Chapter 95

Thanks to half a month of Zhenzhen’s “meticulous” care, Ling Xiulan’s peonies had all blossomed into brilliant blooms. Not only were there purple-spotted peonies, but also multicolored varieties in red, yellow, purple, and blue. At a glance, they exuded opulence and elegance, truly national beauties.

Because the old Ling family residence was hosting relatives and friends today for a birthday celebration, Xi Changbo and Ling Xiulan had brought the peonies over early in the morning. As soon as the auspiciously symbolic pots of peonies were moved into the house, Old Madam Xi came out wearing her reading glasses, face alight with delight she could barely contain. “You actually managed to grow them?” she exclaimed, hastily making way. “Quick, get them inside, don’t let the cold ruin my flowers.”

Ling Xiulan was also worried that another chill might spoil the blooms, so she quickly instructed people to move all the pots in at once. Old Madam Xi didn’t even bother with breakfast as she directed Xi Changbo to arrange the pots. She had him move them three or four times before she was finally satisfied.

Seeing his mother so entranced by the peonies that she didn’t even want to move, Xi Changbo urged, “Mom, go eat and change your clothes. Guests will be arriving soon.”

“Mmm, mmm.” Old Madam Xi nodded perfunctorily, eyes reluctant to leave the flowers. It wasn’t until Old Master Xi came downstairs to urge her that she reluctantly went back to her room. After hurriedly eating breakfast, changing clothes, and fixing her hair, she rushed back to the main hall to sit and keep watch. In this bitterly cold twelfth lunar month, blooming peonies were a rare treasure—she had to guard them well.

Just after 8:30, Xi Changbo’s siblings arrived with their children. As soon as his younger sister Xi Sumei walked in and saw the room full of peonies, her expression turned noticeably sour. Ling Xiulan, who had long suspected her, was watching her closely. The change in her expression confirmed it—she was the one behind the sabotage.

Ling Xiulan had always been upright and straightforward and hated petty scheming the most. She really couldn’t understand—if her sister-in-law had a problem with her, why not just say it? Why mess with the flowers meant for their elder? Their mother-in-law had loved peonies her entire life. How happy must she be to see them bloom on her birthday? This woman even tried to ruin her own mother’s birthday—Ling Xiulan truly wanted to pry open her skull and see if it was filled with glue.

Today was a joyous day for her mother-in-law, and Ling Xiulan didn’t want to bring up unpleasant matters. She merely gave Xi Sumei a cold glance and then turned away. Feeling her sister-in-law’s gaze, Xi Sumei flinched and instinctively looked away, but a moment later, seemingly recalling something, she glared back defiantly.

To someone like that, Ling Xiulan had just one thing to say: Mentally ill!

Noticing his wife’s breathing had grown a bit rough, Xi Changbo turned to glance at her and whispered something in her ear. Ling Xiulan shook her head, and the couple exchanged a quiet smile before both turned to chat with Old Madam Xi.

Seeing her third brother didn’t even spare her a glance, Xi Sumei felt both wronged and angry. She was convinced Ling Xiulan had spoken ill of her behind her back. Xi Changbo had two older brothers, an elder sister, and one younger sister. Among the siblings, he was the best-looking, graceful in manner, and well-raised. Since childhood, Xi Sumei had liked to cling to him. Having such a handsome brother made her popular among her peers, many of whom tried to cozy up to her hoping to get close to him, which gave her a sense of pride.

But Xi Changbo preferred the company of his older siblings. Their interactions were respectful yet intimate, and they always supported each other in times of difficulty. Xi Sumei, however, was the odd one out. As the youngest, she had been indulged growing up, but when the time came for her to learn humility and consideration, she refused. She always wanted others to treat her well but never considered anyone else. Once the family noticed this flaw, they stopped shielding her. They didn’t spare the lectures or guidance, but she was stubborn and unyielding. Even as a boy, Xi Changbo had found it strange—why was his little sister the only one who didn’t learn?

By the time Xi Sumei was 18 or 19, Xi Changbo was in his early twenties—tall, handsome, and dignified. Xi Sumei liked hovering around him, often bringing her girlfriends home to show off her attractive brother and boost her own status. But a man in his twenties could easily see through her tricks. He humored her once or twice, but after that, he began avoiding her altogether.

