Chapter Twenty-Five: The Gift

But Madam Zhang was not one to be easily bullied, though He Xiyun was someone close to the grandmother, which made things difficult for Zhang Qiaoyun. Zhang raised her hand to signal Madam Wu not to get excited and handed the excited, babbling Lucky Treasure in her arms to her as well. Facing He Xiyun, she was furious.

“He Xiyun, don’t be so outrageous. I see you don’t want that mouth of yours anymore! Look at your disgusting face, it’s truly revolting!” When it came to the art of scolding, Zhang Qiaoyun was never afraid.

“You… you wretched woman!” He Xiyun, spoiled by Old Madam Meng, truly did not know her place—she was all bluster with no brains. Her face turned livid with anger.

“He Xiyun, I am the wife of the eldest son of the Meng family, the legitimate lady married to the eldest young master. You call me a wretch—where have your manners and sense of hierarchy gone? By rights, you’re just an outsider here in the Meng household. Don’t think you can ride roughshod over everyone just because you have the old lady’s favor,”

“Someone, throw her out. From now on, she is not allowed in this courtyard,” Zhang’s gaze hardened as she gave her command.

“Yes, Madam,”

Several maids by Madam Wu responded at once.

“How dare you! I am the cousin Miss of the Meng household. You lowly servants dare lay hands on me—I’ll have my aunt deal with you!” He Xiyun’s maid had been sent outside by her; she thought Zhang Qiaoyun had no maids nearby, so she let hers wait outside. Who could have guessed she’d miscalculated—the wretch was no pushover but a tigress!

“Hmph! Throw her out!” The aunt was truly formidable!

And so, little Lucky Treasure watched from Madam Wu’s arms as her aunt subdued the ugly He Xiyun, and observed the slim-looking, yet powerful sisters toss her out without hesitation.

Little Lucky Treasure went “Wow!” in admiration.

She returned to her aunt’s arms, basking in the sunlight. Zhang turned back and nodded to Madam Wu, and thus, Lucky Treasure never noticed when Madam Wu disappeared.

Oh, and the little ginseng spirit as well… ennnn

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Meng Yun had accompanied her parents to the Gu household, meeting Uncle Gu and Aunt Gu, whom she hadn’t seen for years. Time had passed; people had changed, and Lady Gu wiped tears from her eyes. Afterwards, Meng Yun and her childhood friend Gu Xiaoxiao went to visit the young master Gu. Seeing such a young child suffer so much, Meng Yun, now a mother herself, couldn’t help feeling pity.

“Yun, it’s been two or three years since we last met. How are you finding life in the Lin family?” Gu Xiaoxiao asked, gazing at her radiant, gentle, and beautiful friend. Though she thought she knew the answer, she still wanted to hear it.

“Xiaoxiao, I’m doing very well! Sanlang treats me kindly, and now I have a child,” Meng Yun replied, smiling.

“A child? Yun, you have a child? Where is she? Let me see!” Gu Xiaoxiao exclaimed, grabbing Meng Yun’s hand in excitement.

“The child is too lively! And it wasn’t convenient to bring her today—I left her with my sister-in-law at home,” Meng Yun said, thinking of how her daughter had caused trouble the previous night, feeling a headache coming on.

“Ah, you didn’t bring her! Well, alright. Next time, we’ll meet at our usual place—you bring your child, let me shower her with kisses,” Gu Xiaoxiao said with a touch of regret, but she’d have another chance.

“Alright, I’ll be staying at my family’s house for a few days, perfect for our sisters to gather together,” Meng Yun agreed, thinking she hadn’t had fun in ages, and it would be nice to stroll around the county with her daughter.

“Good, it’s settled then,”

“Yes. Oh! By the way, I brought you a special gift today. Zhi’er, bring it up,” Meng Yun remembered she’d prepared a present for Xiaoxiao last night—a pair of rabbit-fur gloves.

This girl was wild by nature, never fond of delicate things, preferring horse riding and sword dancing. Lady Gu often lamented that her daughter was so spirited.

When she was packing, Lucky Treasure saw her.

Her daughter loved pretty boxes—red, green, purple. Where did she get such odd tastes? Was it from Lin Sanlang?

She insisted on stuffing several of Old Meng’s beard hairs into the box. No matter what, Meng Yun couldn’t get them back from her daughter…

ennnnn

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If she didn’t let her put them in, the child would pout and cry.

Even after they were in, she had to arrange them just right before she’d settle down. No matter how Meng Yun coaxed, she ended up tying two crooked beard hairs with a red ribbon, neatly placing them in the box.

After all that fuss, she and her little pig slept late this morning. Luckily the child was asleep, or she’d have pestered her again.

Gu Xiaoxiao saw the maid carrying the exquisite little box, joking, “A gift! Hehe, Yun, you didn’t need to bring anything—let me see what you’ve brought.”

“You! It’s what you’ve always wanted; open it and see,” Meng Yun said with a helpless smile.

“What I’ve always wanted? Let me see!” Before she finished speaking, she opened the box.

“Wow, fur gloves! And they’re white—so pretty!” Gu Xiaoxiao loved the gloves, not only for their lovely color.

“As long as you like them!” Meng Yun relaxed upon seeing her friend’s joy, but before she could sigh—

“Hey! What’s this? These two tied with red ribbons—how strange!”