The voice was faint, devoid of any sentiment.
Yun Qi obediently sat down.
Mrs. Han sat on the other side, silent.
Yun Qi was also silent.
After a long while, Mrs. Han finally spoke, "When will you take me back to the Yun Family?"
Upon hearing this, Yun Qi was overjoyed, yet uncertain, "Shu Niang?"
"I miss Jinnian. When will you take me back!" Mrs. Han repeated indifferently.
The Yun Family had wronged Jinnian, and she naturally intended to go back to settle the score.
Yun Qi confirmed he hadn’t misheard, "Can we leave early tomorrow morning?"
"What about Jinnian?" Mrs. Han asked, her cold gaze falling on Yun Qi, "Yun Qi, where is Jinnian? When do you plan to go to Yingci’an to fetch her?"
Yun Qi was lost for words.
"Back then, when I said Jinnian wasn’t your child, you believed it, right?"
Yun Qi remained silent.
All those embarrassing moments seemed to have been forgotten, yet they felt so familiar.
But none hurt as much as when Mrs. Han said Yun Jinnian wasn’t his child, that she had never loved him, never truly felt for him.
So, he didn’t care about Yun Jinnian’s well-being.
But he was always waiting for Mrs. Han to turn back.
"If that’s the case, then regard her not as your daughter but as mine alone. Let’s go fetch her together tomorrow!"
Having said that, Mrs. Han rose to leave.
Yun Qi grabbed Mrs. Han’s hand, "Shu Niang, I’m sorry!"
Mrs. Han forcefully shook off Yun Qi’s hand, her disdain palpable, she said sternly, "Yun Qi, you don’t owe me an apology, it’s Jinnian. All these years, you knew the hardships she endured, yet you did not offer a helping hand, you didn’t even send someone to inform me!"
"You’re not a good father, and I’m not a good mother. We’re both selfish people. Yet Jinnian is a good daughter. We were busy tormenting each other, forgetting that at that time, she was only four years old with only a nanny by her side—and a weak one at that. We never thought about how she had to cope all these years. The birthday gifts I sent back repeatedly just disappeared into the abyss, swallowed by those with dark hearts and rottenlungs. You and I both know it. When we go back this time, if I don’t turn the Yun Family upside down, leaving it in total disarray and ruin, then I won’t rest. If you think I’m too harsh and ruthless, you can leave right now!"
After dropping her ultimatum, Mrs. Han turned and walked away.
Yun Qi sat back down in his chair, speechless for a long time.
Waiting for dawn to take Mrs. Han to fetch Yun Jinnian home.
If she wanted to create a commotion, he would accompany her; if she wanted the Yun Family to fall into ruin, he would be there. As long as she was by his side, he wanted nothing else, only her.
Back in her room, Mrs. Han started to cry out loud.
Her daughter, the one she treasured above all else.
How could she make amends?
By dawn, Mrs. Han was already prepared.
Yun Qi, noticing that Mrs. Han didn’t look well, was very worried, "Shu Niang!"
Mrs. Han glared at Yun Qi, "You don’t need to worry about me!"
They boarded the carriage.
Bai Que also hurriedly followed into the carriage.
Yun Qi had no choice but to get into his own carriage and head to Yingci’an.
As daylight broke, Chu Yu had already left.
Yun Jinnian sat desolately all night, sluggishly got up, got out of bed, and went to the outhouse.
After returning, she crawled back into bed to sleep.
Mrs. Yuan entered the room, saw Yun Jinnian still sleeping, didn’t call out to wake her, and turned around to prepare breakfast.
When the two carriages stopped at the entrance of Yingci’an, it was already noon.
Yun Qi looked at Mrs. Han, feeling as though he could never get enough of seeing her. Mrs. Han, however, completely ignored him.
Following a nun’s lead, they met with Abbess Hui Ling. After Mrs. Han made an offering for the lamp oil, Abbess Hui Ling took her to see Yun Jinnian.