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Madam Zhou shot up from her chair. "Lan Tang, what did you just say—"

She was about to continue when Xie Mother suddenly raised her voice. "Xiqing, calm down. You've had too much tea today, and this sudden good news has left you dazed. Take a moment to collect yourself!"

Madam Zhou was full of questions, but she had always respected her elder sister-in-law and followed her lead in family matters. Seeing her signal, she forced herself to calm down and pressed a hand to her chest.

"Yes, it's been a busy day. I got carried away. Don't mind me, Lan Tang. You asked whether Yingying agreed. Do you think there's something wrong with this match?"

Shen Lantang had been startled by her sudden outburst too. She was still puzzled, but there was a more pressing matter at hand. First, she had to settle the two ladies and keep them from hastily agreeing to the marriage.

Having made up her mind, Shen Lantang said gently, "Marriage is a lifelong matter. It needs careful consideration. I know Mother and Aunt must have looked into the Xu family's son—his background, his talents, and whether he treats people well. But you can't judge someone's character or conduct from a few words. You need to investigate him yourselves."

In her mind, Shen Lantang repeated for emphasis: Investigate, investigate, investigate. If you can't find anything, I know a shortcut. It'll get results, guaranteed.

First, they had to set aside the question of why they could hear her thoughts, ignore how strange it was, and focus on what she was saying. From the sound of it, she already had evidence of misconduct by the Xu family's son.

Xie Madam forced herself to focus on Xie Ying's future. She knew her daughter-in-law: Shen Lantang had never liked meddling in others' affairs or getting close to people. She preferred to shut her door and live her own life. If she was urging them to think carefully about this match, she must have evidence.

With that, Xie Madam's decisiveness as the mistress of the household returned. She took her sister-in-law's hand and said slowly:

"Lan Tang is right. A marriage requires careful consideration. Yingying is only fifteen and in no hurry to marry. There's no need to rush."

"Don't worry. I'll send someone to investigate the Xu family's son thoroughly."

Her words were addressed to Madam Zhou, but they were meant for Shen Lantang.

Sure enough, Shen Lantang relaxed. The tension eased from her face, and her gentle expression returned.

"I only spoke up because Fourth Sister's future is at stake, and we mustn't act rashly. I was disrespectful to Mother and Aunt. Please don't hold it against me."

Having just heard her daughter-in-law's "rebellious" thoughts, Xie Madam could hardly take her delicate manner seriously. She pressed a hand to her forehead. "Of course not. You meant well."

"We had guests today, and I'm a little tired. Go on back, Lan Tang."

"Yes, Mother, Aunt. I'll take my leave."

In her mind, Xie Madam waved her away. Go on, hurry. Let me catch my breath.

After Shen Lantang left, silence settled over the room. Elder Madam Xie and Second Madam sat in their chairs, staring into space. At last, Madam Zhou turned to Xie Madam.

"Lan Tang just now... she didn't say anything aloud, did she?"

Xie Madam nodded with difficulty.

"How could Lan Tang..."

Madam Zhou had loved reading when she was young and had secretly devoured many tales of the supernatural. Now her imagination ran wild.

"Could Lan Tang be a reincarnated Fox Spirit who's come to repay a kindness?"

She thought of a Fox Spirit because those were her favorite stories.

Foxes were cute. Cuter than snakes, weasels, or river snails.

Xie Madam was speechless for a moment at her fanciful idea, then waved a hand. "Whatever she may be, she's a daughter-in-law of the Xie Family. Let's watch and see if anything else seems unusual about her."

Seeing that her sister-in-law was genuinely worried, Madam Zhou tried to reassure her.

"Even if Lan Tang is a spirit, she's a good one. She's usually so quiet she seems hard to approach, but she cares about this family. Otherwise, why would she warn us that Young Master Xu isn't what he seems..."

Only then did Madam Zhou remember that Lan Tang had said Xu Mingyan was keeping a mistress. The strange incident had muddled her head so badly she had even forgotten her daughter's marriage.

At the mention of the matter at hand, Xie Madam swallowed hard and tried to put her daughter-in-law's strangeness aside. Her expression grew grave.

"If what Lan Tang said is true, we must not marry Yingying to him."

What woman wanted a husband with multiple wives and concubines? She and Madam Zhou had benefited from the Xie men's practice of not taking second wives. Naturally, they wanted their daughters to live as comfortably as they did. Besides, the Xie Family had the standing to secure that happiness for its daughters!

As a mother, Madam Zhou always put her children first. She had thought even further ahead than Xie Madam. She drew a deep breath.

"I'll follow your lead, Sister-in-law."

"Don't worry. I'll get to the bottom of this."

As the eldest daughter-in-law, Xie Madam oversaw every household affair and was skilled at dealing with matters both inside and outside the home. She immediately sent trusted people to investigate Xu Mingyan.

By the time she finished giving orders, it was evening. Xie Father returned from the Government Office and found his wife sitting in their room, lost in thought. He went over to her.

"What's wrong? Is something troubling you?"

Xie Madam slowly raised her head, her gaze troubled and searching.

"What do you think of Lan Tang?"

As a traditional scholar-official, Xie Father had always taken the classic approach to his daughter-in-law: leave her to his wife.

Unsure why his wife was asking, he considered for a moment before answering. "Lan Tang is steady and attentive to detail. She may not be especially lively, but she handles things methodically and keeps an even temper."

Xie Madam sighed. It's not that she isn't lively. She simply doesn't open her heart to us.

But there was no point telling him that. When it came to women, especially female relatives of a younger generation, men generally kept their distance. They sought no credit, only to avoid giving anyone cause to fault them.

Xie Madam had been wavering over whether to tell him about Lan Tang's thoughts. Seeing his hands-off attitude, she decided against it. She would wait and see.

The next day, Shen Lantang woke to stifling heat. She sat dazed in the middle of her bed for a full half-minute before languidly calling Lan Xin and Baozhu in.

She wiped herself down before getting dressed. If there was one thing about this era that delighted Shen Lantang, it was the gorgeous yet lightweight clothing. From the high-waisted dresses she had worn as a girl to winter cloaks, every piece had an air of elegance. Unfortunately, it was so hot now that even an extra layer felt unbearable, let alone dressing up. She hoped summer would end soon.

Ranking List

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Time Travel and Rebirth Romance

Devoted Love

Jiang Ciyu

Mind Reading

Salty Fish