"I wonder who started spouting nonsense in the first place?"
The corners of Shen Qing's mouth lifted in a cold smirk. "Besides, I don't think it's shameful for a woman to work to support herself and her family."
'Although, it's not like her man needs her support anyway.'
With that, she turned and walked into the dormitory, not bothering to say another word to Mu Shuangshuang.
People with different principles simply can't work together. Shen Qing had always been quite detached in her social interactions. If she and someone got along, they'd spend time together; if not, they'd part ways. There was no need to waste excessive energy on such pointless relationships.
Chen Ying frowned slightly, glancing at the increasingly hateful expression on Mu Shuangshuang's face. She quickened her pace to catch up with Shen Qing and whispered, "Shen Qing, you should try not to argue with Mu Shuangshuang in the future. I often hear the women in the village say that few who cross her come to a good end..."
As Chen Ying spoke, her expression was a mixture of discomfort and embarrassment; she was clearly not used to gossiping about people behind their backs.
Shen Qing glanced at her and smiled faintly. "I understand. Thank you for the warning."
Once again, Chen Ying found herself momentarily dazzled by Shen Qing's smile. When this woman smiled, it was as if her whole face lit up. Yet the look in her eyes was different from that of most women. It held an ineffable resilience and confidence, a beauty beyond words.
'I can't help but wonder who was lucky enough to marry such a beautiful woman.'
'If he was just some mediocre, unremarkable man, he really would be unworthy of the woman before me.'
The three of them quickly changed into the standard-issue, powder-blue maid's clothes of the Prime Minister's Mansion and headed for the rear kitchen together.
Mu Shuangshuang had already run off somewhere.
Zhu Yuan was naturally optimistic. By now, she had already forgotten the unpleasant spat with Mu Shuangshuang. As she walked, she said excitedly, "This is the Prime Minister's Mansion, all right! These maid's clothes are prettier than any dress I've ever worn! The fabric feels so soft and smooth, it's so comfortable. I've never worn clothes made of such fine material before!"
Chen Ying, infected by Zhu Yuan's mood, also said excitedly, "And these shoes! I've only ever worn straw or hemp sandals before. The only cloth shoes I ever had were hand-me-downs from my older sister after she wore them out. This is the first time I've ever worn shoes so comfortable, soft, and new!"
Shen Qing walked beside them, listening to them chattering away, and felt a rare sense of relaxation wash over her.
'These maid's clothes... the design was decided back when I was still in the Prime Minister's Mansion.'
'I never imagined that after so many years, after the entire vast Prime Minister's Mansion had been renovated and almost everyone inside was a new face, only these maid's clothes would remain the same as before.'
Just as they were about to reach the rear kitchen, a sudden commotion broke out not far away—
"Quick! The young master ran toward the back gate! Get the young master back!"
"If anything happens to the young master, we'll all be dead when the Lord gets back!"
"Chen Chuan! Hurry and get more people over here to help look!"
The sudden commotion brought the three of them to an abrupt halt. Chen Ying and Zhu Yuan exchanged a stunned glance, and Chen Ying stammered, "The young master they're talking about... it couldn't be Prime Minister Yu's only legitimate son, could it..."
Before the words had even faded, a figure suddenly rounded a corner from a nearby corridor. Upon seeing the three of them, he was clearly taken aback.
Seeing the person before her clearly, Shen Qing's heart gave a violent leap, and an indescribable, bittersweet feeling surged up, impossible to suppress.
It was a boy of about twelve or thirteen, dressed in a white, round-collared robe. His hair was neatly combed into a topknot, secured with a jade coronet. His features were so exquisite they seemed otherworldly, but his still-childish face held a clear trace of unruliness. His thin lips were pressed tightly together, and his black, phoenix-like eyes—identical to Yu Jiuqing's—showed a hint of panic and astonishment.
In the dim twilight, the boy's appearance was like a beam of light, illuminating the small area.
In that instant, it was as if Shen Qing saw the Yu Jiuqing of seventeen years ago step across the long river of time and appear before her once more.
In that brief moment, the commotion from the pursuers grew closer, sounding as if they would appear at any second.
Yu Zihan snapped back to his senses. He glanced back over his shoulder, gritted his teeth, and shot the three women a fierce glare. In a low, vicious voice, he said, "Don't you dare say a word. If you sell me out, don't even think about having an easy time in this mansion!"
With that, he dashed off and hid behind a large tree next to them.
He had barely hidden himself when the group of pursuers ran out from where he had just appeared. They were led by two men in their early twenties. Seeing Shen Qing and the others, one of them—a sturdy man with a steady expression, dressed in a navy-blue, narrow-sleeved robe—stepped forward. He clasped his fist in salute and said, "I am Zhou Hui, the young master's personal guard. Might I ask if the three of you have seen the young master pass through here?"
Chen Ying's and Zhu Yuan's faces were pale and flustered, their lips trembling. They clearly had no idea how to handle the situation.
Shen Qing calmly sized up Zhou Hui, then gave a curtsy and said in a low voice, "Greetings, Guard Zhou. We are new maids who just entered the mansion today, so we have not had the honor of seeing the young master. However, just now, I saw a boy of twelve or thirteen in white robes running frantically toward the back gate. I do not know if that was the young master..."
Zhou Hui paused, somewhat surprised by the woman's calm and composed demeanor.
But with his young master's whereabouts unknown, he had no time to dwell on other matters. He quickly clasped his fist, offered his thanks, and led his men in a rush toward the back gate.
They hadn't gone far when Chen Ying was the first to recover. She unconsciously tugged on Shen Qing's sleeve and stammered, "Sh-Shen Qing, lying to Guard Zhou like that... won't... won't we get in trouble..."
Zhu Yuan was clearly frightened stiff as well, but she always tended to look on the bright side. She opened her mouth and said, "But... but the young master told us not to reveal his location. We were just following the young master's orders..."
Shen Qing, however, had no mind for their panicked state. Once she was sure the group was far away, she looked toward the large tree where Yu Zihan was hiding, pulled her sleeve from Chen Ying's grasp, and slowly walked over.
The boy was indeed still behind the tree. He was sitting on the ground with his knees drawn up, his arms wrapped around his legs. His delicate chin rested on his knees, and his slightly upturned, phoenix-like eyes looked somewhat vacant.
'Was he... spacing out?'
Shen Qing froze. Seeing the unconscious anxiety and confusion on the boy's face, the bittersweet ache and longing in her heart could no longer be suppressed. It burst forth like a breaking dam.
This child, whom she had brought into the world through a near-death ordeal, had been just a little tyke before she left, barely taller than her knees. He had always loved to hug her legs and coax her in his soft, sweet voice.
'How did he get so big in the blink of an eye? He's already grown into a young boy with a mind full of his own thoughts.'
Although the boy was spacing out, he was clearly very alert. The moment Shen Qing walked behind the tree, he snapped out of it, raised his head, and gave her a wary glance.
When his eyes met Shen Qing's, he faltered for a moment.