and under her continuous urging, Yang Yuanze finally took a deep breath after a mont and turned to leave with large strides.
An Ning: "..."
***
"Ningning, what made you think of coming at this hour? Are you feeling unwell sowhere?"
After washing up and changing clothes, nestled within bedding filled with the fragrance of gardenias, An Ning silently wrapped her arms around her mother's waist.
Mmm, indeed fragrant and soft, so comfortable!
Squinting her eyes contentedly, An Ning imdiately softened her voice and cooed:
"Of course your daughter missed you!"
The newcor wore a Xiangfei-colored plain satin tube top with a light Xiangfei-colored outer robe draped over it. Her jet-black, thick hair was loosely tied back with a simple hairpin. Under the dim lamplight, her skin appeared even more radiant and smooth, and as she moved, a subtle fragrance seed to follow her.
"You!"
Gently tapping her little daughter's pert nose with her slender hand, Yu understood her daughter's thoughts perfectly well. Pulling her grown precious daughter closer into her embrace, Yu couldn't help but sigh softly:
"My A-Ning has grown up!"
Now she had reached the age of understanding things and showing consideration for others.
"A-Ning, don't worry about your mother. No matter what, compared to most people, your mother hasn't had a bad life these years. Besides, now we have our A-Ning too, don't we?"
Gently holding her precious daughter's shoulders, Yu spoke these words with gentle eyes and an expression that showed no trace of reluctance.
Ultimately, heaven had indeed been kind to her.
Because of this appearance, even though her birth mother passed away early and the subsequent madam wasn't particularly kind, certain considerations ant her days at ho had been quite good, with all her provisions being top-notch among her sisters.
She knew her own capabilities well. Whether in the palace intrigues or noble mansions, among all those carefully nurtured high-born noble ladies, with her ntal capacity and abilities, she definitely wouldn't have been able to navigate those waters.
"Just at that ti, your father appeared..."
The son of a fourth-rank junior minister, from a family with generations of scholarly tradition, newly appointed third-ranked scholar, tall in stature—even if his looks weren't considered top-tier. At that ti, he was already the best match she could hope for.
Most importantly, a nineteen-year-old third-ranked scholar undoubtedly had excellent ntal faculties.
eting her daughter's eager little gaze, Yu continued with a light laugh:
"When I was little, your maternal grandmother told that only capable n wouldn't resent having wives from less influential families. The more incompetent the man, the more he would complain about lacking external support."
"Your mother has carefully rembered these words all these years."
The facts proved she hadn't gambled wrong.
Even though the initial "chance encounter" was full of flaws, the admiration in his eyes wasn't fake, and she ultimately married into the family with great fanfare.
"A-Ning, you've seen it too—all these years your grandmother hasn't had the best temper, but she's not the type to tornt daughters-in-law. Plus, she usually cares about face; no matter how dissatisfied she might be in front of outsiders, she rarely shows your mother any disrespect..."
"Compared to many people nowadays, this is already very good!"
"A-Ning, you wouldn't know—so families that aren't particularly remarkable are the ones who love putting on airs the most..."
As for privately, there had been so rules established earlier. But her body had always been delicately raised, feeling uncomfortable everywhere after standing just a little too long. Later, when she discovered that this husband of hers, while shrewd, was extrely generous with money.
Mmm, indeed fragrant and soft, so comfortable!
From then on, whenever she suffered any grievance, she would cling to him coquettishly. At such tis, this man was always particularly anable. After several such instances, her originally ager little treasury quickly grew plump.
Every day spent shopping was quite enjoyable too, making her forget all worries.
What could she do? She just loved these beautiful things!
"Ah, what a pity. Later, unless it was for regular morning greetings, your grandmother rarely wanted to see ..."
Speaking to this point, Yu even sighed with so regret.
Actually, though her mother-in-law appeared sowhat cold, she didn't really do anything—at most making her stand a little longer or serve a couple of dishes.
A truly respectable person.
An Ning: "..."
No wonder, from this body's earliest mories, the old lady always had this constipated, can't-bear-to-look expression whenever she saw her mother, yet rarely uttered harsh words, let alone punishnt.
Always adopting this "out of sight, out of mind" attitude.
She had previously thought it was because the old lady cared too much about face!
Staring fixedly at her mother's pure, even sowhat puzzled beautiful face, An Ning once again couldn't control the twitching at the corner of her mouth.
Well... it's also quite good.
"A-Ning, the reason Mother is telling you this today is to say: no matter what others say in the future, what matters most is living happily yourself."
"Many things are just superficial appearances. Take what should be taken—only what lands in your own hands is truly substantial..."
In the darkness, gently stroking her daughter's equally smooth and tender little face, Yu spoke with unusual gravity.
She wasn't unaware of her eldest daughter's thoughts—that this mother of hers was overly extravagant, relying on looks to keep a husband, lacking ability and not being dignified or generous enough. But to this day, Yu didn't see anything wrong with this.
Nor did she think there was anything wrong with relying on looks.
