Chapter 47 My Child She held Shen Qinglu tightly…
*
The origin of the name Azhu is quite ordinary and casual.
When she was abandoned at the gate of the orphanage, she was wrapped in a dark red blanket. Besides that, she had nothing, not even clothes or identification.
The color red is the color of vermilion, so the dean named her A-Zhu.
Past and present lives are like a dream, the people in the dream and the people outside the dream have intersected. Perhaps the original owner was her, or perhaps she was the original owner.
The obsession in her eyes and the eeriness in her gaze made Yu Liuzhu scream in horror.
For a fleeting moment, Yu Liuzhu felt that she wasn't human, but more like a debt-collecting ghost. And what she owed was a mountain of debts accumulated over more than a decade, from food and clothing to the luxuries and pampering she had enjoyed.
"You're already the eldest daughter of the Yu family. I've given you back everything. What else do you want?"
"Did you really give everything back to me?" She slowly approached, her dark eyes still fixed on him like a venomous snake.
At such close range, she could clearly smell the incense and candles.
Yu Liuzhu didn't want to lose to her, desperately telling herself that she had lived two lives and wasn't afraid of even ghosts. However, her body stiffened involuntarily, and her palms almost bled from being clenched.
"When I moved out of Liufang Xiaozhu, I only took a few changes of clothes with me. What more do you want from me?"
"External possessions are easy to repay, but what about all the love, care, and favor you received over the past ten years while using my identity?"
How can this be calculated?
"Are you clearly trying to make things difficult for me on purpose?"
"I won't make things difficult for you." She took two steps back, slowly raised her chin, her eyes slanted upwards, a half-smile on her face. "You'd better watch yourself."
Why is it this phrase again?
Yu Liuzhu was furious. "Then tell me, what should I do to be considered to have done something right?"
"Think about it slowly yourself." Shen Qinglu's gaze was deep, and she suddenly changed her tone, which was quite heartbroken. "My mother raised you for more than ten years, thinking that she had taught you to be a well-mannered and respectable young lady. But I didn't know that you left halfway through, not to find a quiet place, but to meet someone in secret. You must be very disappointed."
"What nonsense are you talking about?" Yu Liuzhu thought that since she hadn't even brought Dengzhi with her, no one would know where she went or who she met.
She exclaimed in surprise, "Don't try to fool me!"
"Why would I need to lie to you?" Shen Qinglu glanced at the sky. "I not only know who you went to see, but I also know who you met."
"impossible!"
"What's impossible about that? Didn't you do the same thing at the Marquis's residence last time?"
“You…” Her expression changed instantly as she looked at Shen Qinglu in disbelief.
Shen Qinglu smiled, a slight upturn to her lips.
That's the real scam.
She took two steps out, then turned back and said, "I forgot to tell you, my mother and I are the mother and daughter destined by heaven, not you."
"..."
This cousin even wants to steal her mother's dream; it's truly laughable.
“Sister Ali, there are some things that you can’t take away no matter how much you want them.”
Shen Qinglu smiled again.
"We'll see."
Dengzhi, who was not far away, waited until she had walked far away before appearing. He approached Yu Liuzhu with an unnatural expression and called out as usual, "Eldest Miss."
Yu Liuzhu said with a gloomy face, "Don't call me 'eldest daughter' anymore."
Dengzhi felt bitter inside, but couldn't express it. "Then...Miss, where do you want to go next time? Can you take me with you?"
"When I am able to take you with me, I will."
Yu Liuzhu's words were as good as saying nothing, and Dengzhi's expression instantly became even more unpleasant.
Ever since the incident involving the real and fake eldest daughter, her status in the mansion plummeted. The maids and servants who used to fawn over her now avoid her and gossip about her behind her back.
Take today's incident, for example. If the eldest daughter were still the eldest daughter, how could Yinping dare to scold or criticize her like she would a lowly maid?
She followed Yu Liuzhu sadly towards Jingxin Courtyard. Just as she entered the courtyard, she saw Qin Mama, with red eyes, lift the curtain and hurriedly walk out.
"Where is Mom going?" Yu Liuzhu called out to someone.
Qin Mama wiped away her tears and replied, "Madam's shops and estates have all been taken away. Some of the people have followed Madam for many years, and Madam couldn't bear to sell them off, so she asked me to take care of them."
Yu Liuzhu frowned, cursing the two as idiots in his heart, and told them to wait outside before entering Yu Qingxue's room alone.
