"Precisely, you seem to have forgotten something in your monologue just now. You were speaking with your birth mother!"
Shen Xiaoyan finished speaking, her eyes curving into crescent moons as she smiled.
Xi Yin, not quite understanding what Shen Xiaoyan meant, knitted his brows and asked, "What are you saying? Explain yourself clearly."
Shen Xiaoyan shrugged her shoulders. "It's very simple. Your biological mother, who gave birth to you, means nothing in your eyes. Yet, the Hall Master, whom you've only met by chance and who merely exchanged a few pleasantries with you, you revere so deeply. Is it because your reverence is actually worthless? Or are you outright lying?"
After speaking, Shen Xiaoyan stared intently at Xi Yin, wanting to see his reaction.
As expected, it was as she had anticipated.
Xi Yin's face contorted in shock as he looked at Shen Xiaoyan, utterly surprised that she had guessed correctly.
He instinctively glanced at Zhen Lingrong, only to see her looking at Shen Xiaoyan with eyes full of admiration and warmth.
This... was the difference between one's own child and one who was not?
Zhen Lingrong gave Shen Xiaoyan another admiring glance before shifting her gaze away.
Her eyes directly bypassed Xi Yin and landed on Shi Fei.
"Go to the Enforcement Hall to receive your punishment first. When you return, you will be a head maid, just like Xi He."
Shi Fei was instantly overcome with emotion, tears of joy welling up.
She had thought that once she entered the Enforcement Hall, she would never be able to leave. But now, Zhen Lingrong's words undoubtedly told everyone that she would survive.
Not only that, but after she left, she would be on equal footing with Xi He.
Thinking of this, Shi Fei cast a cold glance at Xi He, a mocking smile curving her lips.
Xi He, just you wait!
Watching Shi Fei depart with the people from the Enforcement Hall, Xi He instantly felt a pang of unease.
She wanted to speak to Zhen Lingrong, to ask why Shi Fei was allowed to live and even be granted an equal position.
But looking at Zhen Lingrong's cold demeanor, she dared not speak.
Before Xi He could say anything, Zhen Lingrong spoke first.
"Here, I have no parents, nor siblings. Therefore, this Chang Qiu Hall will not have any aunt figures who are praised by everyone, do you understand?"
Although she didn't name names, Xi He knew this was directed at her.
Zhen Lingrong not mentioning her name was not to save face for her, but because she was too lazy to, or perhaps disdained to.
"Go back and reflect. Do not leave unless absolutely necessary."
Zhen Lingrong finally uttered this last sentence and turned away, no longer looking at them.
She took Shen Xiaoyan's hand, regardless of Shen Xiaoyan's reaction, then pulled Shen Xiaoming's hand from the side, leading them both towards the bamboo house.
"Mother will go make food for you!"
This was the last sentence that Xi He and her two sons heard Zhen Lingrong say.
For afterward, Zhen Lingrong had erected a barrier, and they could hear nothing more.
Although they couldn't hear, they could vaguely see Zhen Lingrong bustling about, and Shen Xiaoyan's slightly awkward expression.
Xi Jin and Xi Yin felt an overwhelming sense of jealousy.
Why was it that the things they sought but could not obtain, Sister Shen Xiaoyan and her brother could possess so easily?
And why, after possessing them, did they still appear so reluctant?
Xi He, however, had no mind to dwell on these matters. What she was thinking about now was how everyone in Chang Qiu Hall would look at her from now on.
She had always carried herself as an aunt figure, and some who admired her also addressed her as such.
Now that Zhen Lingrong had explicitly decreed that there would be no aunt figures in Chang Qiu Hall, what was she to do?
As for insubordination, Xi He dared not even consider it.
Zhen Lingrong was very benevolent, but she was also someone who would kill without batting an eye.
With her own cultivation level, she would likely be utterly dead before she could even take a single step.
Xi He had another quality: she was self-aware.
She knew her own capabilities, what she could and could not do, she understood perfectly.
Now, with no other recourse, she could only contact that person and ask if she should continue to have these two children try to appease Zhen Lingrong.
She truly feared that these two children would gradually drift further and further away from her.
No matter what, they were born from her own flesh and blood.
Unless absolutely necessary, she truly did not want to abandon them.
Xi He and her two sons walked on their way back, each with their own thoughts.
