In a small courtyard in Shuanggui Alley, Madam Shen cast a look of disgust at the door. A pair of festive couplets were pasted on it, showing signs of age. The sides, once adorned with lush flowers and plants, were now withered and dispirited in the cold weather, giving the place a dilapidated air.
The person living inside was the one Madam Shen least wished to see in this world. If it weren't for her own daughter, she would never have deigned to visit. Madam Shen thought to herself.
Covering her face with a handkerchief, she exchanged a look with Zheng Mama beside her. The old woman then proceeded to knock heavily on the door.
The courtyard gate was somewhat dilapidated, and with the old woman's strength, it looked as though it might be smashed to pieces before a voice finally came from within.
"Coming, coming."
An old servant's hoarse voice rang out, and a slightly stooped figure scurried to the gate.
As the door was opened, he saw Zheng Mama's haughty and imperious demeanor. His previously smiling expression instantly soured, contorting into an ugly grimace.
"What do you want?"
Zheng Mama was a respected figure in Qiongzhou, and no one dared to defy her when she served Madam Shen.
Having endured so much vexation since arriving in Dongdu City, even this lowly old servant dared to presume upon her. How could she tolerate it any longer!
"Hmph, open your dog eyes and see who this is!"
She stepped aside, revealing Madam Shen to the servant, and watched him with amusement.
His cloudy eyes narrowed into slits, and after a careful, somewhat uncertain glance, he asked with a tremor, "Are you Madam?"
Madam Shen did not wish to speak further with the old servant. She signaled Zheng Mama with her eyes. Zheng Mama pushed the old servant aside and said fiercely, "Why don't you hurry and call him out to greet us? Our Madam has come to see him."
"Ah, ah, this old servant will go right away!"
Joy suddenly flashed in the old servant's eyes. He shouted inside, "Old woman, old woman, quickly call the young master out!" While doing so, he turned to Madam Shen with a fawning, obsequious smile.
Seeing his expression, Madam Shen's long-held frustration finally began to dissipate.
She followed him into the house and looked around.
There were not many things in the room, but they were tidily arranged. The entire set of furniture was made of huanghuali wood, clearly valuable, but the style was somewhat old-fashioned, appearing to be from over a decade ago.
She tapped on it with her hand and a meaningful smile appeared on Madam Shen's face.
That vixen was truly willing to spare no expense.
As she was thinking, a slightly plump old woman entered, beaming, followed by a handsome young man.
He was about fourteen years old, dressed in a dark blue cotton long gown, looking like an old scholar, a far cry from the richly clad young masters of the northern part of the city.
He was not short, but rather thin, with a pale and tender face that lacked vitality.
His eyes looked timidly at Madam Shen, as if he were afraid, and he hid behind the old woman, not daring to step forward and pay his respects.
The old servant beside them was anxious and quickly said, "Shan Ge, why don't you kneel down quickly? This is your mother, and she has come to take you back to the Bai family."
Madam Shen glanced at the old servant for a moment. He was truly trying to climb the ladder. When had she ever said such a thing? He had quite a nice plan in mind!
However, considering her objective, she did not immediately expose the old servant's lie.
Adopting a relatively kind expression, she beckoned to the boy, "You are Shan Ge? We haven't seen each other for many years, have we?"
The old servant was overjoyed. He knew the Bai family would not forget this child, and the Third Master would not forget their young lady.
He quickly walked over and pushed the child from behind to in front of Madam Shen.
"Shan Ge, greet... greet Mother."
He couldn't even speak clearly. The old servant was frantic and quickly said to Madam Shen, "Madam, please don't be angry. The young master is just happy. He's not usually like this, truly!"
Madam Shen snorted inwardly. A son born of a lowly woman, it was generous enough that she had let him grow up. This appearance was exactly what she desired.
Even if the Third Master were to have the thought of bringing him back to the Bai family to acknowledge his ancestors in the future, he would likely be greatly disappointed upon seeing this state.
What good was being a son?
In front of Si Han, whom she had meticulously raised, he wasn't even worthy of carrying her shoes!
Thinking of this, she felt much better, and her gaze towards Shan Ge even held a touch of sincerity.
"It's the Old Madam's birthday this year, so we rushed back from Qiongzhou. We've been away for over ten years, and you've grown so much."
Madam Shen feigned a maternal expression, bringing tears to the old servant's eyes.
Shan Ge, not understanding, simply stared at her with his round, watery eyes. As far as he could remember, he had only lived with this old couple who took care of him.
He had heard that his mother was once the renowned Qiao Xiuniang of Dongdu City, who had even embroidered handkerchiefs for nobles in the palace.
Alas, fate was cruel to beauty. She had fallen ill and passed away shortly after giving birth to him.
Therefore, he had been raised in this small courtyard. He had only heard Old Master Qiao say that his father was a distinguished figure who had gone out to serve as an official and would come to fetch him when he grew up.
Who knew that he would wait for thirteen years. He hadn't waited for his father, but instead, a "mother" had arrived first.
"Mother, are you really here to take me home? Can I see Father now?"
Although he was already a young man, his tone of voice was like that of a seven or eight-year-old child. Madam Shen was quite disdainful but did not show it.
"Not yet. Your father is very busy these days and doesn't even have time to return home, let alone see you. However, he asked me to tell you that you will be able to acknowledge your ancestors after the New Year."
"Really!"
He still followed his mother's surname, Qiao, and had grown up without parents. Although the neighbors were all kind and warm people, and no one gossiped, he had always yearned in his young heart for a family reunion.
Upon hearing Madam Shen's words, he was so happy that he almost jumped up.
His eyes were now filled with excitement as he looked at Madam Shen.
Zheng Mama couldn't help but reveal a hint of disdain. The son of a lowly woman was also a lowly seed, always dreaming of acknowledging his ancestors.
The Bai family now only had two young ladies, and everyone else had no idea of this "young master's" whereabouts. If he were truly acknowledged by the Bai family, wouldn't he be pampered like the apple of their eye?
The thought of Miss Qiao's pitiable appearance back then made her feel sick, and her gaze towards Shan Ge was filled with dislike.
However, for the sake of Madam's plan, she endured it for the time being.
"Yes, but you must first give me the heirloom your mother left you. Your father said he has a use for it now."
Heirloom!
The heirloom Madam Shen spoke of was a jade pendant passed down from Qiao Xiuniang's ancestors.
It was entirely green, exquisite, and translucent, smooth and lustrous. When held, it had a cool, bone-chilling sensation and was extremely valuable.
Bai Chaoke had once told her when he was drunk. At the time, she had dismissed it, thinking how could a descendant of a fallen family, a mere embroiderer, possess such a treasure.
But he had said that the Qiao family had once been extremely wealthy in the previous dynasty. It was only due to the changing times and the ensuing chaos that they had fallen to their current state.