25 Mother and Daughter Share One Heart

Not far away, some servants were passing by. One was a domestic worker responsible for cleaning this area, and the other was a low-ranking maid passing through; they were clearly well-acquainted. From where they stood, they could not see the people behind the rockery, but they could see Yu Qingxue and Yu Liuzhu.

The older woman, perhaps due to her age, could not see clearly and asked with a hint of confusion, "Who is that holding the eldest young lady? Why does she not look much like the mistress to me?"

"That is the eldest aunt," the maid replied. "I thought it was the mistress at first, too. I truly never expected the eldest young lady and the eldest aunt to be so close."

"The eldest aunt has had a hard life, stuck with such a daughter. If not for her niece, given the eldest aunt's looks and talent, she wouldn't have had to live such a meager existence. The eldest young lady has a kind heart; she must truly pity the eldest aunt."

"A niece resembles her aunt, and is close to her—the old saying is always right."

The phrase "a niece resembles her aunt" struck Shen Linlang like a thunderclap. Unable to control her inner anxiety, she scrutinized Shen Qinglü's features over and over again.

Shen Qinglü allowed her to look, her gaze filled with adoration.

After an unknown amount of time, Shen Linlang realized her own lack of composure. Her heart remained in chaos, like a tangled mess of yarn. Looking left and right, she realized that Shen Qinglü must have come out alone, without even a single servant by her side, and she subconsciously frowned.

"A-Li, wait here. Aunt will send you back in a moment."

Shen Qinglü nodded obediently, completely following her instructions.

Pushing down the myriad of wild thoughts in her heart, Shen Linlang smoothed her collar and hair, then walked toward the two who were still embracing.

The two were so lost in their reunion that neither noticed her approach. The closer she got, the more the thorn in her heart seemed to drive deeper, as if it were about to pierce her soul.

"Qingxue? Tang'er?"

Hearing her voice, Yu Qingxue immediately released Yu Liuzhu and quickly wiped away her tears, looking slightly uncomfortable. "It was all A-Li's fault today, almost causing Tang'er to suffer an injustice. I was truly worried, so I came over to check on her."

If this were in the past, hearing such words, Shen Linlang would have assumed this sister-in-law was being sensible. But now, she could not help but ponder: as a mother herself, if it were her, would she belittle her own daughter for the sake of a niece?

Unbidden, the image of Shen Qinglü looking at her with a pitiful expression surfaced in her mind, and her heart, already stung, felt as if it were being torn apart, contracting in agonizing pain.

"A-Li is simple-minded and innocent; she says whatever she sees. What fault is there in that?"

"The speaker may be unintentional, but the listener takes it to heart. It is precisely because A-Li is not of sound mind that Tang'er chooses not to hold it against her. Otherwise, if such words were to spread and ruin Tang'er's reputation, our mother and daughter would be sinners of the Yu family."

As Yu Qingxue spoke, she wore an expression of extreme trepidation, looking at Shen Linlang with a face full of self-reproach. "All these years, thanks to your care, Sister-in-law, A-Li and I have been able to find a place in the Yu family. Now that A-Li is older, she is becoming harder to manage, which is why she caused some trouble. Mother pities her and lets her stay by her side, but my heart is truly uneasy, fearing she might cause more trouble. Perhaps you could speak to Mother for me and let me take her back?"

Who could hear such words and not call her sensible?

Shen Linlang’s heart was in turmoil, but she tried her best not to show it. "I understand this matter. If the opportunity arises, I will certainly mention it to Mother."

Yu Qingxue let out a long sigh of relief, as if a great burden had been lifted, and after thanking her repeatedly, she left.

Yu Liuzhu watched her retreating figure, feeling even more that it was unfair to her. "Aunt has had her whole life dragged down by A-Li. If not for A-Li, why would she have ended up like this?"

"Tang'er!" Sensing the deeper meaning in her tone, Shen Linlang immediately frowned, her voice involuntarily carrying a sharp edge. "When your aunt returned home and became pregnant, both your grandmother and I urged her to have the child removed. It was she herself who could not bear to part with it and insisted on giving birth."

"Aunt could not bear to part with her own flesh and blood, of course." Her expression shifted, and she turned away somewhat stubbornly. "Mother, do you, like Grandmother, also think A-Li is pitiful?"

A cold breeze blew, helping Shen Linlang regain some composure. She felt annoyed at her own wild imaginings and regretted that her chaotic heart had led to such chaotic words. Yet, for some reason, she could not control herself; the thorn in her heart kept pulling at her.

"Tang'er," she softened her tone, attempting to hug Yu Liuzhu.

Yu Liuzhu dodged, turning her face away.

Feeling hurt, Shen Linlang retracted her hand. "How have I taught you since you were young? I told you to have less contact with them so that you wouldn't become too emotionally invested and suffer for it later. You used to be so obedient; what has happened recently? Why are you so close to your aunt?"

The grievances of her previous life surged all at once. Yu Liuzhu also wanted to ask: why was it that the mother who claimed to love her most was nowhere to be found when she was at her most desperate?

"That is because Aunt treats me well!"

Shen Linlang was shocked. Her hand, which she had just retracted, was still trembling, but upon hearing this, she clenched it into a fist, her nails digging deep into her palm.

A sudden thought occurred to her. While her mind was in even greater chaos, her reason prompted her to ask, "Is it because in that dream of yours, your aunt helped you?"

Yu Liuzhu remained silent, her eyes gradually reddening.

"And what about Mother? Where was Mother when you suffered those injustices?" Shen Linlang asked urgently, completely unable to feel the sharp pain in her palm.

For a long time, she received no answer from Yu Liuzhu—or perhaps, this silence was the answer.

If that dream held a mystery and was a premonition, why was she not there when her daughter needed her most? Why? And why was the sister-in-law there instead?

She loved her daughter so dearly; even if she were too sick to stand, she would have crawled to her side. It was impossible that she wasn't there, unless...

"Tang'er, tell Mother, what exactly is that dream about?"

"It is just a dream; what is there to talk about?" Yu Liuzhu clearly saw her mother's pain and felt an inexplicable sense of satisfaction, as if hurting her could compensate for the grievances she herself had suffered. "Mother, I am tired. I am going back to rest. You should leave."

Having said this, she turned and walked away without looking back, as if she could not see her mother's crumbling figure.

Nanny Yu came over to support her.

Shen Linlang clutched her chest, in agony. Suddenly, she gripped Nanny Yu's hand tightly, wanting to ask something but fearing the answer. She opened her mouth, but not a single word came out.

Nanny Yu comforted her, "The eldest young lady is just being temperamental for a moment. She knows best how much you love her. Once her anger fades, everything will be fine. Mother and daughter are one; there is no grudge that cannot be resolved overnight..."

The words "mother and daughter are one" pierced Shen Linlang’s heart like needles and knives. Suddenly, she pushed away Nanny Yu’s hand and hurried toward the back of the rockery.

Behind the craggy blue stone rockery, Shen Qinglü remained in the same posture as before, lying there with extreme docility, counting the ants crawling over the stones.

When she looked up and saw Shen Linlang, she broke into a sudden smile, as bright as peach blossoms blooming in a single night. That joy, radiating from the heart, seemed like an intimacy that emerged from her very bones.

"I have been very good; I didn't run around..."

Hearing this, for reasons she could not fathom, Shen Linlang’s composure shattered, and she pulled Shen Qinglü into a tight embrace.

"A-Li..."