As they walked through the winding corridors of the Bai Clan Estate, Mu Yuelan occasionally glanced sideways at her son.
She hadn’t had the chance to truly observe him until now—how tall he had grown, how calm and confident his aura had become.
She hadn’t expected him to change this much in a single year.
Then she began to ask how he was and what it was in the Heaven Sword Sect.
Well, there were only complaints from him.
A short silence passed between them before Mu Yuelan spoke again, more softly this time.
“Zihan’er…”
He turned to her slightly.
“You’re sure you’re alright? I mean, really alright?”
Her concern stemmed from the fact that Bai Zihan had taken out the Dao Bone and returned it to Bai Xinyue.
Although she hadn’t noticed anything wrong when she scanned him during their first hug, she was still worried.
She stopped in her tracks, forcing him to halt too. Her hand came to his arm, eyes filled with motherly concern.
“You’re not just putting on a brave face for us, are you? Your meridians… your body… There’s no pain? No hidden backlash?”
For a moment, Bai Zihan didn’t respond.
He understood why his mother was asking.
“Nothing’s wrong! If there was, I would’ve said something and gotten it fixed right away!”
Bai Zihan replied confidently.
Mu Yuelan let out a slow breath.
“That’s good. That’s… really good.”
She looked away, hiding the slight glisten in her eyes.
They walked for a few more seconds before they arrived before a beautifully carved wooden door adorned with frost-like patterns—delicate and elegant.
Bai Zihan raised his hand and knocked twice.
“Who?”
Bai Xueqing’s cold voice rang out.
“Me!”
Bai Zihan arrogantly replied.
“…”
There was a slight pause.
“Come in!”
Mu Yuelan composed herself, smoothing her robes and restoring her usual graceful smile.
As the door creaked open, Bai Zihan stepped inside with a casual air, hands behind his back like he owned the place.
Mu Yuelan followed closely, the grace of a noble matriarch returning with each step.
Bai Xueqing was seated by the window, pouring herself a cup of tea. She looked up, eyebrows already raised.
“What are you—”
Her words froze the moment her eyes landed on the woman behind him.
“…Mother?”
Her teacup clinked against the tray as she stood up abruptly, eyes wide in disbelief.
In a blink, she crossed the room and threw herself into Mu Yuelan’s arms, her composure shattering like brittle ice.
“Why are you here? No one told me anything—!”
Her voice cracked with a mix of joy and grievance as she hugged her mother tightly.
Mu Yuelan’s smile softened. She stroked Xueqing’s back gently.
“Silly girl, must I send a message before coming to see my daughter?”
“But you never leave the Mu Clan Estate…”
Xueqing muttered into her shoulder.
“I didn’t think I’d see you like this…”
“It’s been too long,” Mu Yuelan replied, holding her daughter for a few more moments before gently pulling back.
“Let me have a look at you. You’ve grown prettier… and thinner. Are you eating well?”
Before Xueqing could respond, a soft rustle sounded from the other side of the room.
Her posture was upright but stiff, her hands clutching the hem of her sleeves.
She bowed deeply the moment Mu Yuelan’s gaze shifted to her.
“Hello, Madam Mu! My name is Chu Ziyan of the Chu Clan. I’m your daughter’s friend and… Bai Zihan’s fiancée.”
Her voice was gentle, but the nervousness was unmistakable.
She didn’t dare meet Mu Yuelan’s eyes for long, and her hands trembled slightly as she straightened up.
She hadn’t expected to meet Mu Yuelan like this and became nervous due to the suddenness of the situation.
Mu Yuelan raised a delicate brow, observing the girl before her.
(So this is the girl?)
She was… older than expected, and far more reserved.
But there was an unspoken grace to her demeanor.
Her beauty was also high enough—acceptable for her son’s wife.
Mu Yuelan studied her in silence for a breath too long.
Ziyan felt the weight of that silence like a sword poised above her neck.
Finally—
“I see,” Mu Yuelan said slowly, a small smile curling her lips.
“So you’re the one.”
Ziyan straightened even more, stiff as a board.
“Come,” Mu Yuelan gestured lightly. “Let me have a proper look at you.”
Ziyan hesitated, glancing at Bai Zihan as if asking for help.
He simply smirked and folded his arms.
“Go on! She won’t bite.”
(Probably!)
Ziyan stepped forward obediently, stopping a few feet in front of Mu Yuelan.
The matriarch’s gaze roamed over her—assessing posture, spiritual Qi, eyes, even how she carried herself.
Then, she nodded slowly.
“You have good manners,” she said. “And I can tell you’ve been trained properly in the basics. That’s a good start.”
Ziyan let out a breath she didn’t realize she’d been holding.
Then she turned back to Xueqing and took her daughter’s hands again.
“I’ll be around for the next few days. Zihan’s birthday is almost here, after all.”
Mu Yuelan took a seat by the tea table, motioning gracefully for Bai Xueqing and Chu Ziyan to join her.
Xueqing sat beside her without hesitation, the warmth in her eyes still lingering from their embrace.
But Ziyan… hesitated again.
She carefully lowered herself onto the cushion across from Mu Yuelan, back straight as a blade, hands clenched politely on her lap.
Mu Yuelan poured tea for all of them, her every movement elegant and fluid.
“You don’t need to be so tense, Miss Chu,” she said gently, offering Ziyan a cup with a faint smile. “After all, you’re my daughter-in-law. Please, be comfortable.”
Ziyan bowed her head quickly.
“Thank you, Madam Mu…”
Mu Yuelan took a sip of tea before continuing.
“I’ve heard a bit about you from my daughter,” Mu Yuelan said, her gaze resting thoughtfully on Chu Ziyan.
“But I never imagined you’d end up engaged to Zihan.”
She let out a soft chuckle, then continued, “Zihan can be a bit of a handful, yes—but he’s a good child, deep down.”
Chu Ziyan didn’t know whether Mu Yuelan was serious or not when she said those words.
But for mothers, their child will always be good no matter what they do.
She spoke warmly, her tone laced with both affection and exasperation, as if recalling a dozen memories at once.
As she continued praising and teasing her son in equal measure, Bai Zihan’s expression gradually shifted to one of visible boredom.
“Alright, alright—I’m leaving,” he interrupted, stretching lazily. “No need to sit here and listen to my life story.”
Without waiting for a response, he turned and sauntered out of the room.
“Try not to embarrass me too much while I’m gone!”
Mu Yuelan shook her head with an amused smile, then turned back to Ziyan.
“Now, where were we?”