How could I possibly be confined in a cage?

The woman lowered her head and dared not speak. Song Yuanliang felt uncomfortable and hurriedly passed by her.

Liu Xiang glanced back and sighed, "How pitiful!"

Song Yuanliang glanced at her. "Pitiful?"

"Hmm, look at her. Doesn't she look like she stole someone else's clothes? She seems to be a poor girl. Perhaps her family couldn't make ends meet and she bought these clothes for your father."

Song Yuanliang stepped over the threshold, guiding Liu Xiang along. Liu Xiang muttered to herself, "At such a young age, to become the concubine of someone comparable to my own father—isn't that pathetic?"

Yuan Liang looked up ahead, unsure how to answer, "What if she's willing?"

"Willingly? How many can do it willingly? They're either wronged or deceived, forced into prostitution, or lured by petty gains. By the time they realize it, most of their lives have passed, and it's too late for regrets."

Song Yuanliang didn't know why Liu Xiang suddenly brought these things up with her. Just as he was about to ask, Liu Xiang seemed to realize something and said, "Look at me, I'm always talking nonsense. I've been rehearsing a play recently. The script is about a poor peasant woman rebelling against a landlord, and I accidentally got into it. Even my family says I've gone mad, haha."

Song Yuanliang smiled in agreement, "I guess this counts as being serious. If you can't understand the joys and sorrows of the characters in the play but still want to perform, that would be disrespectful!"

"Yes, you're absolutely right, that makes perfect sense, but unfortunately, no one in my family understands these things."

As they were talking, they arrived at the door. The people from the Liu family who had come to pick them up had arrived. Song Yuanliang asked the family driver to take Liu Xiang back, and he watched her leave from the doorway before turning back.

Thinking of the woman he had just met, Song Yuanliang unconsciously took a step and headed in that direction.

For some reason, even though they had different faces, the moment he saw Wan Niang, he still thought of Yan Ru. It wasn't that they looked alike, but rather the feeling—the same pitiful, the same weak and helpless.

Yanru's fragility was like a precious flower carefully nurtured in a greenhouse, unable to withstand the wind and rain outside the window. Wanniang's fragility was like a tender sprout growing in the mud and cracks between bricks, enduring the bitter wind and rain, as if anyone could step on it, yet it clung to life, dragging its withered branches to continue its humble struggle for survival.

It's unclear why he went to see her again. Perhaps Song Yuanliang just wanted to see why Master Song brought her back. Was it really just another concubine? Or was it just another servant he bought?

When Song Yuanliang returned to the outer courtyard of the inner study, the woman had vanished. Seeing him looking around, Song Quan's alarm bells rang: "My ancestor, could it be that he's taken a fancy to this one again?!"

Song Yuanliang was not interested in Wan Niang; he probably just wanted to know how a woman of similar frailty could survive in the Song household.

After looking around but not finding it, Song Yuanliang gave up, prioritizing his studies.

Yan Ru was unaware that Master Song had returned. The little one had been waiting in the front yard for quite some time and was unwilling to go back until a messenger came from the main courtyard to tell her to add more dishes. With a loud "Aww!", the little one, without caring whether the vegetable basket was filled or not, hurriedly ran off, eager to be the first to report the news.

At this moment, Master Song was resting in the main courtyard. His second concubine was taking good care of him, changing his clothes and making tea. Before she could even ask him why he was so late, she only asked him if he had eaten well and slept soundly.

Master Song soaked in the bathtub, his pores opening up in comfort. He tilted his head back, closed his eyes, and enjoyed the massage from his second concubine.

"Alright, stop asking. I've been eating and sleeping well on the way, and business has been smooth. I'm just tired, which is why I was delayed for a few more days on the road."

"I'm just worried about you, sir. I wouldn't believe it unless you told me ten or eight times. Look at you, you've gotten so thin and dark. You should have a proper New Year's celebration now that you're back, and get some rest for a few days."

"Hmm," Master Song hummed through his nose, and the second concubine knew that he was feeling comfortable.

"If you ask me, you're working too hard. We're both getting on in years, and our children are all grown up. Let them handle these worries, and we can just enjoy our lives."

"They are still young and should be in school. When the time comes, they will naturally take over. You don't need to worry about it."

The second concubine quickly changed the subject, "What mother doesn't hope her children will succeed? You've come back at just the right time. I had arranged for a girl to come home for dinner, but when I heard you were back, I sent her away."

Master Song barely opened his eyes, a thoughtful look flashing in them. "Well, Yuanliang is of marriageable age. His peers have long been engaged. It's just that our family is open-minded and has kept him in school. You should pay attention to this."

The second concubine said happily, "Oh, you don't need to tell me, I've been thinking about it all along."

Taking advantage of her good mood, Master Song added, "I brought someone back; you'll meet him in a bit."

The second concubine's expression stiffened for a moment, then returned to normal. "Alright, which family's young lady is she? What kind of accommodations would you like to arrange for her?"

