On the twenty-fourth day of the twelfth lunar month, the house-cleaning day.
The snow that had been fluttering down for several days had accumulated into a thick layer. Today, the wind ceased, the snow stopped, and the sunlight was bright and warm.
Both masters and servants of the Hua family bustled about—some sweeping, some tidying, some directing—creating a lively and vibrant scene.
Hua Zhi stood at a distance, wrapped in her white cloak, watching but not approaching.
Bao Xia was about to say something, but Su Momo gently shook her head at her. Though she might not understand the young lady as well as the senior maids did, she could grasp Hua Zhi’s feelings at this moment. There was no need to join in; simply watching was enough to lift her spirits.
A moment later, before anyone noticed her, Hua Zhi turned and left without a word. The slight curve at the corner of her lips revealed her joy.
"Hua Hua!"
A sudden voice came from the rooftop. Shaoyao stood there wearing her signature Veiled Hat, her cloak flapping in the wind.
Hua Zhi smiled and opened her arms toward her, her mind inexplicably recalling characters from an animated film she had once seen. They might not have been the protagonists, but they were unforgettable figures—and undoubtedly powerful.
So was Shaoyao.
Amidst gasps of surprise, Shaoyao leaped from the roof and threw herself into Hua Hua’s embrace. Finding the Veiled Hat cumbersome, she tore it off and tossed it far away.
"Hua Hua, I’m back."
"Yes, you’re back."
Though Shaoyao was half a head taller, the way Hua Zhi held her felt entirely natural.
Patting Shaoyao’s back, Hua Zhi chuckled, "Just yesterday, I was wondering if you’d make it back for the New Year. You’ve made it just in time."
Shaoyao didn’t mention how she had raced back, urged on by Yan Ge the entire way, nor how she had left behind the medicinal herbs she had gathered at Yinshan Pass. The moment her master released her, she had shouldered her pack and dashed off.
"I want to celebrate the New Year with you, and I want to stay here."
Hua Zhi led her by the hand toward her own courtyard, replying with a smile, "As long as you’re willing to come."
Of course, she was willing! That had been her plan all along—this way, she could stay by Hua Hua’s side day and night. She hadn’t been able to accompany Hua Hua when the Old Madam passed away, and she intended to make up for it.
By the time they returned to the room, hot water had already been brought in. Hua Zhi rummaged through her wardrobe but gave up with a helpless sigh. "Bao Xia, go ask Second Sister for a set of clean clothes. I’ll return them to her later."
Bao Xia discreetly glanced at her mistress’s petite figure, suppressing a laugh as she agreed. The others also struggled to hold back their amusement. Usually, they never remembered how delicate their young lady was, but clothing served as a measuring tape for height. Every time new clothes were tailored, they were reminded anew.
That night, the two shared a bed.
Though Shaoyao was physically exhausted, she couldn’t sleep, tormented by guilt over not being by Hua Hua’s side when the Old Madam passed away.
"If only I had returned with you."
Hua Zhi gazed at the canopy overhead, recalling those days but realizing she hadn’t been overwhelmed by grief. For her, ensuring the Hua family’s stability had been far more important than sorrow.
"Hua Hua, if you want to cry, go ahead. I won’t see anything."
Hua Zhi laughed softly and tapped Shaoyao’s nose. "It’s not that bad. Life and death are beyond my control. Fulfilling her heartfelt wishes is my way of honoring her."
"So, are you really going to be the head of the Hua family from now on? And never marry?"
"Not forever. One day, the younger generation of the Hua family will grow into towering trees. They will uphold the family’s legacy, marry, and have children. By then, the Hua family won’t need me anymore.""And then what?"
Hua Zhi turned sideways to face her directly.
Shaoyao stubbornly persisted, "And then what? They use you when they need you, then drive you away when they don't?"
Hua Zhi chuckled softly. Hadn't that been exactly how it was before? When they needed her, they piled all the burdens onto her shoulders. Once she had carried the family through its difficulties and everything was stable again, she became an inconvenience, someone who shouldn't exist.
But in this Hua family, she believed the Berlin she had personally taught wouldn't be so heartless. Even if Berlin eventually turned against her too, she wouldn't entertain thoughts of dragging everyone down with her.
From the moment she voluntarily stepped before her grandmother, she had prepared herself for the possibility of falling out with her relatives someday. At most, it would mean handing over the empire she had built, seeing through the true faces of so-called family—nothing more than that.
Now she was clad in metaphorical bronze skin and iron bones—what did she have to fear!
"Hua Hua!"
"No one can drive me away. If that day ever comes, it will only be because I'm willing to leave."
"If they dare treat you like that, I'll poison them!"
"..."
"You're still laughing! I mean it!" Shaoyao tried to sit up using both hands and feet, but Hua Zhi swiftly pulled her back, tucking the quilt tightly around her. "I never said I didn't believe you. Shouldn't I be allowed to express shock at such ferocity?"
Only then did Shaoyao settle down, muttering, "I originally studied poisons. It was my master who said medicine and poison are inseparable—that you can't master poisons without learning medicine—so I studied both."
So her medical skills were just incidental. Given Shaoyao's talent, Hua Zhi didn't dare imagine what level her poison arts had reached.
"Do you use it often? Poison, I mean."
"I use it on missions. But it's not just about poisoning people to death—often we need to keep targets alive. I prepare mixtures according to requirements. I can also blend fragrances! I'll create a unique scent for you someday, one of a kind in the world."
"Good, I'll be waiting." Hua Zhi smiled gently. Their breathing synchronized, making them seem like one entity, intimately connected. "Has my grandfather fully recovered? Are my father and the others doing well?"
"They're fine. The old master's illness is completely cured. The others do medicinal baths daily—the effects aren't immediately visible, but by this time next year they'll notice they're not as sensitive to cold anymore." Shaoyao wore a proud expression, thoroughly confident in her areas of expertise. "When I returned, the General's Manor recruited a group of people, including your fourth uncle."
Fourth Uncle entered the General's Manor? Hua Zhi looked at her in surprise. "Won't it be dangerous?"
"How could it be dangerous? The General's Manor is full of mechanisms—it's the safest place in Yinshan Pass. Once Fourth Uncle establishes himself there, he'll be better positioned to protect the Hua family."
Yinshan Pass was a crucial stronghold of the Daqing Dynasty. Ordinary people couldn't possibly know what the General's Manor was really like inside. Hua Zhi didn't ponder how much influence Shaoyao had exerted in this matter, or how much assistance Lu Xiansheng had provided. She simply responded with curved eyes, adding another heavy mark to her mental ledger of favors owed.
Though she wanted to put down roots in the Hua family, Shaoyao still had official business to report back to The Heir. After lingering as long as she could, she reluctantly returned to her true home.
Gu Yanxi was waiting for her in the study.
Shaoyao dawdled her way into the room, slowly closed the door behind her, then leaned against it unwilling to proceed further. Hanging her head, she admitted her fault: "Yan Ge, I failed the mission."
Gu Yanxi remained silent, watching her quietly."My master also made mistakes."
"Speak."
PS: One update today.
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