Yu Tang followed A’Ming into the pavilion and finally understood somewhat why Pei Yan would meet her here.

The octagonal pavilion had upturned eave corners, a gray roof and red pillars. Built in a mountain hollow, it had one side against the mountain and three sides facing the lake. The wind couldn’t reach inside the pavilion, yet outside, the mountain was ablaze with maple leaves like fire, while below, the lake surface was clear as a mirror. Sitting on the imperial concubine’s couch in the pavilion, the lake and mountain scenery was all within view, refreshing one’s spirit and inspiring a sense of contentment.

He really knew how to enjoy himself!

Yu Tang grumbled inwardly as she looked at the crystal plate on the tea table beside her, displaying golden autumn pears, purple-red grapes, and bright red apples. She wondered when Pei Yan would arrive and whether she’d have a chance to finish eating a pear… when Pei Yan appeared in the pavilion.

“You’ve met my mother?” He walked in with furrowed brows, without even a greeting, his voice sounding somewhat impatient as he asked. Then he unceremoniously sat down on the meditation chair opposite the imperial concubine’s couch.

Were they this familiar with each other?

Although having lived two lives, Yu Tang was much bolder than her previous self, but she had only been intimately close with her father and brothers. Though Pei Yan’s manner seemed casual, a woman’s natural wariness toward men made Yu Tang immediately sit up straight, her eyes fixed on Pei Yan, though her heart was quite uneasy.

If he took off his shoes and socks to sit cross-legged on the meditation chair, should she pretend not to see it? Or should she reprimand him a few times?

But soon she breathed a sigh of relief.

Although one should sit cross-legged on a meditation chair, Pei Yan clearly had no such intention. He sat upright and proper, as if sitting on a grand armchair, sitting formally on the meditation chair. He even refused the fruit A’Ming brought over, instead instructing A’Ming: “Brew me a strong pot of tea.”

Was he tired?

Yu Tang couldn’t help but examine him carefully.

Only then did she notice his eyes were bloodshot.

Yu Tang couldn’t help feeling somewhat worried and said: “If you have something to tell me, you could just have A’Ming pass along a message.”

He didn’t necessarily have to see her in person.

He had helped her so much that she regarded him as a benefactor. If there was anything he needed that she could help with, she would be very willing to assist.

Pei Yan shook his head and said: “These past few days I’ve been sorting through accounts—all muddled accounts.” When he reached this point, his tone paused.

Perhaps he felt it wasn’t appropriate to discuss such things with her.

Yu Tang thought to herself.

Sure enough, Pei Yan quickly changed the topic, saying: “I’ve been so busy lately my feet haven’t touched the ground, yet my mother… her mood hasn’t been good. I don’t know how to make her happy. I thought of how before my cousin got married, she would often come to stay, accompanying my mother to buy this and that, and sometimes they’d even stay together at temples in the mountains, so I thought of Miss Yu. I’d like to ask you to visit more often during this time…” As he spoke, his lips pressed together, appearing somewhat serious yet also revealing a troubled expression. “Consider it helping me with a favor, making my mother happy. I also know Miss Yu is very busy. If there’s anything you need my help with, just say so. Let’s consider it an exchange of responsibilities.”

There was such a thing?

Yu Tang’s eyes widened.

She was very curious about who Pei Yan’s married cousin was—accompanying the Old Madam shopping and playing, just thinking about it made her envious.

However, since she was a young miss from the Pei family’s relatives, her family background must be quite distinguished too. Ordinarily, she probably spent her days just shopping and playing, unlike herself.

Still, she could see that Pei Yan probably wanted to be filial to his mother but had neither the time nor the means to accompany her, which was why he came up with this idea.

An exchange of responsibilities wasn’t necessary—being able to help Pei Yan actually made her quite happy. Besides, Pei Yan had already helped her family too many times. Whether she was busy or not, she would make time to come, until the Old Madam gradually emerged from the pain of losing her spouse, after which presumably she wouldn’t need her prolonged companionship anymore.

“Third Master, please don’t say that.” Yu Tang said sincerely, “At home I just eat and drink anyway, nothing important. As for the Old Madam’s side, as long as she needs me, I will certainly do my duty without hesitation.”

Hearing this, Pei Yan gave a light snort and said: “Those books I lent you—have you understood them?”

Yu Tang’s face burned as her voice lowered: “No, no, I haven’t finished reading them yet.”

Not finishing them was also because she couldn’t understand them—reading was very difficult. Although she had called Wang Si over a few times and he had taught her some basic farming knowledge, now that autumn had arrived and she didn’t know whether those few sea buckthorn trees could successfully get through the winter, Wang Si needed to devote more energy to those saplings. She couldn’t keep calling Wang Si into the city every few days.

Pei Yan handed her an apple.

Yu Tang accepted the apple in confusion.

Pei Yan raised an eyebrow: “Try it!”

Yu Tang bit into the apple, puzzled.

Then she looked down at the red fruit in her hand with a bewildered expression.

Next, she heard Pei Yan’s mocking laugh: “Not bad. You may not know what tea tastes like, but at least you can tell what fruit tastes like.”

Wasn’t this insulting?

Yu Tang glared at him angrily.

Pei Yan was unbothered and said: “This is a crabapple. Grown on our family’s farm.”

She knew about crabapples.

But they were all small.

When did they grow as large as apples?

Yu Tang looked at Pei Yan.

Could it be a new variety their family had cultivated?

Pei Yan rarely nodded and said: “Correct. This is a new variety our family cultivated. As large as apples, yet they bear more fruit than apples, ripen faster, sell cheaper, and come to market earlier.”