Yu Qingxue leaned against the bed, her veil removed, revealing that she had just applied medicine, which made her face look oily and yellowish. Upon seeing her, the person quickly asked, "Tang'er, where did you go before?"
"Where I go is none of your business." She walked a few steps to the bedside, looking down at him. "What use are those servants if you don't sell them off? Are you going to keep them around for nothing?"
"Those are all people I need to use..."
She gave a cold laugh. "Are you keeping them around because you're worried others won't be able to find fault with you? Don't keep a single one. Sell them all, the farther the better."
Yu Qingxue hesitated noticeably.
Previously, she owned two shops and a manor. The shops were managed by Qin Mama's husband and son, while the manor was managed by Dujuan's parents.
To win over both families, she used the same method: bestowing favors. Dujuan's elder brother and Qin Mama's youngest son had both been freed from their social status and had even become scholars.
Others can sell, but these two cannot.
"Tang'er, I know what I'm doing..."
"What sense do you have? Do you even know why your plan failed?" Yu Liuzhu's voice sharpened, tinged with sarcasm. "If you hadn't been so stupid, so careless, and so incompetent, how could you have ended up like this? Let me ask you, do you even know when Ali recovered?"
"she……"
Before Yu Qingxue could ask, she growled, "She's already better! You've been watching her day and night, yet you don't even know when she got better. You're not only stupid, but also extremely arrogant!"
Yu Qingxue was speechless, not only because of the matter itself, but also because of her attitude.
"Tang'er, you..."
"You said everything you did was for me, and that I'm in this situation today entirely because of you. You're incompetent at everything, you can't even handle the smallest things. Today, when you confronted the Shen family, your performance truly disappointed me."
Mother and daughter, as if reversed.
Yu Qingxue was not angry at all. Instead, she felt that her daughter was very impressive. "Tang'er, don't worry, I will find a way to persuade your grandmother."
*
Madam Xie barely slept that day and night, constantly staring at the door and sighing from time to time.
Granny Li knew what she was thinking and understood the disappointment in her eyes.
When the curtain was lifted, both the master and servant were invigorated. When they saw that the person who entered was Shen Qinglu, their eyes lit up and they both showed amazement.
Dressed in red with ink-black hair and white hair like pear blossoms, she made the whole room shine.
"Ah Li, you...you look so beautiful dressed like this." Madam Xie murmured, overwhelmed with guilt.
Shen Qinglu did not react to these words. Instead, she sat on the low stool by the bed and slowly began to recount what had happened at the General's Mansion that day.
"My father is torn between filial piety and duty, and I don't want to put him in a difficult position. I finally reunited with my biological parents, and I hope my family will be well."
“Ali…” Madam Xie felt guilty and touched. “It was my fault, it was my fault that you were hurt. You are still so sensible, you still think about the big picture, and you don’t want to make things difficult for your father. You are a good child… It was my fault, it was me…”
Xie didn't utter the words "I failed to raise my daughter properly," her eyes filled with regret and self-reproach.
Shen Qinglu's eyes also welled up with tears. She tilted her head back, as if she didn't want the tears to fall. Her restraint and suppression made those who saw her feel even more sorry for her.
Madam Xie choked up several times, "Grandmother deserves to die, Ali... You really don't need to stand up for Grandmother. I deserve what I got, and I will accept whatever the outcome is..."
“Grandmother was wrong. I don’t want to hate you. I know your reasons.” As Shen Qinglu lowered her eyes, tears finally rolled down her cheeks silently, yet they were incredibly heartbreaking. “Grandmother, you were willing to go against your own heart and be criticized for your daughter. But your daughter also has her own daughter, and she also disregarded everyone else for her daughter.”
"Ah Li!" Madam Xie understood the meaning behind her words and was shocked.
She didn't continue speaking, but looked around, her gaze falling on the things that hadn't been put away yet. "From now on, Grandmother will be living with them in Jingxin Courtyard. You must take good care of yourself and be careful in everything you do."
Too many emotions piled up in Xie's heart, making her so uncomfortable and suffocated that she couldn't speak, only tears kept flowing.
Granny Li quickly expressed her gratitude, saying that she would take good care of Madam Xie.
Shen Qinglu seemed relieved, but still looked a little uneasy. She said, "The people in the manor are used to flattering the powerful and belittling the weak. When you move your things over there, you might not be able to find anyone to help you. I'll leave Xia Chan here so she can lend you a hand."
