Xia Rongyu returned from Pu Xuan in the afternoon and saw Xiao Bao lazily lying in the corridor, but Xie Jiang was nowhere to be seen in the courtyard.
Xia Rongyu asked, "Did Marquis Xie go back to rest?"
He remembered that Xie Jiang's complexion was not good, and she had said she hadn't slept well the night before.
Chen Chan's face showed a complex expression. "Marquis Xie probably went to find Young Master Song."
Marquis Xie left in high spirits after eating. Don't ask him how he knew Marquis Xie was in a good mood; Marquis Xie's lips were curled up so high they almost touched his eyebrows.
The little ancestor had been following Marquis Xie closely and wanted to continue playing with her. Who knew Marquis Xie said she had something to do in the afternoon and couldn't bring the little ancestor along.
In this mountain temple, what could she possibly be busy with?
Chen Chan felt a little worried for Young Master Song.
Xia Rongyu was a bit surprised. "Young Master Song?"
Chen Chan said, "Young Master Song is here at Nanzhao Temple with his family to offer incense. Your Highness, would you like to meet Young Master Song?"
Xia Rongyu glanced at Chen Chan and almost couldn't suppress his laughter.
Chen Chan wasn't asking if he wanted to meet Young Master Song; Chen Chan was asking if he wanted to save Young Master Song.
Look at the impression she left on people! She was almost enough to scare children into stopping their night terrors.
"What did Marquis Xie say?"
"Marquis Xie said she moved two vats of double-colored lotuses from Young Master Song's place. They bloomed for only a few days before withering. She wanted to take the opportunity to ask Young Master Song when they would bloom next."
Xia Rongyu nodded and agreed, "Marquis Xie is eager to learn."
Chen Chan was dumbfounded.
Did His Highness really think Marquis Xie was going to ask Young Master Song how to grow flowers?
How could Marquis Xie be someone who cherished flowers? Marquis Xie clearly had ulterior motives.
Seeing His Highness walk into the room as if he wasn't worried about Young Master Song's life or death, Chen Chan followed to serve him and asked again, "Young Master Song is in the temple right now. Doesn't Your Highness want to meet him?"
"No rush, later."
Xia Rongyu certainly wanted to see Song Ze and had to meet him as soon as possible. He wanted to ask about her.
But Xia Rongyu felt that Xie Jiang and Song Ze appearing at Nanzhao Temple one after another was probably not a coincidence.
He had to leave enough time for them, brother and sister.
~
Xie Jiang felt groggy after eating and drinking, almost unable to open her eyes, so she didn't immediately rush to find Song Ze.
She returned to the small courtyard where she was staying to rest. Because she was thinking about meeting the Song family, she only lay down for half an hour before getting up.
Unexpectedly, when she got out of bed, she felt a sudden dizziness and almost fell to the ground.
Xie Jiang planned to return to the capital the next day. The beds at Nanzhao Temple were too hard, and the pillows were hard enough to kill a dog. If she slept any longer, she would lose her life.
After tidying up a bit and putting on her outer clothes, Xie Jiang left the small courtyard.
Yesterday afternoon, Xie Jiang had started wandering around, and she had explored every corner of Nanzhao Temple. Since the Song family knew she was also at Nanzhao Temple recently, they would definitely guess that she would want to meet them.
Xie Jiang was certain that the Song family would choose a convenient and suitable place to wait for her visit.
After all, it wouldn't be convenient for Song Ze to bring two female companions to find her.
Xie Jiang used her toes to calculate and roughly figured out where the Song family would be.
Xie Jiang walked with her hands behind her back in a leisurely posture, unhurriedly heading towards the Bixu Spring. From a distance, she saw figures by the Bixu Spring.
As she got closer, she realized it was indeed the person she was looking for.
Song Ze's temperament was too unique; no matter how far away, she could recognize her at a glance.
"Marquis Xie—"
Song Xun had been looking forward to it for a long time. Seeing Xie Jiang approaching from a distance, she could no longer hold back and flew over like a butterfly.
