Old Madam An laughed upon hearing these words.

Ordinary families would mostly have such considerations.

The Yu family were truly honest people.

“It was my lack of consideration.” Old Madam An said, “It’s cold on this mountain. In a few days, I’ll also return home.”

As expected, Old Madam An hadn’t come up the mountain for no reason.

But since this matter didn’t concern her, it wasn’t proper for her to inquire.

Old Madam An then spoke with Yu Tang about the Li family selling their land: “How did you think of the possibility that the Li family did this intentionally?”

Yu Tang couldn’t very well say it was because she had experience from her previous life and therefore knew the Li family’s assets. She could only say: “I know that Madam Li’s maternal family are major merchants in Fujian, and I haven’t heard that the Lin family has fallen into decline!”

The implication being that given the relationship between the Li family and the Lin family, if the Li family truly needed money, how could the Lin family just sit by and do nothing!

Old Madam An nodded her head. Just as she was about to say something, a young maid entered and said that Second Madam had arrived with Fifth Miss.

“Quickly let them in.” Upon hearing this, Old Madam An’s eyes were full of smiles, clearly she was very fond of Second Madam and Fifth Miss.

What was the relationship like between First Madam and Old Madam An?

Yu Tang had never seen First Madam at Old Madam An’s place.

When Second Madam and Fifth Miss saw that Yu Tang was also there, Second Madam was composed, smiling reservedly and nodding at Yu Tang. Fifth Miss, however, ran over in a flash, loudly calling “Sister Yu,” happily asking her: “Are you also going to spend the New Year at our house? Then do you want to make lanterns with me later? Amber and the others are going to teach me how to make lanterns.”

Also?!

Who else?

Yu Tang was astonished.

The Pei family clearly had no intention of hiding this from her. Second Madam smiled and said: “Miss Gu’s family has encountered some trouble, so this year she’ll be spending the New Year at our house.”

What trouble could her family have?

Yu Tang sneered inwardly.

Because of her stepmother, Gu Xi had a very poor relationship with her father and half-siblings—it could even be described as not caring at all whether they lived or died. Moreover, in her previous life, she hadn’t heard of any trouble in her family…

Could it be that the Gu and Pei families truly had plans for a marriage alliance, so Gu Xi found an excuse, and Old Madam An went along with it and kept Gu Xi here?!

She really wanted to know what had happened to the Gu family.

If it were her previous life, she might have privately gone to inquire. But having lived a second life, she knew her own limitations. Rather than play mind games with someone like Old Madam An, it would be better to directly ask. If they were willing to tell her, she would listen; if they weren’t willing to tell her, she would let go of that curiosity. Therefore, she didn’t hesitate but spoke frankly: “What happened to Miss Gu’s family? That she actually cannot return home for the New Year?”

Both Old Madam An and Second Madam showed expressions of surprise, then exchanged a glance with each other.

“See no impropriety, speak no impropriety.” When it involved the privacy of other families, most people wouldn’t ask. Miss Yu had also read books, so in principle she should have pretended not to know, yet she had asked so directly.

Was this Miss Yu sensible or not?

Old Madam An suppressed the confusion in her heart and directly declined to answer Yu Tang: “The Gu family’s affairs—we shouldn’t say too much about them. We only received a letter from Miss Gu’s elder brother, asking us to keep her here to spend the New Year. You’ll also see Miss Gu later. You’re similar in age, so you should get along well.”

Yu Tang smiled and respectfully agreed, but inwardly she wondered whether her arrival might be related to Gu Xi staying here for the New Year.

She accompanied Old Madam An and Second Madam in conversation for a while before Old Madam An dismissed her to go rest: “You just arrived today, having sat in the sedan chair for half the day. This afternoon, rest well in your room, and come join us for dinner this evening.”

Yu Tang smiled and agreed.

But Fifth Miss pulled Yu Tang’s hand and pleaded with Old Madam An: “I’m going to help Sister Yu organize her things.”

Second Madam smiled and scolded Fifth Miss: “You mustn’t be naughty. Let Miss Yu go rest first.”

Yu Tang quite liked Fifth Miss. Moreover, having just arrived at a new place, she felt that having a familiar person by her side making a commotion would give her more sense of security. She smiled and said to Second Madam: “Just let her come back to the guest room with me! With her there, I’ll also have company.”

Fifth Miss hurriedly hugged Yu Tang’s arm and said to Second Madam: “Mother, you see, Sister Yu also wants to keep me company.”

