The cousin is beautiful but ruthless.

“Miaoyi, when you arrive at the Marquis of Anping’s residence, be careful with your words and actions. Be sweet-talking when you see your maternal grandmother and the other elders…” As she spoke, the woman’s throat tightened, and she murmured, “It’s just bad luck for my daughter and me to have encountered this.”

A handkerchief embroidered with orchids was handed to Liang Fangrong. Liang Fangrong looked up with red eyes. The girl in front of her was just beginning to bloom. Half of the veil covered her face, revealing a pair of bright, clear eyes that looked lovely and endearing.

"Mother, don't cry, I know."

Shen Hanyu smiled gently, and seeing that Liang Fangrong did not move, she gently wiped away her tears.

Mother, it's been so long!

Shen Hanyu looked at her with a smile in her eyes, and Liang Fangrong's white beaded hair ornament swayed. "Miaoyi, what are you laughing at?"

Her husband had only recently been buried, and his parents had both passed away. The other relatives in the Shen family were unwilling to take care of the two of them. Helpless, she could only take her daughter to her mother's home. Just now, Miaoyi had been looking sad and mournful, but now she suddenly laughed. Could it be that she was grieving too much and had gone mad?

Shen Hanyu gave her a reassuring look: "I am so happy just thinking about seeing my grandmother and the others. My mother and I will finally be free from being like drifting duckweed."

Liang Fangrong lowered her head and said yes, but sadness welled up in her heart again.

Shen Hanyu lowered her eyes and folded her handkerchief. She had returned to the Marquis of Anping's residence.

She remembered that in her previous life, the Marquis of Anping's family had betrothed her to the Earl of Guangning as a concubine. The Earl of Guangning's wife was fierce, and there was another person who entered the family with Shen Hanyu, but the Earl of Guangning often stayed at her place.

He outwardly showed affection, but in reality, he was using flattery to his detriment, causing the wife to turn her anger towards him so that his true love could remain uninvolved. It's hateful that he only learned the truth on his deathbed; such was fate.

Shen Hanyu died at the young age of twenty-three. Her body was covered in sores that she wasted her life.

Everyone in the Anping Marquis's mansion knew that the inner quarters of the Guangning Earl's mansion were in turmoil, including Liang Fangrong. Shen Hanyu knew that the Guangning Earl's wife was fierce and refused to marry her, so she ran away at night, but was betrayed by her own mother, who led the Marquis's mansion to bring her back.

With her thoughts in a tangled mess, Shen Hanyu said she needed some fresh air and went out of the cabin.

She casually tossed the handkerchief into the sea, letting it drift away with the waves.

To her, the Marquis of Anping's mansion was undoubtedly a den of wolves and tigers. Those ladies, young masters, and young ladies were not easy to serve. However, Shen Hanyu was no longer the subservient Shen Hanyu of her previous life.

As the sun set, the boat docked. Shen Hanyu and her maid helped Liang Fangrong off the boat, where Song, the head of the Anping Marquis's residence, and her entourage were waiting for them.

Upon seeing the two appear at the dock, Granny Song tossed her handkerchief and greeted them with a smile: "You've finally arrived! The old lady has been talking about it all day. I was preparing the meal when I came out, so that when Madam and Miss return, they can have a hot meal."

When Granny Song turned her head and caught sight of Shen Hanyu, her eyes lit up.

"This must be Miss Biao. She looks like a goddess or fairy."

Shen Hanyu gave a slight curtsy: "Granny Song is too kind. My delicate appearance is not worthy of such praise."

When Liang Fangrong saw Granny Song, her heart, which had been hanging in suspense, finally relaxed. "Then hurry up and go, it's getting dark."

The group hurriedly boarded the oxcart. Shen Hanyu sat inside and slightly lifted the curtain, just in time to see Granny Song turning her head to talk to the driver.

This Granny Song is no pushover; she's just like the Marquis of Anping's family—all talk and no action.

