Ren Yaohua was more responsive to gentle persuasion than force. Seeing Ren Yaoqi plead with her so softly, and considering that Ren Yaoqi’s actions were ultimately for her sake, her heart softened, and she found herself unable to voice any opposition.
Ren Yaoqi took her silence as agreement and instructed the maidservant to carry Ren Yaohua onto the carriage.
Ren Yaohua couldn’t help but glance back at Lei Ting.
Lei Ting nodded to her.
After Ren Yaohua was settled in the carriage, Ren Yaoqi bowed to Lei Ting and said gratefully, “Thank you, Eldest Master Lei, for saving my Third Sister.”
Ren Yaoqi had received the message of safety delivered by Xiao Jingxi’s messenger while Lei Ting was successfully rescuing Ren Yaohua and they were still on their way back to the city. That was why Ren Yaoqi had made arrangements in advance and come out to wait for Ren Yaohua herself.
Lei Ting, however, thought to himself that this Fifth Miss Ren was quite well-informed. Their return journey had naturally been discreet, yet she had managed to intercept them here. Nevertheless, his expression remained unchanged. After accepting Ren Yaoqi’s bow, he said, “It was merely a chance encounter and a small effort. Your sister’s leg injury was only roughly bandaged. Have a physician examine it as soon as you return. It would be inconvenient for me to accompany you further, but I will send a few men to follow your carriage and escort you back to Treasure Vase Alley.”
Ren Yaoqi thanked him again promptly.
Lei Ting was not a man of many words. After briefly explaining the situation, he mounted his horse and departed.
Ren Yaoqi also boarded her family’s carriage, just in time to see Ren Yaohua lower the carriage curtain she had slightly drawn open earlier.
Ren Yaoqi couldn’t help but ponder thoughtfully. She sat down beside Ren Yaohua and instructed the coachman to head to Treasure Vase Alley.
“Thanks to Eldest Master Lei of the Lei Family this time. When we return, we must ask Mother to prepare a generous gift to send to the Lei Family,” Ren Yaoqi said with a smile.
Ren Yaohua gave a noncommittal “Mm” and said nothing more. Then she asked, “Does Mother know I’ve returned?”
Ren Yaoqi nodded. “I already sent someone back to inform her. She wanted to come meet you, but I persuaded her not to.”
Ren Yaohua paused before saying, “I… worried you all.”
Ren Yaoqi shook her head. “Your safety is what matters most.”
Hearing this, Ren Yaohua felt even more remorseful. “If I hadn’t quarreled with Mother today and sneaked out on my own, I wouldn’t have been caught by Wu Yiyu’s people, and later encountered Zeng Kui… At the time, I thought I was surely done for, and I hated my own bad temper, thinking I brought it upon myself…”
Ren Yaoqi took Ren Yaohua’s hand and gently interrupted, “Third Sister, you can’t blame yourself. As the saying goes, it’s not the thief you fear, but the one who’s watching you.”
Ren Yaohua: “…”
Ren Yaohua had experienced extreme emotional highs and lows today. Just moments ago, she had been overwhelmed by self-reproach and felt deeply dejected. But Ren Yaoqi’s words completely disrupted her low spirits, leaving her both amused and exasperated.
The carriage soon arrived at Treasure Vase Alley. Chuchu, who served Rong Shi, had long been waiting at the entrance of the alley. Seeing the Ren Family’s carriage approach, she immediately sent someone back to inform Rong Shi.
Ren Yaoqi alighted from the carriage first, then instructed someone to carry Ren Yaohua inside.
Since Ren Yaoqi had already sent word to Rong Shi earlier, Rong Shi had arranged for the two rooms in the west wing to be cleaned. By the time Ren Yaoqi and Ren Yaohua arrived, Rong Shi and Ji Fuying were already waiting in the west wing.Seeing the servant carrying Ren Yaohua on her back into the house, Ji Fuying hurried to the backyard to fetch a doctor. In truth, the Xianwang Residence itself had one or two capable individuals skilled in medicine, but Rong Shi, fearing Ren Yaohua might dislike it, still sent someone to first invite a doctor from a medical clinic who specialized in treating bruises, sprains, and external injuries, having him wait in the backyard.
Rong Shi did not hold a grudge against Ren Yaohua, a junior, over the unpleasantness of the day. Instead, she patiently inquired about her injuries before having her properly settled on the heated brick bed.
Naturally, Ren Yaohua felt somewhat awkward, but she still answered whatever Rong Shi asked, not choosing to be willful at such a time.
After the doctor entered, Rong Shi briefly described Ren Yaohua’s injuries on her behalf before letting the doctor examine them. Upon inspecting the wound, the doctor said, “The young lady is quite fortunate—if it had been half an inch off, it would have injured the bone. The wound was bandaged promptly, and pressure was applied to acupoints to stop the bleeding. With proper rest for about ten to fifteen days, she should recover well.”
Hearing this, everyone finally breathed a sigh of relief.
Ji Fuying asked, “The wound is so deep—will it leave a scar?” Women always care about their appearance. Even though the injury was on her foot, for an unmarried young lady, having a large scar there would still be somewhat regrettable.
The doctor replied, “The wound is quite deep, so I’m afraid a scar will likely remain. Later, I’ll prescribe some ointment for her. Remember to apply it morning and night daily. While I can’t guarantee it will leave no trace at all, it should at least help lighten the scar.”
Rong Shi nodded and had someone take the doctor to write the prescription and prepare the medicine.
