Chapter 54 Mother and Daughter Reunited (Part 3 Combined) It turns out she was most connected to this mortal world…

When suddenly asked, Wen Yu almost gave himself away, so he quickly laughed it off: "We met once before..."

The truth will eventually come out; it's better to clarify things sooner rather than later.

She disregarded everything else and hurriedly pulled Cui Pingchun to the shade of a nearby tree.

The afternoon sun shines through the gaps in the branches and leaves, casting dappled shadows.

Wen Yu lowered her voice and explained in a few words the whole story of how Qing Shi came to the Wen family.

Cui Pingchun opened his eyes wide in shock.

She never imagined that the Wen Qingshi she had met at the academy, the little Wen girl everyone talked about, was actually her cousin.

Although she always felt that Qing Shi's features were somewhat familiar, she never connected Wen Yu's adopted sister with her own blood relative.

It's too unbelievable, but that's exactly the truth.

“My aunt has been missing my cousin for a long time,” Cui Pingchun thought quickly, and grabbed Wen Yu’s sleeve. “Why don’t we take this opportunity to let them meet?”

“That’s exactly what I was thinking.” Wen Yu nodded.

She knew that Qing Shi always missed her mother, but she never showed it to others.

In her youth, she would confide in Wen Yu, but as she had more and more things to do, she no longer had time to wallow in melancholy. She devoted herself entirely to the academy, serving as the perfect leader and teaching assistant.

But she was only a teenager, how could she not miss her mother?

The reason why the mother and daughter did not recognize each other at the beginning was because the Shen family had just fallen from power, and if the news that "Shen Huaiyu" was still alive were to leak out, Cui Ling and Qing Shi would be in danger.

Now that time has passed and things have changed, the Shen family's affairs have gradually been forgotten. "Shen Huaiyu" is now a confirmed dead man, and Luzhou Prefecture has become Su Lin's jurisdiction. To deliberately avoid suspicion would be superfluous.

Wen Yu really wanted to give Qing Shi a surprise.

But perhaps, a simple and ordinary meeting wouldn't be so bad either.

Cui Pingchun, however, had a sudden inspiration and said, "I have an idea..."

She whispered a few words in Wen Yu's ear.

Wen Yu's eyes lit up, and she clapped her hands, saying, "That's a good idea."

She turned to Cui Ling and extended an invitation with a smile: "Master, we will be holding a lecture in the city tomorrow. Would you be so kind as to take some time to attend?"

"Tomorrow?" Cui Ling was somewhat surprised.

“It’s my sworn sister who’s giving the lecture,” Wen Yu added. “She’s the girl you helped last time. She’s been hoping you could come and listen.”

As if guided by some strange force, Cui Ling agreed.

"good."

She regretted it as soon as the words left her mouth.

That girl is not her beloved after all. Would going to see her only cause more sadness?

But she desperately wanted to see her again, even if it was just a similar figure.

----

Wen Qingshi was somewhat surprised.

That day, Wen Yu returned from the free clinic and told her that several doctors planned to jointly hold a lecture and wanted her to be the main speaker to popularize knowledge about disease prevention and control to the public.

“A kind-hearted lay Buddhist planned to distribute porridge to relieve the people. Doctor Liang suggested that she add medicinal herbs for epidemic prevention to the porridge, so that she could kill two birds with one stone.” Wen Yu sighed with feigned sorrow, “Unfortunately, the people did not believe that a bowl of porridge could have such an effect, and very few people went to receive it.”

"We thought of holding a presentation to explain the benefits of this medicinal porridge in detail, which might put people at ease."

As Wen Yu spoke, she herself felt a little guilty.

She simply wanted to create a natural opportunity for the mother and daughter to meet, but the reason sounded rather far-fetched.

Unexpectedly, Wen Qingshi pondered for a moment and then nodded seriously.

"Alright, please allow me to go out for a moment."

After saying that, she turned to walk out the door.

Wen Yu quickly called out to her, "Where are you going? Is something urgent?"

Wen Qingshi turned around and said patiently, "Since we're going to hold a public awareness campaign, I need to figure out why the people don't believe it first."

She started analyzing, counting on her fingers.

"The public's doubts about the porridge distribution are mainly due to a few reasons: they may suspect that the lay Buddhist is using the name of doing good deeds to collect money, or they may worry about the efficacy of the medicine, or they may not believe that such a good thing exists in the world and dare not participate rashly."

