Chapter 379 - Gentleness

The carriage rolled out of the alley at a steady pace and rounded a corner. Only then did Hua Zhi glance at Hua Ling, who was sitting unnaturally still, her body tense. She spoke softly, her tone soothing, "It's alright."

Hua Ling turned her head with visible difficulty, her voice rasping as she called out, "Eldest sister..."

Hua Zhi couldn’t begin to fathom what her sister had endured, but right then, she wasn’t interested in asking. Without a word, she reached out, pulling Hua Ling into her arms. She pressed her close to her shoulder, running a gentle hand over her head, her voice low and comforting, "It’s all in the past now. Nothing will happen. You don’t have to worry."

Tears welled up in Hua Ling’s eyes, and she buried her face in her eldest sister’s shoulder, her body shaking as she sobbed silently. Every now and then, a strangled sob escaped her, an involuntary release of the fear and trembling that had consumed her.

Her eldest sister would never know how utterly desperate she had been. A woman who had been taken by a man, no matter how innocent, would always be marked—tainted in the eyes of others. At one point, Hua Ling had felt there was no way out.

But then her cousin from the Zhu family had arrived, telling her of her eldest sister’s tireless efforts to protect her honor, of how she’d witnessed the coffins lined up, and how Hua Zhi had been willing to sacrifice herself for her. It was in that moment that Hua Ling realized she had to keep living—no matter what was to come. She had to live.

To do otherwise would mean betraying all that her eldest sister had done, dishonoring her sacrifice and the love her brothers had shown her.

In her eldest sister’s embrace—someone who, while not especially strong, radiated warmth—Hua Ling felt as though she were transported back to the Hua family’s most prosperous days. Safe and sheltered, she finally recognized the true gentleness of her eldest sister. Hua Zhi wasn’t outwardly soft or prone to sharing her feelings, yet there was a deep, quiet kindness about her—a gentleness that ran beneath the surface, not seen but deeply felt.

She was no longer afraid. Not at all.

Tears had soaked through her clothes, yet the warmth from them seemed to seep deeper, right into her heart. Hua Zhi, with the gentleness only she could muster, patted the young girl who had once been so proud, so determined to pull away.

The tension swirling in Hua Ling’s mind made her dizzy, unsettled, and despite the whirlwind of thoughts racing through her, she couldn’t seem to tie them together. She closed her eyes slowly, a quiet barrier to hide whatever emotions she was feeling, keeping them from her ever-watchful attendant.

Time seemed to stretch—long, yet almost a blink—and the carriage finally came to a stop.

Hua Ling, now trying to gather herself, felt a pang of embarrassment. She stayed close to her eldest sister, not wanting to move away. This rare closeness, so foreign yet comforting, felt precious, and she couldn’t bear the thought of letting it slip away. It was as if she knew this moment might never come again, and so, she clung to it as long as she could.

But of course, she couldn’t keep up the pretense for long. Straightening up, she grabbed her handkerchief to dab at her face, trying to regain some composure. The maid rushed to her side to help, but no matter how much she fussed over it, Hua Ling’s swollen eyes refused to cooperate.

Fortunately, the carriage had stopped right in the front courtyard, so no one could see her distress.

Hua Zhi stepped out of the carriage first. Her legs wobbled slightly, and with Ying Chun’s steadying hand, she managed to stand tall, hiding any weakness behind her composed demeanor. When she spotted the household ladies waiting anxiously in the yard, she smiled, reassuring them, “It’s fine, no need to worry.”

The moment Xia Shi saw her daughter emerge, safe and unharmed, tears spilled from her eyes. Her heart had been gripped by an unbearable fear. Her husband and son weren’t home, and if anything had happened to Hua Ling, she would have been utterly alone. The thought was too much to bear, and now that the fear was gone, all that remained was an overwhelming relief. Xia Shi rushed forward, throwing her arms around her daughter, unable to stop the flood of tears.

After calming down from her own outburst, Hua Ling, now able to comfort her mother, found herself reflecting on the courage she had summoned just a while ago. Had that same courage carried her through this moment, allowing her to face the reality that now seemed so much less daunting?

Looking back at the words she had said earlier, she realized that she might have used up every last ounce of courage she would ever have. The weight of it hit her all at once, leaving her to wonder what was left for her to face after this.