Upon hearing that a scar would likely remain on her leg, Ren Yaohua wasn’t overly concerned. She felt that being able to return safely today was already like having her life spared—leaving only a scar was nothing in comparison.
Seeing Ren Yaohua looking exhausted, Rong Shi said, “I’ll have someone bring in some food. Fill your stomach first before taking the medicine.”
Ren Yaohua hadn’t eaten lunch that day and had been traveling nonstop. On the way, Lei Ting had asked if she wanted something to eat, but she had no appetite and declined. Now, she was indeed somewhat hungry.
After a moment of silence, Ren Yaohua muttered, “Thank you.”
Though the thanks sounded rather dry, Rong Shi didn’t comment, simply smiled and left with Ji Fuying, leaving only the two sisters in the room.
Ren Yaohua lay facing the wall for a while before suddenly turning over and asking Ren Yaoqi, “Am I especially annoying?”
Ren Yaoqi thought for a moment and was about to reply when Ren Yaohua had already turned back around and muttered, “Never mind, don’t say anything.”
Ren Yaoqi: “…”
Just as Ren Yaoqi thought Ren Yaohua had fallen asleep, she heard her whisper, “You and Mother don’t blame them, so perhaps there really are things I’ve misunderstood. But some knots have been tied for too many years, accumulated over time. Even if I try to untie them now, I can’t just pretend nothing ever happened.”Ren Yaoqi walked over and sat on the edge of the kang, listening as Ren Yaohua continued, "I am not Mother, nor am I you. You can be kind and magnanimous, you can remain calm and composed, but I cannot. I have always been a wicked person. However, I do not want to make Mother sad or put her in a difficult position. So from now on, I will try my best to get along peacefully with the people from my maternal grandfather's family. I will not neglect any of the proper etiquette, so you can rest assured."
After saying this, Ren Yaohua closed her eyes and fell silent.
Ren Yaoqi, however, understood the unspoken words.
Ren Yaohua disliked what she disliked, and she could not simply forgive at will. Still, she was willing to try to accept the people from the Xianwang Residence.
Ren Yaoqi knew that for Ren Yaohua, this was already a significant effort. So she did not lecture her.
As Ren Yaohua had said, some knots could not be untied just by words. If Ren Yaoqi had not experienced those events and been given a second chance at life, she might not have done any better than Ren Yaohua.
Perhaps leaving it to time would be a good choice. At the very least, Ren Yaohua would no longer be so resistant and resentful toward her maternal grandfather's family. Feelings between people are built bit by bit through interaction. Persuasion through words is far less effective than genuine understanding through personal experience.
Ren Yaoqi and Ren Yaohua stayed overnight at the Xianwang Residence. The next day, before dawn, someone from the Lei Family arrived, bringing along Ren Yaohua's maids and elderly servants, including the two carriages that the Ren Family had lost.
This time, Lei Ting did not come himself. Instead, it was the Lei Family's steward, Liu Gui, who delivered the people and carriages to the Xianwang Residence before taking his leave. Steward Liu spoke calmly about how the Lei Family had helped retrieve the Ren Family's people and carriages, without any hint of seeking credit. It truly sounded as though the Lei Family had merely lent a helping hand in passing, making it awkward for others to express excessive gratitude.
Thus, when Ren Yaoqi received the news and came out, she did not encounter anyone from the Lei Family.
Instead, Xiangqin rushed toward Ren Yaoqi, wailing loudly, "Fifth Miss... this servant has finally seen you! I thought I would never see you again!"
Pingguo immediately stepped in front of Ren Yaoqi and blurted out, "You smell awful. Don't stink up Fifth Miss." After a pause, she kindly added, "Third Miss is inside."
Sangshen, standing to the side, felt embarrassed: Are you implying it's fine if Third Miss gets stunk up?
Xiangqin was utterly devastated by Pingguo's remark about her smelling awful. As a young lady who had just been tragically abducted, after half a day and a night, her clothes were not torn, her hair was not disheveled, her face was not dirty, and she had even meticulously cleaned her fingernails before getting off the carriage. Which of the maids and elderly servants in that carriage could claim to be as clean and tidy as she was? This was the standard of the top maid in the Ren Family! And yet she was still accused of smelling bad!
Fortunately, Pingguo's mention of Third Miss effectively stopped Xiangqin from throwing a fit. She immediately asked tearfully, "Is Third Miss well?"
After waking up, Xiangqin had cried and cried incessantly. Even having a knife held to her neck could not frighten her into stopping, and she nearly smeared her tears and snot all over others. In the end, unable to bear it any longer, the captors gagged her with a rag and tossed her into a corner.When the Lei family's people found her, the first thing she asked was whether the young lady had been found, saying she wanted to go look for her. Driven to distraction by her crying, the Lei family's people had no choice but to tell her that Third Miss Ren had already returned. Only then did the Ren family's top maid, renowned for her first-rate crying skills, finally calm down, and it was only then that she realized her own appearance was quite a problem.
Ren Yaoqi comforted Xiangqin a few words and had Sangshen first take her down to change clothes, instructing that after changing, she should be taken to see Ren Yaohua. She herself then went to the main room to find Rong Shi.
Rong Shi beckoned for Ren Yaoqi to sit down and then asked, "What do you think of Lei Ting?"
At first, Ren Yaoqi didn't quite understand, thinking Rong Shi was asking about Lei Ting's character. She couldn't help but feel a bit strange—hadn't Rong Shi praised Lei Ting before? Why was she now asking her about him instead?
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