"Qingzhi, don't be sad. Tell Auntie, do you really think it's your younger brother's fault?"
Qingzhi's eyes were red, and her expression was dazed. Afraid of being disliked if she revealed her true feelings, she looked at the outside world helplessly like a newly hatched chick, not knowing how to answer.
After a long time, she murmured and shook her head. "No..."
"But... it's related to my younger brother."
Lan Miao sighed softly. Even an innocent child would catch a glimpse of the truth inadvertently at a certain moment. "Qingzhi, a person's most important thing is always themselves. Don't let others influence you. It's a good thing that you want to study. If your mother doesn't want to take care of you, you might as well talk to your father."
She knew that comforting words, no matter how nice they were, were just like a bowl of cold chicken soup and useless. To improve Qingzhi's situation, she had to start from the source.
"Father... is very busy. I always can't see him."
A glimmer of hope flashed across Qingzhi's little face but quickly faded away.
"I'm afraid it won't work."
Lan Miao was stunned.
Mrs. You always disliked Qingzhi for not being outstanding, but Qingzhi was sensitive and precocious. With good guidance, she would surely be a talented and gentle young lady. Since Mrs. You didn't care, Wen Hongxin naturally had no time to care either.
The crux of the problem was with Mrs. You.
Wen Hongxin could discipline Mrs. You.
But who could discipline Wen Hongxin?
The old lady?
That was even more impossible.
Perhaps, there was still one person.
Lan Miao sighed inwardly. A faint bitter smile flashed across her lips, replaced by a gentle and serene smile.
"Qingzhi, why don't you go to your uncle and ask him to talk to your father?"
Qingzhi's eyes lit up.
Her voice was trembling with joy as she wrung her small fingers together. "But I haven't talked to my uncle much. He seems like a nice person, but I feel it's so hard to get close to him. Will he help me?"
This was the difference between Qingzhi and Xue'er.
If it were Xue'er, she would have already bounced around to find all the people who could help her.
Xue'er, her Xue'er...
Thinking of Xue'er, the smile on Lan Miao's lips deepened a bit. "Don't be afraid. Find an excuse like sending pastries and go to your uncle's study. Tell him everything we talked about today. Just skip your... thoughts about your younger brother. He will help you."
Qingzhi's eyes sparkled.
Was it really that simple?
"Will Uncle really help me?"
"He will."
Lan Miao nodded, her eyes extremely serious.
Qingzhi's eyes widened for a moment.
In her eyes, Lan Miao was as beautiful as a fairy. Xue'er had said that fairies had magic powers, so what Lan Miao said would surely come true.
Qingzhi wiped away her tears, cheered up, and politely bid farewell to Lan Miao. "Auntie, thank you. I can't stay too long, or my mother will scold me."
"Go. Come and play when you're free."
"Okay."
The back view of Qingzhi walking away made Lan Miao think of Xue'er for a moment. Xue'er had a day off every seven days. She still had five days before she could come back from the palace. Lan Miao didn't know how she was doing now.
Lan Miao looked up absent-mindedly. The sunlight outside the window was shifting bit by bit. Only half an hour had passed after this heart-to-heart talk.
A day apart seems like three autumns.
---
When Lan Miao came out from paying respects in the Chunxi Hall, the sky was already approaching dusk.
Lan Miao slowly thought about Mrs. You whom she had just seen. There was obviously a look of resentment on her face. Her words were not as falsely polite as before. She even mentioned Qingzhi three times. Although she didn't elaborate on what had happened, Lan Miao guessed that Wen Hongxin must have scolded her.
Presumably, Qingzhi had gone to Wen Yuanning, and Wen Yuanning had immediately gone to Wen Hongxin.
He had acted quite quickly this time.
She walked slowly with Shuangxi across the winding bridge in the back courtyard. The night was still young. A pool of light blue water was beneath the bridge. The strange rocks were jagged. The wind was cool, and the water was clear. The leaves on the trees had turned yellowish-green, looking a bit desolate.
"Madam, the scenery here is nice. How about enjoying the moon for a while?"
Shuangxi noticed that Lan Miao was pacing back and forth as if she had something on her mind, so she suggested enjoying the moon. This made Lan Miao laugh.
"It's not night yet. What moon are you talking about enjoying?"
"Madam, if we stay a while longer, the moon will come out. There's a small pavilion beside the bridge. How about I go and tidy it up for you?"
"Forget it. There's no need."
After Lan Miao refused, she came to her senses. As a widowed woman, it was not convenient for her to stay out for too long. It was enough to stay in her own small courtyard.
Seeing that Lan Miao had regained some energy, Shuangxi didn't mention it anymore and followed Lan Miao in the direction of the Pinglan Courtyard.
When they got off the veranda, a tree of cold blossoms was reflected in the diamond-shaped window on the gable wall.
Just as Lan Miao was turning through the moon gate, a hand suddenly reached out and pinched her wrist.
Shuangxi behind her let out a startled cry.
She quickly covered her mouth to keep quiet. She wanted to reach out and pull Lan Miao back, but when she saw the person's face clearly, she was stunned for a moment. It was the Third Master, Wen Yuanning.
Lan Miao frowned coldly, and her face was as cold as frost melting into the moon.
She didn't struggle but just looked coldly at the hand holding her. "Third Master, what do you mean?"
"I thought I understood your meaning."
Wen Yuanning actually lost his usual cold self-restraint. His eyes were red, as if he had been suppressing his emotions to the extreme. His attitude was tough as he almost squeezed out these words through his teeth.
He was so crazy that he even tried to pull Lan Miao to a secluded place.
Shuangxi behind wanted to call for help very much, but she couldn't let anyone see this scene. She was as anxious as an ant on a hot pan and had no idea what to do.
But Lan Miao wasn't in a hurry. Her voice was cold.
"Third Master, do you want me to die?"
Die?
Wen Yuanning suddenly calmed down.
He let go of his hand.
Lan Miao pulled back her wrist and rotated her slender wrist bone. Through the dim light, one could see that her snow-white skin had already turned red.
Shuangxi quickly stepped forward to protect Lan Miao.
She was so excited that her voice even had a sob.
"Third Master, what... what are you doing? Fortunately, no one saw this. Otherwise, what would happen to our madam? You're trying to harm our madam's life."
Wen Yuanning didn't care as much when facing Shuangxi.
"Get out of the way."
He coldly ordered and still looked like a proper gentleman.
But Shuangxi wouldn't get out of the way no matter what.
"Miao... Lan Miao, I have something to say to you. Come with me. The servants in this area have all been sent to other places. No one will see. I just want to hear you tell the truth."
His attitude suddenly changed. The end of his last sentence even carried a pleading tone.
Lan Miao knew that he wouldn't give up until he hit a brick wall.
If she avoided him this time, who knew if he would do something like this again later.
She nodded slightly and whispered seriously, "Shuangxi, wait here. Don't let anyone come over."
"Okay, madam."
Shuangxi was very obedient to Lan Miao. She would do whatever Lan Miao told her and never disobey.
She stepped back from in front of Lan Miao. Lan Miao stepped forward. Facing Wen Yuanning, whose eager eyes were fixed on her, she was still generous and calm. She gently lowered her voice. "It's quiet here. Speak."
"I thought you sent Qingzhi to me because you were willing to trust me. If you still are, I can go and beg mother..."