Chapter 474: Chapter 475: Head-to-Head
Yun Jinnian smiled silently, leading Shi Jiayu to Qiyue Academy.
"The Fourth Miss has returned!"
Mrs. Han, hearing this, hurried out to welcome them, and when she saw Yun Jinnian, she smiled through her tears, "Jinnian..."
"Mother, I’m back!" said Yun Jinnian.
She let Mrs. Han embrace her tightly.
"It’s good that you’re back, it’s good that you’re back. And Tianci?"
"Tianci went back to the Han Family first!"
"Going back to the Han Family is good. You’ve had a hard journey, come drink some water and have something to eat at my place first, all right?"
"All right!"
Yun Jinnian willingly agreed.
On this trip back, Yun Jinnian had indeed changed.
The corners of her eyes and brows now lacked desolation and showed more conformity and gentleness, making her already stunning beauty even more exquisite and peerless.
Mrs. Han sent Bai Que to inform the old Madam Yun.
"Though we despise each other, you are the younger generation, and we still ought to inform her of your return. Freshen up before going over to pay your respects. If she doesn’t let you go, then it has nothing to do with you!" Mrs. Han explained.
"Yes, Mother, I’ll do as you say!"
It didn’t matter to her whether she went or not. After everything she had experienced, the old Madam Yun simply did not matter to her anymore.
She could overlook past incidents, but if she were provoked in the future, she would not hold back.
In the garden,
Upon learning of Yun Jinnian’s return, old Madam Yun’s brow furrowed, her eyes and brows unable to hide her disdain, yet she said, "She must be tired from the journey. Tell her there’s no need to come over and pay her respects; let her freshen up and rest well!"
"The old Madam truly is benevolent!"
"Indeed, indeed!"
Old Madam Yun was pleased with the flattery, unaware of the severe mockery and disdain from everyone else.
The ones who knew what kind of person she was just smiled, while those who came today held lower official positions than Yun Qi and Yun Chen. The higher-ups and prestigious families were hardly present, with one exception—the Wang family.
And as for the motives of the Wang family, everyone was well aware, and thus left unspoken.
Upon hearing of Yun Jinnian’s return, Yun Qi was overjoyed and hurried to Qiyue Academy. Yun Jinnian was eating, while Hemei, Henuan, and Shi Jiayu had also gone down to eat.
"Jinnian..."
As Yun Qi entered Qiyue Academy, he called out softly but then looked towards Mrs. Han.
It had been over three months since he last saw Mrs. Han. He wanted to visit Qiyue Academy, but Mrs. Han was not willing to see him and did not allow it. Even when he did visit, she never treated him kindly.
Even though his concubines were accomplished in music, chess, calligraphy, painting, and literary arts, capable of adding fragrance to his red sleeves, gradually, he stopped coming.
Today was an excuse to see Yun Jinnian to enter Qiyue Academy.
Mrs. Han, as serene as water like always, now looked at Yun Jinnian with a touch of warmth and kindness.
Yun Jinnian put down her chopsticks, stood up, and curtsied towards Yun Qi, "I’ve seen Father, congratulations on gaining a unicorn child!"
And all at once, he had gained three.
The concubine Rou had given birth to one, while concubine Lian had given birth to twins; indeed, it was a cause for congratulations.
Yun Qi’s smile froze on his face. He staggered back several steps, his smile slowly fading to a pale grimace, "Good, good, you’ve indeed sided with your mother, heartless and unfeeling, truly starting to hate me!"
"Father worries too much. I do not hate Father!"
Why hate an insignificant person?
Besides, even if she did hate him, it would be justified.
The years of neglect and indifference had made her life worse than death, suffering agonies from heaven to hell—all because of him.
Perhaps, he hated her too. If not for her birth, there wouldn’t have been the concubines Su and Hua. So it was a clean slate—neither should harbor hate towards the other, nor bother with one another. Living separately was for the best.
"You say you don’t hate me, but I do hate you!" Yun Qi suddenly spoke, his face twisted.
"Yun Qi!" Mrs. Han shouted in rebuke.