That night, Qiao Nian lay awake until dawn.
She wasn't quite sure why.
Perhaps it was because the brazier in the room was burning too brightly, a stark contrast to the leaky, draughty, and eerily damp wooden hut where she had slept for three years.
Or maybe it was the dry bedding, soft and warm against her body.
In any case, everything was so wonderful that Qiao Nian felt as if she had stepped into another world, a sense of unreality overwhelming her.
She had thought she would spend the rest of her life in the laundry bureau.
It was not until the warm morning sun of the next day streamed into the room that she finally woke from her daze, realizing that she had truly returned.
Lady Lin had prepared new clothes for her, presumably bought from a tailor shop. Although they still didn't quite fit perfectly, at least the sleeves were long enough to cover the wounds on her arms.
Thus, she set off early in the morning to the Dowager Lady's courtyard.
At this hour, the Dowager Lady was engaged in Buddhist devotions. Qiao Nian stood quietly outside the door, not wanting to disturb her.
As if sensing her presence, the Dowager Lady suddenly turned her head. The moment she laid eyes on Qiao Nian, her eyes instantly turned red.
"Back?"
Those three simple words carried an ocean of sorrow.
Qiao Nian couldn't hold back the tears welling in her eyes. She entered the room and knelt down. "Your unfilial granddaughter, Qiao Nian, pays her respects to Grandmother."
"Come here quickly, let Grandmother have a good look at you!" The Dowager Lady, still in the kneeling position for her devotions, beckoned eagerly to Qiao Nian.
Qiao Nian knelt forward until she reached the Dowager Lady's side, allowing the elder to examine her closely.
The Dowager Lady's withered hand trembled slightly as she gently stroked Qiao Nian's cheek. "You've lost weight."
These two simple words were the final straw, breaking the dam of Qiao Nian's emotions. She threw herself into the Dowager Lady's arms, calling out "Grandmother" over and over again. The maids around them couldn't help but wipe away their tears quietly.
After Lin Yuan returned three years ago, almost everyone in the Marquis' Mansion had sided with her overnight. They pitied Lin Yuan's plight, cared about her emotions, and comforted her, promising that they would all love her from then on.
Only the Dowager Lady noticed Qiao Nian, who was standing awkwardly in the corner, at a loss. The Dowager Lady had told her that no matter what happened, she would always be her sweetest and most adorable granddaughter.
After being sent to the laundry bureau, Qiao Nian once overheard some palace maids saying that the Dowager Lady had personally gone to the palace to plead with the Empress on her behalf. But before she could even see the Empress, she was humiliated and driven out of the palace by the princess.
The maids mocked the Dowager Lady for being presumptuous and not knowing her place.
In a fit of anger, Qiao Nian had beaten those gossiping maids.
That was also the time when she was almost beaten to death by the steward matron.
But she didn't regret it at all. After that, no one dared to speak ill of the Dowager Lady in front of her.
The grandmother and granddaughter held each other tightly, crying for a while before gradually calming down.
The Dowager Lady looked at her with affection. "It's good that you're home. With Grandmother by your side, no one will ever be able to bully you again!"
When Lady Lin had said the same thing, Qiao Nian hadn't paid it any mind.
But coming from the Dowager Lady's lips, those words finally brought a glimmer of warmth to Qiao Nian's heart, which had been frozen for three years.
She nodded vigorously, looking at the Dowager Lady's weathered face, a pang of sadness welling up in her heart.
"Grandmother must live a long and healthy life and always be with Nian Nian."
"Good!" The Dowager Lady shed tears of joy.
By the time Lady Lin led Lin Yuan to pay their respects to the Dowager Lady, Qiao Nian had already finished breakfast with the elder.
Seeing the grandmother and granddaughter sitting closely together, their bond evident, Lady Lin was touched. She turned to the Dowager Lady and said, "Mother, now that Nian Nian is back, can we finalize the marriage arrangement with the Xiao family?"
Qiao Nian was sitting with half of her body facing the Dowager Lady, not sparing Lady Lin a single glance. Upon hearing this, she showed no reaction whatsoever.
But in her heart, she was puzzled. What did Lin Yuan's marriage to the Xiao family have to do with her return?
Unexpectedly, the Dowager Lady patted her hand and asked in an extremely gentle voice, "Nian Nian, tell Grandmother, do you still like Xiao Heng?"
Qiao Nian was taken aback and instinctively looked at Lin Yuan.
The latter looked nervous. The moment their eyes met, Lin Yuan lowered her head, looking like a bullied young wife.
Lady Lin also instinctively grasped Lin Yuan's hand, leaning slightly towards her, as if afraid that Qiao Nian might bully her.
Qiao Nian felt a stinging pain in her eyes.
She used to be the one Lady Lin cherished and protected...
Qiao Nian averted her gaze. It would be a lie to say that she didn't feel a twinge of sadness.
But it didn't matter anymore.
She had seen the situation clearly.
The person with the engagement to Xiao Heng was still Lin Yuan. It was just that the Dowager Lady felt sorry for her, knowing how passionately she had once adored Xiao Heng. So, if she were to voice her desire, the Dowager Lady would surely fight for this marriage for her.
The reason why Lin Yuan and Lady Lin were so nervous now was that they were afraid Qiao Nian would say "yes".
But obviously, they were worrying too much.
Qiao Nian gave the Dowager Lady a gentle smile. "Grandmother, I don't like General Xiao anymore."
Outside the door, a foot that was about to step onto the stairs suddenly halted.
Only the Dowager Lady's voice could be heard from inside the room. "Really? But you used to like that young man from the Xiao family so much..."
"That was just youthful naivety," Qiao Nian interrupted the Dowager Lady. "Moreover, the engagement between the legitimate son of the Xiao family and the legitimate daughter of the Lin family has nothing to do with me. Grandmother, my surname is Qiao."
Qiao Nian had already told the Dowager Lady about her change of surname.
Hearing this now, the Dowager Lady still felt a pang of sadness. She hugged Qiao Nian and nodded repeatedly. "Good, Qiao is a good surname. It's a very nice surname."
After all, no matter what her surname was, she was always the Dowager Lady's dearest granddaughter!
As they were talking, two figures entered the room one after another.
It was Lin Ye and Xiao Heng.
Since seeing Qiao Nian yesterday, Lin Ye seemed to have lost his smile. Hearing the conversation between the grandmother and granddaughter, his face turned ashen. He stepped forward to pay his respects. "Ye'er pays his respects to Grandmother."
Without waiting for the Dowager Lady's response, Lin Ye immediately snapped at Qiao Nian, "The family register hasn't been changed. What right do you have to change your surname randomly!"
Lin Ye knew that Qiao Nian's biological father had the surname Qiao, but she was raised by the Marquis' Mansion. Why should she take that man's surname?
She was clearly still the eldest young lady of the Marquis' Mansion!
Seeing that Lin Ye was about to lose his temper again for no apparent reason, Lady Lin frowned and scolded in a low voice, "Ye'er! Speak properly!"
Lin Ye glanced at the Dowager Lady. Seeing the displeasure on her face, his anger subsided slightly.
Just then, Qiao Nian's calm voice rang out, like a short, sharp dagger, gradually peeling away the false facade of this mansion.
"The day after I entered the laundry bureau three years ago, the Marquis personally told His Majesty that my surname is Qiao. If the family register hasn't been changed, then the Marquis might be committing the crime of deceiving the emperor."