Junxi and Yuexi peeked through the curtain gap, exchanging a glance as they silently thought, "Who would have thought Xianglan, always quiet and smiling all day, could be such a formidable character."
Fangsi initially wanted to storm off but was too incensed. She sneered coldly, "Since we're tearing off all pretenses, I won't hold back either. Don't think I don't know what you're scheming."
Xianglan raised an eyebrow. "Oh? What am I scheming? Do tell, sister."
Fangsi scoffed derisively. "Aren't you just trying to win the Eldest Master's favor? Otherwise, why would you be so eager to cozy up to him?"
Xianglan smiled faintly. "Sister, don't assume everyone shares your intentions just because you do." She slowly moved her brush, outlining an auspicious cloud on paper, then blew on it casually. "Sister Fangsi, there's really no need to resent me. If the Eldest Master has any interest in you, even the goddess Chang'e descending to earth couldn't stop him from taking you into his household. But if he has no such intention, forcing yourself upon him would be useless."
These words struck Fangsi's weak spot. Whether from shame or anger, she stamped her foot, flung the curtain aside, and stormed off.
Xianglan slowly let out a breath.
In her previous life, she had always been a mistress, spending her days among high officials, noble ladies, and young misses, learning cultivation, dignity, tolerance, and benevolence toward subordinates. Later, when her family fell into misfortune, she learned to be sharp and fierce. After entering the Lin family, however, she was like a drifting weed with no one to rely on, enduring each day with patience. But now, in the Song family, Song Ke was her support. She naturally treated everyone in the household with respect and avoided provoking trouble, but if pushed too far, she had her own ways to retaliate.
For a while, nothing happened.
In the evening, Song Ke returned home and first went to pay his respects to Song Yima. After returning, he had dinner. Hearing that Xianglan had specially prepared two dishes for him, he felt a surge of joy and pulled her aside, saying, "Go change into outdoor clothes."
Xianglan, puzzled, changed into a sandalwood-colored jacket. Song Ke then took her hand and led her out through the back gate. They wound through several alleys until they reached the main street, where crowds of people bustled under the brightly lit lanterns.
Xianglan asked in surprise, "Why is the street so lively today?"
Song Ke smiled. "Today is the Ghost Festival. People come out to the riverbank at night to release lanterns, so it's naturally bustling. You've been recuperating at home these days and haven't gone out. It's good to enjoy the night scenery tonight." As he spoke, he glanced at Xianglan, his handsome eyes shimmering with affection, her reflection clear in his dark pupils.
Xianglan's face flushed slightly, and she lowered her head, only to see Song Ke reach out with his right hand and take her left hand. She had originally intended to stroll around the street, but being held like this by Song Ke felt somewhat improper. Yet, letting go of Song Ke to wander the street was something she couldn't bear to do. His hand was warm and strong, utterly unlike the frail, withered hand of his previous life when he was clinging to his last breath. For some reason, Xianglan's eyes suddenly grew slightly moist.
The two stood quietly side by side in the shadows of the alley, enveloped in a tranquil beauty, while beyond the lane lay a dazzling, bustling world of intertwined lights and clamor.
Just then, a commotion erupted from the alley behind them, followed by a loud slam of a door. Someone stormed out, shouting, "I see it now! None of you have good intentions—you're all scheming to see me dead! You want that scoundrel Ren to divorce me so he can remarry. Well, since that's the case, there's no need for you to lift a finger. I'll leave on my own! Let that scoundrel Ren give me a letter of divorce!"Xianglan turned around and was startled to see, by the moonlight, that the person shouting was none other than Cao Lihuan! She quickly pulled Song Ke into the neighboring alley and peered out.
Cao Lihuan stood with hands on her hips, cursing: "Heaven-cursed lowlifes! The whole family lives off my dowry, eating and drinking for free. I toil day and night like an ox, working so hard I lost my child, and instead they blame me for bringing it upon myself, bullying me to this point! Fine then, let's not live together anymore—I'll dash my brains out right here and let the King of Hell judge this fairly in the underworld!" With that, she made to ram the gate.
Just then, a man rushed out from the courtyard and grabbed Cao Lihuan, pleading urgently: "In front of everyone, I beg you to stop making a scene!"
Cao Lihuan strained her neck, struggling: "I will make a scene! Let all the neighbors and passersby see what the Ren family is really like! You useless coward, letting your wife suffer like this—from today onward, I'm done with you, you spineless fool!" She fought desperately to crash into the wall.
Suddenly, a shrill female voice came from the courtyard: "Brother, don't hold her back—let her die! Look what she's done to Mother! She incited the maids and servants to neglect Mother's laundry and meals, schemed for Mother's private savings, and even secretly withheld my dowry. Let her bleed out and die here today—see if she has the nerve!"
Cao Lihuan's eyes reddened with rage as she screamed: "You bitch! I'll haunt you even as a ghost!" She then charged into the gate, followed immediately by sounds of scuffling and attempts to mediate.
Xianglan was watching intently when someone unexpectedly leaned close to her ear and whispered: "I forgot—Cao Lihuan has lived here since marrying into the Ren family. We've run into an old acquaintance tonight."
Xianglan exclaimed in surprise: "The Ren family actually married her?" As she turned her head, her lips brushed against Song Ke's cheek. Xianglan froze, her face instantly burning.