Meanwhile, on the other side, Shen Xiaoyan watched Zhen Lingrong fumbling about in the kitchen, ultimately turning the cooking area into a smoky mess. She couldn't help but rub her forehead.
"Perhaps you should go outside!" Shen Xiaoyan suggested.
Zhen Lingrong, however, was unwilling. She shook her head and said, "No, you and Xiaoming have just returned today. As your mother, I must personally cook and make you something delicious."
Shen Xiaoyan looked at the black, unidentifiable concoction in the pot, and her stomach churned.
She had never realized before that Zhen Lingrong, despite her beauty, was so astonishingly dreadful at cooking.
This "dark cuisine" would surely be recognized as supreme, no matter where it was presented.
Shen Xiaoyan thought for a moment, then smiled and said, "Would you like to taste my cooking skills?"
Zhen Lingrong's cooking movements paused upon hearing this. Then, she turned with joy. "Really?"
Shen Xiaoyan instinctively wanted to avoid looking at her sparkling eyes, but ultimately nodded. "Of course. You go wait, I'll have it ready soon."
Hearing Shen Xiaoyan's confident reply, Zhen Lingrong became even happier.
She removed the small floral apron she was wearing, wrapped it around Shen Xiaoyan's back, and, disregarding Shen Xiaoyan's objections, tied it onto her.
Shen Xiaoyan looked at the floral apron and felt a mix of amusement and helplessness.
She truly hadn't realized that Zhen Lingrong was so girlish at heart.
Shen Xiaoyan had initially wanted Zhen Lingrong to wait outside, but Zhen Lingrong refused.
"Although I'm not very good at cooking, I can do other things. I can stay and help," Zhen Lingrong said earnestly.
After speaking, fearing Shen Xiaoyan wouldn't believe her, she immediately picked up a potato and began slicing it with swift movements.
Shen Xiaoyan watched as she cut a round potato into thin slices, then quickly into julienne strips.
The potato strips were incredibly fine, each one identical to the next.
Shen Xiaoyan praised her with a sigh, this knife work was truly like divine inspiration!
She now understood that no one person was omnipotent.
Zhen Lingrong's knife skills were so excellent, yet she couldn't cook.
It was like herself; while she was an expert at cooking, she couldn't embroider.
Therefore, this was a matter of having strengths and weaknesses.
Seeing that Zhen Lingrong had finished cutting the potatoes, Shen Xiaoyan quickly withdrew her thoughts.
She took out some celestial vegetables and spirit fruits from her space and said with a smile, "Let's use these. It will also let you taste that there are good things outside of your Chang Qiu Hall."
She had heard before that the celestial vegetables and spirit fruits in Chang Qiu Hall were the most delicious in the entire Eastern Immortal Land.
She just didn't know which would be tastier compared to those she had grown in her space.
As Shen Xiaoyan brought out the celestial vegetables, a look of surprise flashed in Zhen Lingrong's eyes.
The celestial vegetables in this hall were indeed celestial vegetables, even those rumored to be the most spiritual in the Eastern Immortal Land.
However, compared to those Shen Xiaoyan produced, they immediately paled in comparison.
Instead of being unhappy that her own produce was overshadowed, Zhen Lingrong was actually thrilled.
"Xiaoyan is truly capable. The celestial vegetables she casually takes out are all better than those in Chang Qiu Hall."
Hearing Zhen Lingrong's praise, Shen Xiaoyan actually felt a little blush creep onto her cheeks.
Was it really okay to praise her so wholeheartedly?
But she had to admit, she felt very happy upon hearing it.
Shen Xiaoyan's cooking skills had long since reached a perfect level.
With Zhen Lingrong cutting vegetables to help by her side, it took less than half an hour for Shen Xiaoyan to prepare a table full of food.
During the meal, Shen Xiaoyan and Shen Xiaoming were fine, but Zhen Lingrong, utterly disregarding her image, devoured her food with gusto.
Shen Xiaoyan watched Zhen Lingrong eat quickly and with such unrestrained manners, and felt a sense of amusement and helplessness.
Should she feel a little guilty for turning such an ethereal being into this state?
But Shen Xiaoyan was smiling like a playful fox.
She didn't feel any such guilt!
In the following days, Zhen Lingrong truly did as she had said, diligently cultivating her relationship with Shen Xiaoyan and Shen Xiaoming.
