Tong Xiyan covered her sleeves and laughed, pulling Xiqiu along, "You’re so certain, it’s as if the wedding invitations will arrive at our door tomorrow."
Just then Tong Quanzi rubbed the back of his head sheepishly, while Tong Minzhi blushed deeply, continuously pulling on Tong Quanzi’s sleeve, urging him to stop talking.
Wherever Tong Quanzi was, laughter followed. Everyone accompanied the Lady for a while longer, then Tong Shen Zhi had to go to the study, and both Tong Minzhi and Tong Quanzi needed to return to the school. So, they bid farewell to the Lady and headed back to the outer courtyard. Xiqiu and Tong Xiyan, along with Tong Xiyu, stayed with the Lady for a bit longer and didn’t return to their own courtyards until Nanny Fang came back at noon. ᴛhis chapter is ᴜpdated by noveⅼfire.net
The Lady and Nanny Fang went to the bedroom to talk. Nanny Fang recounted the visit to the Marquis Mansion in detail: "The eldest miss looks even better than the last time she returned, with a ruddy complexion... The elder son-in-law is also at the mansion and seems to have built a greenhouse next to the vegetable garden in the back garden where the Grand Dowager intends to grow some flowers and plants."
"The back garden is spacious; it’s fitting to build a greenhouse," the Lady said, "Xihua, did you look carefully? How sure are you?"
Nanny Fang’s eyes lit up, and she leaned in closer to the Lady, slowly raising her hand to show a gesture meaning six. The Lady raised her eyebrows in surprise and delight, "Six parts sure?" Nanny Fang nodded earnestly, confidently replying, "I’ve always been accurate in judging people. It seems that the dream the Sixth Miss had was indeed a pregnancy dream for the eldest miss." Nanny Fang paused then added, "I didn’t mention this to the eldest miss. When she asked, I only gave her the things you sent, suggesting she see a doctor. Although the eldest miss seemed suspicious, she eventually agreed."
The Lady let out a deep sigh of relief, leaned back contently against the bed, closing her eyes and said, "If that’s the case, the Sixth Girl deserves much credit."
Nanny Fang also said, "It seems that the Sixth Miss is quite fortunate. Otherwise, among so many people in the mansion, only she had the dream." Just when the Lady was upset, this event seemed to have distracted her, focusing all her attention on the eldest miss instead of trivial matters.
Upon returning to her room, Siliu curiously asked Xiqiu, "Miss, did you really have a pregnancy dream for the elder cousin?" She hadn’t heard the Sixth Miss mention it, and the cloak wasn’t something made recently, which is why she found it puzzling.
"What do you think?" Xiqiu laughed, took off her overcoat, and then undid her hair, sitting before the dressing table watching Siliu and Sixing’s surprised expressions in the mirror. She laughed and said, "If it truly were a pregnancy dream, it should be the Lady who dreams it, why would it come to me... I merely said it casually!"
"Huh?" Siliu blinked in disbelief, exclaiming, "You just said it randomly? But what if the elder cousin isn’t pregnant?"
Xiqiu rose from the dressing table, gesturing for Sixing to help her wash her face and hands. As she applied face cream, she laughed, "If the elder sister is indeed pregnant, then it’s a pregnancy dream, if not, then it’s just a sign... If the elder sister never gets pregnant, it’s none of my business, just a dream. The important matter is whether the Lady takes it seriously, regardless of the outcome, it was just a dream I mentioned!"
Siliu seemed to suddenly understand, looking at Xiqiu with admiration and exclaimed, "The Sixth Miss is truly clever. How come I never thought of this? The Sixth Miss merely spoke of a dream and made a garment, both are positive things, it’s the Lady who took the dream seriously! But...why didn’t Miss idea with me? It worried me for several days, afraid the Lady would scold Miss, punish her with confinement or copying the ’Women’s Precepts’ or something else..."
Sixing also smiled broadly, letting out a sigh of relief: "As long as the Lady isn’t angry with Miss, it’s good to move past this!" Since Xiuzhi jumped into the river, when Xiqiu pleaded on her behalf and the Lady walked away in anger, she had been on edge. Seeing that Xiqiu didn’t mention anything, she dared not bring it up, she thought the Lady would surely react today, given the thunderous manner she had in the mansion these days. Yet she didn’t expect Xiqiu already had a well-thought response, looking back now, she realized her worry was indeed unnecessary, the Sixth Miss always handled things with prudence, having thought everything through before acting, calm and confident.
Xiqiu lay on the bed, closed her eyes, and smiled, "Now, you know." She turned over and said, "I’m taking a nap, if Nanny Song returns, have her come to see me."
Sixing and Siliu fixed the curtains for Xiqiu, then quietly left the room.
In the afternoon, when Xiqiu woke up, Nanny Song was already waiting outside. Hearing movement inside, she entered with a smile and said, "Sixth Miss is awake?" Once Xiqiu responded, she hung up the curtains, helped her sit up, placed a pillow behind her, and poured a cup with a smile, "Did the Sixth Miss have lunch over at the Lady’s today?"
Xiqiu rubbed her temples, which were slightly swollen from sleep, and replied, "Hmm. Mother kept me for lunch." She paused, then looked at Nanny Song and asked, "What have you been busy with these past two days?"
Nanny Song’s eyes flickered, and her face immediately filled with a smile, "Nothing much, really. Seeing there’s not much happening here at the Sixth Miss’s place, and the Lady’s side is quite busy, I went to lend a hand to Nanny Fang. I was in such a hurry, I didn’t tell the Sixth Miss..." she was candid without a hint of guilt, "Miss, do you have something for me to do?"
She felt she had the Lady’s backing, so not only couldn’t I touch her, but she also needed to be treated like a Bodhisattva, quite fearless. Or perhaps, I’ve been too mild recently, making her feel there was no need to inform me, allowing her to leave the courtyard on her own to assist Nanny Fang?
If it’s the former, she’s right, I can’t do anything against her now, and she has a significant use. If it’s the latter, I can only smile wryly.
Xiqiu smiled at Nanny Song, "There’s nothing urgent, I just noticed I haven’t seen you in a couple of days and wanted to ask... It’s usual for you to help out when Mother is busy, no need to specially inform me."
Nanny Song beamed, taking the tea cup from Xiqiu’s hand and helped her dress, seemingly asking casually, "What will Miss be doing this afternoon? Are you going to embroider the Grand Dowager’s crabapple flowers?"
"There are only two pieces left, which will only take four days, time is running tight." Xiqiu, dressed, sat in front of the dressing table and said to Nanny Song, "You can go about your business, by the way, call Siliu in to help me with my hair."
"Yes!" Nanny Song smiled and bowed, leaving the room. In no time, Siliu lifted the curtain and entered, venting her frustrations, "Nanny Song is getting more and more unruly, she just left here and went to the main house again. Miss, you should ask the Lady to dismiss her. She shouldn’t take up a place on the house’s payroll!"