Unintentionally, a jade hairpin on the table caught Tian Yu's attention. She walked closer, picked it up, and examined it carefully. Suddenly, she remembered something and reached into her hair to pull out the jade hairpin that she had casually put in that morning. She remembered that this was the jade hairpin that Zhao Moyan had put in her hair last time. At the time, she hadn't paid much attention to it because he often gave her things, so she thought that since the hairpin was simple, it shouldn't be worth much, and she kept it.

Looking at the unremarkable jade hairpin, she didn't think much of it. But when she compared the two side-by-side, she realized they were a pair! It was amazing that hairpins could be made in pairs, with the same material, color, and size. Together, they formed a complete pair of intertwined branches. Everyone knows what intertwined branches symbolize. After examining it closely for a while, Tian Yu felt conflicted. She carefully placed Zhao Moyan's hairpin away, wanting to put her own down but feeling it wasn't quite right. Finally, she tucked it into her bosom, intending to return it to Zhao Moyan when he returned. Now, she realized why Zhao Moyan had smiled when he glanced at her that morning—a man usually so serious. She hadn't paid attention in her haste, simply putting it in her hair because it looked nice. He had misunderstood. Tian Yu regretted forgetting that in ancient times, hairpins were tokens of love. Although this wasn't ancient history, it was similar.

Tian Yu left Zhao Moyan's room in a hurry and returned to the East Courtyard. Tangyuan was still studying. Tian Yu sat alone on the swing in the courtyard, thinking about how to return the hairpin to Zhao Moyan. Qiu Ju walked up to Tian Yu and said, "Madam! Madam!"

"Hmm? Is something the matter, Qiuju?"

"Madam, is there anything you would like to eat for lunch today? I'll have the kitchen prepare it." Qiuju was still very respectful to Tianyu, but Tianyu could sense that there was something else mixed in with it.

"No, whatever!"

"Alright, then this servant will go to the kitchen to take a look." Qiuju said, turning to leave.

"Hey! Wait a minute!" Tian Yu hurriedly jumped off the swing and called out to her, "Will the Marquis be back at noon?"

"They should be coming back. What does that mean, madam?"

"It's nothing. Come on, let's go to the kitchen and see what's good for lunch today," Tian Yu said with a smile, taking Qiu Ju's hand and heading out.

Qiu Ju was startled by Tian Yu's sudden action, but dared not do anything, and was thus led by Tian Yu to the kitchen.

Looking at the somewhat reserved Qiuju, Tianyu casually asked, "Qiuju, how did you and Lvliu get here?"

"Madam, Qiuju and Lvliu both lost their families in the war. Fortunately, the Marquis was willing to take them in, so they have a place to stay."

"Oh, I see! Then I'm about the same as you."

“Madam is too kind. You are the Marquis’s wife, the Madam. We are just servants.” Qiu Ju replied respectfully, her tone still carrying a hint of resentment, but on the surface, she showed no disrespect towards Tian Yu. Tian Yu looked at Qiu Ju and smiled as she lowered her head.

"What wife or lady! I only met the Marquis because I lost my family in the war. But when I met him, well, he was just a poor scholar." Tian Yu said after a moment's thought.

"That lady is so lucky!" Qiuju said with a hint of jealousy.

"Lucky? I envy you for being luckier than me!"

"What do I have that Madam could envy?"

"You are young and very lucky to have met the Marquis, who happens to have the ability to protect you. Unlike me, who was a burden I imposed on him when he was down on his luck, so... never mind, you wouldn't understand. If you meet someone you like in the future, you must cherish the relationship with him. The Marquis will definitely help you."

"Madam is too kind. This servant is willing to stay in the Marquis's mansion to serve you and the Marquis for the rest of my life. I have no desire to get married!" Qiuju said politely.

"You like the Marquis?" Tian Yu walked around the kitchen, and turned back to her as she walked to the door.

"This servant wouldn't dare!" Qiu Ju said, bowing her head in fright.

"What's there to be afraid of? If you like someone, you like them. I could tell when you were talking to me about Zhao Moyan the other day. Don't be nervous, I was just asking casually. Besides, aren't there many people who like him? It's normal for you to like him too." Tian Yu recalled the scene. Although Qiu Ju appeared calm on the surface, her eyes didn't lie. Tian Yu hadn't paid attention at the time, but later, when she thought back, she realized that Qiu Ju's concern for Zhao Moyan was different from Lü Liu's. She probably wanted her to disappear!

"This servant deserves to die, please forgive this servant, Madam," Qiuju immediately knelt down and said.

"Why are you kneeling! Get up!" Tian Yu quickly pulled Qiu Ju up and walked to a secluded spot to continue, "Don't be afraid. I didn't mean to blame you. I just felt you were a bit cold towards me, and you don't talk much usually. I was wondering if you had some kind of problem with me?"

"This servant has no objection to Madam, nor would this servant dare to have any objection. Please punish me, Madam." As she spoke, she was about to kneel down again.

"Wait, don't kneel. I really don't blame you. I just wanted to say that it's your business if you like the Marquis, it has nothing to do with me. If the Marquis takes a liking to you, I will definitely not stop him. Don't worry, even if I don't support you, I won't hinder you either," Tian Yu said, patting her hand.

"Thank you for your forgiveness, Madam. I dare not." Qiu Ju was somewhat taken aback, not expecting Tian Yu to be so generous, or perhaps she simply didn't care about the Marquis at all.

“Whether you dare or not is your business, but I don’t really approve. After all, he is a marquis, and given the circumstances, the possibility of him marrying you is not high,” Tian Yu explained.

"I only wish to serve by the Marquis's side; I do not ask for any title," Qiuju said, no longer hiding her identity.

"Is that okay? You're really stupid. You're wasting your precious youth like this, and you'll have to serve someone for the rest of your life. You're utterly foolish!" Tian Yu said, shaking her head.

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