Master Song got out of the bathtub, and his second concubine hurriedly took a towel to wipe him down. "She's not a young lady, she's a maid I bought on the way. You decide what to do with her."

The second concubine carefully helped Master Song change his clothes. Master Song put on his hat, turned around, and left.

Yingluo pondered for a moment, then stepped forward and asked, "Master, will you be spending the night in the main courtyard tonight?"

The second concubine glanced at her sideways and said, "It's not even evening yet, you're speaking too early."

Yingluo quickly admitted her mistake, "I was overthinking it; I was just trying to make arrangements as soon as possible."

The second concubine stroked her face and said, "Alas, I have to admit that I'm getting old and my beauty has faded. In the past, the master would come to my place the most, but now it's all new girls."

Just as Yingluo was about to flatter him, the second concubine dismissed her, saying, "Then let's not talk about those things. Let's call over the woman that Master brought back. I want to see what made Master feel pity for her."

Wan Niang, who had just rested, was called up again in the blink of an eye. Song Ren said, "The second concubine in the mansion wants to see you."

Wan Niang was very frightened. Master Song had told her long ago that there was no legal wife in the family, and everything was in the hands of the second concubine. She was told that after she arrived, she should just listen to the second concubine.

Therefore, she went to the main courtyard with trepidation. Wan Niang did not know how to perform the proper etiquette, so she tried to curtsy as the maid had greeted her earlier, but her performance was not quite standard and made people laugh.

Before Yingluo could even laugh, another maid, Du Ruo, couldn't help but burst out laughing.

The second concubine angrily said, "No manners! Take him away."

Such swift and decisive action made Wan Niang even more nervous.

"What's your name?"

Despite the second concubine's gentle and persuasive questions, Wan Niang was so nervous that she could barely speak, "My... name is Wan Niang."

"Wan Niang? Doesn't she have a surname?"

"No...no, even Wan Niang was given to me by the master."

Seeing her trembling with nervousness, the second concubine disliked her intensely, thinking it was something that couldn't be presented in public.

However, she remained very kind on the surface, saying, "Don't be nervous. We're all women, and we're both serving a man. Let's just call each other sisters. I'm much older than you, so I'll shamelessly call you 'little sister.'"

"No, no, no, I dare not." Wan Niang remembered that the landlord's concubine in the village was beaten half to death for calling the landlord's wife "sister," so she was very resistant.

"I will still call you Madam, I dare not call you that."

Her humility amused the second concubine, who said, "Alright, call me whatever you want. Don't be afraid. I'll find you a few maids to serve you and send an old woman to teach you manners. Then you won't be afraid of me anymore."

Wan Niang was led out of the second concubine's courtyard with trepidation. The second concubine, having devised a plan, gave her the small building next to Yan Ru and pointed to Du Ruo, who had just mocked her. As expected, Du Ruo, with her arrogant and haughty demeanor, made no attempt to hide her disdain, and Wan Niang became even more uncomfortable.

Having resolved Wan Niang's matter in a good mood, the second concubine drank another cup of tea.

"Look at this Wan Niang, doesn't she look familiar?"

The second concubine said calmly, "I can see that now. Our sixth concubine is just like me."

Yingluo said, "Aren't you worried that these two little sluts will steal the master away?"

"Rob? Hmph, they're not even full yet. They're just taking advantage of their youth to eat a few more days. In the past twenty years, no one has dared to run wild on my head."

Thinking of those who had previously lost, Yingluo felt relieved and no longer took the two newcomers seriously.

Mr. Song hesitated all the way. When he looked at Yan Ru, he felt an urge to return to his youth. He hadn't seen her for over a month and missed her terribly, so he strolled over to her place.

The arrival of Master Song took everyone in the small building by surprise; even the little one hadn't returned to report the news yet.

As Master Song stepped into the building, he was puzzled. Apart from a few old women, no one came to greet him. "What's going on? Where is Sixth Concubine? Where are the servants?"

The old women pushed and shoved each other until the one in charge of cooking gritted her teeth and stepped forward to explain, "Sixth Madam went to the garden to relax. It snowed yesterday, and I heard she was enjoying the snow scenery. The little one went to the kitchen to get the vegetables, and Dujuan is with Sixth Madam right now."

Master Song breathed a sigh of relief, but then felt a little disappointed. He hadn't been back for so long, and Yan Ru hadn't even lost her appetite out of worry, which showed that she didn't care about him at all.

However, before the novelty wore off, Master Song was willing to personally give Yanru a surprise, so he took the messenger to look for her.

Yan Ru was resting in the pavilion where she had last met Song Yuanliang. She and Du Juan had just built a snowman and were quite tired.

"I love the snow after the sun shines on Dongshan Mountain the most, where silver mountains surge amidst the soft red light. Look, isn't this exactly what the sunset and snow scene is like? It was snowing heavily last night, but today it's a clear day. Luckily, this place is sheltered from the sun, otherwise it would all have melted."

Du Juan had her first time having fun since arriving at the Song residence, so she said, "Yes, the sunset is so red, it looks beautiful reflected on the snow, but I just can't put it into words."

