CHAPTER 166: CHAPTER 166: HEALING MEDICINE (PART 2)

Fourth Master Xiao narrowed his eyes slightly, a hint of scrutiny falling on Xiqiu’s calm face. His gaze flickered, and he said with a seemingly ambiguous smile, "Looks like I underestimated you."

Xiqiu pressed her lips into a smile without speaking. She didn’t need to explain anything to others, moreover, she never wanted that marriage in the first place. Even if she had intentions, what of it? It was just a marriage!

"I’m going to take a walk in the garden, Fourth Master, please sit for a while." Xiqiu stood up. Although there were others in the room, after all, it was not appropriate for her to be alone in a room with an outsider: "If Yanzheng wakes up, please have someone inform me, Fourth Master."

Fourth Master Xiao nodded almost imperceptibly.

Xiqiu then turned past the partition with Sixing and Chunyan, and left the room.

Outside the door, Sixing and Chunyan both sighed deeply in unison. Xiqiu turned back and smiled at them, sitting down in the passage in front of Xiao Yanzheng’s courtyard. A maid immediately went to brew tea and presented it. Xiqiu leaned against the chair back and asked Sixing, "What hour is it now?"

Sixing took a pocket watch from her bosom and replied, "Early morning."

It turned out to be so late already; she wondered when the banquet on the Grand Dowager’s side would end!

At this moment, a shadow flashed at the doorway, and the plump figure of Nanny Wu appeared before Xiqiu’s eyes. She smiled and stood up, turning sideways to greet Nanny Wu respectfully: "Nanny Wu."

Nanny Wu’s gaze fell on Xiqiu’s cotton-wrapped hand with pity, lifting it with a face full of guilt, saying, "It was neglectful of us to let Sixth Miss come as a guest and suffer such grievance... Later, please don’t rush back; the Grand Dowager has already spoken to the Lady, asking Sixth Miss to recover fully before returning, so we can all have peace of mind!" She then took out a small bottle from her bosom. "The Grand Dowager asked me to bring this to Sixth Miss, for a wound should be tended to carefully, lest it leaves a scar, which would truly be unfortunate."

Xiqiu smilingly accepted the medicine and shook her head, saying, "The Grand Dowager is too considerate. I and Second Miss got along at first sight; as long as she is okay, I will be fine. This is just a minor injury and will heal soon. Please tell the Grand Dowager it’s really nothing to worry about."

Nanny Wu looked at Xiqiu; though she was smiling, her eyes held sincerity without any formal politeness. With a slight bewilderment in her expression, she chuckled and changed the subject, "Why isn’t Sixth Miss sitting inside but rather here in the passage?" She couldn’t keep her; perhaps it would be better for the Grand Dowager to speak personally.

Xiqiu smiled and said, "Second Miss fell asleep, and the maids are there. I fear too many people would disturb her, so I came out to sit a bit." She covered her mouth and laughed, "Unexpectedly, the air here is quite good, and once I sat down, I didn’t want to move."

Nanny Wu smiled at Xiqiu, "Then Sixth Miss, rest here for a while, and I’ll go check inside. The Grand Dowager keeps thinking of you but can’t leave. As long as she knows how things are going, she can be at ease." Xiqiu quickly nodded and said, "Nanny, please go ahead."

"Then I shall head inside." She released Xiqiu’s hand and entered the courtyard with two little maids.

Sixing helped Xiqiu sit down, her gaze lingering on Nanny Wu’s departing figure, and said, "Miss, why do I feel Nanny Wu was acting strangely?" Xiqiu raised her eyebrows and asked, "What do you mean?"

"I can’t quite explain it; just an odd feeling... Miss is a guest, yet you are sitting idly in the passageway, something rather against protocol, and she said nothing but left!" Moreover, saying to let Miss recover in the residence does not seem sincere.