"Only by going among the people and carefully inquiring to find out the root of the problem can I prescribe the right remedy." Wen Qingshi smiled slightly. "Sister, don't worry, I will handle this matter well."

Wen Yu stood there, stunned, watching Wen Qingshi leave without looking back, when suddenly an idea popped into her head.

Qing Shi's approach... is simply divinely chosen for civil service exams!

The comments section was filled with amazement.

I'm impressed. The things I learned for the civil service exam interview are still working against me: targeting pain points, taking strong measures, addressing the root cause, and promoting long-term effectiveness...

[Imagine you are Wen Qingshi, and your sister has given you a task: to give a presentation. From what angles would you approach this activity?]

[Enough, enough, Master, stop reading! My head's about to explode! I feel like I'm being chased and devoured by interview questions!]

[I haven't studied this before. Is this kind of question really that difficult? Why are you all saying that?]

[You'll understand once you learn it; it's basically an organizational management question I've memorized countless times. I'm really hopeless...]

[Hahaha, I'm still a college student; someone who hasn't taken the civil service exam doesn't understand this.]

[+1 Even this office worker doesn't understand.]

I envy you guys who haven't suffered this kind of torment...

Some people sighed:

[If she were born in modern times, she could probably get into any good school and get any good job she wanted. It's such a pity that in ancient times, she couldn't participate in the imperial examinations, so even if a woman had great talent, she couldn't give it her all.]

But some say: "Even if this is how things are now, who can say there won't be a future era for women?"

When that era arrives, countless women like her will emerge from the shadows and stand in the sunlight.

I will wait for that era to arrive.

Their era?

Wen Yu also wanted to see this day.

An era that allows them to live without fear, without being subservient to others, and to grow freely and bask in the sunlight.

She wanted to see this kind of life not just exist in Luxi Village.

----

A light snow had fallen last night, and the morning air was still quite chilly. Cui Ling put on a slightly thicker mauve-colored coat than before and pushed open the courtyard gate to go outside.

Some of the red plum blossoms in the courtyard had been knocked down by the snow, their red spots dotting the pure white landscape. She thought inappropriately that it seemed the end of the year was approaching again.

In the past, the Shen family would always hold a family banquet at the end of the year, but Cui Lingguang was so tired from preparing the banquet that she didn't want to attend.

Thinking that her relationship with her husband was strained, she simply decided not to go, letting him have his fun with his concubines and sons.

At that time, she sat alone in front of the hall, watching the red plum blossoms fall softly in the courtyard, and the heavy snowfall drowned out the sounds of the banquet on the other side.

As dusk settled and night fell, Cui Ling felt that the lively atmosphere had nothing to do with her.

But someone walked up behind her and gently draped a warm, thick coat over her shoulders.

She turned her head and saw Huaiyu's profile illuminated by the lamplight.

Huaiyu didn't ask anything, but simply sat down next to her, leaned on her shoulder, and listened to the snow all night.

Cui Ling didn't ask her why she ran away from the banquet, just as Huaiyu didn't ask her why she was sitting alone.

In the vast Shen family home, no one cared where they went, but at least they still had each other.

And now, the end of the year is approaching.

Cui Ling was left all alone.

The maids wanted to go out with her, but she insisted on keeping them at home, telling them to dress warmly and not to catch a cold.

"I'll be right back. You all stay home."

She was clearly still a little nervous about the meeting, but she still arrived at the venue early. The venue was empty at the moment, with only a few students setting up tables and chairs.

Wen Yu was somewhat surprised to see her arrive so early, and quickly led her to the reserved seats in the first row: "Please wait a moment, layperson, it will begin in a quarter of an hour."

Cui Ling disliked noise, and at this moment, still wearing a veiled hat, she simply nodded slightly beneath the light veil: "Okay."

Before long, familiar footsteps came from beside me.

Cui Pingchun handed her a cup of warm tea, saying, "Auntie, have some tea to warm yourself up first."

Cui Ling was somewhat surprised by their thoughtfulness. She took the white porcelain teacup and slowly drank it all.

The warm tea slid down my throat, dispelling some of the chill and calming most of my anxiety.

