It was Qin Yuxi standing at the door.
Her figure framed by the doorway was poised and graceful, the afternoon light outlining her in quiet brilliance.
The moment Song Huifei's eyes landed on Yuxi, her frosty composure melted away. All the sharpness she had shown toward Qin Weishan and his granddaughter dissipated like smoke.
"Yuxi!" Her voice carried warmth as she quickly rose, her dignity giving way to genuine maternal affection. She stepped forward, gathering her only daughter into her arms. "Why didn't you call before coming? Weren't you supposed to arrive tomorrow?"
Qin Yuxi's lips curved in a gentle smile. "I wanted to surprise you. Isn't it better this way?"
Song Huifei chuckled, brushing a stray lock of hair from her daughter's cheek. "You never change." Taking her hand, she guided her further inside.
But the reunion was swiftly interrupted.
"Cousin Yuxi," Qin Suyin greeted, her smile polished to sweetness. "It's been so long. You look… different. It must feel strange, doesn't it? So much has changed recently. Losing one's position is always difficult, but I admire how gracefully you carry it."
Her words dripped like honey, yet the sting beneath them was sharp.
The hall grew heavy.
To outsiders, it may have seemed like a harmless jab, perhaps jealousy sparked by Xi Jiayi's sudden return. But to those who knew, Qin Suyin's words were deliberate, her gloating veiled with false sympathy.
Qin Yuxi's expression remained composed, but her voice cut with elegant precision.
"As the daughter of the Qin main family," she said smoothly, "I have never had to feel weary of anyone. And as the eldest daughter-in-law of the Zhou family, my position is not something anyone else can covet."
The words landed with quiet force.
Qin Suyin's smile faltered, the edges of her composure fraying. Everyone knew of her long-held crush on Zhou Shunhao, eldest son of the Zhou family—Qin Yuxi's husband. To hear him acknowledged so simply only deepened her humiliation.
Her lips parted, but Qin Yuxi ignored her, turning back to her mother.
"Mother, earlier… you mentioned a position. What did you mean?"
For a moment, Song Huifei's eyes flickered, but her expression smoothed over almost instantly. A faint smile touched her lips as she patted her daughter's hand.
"Nothing important, Yuxi. You've just returned, don't trouble yourself with these small matters."
Neither Song Huifei nor Qin Weishan mentioned Xi Jiayi's position—both keeping silent for their own reasons. Song Huifei didn't want her daughter to worry unnecessarily, while Qin Weishan had no intention of giving the Qin main family any advantage.
Turning back toward Qin Weishan and Qin Suyin, Song Huifei's tone remained polite, but her words carried a clear edge.
"We must excuse ourselves now. My daughter has returned after months away. Surely you understand how precious this time is to me."
Qin Suyin stiffened, ready to retort, but Qin Weishan placed a hand on her arm.
The elder's smile remained calm, but his eyes gleamed with quiet malice. "Naturally, naturally. Madam Song's devotion is admirable. We won't disturb you any longer. Another day, perhaps, we will visit again. It would delight this old man if Jiayi could visit our manor as well. After all, she is part of the Qin family now."
Song Huifei's smile did not waver, but beneath her calm exterior, anger simmered.
Qin Weishan chuckled softly, rising with his cane. "We'll take our leave, then."
He guided his granddaughter out, his expression serene though his thoughts darkened. The Qin family was weakening, and soon enough, their fall would come. Watching Song Huifei cling to her dignity only made the thought more satisfying.
When the doors closed behind them, silence lingered.
Qin Yuxi turned to her mother, the softness from moments before gone. Her voice, cold and edged with restrained fury, cut through the stillness.
"Mother… why did you bring her back?"
Her tone carried nothing but anger and disgust.