Hua Zhi made a quick gesture toward Fourth Aunt and then moved towards her cousin, who was in the middle of greeting their mother.

"Really grateful to my cousin for showing up just in time today," Hua Zhi said, bowing with genuine sincerity. The entire situation had only been brought under control because her cousin had brought Hua Ling along, allowing Hua Zhi to fully protect her sister’s reputation.

Zhu Zian gave her a comforting pat on the back. "Family always sticks together. And you handled it quite well."

Hua Zhi glanced to the side and lowered her voice. "What exactly happened back there? Is my third sister okay?"

"I don't know all the details. But when I got there, the people you sent had already rescued her. She didn’t seem hurt. There was also a stranger around who looked like they'd been injured."

Hua Zhi nodded, absorbing this. "I’ll have to go visit Grandmother later."

Before she could finish, Zhu Ziwen, who was facing the door, chimed in with a smile. "No need to wait, we can go today."

Hua Zhi turned around, feeling a warm feeling spread in her chest as she saw the new arrival.

Zhu Shi, who had been married for years, looked at her mother with surprise and affection, embracing her warmly as she asked, "Mother, what brings you here?"

Madam Zhu, the elderly matriarch, couldn't shake off a sense of exhaustion. She hadn't wanted to make these frequent visits, but with all the recent turmoil in the Hua family, her mind couldn't rest without checking in on them.

After embracing her daughter and breezing past any formalities with her granddaughter, she cast a quick glance at the group gathered together, offering each other comfort, before asking in a soft voice, "Is everything settled now?"

"Yes, everything is fine."

"Thank goodness." Madam Zhu let out a quiet sigh of relief, murmuring a Buddhist mantra under her breath. "It sounded really serious. Did you actually go up to Mr. Wei?"

"If we don't shut the Wei family up, even the truth will be twisted into a lie."

Madam Zhu immediately understood the situation. Nodding thoughtfully, she said, "That's the right approach. Get the Wei family to confess publicly, and they won’t have room to create more trouble. The Hua family’s never been on friendly terms with them anyway. Offending them won’t cost us much. Don’t worry, your grandfather will back you up. I’ll have him handle the Wei family later."

Zhu Ziwen couldn't help but chuckle at his grandmother’s words. The idea of his grandfather confronting the Wei family wasn’t exactly a great solution; it would probably just make things worse. But seeing his grandmother so content, his cousin nodding in agreement, and his younger cousin enthusiastically backing her up, he decided to keep his thoughts to himself.

Then his gaze fell on his cousin, who had been unusually quiet but also impressively composed. He couldn't help but admire her. In such a short time, she had thought on her feet, formulated a plan, and managed to maintain the Hua family's reputation while dealing a blow to the Wei family. It was something he knew he couldn’t have done—her quick thinking and confidence were unmatched.

But with that admiration also came a sense of concern. The incidents had been relentless this year, one after another, and it was always the Hua women—either children or young adults—who bore the brunt of it. She, however, was the rock they leaned on, the one who had to keep everything together. Yet, he’d noticed how her body had swayed a little when she got off the carriage earlier, a clear sign of fatigue. Still, she couldn’t rest. The Hua family had no choice but to rely on her strength, even when she was clearly worn thin.

In times like this, the Hua family’s situation really could be overwhelming to handle.

When his younger cousin asked their grandmother if she could go to the backyard, Zhu Ziwen figured it was time for him to make his exit. "I'll head back now. If you need anything, just send someone to find me," he said casually.

Hua Zhi, understanding that he was trying to keep a low profile, didn’t try to stop him. Instead, she said, "Don't hesitate to reach out if you need help with anything. Oh, and I heard you're planning to take the autumn imperial exams this year?"

Zhu Ziwen nodded. "My teacher says it's time."

He was one of the rare young men from a distinguished family actually pursuing the imperial exams. With his natural brilliance, he could have passed years ago. But his teacher believed there was still room for growth, so he hadn’t rushed him into taking the exams. Now, with his teacher's blessing, Zhu Ziwen was determined to score high and prove himself.

"Hang on a second, cousin." Hua Zhi quickly gave some instructions, and before long, Lan Qiao appeared, carrying a basket wrapped in oil paper, clearly holding something inside.