The hot water, floating with flower petals, splashed onto her shoulders. Wen Hao let the steam mist over her brows and eyes, saying lazily, "He’s such a big man, how could I possibly hide him?"
Baozhu was even more curious: "Then where did he go?"
Wen Hao closed her eyes, her tone casual: "Perhaps he went out to drink with friends again."
She had intimidated Wen Rusheng because he was an accomplice to the wrongdoing. As for Wen Feng, he had not been involved in the matter, so she naturally would not implicate the innocent.
One could only say that Heaven was not entirely heartless; by having Wen Feng stay out all night during this specific period, it had provided her with an opportunity to exploit.
"Miss, the water is getting a bit cool. Time to get up."
Wen Hao stepped out of the wooden tub, put on clean undergarments, and sat before the vanity mirror, letting Baozhu wring out her hair.
In the glass mirror, the young girl’s expression was indifferent, her eyes deep. Her waist-length black hair contrasted against her porcelain-white face, making her temperament seem entirely out of place in this cozy boudoir.
Wen Hao reached out and pressed her hand against the mirror, covering half of her cheek.
After many days of preparation, everything now depended on the day after tomorrow.
If anything went wrong, she would rather perish together with them than let Mother and the others suffer the same fate as in her past life.
"Miss?" Wen Hao’s reaction made Baozhu feel inexplicably uneasy.
Wen Hao withdrew her hand and curled her lips into a smile: "Time to sleep."
In the blink of an eye, the day after tomorrow arrived.
The weather was excellent that day. Pushing open the window, a fresh breeze rolled in, carrying the scent of flowers.
Lin-shi looked at her two daughters holding hands and felt it was a pleasing sight.
"On such a fine day, you shouldn't be cooped up at home. Go and have fun. Do you have enough silver?"
"Mother, don't worry about that. I've already prepared everything." Looking at her smiling mother, Wen Chan felt a pang in her heart, but she dared not show it on her face, nor did she dare to glance toward Wen Rugui’s direction.
"Take good care of your sister," Lin-shi instructed casually, though she was quite at ease with her two daughters.
Her eldest daughter was steady, her second daughter was well-behaved. Others felt it a pity she hadn't given birth to a son, but she felt no regret.
"Then we are leaving." Wen Chan curtsied, took Wen Hao’s hand, and walked out.
Once the two daughters had left, Wen Rugui stood up.
"Is the Master going out?"
"Mm." Wen Rugui didn't say much, lifting his foot to leave.
"Isn't today a day off? Why is the Master heading out so early?"
A flicker of impatience hid in the depths of Wen Rugui’s eyes: "I have some business."
Lin-shi complained with a pout: "Lately, the Master always says you're busy, and I’ve had something I’ve been meaning to discuss with you."
"What is it?" Wen Rugui asked dismissively.
He did not believe that his wife, whose greatest daily distress was how to spend money and how to dress up their two daughters, had anything serious to discuss with him.
"Then sit down and we'll talk." A sense of irritability rose in Lin-shi’s heart for no reason.
She always felt that her husband had changed, though she couldn't quite put her finger on how.
Wen Rugui sat down then, saying coldly: "Speak, what is it?"
Lin-shi picked up her teacup and took a sip, calming the restless energy in her heart: "It was the Jing Prince’s Mansion coming to propose marriage the other day that reminded me. Chan’er is eighteen this year; it’s time to plan her marriage."
Two years ago, Lin-shi had discussed Wen Chan’s marriage with Wen Rugui, but the two had some disagreements.
Lin-shi felt that Cheng Shu was of a similar age to Wen Chan and that they knew each other well; if the two children had mutual interest, it wouldn't hurt to strengthen the bond through marriage.
Wen Rugui, however, disagreed.
He hoped to select a son-in-law from among the civil officials and nobility, as that would be the greatest guarantee for his eldest daughter.
The two had delayed for a while due to their disagreement, and then General Lin passed away suddenly, so it had been dragged out until now.
