Shen Zilan stared at Chen Miaohe as if she were a thief, guarding Shen Xiabai possessively.
Once they brought the person back to the Shen residence, Shen Zilan immediately dismissed her. "Miss Chen, the household is busy, so I won't keep you here."
Chen Miaohe pouted and shot Shen Zilan a glare.
What a waste—that bottle of premium wound salve had cost her a full month's allowance.
And she hadn't even managed to deliver a shred of warmth or concern.
"If my parents beat me for this, I'll curse you every single day to die alone," she snapped.
With that, she turned, stomped heavily onto her carriage, and left.
Dowager Shen had already been waiting at the gate with a doctor. When she saw the unconscious man being dragged back, covered in blood, tears immediately streamed down her face.
She hurriedly instructed the doctor to tend to him.
His white robe was completely soaked in red. Yu Feng's eyes were red-rimmed as he muttered, "The master was right—white looks too jarring when stained with blood. He's better suited for dark clothing."
Perhaps the doctor's touch on his wounds was too painful, because the unconscious man regained a flicker of awareness.
He opened his eyes and said in a hoarse voice, "I've repaid you now. Is that enough? Let it be settled."
Cui Yunchu, if I had known this day would come, I would never have abandoned you back then.
He could have found a hundred ways to escape. But she was petty and held grudges.
That day at the Crown Prince's estate, she had sobbed, showing him the wounded arm.
She said it hurt terribly, that she had almost died at the bottom of the cliff.
Beside him, Dowager Shen wept bitterly.
...
As the day of Cui Yunli's return to the capital drew nearer, the Cui household was filled with joy, and Old Madam Cui's smile grew ever brighter.
Cui Yunchu, however, had been spending most of her days in her own courtyard lately, flipping through books she'd never bothered to read before, and had even managed to pick up a few pretentious airs.
Whether Cui Yunli returned or not, she wasn't eager for it.
Xing'er and Nanny Zhang could clearly sense that their young mistress had been in low spirits these past few days.
Xing'er said, "Miss, the day after tomorrow is the birthday of the Second Miss... I mean, Princess An. Shouldn't we start preparing a gift for her?"
Cui Yunchu, drowsy, looked up from a book on women's conduct. "Cui Yunfeng's birthday?"
Nanny Zhang nodded. "Yes, and ten days after Princess An's birthday is yours, miss."
"Is it?" Cui Yunchu had no recollection.
Nanny Zhang smiled. "But miss, you're the one who sets your own birthday."
Cui Yunchu said flatly, "I change it every year, so how could I remember?"
For others, their birthday was the day they were born—but not for her. She picked whichever day she felt like, changed it whenever she wanted, and set a new date every single year.
Nanny Zhang's heart ached. "Ten days after Princess An's birthday is yours, miss. You said that by keeping them close, no one would forget."
Cui Yunchu had always been a very casual person.
Casually born, casually alive.
Even her mother, a concubine, had given birth to her so carelessly that no one could remember the exact date of her birth.
Only the year and the season were known.
So Cui Yunchu was equally casual. Every year, on a whim, she would decide on her birthday for that year, then pester Old Madam Cui and Cui Yunfeng for gifts. In the past, Cui Yunfeng would always complain, calling her a money-grubber.
But as they grew older and Cui Yunfeng learned the reason, she would take the initiative to ask, "When are you planning to have your birthday this year? Let me know in advance so I can prepare a gift."
Cui Yunchu smiled faintly. "Maybe I'll just push it to next year and have it together with Grandmother's birthday banquet—then no one will forget."
In truth, it wasn't that she deliberately changed the date every year. Rather, the dates she set were almost always forgotten—even by herself. Because they weren't her real birthday, and no one remembered her fake one anyway.
So later on, she would decide on her birthday at the last minute. That way, she wouldn't forget, wouldn't be disappointed, and would have enough time to prepare for the people around her.
That way, she would be just like Cui Yunfeng and Tang Qingwan.
No one would overlook her.
Cui Yunchu thought this was a pretty good idea.
"But... Prince An's mansion still hasn't sent an invitation. I wonder how Princess An plans to celebrate her birthday this year," Nanny Zhang said, frowning.
There was no way Prince An would skip celebrating Cui Yunfeng's birthday, and Cui Yunfeng would never fail to send an invitation.
Cui Yunchu raised an eyebrow. "Wait a little longer—maybe it's just not our turn yet."
Even without an invitation, Cui Yunchu still had to prepare a birthday gift.
After staying indoors for several days straight, even the sunlight felt unusually harsh.
It was a rare spell of calm, as if the undercurrents from a few days ago had never happened.
Most of the things she had accumulated came from Cui Yunfeng and Tang Qingwan, which wouldn't be appropriate as gifts. So Cui Yunchu decided to take Xing'er out shopping.
Before leaving, she went to the Pine and Crane Courtyard to explain her intentions.
Old Madam Cui had been thinking about Cui Yunfeng's birthday all along, but after hearing Cui Yunchu out, she couldn't help but chuckle. "So, why exactly are you here?"
Of course, she needed money—how else was she supposed to buy anything?
"I have no money," Cui Yunchu said, without a shred of shame.
"Has Prince An's mansion sent you an invitation?" Old Madam Cui asked.
"Well... no," Cui Yunchu replied. If she weren't so thick-skinned, she might have felt a bit awkward.
She wasn't invited and she had no money, but she was still going.
Old Madam Cui gave her a knowing look and gestured to Nanny Li.
"Eldest Miss, this is the household management tally."
Cui Yunchu stared at the tally as if a mountain of gold and silver was waving at her. Her eyes lit up. "Grandmother, are you...?"
"Grandmother is getting old. You're the only young lady left in the household. From now on, the management of the family affairs will be yours."
Cui Yunchu licked her lips but ultimately didn't take it. "Better not—I'm afraid I'd help myself to the family funds."
If the tally fell into her hands, the Cui family might end up worse off than if they'd been raided. Besides, she wasn't skilled at managing household affairs.
It wasn't that she hadn't learned—it was that she should have studied when she was younger but didn't. By the time she had the chance, she had already gone off course. She'd never really put her mind to it. She only knew the basics.
If she managed poorly and ended up losing money, she'd be the one taking the loss. That would be a disaster.
Since Cui Yunchu refused, Old Madam Cui had Nanny Li withdraw some silver for her instead.
"If you're short on money, just come to me. Don't go without."
Nanny Li wanted to say something but stopped herself. Cui Yunchu beamed, her eyes curving into crescents. "Grandmother, could you give me ten thousand taels to buy a few properties?"
Right now, she only had three shops, which she had nagged out of Cui Yunfeng and Tang Qingwan.
Their income? Barely worth mentioning.
...
Old Madam Cui: That was too early to ask.
Nanny Li's mouth twitched, as if she had expected this.
In the end, she didn't get the money. Cui Yunchu took the banknotes and went strolling through the streets with Xing'er.
"Miss, what kind of birthday gift are you planning to buy for Princess An? Should we stop by the jewelry store?"
Cui Yunchu said, "She's rich—she doesn't care about fancy stuff."
She should pick something affordable yet novel and interesting.
Xing'er: ...
In other words, she was being cheap.
The mistress and maid wandered through the market when suddenly someone blocked Cui Yunchu's path. "Eldest Miss Cui, our Dowager requests your presence."