When she couldn't see him, Wen Yu quietly asked Cui Pingchun, who had just returned, "She didn't suspect anything, did she?"

Cui Pingchun nodded calmly: "Don't worry, no problem."

Wen Yu secretly breathed a sigh of relief.

She almost had Wen Qingshi go on stage early for a rehearsal, but they nearly bumped into Cui Ling. Luckily, she managed to get away from her in time, otherwise the carefully prepared surprise would have been revealed ahead of schedule.

Cui Lingjing sat quietly for a moment, then turned around and saw the people entering the venue one after another, taking their seats under Wen Yu's guidance.

People either brought their own veils or received cotton masks distributed by Liang Shuyan and others at the entrance, and the order was well maintained.

Cui Ling felt gratified, thinking that these doctors had been very thoughtful, knowing that people were afraid of getting sick and dared not gather, so they made these arrangements.

Entrusting it to them was definitely the right decision.

Once everyone had arrived, Wen Yucai stepped onto the stage and announced to the audience, "Thank you all for coming today. Next, Miss Wen Qingshi will give a speech. Please listen attentively and be patient."

Cui Ling suddenly heard whispers coming from not far behind him.

"Oh, so it's Qing Shi who's going to give the lecture today."

The other person suddenly realized: "No wonder she came to our house yesterday to ask about it..."

"She came to our house too..."

Cui Ling couldn't help but tilt her ear, wanting to hear more clearly, but the conversation abruptly stopped.

The sound of unhurried footsteps came from the stage.

A clear, melodious voice rang out: "Thank you all for coming to today's lecture. I am the speaker, Wen Qingshi."

Several joyful responses rang out from below.

"Young Girl!"

The girl's voice was so familiar that Cui Ling didn't dare to turn around for a moment.

How could they be so similar?

She almost thought it was her Huaiyu speaking.

But when the girl introduced herself as Wen Qing, she couldn't believe that such a coincidence could really happen.

While she was still in a daze, the voice on stage continued, speaking eloquently: "Yesterday I spoke with many villagers and learned that everyone has different concerns. Today, I will address these concerns one by one..."

Cui Ling quietly parted the veil in front of her eyes, but hesitated to look up.

Her gaze slowly moved up from the ground, swept over the hem of the blue dress, and finally settled on the face of the girl who was speaking.

In an instant, her breath caught in her throat, and she froze in her seat, forgetting even to move her fingertips.

I was afraid that even the slightest heavy breath would shatter this dream.

Just as the girl was about to turn towards her, Cui Ling suddenly let go of her hand, letting the veil fall and block her view again.

The girl, unaware of her presence, continued speaking with a smile from her prepared speech: "We have now initially brought the spread of the disease under control. The next step is to cure those with mild symptoms and reduce the severity of severe cases to mild symptoms..."

She was so confident and composed that she didn't even glance at her prepared remarks, as if she knew every word by heart.

The room gradually quieted down, and no one spoke in hushed tones anymore; everyone listened attentively to her speech.

She raised her voice slightly: "We will not let everyone down. We will definitely strive to eradicate the disease before the end of the year so that everyone can reunite with their families and have a good New Year..."

Beneath the veil, warm tears silently slid down her cheeks and dripped onto the back of her tightly clenched fist.

Cui Ling was both saddened and overjoyed.

She was surprised to see her daughter, who had supposedly died, again.

Cui Ling once thought that he could only reunite with her in the underworld, but unexpectedly, she appeared before him again in her living form.

It must be her, it must be Huaiyu.

Her mother's intuition told her that it couldn't be fake.

Her Huaiyu has grown up to be this tall, much taller than before, and her figure is as slender as a new willow in spring.

She stood tall and straight with her head held high, no longer the submissive woman she once was in the inner quarters.

Cui Ling gazed at her daughter with almost greedy eyes, finding perfection in every aspect of her voice, expression, and posture.

The girl smiled and explained everyone's doubts in a clear and thorough manner, and the people in the audience nodded in agreement.

“Providing porridge on-site does indeed pose a risk of disease transmission. We have adjusted our strategy and will now distribute ingredient kits to each household so that everyone can cook for themselves.”

After reading the results of yesterday's investigation, Wen Qingshi looked at the crowd below the stage and said, "Does anyone still have any questions? You can ask me directly, and we will answer them."