Song Ke, however, felt somewhat exhilarated. Seeing Xianglan's shyness, he coughed lightly and pretended nonchalance: "Originally, the Ren family refused to marry her. Cao Lihuan had ruined her reputation—there were rumors of improper conduct with a servant boy. Any respectable family would have called off the engagement. But Cao Lihuan was quite resourceful. When the Ren family sent someone to break the engagement, she quietly rented a place nearby and lured the young Ren over. Back and forth they went until... well, she became pregnant."
He glanced at Xianglan and saw she had already forgotten her embarrassment, wide-eyed with shock as if urging him to continue. He smiled and said: "When Cao Lihuan showed up pregnant at their doorstep, the Ren family could no longer refuse the marriage and had to swallow their pride to arrange the wedding. At first, the whole family tried to treat her well, but soon after entering the household, she began complaining about the Ren family's modest means—demanding chicken one day, fish the next, silk today, jewelry tomorrow, constantly causing trouble. The Ren family wasn't wealthy and quickly couldn't keep up. The young Ren is a weakling, caught in the middle. Cao Lihuan, being manipulative, had him utterly bewitched—as if he'd never seen a woman before—unable to let go of her for a moment and yielding to her every whim. His mother fell gravely ill from anger, and his sister, a sharp-tongued match for Cao Lihuan, is the only one who stands up to her. I'd heard she recently had a miscarriage from a fall, but I never expected the family would still be fighting this fiercely."Xianglan gasped sharply, "Heavens, I only knew she was thick-skinned, bold, and shameless, but I never imagined she had such capabilities."
Song Ke said, "Nowadays, mentioning 'Madam Cao' in this place is universally known—her fierce reputation is so loud that no one dares provoke her. Later, Cao Lihuan went to the Lin residence several times seeking an audience, but each time the gatekeepers drove her away. Coincidentally, Xiuhong happened to witness it once and had someone investigate to learn the full details. He then came back and told me all about it as a joke."
Xianglan listened in stunned disbelief, repeatedly marveling at Cao Lihuan. For an ordinary woman, if rumors of tarnished virtue spread, she would either take her own life, become a nun, or move far away. Yet Miss Cao displayed resolute tenacity and toughness, repeatedly taking risky moves—she actually managed to get the Ren family to marry her and stirred up such a storm that not even the chickens and dogs were left in peace.
Xianglan shook her head, "The Ren family must have had a nightmare. Just now, I saw that the young master of the Ren family is quite handsome—what a pity."
Song Ke sneered, "He's nothing but a useless coward with no vision or insight. I heard he does the laundry and cooking for Cao Lihuan himself at home, relies on her for every decision, and has no backbone or responsibility. What a waste of his male identity."
Xianglan played with the end of her braid and said, "It's also because the mother-in-law lacks authority. If it were me, I'd start with a couple of slaps to teach her some manners. If she dared fight back, I'd file a complaint at the county magistrate's office, laying out the whole story clearly and begging the impartial judge for justice. Even if I couldn't get her divorced, I'd make sure she got a few strokes of the cane to remember her lesson."
Song Ke clicked his tongue and laughed, "My goodness, I never would've guessed you were like this. I thought you were a gentle and delicate beauty."
Xianglan shot him a sidelong glance, half-smiling, "My nature is actually gentle, but I'm afraid if I stay too gentle, I'll overturn your family's vinegar jar and be soured to death."
Hearing the implication in her words, Song Ke pressed, "What do you mean?"
Xianglan smiled faintly, "It's nothing much, just that with Fangsi—you need to decide whether to keep her or let her go. Otherwise, she glares at me every day like a black-boned chicken, and I end up suffering unjustly for no reason."
Song Ke was a perceptive man, and with these few words from Xianglan, he understood. Frowning, he said, "She's Guo Mama's daughter, loyal and diligent, and she pleases my mother, so I always treat her with respect, but I have no other intentions..." He looked at Xianglan and added, "Don't worry, I know what to do about this."
His gaze was intense, making Xianglan's ears burn. She averted her eyes and murmured, "As long as you know what to do."
Song Ke laughed, took Xianglan's hand again, and gave it a gentle squeeze. "We came out today to relax. Let's go release a lotus lantern to dispel any bad luck and ask the gods for blessings."
He led Xianglan to the street, where they bought two lanterns and borrowed a brush. Carefully, he wrote a few characters on a lotus petal. Xianglan watched his face, illuminated by the candlelight—his handsome brows and bright eyes seemed to shimmer, making it impossible to look away.
Xianglan stared blankly, her heart softening.
After finishing his writing, Song Ke noticed Xianglan still gazing at him dazedly and chuckled, "Why are you just staring at me? Hurry up and write your wish on the lantern." With that, he walked to the riverbank and carefully set the lotus lantern afloat.
Unexpectedly, Xianglan also crouched down and gently placed her blank lotus lantern on the water.
Puzzled, Song Ke asked, "Why didn't you write anything?"Xianglan crouched by the riverside, her fair hands gently stirring the emerald water to send the lantern drifting farther. With a soft laugh, she said, "Its purpose was always to carry away misfortune. I'm content just to see my troubles float away. As the saying goes, 'What is destined to be yours will come, what isn't should not be forced.' Some things can hardly be obtained through mere wishes." She then turned and smiled at Song Ke.
That smile was utterly captivating—her delicate features illuminated by the shimmering ripples and candlelight, resembling nothing so much as radiant pearls and exquisite jade.
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