It was around then that Ling Xiulan entered Xi Changbo’s life, and he fell in love at first sight, launching an ardent pursuit. Xi Sumei’s friends, after several fruitless visits, grew unhappy, and the embarrassed Xi Sumei threw a fit when her brother returned home, demanding he take her and her friends shopping on the weekend.

Xi Changbo lost his temper and scolded her harshly. Their parents, hearing the commotion, also reprimanded her. A few days later, Xi Sumei’s friends saw Xi Changbo and Ling Xiulan together in the park and exaggerated what they saw. From that moment on, Xi Sumei began to hate Ling Xiulan, believing she was the reason her brother ignored her and her friends distanced themselves.

That kind of reasoning clearly came from the mind of a brainless teen. The first time Ling Xiulan visited the Xi family and saw this wailing and tantrum-throwing girl, she mentally filed her away as unstable. Tired of Xi Sumei’s antics and ready to marry Ling Xiulan, Xi Changbo bought a new home and moved out.

Even at the wedding, Xi Sumei caused a scene and had to be physically carried out by her siblings. Afterward, the couple lived alone. A few months later, Xi Changbo was sent to work in France, finally putting real distance between himself and his sister.

Years later, when he was forced to return to China, Xi Sumei had already married and moved to a remote region with her husband. When the political upheaval ended, she returned to the capital. But the hardships hadn’t matured her—she’d only grown more bitter and petty. Upon seeing that Ling Xiulan lived in a siheyuan courtyard house, her envy nearly drove her mad. She felt that all the money her brother had made had been taken advantage of by Ling Xiulan. Her words practically implied that the house should be hers instead, her sour attitude so intense that Ling Xiulan simply stopped bothering with her.

Half a month ago, Xi Sumei showed up out of the blue with her daughter, saying they’d been out shopping and needed to rest. With Old Madam Xi’s birthday coming up, Ling Xiulan didn’t have the heart to drive them out. To her surprise, Xi Sumei sat for a while and then left without making any trouble. But her daughter, Shang Qingran, pouted and insisted on staying. She reminded Ling Xiulan of how Xi Sumei had acted when she was young.

At sixteen or seventeen, Ling Xiulan didn’t feel the need to be overly cautious with her. After dinner, she sent her to the embroidery loft in the garden and went back. Later, seeing the eight peony pots frostbitten and wilted, and thinking of the girl who had seemed so innocent—Ling Xiulan felt a chill. That girl had gone out in the dead of night to do such a thing and showed no sign of guilt the next morning. Her scheming was far more advanced than her mother’s.

Shang Qingran, catching her mother’s glance, followed it to meet Ling Xiulan’s eyes. Ling Xiulan looked at her with a slight frown. The girl merely smiled faintly and turned away, as if to say: Oh, so you figured it out. Yet her face showed no trace of remorse or fear.

Ling Xiulan’s heart turned cold. She slowly tightened her grip on Xi Changbo’s hand. Noticing her distress, he followed her gaze to Shang Qingran. Though he looked gentle, years of experience had sharpened him. A single calm glance was enough to make Shang Qingran flinch and scurry toward Old Madam Xi.

Xi Changbo also realized that his wife’s peony incident had something to do with his sister and niece. But without evidence, there was no way to bring it up—doing so would only make them look bad. He gently pressed Ling Xiulan’s hand and whispered, “It’s alright. I’m here. I’ll tell her she’s not welcome in our home anymore.”

With a dependable husband by her side, Ling Xiulan finally felt some relief. She stopped dwelling on her sister-in-law and decided to take the chance to quietly tell Old Madam Xi about Zhenzhen.

She walked over to the old lady, who was admiring the flowers. “Mom, are you tired? I’ll pour you a cup of honey water.”

“I’m not tired,” Old Madam Xi replied cheerfully. “Let me tell you, seeing these beautiful flowers, I feel sweet inside even without eating or drinking. Xiulan, how did you do it? To grow such lovely blossoms in the middle of winter—how thoughtful you are!”

Ling Xiulan gave a bitter smile. “Please don’t bring it up. I almost couldn’t face you.”

“What happened?” the old lady finally looked away from the flowers and turned her gaze to Ling Xiulan.

Ling Xiulan handed the elderly lady a cup of honey water and said, “Half a month ago, these peonies were full of buds, but who knew they’d suddenly wither overnight? The buds turned black and limp—looked like they wouldn’t survive. Luckily, Junjie’s girlfriend knows about flowers. She took all eight pots home and tended to them carefully for over ten days. That’s how we got such beautiful peonies. To tell you the truth, I just brought them back last night, worried something might go wrong if I left them at my place any longer.”