The lay Buddhist in the first row remained silent throughout.

She couldn't help but feel a little nervous, unsure if her performance would satisfy the layperson.

Suddenly, two sharp sounds rang out.

That layperson actually led the applause.

Instantly, applause erupted like a tidal wave, and everyone responded to the call.

Someone cheered, "Miss Qing Shi is right! We have no more doubts!"

"That's great! We can make medicinal porridge at home now..."

Wen Qingshi bowed slightly, saying, "This is all thanks to Layman Jingyun for her financial support."

Everyone praised, "The lay Buddhist's merits are immeasurable!"

"Lay Buddhists will be blessed!"

The presentation ended amidst lively discussions, and the attendees were led to another side to collect their materials, leaving the venue mostly empty.

As Wen Qingshi was organizing his speech and preparing to step off the stage, he saw that the lay Buddhist was still sitting in the same spot.

A snowflake gently landed on her brow.

Wen Qingshi looked up at the sky and saw that the sky was gloomy and covered with dark clouds, as if a heavy snow was about to fall.

Cui Pingchun, Chen Miaozhi, and others have already gone there to help, but Wen Yu's whereabouts are unknown.

Wen Qingshi quickly stepped off the stage, walked up to the layman, and said softly, "Layman, it's going to snow, please go home early."

The layperson raised his head.

Through the light veil, Wen Qingshi could not clearly see her face, but he could feel her gaze, which was almost tangible.

The ground was slightly hot, burning her.

Surprisingly, it didn't make her feel disgusted.

"Huaiyu," the hermit's clear, cold voice trembled slightly, "how are you doing?"

Wen Qingshi blinked in surprise.

It's been so long since anyone called that name.

The next moment, the veil was lifted in front of her, revealing a face she had longed for for who knows how long.

It was her mother's face, which she had dreamt of countless times but dared not recognize, for fear of startling her away.

"Mother..." Wen Qingshi called out subconsciously, tears welling up before she could speak.

She threw herself into the woman's arms, crying unrestrainedly in her mother's embrace like a child had done years ago.

"I thought I'd never see you again..."

Cui Ling couldn't stop crying either.

She hugged her daughter tightly, whom she had just regained. She had wanted to ask her why she was here and why she had changed her name to Wen Qingshi.

But the moment her daughter threw herself into her arms, all the problems became insignificant.

“It’s all over now,” she said, stroking Wen Qingshi’s hair and softly repeating the same sentence, “Mother is here.”

Wen Yu hid behind a wall not far away, watching the mother and daughter reunite, and wisely chose not to disturb them.

The comments section was already in an uproar.

[Is the lay Buddhist actually Qing Shi's sister's mother?]

[That's great! My sister has finally seen Mom again. I missed my mom so much too. Seeing her studying in another city almost made me cry...]

[My daughter, a mama's boy, can't stand seeing this. My tears are streaming down my face. Can you make up for my tears?]

[I screamed and jumped on my mom, only to be slapped twice on the bottom and called a brat. I felt satisfied. I got a beating from my mom today (1/1)]

I'm a little better off than you; it's just that I yell "Mommy, Mommy, Mommy" at home every day and get yelled at by her, which is so annoying.

[Has Wen Yu also not seen her mother in a long time? It feels like she hasn't had much rest since she started broadcasting, and I've never seen her take out her phone. If it were me, I would have given up long ago.]

[It feels like she's really going to become a professional streamer. There are absolutely no continuity errors. She only goes offline during the time she showers and goes to sleep, probably when she's on her phone?]

Wen Yu sighed inwardly.

She really hadn't seen her mother in a long time.

I really...want to go home.

But she suppressed her emotions and looked back over there, only to find that Wen Qingshi and Cui Ling had composed themselves and were sitting together talking about everything that had happened in the past few days.

“Mother, I’m doing well.” Wen Qingshi smiled, her eyes still slightly red. “I lied to you before. I drank a drug to fake my death and was rescued by my wet nurse. Later, I was sold as a maid by mistake. It was you who gave my sister that money, which gave me a new life.”

Cui Ling was somewhat taken aback.

Was it her kindness that saved her daughter?

There are countless causes and effects in this world, and the ending of every story seems to have been predetermined, allowing them to meet again in this life.

"Luxi Village is great. We can study there with dignity. I participated in the literary competition and even won first place!"

