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Later on the road, the man continued to follow them, seemingly believing that she had feelings for him.
Ju Rong complained that she was attracting trouble, but San Chun did not take it to heart. This was her attachment to her homeland; it had nothing to do with love. The vast space and distant time would not diminish such feelings. Being far away for so long made one feel melancholic, and just when she could finally return home, she felt anxious.
On the way, she learned that the current Madam Ju was not her biological mother. Her mother was actually Princess Shengling of the Chu Kingdom, who had passed away ten years ago. Naturally, she did not know about events from a decade ago; she had only heard from the servants that the princess had died under mysterious circumstances and that she should be more cautious in the future.
The warning came from an elderly servant who had once served the princess and was now attending to Ju Rong.
Although San Chun did not understand his intentions, she felt a weight lift off her heart before entering Yan.
Ju Rong was a diplomat; upon entering Daliang, he needed to first go to Yan Palace to report to the king, so he asked her to return to Shang Daifu Fu first.
San Chun hesitated a bit, but Ju Rong smiled and said, "No need to be reserved; that is your home. My father has already sent word ahead, and your mother will surely arrange everything."
San Chun agreed but still felt a bit anxious; she had no impression of this home at all.
As they rode in the carriage towards Ju Mansion, they saw the bright red lacquered gate from afar.
Getting out of the carriage and looking up, she noticed a black golden nanmu plaque hanging at the top of the gate. It did not bear the name "Ju Mansion," but instead elegantly displayed four characters: "Elegant Family." It was a uniquely exquisite door, with flower carvings in full bloom around the frame, lifelike and refreshing, giving a sense of elegance that matched its name perfectly.
It was said that when Princess Shengling was alive, she could compose poetry and paint; the decorations in the mansion were particularly refined. Yan Xiaowang had also visited Ju Mansion during his lifetime and had bestowed upon it the title of "Elegant Family."
As she stepped up the stairs towards the entrance, just as she reached the door, two doormen stopped her. "Miss, who are you? Where do you wish to go?"
Indeed, true to its name as Elegant Family, their words were quite formal. However, did this mean they were not planning to let her in?
San Chun was surprised. "Did Lord Ju not send word to the mansion?"
A Doorman said, "How could we send a message when our master has not returned from the Qin State?"
She did not believe it. "Do you not know that the Noble Lady is returning today?"
"What Noble Lady? Could it be that you are claiming to be the Noble Lady of Ju Mansion?" The two laughed heartily, not taking her seriously at all.
Ju Rong's old servant rushed over, repeatedly explaining that this was indeed the Noble Lady of Ju Rong, and that the master had sent a message notifying them.
The two Doormen simply did not believe it and laughed, saying, "Weng Lao, are you getting old and confused? How could the master's own daughter be so casually recognized? If you have nothing to do, you should hurry inside. Otherwise, just roll away as far as you can. It would be a great sin to hinder the lady from leaving."
San Chun felt resentful. If Ju Rong sent a message, it must have been delivered. Now they wouldn't even let her through the gate; were they trying to give her a hard time?
The old servant stepped back and asked, "Miss, what should we do?"
What else could she do? She would just stand here and wait until Ju Rong returned before entering. It wouldn’t be good to force her way in.
She had thought about leaving altogether; even if she had to stay at Qing Er's place, it wouldn't be as humiliating as this. But this was her home. If she couldn't even enter her own house, that regret would never be resolved.
The wait felt long, and by the time the sun began to set, Ju Rong's carriage finally returned.
Seeing San Chun standing at the gate, he was greatly surprised. "Why are you here?"
San Chun smiled and replied, "Father has not returned; I dare not enter."
"You are very filial; then come with me," Ju Rong said as he personally took her hand. Naturally, no one dared to stop them, and she smoothly entered the mansion.
When asked where the lady was, the servant replied, "The lady is bedridden and cannot be seen."
Ju Rong was not a fool; he understood the implication behind those words. He smiled and said, "Daughter, go back to your room to rest. I will take care of matters in the household and ensure you are comfortable."
However, the household had not arranged a room for her at all; she had only temporarily moved into a guest room at Ju Rong's request. Although Ju Rong was the master, being a man meant he could not attend to her every need regarding her meals and daily life. He could only instruct the Steward to take good care of her and reminded her not to be too sad, as this would always be her home.
San Chun nodded; after all, she was not her biological mother, so there was no need for her to feel upset over such cold treatment.
As autumn leaves fell, winter gradually approached. Time flew by quickly, and before long it was December 4th; she had been living in the household for quite some time now without any visitors.
News of her return had spread throughout the family. Her siblings, along with Madam Ju, had likely heard about her arrival, yet no one had come to see her for three or four days.
It was bearable during the day, but at night, the cold wind blew open the main door of the residence, causing heavy curtains to flutter like a layer of hazy mist, chilling her heart.
She felt stifled but had no outlet for her emotions. After informing her father, she expressed a desire to go out for a walk.