Not to mention Granny Li, even Madam Xie was grateful for her good deed.
They didn't see the exchange of glances she made with Xia Chan as she left.
She hadn't gone far from Ruianju when she heard hurried footsteps behind her. She understood immediately, and a mocking look flashed in her eyes.
The person quickly caught up with her, slightly out of breath, "Young lady."
She slowly turned around, revealing a perfectly timed expression of surprise. "But does Grandmother have anything else to say?"
"It's not that the old lady has something to say, but that this servant wants to follow the eldest young lady's instructions." Qiu Lu's face was full of respect and her posture was extremely humble. "This servant knows that the eldest young lady is worried about the old lady and must have many concerns. If the eldest young lady trusts this servant, please give this servant instructions and this servant will do her best."
“I never expected that even after something like this happened, you would still be so loyal to your grandmother.” She seemed quite moved. “No wonder you didn’t want to come with me back then; it turns out you didn’t want to leave your grandmother.”
"This servant...I am deeply grateful to the old lady for taking me in and having a place to stay. I am so grateful that I cannot express my gratitude. I will serve her faithfully."
“You are a good person.” Her voice was a little unsteady. “I’m still uneasy whenever I think about the fire last time. Grandmother said that she set the fire, and I know in my heart that she was covering for someone else. After you go to Jingxin Courtyard, I’m afraid that there will still be people who are not giving up and want to harm Grandmother. Please keep an eye on them for me. If they make any unusual moves, please come and tell me immediately.”
"Don't worry, young lady, I will definitely do it." Qiu Lu said confidently, looking like she was sharpening her knife and ready to serve her.
Her expression was full of satisfaction. "If you do well, I will definitely not treat you unfairly."
These words were a reassuring reassurance, making Qiu Lu completely believe them.
Qiu Lu left satisfied, unaware of the change in her eyes.
In what seemed like an instant, day turned to night, and as night turned, the even darker polar night began. When she looked up at the sky, the light she saw was not light, but a strange transformation of darkness.
Just like the gloom in people's hearts.
*
The Liufang Pavilion is now deserted, and when viewed across the water, it no longer shines as brightly as it once did.
Shen Linlang looked on with a sense of loss, remaining silent for a long time.
When Shen Qinglu approached, she came to her senses, and the worry on her face faded a lot, as if she had breathed a long sigh of relief.
"You child, don't you find it tiring? You could have just sent someone to inform your grandmother about moving to the Jingxin Courtyard. Why did you have to make the trip yourself?"
“How can what others say be the same as what I say?”
Shen Linlang was deeply moved. "You're just like me, too kind-hearted."
Shen Qinglu smiled.
The mother and daughter walked side by side back to the main courtyard.
In the grand courtyard, a well-dressed old woman had been waiting for quite a while. As soon as she saw them, she came forward to report to Shen Linlang on the events of the day in the mansion, and finally handed her a token.
"This is what Miss Tang'er returned."
Shen Linlang took the pair of cards and remained silent for a long time.
Before a girl from a wealthy family gets married, her mother will teach her how to manage the household affairs. How could someone who values her daughter so much fall behind others?
Since the verbal engagement with the Marquis's family two years ago, she has been intentionally grooming Yu Liuzhu. From initially only managing the kitchen's purchasing, she has now almost completely relinquished control over all affairs of the household.
"I heard Sister Tang'er say before that she can help Mother look at the account books, but I've never seen what they look like before." Shen Qinglu's words pulled her back from her thoughts of the past.
She secretly blamed herself and quickly had someone bring out the account books.
Shen Qinglu flipped through the pages, one after another.
"Ah Li, you only recently learned to read, but you already know quite a few characters?"
"I feel like I know them all, but I don't really know them either. There are many characters I can't even write." Shen Qinglu closed the ledger, seemingly wanting to say something but stopping herself.
Shen Linlang comforted her, "You've only just started learning, it's already quite an achievement to be able to recognize them all."
"Mother, I shouldn't be a beginner."
"You...you must have learned this before?" Shen Linlang asked, puzzled. "That poisonous woman couldn't have taught you. Where did you learn it?"
If she didn't hate her to the extreme, why would she call her sister-in-law a poisonous woman?
Of course, Yu Qingxue truly deserves those two titles.
Shen Qinglu pretended to try hard to recall, "Mother, all these years I've been in a daze, like I've been having an extremely long dream. In the dream I didn't know where I was, I was with many children, the girls had hair of different lengths, and the boys had hair that was only an inch long, all dressed strangely, with their arms and legs exposed, speaking different languages, and knowing different characters."