Still a young man at heart, Wen Qingshi spoke of this with a hint of smugness: "Back then, my brother stole my work and won first place. I was never satisfied with that and always wanted to win it myself."

"Later, when I disguised myself as a man to attend the literary gathering, I was still somewhat resentful. Why should I only be recognized by everyone when I am a 'man'?"

"When Lord Su asked us if we were women, I didn't want to lie, so I admitted it, but I still won first place. Lord Su said that the literary gathering only selects talented people, and does not judge people based on their gender."

Her eyes shone brightly: "Mother, I did it."

Looking at her daughter, Cui Ling felt an overwhelming sense of joy.

As expected of her beloved child, her daughter accomplished everything that she couldn't do when she was young.

“You deserve all of this,” she said softly. “Mother has always known that you are no worse than anyone else.”

What she didn't say was, "If only my mother could be like you."

Back when Cui Ling was still unmarried, she was a famous talented woman, skilled in poetry, lyrics, and songs.

On the night of the full moon on the fifteenth of August, a Mid-Autumn Festival poetry gathering was held in the city. Dressed in men's clothing, she enjoyed a banquet and laughter on a pleasure boat, and inscribed a world-shaking poem in the pavilion in the middle of the lake.

That night, she got completely drunk and forgot to hide her talents, so she picked up her brush and wrote, signing it as Cui.

Later, everyone searched for the author of the poem, but Cui Ling never dared to say it was her, fearing that if everyone knew the author was a woman, all the praise would suddenly turn into insults and ridicule.

As the story spread, rumors began to circulate that the poem was written by a young man from the Cui family, and even his brothers suddenly gained the favor of many young ladies.

They said that the author, who could write such heroic and spirited poems, must be a great man with a heart for the world, capable of serving in the imperial court and on the battlefield.

But no one knew that the real author had donned a red dress, married into the Shen family, and remained silent for decades, never producing any new works.

On the eve of her wedding, Cui Ling's works and her unfulfilled wishes were burned to ashes in a charcoal brazier, and from then on, no one knew of them.

Later, her daughter suffered a similar fate; her work was stolen by her brother, and everyone said that the young master of the Shen family was a man of great talent and would surely achieve great things.

At the grand banquet that night, Cui Ling sat beside her husband and saw her daughter's retreating figure as she fled the banquet.

No one paid attention to the woman who had fled the banquet; all that was happening was praise and flattery directed at Shen Huaijing.

For a moment, she really wanted to drop everything and chase after him.

But the responsibility of being the matriarch of the Shen family bound her hands and feet, making her unable to move and leaving her only able to sit in her original position, pierced by a similar fate.

Fortunately, fate gave them a second chance.

She took the opportunity of divorce to leave the Shen family, overturning the cage she hated most, and did not obey the Cui family's wishes to remarry. Instead, she traveled the world in her own name.

The daughter went to Luxi, where she escaped the shadows of her earlier life and shone brightly alongside the girls around her, living a passionate and radiant life.

The best outcome would be for them to eventually reunite.

With a free spirit.

"Mother, I'm so happy you found me." Wen Qingshi held her hand, nestled against her like a fledgling bird, just like that snowy night many years ago.

Cui Ling closed her eyes, and suddenly remembered the words the master had told her under the eaves of the temple.

"Your worldly ties are not yet severed, so do not cling to them."

It turns out that her deepest bond with this world is now tightly holding her hand.

They were never apart.

----

Fine snowflakes began to fall, not heavy, like cotton or feathers.

When Wen Qingshi brought Cui Ling to find Wen Yu, Wen Yu was still packing her things.

She pretended to have just finished working and turned around in surprise, saying, "Qingshi, Layman, what are you doing here...?"

Wen Qingshi smiled knowingly: "Sister, you knew all along, didn't you?"

She found it strange that Wen Yu suddenly asked her to host the speech, and specially invited Cui Ling, even arranging her in the first row.

It must be that Wen Yu learned the truth from her cousin and intentionally arranged for them to meet.

"I guessed it when I saw my cousin and you having a private discussion," she said slyly. "My sister is never one to act on a whim. This presentation was something you deliberately planned to bring us together, wasn't it?"

Wen Yu blushed and said, "You figured it out."