Wen Rugui frowned and stood up again: "I have other business. Let’s discuss Chan’er’s marriage when I return."
"Master—"
Watching Wen Rugui walk out the door without looking back, Lin-shi gulped down a few mouthfuls of cold tea, feeling a wave of stifled anger.
Wen Hao and Wen Chan left the house and headed straight for the General’s Mansion.
When the servants reported that the two young ladies had arrived, the Old Madam was both happy and puzzled.
"Why have you come so early? Have you had breakfast?" The Old Madam held one in each hand, asking with a chuckle.
Wen Chan scanned the surroundings: "Grandmother, we have something we must tell you."
Seeing the solemn expression on her granddaughters' faces, the Old Madam tilted her chin toward the servants in the room.
In the blink of an eye, the maids and matrons retreated, leaving only a trusted nanny who served her closely.
"Speak, what is it?" Although the Old Madam’s attitude was attentive, she didn't think too deeply into it.
In her view, for two granddaughters in the prime of their youth, their greatest worries were nothing more than the stirrings of young love.
"Grandmother, have you taken the medicine prescribed by the divine doctor?" Wen Chan asked with concern.
The Old Madam nodded.
"Then... what we are about to say might make you very furious—" Wen Chan was afraid the Old Madam wouldn't be able to handle it, so she paved the way slowly.
The Old Madam was startled and glanced at Wen Hao.
Wen Hao nodded along: "You will definitely be very angry. Both Big Sister and I are worried that you might make yourself ill from the rage."
The Old Madam took a deep breath, her tone still relatively calm: "Tell me, which one of you is this about?"
Could it be that they had done something improper with some brat?
*Don't be angry, don't be angry. They are my own granddaughters; if I beat them to death, I’ll be the one who hurts.*
Back then, her daughter, who was like a bandit, insisted on marrying a scholar, and in the end, didn't she just have to swallow her pride and accept it?
"Wait a moment, let me have some tea before you continue."
The Old Madam took half a cup of tea from her trusted nanny and felt much calmer: "Speak, don't be afraid. No matter how big the matter is, Grandmother will support you."
Wen Chan began: "Father has had frequent disputes with Mother over the past year."
"The two of them are arguing?" The Old Madam secretly breathed a sigh of relief.
Although it worried her that her daughter and son-in-law were not on good terms, couples always bickered; in the end, it wasn't a major issue.
"It is much more serious than just arguing." Wen Chan added another layer of preparation.
The Old Madam’s eyebrows shot up: "Did he lay a hand on her?"
It couldn't be that Wanqing had beaten her son-in-law, and the two granddaughters had come to ask her to stand up for their father, could it?
Wen Chan hesitated for a moment before finally saying: "Father... has kept a mistress."
"What?" The Old Madam’s expression changed abruptly, and she slammed the table as she stood up.
"Grandmother, don't be anxious!" Seeing the Old Madam sway, Wen Chan turned pale with fright and hurriedly supported her arm.
The Old Madam sat down slowly, her gaze fixed on the two sisters: "Tell me exactly what happened, clearly."
Wen Chan looked at Wen Hao.
"It was I who discovered it by accident..."
After listening to Wen Hao finish, the Old Madam was already filled with rage: "That beast! I was truly blind back then!"
Wen Hao reached out to pull her sleeve, persuading her softly: "Please calm your anger. If you make yourself ill because of this, what will Big Sister and I do?"
The Old Madam reached out with her somewhat rough hand and stroked Wen Hao’s hair: "Don't worry, A-Hao, Grandmother is in good health."
Wen Hao and Wen Chan exchanged a look, their suspended hearts finally settling a little.
The greatest shock to their grandmother had been the moment she learned the truth; after that, it was much better.
"So that mother and her two children are in Mahua Alley, is that right?" The Old Madam stood up and grabbed her auspicious cloud-patterned cane. "Let’s go! Follow Grandmother to Mahua Alley for a stroll!"
(End of chapter)