The Pei family must have an expert who really understood fruit tree cultivation.

Yu Tang was so envious she could cry blood.

But Pei Yan leaned toward her and said in a low voice: “Want to exchange responsibilities? Hmm?”

Yu Tang jumped in fright.

Was this what Pei Yan’s voice sounded like when he lowered it?

Mellow, intimate, alluring—like a pleasing huqin, yet also like a feather lightly brushing across her chest, making her heart beat like an urgent drum, pounding loudly in her ears until she could no longer hear any other sounds around her.

When she came back to her senses, Pei Yan’s voice was beside her ear, containing a hint of joy: “Then it’s settled. I’ll have Hu Xing take people to help you watch over that mountain forest, not only ensuring your sea buckthorn trees survive the winter safely, but also helping you plant some crabapple trees and helping you open your preserved fruit shop. When you have free time, just visit our home more often. You don’t need to restrict yourself to only accompanying my mother making silk flowers and clothes. Whatever good food or fun things you have, just bring them into the manor. My mother likes to examine anything she hasn’t seen before—just grasp this point and you’ll be fine.”

“Ah!” Yu Tang stared at Pei Yan dumbly.

When had she agreed to this?!

But Pei Yan had already stood up cheerfully and said: “These past days have been chaotic and messy—finally something has gone smoothly! I’m still busy over there, so I’ll leave first. If you have nothing else, just eat some fruit here and rest a while. When you’re ready to go back, let A’Ming know and he’ll arrange a sedan chair for you.”

“Wait!” Yu Tang hurriedly stood up and said frantically, “When did I agree to this?”

Pei Yan said with displeasure: “Weren’t you nodding the whole time just now? What? Does nodding not count?”

Had she nodded?

She had no recollection of it at all.

Yu Tang’s expression was somewhat dazed.

Pei Yan said decisively: “How can a person go back on their word?! This matter is settled. I need to return to the accounting room. A’Ming, stay here and attend to her.” Having said this, regardless of Yu Tang’s expression, he lifted his feet and strode out of the pavilion.

Yu Tang was dumbstruck, watching Pei Yan’s figure quickly disappear down the secluded path, unable to speak.

Having walked beyond the pavilion’s line of sight, Pei Yan couldn’t suppress the corners of his mouth rising high.

Previously he had thought Miss Yu was quick-witted and adaptable, someone very clever yet skilled at reading situations. He hadn’t expected that once he led her into his scheme, she would actually be a bit foolish, nodding at everything he said.

This Miss Yu… was actually quite adorable.

It seemed that people had many sides—Miss Yu wasn’t always so assertive.

Pei Yan returned to the accounting room satisfied and called Hu Xing over, instructing him: “Take Master Ding and help Miss Yu figure out that mountain forest of hers—it can’t keep having no harvest.”

Hu Xing respectfully agreed. But after leaving the accounting room door, his cheeks ached.

He had been to see that mountain forest before—how could it be “figured out”? “Can’t keep having no harvest”—even if they cultivated it well, how many harvests could there be? If he was this concerned about whether the mountain forest was profitable, why not just allocate the proceeds from any shop to the Yu family?

Thinking of this, Hu Xing’s heart stirred as he stroked his chin.

Could this be what Third Master really meant?

Otherwise, why would he, the dignified Third Steward of the Pei manor, be assigned to watch over a small mountain forest?

He thought of how Miss Yu had entered the manor a few days ago and won the Old Madam’s favor.

Could Third Master have taken a fancy to Miss Yu?

Once this thought arose, Hu Xing immediately couldn’t stand still.

If this were true, given the Pei family’s prominence and Third Master’s status, Miss Yu definitely couldn’t be the primary wife.

But if she were to be a concubine, and he curried favor now, when Third Master’s legitimate wife entered the household, wouldn’t he be in an awkward position?

So what should he do?

For a moment, the usually extremely clever Steward Hu found himself caught in a dilemma.

Yu Tang was someone who loved her home. Having nothing else to do, how could she have the inclination to stay alone in the Pei manor viewing lake and mountain scenery and eating fruit and pastries?

The moment Pei Yan left the pavilion, she headed home.

Chen Shi had been eagerly waiting at home.

As soon as Yu Tang returned, she was pulled into the inner chamber to talk: “How was it? Did the Old Madam like you? Did she say you should visit again?”

“She liked me very much.” Yu Tang smiled as she changed clothes, recounting the process of visiting the Old Madam at the Pei manor to her mother. However, when it came to Pei Yan, she only briefly mentioned Pei Yan’s purpose in having her visit the Old Madam.

After hearing this, Chen Shi was very gratified and said: “Everyone says Second Master is filial, but I see Third Master is also very filial. Otherwise he wouldn’t ask you to frequently enter the manor to accompany the Old Madam. The Pei family has shown our family great kindness. We can’t help the Pei family with other matters, but since the Old Madam thinks well of you, just listen to Third Master and visit the Pei manor often. Later, after the Old Master finishes his mourning period and Third Master gets married, things will be fine.”

Once Pei Yan married, naturally his wife would be the one serving at his mother’s knee.

Yu Tang could then retire with merit accomplished.

Yu Tang nodded repeatedly, but couldn’t help wondering in her heart what kind of wife Pei Yan would marry. Would she have a gentle temperament and be warm and affectionate, or be shrewd and capable, understanding and perceptive… Whether the former or the latter, she couldn’t imagine anyone standing beside Pei Yan.

Unfortunately, in her previous life she didn’t know whether Pei Yan had married. If she had known in advance, perhaps she could have secretly gone to see what kind of person Pei Yan’s wife was.