The Return Visit

On the day of her return visit, Lin Yunwan took special care with her appearance. She did not make herself up extravagantly, merely brushing her brows lightly.

But she was already strikingly beautiful. With just a little definition around her brows and eyes, her appearance was suddenly breathtaking.

When Lu Zhengliu saw her, he stood stunned for a moment.

In the end, Lin Yunwan said, "Heir, I'll go ahead and get into the carriage."

Only then did Lu Zhengliu remember to nod.

When they arrived at the Lin family home, the elderly Lin Family Steward came to open the door. Beaming, he bowed and invited them inside. "Madam and Young Master Yi have been waiting for you for a long time. Young Madam, Young Master, please come in."

The Lin Family Steward's warm welcome left Lu Zhengliu somewhat embarrassed. Recalling what had happened at the Lu residence, he glanced at Lin Yunwan and felt guilty.

They went around the screen wall and entered the courtyard.

Lu Zhengliu suddenly took Lin Yunwan's hand.

Startled and uncomfortable, Lin Yunwan frowned. "What are you doing, Heir?"

Lu Zhengliu held her hand even tighter and explained, "It wouldn't do to let your family see how distant we are and think I've been mistreating you." Afraid she would misunderstand his good intentions, he made a point of adding, "I'm not doing this for myself, either..."

If she were willing, he could treat her this way when they returned to the Lu family, too.

"There's no need."

Lin Yunwan pulled her hand free.

Lu Zhengliu's face stiffened, and he felt a flash of annoyance.

The Lin family had modest means. Their home had only three courtyards, with a three-bay hall in addition to the rooms where the family lived at the back.

As they reached the entrance to the hall, Madam Lin, who was blind, could not wait to feel her way out.

As Steward Lin had said, she had been waiting a long time. Her clothes were plain but neat, and her hair, streaked black and white, was pinned in a married woman's bun with a silver hairpin patterned with auspicious clouds. Trembling with excitement, she asked, "Yun Wan, are you back? You're back?"

Holding back hot tears, Lin Yunwan went to her. "Mother, it's me. I'm back."

Her daughter was home.

In her previous life, her mother had been dead for so long, yet she could actually see her again!

"Mother—"

Lin Yunwan could scarcely speak through her tears.

Madam Lin thought she had been wronged. She reached out for her hand and began to cry as well.

Standing beside them, Lu Zhengliu felt awkward and... heartsore.

He had never known that Lin Yunwan was a girl who could cry, too, or that her tears could be so scalding.

The Wuding Marquis Residence had indeed treated her somewhat unfairly.

"Elder sister! Elder sister, you're back!"

Twelve-year-old Lin Yunyi came bounding out of the study, his eyes bright as stars. He was a handsome boy, and his features resembled Lin Yunwan's somewhat, though he had a more open, expansive bearing than the usual young scholar.

"Yi, why didn't you go to your lessons today?"

Lin Yunwan wiped away her tears and patted his head.

Her younger brother still looked so young. He was nothing like he had been in her previous life, when he wore official robes with such dignity and had the strength of character of their late father.

It was a pity that he had later gone to a remote region to serve the people, and the two of them had not seen each other often.

When she was gravely ill, she had written to him as well. She did not know whether he had received her letter, or whether he had made it back in time to mourn her.

Still looking every bit a boy, Lin Yunyi rubbed his nose, both sheepish and pleased with himself. "I knew you were sure to come back today, so I asked my teacher for a day off."

Lin Yunwan quickly put her thoughts aside.

She flicked his forehead. The boy's face turned red, but he looked at her with a smile, his eyes full of a desire for her affection.

She no longer looked as regal and aloof as she did at the Marquis's Residence. Her dark hair was piled up like the clouds over Mount Wu, and her smile was dazzling, revealing the kingdom-toppling beauty a peony ought to possess.

Lu Zhengliu gazed at her, lost in thought.

He had long since forgotten his earlier anger and embarrassment.

After the three of them had caught up for a while, Lu Zhengliu stepped forward to pay his respects to Madam Lin. "Mother-in-law."

Blind, Madam Lin turned toward the sound of his voice and said with a faint smile, "Heir." Then she called to Lin Yunyi, "Aren't you going to greet your brother-in-law?"

Lin Yunyi could not hide his feelings. He said coolly, "Heir."

He had abandoned his sister for seven years as soon as they were married, then had children adopted under her name. It was generous enough not to throw him out.

Madam Lin invited them to sit in the hall.