Ju Rong understood her frustration and immediately agreed, reminding her to return early.
Exiting the residence and walking about five hundred meters along the street led her to a river. A light drizzle fell, creating ripples as it hit the water's surface; the dim early winter sky reflected in the clear river.
She walked along the riverbank for an unknown length of time until she suddenly caught a whiff of delicious food. The aroma seemed particularly enticing when one was hungry.
Just a hundred steps away was an inn.
Having spent several days in the residence, although she had not been treated particularly harshly, the food there was still not as good as what she had at Zhong Xue's place. Moreover, having lived in Chu State for many years, she found that the dishes prepared here were tailored more to Qin State's tastes and did not suit her palate very well. She could hardly swallow even a few bites of each dish.
Feeling tired after wandering around, and suddenly aware of hunger, I stepped into the entrance of a restaurant, planning to find a good spot. My gaze swept over to a table by the window, and I found myself unable to move.
The window was wide open, with bamboo curtains drawn up, allowing a beam of light to enter. A branch of White Plum trembled as it reached into the room, leaning gracefully over the square table. Beside the White Plum was a Bronze Wine Pot, and a young man dressed in a deep blue brocade robe held a porcelain jug, preparing to pour wine. He appeared to be no older than twenty, his head slightly bowed, with sunlight dappling his face. His long eyelashes cast thick shadows beneath his eyes, and his eyebrows arched elegantly above his messy bangs. Below his high nose was a pair of slightly full lips, pink like the petals of a Crabapple Blossom.
His skin was very fair, and his striking black eyes seemed capable of seeing through past lives. His straight nose and rosy lips gave him an air of sweetness when he smiled, like falling feathers, but when silent, he appeared as cold as ice. The contours of his profile were sharp and defined yet retained a certain softness. There was a hint of melancholy in his expression, as if a touch of blue had been added to an otherwise pure and beautiful glaze, evoking both concern and a slight flutter in the heart.
At that moment, he gracefully plucked a flower from the White Plum branch reaching through the window and began to chew on it thoughtfully, savoring its sweetness as if reminiscing about a lover from times gone by.
San Chun seemed to have never seen anyone eat plum blossoms before; she felt an odd sense of familiarity upon seeing him and was curious about the taste of the flower. It felt similar to her first encounters with Zhong Xue or Ji Xun but somehow more intimate.
She walked over but didn’t know what to say or how to start a conversation; she simply sat down across from him and gazed at him intently.
The young man suddenly looked up and smiled gently at her. "It’s Dan Mei."
San Chun momentarily froze; she had intended to ask for his name and why he was alone here or perhaps recite a poem to pique his interest. But now all those rehearsed lines faded away because he recognized her.
He continued, "I’ve already heard from Ju Rong that Dan Mei has returned home; it’s truly delightful news."
He was the first person in days to congratulate her, and San Chun felt a rush of emotion. She couldn’t bring herself to ask something as awkward as “Who are you?” so she simply nodded with a smile.
After exchanging casual pleasantries for a few moments, he stood up to leave. He ordered some dishes for her and settled her bill.
San Chun thanked him and watched him walk out of the restaurant before immediately grabbing a nearby Second Shop worker and asking mysteriously, "Who was that person just now?"
The worker looked at her with an incredulous expression, as if thinking she was quite foolish.
He pushed her hand away. "You two were chatting intimately for quite some time without knowing each other's names; how would anyone else know?"
She thought to herself that it was strange to expect an answer from someone who might not know anything.
That person wasn't completely ignorant either; they told her that the young master would sit briefly at the tavern on the fifteenth of every month. Just for a cup of tea, and then he would leave. This had been the case every month for two years.
Hearing this made her feel a bit melancholic; he was probably waiting for someone.
After finishing her meal, she wiped her mouth and left. A free meal always tasted particularly sweet. It was still raining outside, with a light drizzle falling on her head, giving a cool sensation. She wasn't in a hurry to leave, so she wandered to the plum tree behind the tavern and picked a large branch of white plum blossoms, walking slowly in the rain.
Upon returning to Ju Mansion, she had just entered when she heard a maid report that the madam wanted to see her.
Had it taken four or five days for them to finally remember her? San Chun smiled coldly and took the branch of plum blossoms to meet Madam Ju.
Madam Ju was only in her thirties, with hair cascading down and adorned with a jade hairpin, wearing a skirt that flowed like mist, draped in a light green veil, which accentuated her tall and enchanting figure.
She was Ju Rong's second wife, coming from a noble family. Her personality was somewhat sharp-tongued, but her beauty was captivating enough to mesmerize Ju Rong. Seeing how he had been submissive to his wife these days without asserting her status made it clear that he was both a devoted father and someone who feared his wife.
Sure enough, as soon as she spoke, she got straight to the point, her tone carrying a hint of severity: "Dan, since you have left, why have you returned?"
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