Xiqiu also raised her eyebrows and smiled slightly, "Didn’t she ask me? You’re overthinking it." But in her heart, she chuckled; Nanny Wu must know Fourth Master Xiao was inside, understood she was sitting here to avoid suspicion, so how could she let her go inside? Besides, she specifically came, apart from visiting Xiao Yanzheng, probably had something to say to Fourth Master Xiao but did not wish for her to overhear, so avoided mentioning other matters.

Sixing said no more, only furrowing her brows tightly.

Nanny Wu had been inside for merely a short moment before returning with two little maids, "The wind here is strong. Why don’t I escort you to Second Madam’s place? There are many people at the front, and Second Madam is still in her room. You can have a chat with your sister."

Xiqiu turned back to glance at Xiao Yanzheng’s room, and Nanny Wu immediately smiled, "I’ll leave a maid here. If Second Miss wakes, I’ll have her inform you so you won’t worry." Xiqiu smiled and nodded, "Thank you, Nanny Wu."

Although she did not wish to visit Tong Xihua’s place, it was better than sitting in this passageway with people constantly coming and going.

Xiqiu then left the passageway with Sixing and Chunyan, returning with Nanny Wu to Tong Xihua’s courtyard.

Seeing Xiqiu’s hand wrapped in cotton, with Nanny Wu personally escorting her back, a hint of coldness flashed in Tong Xihua’s eyes. She smiled, pulling Xiqiu to sit beside her, and then turned to ask Nanny Wu, "How is Mother?"

Nanny Wu smiled and said, "Very lively. Madam Qian is determined to get Madam Zhou drunk and is making a scene." Tong Xihua laughed, "She’s always been the rowdiest." It was clear she had a good relationship with Madam Qian.

"Who says otherwise? The Grand Dowager keeps holding her head, claiming a headache, yet Madam Qian says it’s the Grand Dowager’s birthday and that they should have engaged an opera troupe to perform for three days, had eighty tables of a banquet, and since all outside guests have been refused gifts, if they don’t make some noise, it would seem they lack etiquette, leaving the Grand Dowager to spend a lonely and cold birthday." Nanny Wu spoke while covering her mouth with a handkerchief, "The Grand Dowager pretended to be drunk and lay down to rest... Madam Qian redirected her efforts to Madam Zhou."

"I think, given Madam Zhou’s drinking capacity, she’ll be the one to fall in the end!" Tong Xihua also laughed, and Nanny Wu nodded repeatedly, "Second Madam is right, before I left, Madam Qian was already slurring her speech a bit."

"Only Mother can tolerate her antics; that’s why she’s so wild... Prepare a guest room for her. If she gets drunk, there’s no need to rush her back; let her rest first."

Nanny Wu agreed, "The Grand Dowager has already prepared rooms; it’s probable that all the ladies will stay over today." Speaking, Nanny Wu paused, "The Grand Dowager is pretending to be drunk but has had some alcohol... Sixth Miss has been brought over; I shall take my leave." She looked at Xiqiu, "Sixth Miss, take a nap here; your stepmother might not return until the afternoon."

Xiqiu smiled and bid farewell to Nanny Wu, "Safe travels, Nanny." Tong Xihua had Nanny Lin beside her escort Nanny Wu out, then turned, smiling, and pulled Xiqiu in, "You came from Second Miss’s courtyard with Nanny Wu?"

Xiqiu nodded obediently, "I planned to return, but Second Miss asked me to stay for a chat... Later, my eldest brother-in-law and Fourth Master went as well. Just as I was about to leave, Second Miss fell ill again, and I couldn’t leave right away. Once Second Miss settled down, I went out to sit in the passage, and Nanny Wu saw and brought me here to Sister."

Tong Xihua’s eyes flickered, and she asked, "Fourth Master was there as well?!"

Xiqiu nodded, "Yes! He said he would wait until Second Miss wakes before leaving." Tong Xihua did not speak further, her gaze fell again on Xiqiu’s bandaged hand, "What happened for you to get hurt again?"