After returning to Muxi Hall, Jin Chao only drank a bowl of soup, unable to eat anything else.

Holding a candlestick, Jin Chao leaned against the kang table reading “Commentary on the Water Classic.” Cai Fu brought up a plate of steamed date sponge cake.

Third Master Chen indeed did not return. Gu Jin Chao waited until she was extremely tired, then fell asleep leaning against the welcoming pillow.

When she awoke, there was a cloak draped over her back. She thought Third Master Chen had returned and looked around. But Yu Zhu quickly entered, “…Madam, it’s too cold to sleep here. You should go to sleep on the bed. If Third Master returns, this servant will wake you.”

Gu Jin Chao was very disappointed.

The remaining candle in the candlestick was about to go out. Outside there was no sound, making the night seem even more desolate.

Gu Jin Chao remained silent for a moment, then went to sleep on the bed.

No one slept well that night.

Yu Wan Xue removed her hairpin to trim the candle wick. The hot water bottle she held had already gone cold. She saw Chen Xuan Qing return and hurriedly smiled, helping him remove his cloak while saying softly, “You’ve returned so late, the food I saved for you must be cold…”

She noticed Chen Xuan Qing’s expression was abnormal. His hair was wet with melted snow, ice crystals formed along the edges of his cloak, and his handsome face was blue from the cold.

Yu Wan Xue couldn’t help asking, “What… what were you doing? Weren’t you teaching the Fourth Young Lady to practice the zither?”

Chen Xuan Qing gently pushed her away and unfastened his cloak himself.

When his father had told him to leave, he hadn’t gone far. He had seen his father exit with a cold face and leave home in a carriage. He didn’t know where his father had gone, nor what had happened between him and Gu Jin Chao. He hadn’t taken a single step into Muxi Hall; Gu Jin Chao probably wanted to see him least of all right now.

“Did you go to my mother to ask her to persuade me?” Chen Xuan Qing asked her.

Yu Wan Xue hesitantly nodded. Could it be… Chen Xuan Qing was upset that she had spoken to others. She smiled and explained, “This concubine saw that you haven’t been happy lately and thought you had something on your mind… but were unwilling to tell me.”

After a long while, Chen Xuan Qing smiled faintly, “I do indeed have things on my mind.”

Yu Wan Xue sighed with relief, “After the New Year, you’ll be going to your official post. If you could explain what’s bothering you, this concubine wouldn’t worry so much about you…”

Originally, he wouldn’t have gone to his post so early.

Serving a full three years as a Hanlin Academy Editor before being appointed as a county magistrate would have been better. But his father had told him early on that after the New Year, he would be reassigned… His father had been guarding against him for a long time. Chen Xuan Qing suddenly became absent-minded…

Yu Wan Xue looked up at Chen Xuan Qing.

She still thought Chen Xuan Qing was the most handsome man she had ever seen. Even in decline, his bearing remained undimmed.

She hoped Chen Xuan Qing could leave her with a child before his reassignment. Just like the eldest sister-in-law, even with her husband away, she could raise a child and live her days. She very much wanted to have Chen Xuan Qing’s child.

Yu Wan Xue smiled and said, “Today, my Second Sister-in-law brought Young Master Zheng to ask me for a red envelope. I casually took out two silver taels, but he wouldn’t accept them. He insisted they be wrapped in red paper… Young Master Zheng looks like Second Sister-in-law, fair and clean, throwing tantrums and acting spoiled, so adorable.” She chattered on about interesting things that happened at Old Madam Chen’s place while Chen Xuan Qing listened in silence.

Yu Wan Xue should have been the type of girl he liked best—gentle, charming, and observant of propriety. He felt that if there had been no Gu Jin Chao, he would certainly have liked Yu Wan Xue. He had always been indifferent by nature, but Gu Jin Chao was too dazzling, too distinctive. Although everything she did annoyed him, she had left a deep impression on his heart. Now that Gu Jin Chao had become what she was, the contrast between past and present made him… unable to let go.

Chen Xuan Qing suddenly interrupted Yu Wan Xue’s words, “…It’s late, let’s sleep.”

Yu Wan Xue was startled, but her heart rejoiced. She called for the maid to bring hot water for washing, and the two lay down on the bed.

The sounds of the maids tidying up gradually quieted, but Yu Wan Xue could feel Chen Xuan Qing’s steady breathing. She knew he wasn’t asleep.

She turned her head and could only see Chen Xuan Qing’s profile in the darkness. He seemed even more silent than usual, more heavily burdened with worries.

Yu Wan Xue heard herself say, “Xuan Qing, did Mother say something to you?”

It was the first time she had called him ‘Xuan Qing.’ She had always wanted to call him this in her heart, but when she said it, she startled herself.

Chen Xuan Qing turned his head, though neither could see clearly in the darkness.

He didn’t seem angry… Yu Wan Xue smiled, “Your name sounds so nice. Was it given by your father?”

After a long while, she finally heard Chen Xuan Qing say, “…No.” But then there was silence again.

Even if Yu Wan Xue was slow-witted, she knew he didn’t want to talk to her. So she said softly, “Then you should sleep. Tomorrow I’ll go see Mother early and clarify things.” She thought Chen Xuan Qing was unhappy because of what she had said. “Mother is reasonable and won’t say anything.”

Unexpectedly, Chen Xuan Qing suddenly shouted in a low voice, “Shut up!”

Before Yu Wan Xue could react, he turned and pressed down on her, gripping her chin coldly and saying, “From now on, you are not to speak to her about anything concerning me, understand!” She still didn’t know what trouble he had caused, but who could she blame?