"Thank you, elder sister." Wen Qingshi looked directly into her eyes, his gaze shifting. "Without elder sister, we don't know when we would have been able to meet again."

Cui Ling smiled slightly and looked at Wen Yu, saying solemnly, "Miss Wen, my daughter and I should thank you. We will never forget this kindness."

Wen Yu felt a pang of sadness upon seeing this.

She knew the truth all along, but kept quiet, causing the mother and daughter to miss these precious moments.

Yet they thanked her.

"No need to thank me!" Wen Yu quickly replied, "Aunt Cui, it was you who gave me the money that day!"

"We should be grateful for more than just that day."

Cui Ling shook her head, her gaze gentle as water, and slowly said, "I want to thank you for taking her back, treating her like family, giving her the opportunity to study, and taking her to literary gatherings, fulfilling her dream."

She looked into Wen Yu's eyes, and for some reason, Wen Yu noticed that her eyes were slightly red.

"I must thank you for raising my daughter so well. If I had taken her back to the Cui family when the Shen family fell, the Cui family would probably have forced her to marry, just as they forced me. I could have used divorce or becoming a nun to avoid it, but how could an unmarried woman like her survive in such a family?"

"And you gave her a new life, an opportunity to live her own life outside of marriage and becoming a nun."

“Not only Huaiyu lives so freely here, but Pingchun and the others are no exception.” Cui Ling looked up and saw a gray sparrow fluttering its wings across the eaves before disappearing from sight.

She looked away and said, “Miss Wen, what I admire most is how you provide shelter for so many women, allowing them to study, own land, and have a means to make a living, so that they are no longer bound by worldly constraints.”

“Your Luxi Village is truly like a paradise.”

As soon as he said that, the comments section erupted in agreement.

[Luxi is truly wonderful. I didn't think much of it at first, but after seeing the outside world, I suddenly felt like it was a paradise.]

[Just think about it, Chen Miaozhi, who had a job in Luxi Village and could teach at the school, was actually bullied and beaten by her live-in son-in-law when she was outside. This world is really too unkind to women.]

Girls from poor families have no access to education, while girls from wealthy families are destined to be mistresses in the inner quarters after marriage, confined to that small world for their entire lives. How they long to see the outside world!

If I were alive, I would do anything to come to Luxi. Only here can I live like a human being.

It's so pathetic. Women just want to live as individuals, to have dignity and a sense of self, yet others accuse them of wishful thinking and of being restless and unfit for marriage.

It's hard to imagine whether they would have continued like this forever without Wen Yu's appearance.

Everything Wen Yu did was, in effect, giving them a chance at a new life. Their lives were completely changed after they met her...

[It's like salvation...]

Wen Yu took a deep breath.

She didn't do anything special; she simply did what she could to give these women a way to survive.

As a time traveler, she had seen the normal world, so how could she tolerate the feudal order distorting these talented women, confining them to the inner quarters, clipping their wings, and preventing them from ever flying again?

All she knew was that "their" lies were always like this: first, they strictly forbade women from flying, and then they smugly cited countless examples to prove that women were not naturally suited to flying.

But sorry, she's just not good at listening to lies.

She wanted to cover their ears, keep them away from those malicious voices, and let them do what they wanted to do and walk the path they wanted to walk.

What happens next will come to light.

[Congratulations, host! The current positive review rate for the live stream has reached 50%.]

The system's voice brought Wen Yu back to her senses.

She checked the data again; the number of viewers hadn't reached the standard yet, but the positive reviews had already done so.

This storyline garnered a lot of goodwill, with many people expressing their opinions and making the live chat much more lively.

Wen Yu closed the data panel.

Just keep moving forward, and everything will come naturally.

She waited quietly for that day.

----

The group chatted for a few moments, and Wen Yu invited Cui Ling to stay for a meal. Cui Ling inquired about their current accommodations from the two of them, intending to return to his own place first to call his maids over so they could all have a proper meal together.

“They’ve been with me for a long time, and I’ve always treated them like adopted daughters. If I go back to Luxi with you in the future, I will ask them for their wishes,” Cui Ling said with a smile.

Wen Yu would certainly be happy if more talented people could come to Luxi Village.

After seeing Cui Ling off, Wen Qingshi lingered on her mother's retreating figure until it disappeared around the street corner. Only then did she turn her gaze away and say to Wen Yu, "Sister, let's go find our cousins."

