Torn and hesitant, she wasn’t sure whether to disturb Big Sis’s new life. She worried Tang Jin wasn’t a good match, that Big Sis had leaped from one pit into another…
Until Father left on a trip. Only then did she dare approach slowly. But Father’s letter arrived: he was returning early, and bringing those people.
The ones dangerous to Big Sis.
In her panic, with no safer plan, she resorted to this old keepsake. She hoped it would jog Big Sis’s memory.
Her Big Sis was clever and quick-witted, always more thorough than her. Surely she would know what to do.
Chu Shaoyang poured out the whole story, from their first meeting to their parting ten years ago, then the plea for help.
Chu Lingyue listened quietly, her gaze fixed on the string of gold beads. Memories she had deliberately buried in despair, in her collapse—forgotten on purpose—now surged back, flooding her mind.
“Big Sis, do you remember now?” Chu Shaoyang asked the woman whose face had paled dramatically, her voice cracking with tears.
“Shaoyang, don’t be afraid. You’ve done very well already. Give me time to think on this…” Chu Lingyue soothed her, noting the darkening sky. She returned to the restaurant first, telling Chu Shaoyang to come back tomorrow.
That night, Chu Shaoyang tossed and turned restlessly. At dawn, she itched to rush to the restaurant.
But it only opened for dinner, and Big Sis hadn’t decided yet—stay or go.
She waited impatiently until evening, until the door opened. At last, she saw Chu Lingyue.
Chu Lingyue nodded and headed to the back courtyard to tell Tang Jin: one more pine nut corn.
Once the dishes were served, another guest arrived.
Before Cao Kesang could touch his chopsticks, he greeted the newcomer. “Hey, Shopkeeper Lu! What brings you here?”
It wasn’t a strange question—the man was the proprietor of the Tower Beyond Towers across the street.
He frowned inwardly. What was the big boss of Tower Beyond Towers doing in this little eatery?
Shopkeeper Lu cupped his hands. “Brother Cao, may this humble one invite you for a drink?” Meaning, it was on him.
Cao Kesang was thrilled. More dishes without paying extra? “No need to stand on ceremony, Shopkeeper Lu. Take a seat! Waiter, another Abalone Chicken Wing Stew and a Sweet and Sour Pork.”
In a flash, six dishes had dwindled to one remaining Abalone Chicken Wing Stew.
Unaware of Shopkeeper Lu’s status, Tang Jin smiled and agreed.
Seeing this, Tang Laidi hurried to the back. With the enemy at the gates, how could her sisters still be smiling?
“You’re saying that’s the proprietor of Tower Beyond Towers?” Tang Jin’s heart skipped. He had come right to their door.
Tang Laidi nodded vigorously. “No doubt about it. I saw him twice when I was handling cases there before. Never thought he’d show up so boldly.”
“Better he comes boldly than sneakily. No panic—let’s see what happens.” Tang Jin thought it over and reassured Tang Laidi.
After all, this was the Top Imperial Merchant. Coming openly meant playing by the rules—no need for excessive worry.
Tang Laidi nodded and returned to the front hall, just in time to hear Chu Lingyue say, “Laidi, I need to speak privately with Miss Chu. Sorry to trouble you.”
With that, she and Chu Shaoyang stepped out the door.
Leaving the untouched plate of pine nut corn on the table.
Tang Laidi let out a deep sigh. When it rains, it pours. She still had no idea what Shopkeeper Lu wanted, and now Chu Lingyue had gone out with her little sister’s romantic rival.
What a rotten day!
At the dinner table, Cao Kesang raised his cup to toast Shopkeeper Lu, downed the wine in one gulp, and then dug into the dishes without a second thought.
Shopkeeper Lu, by contrast, took his time. He gave the food a careful look before picking up his chopsticks.
The abalone chicken wing stew was rich and flavorful, its sauce thick and savory. The spicy chicken gleamed with a reddish-brown sheen, its bite whetting the appetite. The pot-wrapped meat crunched crisply with every bite, bursting with sweet-and-sour delight.
Just as the kitchen maid had boasted, the little restaurant’s dishes were every bit as good as those at Tower Beyond Towers—perfect in color, aroma, and taste, true delicacies.
This trip hadn’t been wasted. His chance to shine had finally arrived.
Meanwhile, Chu Shaoyang led Chu Lingyue into a teahouse and requested a private room.
“Sister, have you made up your mind? Are you staying or leaving?” Chu Shaoyang asked as soon as they stepped inside. It was the question burning in her heart. Her father and the others would return the day after tomorrow; there was no time to waste.
Chu Lingyue smiled at her. “Shaoyang, I plan to stay.” If she left, where could a lone woman like her go?
She couldn’t hide from her family forever. Problems had to be solved, not run from indefinitely.