At the mention of Xi Junjie’s girlfriend, everyone’s attention shifted from the peonies. Ling Xiulan’s sisters-in-law were all surprised and immediately asked, “Junjie has a girlfriend? Whose daughter is she?” “That boy has always had high standards. What kind of girl could he possibly like?” “What does she look like? Is she coming today?”

Thinking of Zhenzhen, Ling Xiulan broke into a beaming smile. “She’s Junjie’s classmate. He picked her himself, and I really like that girl too. They’ll be here soon.”

“She’s his classmate? So, is she local?” Xi Sumei was visibly displeased upon hearing that her most handsome nephew now had a girlfriend. It reminded her of when she found out Xi Changbo was dating Ling Xiulan—it left her with the same bitter taste. Especially after hearing that the nearly-dead flowers were rescued by that girl, a flicker of disdain flashed across her face.

Ling Xiulan hadn’t intended to respond to her, but seeing that the elderly matron looked curious, she explained, “Her hometown is a small town in Lincheng, Heilongjiang. But her uncle lives in the capital, so when she got into university, her whole family moved here…”

Before she could finish, Xi Sumei laughed exaggeratedly with a hand over her mouth. “I thought she was some kind of fairy, but turns out she’s a country bumpkin from the sticks. Oh dear, third sister-in-law, back when my brother picked his partner, it was already a mess—but Junjie’s the most promising kid in our family. He can’t end up making the same blind choice.”

That one line turned the whole room grim. Xi Sumei had intended to mock Ling Xiulan, but with no filter on her tongue, she ended up offending everyone. Especially the two other sisters-in-law—her words belittled their children too, and they were practically glaring daggers at her. Junjie’s cousins may have missed their window to go to college, but they were all doing quite well in their own fields. Xi Sumei’s comment was an insult across the board.

Still, she seemed unaware, even slightly smug as she looked at Ling Xiulan, though it wasn’t clear what she was so proud of. Ling Xiulan hadn’t spoken yet, but Old Lady Xi’s expression darkened immediately. Xi Sumei, thinking her mother was upset about Junjie dating a rural girl, leaned over and rolled her eyes at Ling Xiulan, saying, “Mom, look at her—”

“Shut your mouth,” Old Lady Xi snapped, her face turning black with anger.

“Mom…” Xi Sumei stumbled back in panic, confused about why her mother was angry.

Old Lady Xi looked at her youngest daughter with a mix of sorrow and regret. She’d been a bit spoiled but clever as a child, but as she grew up, she became increasingly selfish and unreasonable, losing what little charm she had. After years of being sent away following her marriage, she came back a shrew.

Today was her eightieth birthday—no time to be upset. She closed her eyes and took a deep breath to calm herself down. “If you want me to be happy today, shut that foul mouth of yours and speak less.” Xi Sumei pouted, casting a resentful glance at Ling Xiulan but said nothing more.

Peace didn’t last long before guests began to arrive. The family quickly put aside the earlier awkwardness and greeted everyone with warm smiles. Upon entering, the first thing guests noticed was the magnificent display of peonies in the hall. Some thought they were fake and touched them in disbelief, only to realize they were fresh, dewy blossoms.

“Oh my, where did you get peonies in this freezing weather?”

Old Lady Xi smiled and pointed at Ling Xiulan. “My youngest daughter-in-law raised them specially.”

The guests immediately praised her for her thoughtfulness and filial piety. Ling Xiulan laughed modestly while sneaking a glance at the clock on the wall. Junjie and Zhenzhen still weren’t here?

Just as she was thinking of stepping out to check, a child from a relative’s family shouted, “Brother Junjie is here!”

Ling Xiulan quickly turned around. Through the spotless glass window, she saw Xi Junjie carrying a red cloth bundle. Whatever was inside looked round and bulky, like a pot. Zhenzhen stood beside him holding a scroll and a wooden box.

Seeing their hands full, someone quickly opened the door for them.

They entered with smiles. Xi Junjie bowed and greeted, “Wishing Grandma blessings as boundless as the Eastern Sea and a life as long as the Southern Mountains.” Zhenzhen immediately followed, “May the sun and moon shine bright, and may you live with the vitality of pines and cranes.”