However, knowing that there was no one else around except for them, she dared not boldly call out "Second Sister."
At such a young age, caution was already ingrained in her bones.
Xie Jiang quickened her pace.
Watching the slowly approaching figure, Madam Song Er also finally couldn't help but stand up, her eyes fixed on Xie Jiang.
Song Ze couldn't see anything, yet it seemed as if she could see everything, accurately looking in Xie Jiang's direction.
Xie Jiang directly took Song Xun's hand and led her to Madam Song Er, gazing at Madam Song Er intently for a moment.
Song Xun was suddenly held by the hand, so excited that she didn't know how to lift her feet, walking with her feet out of sync without realizing it.
The Madam Song Er in her memory was just a vague outline. After all, it was Song Er's memory, not Xie Jiang's. Xie Jiang couldn't recall Madam Song Er's appearance at all.
However, the dignified and resolute Madam Song Er before her miraculously merged with the vague outline in her impression.
After all, she was a relative that Song Er cared about deeply.
"Second Aunt."
Xie Jiang spoke with difficulty, then bowed to Madam Song Er, bowing like a man.
"Ni ni!"
"Our Ni ni, let Second Aunt have a good look."
Madam Song Er helped Xie Jiang up. She cupped Xie Jiang's face, her eyes filled with tears as she examined her carefully, her hands trembling slightly uncontrollably.
"You must have suffered a lot living alone outside," Madam Song Er choked out. "We searched everywhere for you all these years, but we couldn't find you. How did you end up in Nanyang..."
Xie Jiang's complexion was even worse than it was in the morning. Now that her face was in Madam Song Er's hands, Madam Song Er could see it clearly.
Madam Song Er didn't know that Xie Jiang was feeling unwell today, which was why her complexion was not good. Madam Song Er only thought that Xie Jiang had endured great hardship and felt heartbroken to the point of shattering.
"Old Master Qian had only recently passed away when something happened to you. Was it the Qian family who harmed you?" Old Master Qian was trustworthy and could be entrusted with matters, but others in the Qian family might not be.
Xie Jiang was unaccustomed to being treated this way, but she didn't pull away from these hands. She let Madam Song Er cup her face. Madam Song Er's suppressed excitement and affection hit her heart fiercely.
Xie Jiang said, "Probably."
All three members of the Song family keenly sensed the unspoken meaning in Xie Jiang's words.
Madam Song Er said, "Probably?"
Xie Jiang said, "Probably."
She wasn't sure.
She hadn't fully absorbed Song Er's memories.
But fragmented memories had flashed through her mind occasionally, and Song Er's death was definitely related to someone from the Qian family.
So it was highly likely.
Madam Song Er stared blankly, a possibility occurring to her. "Ni ni, you..."
Xie Jiang said, "Ni ni is... my childhood name?"
She knew Song Er's given name was Song Zhi.
Madam Song Er exclaimed, "You've forgotten?"
Song Ze's expression changed. "Ni ni had amnesia?"
Xie Jiang said, "Yes."
It wouldn't do to directly say that Song Zhi was dead, and she didn't want to sever ties with the Song family. Xie Jiang felt she might be a bit split.
On one hand, she knew clearly that the Song family were not her relatives, and the Song family had nothing to do with her.
On the other hand, she deeply felt that the Song family's blood flowed in her veins. How could the Song family have nothing to do with her? The Song family were her relatives.
Therefore, although she felt a sense of strangeness towards the Song family, she couldn't help but yearn for them.
Song Xun covered her mouth in surprise. "Then, does Second Sister still remember us..."
Madam Song Er took a deep breath and pulled Xie Jiang to sit down. "Ni ni, tell me slowly."
Having suffered so many hardships at such a young age, it was already incredibly difficult for her to escape with her life. What was strange about losing her memory?
Losing her memory was much better than losing her life, or her arms, or her legs.