Upon hearing this address, Wen Yu suddenly remembered something: "Qing Shi, did you already know that Doctor Cui was your cousin?"

Wen Qingshi never called her "cousin," and Cui Pingchun was clearly unaware of it.

Wen Qingshi was also reminded of his own memories by her question, and hesitated before saying, "At first, I really didn't know..."

Her mother and the Cui family had never been close, and she had never even taken her to the Cui family home. All her knowledge of the Cui family came from her mother's occasional casual conversations.

Her mother once mentioned to her that her cousin had left home to study medicine under a master.

“Pingchun is also a person with ideas, but I don’t know about the Cui family…” she said, and then began to sigh.

Wen Qingshi asked a few more questions out of curiosity, but Cui Ling pursed her lips and said nothing more.

She knew that her mother would fall silent whenever the Cui family was mentioned.

Her mother never mentioned her past, except on that snowy night when she said she was unbearably cold and Wen Qingshi offered to warm her with a hand warmer, but she shook her head and refused.

At that moment, Cui Ling took out a jar of aged Shaoxing wine from the cabinet, poured himself a cup, drank it slowly, and then looked out at the vast snow outside the window before speaking his first words.

"When I was young, I did something foolish..."

At that Mid-Autumn Poetry Gathering, Cui Ling, dressed in red, went on stage as a man and won the "Flying Flower Order" game against seven people in a row. He then plucked the tallest golden osmanthus branch on the stage but left without even leaving his name.

When she took a boat trip on the lake, she drank a few cups of light wine. In her drunken haze, she leaped onto the pavilion in the middle of the lake, ground ink with wine, and wrote a stunning four-line poem, signing it as Cui.

She had wanted to write down her real name, but when she put the character "Cui" down, she sobered up halfway.

How could the Cui family allow a woman to show her face in public and compete with men in front of so many people?

Once her name appears here, she will soon be met with scolding and harassment from her family. Those harsh words will rain down on her, making it hard for her to breathe.

Fireworks lit up the distance, creating a lively scene. Suddenly, she realized that all the excitement and praise were "stolen" by her disguised as a man.

As a member of the Cui family, she should have never been able to glimpse this bustling world.

Cui Ling chuckled a few times, then suddenly burst into tears and hurriedly left the pavilion with everything she had.

Later, the poem caused a great uproar throughout the city, and everyone was looking for its author, but no one came forward to claim it.

Cui Ling remained silent.

Even when she recounted her past that night, she only dared to pour out her heart through alcohol. The world was too cold, and she was too frozen to speak without drinking a glass of wine to warm her heart.

It snowed heavily all night, and the sky cleared up the next day.

The morning sun shone again on the snow, burying all the red plum blossoms that had fallen the night before, leaving a vast expanse of white, as if those flowers had never bloomed at all.

When Wen Qingshi saw her again, she had returned to being the quiet and serene "Madam Shen," as if her unrestrained and flamboyant youth had never existed.

Wen Qingshi understood that his mother had no choice in the matter.

She only hated this world, which allowed the incompetent to hold high positions while the talented were confined to their homes.

Later, she met Cui Pingchun in Luxi Village. At first, she didn't think much about it. She just felt that there were countless people with the same surname in the world, and this woman might not be related to the Cui family in her memory.

Several chance encounters and interactions with her only strengthened her conviction.

Cui Pingchun was indeed her cousin whom she had never met.

In Luxi Village, Cui Pingchun finally opened the clinic she had always dreamed of. No one bothered her, no one criticized her for doing this, and no one urged her to go home and get married.

The people respect, trust, and love her. Even though Cui Pingchun is busy with her clinic and has no time to farm, the villagers she has cured often bring her own vegetables to visit her.

The Cui family did not grant her freedom, but she broke free from their cage and flew towards the life she had chosen.

After hearing all this, Wen Yu was also somewhat moved.

"Dr. Cui is an extraordinary woman. She dared to escape from such a family. She is capable and courageous."

"After arriving in Chengya County, she took the initiative to expose the lies of the quack doctor and worked hard every day."

"It is my good fortune that Luxi has so many capable women."

Wen Qingshi glanced at Wen Yu's profile and thought to himself: Sister, perhaps you yourself do not know this.

But you really saved so many people.