Old Lady Xi couldn’t stop smiling. She put on her reading glasses and looked at Zhenzhen. “Junjie, is this your girlfriend? What’s her name?”

Xi Junjie smiled and glanced at Zhenzhen. “Grandma, her name is Li Mingzhen. Her nickname is Zhenzhen.”

“Zhenzhen, what a lovely name.” Old Lady Xi nodded. Zhenzhen smiled sweetly and said, “It’s my first time meeting Grandma. I brought some specialties from my hometown and a painting I did myself.”

Before Old Lady Xi could respond, Xi Sumei suddenly let out a snort. “No wonder—only a bumpkin would bring such rustic gifts.” She looked at Zhenzhen with disdain and then, boasting, added, “Our Ranran gave her grandmother a wool blanket—pure wool, excellent quality!”

Zhenzhen blinked and glanced at Xi Junjie, who quickly whispered in her ear, “That’s my aunt.”

Zhenzhen understood instantly—so this was the one who nearly killed the peonies. Thinking about what she’d done, Zhenzhen figured she was just stupid, so she ignored her and set her gifts aside.

The guests at the banquet were all close relatives and friends, many of whom knew about Xi Sumei’s character. Even so, Old Lady Xi felt a bit embarrassed. She ignored her daughter completely and smiled at Zhenzhen. “I heard from Junjie’s mother that your hometown is in Lincheng, Heilongjiang. Forest towns are lovely—full of life and good people. No wonder you’re such a charming girl.”

“Exactly,” said Junjie’s eldest aunt with a chuckle. “I always said Junjie has high standards. Any girl he likes must be exceptional.” As she spoke, she shot a glance at Xi Sumei, feeling quite satisfied.

Everyone turned to look at Zhenzhen—her fair, dewy skin, long, glossy black hair, bright crescent-shaped eyes, and sweet smile made them wonder how Xi Sumei could have called her a bumpkin. Did she not feel the slap on her face?

Thinking of how her youngest daughter had just insulted the girl’s gift, Old Lady Xi knew she had to praise Zhenzhen in front of everyone. If the girl got upset and broke up with Junjie over this, she couldn’t afford to lose such a lovely match.

She knew Junjie very well—his standards were high, and he wasn’t easily impressed. Seeing how softly he smiled at Zhenzhen, she was certain her grandson had truly fallen in love.

“What kind of painting did you bring me?” Old Lady Xi asked kindly. “Can I take a look?”

Xi Junjie, already familiar with Zhenzhen’s talent, eagerly unrolled the scroll. The guests around them gasped in admiration. Now he finally understood why Grandma Li and Li Muwu always showed off Zhenzhen’s work—it felt amazing to see everyone so amazed!

Zhenzhen’s painting, “Peonies with Turtles and Cranes,” earned three loud praises from Old Lady Xi. She looked at the wall and pointed at the painting already hanging there. “Junjie, take that one down and hang Zhenzhen’s painting. I love this piece—the meaning is excellent, and it has the touch of a master.”

Zhenzhen’s work was outstanding, and with Old Lady Xi’s open admiration, compliments filled the room. Even after Junjie finished hanging the painting, people continued to praise it. Ling Xiulan was grinning ear to ear as everyone sang the praises of her future daughter-in-law.

But Xi Sumei couldn’t stand to see others doing well—especially not Ling Xiulan’s daughter-in-law, who in her eyes was practically a class enemy.

“It’s not like she bought it. What’s so great about it?” she muttered bitterly. Then she spotted the red cloth bundle Junjie had brought in. It was placed upside down, and its round shape made it impossible to guess what was inside. Xi Sumei sneered and asked mockingly, “What’s that? Don’t tell me you brought a pot?”

Zhenzhen was exasperated and couldn’t even be bothered to respond. She glanced at Xi Sumei, wondering what was wrong with her—wasn’t this her own mother’s birthday? Why was she so determined to cause trouble?

Old Lady Xi looked at the bundle but couldn’t guess what was inside either. She quickly said, “Whatever the gift is, it’s the kids’ thought that counts—and I love it all.”

Zhenzhen saw how lively and impulsive Xi Sumei was, and was more than happy to help Ling Xiulan slap her in the face. She smiled and said, “These are just some local mountain goods I picked back home…”

Sure enough, before she even finished speaking, Xi Sumei’s mocking laughter rang out. “Did you really haul some dirt clod all the way over from the mountains? Just don’t dirty our floor.”