Yu Wan Xue was frightened by Chen Xuan Qing; she had never seen him lose control like this! She looked at Chen Xuan Qing, aggrieved and innocent, saying softly, “…Fine, I won’t say anything.” She couldn’t help murmuring, “You could just tell me properly, I would understand…”

Yu Wan Xue felt him release his hand and quickly lie back down.

He didn’t speak anymore, but Yu Wan Xue heard his suppressed inhalation. She reached out to touch his face, but Chen Xuan Qing quickly turned away. However, Yu Wan Xue had already felt the cold, wet side of his face.

Yu Wan Xue truly dared not say anything more.

Chen Xuan Qing… was crying?

…

Cai Fu brought in a teacup with several winter plum buds soaking in water; some had already bloomed. She poured the water from this teacup into a copper basin, filling it with floral fragrance. Gu Jin Chao stared blankly at the steam rising from the basin. She quickly washed her hands and dried them, then asked the old woman from the outer courtyard who had come to report, “Third Master went out last night and hasn’t returned?”

The old woman replied, “…Third Master left by carriage at dusk, with Chen Guard and Hu Jin accompanying him.”

“When Third Master returns, come and inform me.” Gu Jin Chao rewarded the old woman with a box of Dragonbeard candy and dismissed her.

After paying respects to Old Madam Chen, she returned to find Yu Wan Xue waiting for her. Yu Zhu brought up Jin Chao’s basket, which contained an unfinished baby swaddling cloth. Gu Jin Chao looked at the embroidery pattern of cranes and deer celebrating spring, remembering that the pine tree in the pattern had been drawn by Third Master Chen… At the time, she had complained that his drawing wasn’t pretty, saying there were too few pine needles. Third Master Chen had laughed and said it was a Scotch pine, able to withstand extreme cold.

Yu Wan Xue, thinking of Chen Xuan Qing’s unusual behavior last night, kept wanting to ask Gu Jin Chao what had happened to him.

Seeing Gu Jin Chao begin to embroider the swaddling cloth, she felt it inappropriate to ask. By noon, Jin Chao invited her to stay for lunch, but she still couldn’t find a suitable moment to speak, perhaps feeling it wasn’t right to ask, and instead returned home with a full stomach.

In the afternoon, Chen Xuan Yue came to play for a while, and Gu Jin Chao forced herself to keep him company. The child was well-behaved and didn’t bother her. He held up a fluffy little yellow chick for her to see, clearly hoping for her praise: “I hatched it!”

Madam Song explained with a smile, “This servant asked the kitchen manager to catch it. Last night the Ninth Young Master made a bamboo basket to keep it in.”

Gu Jin Chao watched him holding and playing with the little chick, but she had no heart even to humor him.

When she went to see Old Madam Chen again after a while, Old Madam Chen noticed her abnormal state and took her hand, asking, “Jin Chao, why do you look so unwell, with dark circles under your eyes? Did you not sleep well last night?”

Madam Qin said softly, “I heard Third Master went out last night and didn’t return. Third Sister-in-law must have waited too long!”

Old Madam Chen frowned deeply, saying, “Third Son didn’t come back last night? Why didn’t anyone tell me?” Originally, when Third Master Chen was busy with official business, he wouldn’t come but would send someone to inform them. But it wasn’t yet time for him to enter the Grand Secretariat, so what had he gone to do? Moreover, since Gu Jin Chao had married into the Chen family, Third Master Chen had never been away all night.

Gu Jin Chao couldn’t leave any opening for gossip, so she smiled faintly, “I was making baby swaddling clothes last night and spent too much time on it. Third Master Chen came back yesterday afternoon, saying he had urgent matters. I forgot to mention it to you yesterday.”

Madam Wang also smiled, “Mother! Are you still worried about Third Master? He’s not like Sixth Master who is unreliable.”

Old Madam Chen sighed, “A mother knows her son best. He’s been hiding something lately; I can tell. Third Son is the kind of person who, once he’s made up his mind, rarely changes it. His character is strong, and when faced with problems, he likes to keep them to himself and think. I see you’re good at understanding him. If he’s like a closed bottle gourd, you should coax him to talk!”

All the daughters-in-law laughed, but Gu Jin Chao merely forced a smile.

Old Madam Chen’s words startled her. Third Master Chen was indeed such a person—once he made up his mind about something, it was difficult to change, and he rarely shared his thoughts with others… If he decided she was problematic, would he truly never change his mind?

She couldn’t help feeling anxious.

What if he didn’t come back? She must explain things clearly!

Upon returning, Jin Chao didn’t wait for the old woman from the outer courtyard to report. She changed into a satin jacket and, with two maids, went to the outer courtyard study to wait for him.

Shu Yan invited her to sit inside and wait, but Gu Jin Chao shook her head in refusal. If Third Master Chen didn’t want to see her and heard she was inside, he might have avoided her. So Shu Yan went in and brought out a stool: “Madam, please sit here. This servant will bring out a charcoal basin for you.”

Gu Jin Chao shook her head, “No need! You may go inside.”

Shu Yan said helplessly, “Madam, you’re making it difficult for this small one! You’re with child; if you stand outside too long and catch a cold, this servant will bear a great sin. Third Master has a gray squirrel skin cloak inside; shall this servant bring it out for you?”

Cai Fu stepped forward and asked Shu Yan to go inside. Gu Jin Chao looked at the sky. It had snowed last night, but now the sky was clear; it shouldn’t snow again. She would simply wait to intercept him and explain everything clearly.