The next morning, she woke once again to Baian's call. He came bounding in, grinning from ear to ear; his voice was full of excitement as he told her how much fun he had had yesterday with Master Fang and Miss Fang.
Bairan teased him lightly. "So, you were using that smile of yours to win their hearts instead of doing any work?"
She reached out and tapped his cheek with her finger, joking, "You've even grown rounder… perhaps you should just stay with them if they make you so happy, hm?"
Baian wasn't shy around her anymore. He quickly replied, "Yes, they were very good to me, but…" He looked up, hesitated, then continued earnestly, "Bairan-jie, I want to be with you. You said you would take me with you when you found your family. Do you regret it?"
Bairan chuckled softly. "Why would I regret that? Of course, I'll take you with me. As long as you want to stay by my side, I'll always be your jie jie." She touched his shoulder gently. "Don't forget that."
"I won't," Baian grinned, then wondered, "But, Bairan-jie… when are you going to find your family?"
Bairan replied gently, "Soon."
When she went downstairs, the first thing she noticed was Hanyue and Zhouyan sitting at different tables again. Zhouyan ate silently, while Hanyue seemed to be waiting for her.
She thought, Maybe he finds me annoying. Next time, I'll speak less when he's around.
She chose Hanyue 's table, greeted him politely, and sat down.
During the meal, she was unusually quiet. Hanyue , mistaking her silence for worry about her family, said gently, "My men have arranged everything. Your family may arrive here very soon."
Bairan's eyes lit up. "That quick?"
Hanyue poured her a cup of tea. "It wasn't so difficult. Would you like to hear the details?"
She nodded eagerly.
Hanyue started, "One of my men mentioned, in front of the Lin family's servants, that someone had sold a certain kind of hairstick," he continued gently, "When your personal maid overheard, she ran to him in a panic, grabbed his sleeve, and demanded to know where it was. That was enough to make them believe you were here."
Bairan blinked at him, speechless for a moment, then laughed softly.
"What are you laughing at? Did I say something wrong?" Hanyue asked.
She shook her head, still smiling. "No. It's just… your 'detailed' story was so brief."
Hanyue understood at once. He had never been good at storytelling he just tried to repeat what Dongpo told him. He laughed at himself. "I've made a fool of myself in front of Miss Lin. I'm really a poor storyteller."
Still laughing, Bairan said, "No, Master Pei, your storytelling is not so bad, especially if the listener is in a hurry."
Hanyue narrowed his eyes, smiling faintly. "Are you roasting me with sweet words, Miss Bairan?"
She quickly raised her hand, lips curving in denial. "I dare not."
Their laughter rose and fell throughout the meal. Zhouyan's mind wasn't on them at all. Yet each time Bairan lifted her chopsticks, he couldn't help but peek at her, watching what she ate, what she left untouched, unconsciously comparing her habits to Xin Yi's.
Today, Hanyue and Bairan sit near the inn's main door where anyone stepping inside would easily see them.
Suddenly, the sound of hurried footsteps echoed from the inn's entrance. People glanced at them simply. Because the newcomers were women,and their hurried footsteps soon slowed down.
A young woman in a light pink hanfu enters. Her figure was graceful, her face concealed by a veil. Behind her followed two young girls, both around sixteen or seventeen, dressed in plain clothing; they looked like servants.
One of them frowned, scanning the room anxiously as if searching for someone, while the other seemed calmer; her face didn't show much emotion.
The moment their eyes fell on Bairan, one of the girls cried out joyfully, "Young Miss!"
At the same time, the veiled woman's voice trembled. "Ruolan!"
The other girl froze, eyes wide with surprise.
Zhouyan's gaze fixed on Bairan as well.
Bairan looked in their direction. She thought it looked like the Lin family had arrived.
The veiled woman rushed toward her with quick, urgent steps.
Hanyue and Bairan rose on their set.
The woman lifted her veil—revealing a young girl, her features delicate and refined, her porcelain-like skin seeming to glow in the dim light. Her lips, soft and pink, trembled faintly, and her almond-shaped eyes carried a faint resemblance to Bairan's own. She was not as striking as Bairan, yet her gentle beauty held its own quiet charm.
Her eyes brimmed with sorrow and concern as she cried again, her voice unsteady with emotion, "Ruolan… are you all right?"
One of the other girls could no longer hold back her tears. She seized Bairan's hand tightly, sobbing, "Young Miss! You—you nearly frightened me to death! I thought I'd never see you again! Where have you been all this time?"
"Lower your voice, Bao'er," the veiled girl warned quickly.
Through her tears, the girl nodded. "Yes… Miss Ruoyu. I'm sorry."
Bairan stared at them in confusion. She parted her lips to speak, but no words came. Her gaze flickered toward Hanyue as if she were frightened.
Ruoyu's heart sank. Something was wrong. Why did Ruolan look at them as if she hadn't seen them before?
Hanyue 's gentle voice broke the silence as he clasped his hands respectfully toward Ruoyu. "Young Miss, do you know her?" He pointed toward Bairan, who gazed at them with pitiful eyes.
Ruoyu hesitated. Should she be the one to identify her own sister? Trembling, she held Bairan's other hand. "Ruolan, what's wrong with you? Why did he ask if we knew you? Don't you remember us?"
Bairan's heart tightened with sadness. It's not just that I don't remember… I don't know you at all.
Her voice came soft and hesitant. "I'm sorry, young miss…. Are you my relative?"
Ruoyu was stunned. "sister, what happened to you?"
Bairan wanted to respond, but she felt a heavy gaze on her and looked up to meet Zhouyan's eyes, who had been watching her from the beginning, like he was waiting for her answer as well.
Hanyue thought Bairan didn't want to speak with her sister here, so he suggested, "Miss Bairan, why not take them to your room to talk?"
Bairan looked at him and nodded, then gently held Ruoyu's hand, "Let's speak there."
Ruoyu didn't understand anything, but she thought that for their family's reputation it was better to speak somewhere else, so she nodded and went upstairs after her.
Bao'er, with all her mind on Bairan, went after them, but the other servant girl looked back at Hanyue for a second, then went.
Zhouyan didn't look away from Bairan until she could no longer be seen. He was in deep thought, so deep. When Hanyue came to sit on his table; he didn't look like he was aware of it.
Hanyue found it strange; His Highness was so absentminded just now. It's not that he wasn't before, but this time looked somehow different.
What was different? He couldn't tell.
Zhouyan didn't know why he kept looking at her. Did he want to hear she's not Ruolan? But what did this have to do with him?