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Chapter 347: Reunion (I)
Qin Huaiyuan was much thinner, and his bearded cheeks had sunken in. However, his aura was even more self-possessed and sharper than before. The edge between his brows was impossible to ignore even when he was in a merry mood.
Qin Yining knew that her father must’ve experienced a great deal in the outside world during this time.
A smile softened the face of the former marquis when he saw his daughter run out, hem in hand. He clapped his beloved child’s shoulder with a grin. “I knew you’d be safe and sound.”
Qin Yining beamed back at him. “Father, have you been well? How about my mother?”
“Your mother’s right behind me.” Qin Huaiyuan smiled.
The old dowager came speeding over, flanked by the second madame and Qin-mama.
“Meng’er! Oh my Meng’er! You’ve finally come back! Why did you vanish without a word? You were going to be the death of your poor mother!” The Qin matriarch pounced with a wail and hugged Qin Huaiyuan tightly, sobbing without stop and bringing tears to the eyes of onlookers.
He immediately knelt in front of the old dowager and also responded in a slightly shaking voice. “Mother, it’s all your unfilial son’s fault. I made you worry. You can hit me or curse at me, but please don’t hurt yourself with crying too much.”
The old dowager shook her head repeatedly, beside herself with weeping. She was hugging her son so tightly that she couldn’t say a single word.
A faint smile crossed Qin Yining’s face to see the scene of reunion. She quickly turned around when she thought of nĂ©e Sun.
Stepping just outside the small yard brought to her the sight of née Sun wrapped in a thick cloak with a large collar. She was walking side-by-side with Cao Yuqing, followed by Jin-mama and two unfamiliar maids. All of them were carrying large bundles.
“Mother!” The girl yelled and charged up to the madame for a bear hug. “Mother! You’re back!”
NĂ©e Sun ardently returned the hug, her voice choked up as well. “I’m back, I’m back. I’ve been worried about you all this time, but your father said that with your smarts, you were sure to land on your feet. He hasn’t lied to me alright! You’re hale and hearty.”
“What could’ve happened to me, mother?? I was worried about you!” Qin Yining pulled on nĂ©e Sun’s arm for a close once-over, scrutinizing her incredibly carefully to see if even a hair had been lost.
That sent Jin-mama into chuckles. “Don’t worry, fourth miss, the madame’s been very good these days.”
Qin Yining nodded and then turned to Cao Yuqing. She flashed a dazzling smile. “Thank you so much, Auntie Cao!”
Cao Yuqing had been quietly standing off to the side, watching mother and daughter be reunited. Some traces of loneliness and dismalness had stolen into her heart, so she was flattered by the attention when the Qin fourth miss addressed her in thanks.
“You don’t need to thank me, fourth miss. I was just doing what I was supposed to.” Cao Yuqing smiled gently, her beauty eclipsing everything in her radius.
The girl shook her head at that response. “No matter what your reasons were, you gave everything you had that day to save my mother and father. I saw everything. If it wasn’t for you, my parents would’ve ended up in grave peril.”
Her cheeks pink, Cao Yuqing shook her head. “You praise me too highly, fourth miss.”
NĂ©e Sun interjected at this time. “You’re worthy of these thanks. If it hadn’t been for you and your men during this time, we wouldn’t have remained safe at all.”
Cao Yuqing smiled happily. “The madame is treating me like an outsider with these words.”
Qin Yining breathed in relief to see that nĂ©e Sun didn’t bear as much hostility to Cao Yuqing as before, and that the concubine was also very respectful to the madame.
Father would never cast Cao Yuqing aside. Ignoring the concubine’s feelings for the lord of the house, she had saved him multiple times already. The debt from this was insurmountable, to say nothing of how the Silver Masks were in Qin Huaiyuan’s employ now.
There were hundreds and thousands of tendrils tying to the two together. It wouldn’t be a simple and easy stroke to cut them apart.
Since life demanded that they associate with each other, it was preferable to spend the days together amiably than in hot anger or cutting sarcasm. They weren’t in Great Yan anymore. A family had to stick together so that unsavory sorts wouldn’t have an opening.
It seemed that her mother had changed a lot too during this trial.
Qin Yining and Cao Yuqing flanked née Sun back to the Qin house. Coincidentally, the door to the house on the right opened. Lu-gonggong stuck a head out, addressing Qin Yining in a delighted whisper when he saw the girl.
“Miss Qin, has something good happened in your family? Has Grand Preceptor Qin been found?”
The girl affirmed with a jovial nod. “Yes, my mother and father have finally come back.”
Halfsies!