nashuaworldcup Chapter 113 The Maid Has Arrived
Chapter 113 The Maid Has Arrived
The birds chirped, and Wen Jiayue slowly woke up.
She turned over and saw a sandalwood box placed beside her pillow.
Shen Fuhan never gave her a birthday gift in person; it was always the same. He would let her see it as soon as she woke up.
He wouldn't do anything else, as if her birthday celebration was over once the gift was given.
She used to be upset about this, but then she thought that he remembered her birthday every year, which would make her happy for one more day.
So stupid it's beyond redemption.
Wen Jiayue sat up and let Ruyi in.
As Ruyi walked along, she smiled and said, "Happy birthday, Madam! The small kitchen has prepared longevity noodles. I will now help you get dressed and wash up."
Wen Jiayue smiled and said, "Thank you."
"Why are you thanking me, Madam?" Ruyi stuck out her tongue. "I only said auspicious words. The Marquis did send a congratulatory gift. Why don't you open it and take a look?"
Wen Jiayue, however, was not interested. She already knew what it was, so there was no mystery about it at all.
She glanced at the sandalwood box, her gaze pausing slightly. This box... seemed to be a bit bigger than the one given to her in her previous life?
It's just a pair of South Sea pearl earrings. No matter how rare and precious they are, a small box would be enough to hold them. But this time, the box is more than four or five times larger.
Wen Jiayue picked it up suspiciously and slowly opened it.
The first thing she saw was the familiar little box containing her South Pearl earrings, and next to the box was a yellowed book.
She opened it and glanced at it; it turned out to be a travelogue.
“Your Excellency is truly thoughtful,” Ruyi exclaimed. “Knowing that the lady enjoys reading travelogues, you sent her another one.”
Wen Jiayue was stunned. Would Shen Fuhan also cater to her preferences?
She stopped thinking about it before her mind started wandering.
He probably just took it from the study; it was nothing unusual.
Wen Jiayue put the book back into the sandalwood box and then opened the small box.
Sure enough, it was still those dazzling South Sea pearl earrings.
"You look absolutely stunning, and it suits you perfectly," Ruyi said with a smile. "Would you like to wear it today, Madam?"
Wen Jiayue shook her head: "Let's keep it together with the hairpin I gave you last year."
Seeing that she didn't show any joy on her face, Ruyi hesitated and asked, "Is Madam upset because of what happened last night?"
"No," Wen Jiayue laughed, "What's there to be sad about? This day was bound to come sooner or later, and I've already come to terms with it."
Ruyi felt a little uncomfortable and didn't know what to say, so she could only focus on serving him.
After washing up, Ruyi brought over a bowl of longevity noodles.
Wen Jiayue slowly finished the whole longevity noodle and let out a soft sigh.
Ruyi smiled and said, "May you enjoy longevity and good fortune; Madam will surely live to be a hundred years old!"
Wen Jiayue smiled and said, "Then I'll take your kind words."
Just then, the wet nurse brought Zhao Zhao over. Zhao Zhao was unusually excited today, babbling and waving her little hands nonstop.
Ruyi said, "Miss must know that it is Madam's birthday today and is here to wish her a happy birthday!"
Wen Jiayue loved to hear this and smiled as she hugged Zhaozhao tightly.
For some reason, she thought of her birth mother.
The day she was born was also the anniversary of her birth mother's death.
In her past life, she was immersed in the illusion woven by her father and Zhang, and almost never thought about her birth mother.
She only realized in this lifetime that her birth mother was the one who loved her the most.
And yet, she never visited her mother's grave to pay her respects after she grew up, which is truly unfilial.
Wen Jiayue pondered for a moment and said, "Go and prepare some paper money, fruits and snacks. I'm going out of the mansion at noon."
Ruyi was taken aback and asked, "What is Madam trying to do?"
"Paying homage to my birth mother."
When she was a child, Wen Jiayue would go with her father to pay respects to her mother during festivals.
Although she had only been there three or four times, some memories remained in her mind.
She remembered that her mother's grave was located on a hillside southeast of the Wen family mansion, surrounded by trees and with a stream nearby.
Following her memory, Wen Jiayue successfully found the hillside and began to walk up it.
The hillside was easy to climb, and it only took fifteen minutes to reach the top.
Wen Jiayue had expected to see a grave overgrown with weeds, so she had ordered someone to bring tools.
To my surprise, the grave in front of me was exceptionally clean, clearly indicating that someone had taken care of it.
Upon closer inspection, there were fresh snacks and fruits in front of the monument, as if someone had come before her.
Wen Jiayue was somewhat shocked. Could it be her father?
But how could that be? Perhaps her father has already forgotten that he had a wife.
But apart from Wen's father, she couldn't think of anyone else who would remember the anniversary of someone's death eighteen years ago.
Wen Jiayue stroked the words engraved on the tombstone—Tomb of his wife, Song.
She chuckled self-deprecatingly. How was her daughter any better than her father, Wen? She had even forgotten her birth mother's surname.
After the worship ceremony, Wen Jiayue asked the servants to move away so she could speak with her mother alone.
But looking at the tombstone, she felt a lump in her throat and couldn't utter a single word.
She had many things on her mind, but dared not tell anyone. Finally, she had a place to confide in, but all she wanted to do was cry.
Wen Jiayue tilted her head back, forcing back her tears.
The snow on the distant mountains had not yet melted, and birds flew by, their mournful cries echoing.
After sitting quietly for a while, she stood up and said softly, "Mother, I will come to see you often in the future."
Overwhelmed with grief, Wen Jiayue didn't want to do anything after returning to the Marquis's residence. She slept for an hour before regaining her energy.
Ruyi carefully came over to serve him.
Wen Jiayue asked knowingly, "The maid that the old lady sent has arrived?"
Ruyi dared not lie and nodded.
Wen Jiayue then said, "Call them over, I want to see them."
Ruyi exclaimed in astonishment, "Madam, why must you..."
“Just go when I tell you to,” Wen Jiayue interrupted her. “You’ll have to see them sooner or later. Do you expect me to wait until they’ve climbed into the Marquis’s bed before we meet?”
Ruyi had no choice but to go.
Before long, she came in with two maids dressed in pink.
Wen Jiayue raised her eyebrows slightly. All the maids in the Marquis's mansion wore green, and only the master's personal maids could occasionally wear something different. The old lady actually allowed them to wear pink.
However, they appeared to be well-behaved and honest, keeping their heads down and showing no sign of overstepping their bounds.
The two maids bowed in unison: "Your servants Cai'er and Hui'er greet Madam."
Wen Jiayue was startled again. The name Cai'er seemed familiar.
Looking at her face again, she recognized Cai'er as the maid who had been teased by Wen Ruoqian that day.
She pursed her lips. Did Cai'er come voluntarily, or was she forced to come by the old lady?
Because Hui'er was also present, she didn't ask any further questions.
After exchanging a few words, she told Hui'er to leave, while Cai'er stayed.
Before Wen Jiayue could speak, Cai'er knelt down on the ground with a thud.
"Madam, you have been kind to me, and I would never dare to covet the Marquis's favor. But the old lady insisted that I come here, and I dare not refuse!"