Time Is Slow - Chapter 19
At the entrance of Apricot Alley on West Main Street, a carriage with green curtains came to a stop.
A young man, dressed as a servant, quickly walked up to the large gates bearing the plaque inscribed with “Li Residence” and knocked on the beast-shaped copper knocker.
Before long, a gatekeeper emerged, his sharp eyes swiftly scanning the young man from head to toe before asking politely, “What business do you have?”
Gatekeepers had keen eyes, and although the young man was dressed as a servant, his bearing was more imposing than many young masters he had seen before. This indicated that the person inside the carriage was certainly no ordinary figure.
The young man remained composed and said in a clear voice, “Our master has brought your family’s Third Miss home.”
“Third Miss?” The gatekeeper was momentarily stunned and instinctively asked, “Which Third Miss?”
The young man was also taken aback. “Is this not the Li Residence?”
“It is.”
“Then hasn’t your household’s Third Miss gone missing?”
The gatekeeper froze as if he had been struck by lightning. After a long moment, he suddenly jumped up. “Ah! Wait here!”
With a loud bang, he slammed the door shut and dashed inside like the wind, shouting as he ran, “Third Miss has returned!”
The news spread through the Li Residence like wildfire.
In Qingsong Hall, Old Madam Deng was taken aback.
“The third girl has returned?”
Her expression darkened as she questioned the servant who had brought the report.
“Where is she now?”
The maid who had come to deliver the news hesitated before answering, “Still at the front gate… The gatekeeper said she was brought back by a gentleman…”
“A gentleman?” Old Madam Deng’s face changed dramatically. She shot to her feet.
“Why haven’t you let them in yet? Leaving them standing outside is a disgrace!”
The third girl was actually brought home by a man. In the future…
A surge of anger and distress welled up in her chest, and it took a deep breath to suppress it and maintain her composure.
She ordered, “Quickly, go to the Hanlin Academy and summon the eldest master back!”
The entire Li Residence was thrown into chaos.
The gatekeeper, having received orders, hurriedly opened the side door. “Please, come inside.”
But the green-curtained carriage remained motionless.
The gatekeeper frowned in confusion.
The young servant, who had stepped aside to seek instructions, walked back over. He cleared his throat before announcing, “Our master says that the First Master of the residence should come to receive her.”
“You’re not joking, are you, brother? Our master has gone to court. Besides, even if the eldest master were at home, there’s no reason for him to come to the gate to receive someone. Please ask your master to follow me inside instead.”
The young servant let out a cold laugh. “Your esteemed residence is known for its scholarly refinement, yet our master has traveled a great distance to return your young lady, and this is how you treat your guests?”
The gatekeeper rolled his eyes and muttered under his breath, “Who knows if they’re here to scam us for money?”
Besides, the Third Miss had been missing for days. Who knew whether the masters even wanted her back? She had always been a troublesome, unwanted presence in the house…
Just as he was thinking this, he suddenly felt a chill run down his spine. The young servant’s piercing gaze seemed to see right through him.
His legs went weak, and he hurriedly said, “I will go report this again.”
“You’re saying they really said that?” Old Madam Deng, seated in the reception hall, remained expressionless, making it difficult to gauge her emotions. Finally, she stood up.
“To the front gate.”
It wasn’t that she looked down on people. No matter what kind of person the third girl was, anyone who had gone through the trouble to bring her back deserved gratitude.
However, she had originally planned to let the visitors enter discreetly to avoid attracting unwanted attention. If news spread that the Third Miss had been brought home by a man, her already tarnished reputation would be ruined beyond repair.
What does the other party mean by being so ostentatious?
With a frown, Old Madam Deng quickly walked toward the entrance.
Just as she reached the doorway, she nearly collided with a woman hurrying toward her.
The woman appeared to be about twenty-eight or twenty-nine years old, wearing a light green jacquard blouse and a pale brown pleated skirt. Her slender figure and delicate beauty made her a striking sight.
