Madam Qiao left Dingyuan Marquis’s residence with a slightly grave expression as she sat in the carriage on her way home.
Beside her sat her trusted confidante, Xu Mama.
“Madam, this eldest Miss Duan is no ordinary figure,” Xu Mama remarked softly.
Madam Qiao leaned back against the soft pillow, the golden hairpin in her hair swaying slightly with the carriage’s movement. “She was raised as the eldest in the Duan family of Jiangcheng. How could she be simple?”
“Could it be intentional that she saved our family’s miss?” Xu Mama asked in surprise.
Madam Qiao shook her head. “That incident was purely coincidental. As a newcomer to the capital, she couldn’t have orchestrated such a situation.”
“This servant was being foolish,” Xu Mama chuckled. “But today, it was clear that the relationship between the Marquis Madam and Miss Duan is strained. It seems the Marquis residence will see some drama in the future.”
Madam Qiao sneered. “That Marquis Madam is merely fortunate.”
Xu Mama spoke in a low voice, “Every time Miss visits her maternal home, she complains to you. That Marquis Madam isn’t a generous person. Judging by today’s events, Miss wasn’t wrong. Such a fine daughter was found and yet remains uncherished by the Marquis Madam, leading to such conflicts. She’ll regret this eventually.”
Having grown up watching Madam Qiao, Xu Mama still referred to her as “Miss” out of habit.
Madam Qiao’s gaze darkened, and after a long pause, she said, “Indeed. Now that Miss Duan has allied with the Xiang Wangfei, the Marquis residence won’t find her easy to suppress. Just wait and see.”
The daughter had long wanted to separate from the family. Perhaps it wouldn’t be long before she succeeded.
She resolved to fan the flames when necessary, ensuring her daughter gained independence.
***
After bidding farewell to the guests and the Old Madam, Duan Mingxi returned to her courtyard, freshened up, and collapsed into bed, exhausted.
Meanwhile, her maids, Qiancao and Xiangxiang, spent half the night organizing the thank-you gifts from the Qiao family and the royal residence, recording and categorizing each one.
Duan Mingxi slept fitfully, plagued by nightmares ever since her rebirth. Every slumber brought back shadows of her past life, leaving her restless.
She suddenly awoke, drenched in cold sweat, gasping for air. She had dreamed of the day she learned of her foster father’s drowning.
Calming her thoughts, she threw on a robe and stepped outside. The night was pitch black, save for a dim lamp glowing in a corner.
She didn’t wake anyone and instead sat by the window in silence.
Though her heart ached, she reminded herself: in this life, her parents and brother were still alive and well. She should feel grateful.
The next morning brought joyous news—her parents and younger brother had arrived in the capital.
Li Quan, who had entered the residence early with the kitchen staff, delivered the news to his mother, Li Mama, who promptly informed Duan Mingxi.
Ecstatic, Duan Mingxi wished she could fly to their side immediately.
But she couldn’t.
“Let my parents settle in first. I’ll find an opportunity to see them soon.”
Li Mama agreed happily. “This is wonderful. Now that your father, mother, and young master are here, you can finally be at peace.”
To avoid drawing attention, Duan Mingxi quelled her excitement. She had drawn enough eyes during her outing that day and needed to avoid alerting the Marquis household to her parents’ arrival.
She convinced herself that a little more patience wouldn’t hurt.
But her parents, Duan Pingchang and his wife, were less patient. Through Li Mama, they conveyed their desire to see her immediately.
Unable to resist, Duan Mingxi felt both joy and sorrow. So much remained unresolved; she couldn’t let the Marquis family know her parents had come to the capital.
After careful consideration, she claimed she was going out to inspect her shops. Under the Old Madam’s thoughtful gaze, she boarded the carriage and left the residence.
To be cautious, she first visited a shop, where she changed her outfit and had Xiangxue don her clothes to ride the carriage to other shops. Meanwhile, Duan Mingxi slipped out through a back door and boarded another carriage heading to her family’s temporary residence.
As the carriage traversed street after street, Duan Mingxi grew increasingly nervous, unsure if it was homesickness or apprehension.
The closer she got, the more her parents’ faces seemed to blur in her memory.
“Miss, we’re here,” Xiangxiang softly announced, lifting the curtain to help the dazed Duan Mingxi down.
Taking a deep breath, Duan Mingxi stepped off the carriage. Her jumbled thoughts hadn’t yet sorted themselves out when a figure darted out of the house.
“Sister! Sister!”
“Sirui…” The unfamiliar name rolled stiffly off her tongue. In her memory, her younger brother had been reduced to a fool, laughing blankly and failing to recognize her.
But now, he was healthy and lively, his bright eyes bringing clarity to her fractured memories.
“Little Rui,” Duan Mingxi murmured, pulling her brother into an embrace, tears streaming down her face.
“Jie, Jie, I’m not a little kid anymore,” Duan Sirui protested, his face turning red. He wasn’t a child, and being hugged like this made him self-conscious.
But seeing his sister cry, Duan Sirui hesitated. His sister, who was always so strong, had never cried before—or at least not in front of him.
Wait, no—this was the second time.
The first time was when she left to return to the Marquis residence.
Duan Mingxi took a deep breath, suppressing the torrent of emotions within her, and led Duan Sirui inside while asking, “How are Father and Mother?”
Duan Sirui shook his head. “Not great. Ever since you came to the capital, they’ve been unhappy and thinking about you constantly.”
Duan Mingxi’s eyes stung, tears threatening to fall. Before they even reached the second gate, she saw two figures rushing toward her.
“Xixi…”
“Mother!” Duan Mingxi left her younger brother behind and hastened to meet Madam Xu, who was practically running toward her.
Madam Xu grabbed her daughter and looked her over anxiously. “You’ve gotten thinner. Are you not being treated well in the Marquis Residence?”
“Let’s talk inside,” Duan Pingchang said, his face betraying his pain as he took in his daughter’s frail figure.
The family of four entered the main hall of the rear courtyard. Madam Xu held her daughter’s hand tightly, her voice choked with emotion. “As soon as your father heard from Li Quan, he wrapped up his business as quickly as possible and rushed here. I know the Marquis Residence is a noble household with strict rules, and I worried you wouldn’t adjust. But we didn’t dare write to you, afraid we might cause trouble…”
Madam Xu spoke as she held onto her daughter, tears streaming down her face. In just a short time, Duan Mingxi had visibly lost weight—a clear sign that life in the Marquis Residence was far from easy.
Duan Pingchang, seeing his wife cry, quickly interjected, “Stop crying. We’ve finally reunited; how will we talk if you keep sobbing? Duan Mingxi, tell me honestly, why did you ask us to come to the capital? Do you have a plan?”
Duan Mingxi turned to her father, hesitation written all over her face.