She wasn't a clever person, lacking both talent and family background. Because of this face, she had lived comfortably since childhood, able to have this carefree life of shopping freely whenever, with various beautiful clothes and accessories taking turns adorning her.
This life she had now was already the best she could obtain.
Besides, she had a warm-hearted and considerate good child like A-Ning...
After who knows how long, she finally spoke softly:
"A-Ning, do you think your mother isn't clever enough, that she didn't give you a smart mind?"
"Not at all!"
Tightly hugging her mother's waist, An Ning vigorously shook her little head!
"Really, your daughter thinks Mother is super clever!!!"
After saying this, she nodded emphatically.
After a mont in the darkness, soone let out a light, cheerful laugh:
"Hehe..."
In bedding filled with sunlight and floral fragrance, mother and daughter slept embraced, wearing identical sweet expressions.
***
As if completely unaffected by the previous day's events, after one night, mother and daughter were as radiant as ever.
Pearl fragrances and silk sashes, golden curtains and jade combs, long red jade and agate pendants, and smoke-gauze long dresses adorned with various vibrant spring motifs. With lightly touched vermilion lips, they presented yet another picture of enchanting charm.
In short, the leisurely spring days seed to have beco a fashion show for the mother-daughter pair, interspersed with the silently inserted Little Brother Yang. Wherever they went, they ford an extrely dazzling sight.
Gently playing with the eldest daughter who had just reached one month old in her arms, even soone as dignified and quiet as Madam Lin couldn't help but sigh enviously. Then she glanced sowhat regretfully at the daughter in her arms who was already showing so features.
What a pity—her mother-in-law had such beauty, why hadn't so of it been passed to her husband? If only...
Madam Lin sighed again. A young maid nearby quickly consoled:
"What is Young Madam saying? If the young miss can grow up to be as capable, clever, elegant, and well-mannered as Young Madam, that would be best..."
"Really?"
Gently stroking her daughter's little face, Madam Lin remained noncommittal.
Old Lady Yang, who knew so of the inside story, seeing this daughter-in-law as always, happily oblivious every day, couldn't help but twitch the corner of her mouth. She tossed aside the account books her granddaughter-in-law had delivered earlier, and after a long mont finally managed to squeeze out:
"Quite carefree indeed!"
But thinking about this unlucky daughter-in-law's extravagance when her eldest granddaughter got married recently, Old Lady Yang felt another twinge in her heart.
Nothing much, just heartache...
"Then again, being able to gather all her husband's private savings into her own pocket, receiving constant flow of fine things every day—how could her heart not be happy?"
Comparing this to her stingy and long-departed husband, Old Lady Yang felt another mont of irritation.
Even Yang Wan, during her return visit, seeing her mother's unchanged expression and treatnt of her as before, couldn't help but breathe a sigh of relief.
Indeed, her mother had always been carefree—as long as she had beautiful clothes and accessories adorning her and her beauty remained, she was happy. Why would she care about these things?
Even the faint unease in her heart settled when she thought about how her great mother-in-law had specifically inquired about her grandmother before coming.
Grandmother and Old Lady Cui had been temperantally compatible since youth and had always maintained good relations. With this connection, plus grandmother's years of careful guidance, she believed that with her abilities, she could quickly establish herself in the Cui family.
Thinking of her gentle and courteous husband from last night, Yang Wan's face flushed, and her brows carried even more smiles.
As expected of an official's family—indeed exceptionally different, just as she had imagined.
"Husband, this is lotus leaf soup that Zhang Ma from our residence makes best. This humble wife noticed these past two days your throat seed sowhat dry—consuming more cooling foods would be beneficial..."
As she spoke, she carefully ladled the sweet soup with a spoon and personally placed it before the person beside her.
"Thank you, Mada..."
Looking at the sowhat plain-looking soup before him, Cui Yu gently nodded, his eyes showing little delight. But years of etiquette compelled him to finally pick up the spoon and take a small sip.
Only then did he softly add:
Speaking to this point, Yu even sighed with so regret.
Yang Wan slightly lowered her eyes, her brows unconsciously showing so shyness.
An Ning: "..."
Witnessing this scene firsthand, Yu unconsciously frowned slightly but secretly couldn't help using her foot to kick her own husband beside her.
"What, is today's al not to your liking?"
Skillfully trapping the leg that had co his way under his own, pretending not to understand her aning, Yang Yuanze said in a low voice before deftly placing so peeled sweet shrimp into the dish before her.
"When we have our day off tomorrow, we'll go over then..."
"Children and grandchildren have their own fortunes. Everyone walks their own path—when she suffers losses, even without you saying anything, she'll understand on her own."
After a lunch where everyone had their own thoughts, on the way back, using the cover of wide sleeves to gently hold his wife's hand, Yang Yuanze finally spoke warmly.
Yu originally wanted to say sothing, but seeing her daughter continuously heading toward Shou'an Hall, she lightly pressed her lips together and ultimately said nothing more.
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