The more Shen Linlang listened, the more rapid her breathing became.
Shen Qinglu seemed oblivious and continued, "What's even stranger is that I don't look like me at all now. Instead, I look a bit like Sister Tang'er, but I'm thinner and fairer, and my eyes are bigger."
Shen Linlang's heart was pounding, and her breathing was erratic. "Ali, do you still remember what your name was in that place?"
"They seem to call me Azhu."
Granny Yu, standing to the side, covered her mouth in shock.
She was Shen Linlang's confidante, so of course she knew about the dream, and in more detail than anyone else. For example, Shen Linlang had never mentioned the hairstyle and clothing of the child in the dream to anyone, including Yu Zhiheng and Yu Liuzhu.
"Madam, this servant...this servant has not told anyone..."
"I know, I know..." Shen Linlang trembled uncontrollably with excitement. "I only said that the child in my dream looked like Tang'er, but I never said that he was thinner, whiter, and had bigger eyes... No one knows except me, Ali, Ali... my child!"
She hugged Shen Qinglu so tightly, as if she wanted to bury her back into her own body. "When I was pregnant with you, I had a dream. In the dream, you were in a strange place, surrounded by children with short hair and strange clothes. I heard someone calling you... calling you Azhu! Ali, it was my fault. I didn't know that child was you. I thought..."
The thought that she had believed all these years that the child in her dream was Yu Liuzhu, and that she and Yu Liuzhu were destined to be mother and daughter in a past life, made her heart ache.
"Mother, don't cry." Shen Qinglu gently stroked her back, feeling her body trembling. "God destined us to be mother and daughter from the very beginning. No matter what we go through, we will eventually be together."
"...It was ordained by God...that you and I would be mother and daughter in this life..."
"Yes, it's God's arrangement."
Perhaps she didn't entirely time travel, but more likely returned home. This home didn't feel like a home, but it had genuine family members, such as her mother and second brother.
Just then, she thought of Yu Jingliang, who pushed open the door and came in carrying a bag of pastries. The pastries must have just come out of the steamer, and they were still warm with the aroma of dates.
"Ah Li, I passed by Tongfu Restaurant on my way off duty, and they happened to have their new golden jujube cake..." The young man's cheerful voice stopped abruptly when he saw the tears on her and Shen Linlang's faces. "Mother, what happened to you two?"
Shen Linlang turned her face away, wiping away her tears. "It's nothing, Mother is just happy."
Shen Qinglu continued, "Mother just taught me how to read the account books. I learned quickly and I've almost mastered them. Mother was so happy that she couldn't help but cry."
“Yes, your sister is clever, and that makes me happy,” Shen Linlang chimed in.
Yu Jingliang, unsuspecting, chuckled, "My sister, Yu Erlang's sister, is naturally exceptionally intelligent. Ali, since you'll be managing the household accounts from now on, could you give your second brother more pocket money?"
Previously, Yu Liuzhu was in charge of the accounts. He used the excuse that Yu Jingxian's expenses for paper, ink, brushes and inkstones were too high, and the two brothers' allowances differed greatly. He was very dissatisfied and simply refused to accept them out of spite.
Little did he know that his words would be a perfect opportunity for Shen Qinglu.
"Mom, I want to learn these things. Can I manage the family accounts?"
Shen Linlang was preoccupied with making amends to her daughter whom she had lost and then regained, so she readily agreed.
For a time, everyone was overjoyed.
The brother and sister left together. Before parting, Yu Jingliang mysteriously took out something and handed it to Shen Qinglu, saying, "Ali, this is a secret medicine from the palace. It's most effective for removing scars."
Shen Qinglu subconsciously touched the pear blossom on her forehead, her eyebrows curving upwards. "Thank you, Second Brother."
"Don't thank me, this medicine was...it was given to me by Ah Lin." Yu Jingliang said awkwardly, then quickly added, "Don't overthink it, he's my friend, it's only right for friends to help each other."
In fact, Mu Lin took the initiative to find him and give him the medicine.
He thought for a moment and said carefully, "Ah Li, I can tell that Ah Lin seems to treat you differently."
Upon hearing this, Shen Qinglu immediately thought of Mu Lin's face.
Almost at the same time that face appeared, another face replaced it, so slender and handsome, so gentle and refined, as if etched into her heart.
elder brother……
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