Madam Lin sat amidst a garden of hydrangeas, pouring tea with practiced elegance.
"Ji'an," she cooed, her voice dripping with honeyed sorrow. "My child, come sit. Mother has barely seen you since... since the misunderstanding with your brother."
Ji'an approached, her face instantly transforming. Her shoulders slumped slightly, her eyes widened to project innocence, and her steps became hesitant.
"Madam," Ji'an whispered, bowing deeply. "This unfilial son does not dare to disturb your peace."
"Nonsense," Madam Lin sighed, dabbing her eye with a handkerchief. "I heard you are leaving for the Sword Sect. Oh, Ji'an... why must you go so far? The Lin family has so many good resources. Is your home not good enough? Do you resent Mother so much that you wish to flee to the mountains?"
It was a trap. If Ji'an said yes, she was unfilial. If she said no, Madam Lin would pressure her to stay and rot in the backyard.
Ji'an's lip quivered. She dropped to her knees on a soft cushion she had spotted beforehand.
"Madam!" Ji'an cried out, her voice trembling with emotion. "How can you say that? Resent you? I love this home too much!"
She looked up, eyes glistening with unshed tears. "It is because the Lin family is so great, and Madam is so virtuous, that I must go! I look at myself, a useless, talentless son who only knows how to cook and play. I bring shame to Father's name! I bring shame to Madam's teachings!"
Madam Lin froze, her handkerchief hovering mid-air.
"I go to the Sect not to flee," Ji'an continued, grabbing Madam Lin's hand, much to the woman's horror. "But to forge myself! I want to become a powerful cultivator so that one day, I can return and protect Madam! I want all the other noble wives to look at you and say, 'Look, even her concubine-born son is a hero, Madam Lin is truly a master of child-rearing!'"
Ji'an squeezed the Head Wife's hand, looking earnestly into her eyes. "I am doing this for you, Mother! How could I stay here and be a parasite, eating your rice and wasting your kindness? My heart... my heart aches with filial piety!"
Madam Lin looked like she had swallowed a live toad. She couldn't say anything. To stop him now would be to admit she didn't want him to succeed or bring glory to her name.
"You... you are truly... thoughtful," Madam Lin choked out, pulling her hand back as if burned.
"I knew Madam would understand!" Ji'an beamed, wiping away a fake tear. "I will write to you every week. I will tell everyone at the Sect how kind my Mother is!"
As they left the courtyard ten minutes later, victorious, Wangchen walked a step behind her. His expression was blank, but his mind was reeling.
'Terrifying,' he thought. 'He lied to her face, praised her, and trapped her in her own logic, all while looking like a heartbroken child. My Young Master is... truly formidable.'
He felt a swell of pride. This was the person he had chosen to follow. A wolf in sheep's clothing.
On the way back to the West Courtyard, they took a shortcut through the ornamental gardens. It was here that they encountered the "Other Sisters", the legitimate and illegitimate daughters of the clan who usually stayed hidden in the inner quarters.
Three girls stood by the koi pond, feeding the fish. They were young, pretty, and dressed in pastel silks. When they saw Ji'an approaching, they stiffened.
The rumors about the Third Brother have been confusing lately. He was violent, to even beat the Heir, he was crazy, who cooked his own food, and he was... handsome?
Ji'an saw them and stopped. She felt a pang of annoyance. In the memories of the original owner, these girls had always sneered or ignored her.
'Stinky girls,' she thought. 'Fine, run away like you always do. I don't need you. Now I have Wangchen.'
But old habits from her modern life, where she was a charismatic, smooth-talking chef, died hard. Instead of scowling, she instinctively put on her "Customer Service Face."
"Ladies," Ji'an said, her voice dropping into that smooth, low register she used to charm patrons into ordering the expensive wine. She offered a lazy, half-smile that lit up her face. "The flowers in the garden are bright today, but they seem a bit dull compared to the company."
The girls froze. The Fourth Sister, Lin Rou, blinked rapidly. She looked at the Third Brother, really looked at him.
The sunlight was catching his profile, highlighting the sharp jawline and the confident, relaxed posture. He wasn't slouching anymore. He looked... dashing.
Ji'an stepped closer, plucking a small white camellia from a bush. She twirled it between her fingers.
"Sister Rou," she said, looking at the girl who was staring the hardest. "I remember you liked these. It matches the embroidery on your sleeve."
She held the flower out, tilting her head slightly, her eyes crinkling at the corners. "For you."
It was a casual gesture. To Ji'an, it was just "being polite to the customers."
To Lin Rou and her sisters, who were raised in a strict, gender-segregated environment where men were either stern fathers or rude brothers, this was a critical hit.
Lin Rou's face turned the color of a ripe tomato. Her breath hitched. She looked at the flower, then at Ji'an's smiling lips, and her brain melted.
"I—I—" Lin Rou stammered. She grabbed the flower, shrieked, "Thank you, Brother!" and turned on her heel, sprinting away as fast as her legs could carry her.
The other two sisters, seeing their leader flee and feeling their own faces burning under Ji'an's gaze, squeaked and ran after her, leaving a cloud of dust and the scent of expensive perfume.
Ji'an stood there, hand still outstretched, blinking in confusion.
"What the hell?" she muttered, dropping her hand. "I was just being nice! Why do they always run away? Am I that scary?"