Chu Shaoyang shook her head. “Sister, you should still go. I have money. Father and the rest won’t be back until the day after tomorrow. I can sneak you out of Ping’an County.”
Chu Lingyue shook her head. “Shaoyang, I need to learn to stand on my own two feet. You can’t keep living in fear for my sake.”
Hearing that, Chu Shaoyang’s eyes reddened. “Don’t say that, Sister. Ten years ago, Father and I left the Imperial Capital penniless. You secretly gave us traveling money and a golden pearl. Without you, we wouldn’t have what we have today. Now that you’re in trouble, how can I stand by and do nothing?”
Chu Lingyue still shook her head. “Shaoyang, I’m married now. Their plans have fallen through. All I want from here on is a peaceful life.”
But a peaceful life required dealing with the threats from her family.
A year ago, in a moment of desperation, she had fled home. Now, by some twist of fate, she had married Tang Jin. It was time to settle things with her past once and for all.
Chu Shaoyang fell silent. She knew her sister was right, but she was afraid.
Parental orders could not be defied.
With her father away, she could call the shots and help her sister.
But once he returned, she wasn’t sure if she could protect her anymore. If those people insisted on dragging her sister back, Chu Shaoyang feared she would be powerless to stop them.
Seeing her silence, Chu Lingyue softened her voice. “Don’t worry, Shaoyang. If I can’t handle it, I’ll come to you. For now, I want to try.”
Chu Shaoyang swallowed her worries. “But Tang Jin isn’t a good person. You know how she feels about me…”
“I know everything. You said it yourself—that was the past. She’s good to me now.” Chu Lingyue met Chu Shaoyang’s gaze, her own eyes calm and steady.
Chu Shaoyang bit her lip but finally held her tongue.
“I’ll walk you back, Sister.”
“You go ahead. I want to sit here alone for a while.”
The street outside buzzed with noise, but the private room was eerily quiet.
Chu Lingyue sat motionless for a long time before slowly raising a hand to her cheek, feeling the tears there.
So, she could still cry. She could still feel wronged, still feel sad…
By the time she returned to the restaurant, the guests had all left.
Tang Jin studied her expression, and her heart inexplicably skipped a beat. Yesterday it had been Chu Shaoyang crying; today it was Chu Lingyue. Were these two playing pass-the-tears?
One finishes crying, and it’s the other’s turn.
Since Chu Shaoyang had ordered dishes but left without touching them or paying, Tang Jin brought out the unsold abalone chicken wing stew from that day, pairing it with a plate of pine nut corn for dinner.
Otherwise, three meals of century egg lean meat congee a day might just make her lose her appetite entirely.
The corn was sweet and crisp, but it did nothing to ease the bitterness in Chu Lingyue’s heart.
She took a few small bites, set down her chopsticks, declared herself full, and left the dining hall alone.
Tang Jin glanced at her retreating back twice before turning back to her food.
But no sooner had she picked up a morsel than someone rapped her hand sharply with chopsticks—twice.
“Hiss! That hurts! Grandmother, why hit my hand?” It was already red.
Old Madam Tang shot her a glare, her face dark. “For being so heartless and pig-headed, stuffing your face when you should be checking on her.”
Couldn’t she see Chu Lingyue’s eyes were red? She must have been upset by whatever happened during her outing with that Miss Chu.
The unlucky granddaughter had no idea how to care for her wife. Eat, eat, eat—what was there to eat about right now? This was the time to go comfort her spouse.
Tang Jin opened her mouth, but under her grandmother’s threatening stare, she sighed and stood up helplessly.
Life was so hard. She might not be called Laidi, but in this household, she was definitely at the bottom of the pecking order.
Only once Tang Jin had dutifully gone after Chu Lingyue did Old Madam Tang’s expression soften. “Eat up, Laidi. Never mind those two lovebirds.”
Tang Laidi nodded vigorously. Truth be told, she was dying to know what had happened, but she couldn’t exactly tag along. Sigh—no gossip for her, and even the food tasted less appealing now.
In the back courtyard, Tang Jin entered the room but found it empty. After a moment’s thought, she headed to the kitchen. Chu Lingyue had a key too, and sure enough, the lock was undone.
“Wife, are you in there?”
She knocked on the door. The kitchen went quiet for a beat before footsteps sounded inside.
Chu Lingyue opened the door, her figure shrouded in shadow. “A-Jin, what is it?”
Tang Jin slipped right inside. “Pitch black like this, and you didn’t even light a candle?”
As she spoke, she pulled out a fire starter and headed for the table where the candles sat.
“A-Jin, don’t light the candle, all right?” Behind her, Chu Lingyue’s voice was soft and hoarse.
Tang Jin paused and turned around. “Sure, the moonlight’s bright enough anyway.”
With that, Chu Lingyue shut the door, cutting off the light from outside. Darkness swallowed the room completely.