“It seems Auntie has forgotten—this is the Xi family. Once Zhenzhen and I get married, she’ll be part of this family too.” Xi Junjie smiled faintly, instantly making Xi Sumei’s face pale.

Back then, Xi Sumei had insisted on marrying Shang Zhicheng, even against the family’s opposition, and had made bold declarations about no longer being part of the Xi family. But she hadn’t expected the Shang family to be far less powerful than she imagined. Instead, they were constantly currying favor and being sycophantic, which made the Xi patriarch look down on Shang Zhicheng’s father. During the political movements, no one was willing to back the Shang family, who seemed opportunistic. Shang Zhicheng ended up being sent to the frontier with his wife and children. Now that they’re back, he’s just a factory worker, a far cry from Xi Sumei’s siblings.

With one sentence, Xi Junjie ripped open the scar Xi Sumei had been desperately trying to hide. Her face went white and she took a step back. Shang Qingran gave her a subtle push from behind, and Xi Sumei suddenly regained her fighting spirit. For the sake of her daughter’s future, she had to suppress everyone else. If her daughter could become the old lady’s favorite, she would have a reason to move back into the Xi family.

Zhenzhen didn’t pay any attention to what Xi Sumei was thinking. She simply untied the knot in the cloth bundle. The fabric slipped off, revealing a lingzhi mushroom larger than a washbasin.

In an instant, everyone could hear the sound of their own gulping.

Zhenzhen smiled a little awkwardly. “I picked it myself in the mountains. Hope you don’t mind.”

“Oh my, this child really knows how to speak,” a group of people said with twitching eyebrows and mocking eyes as they looked at Xi Sumei. “This thing is worth far more than some wool blanket. Who knows, maybe that blanket even had ‘Second Bicycle Factory’ printed on it or something.” (The Second Bicycle Factory was where Xi Sumei’s husband worked.)

Zhenzhen turned the lingzhi over and carried it to Old Madam Xi. “I often see hundred-year-old lingzhi in the mountains, but what’s rare is that this one has a pattern that looks like the character for ‘longevity’ on it.”

Old Madam Xi quickly put on her reading glasses and peered closely. Sure enough, the character was clearly visible. She exclaimed in delight, “It really does have a character on it! Come, everyone, look!”

Everyone crowded around curiously, chattering away: “There really is a character!” “How does something like this even grow?” “This is amazing!” “Junjie, where exactly is your fiancée from? I want to go have a look too, maybe I’ll pick a lingzhi and bring it back. Didn’t you hear her say it’s common?”

All the commotion made Old Madam Xi feel a headache coming on. She covered the lingzhi with her hand to stop them from touching it. “Enough, enough, take a look and be done with it. Don’t break it.”

At that, her younger sister laughed, “That thing’s so big it wouldn’t even break if you dropped it. And you won’t let us touch it? Stingy.”

Old Madam Xi shot her a proud look. “So what if I’m stingy? It was a gift from my future granddaughter-in-law.”

“Oh wow, having a future granddaughter-in-law makes you all high and mighty.” Everyone laughed and went back to their seats. Old Madam Xi turned to Zhenzhen a little sheepishly. “This is your first time visiting, and I didn’t prepare anything for you, yet you’re giving me such a valuable gift. You should really take it back and let your elders keep it.”

“We have more at home.” Zhenzhen quickly waved her hand. “Back in Heilongjiang, we’ve seen so many of these that they’re not even rare. My grandma drinks water boiled with it every day. If you want to make tea with it, just use a hammer and chip off a piece.”

Old Madam Xi’s mouth twitched. “I wouldn’t dare boil it. I’m keeping it as a family treasure.”

“Then store it properly.” Zhenzhen smiled and handed her a wooden box. “Keep it together with this.”

“What’s this now?” Xi Junjie’s eldest aunt couldn’t help asking. “Don’t tell me it’s another mountain good?”

“It really is.” Zhenzhen laughed as she lifted the lid. “Northeast China’s three treasures: ginseng, deer antler, and wula grass.”

Looking at the ginseng inside, which weighed at least seven or eight taels, everyone had just one thought: What mountain is this from? Please, for the love of god, tell me. I want to go dig some up too!