Although Zhou Xiangyu knew the Taoist priest was fake, he was willing to indulge his cousin. Without any resistance, the Zhu clan handed over their newborn daughter.
Initially, she would occasionally miss her third daughter who was in the nunnery. Soon after, Xia Qing gave birth to the eldest son of the household, which made her resentful. She was determined to give birth to a son herself.
After Xia Qing consecutively gave birth to two sons, she finally had her legitimate son. While relieved, she focused all her energy on her son.
Over the years, there were opportunities to bring her daughter back, but for some unknown reason, Madam Zhu let things drift.
Having received the original host's memories, she lifted the covers and got out of bed, proactively packing her belongings.
Nanny Yang, worried about her young lady, quietly pushed open the door, only to find her packing.
She hurried forward to help, "Is Miss feeling better? If you're still uncomfortable, please rest. The abbess has stabilized their condition."
"It's nothing, my head only hurt for a moment, it's better now. Let's pack quickly. If we're late, I'm afraid we won't be able to return to the manor before dark." Wu Caiwei continued packing without looking up.
Hearing her say this, Nanny Yang no longer demurred and quickly began packing. In truth, they didn't have much to pack. Life here was simple, with neither fancy clothes nor exquisite hair ornaments.
In a short while, the two of them each had a packed bundle.
Wu Caiwei's bundle mainly contained various medicines developed by the original host over the years. She didn't know what situations she might encounter back at the manor, so it was better to be prepared.
Just like in the original host's previous life, the steward nanny treated her with a degree of respect. She, who was already not one for many words, merely nodded slightly in acknowledgment.
What she didn't know was that the steward nanny was Madam Zhu's most trusted person, and she was fully aware of the events back then. She also knew Madam's intentions in bringing Miss back this time.
Initially, her respect was merely superficial. However, upon seeing Wu Caiwei, her composure, her nobility, and her elegance made the nanny feel inferior.
Having followed Madam and seen many young ladies and madams from prominent families, she found none with the same refined temperament as this young lady. She sighed inwardly, regretting the waste.
Wu Caiwei was unaware of the nanny's inner thoughts and was preoccupied with how to navigate the situation back at the manor.
The nunnery was not far from the city, and soon they reached the side gate of the Zhou manor.
As Wu Caiwei stepped out of the carriage, she immediately turned to leave. Nanny Yang was puzzled but, having been with her young lady for so many years, knew she had her reasons and also turned to follow.
"Miss, what's wrong? We're already at the manor gates, let's go in quickly." The steward nanny hurried to catch up with Wu Caiwei's steps, asking in confusion.
"The manor clearly doesn't take us seriously. What reason is there for someone who hasn't returned home for over a decade to enter through the side gate? Moreover, I am the legitimate daughter of the manor. I don't believe there isn't even a single person to greet us." Wu Caiwei stopped, speaking indignantly.
"This is my dereliction of duty. Madam entrusted this matter entirely to me, and I was not thoughtful enough. Please forgive me, Miss." The steward nanny knew Madam had no affection for Miss. She had thought the wild girl raised outside would be ignorant of the rules of a prominent family and wanted to make a perfunctory effort to return quickly and report back. Unexpectedly, she had been caught in a mistake.
Of course, such matters were not within the purview of servants like them. It was Madam's suggestion to use the side gate, but she couldn't voice this fact, lest others accuse Madam of being heartless.
"If I forgive you, then I am demeaning myself? Have you considered how the people in the manor would view me if I had listened to you today and entered through here?" Wu Caiwei was furious just thinking about it. They wanted to use her completely but showed no respect.
The steward nanny truly no longer dared to underestimate her. To even think of this! If she had entered through the side gate today, everyone would know that the third young lady was unfavored, disliked by the master and madam, and anyone could step on her.
"I humbly apologize to you, Miss. We will go through the main gate." The steward nanny decided swiftly, secretly breaking into a cold sweat over her unauthorized decision.
Only then was Wu Caiwei satisfied, and she entered through the main gate with dignity.
Before she could even admire the scenery of the manor, she was directly led to a very secluded courtyard.
The courtyard had been tidied up not long ago. The furnishings were arranged casually, and only one maidservant, Qiu'er, was assigned.
Although the environment was not ideal, it was infinitely better than the nunnery. She and Nanny Yang did a simple unpacking and settled in.
At this moment, the steward nanny was reporting the trip to Madam.
"Is she really as outstanding as you said?" Madam Zhu asked curiously.
"What I said is the truth. Miss has returned to the manor, and she will be interacting with Madam more in the future. After a few more encounters, Madam will know if I spoke the truth or not," the steward nanny said with a smile, not daring to exaggerate.
"Since she is so intelligent, I can be even more confident and bold in marrying her off. Perhaps she can forge her own path," Madam Zhu muttered to herself.
"I'm afraid it will be the opposite," the steward nanny thought to herself. Although she hadn't interacted with the third young lady for long, she knew she wasn't someone easily fooled.
At dinner, Wu Caiwei finally met her so-called parents.
Just as in the original host's memories, Madam Zhu grasped her hand tightly the moment she saw her, her eyes misty as she expressed her longing from over the years.
The original host was a simple child who yearned for parental love. Madam Zhu's slight act moved her, and she cried heartily, pouring out all the grievances of the past years.
Now, with Wu Caiwei in control, her sharp eyes saw through Madam Zhu's act. She had cried for so long but hadn't shed a single tear; too unprofessional.
As Madam Zhu continued crying, she felt something was amiss. Glancing up slightly, she noticed the other party looking at her with a playful gaze.
"Why are you looking at me like that, child? Don't you miss me?" Madam Zhu asked, bewildered.
"I used to think about you, I missed you, but so many years have passed, and I've long understood. If you had kept me in your hearts, you wouldn't have brought me back only now," Wu Caiwei said, lowering her head and fiddling with her sleeves.
"I... I had no choice. Now that I've finally brought you back, I will compensate you well in the future," Madam Zhu stammered slightly, taken aback.
"Alright, let's eat quickly," Zhou Xiangyu interjected, not wanting them to continue the topic.
In this short while, he could see that this daughter was not simple. No matter how much Madam said, she wouldn't believe it.
With the master's command, everyone quickly got busy, serving dishes and setting up bowls.
The entire meal was essentially Madam Zhu's solo performance, while the other two ate in silence.
The first meal back at the manor ended unhappily.
After returning to her room, Madam Zhu threw a furious tantrum. When Xia Qing heard about it, he ate two extra bowls of dinner. It seemed there would be more excitement in the manor from now on.