“Old Madam, is it true? Has my Zhao Zhao returned?”
The woman was clearly in a rush, her breath unsteady, her face streaked with tears. She grabbed onto Old Madam Deng’s sleeve in desperation.
Old Madam Deng’s gaze darkened as she slowly looked down at the hand clutching her sleeve.
Vulgar!
The old madam withdrew her hand calmly. “He Shi, don’t be so hasty. The third girl is just outside the gate. Come with me—”
Before she could finish speaking, He Shi had already darted off.
Old Madam Deng’s mouth twitched, and she mentally added “ill-mannered” to her assessment.
He Shi lifted her skirt and ran straight to the main gate, ignoring the curious glances from the servants along the way. As soon as she arrived, she asked anxiously, “Where is my daughter?”
Noticing that neighbors were peeking from a distance to watch the commotion, the gatekeeper wiped the sweat from his forehead and whispered, “The Third Miss is in the carriage. Madam, you…”
Before he could finish, He Shi had already bypassed him and rushed to the carriage.
“Madam, please stop!”
Two guards stepped forward, blocking her from approaching the carriage.
They had unremarkable faces, but the cold intensity in their eyes was enough to make anyone take three steps back.
He Shi was startled. “Who are you? Didn’t you say you were returning my daughter? Hiss—could it be that you’re bandits demanding ransom?”
The gatekeeper covered his forehead in exasperation.
Inside the carriage, Doctor Li gave Qiao Zhao a complicated look and asked, “Is that really your mother?”
He had deliberately put on airs to support the little girl, making it clear that she had been escorted home by the renowned white-bearded doctor. Yet, her own mother was now yelling about bandits and ransom?
Was she afraid that Miss Li’s reputation wasn’t bad enough already?
Qiao Zhao remained calm and nodded. “Yes, she is my birth mother.”
In the memories of the young Li Zhao, she had always looked down on her mother due to her humble origins, believing that her mother’s background was the reason others looked down on her as well. As a result, she treated her mother with indifference and coldness. However, from the perspective of an observer, Qiao Zhao sorted through Li Zhao’s memories and could clearly see that He Shi genuinely loved her daughter… it’s just that her intelligence could be a bit worrisome.
Qiao Zhao couldn’t help but think of her own mother.
Her mother had been a true noblewoman from a prestigious family. In her childhood, she had mostly felt her mother’s strictness, with only occasional glimpses of warmth. Later, after moving in with her grandparents, the distance between them only grew.
“Mother, I’m here.”
Doctor Li stopped Qiao Zhao from lifting the curtain, so she spoke from inside the carriage instead.
He Shi froze, then choked up. “Zhao Zhao, my dear Zhao Zhao—”
Disregarding the intimidating aura of the guards, she reached out to lift the carriage curtain.
Hearing this, Qiao Zhao sighed inwardly.
Her own mother had never once called out “my Zhao Zhao” the way He Shi just did.
“He Shi, come here!”
An elderly woman’s voice carried into the carriage.
“I heard that the esteemed doctor personally escorted my granddaughter home, and I am deeply grateful. I would like to invite the doctor into the residence for a discussion.”
The surroundings fell silent. Even the neighbors stretched their necks and stood on tiptoe, all eyes fixed on the green-curtained carriage.
A young servant stepped forward, lifted the curtain, and an elderly man emerged.
He appeared to be in his sixties or seventies, with white hair and beard, but he moved with ease and agility. Upon stepping down, he examined Old Madam Deng with a scrutinizing gaze.
The moment she got a clear look at him, Old Madam Deng let out a huge sigh of relief.
Excellent! This doctor was old—old enough to silence any gossip from the neighbors!
In the next moment, a blur of movement flashed as a fourteen- or fifteen-year-old maid in pink jumped out of the carriage. She greeted Old Madam Zheng with composure and respect.
“Your servant, Ah Zhu, greets the Old Madam and the First Madam.”
After her greeting, Ah Zhu turned around and extended a hand. “Miss, please step down from the carriage.”