The Lin family had few members, so the return visit was very simple. They merely exchanged some inconsequential small talk.

Afterward, Lu Zhengliu wanted to offer a stick of incense before Lin Yunwan's father's memorial tablet.

"Heir, there's no need to trouble yourself."

Lin Yunwan declined.

Lu Zhengliu did not insist.

He had only intended to do it to show her respect. Since she did not want it, he would let the matter rest.

Madam Lin then asked them both to stay for the midday meal.

Ordinarily, if a woman's family was pleased with their new son-in-law, they would ask him to stay for the midday meal on the day of the return visit.

Given what the Wuding Marquis Residence had done, Lin Yunyi really did not want to keep his brother-in-law for the meal.

As a woman, Madam Lin was more understanding of her daughter's difficulties. She exposed nothing and asked them to stay just the same.

After the meal, Lu Zhengliu had official business to attend to and had to leave.

As Madam Lin saw him off, she showed concern for him. "Your voice sounds different, Heir. Was the journey back to the capital difficult? Did you catch a chill on the road?"

Lu Zhengliu coughed and said, "It's nothing serious." Like Lin Yunwan, he had fallen a little ill after being hot and cold over the past few days.

"No illness is too small a matter. You should take it to heart, Heir."

"I know. Thank you for your concern, Mother-in-law."

Lin Yunwan lowered her eyes and unhurriedly brushed the tea leaves aside with the lid of her cup.

Madam Lin also instructed her son, "Yi, go see your brother-in-law out."

"...Yes, Mother."

Lin Yunyi went reluctantly.

Madam Lin drew Lin Yunwan into a room to talk. Frowning, she said, "Tell me, what exactly happened? Why were children adopted under your name? Two of them, at that!"

Lin Yunwan sighed silently.

How was she to explain it?

She tried to reassure her mother. "Mother, I won't have children of my own in this lifetime. But the adopted eldest legitimate son is a good child. If you don't dislike him, I'll bring him to meet you next time."

Madam Lin burst into tears. Gripping her daughter's hand tightly, she asked, "How can you not have children of your own? Does the heir have an illness?"

"No."

"Then... is it you?" Madam Lin's heart ached even more.

"No, it isn't. Mother, please don't ask for now. I think this is quite good too. I won't have to give birth myself or harm my health." She wiped her mother's tears away.

Madam Lin was frantic with worry. "Silly child, how can an adopted child be the same as one of your own flesh and blood?"

Lin Yunwan had no solution either.

In this life, nothing could ever happen between her and Lu Zhengliu again.

But Lady Guo had not been wrong either. Women had no other path; even if they married the wrong man, there was no turning back.

Finally, Madam Lin said, "Yun Wan, you've always been sensible. Whatever it is, I won't ask anymore. If there ever comes a day when you want to come home..."

"Mother, what would happen to my younger brother?"

Lin Yunwan sighed. If she had been alone, she would have left cleanly and decisively. So what if she had to cut off her hair and spend the rest of her life as a nun?

But then her younger brother would have no way to enter officialdom.

"Leaving everything else aside, when Yi takes the imperial examinations and needs people to act as his guarantors, our uncles in the clan won't help him." And that was not all; scholars outside the clan would not help him either.

"Yi will have to find a match someday, too. If he has a daughter, her reputation will be damaged because of me. Could you bear that?"

Madam Lin was deeply saddened.

Lin Yunwan comforted her. "My life isn't hard, Mother. Chang Gong—my legitimate son—has a very good temperament, and he's filial too. Sometimes I think I can see a little of the Members of the Lin clan in him. You'll understand when you meet him."

Madam Lin assumed she was only saying that to comfort her.

Neither of them wanted Lin Yunyi to know about these matters, so they soon dropped the subject. Madam Lin said, "Your father's death anniversary is approaching."

Lin Yunwan said, "Mother, if you don't mind, I'd like to take Chang Gong to sweep Father's grave and light an everlasting lamp."

Madam Lin did want to meet him, so she agreed.

Lin Yunyi jumped out and said, "Huh? Do I have an eldest nephew now?"

Lin Yunwan smiled. "He's only five years younger than you."

Lin Yunyi said, "He's still my nephew, and he'll have to call me Uncle."

After waiting for years, he could finally have the pleasure of being an uncle.

On the day they paid their respects to Grand Tutor Lin, Lin Yunwan brought Lu Chang'gong along and arranged to meet Lady Guo. Together with her family, they went up the mountain.