"Pfft, as long as it brings you joy, why bother composing poems? Besides, composing poems is also for the sake of happiness; it's all the same thing."

After resting for a while and gathering some strength, Yan Ru stood up again with great enthusiasm. "Hey, Du Juan, let's have a snowball fight! I used to play in the snow at home all the time. You play with me today, and we'll invite more people over tomorrow."

Seeing that there was no one else around, Du Juan mustered up her courage and said, "Okay, then I'll play with you for a while."

Yan Ru held up a finger and shook it, "That's right, there are no fathers and sons on the battlefield. You're not allowed to go easy on me either. Let's have some fun."

Du Juan was also a little itchy. She was usually very proper, but she knew that Yan Ru was not a pretentious person. If she said she wanted to have fun, she meant she would, and she wouldn't retaliate afterwards. So she readily agreed.

The two of them waited for the time it takes to drink a cup of tea before each of them started making snowballs. Before long, Du Juan had piled up quite a few at her feet. Yan Ru laughed triumphantly, "Haha, you're inexperienced, aren't you? You have to do it like me, make a big one, that's the only way to have fun."

Du Juan looked over and saw that Yan Ru had rolled a snowball into a huge ball. She laughed and said, "You... let's see if you can lift it."

When the time came, Du Juan took the lead and threw a snowball. Yan Ruoran couldn't lift the snowball and got hit squarely.

"Ouch!" Yan Ru exclaimed softly as the snowball hit her right in the face. She shook off the remaining snow like a dog.

She lunged at Du Juan with a ferocious look, saying, "You're finished." Holding a large snowball in both hands, she pounced on her, resulting in a gruesome fall on both of them.

Du Juan asked anxiously, "How are you? Are you hurt?" She knew that Yan Ru had fallen ill several times in a short period of time after arriving at the Song residence, so she was particularly attentive.

Yan Ru got up and patted the snow off her face. "The snow is thick. Watch carefully."

It turned out that she had just felt a small snowball in her hand when it fell to the ground, and threw it at Dujuan when she wasn't paying attention.

The snowball hit her squarely in the face, and Du Juan, now playing with fire, retorted, "I was concerned about you, and you still ambushed me!" She quickly dodged and retaliated.

The two played back and forth, having a great time, and their laughter filled the air.

Several young masters and ladies who were on vacation playing in the yard were curious when they heard such loud laughter coming from this side.

The young lady asked, "What's going on? We're all here, who's laughing?"

The second young lady looked up and said, "Perhaps they are guests? I saw that the second concubine invited guests today."

The young lady frowned. "Liu Xiang? I know her. I wouldn't be happy if she became my sister-in-law."

The second young lady asked curiously, "What's wrong? Did she offend you?"

The young lady didn't want to talk about these things. "It's nothing. Let's go and meet her."

So the group of people came together towards Yanru, some of them with their servants, making a total of about seven or eight people.

Yan Ru was having a great time playing with Du Juan when she saw a large group of people approaching, so she stopped.

The young lady looked at Yan Ru and, finding her unfamiliar, asked, "Who are you? What are you doing in my house?"

Du Juan was about to answer when Yan Ru stopped her, saying, "I am a guest of your family."

The second young lady blurted out, "Liu Xiang?"

"No."

Yan Ru didn't have a married woman's hairstyle, and she was young and dressed extravagantly. Miss Song wasn't sure who she was, but since Du Juan from the second concubine's courtyard was with her, she guessed that she was a guest invited by the second concubine, so she didn't ask any further questions.

Seeing that they didn't seem hostile, but rather interested in the snowman she had built, Yan Ru invited them to play with her.

Apart from Song Yuanliang, who had just come of age, the eldest members of the Song family were still in middle school. Their mother spoiled them, so they were all still quite childish.

Unable to resist Yanru's repeated invitations and having witnessed her enjoyment of the game, they agreed each time. Aside from being a little reserved at first, they gradually became more skilled.

For a moment, the joyful laughter almost reached outside the Song residence.

Master Song came following the sound of laughter, originally eager to see Yan Ru and pour out his longing, but instead found her playing with his children.

Since arriving at the Song residence, Yan Ru had been either apprehensive and nervous, or filled with despair and self-pity. This was the first time she had ever seen her laugh heartily.

It must be said that beauties are always able to express joy and anger. Whether laughing, joking, or scolding, Yan Ru is always a dazzling presence.

After watching from afar for a while, Master Song left with Song Ren. Song Ren asked, "Would you like to go back to the small building to rest first?"

After a moment's thought, Master Song said, "No need, let's go back to the main courtyard."

On his way back, however, he saw Wan Niang coming this way and asked, "Where are you going?"

Wan Niang replied, "Second Madam gave me a place to stay, right here."

Following the direction she pointed, Master Song understood the Second Concubine's plan. Displeased, he put his arm around Wan Niang's shoulder and said, "Come on, let's go in together and see if she has taken my words to heart."

The second concubine was unaware that she had inadvertently pushed Master Song away, and it was unknown whether she would regret it.