CHAPTER 373: CHAPTER 375: EXPOSED (PART 2)

The next day, Xiqiu saw Fourth Master Xiao off, and was standing in the courtyard talking with Nanny Cen when Min came over.

He was carried by his nurse, looking exhausted and weary, yet he still kept his eyes wide open, trying his best to stay awake. Upon seeing Xiqiu, he slipped down from his nurse’s arms, walked over to Xiqiu, and greeted her, "Mother!"

It seemed that he had taken to heart what the Grand Dowager said to him yesterday, and had come early today to pay his respects.

"Good morning, Min!" Xiqiu said, then asked Chunyan to open the curtain to let him in. "Have you had breakfast?"

Min took his short legs over the threshold, stood waiting in the hall as Xiqiu followed up, "I’ve eaten, Mother," he replied.

Xiqiu raised an eyebrow, had Chunliu pour him a cup of water, and the two of them moved into the Warm Pavilion, where Xiqiu sat down and had the nurse place Min on the kang bed. She smiled and asked, "Min, you’ve risen so early."

Min showed no expression, holding the cup of water without tea, he took a sip, furrowed his brow slightly, seemingly displeased that Xiqiu hadn’t put any tea leaves, yet he still took another sip, then silently put the cup down, leaving it untouched.

Xiqiu observed him quietly, not speaking, as Min sat there, eyes downcast, hands neatly on his lap...

She smirked and stood up, saying, "Min, let’s go over to your grandmother’s together."

Min let out a relieved sigh, quickly glanced at Xiqiu to find her expression relaxed and unperturbed. He nodded, "Yes!" he said as his nurse carried him down from the kang, and followed Xiqiu out the door.

The two walked one in front and one behind on the way, Min was quiet and unlike Xing who would chatter non-stop, and Xiqiu didn’t deliberately try to engage him in conversation.

The two arrived quietly at the Grand Dowager’s place.

The Grand Dowager saw Min and Xiqiu enter together and cheerfully praised, "Min is such a good boy!" She took his little hand and warmed it in hers, "Go wake Xing up."

Min’s previously tense little face relaxed as he ran cheerfully into the green gauze cabinet, and soon, the sound of him and Xing laughing merrily could be heard.

The Grand Dowager turned to Xiqiu and sighed, "I don’t know who he takes after, so shy since he was little at the sight of strangers."

As if fearing Xiqiu might mind.

It’s no longer just about shyness, Xiqiu thought perhaps it was the environment. Min grew up here by the Grand Dowager’s side, with Fourth Master Xiao absent from the residence, receiving no love from his parents, possibly the root cause of his passive nature and lack of a sense of security.

The Grand Dowager merely mentioned Min in passing, not waiting for Xiqiu to reply, she switched topics, "Yesterday, the First Young Madam of the in-laws came to the residence, had some Songjiang Thousand-layer Sesame Cake, said it tasted nice. She seemed to like it a lot, you should send some over to her later."

"Thank you, Mother." Xiqiu seemed very pleased, Madam Jiang is her sister-in-law from her natal family, and the Grand Dowager being like this also reflects well on her.

The Grand Dowager looked at Xiqiu’s smiling face, her own face breaking into a small smile, after all, she thought, she’s just a child.

As they were talking, the First Madam came in, and the Grand Dowager smiled warmly, "They are starting work over there today, after breakfast here, you needn’t go back, stay and keep me company."

The First Madam nodded slightly towards Xiqiu, then turned to the Grand Dowager, smiling, "Alright, I’ll do as Mother says."

The First Madam’s demeanor towards her hadn’t changed much, if anything, it was even a bit colder than before, but Xiqiu didn’t want to unravel it, it was fine as it was, living peacefully together.

Nanny Wu, seeing the Grand Dowager and the First Madam in conversation, glanced at the Fourth Madam, then smiled, "I reckon, we might as well invite the Second Madam and the Fifth Madam over, for a table of cards..." The Grand Dowager paused at this, her eyes then flashed before nodding in agreement, "That’s a good idea, I haven’t played cards in quite some time."

The Grand Dowager wanted to keep her daughters-in-law under close watch, lest anything else go awry?

Xiqiu smiled, "...I don’t know how to play cards."

The Grand Dowager waved with a smile, "No matter, later on, let Yanzheng come over, she can teach you!" Xiqiu didn’t refuse, laughing behind her hand, "Just afraid of spoiling everyone’s fun."

The First Madam glanced at Xiqiu, her gaze flickered slightly as she bowed her head to sip her tea.

Nanny Wu went off smiling to invite the Second Madam and the Fifth Madam...

The Fifth Madam and Xiao Yanting had not risen yet, under the drooping warm yellow silk curtains, the Fifth Madam lay facing the side of the bed with her eyes closed, yet in her mind replayed the Grand Dowager’s words from last night: "Tomorrow morning, the craftsmen will come to the residence again, behave yourself, if anything happens again, don’t blame me for being unkind!"

She gripped the edge of the brocade tightly, she wanted to invite Zhou Dao Po into the residence to carefully discuss their next steps, but the person she sent for last night hadn’t returned. In such a short time, she couldn’t even find someone to help.

Frustrated, she turned over to find Xiao Yanting still sleeping with his eyes shut. She frowned with disdain, sat up and called out angrily, "Qingjia."

The new maid Qingjia entered, responding across the curtain, "Madam!"

"Help me get up." She couldn’t just sit and wait for death, she was determined not to let the warm house be made, or all her efforts would be for nothing.

Her shout startled Fifth Young Master awake, he frowned, "What madness are you up to this early in the morning."

The Fifth Madam looked displeased, kicked at Fifth Young Master, and reprimanded him, "All you do is sleep day and night, is there anything else you know besides sleeping, hmph!" She paused, seeming to think of something, as she looked at Fifth Young Master, her eyes lit up, she quickly waved at Qingjia, "You go out first, unless I call for you, don’t come in."

"Yes!" Qingjia gave the curtain a cautious glance, then quickly retreated and closed the door.

Xiao Yanting looked at her utterly perplexed, finding her gaze rather strange, he frowned and asked, "Why are you looking at me like that?"

"Fifth Young Master!" The Fifth Madam was sitting there, but now she threw off the covers and scooted back in, nestled beside Xiao Yanting, her face overflowing with smiles, which made Xiao Yanting shiver involuntarily, he shifted aside...

The Fifth Madam saw this, frowned, but thought of the effort she put into winning him back, and decided it was best to restrain her temper for now, she relaxed her brow, smiling as she snuggled up to Fifth Young Master, "Fifth Young Master, shall I help you get up?!"

Xiao Yanting looked at her as if he didn’t recognize her, ever since Sheng was born, the Fifth Madam had never spoken to him in this manner, he wondered, "What is it you want to say?" After speaking, he paused, squinted his eyes at the Fifth Madam, "The construction starts at the First Sister-in-law’s place today, the craftsmen will come again to the residence, you’re not up to something again... I warn you, if you do anything again, I will not let you off lightly."