As for Zheng Wei, he was only remembered by Zhen Lingrong when Shen Xiaoyan and Shen Xiaoming could no longer bear Zhen Lingrong's enthusiasm and avoided her.
As a son-in-law, Zheng Wei dared not avoid Zhen Lingrong like Shen Xiaoyan and Shen Xiaoming.
So, the result was that most of the time, Zhen Lingrong would be chattering away with Zheng Wei, asking about Shen Xiaoyan and Shen Xiaoming's lives over the years and the things they had encountered along the way.
Zheng Wei saw Zhen Lingrong's concern for Shen Xiaoyan and Shen Xiaoming with his own eyes.
Therefore, he told Zhen Lingrong some insignificant matters.
As for other matters, they would have to wait for Shen Xiaoyan and Shen Xiaoming to tell her themselves.
Zhen Lingrong didn't mind that Zheng Wei was only recounting minor events; she listened with great interest.
However, even minor events eventually come to an end.
After half a month, Shen Xiaoyan finally couldn't take it anymore.
Living in this small bamboo house every day, she could at most wander around the courtyard.
This kind of life was incredibly monotonous!
Shen Xiaoyan decided she needed to go out.
But when she spoke to Zhen Lingrong, she changed her approach slightly.
"We've been here for so long, and we haven't truly explored the Chang Qiu Hall. May we go out for a stroll?"
Upon hearing Shen Xiaoyan express her desire to explore Chang Qiu Hall, Zhen Lingrong was overjoyed.
She had been worried that Shen Xiaoyan wouldn't want to go out.
Since their ideas aligned, Zhen Lingrong immediately led Shen Xiaoyan and the other two out of the small courtyard.
The moment they stepped out of the courtyard, Shen Xiaoyan took a deep breath.
For some reason, she felt that the air outside was much better than the air within the courtyard.
However, in terms of spiritual energy density, the spiritual energy contained in the outside air could not compare to that within the courtyard.
This must be the charm of freedom!
Because she was outside and felt free, everything she saw appeared infinitely beautiful.
Zhen Lingrong paid no mind to Shen Xiaoyan's expression. In her eyes, her daughter was still young. It was natural for her to enjoy freedom, to wander around, and to see different scenery.
Hadn't she been the same in her youth?
It was just that her daughter had married too early!
Thinking this, she glanced at Zheng Wei, who was holding Shen Xiaoyan's hand.
This young man was lucky.
Fortunately, he treated her daughter well, otherwise, even if her daughter didn't want to, she would have killed him.
Shen Xiaoyan and Zheng Wei were completely unaware of what Zhen Lingrong was thinking. They were whispering to each other.
As the four of them walked, Zhen Lingrong introduced the scenery of Chang Qiu Hall to Shen Xiaoyan.
Sometimes, she would explain the origin of a certain scenic spot or its unique features.
Listening to Zhen Lingrong's explanations, Shen Xiaoyan suddenly felt that Zhen Lingrong was somewhat like a tour guide.
She was much more impressive than an ordinary tour guide. Where could a tour guide be as beautiful as her?
Moreover, a tour guide was assigned to explain, and their knowledge was limited to what they were supposed to cover.
Zhen Lingrong, however, was incredibly detailed.
Anyone who didn't know would think that Chang Qiu Hall was desperately short of people, which was why she was trying so hard to make Shen Xiaoyan and the others stay.
Initially, the places they passed were deserted.
But as they moved forward, more and more people appeared.
When they saw Zhen Lingrong's face alight with joy, constantly explaining the surrounding scenery to those nearby, everyone's jaws nearly dropped.
What was going on?
Among these people who were secretly observing them were Xi Jin and Xi Yin.
Since that day they left with Xi He, they hadn't seen Zhen Lingrong and the others leave the small courtyard.
Fearing Zhen Lingrong's anger again, they didn't dare to approach. They would only linger near the small courtyard, hoping to encounter Zhen Lingrong.
But after half a month of trying, they hadn't seen her.
And on the day they had given up hope, they saw Zhen Lingrong emerge with Shen Xiaoyan and the other two.
Seeing Zhen Lingrong, regardless of her status, constantly talking to the three of them with a face full of contentment, Xi Jin and Xi Yin almost gnashed their teeth.
Even if they were her own children, did she need to act like this?
Was she so indifferent to her status as the sect leader?