Huaiye Lane Mansion.

In the main hall where they used to have meals, two figures sat opposite each other. In front of them was a bowl of iced mung bean soup and a large red silk cloth, the latter lying softly on the edge of the table.

The other end of the piece of silk was held in Zhen Shuyuan's hand. She had stopped fiddling with it and gradually clenched her fist...

The atmosphere in the main hall fell into dead silence.

Ouyang Rong seemed not to have seen anything. He stretched out his hand and pulled the bowl of iced mung bean soup closer, took another spoonful, lowered his head and put it into his mouth.

Zhen Shuyuan's eyes on the side saw her nephew smashing his mouth after tasting the soup. He had a look of confusion on his face and muttered:

"It's strange, why isn't it sweet? Didn't Xiu Niang put sugar in it? It would be a bit too economical, but she didn't put in spicy food. It boiled as I said and it's already done well... Wait a minute."

Ouyang Rong stirred the bottom of the bowl, then took out the cold soup from the bottom of the bowl and put it into his mouth.

There was a look of satisfaction on his face:

"Oh, I put it in, but I didn't stir it. The sugar all sank to the bottom... Hiss, it seems a bit sweet. Why did you put so much sugar in it? Xiu Niang is really good at making soup, but she doesn't know how to make soup.

Du, he was so flustered, maybe he was afraid that his aunt would be dissatisfied."

Ouyang Rong laughed and shook his head, then turned to ask Zhen Shuyuan:

"It's so sweet. Auntie should be able to eat it. Let Wei Lai heat it up later. If you can't eat it cold, then you can eat it hot."

As if she didn't hear her nephew's caring words, Zhen Shuyuan looked at the empty hall in front of her with her eyes, and seemed to mutter two words repeatedly.

Ouyang Rong listened carefully.

"Embroiderer...Embroiderer..."

Zhen Shuyuan suddenly asked: "How did you meet her, this woman named Xiu Niang? You said she was hers, did you know that? Where is she now?"

Questions came one after another, pouring out of her mouth like beans.

After hearing this, Ouyang Rong simply replied: "She is now in Xingzifang and lives by Xingzi Lake."

Zhen Shuyuan stood up, wandered back and forth in front of Ouyang Rong twice, stopped, and said hurriedly:

"Take me there..."

"Alright."

Just as Ouyang Rong was about to stand up, he felt his body being pulled by someone. He turned around and saw that it was his aunt Zhen Shuyuan.

She stopped where she was and held his cuffs tightly.

"Wait a minute."

Zhen Shuyuan said, her face showed an indescribable look from Ouyang Rong, and she asked inexplicably:

"She promised you to come to my concubine's birthday? Is she afraid of me? Will going there now scare her away?"

Ouyang Rong nodded and shook his head:

"It shouldn't be..."

Zhen Shuyuan looked out the door and asked in a daze:

"Has she ever told you about what happened back then? Oh, I forgot that she is mute and can't speak. She should be able to write or sign language. Has she ever told you about it?"

"Can write." Ouyang Rong asked curiously: "What happened back then?"

Zhen Shuyuan said nothing and kept her face blank.

Ouyang Rong pursed his lips and tried: "Did aunty say that she was accidentally wronged and sold out?"

Zhen Shuyuan, who was in a dazed state, slowly turned her head and stared straight at his face.

Ouyang Rong said very seriously: "That incident was actually a misunderstanding. She said that she actually didn't prick me with an embroidery needle, let alone hurt me, but was protecting me..."

Zhen Shuyuan suddenly interrupted: "Okay, Tan Lang will go out first." She waved her hand weakly and repeated: "Get out."

Ouyang Rong looked at her for a while, stood up, and walked out of the door.

The iced mung bean soup and other items on the table were left behind.

Zhen Shuyuan walked over and closed the door.

He returned to his original position and sat down as if paralyzed.

The lights are not lit either.

She looked at the empty main hall in front of her...

Ouyang Rong turned around and saw the door to the main hall being closed again.

He sighed softly.

A conversation ended and it was almost night outside.

When Ouyang Rong returned to Yinbingzhai, Ye Weilai was making the bed and folding the quilt.

Today, he took advantage of the sun to dry Ouyang Rong's bedding again. He saw some female red embroidery tools on the embroidery bench by the window, which should have been used by Ye Weilai.

Ouyang Rong remained silent.

Ye Weilai said curiously: "Tan Lang came back early today, but he had been talking to Mrs. Zhen for a long time, and it was already dark."

"Um."

"Tanlang is in a bad mood?"

Ouyang Rong shook his head: "Nothing, but I said something today, and I feel a little more relaxed."

Ye Weilai looked at him carefully and said, "But Tan Lang looks a little distracted, is he really not worried?"

Ouyang Rong calmed down for a moment and said, "I gave some of the soup cooked by Xiu Niang to my aunt, and by the way, I told her about Xiu Niang."

Ye Weilai tilted her head slightly and looked at him.

Ouyang Rong found that her expression didn't seem surprised at all.

"I guessed it. After all, the day is coming soon, so I have to tell you in advance." Ye Weilai lowered his head again: "Tan Lang is the head of the family, and Madam Zhenniang will respect Tan Lang's ideas."

Ouyang Rong pondered: "But my aunt's reaction..."

He didn't say any more and looked at Ye Weilai.

Both of them fell silent.

Ye Weilai thought for a while and said:

"I heard before that when there was a misunderstanding at that stall and it was decided that Miss Xiu Niang should stay, Tan Lang's mother's attitude was actually rather hesitant, but Mrs. Zhen's attitude... was a bit firm. Mrs. Zhen

Madam loves you so much. When that incident happened, she was immediately furious. She seemed to have gone too far and slapped the embroidered lady in the face, calling her a white-eyed wolf. I really misunderstood...

"It was Mrs. Zhen's idea to sell the embroidered lady. It seemed that the price was always money. On the day she was dragged away, the embroidered lady seemed to have bitten the back of Madam Zhen's hand... From this point of view, the embroidered lady was the last one.

She should be the one who is afraid, she is the shadow of the past..."

The silver-haired girl spoke softer and quieter. She glanced at Ouyang Rong, who had closed his eyes and remained quiet for some time.

"Sleep first."

I don't know how long it took before Ouyang Rong spoke.

"Okay, Tanlang."

…

Early the next morning.

Ouyang Rong finished washing and came to the main hall.

The main hall door is closed.

After waiting for the maid to come over and whisper in Ouyang Rong's ear for a while, he realized that the door to the main hall had not been opened all night, and no one had gone out since he came out last night.

At this time.

With a "squeak", the sound of opening the door came.

Ouyang Rong, Banxi and others turned their heads.

Zhen Shuyuan, who had been sitting all night, came out.

The weather is good today, and there is light in the morning.

In the morning light on the corridor, the beautiful woman with a skirt subconsciously raised the back of her hand to block the gentle but dazzling sunlight.

She said to Ouyang Rong:

"Tan Lang, you are here, come in."

Zhen Shuyuan said nothing and turned back to the main hall.

Ouyang Rong followed him inside.

When he came to the main hall, he saw that all the windows were closed, and the big red silk on the table was still there, but the bowl with the iced mung bean soup was empty and had been drank by others.

Ouyang Rong didn't mention it and asked:

"What's the matter, aunt?"
To be continued...