By the time she reached the entrance to Xue Li's private quarters, Xue Rou's excitement could barely be contained. She dismissed the eunuch at the door with a wave, her mind racing with schemes.
How many years had passed since she last laid eyes on her daughter? Long enough for Xue Li to have forgotten the cruelty of her childhood, she hoped. Long enough for the girl to feel a sense of duty toward her mother.
Xue Rou pushed open the doors and stepped inside, her eyes immediately landing on Xue Li, who was seated by a lattice window, the morning light casting a soft glow on her serene face.
Dressed in a simple yet elegant robe of pale jade silk, Xue Li radiated a quiet grace, a far cry from the frightened child Xue Rou had once scorned.