You've shown us that there's another way to live in this world.

You are just as amazing as they are.

----

The snow fell heavier and heavier that day, and by the time Cui Ling led her maids into the house, it was nearly dusk.

As soon as the door opened, the wind swirled snowflakes inside, and Wen Yu and Wen Qingshi quickly welcomed them in, brushing the snow off their shoulders.

"Aunt," Cui Pingchun greeted with a smile.

When she saw Wen Qing walk to Cui Ling's side, she knew that everything was done, and her gaze toward Wen Yu carried a hint of approval.

The three maids over there weren't shy at all. Their eyes darted around, and they greeted each of them with smiles, their voices clear and melodious.

"Sorry to bother you all!"

Fan Yizhen curiously approached, her eyes lighting up: "Hey! It's you guys!"

It turns out that a few days ago when I was helping out at the clinic, several maids had come by and worked enthusiastically with the girls.

At that time, the lively Fan Yizhen quickly became familiar with them, and when they parted, she reluctantly invited them to come and visit when they had time.

At that moment, she immediately rattled off the names of the maids, as if reciting a familiar story: "Xia Huai, Qiu Yan, Dong Yue!"

Three girls surrounded her warmly, taking her hands and saying, "Little Fan is the best!"

Amidst laughter and playful banter, Wen Qingshi brushed the snow off Cui Ling's clothes and led her to his side.

Cui Ling smiled and said, "They're always noisy, so let's just not disturb everyone."

“How could that be?” Chen Miaozhi wiped her hands as she came out of the kitchen, bringing with her the aroma of food. “It’s better to be lively.”

To everyone's surprise, the mysterious Jingyun Jushi was actually Qing Shi's biological mother. At this moment, everyone in the room was quietly observing the two of them.

They hadn't noticed before, but when the two stood together, they were surprised to find that they looked remarkably alike, both in temperament and features, as if they had been carved from the same mold.

Looking at the two figures standing together, Chen Miaozhi suddenly missed Chen Qianshan in Luxi Village.

I wonder how she's doing in Luxi, and if she misses me.

I hope the epidemic here will subside soon so she can go back and spend some quality time with Qianshan.

"We're having hot pot today!" Fan Yizhen suddenly broke the somewhat quiet atmosphere, leading the three girls into the kitchen and proudly introducing the dish, "It's a recipe taught by Sister Wen, and it smells amazing even before we've tasted it..."

The girls immediately became excited: "We really want to eat it!"

"Sister Wen, you even know this?"

The other young female doctors, eager to join in the fun, quickly followed, their chattering making the atmosphere in the room lively again.

When it comes to this matter, Wen Yu has the right to speak.

She bought two kinds of hot pot bases, spicy and mushroom, from the system store, along with some hot pot ingredients. She also picked some fresh and tender green vegetables from her personal spiritual field, pretending that she bought them from the market to give everyone a good meal after a long period of hard work.

Who can resist the allure of hot pot? After much thought, this is definitely the perfect dish for a lively and enjoyable meal together.

On a snowy day like this, it's the perfect time for a group of people to sit around a hot pot, cook whatever they want, and properly dispel the fatigue of the past few days.

Forget worldly concerns and simply enjoy the present moment.

Wen Qingshi led Cui Ling to sit down at the table. Before they could even take a sip of tea, the girls worked together to carry over a large bronze pot.

A delicate little stove was embedded in the center of the stone table, with a pot placed steadily on it. Inside, the red soup was boiling, and the mushrooms were fresh and delicious, making one want to take a deep breath.

Looking at the rising steam and the table full of ingredients, everyone can imagine how delicious it will be after it's cooked.

Jiang Mingpei, who was the head chef today, was a little nervous. Miss Wen had solemnly entrusted her with the task of cooking the pot, and she was worried that she would not do a good job.

But looking at the finished product, she suddenly felt a great weight lifted from her heart.

It seems like everyone likes it.

"I'd like to take this opportunity during this meal to wish us all the best and hope we can successfully conclude our mission at Huilu Creek soon." Wen Yu raised his glass, looked around at everyone, and said with a smile, "Thank you all for your hard work!"

-----------------------

Author's note: The mother and daughter have finally reunited!

It's now a paid content (VIP chapter)! Thank you everyone for following us this far! [heart][flower emoji]