Entering West Street, the Anping Marquis's residence is just ahead. Shen Hanyu has walked this road countless times.

The oxcart swayed back and forth, when suddenly the sound of horses' hooves came from behind.

Liang Fangrong lifted the bamboo curtain and looked toward the source of the sound. She saw that the person riding the horse was a young man in red clothes with a silver crown on his head. The setting sun outlined half of his face. He was truly a handsome young man.

The young man glanced up at the bamboo curtain, then looked away.

Shen Hanyu also saw the person riding a horse to the side, and she stepped back a little.

She had seen this person before.

"At this hour, are there still people riding horses through the city?" Liang Fangrong asked in confusion.

Granny Song explained from outside, "That man is the only son of the founding duke; he has a very important background."

Shen Hanyu concealed the emotions in her eyes. Oh well, it was just a brief encounter, and the other party probably doesn't even remember it. Let's deal with the people from the Marquis of Anping's mansion first.

The oxcart slowly came to a stop, and Granny Song instructed the maids to lead Liang Fangrong and Shen Hanyu through the main gate.

When Liang Fangrong saw the familiar plaque, she couldn't help but shed tears again.

Shen Hanyu whispered a reminder to her, "Mother, watch out for the steps."

Liang Fangrong looked down at the road and realized that her mother's family's threshold had become so high.

Shen Hanyu pursed her lips slightly, seemingly lost in thought.

The two entered safely. Along the way, Granny Song observed them. The married lady seemed to be someone who couldn't make any decisions, and this cousin was also gentle, mild-mannered, and easy to manipulate.

With a change of heart, Granny Song led the people to the main hall, where there were quite a few people waiting for Liang Fangrong and Shen Hanyu to arrive.

The Liang family patriarch had two sons and two daughters. Liang Fangrong was the youngest, and the eldest son, Liang Chengxuan, was the Marquis of Anping.

Shen Hanyu now recognizes everyone in the main hall, except for her third aunt who married out of the family; they are all basically here.

Everyone's eyes are now filled with goodwill as they look at each other, concealing their hostility very well.

When the old lady saw the two of them come in from outside, she wiped away the tears from the corners of her eyes, opened her arms, and walked over.

"My dear daughter, you've suffered so much!" The old lady's voice was slightly hoarse as she hugged Liang Fangrong tightly. "That hateful boy from the Shen family, he actually abandoned you and your daughter and left us like this."

When the old lady cried, Liang Fangrong also cried, and the two of them hugged each other and cried together. Shen Hanyu supported the two of them and also sobbed softly. Compared to wailing, she looked even more pitiful.

The gauze scarf was soaked with tears. Shen Hanyu took it off and instantly felt a sticky, scrutinizing gaze. Even without looking up, Shen Hanyu knew who it was.

The women stepped forward to separate the two and then asked a maid to bring water to wipe their faces.

“Mother-in-law, the doctor just examined her eyes a couple of days ago. She can’t cry anymore. My sister has had a long and tiring journey. What if she hurts her health by crying?”

The speaker was Xu Ying, Liang Chengxuan's legal wife, who was also the most influential person in the Anping Marquis's mansion besides the old lady and Liang Chengxuan.

The old lady repeatedly said yes, and then turned her gaze to Shen Hanyu, who had just washed her face.

"This must be Miaoyi. She's grown so much. Come here and let your grandmother take a look."

Shen Hanyu walked over, and under the scrutiny of the crowd, obediently sat down next to the old lady.

"Grandmother." Shen Hanyu's nose was slightly red, as if she had applied rouge, and her voice trembled with a hint of sobbing.

Her delicate and pitiful appearance was enough to break anyone's heart, let alone the old lady.

The old lady held Shen Hanyu's hand and said reproachfully, "Look how cold your hands are, Miss Shen. Go and get something to warm them up."

It's already springtime, and it's not actually cold, but Shen Hanyu is prone to feeling cold, so her hands and feet are a bit chilly.

Shen Hanyu hurriedly thanked her, her expression still cautious and timid.