Chapter 506 – A family of three (1)
Miss Shui and Guibai sighed in relief. Caught holding so many items, it felt as if they were thieves with their stolen goods. It was naturally the best if the marquis was willing to let them off.
But, as she turned to send them off, Miss Shui couldn’t resist taking another look at the marquis and madam.
A long time ago, when she had first started working for madam to sell snow cream, she asked in curiosity. Since madam lived in the Marquis Moyu’s estate, why did she need to go out to do business?
At that time, madam had said, “You can’t rely on anyone. You can only rely on yourself. I can’t think I won’t have to fret about basic necessities just because I married a rich man. The money is his, not mine.”
When Miss Shui had heard those words, she had been extremely shocked. At that time, there hadn’t been any emotion in Ji Man’s eyes. Miss Shui felt as if she was looking at Guanyin statue at a temple, possessing great wisdom and knowledge, but it was also aloof and heartless.
But, as she watched the two people slowly walking out the main hall and towards a covered corridor right now, she saw that they weren’t holding hands or hugging. They were walking side-by-side. When madam turned her head to the side to look at the marquis when they were speaking to each other, the side profile of her face looked as gentle as person in the mortal world.
She had thought a woman like madam, who was capable of scheming, resolute, and clever, wouldn’t be moved by feelings.
Guibai coughed to get her attention and said, “Miss Shui, please follow this one. This one will lead to you to a guest room to rest.”
“Thank you.” Miss Shui returned to her senses. Slightly smiling, she nodded.
At the doorway, a servant that had been waiting there to lead the guest over, foolishly stood in place. The servant watched as the marquis’s favorite attendant personally lead the guest towards the back of the estate. Guibai’s hand, which was behind his back, made a gesture at the servant.
The gesture meant the servant should act tactfully and not bother them.
The servant’s lips twitched. After standing there for a moment longer, the servant went off to sleep.
—
Miss Shui stayed in the estate for less than half a month. Ji Man opened up another rouge store for her, and made arrangements for Miss Shui’s relatives that still lived in the capital.
“It was my fault that you got dragged into that mess back then.” Ji Man sighed. “Those account books were in my possession when they were taken. If that hadn’t happened, you wouldn’t have lost the store you’ve been running for such a long time.”
Miss Shui slightly smiled. “Madam, it should be the other way around. Without Madam, I would have never reached great wealth. Isn’t everything fine now? I still have to thank Madam for that.”
Miss Shui was a woman that knew how to be grateful. She wouldn’t think that other people should give her anything in the future, but she always remembered what they had already given her. She was the type to pay back a kindness a hundred fold, like giving a gushing spring back for a trickle of water.
Ji Man smiled. She hadn’t misjudged Miss Shu.
She had been here for so long, and Muxu was probably the only one she misjudged. It was because Muxu was the first person she had met here as well as her personal servant girl, that’s why she hadn’t been guarded against her. She hadn’t expected that after being betrayed once by Muxu, she still ended up being thoroughly betrayed in the end.
After that great calamity passed, she finally had time to think. Before Muxu died, she had threatened that she wouldn’t have a good life either. Muxu had probably been the one that gave Qi Siling those account books and told Qi Siling about the cold cream. That’s why, at the last juncture, Qi Siling had been able to push Nie Clan to the guillotine.
There was no point in focusing excessively on the dead. It was just a pity that her discerning eyes had lost to a servant girl, who was outwardly devoted to her, but inwardly opposed her.
It wasn’t worth it, ah. This had caused Miss Shui to suffer for so long too.
Miss Shui suddenly thought of something and asked Ji Man, “There’s something I want to ask Madam. The stuff that you had me bury. Is it still useful?”
Ji Man froze in surprise.
A long time ago, when she had earned enough money, she asked Miss Shui to bury a box of gold taels. At that time, she had thought if she couldn’t go back, she would figure out a way to slip away from here. With that box of gold taels, it would be enough money to last her for the rest of her life. That money was her insurance, so that she could guarantee herself a path to escape.
But now…
“Just leave it there.” Ji Man sighed and helplessly said, “I used to think that I could only depend on myself, but now, there’s someone standing next to me, who will retreat and advance with me. So, I’m not worried that I won’t have a way to retreat. The things in the world are truly impermanence. What I used to distrust the most has become the thing that I depend on the most now.”
Distrust the most? Miss Shui froze in surprise. What did madam distrust the most? She remembered madam once saying, “You can never believe in a merchant’s words or a man’s heart. Those two things are the most untrustworthy.”
Then the thing she most relied on… Miss Shui sunk into contemplation.
“You’re still not done talking?” A person walked over to the doorway. He was wearing a silver robe embroidered in blue. He looked peerlessly noble, and yet, he wasn’t putting on any airs. He was holding a child in one arm, and looking somewhat displeased as he looked inside and said, “Didn’t you say that you wanted to take Sangyu out for a stroll today?”
Ji Man returned to her senses. She looked at the sky to check the time, then patted her head. “Oh, I lost track of time. Let’s stop our discussion here for now. I”m going out for a walk first.”
Miss Shui blinked. There was a little girl hanging off the marquis’s waist and making sounds of excitement. There was a rope placed around Marquis Moyu’s neck, and he was holding the little girl by the waist to keep her from falling as she crawled over his body.
Ah, they already had a daughter. Miss Shui touched the fine lines at the corners of her eyes. Time truly passed by quickly. She should find someone to spend her life with too.
Ji Man walked over to them. She picked Sangyu off of Marquis Moyu, and the family of three went out.
Miss Shui heard Marquis Moyu grumbling, “Does this girl have enmity against me from a past life? She wiped her saliva and snot all over my new robe again, but she never does it towards my old clothing.”