Two quarters of an hour later, a servant reported, "The old Marquis said that the eldest girl is timid and can't go anywhere alone. She might be allowed to go out on her own in a few years once she has courage."
The clear insult caused Granny Ma and her daughter to recoil, the color draining from their faces; Mrs. Ma also dropped her ficaed.
Chen Afu pretended not to notice and escorted them out of the courtyard.
Once they were out of sight, Ms. Chu whispered, "Mother, I don't like them, they aren't sincere in their intentions towards me."
Chen Afu's heart ached. She thought, if they were genuinely kind, they wouldn't have let Rong Zhao torment you into madness without a care. Now that they see you thriving, they try to mend fences. Holding her daughter's hand, she squeezed it gently, saying, "If you don't like them, we'll limit our interactions."