Chapter 15: Parting Ways

  "Wait, Ping'er, don't be in a hurry. Today is the seventh anniversary of my sister's death, and I need to go to the South Month Shrine to guide her spirit, so I'll stop here for now. I remember the shrine is in West Village, about fifteen miles away." Wu Mei had cultivated herself for thirteen years, how could she quarrel with the spoiled South Month Ping?

  Nan Yueping was taken aback and only then realized that Wu Mei had deliberately arrived on the seventh day of the seventh month, not knowing what to say to cover up her own mistake, so she could only nod.

  "You go back to the manor and inform your father, I will guard my sister's tomb for a year." Wu Mei turned around and said to Kai Shu, "Kai Deputy General Manager, I only keep two maids, please take the rest of them back to the manor to settle in. The daily expenses here are arranged by Ning Guan Shi, you just need to manage them."

  Nan Yueping's face flashed with joy, thinking that Wu Mei would guard the spirit for a year, which was great, and there was a whole year to think of ways not to let the mother and daughter enter the door. Her heart finally felt happy, and her expression was also relieved.

  "What about me?" Nan Yue Lan Sheng asked. Does she belong to someone else?

  "You can either stay with me or go back home." Little things like that don't matter to mom.

  "I'll accompany you." Letting her go alone to Nan Yue Ben's house is no better than being with her own mother, where she would be even less restricted.

  Wu Mei's eyes were clear, but her face didn't smile, only a faint voice said "good". In front of outsiders, she could be humble, but absolutely couldn't show disdain for her daughter, otherwise it would be equivalent to denying herself.

  Nan Yue Lan was also very clear. When she tried to run away but was caught back by Wu Mei, Wu Mei said that there were two kinds of women who could make their way in the world on their own. One, prostitutes. Two, widows. Although these two types of women seemed legitimate and proper, they were actually a history of blood and tears. A big girl like her who hadn't married yet, without any family backing, didn't understand anything but still ventured out, even if she had great abilities, would still be waiting to be exploited by those with power and wealth.

  The southern moon orchid was born with a proud and complacent demeanor, but it immediately wilted. However, it's not that simple - even the finest horse needs to meet its master. Although she came from the future, thinking about it slightly made her feel quite incompetent. She couldn't manufacture daily necessities, had few literary cells, couldn't recite many ancient poems, and was clueless about weapons. She was just an ordinary girl. Many people said that graduating from university meant unemployment, but she still held onto her specialty and cherished her dreams - this was the only thing she pursued her whole life. However, her specialty was limited here, and whether she could overcome it required patience and exploration.

  "Madam Mei, I'll accompany you." An Ou said.

  Wu Mei treated An Yu with affection, like a mother to her child, "I'm glad you're accompanying me, but it's best if you send Ping Er back home instead. See things through to the end."

  An Qu opened his mouth, but was pulled away by Nan Yueping before he could say anything.

  "Aunt Mei is right, Brother Yu is protecting me. If anything happens to me, you won't be able to explain it to Father."

  Anhui turned back and looked at Lanzhen, but Lanzhen was just as distant and unfamiliar to him as he had been every day this month.

  After a brief commotion, the convoy headed towards the city gate, leaving behind two horse-drawn carriages and six people.

  "Sit with me, Lan Sheng." Wu Mei said this in a tone that brooked no refusal.

  Nan Yue Lan sat in the car and felt it start moving, heading westward.

  "In three hours, you will be very good with him, and he is also a bit taller than you. Now that he's grown up, how do you think of him?" Lan Sheng was indifferent to An Quan, Wu Mei thought it was a precaution between men and women, which she felt was quite appropriate, but she cared about the big thing.

  Nan Yue Lan saw into Ou Mei's eyes, "Just a childhood playmate, at this age, we should avoid suspicion."

  "Are you still being cautious? You should understand what I mean. An Qi is 21, and you're 20, it's the right age to get married, and there's also the affection from childhood, marrying him wouldn't be bad. If you're willing, I'll talk to your dad." A spark of light flashed in Wu Mei's eyes.

  Nan Yue Lan looked at him, but didn't say anything.

  Wu Mei continued, "Although An Qu is a concubine's son, An Ye still likes this child very much, so he sent him to your father's house. His fate is stable and wealthy, and he matches you perfectly."

  This is how people from Dà Róng Cháo speak, three sentences can't leave the fate hexagram.

  Nan Yue Lan smiled and said, "I'm afraid I'll disappoint my mother, but I don't have any romantic feelings for An Qu. An Qu was very embarrassed, and Ping Mei said ten sentences to tease him just for fun." She admired Nan Yue Ping's persistence and hard work, if it were her, she would be crying out for help.

  "Is it just because he's annoying?" Wu Mei was not quite convinced. Three months ago, her daughter suffocated her, and three months later, her daughter found him annoying.

  "A person's life is long, finding a husband who dislikes me is better than being married to a foolish one." Nan Yue Lan said casually, not thinking that she would be considering marriage now.

  "Anyway, in a year or so, I might be able to find you an even better match." Wu Mei wasn't disappointed at all. If her daughter had set her mind on it, she would have been worried. On the surface, she said that An Pu and Lan Sheng were more than suitable, but for her daughter's marriage, she had higher expectations.

  Nan Yue raised an eyebrow, "Mother said to guard the tomb for a year, it turns out that retreat is progress, fortunately, Ping's sister was delighted, thinking she didn't have to live with us two women under the same roof."

  "I really want to keep it, I've waited for thirteen years, do I still care about this year?" Wu Mei lay down and closed her eyes to take a nap.

  "My daughter is sincere, but how many people believe it? The more she does this, the more she appears to be showing off in other people's eyes." She leaned back and closed her eyes.

  "As long as one person believes in me, it's enough." Ou Mei's lips slightly curled up.

  "I don't understand, he has already made his choice by driving you away for the sake of the madam, why do you insist on going back to him?" Is love supposed to last thirteen years?

  "Sister indeed wanted to drive me away, I know he's in a difficult position, so I left on my own." This is the truth. "On the day I left, I vowed that everything that belongs to me, I will take back. And I never took oaths as jokes, just like I promised to marry him as his concubine. I promised him for life, let alone thirteen years, even thirty years, I will come back."

  "Even if he may have long forgotten you." Husband, husband, one foot as husband, one foot away from good fortune.

  "Looking at me as a woman, do you think I've aged?" Her bright lip color and beautiful face made Wu Mei feel emotional.

  Nan Yue Lan was born with her eyes closed, but she heard Wu Mei's soft laughter. In fact, women don't need others to affirm their charm, they just need to affirm themselves.

  Arriving at the Xijiao Big Wife's Tomb, as soon as they got off the car, a hoarse voice came over.

  "It's about time, today is the Double Seventh Festival, such an important day, how can it be spent in a hurry at home?" An old woman with white hair stood in front of several thatched cottages, her eyes narrowed.

  Nan Yue Lan suddenly felt Wu Mei getting excited beside her, breathing quickly, pursing her lips as if she was about to cry.

  "Grandma Ge."

  The old woman also trembled all over, her dry mouth opening and closing for a long time. Suddenly, strength surged into her withered arms and legs, and she hurried to Wu Mei's side, grasping her elbow and shaking her head, not daring to believe her eyes. "Mei... Miss Mei, is it you?"

  "It's me." Wu Mei grasped her mother-in-law's hand, "I'm back."

  －－－－－－－－－－－－－－－－－－－－－－－－－－－

  It's not that I'm being uncooperative, it's just that I don't expect anything from you guys anymore.

  Seeking people!