"I was just thinking of sending someone to deliver a message to you." Xiqiu welcomed Ruan Jingliu inside, and they sat down by the pit.

Ruan Jingliu accepted the tea offered by Bihuai: "Busy with matters on the estate, so I haven’t had time." He glanced at Xiqiu after speaking: "There’s actually nothing urgent!"

Xiqiu didn’t comment, and asked: "Are both estates arranged? Have the medicinal seedlings been planted?" Ruan Jingliu nodded and explained the situation on the estates to her.

After exchanging a few words, Xiqiu broached the subject of Qin Yuanfeng: "...I heard there’s a gentleman traveling with you, so I guessed it was Mr. Qin." She finished speaking with a smile at Ruan Jingliu: "Did he return with you?"

On mention of Qin Yuanfeng, Ruan Jingliu’s gaze paused, and she replied indifferently: "No." Thinking back to the day after drinking, when he disappeared without a trace, she was even more reluctant to talk about him.

Xiqiu didn’t know what had transpired between them, but observing Ruan Jingliu’s demeanor, it didn’t bode well. She softly asked: "Did you..." and stopped herself.

Ruan Jingliu lowered her head to drink tea, understanding what Xiqiu was asking. After a moment’s silence, she finally said: "We belong to entirely different worlds, it’s not possible." But Xiqiu thought otherwise. She had heard some things about Mr. Qin in recent days: "I heard from the Fourth Master that Tongxuan Hall has been quite unstable these months, with the family dispute over property becoming quite intense. The Qin Family patriarch was so angered that he fell ill, and Mrs. Qin’s business suffered significant impact. The situation was so out of control it almost ended up at the government office, until Second Young Master Qin voluntarily gave up his inheritance claims and left the mansion, bringing it to a conclusion."

Ruan Jingliu was taken aback by this and asked: "Is this true? Who told you?"

"No need to hear it from anyone, the whole city knows." Xiqiu replied: "...it’s due to this incident that I came to know Second Young Master Qin went to Tongzhou with you."

Ruan Jingliu fell silent, recalling Qin Yuanfeng’s words: "...I have no home..." She thought he was joking, but now realized he was telling the truth.

"What’s wrong?" Xiqiu noticed her expression and couldn’t help but ask: "Has something happened?"

After a moment’s silence, Ruan Jingliu responded: "He... disappeared." Looking at Xiqiu, she continued: "That day he returned home with me, but after we left, I said I was going back to the Capital. The next morning, the shopkeeper told me he had left the city early, and I didn’t know where he went. I thought he had just gone ahead and didn’t pay it any mind..." Now knowing his situation, he couldn’t go home, so where could he have gone?

Xiqiu showed confusion, hearing of her return home for the first time in so long, she asked: "Home?"

Ruan Jingliu nodded and recounted the situation from that day, with a mocking tone: "...if not for Qin Yuanfeng, you’d surely have had to visit the convent to see me."

"How did things become so strained?" Xiqiu felt First Master Ruan had gone too far. Ruan Jingliu had been working tirelessly outside for more than a year; why bring it up now? Even if he was entering the Capital to take office, having a sister like Ruan Jingliu wouldn’t necessarily tarnish his reputation.

This was making a mountain out of a molehill.

"Indeed, we must thank Mr. Qin." Xiqiu sighed: "How do you plan to handle the family matters?" Since First Master Ruan spoke such words, he surely wouldn’t let it go easily and might resort to other means.

Ruan Jingliu scoffed disdainfully, replying: "Just have the Marquis step in." She paused, then looked at Xiqiu: "At most, I won’t remain in the Capital, what could they do to me!"

Xiqiu shook her head, feeling this plan wouldn’t work: "Don’t act impulsively. In my view, the Marquis might not even be aware of this." She paused again and said: "Why not go to the Marquis Mansion and discuss the situation with the Marquis? If he speaks, it will likely make things easier!" Ruan Bosong is the elder brother; with the status of elder brother like a father, if he insists on doing this, even if you took the matter to the government office, he would have the reasoning.

Ruan Jingliu was always indifferent to such matters. Mentioning them made her irritable, so she waved it off and said: "Let them fool around; I don’t want to waste words on it." After speaking, she drank tea silently, pondering.

Xiqiu observed her, sighed inwardly, contemplated, and decided not to pursue the topic. Instead, she returned to the matter of Qin Yuanfeng: "Shouldn’t we ask someone to inquire about Mr. Qin?"

Ruan Jingliu shook her head: "No need, he’s not a child. Whatever he does, I don’t need to interfere." It wasn’t her place to manage him. Though they had known each other for three years, they were merely acquaintances!

Xiqiu didn’t bring up the matter again, but still worried about Ruan Jingliu’s situation. Given that Ruan Bosong was coming to the Capital to take office, if this issue wasn’t resolved, it would be awkward for the siblings to encounter each other in the Capital, and might stir up other troubles in the future.