Second Madam was about to stop her when Old Madam An spoke up: “Then go keep Sister Yu company. However, you mustn’t be naughty. If you’re naughty, don’t expect us to agree to let you run around freely in the future.”

Fifth Miss was overjoyed and nodded repeatedly.

Yu Tang was also very happy. Smiling, she took Fifth Miss’s hand and took their leave from Old Madam An and Second Madam.

Second Madam couldn’t help but complain somewhat to Old Madam An: “Mother, you mustn’t continue to indulge her like this. Look at Third Branch’s Third Daughter—at such a young age, already showing proper decorum in advancing and retreating, completely the manner of a young lady from a great family…”

Old Madam An interrupted Second Madam’s words, saying: “But look at Fourth Daughter again!”

Second Madam stopped speaking.

But Old Madam An continued: “Has Fifth Daughter ever been this lively and active before? Observing mourning was already difficult for her. She finally met someone she can talk to—you’re her mother, don’t you hope she can be happy? How many more years can a girl stay at home! Once she’s married, who knows what circumstances she’ll face. Other people I don’t care about, but the pearl in the palm of our family—I can’t bear for her to suffer.”

Upon hearing this, Second Madam quickly said: “How could that be! With you watching over her, even if we are somewhat negligent, she couldn’t possibly suffer!”

Old Madam An gave a light “hmph” and said no more.

Yu Tang was staying in the eastern side room. She and Fifth Miss sat on the arhat bed in the inner chamber, drinking tea while watching Shuang Tao direct several maids and elderly servants from the Pei residence in organizing the inner chamber.

Originally, when these people were assigned to Yu Tang’s quarters, they had already been on their toes. Now, in front of Fifth Miss, they worked even more efficiently and carefully.

Fifth Miss was very interested in the half-finished silk flowers in the embroidery basket Yu Tang had brought.

She asked Yu Tang: “Can I learn too?”

Yu Tang smiled and said: “As long as you’re willing.”

Fifth Miss became delighted and whispered quietly to her: “My maternal grandmother’s birthday is coming up soon. I want to give her something different. Sister Yu, teach me to make a silk flower for my grandmother… I’ll go ask Nanny Chen for some jujube-red Zhangzhou velvet—I don’t know if it will be enough. After Sister Yu has rested well, I’ll have the maids bring it over for you to look at… Later, the three elder sisters will also come over… Madam Shen and Miss Gu also came up the mountain with us… They’re staying in the courtyard next to yours—that one is larger. Nanny Chen said that since Madam Shen is after all Mr. Shen’s wife, if not for the monk’s sake then for the Buddha’s sake, it’s still better to arrange for them to stay there… But the three elder sisters are staying here with us…”

Yu Tang smiled as she listened, not inquiring further about the Gu family’s affairs.

In her view, since Old Madam An was unwilling to tell her, she shouldn’t inquire about this matter on any occasion. Although she was dying of curiosity.

But the fact that several other young ladies from the Pei family would also be coming was quite unexpected for her.

She asked: “Why did Second Miss and the others also come?”

Fifth Miss’s thoughts were entirely on the silk flowers in the embroidery basket. While carefully examining the various implements in the basket, she said absentmindedly: “Third Sister is about to have marriage discussions soon. Third Grand-Aunt’s meaning is that she must first see the person. That family wanted to take advantage of the opportunity to pay respects to Old Madam An to let Third Sister see the person. With the New Year approaching, people are coming and going at the main Pei residence. Third Grand-Aunt specially came to discuss with Grandmother, and Grandmother agreed.”

That did make sense.

But why had she also been invited?

She wasn’t a member of the Pei family!

Yu Tang still couldn’t figure it out.

But before she could think it through carefully, Gu Xi suddenly arrived.

Accompanying her was He Xiang, her dowry maid from the previous life. He Xiang was carrying a basket in her hands, though what it contained was unclear.

“I didn’t expect to meet Miss Yu again here.” Gu Xi smiled slightly, her chin tilted up slightly, her tone gentle yet her expression arrogant—exactly the same as when they had first met in her previous life. This caused Yu Tang a moment of disorientation, almost failing to distinguish between past and present lives.

She wondered, could it be that Gu Xi had learned of her identity, and that was why she was putting on such a face toward her?

But toward Fifth Miss, Gu Xi was clearly much more sincere and warm. She said to Fifth Miss: “The Buddhist incense I made a few days ago is ready. I was planning to bring a box for you to try. Who knew that when I went to your room, I learned you had come to Miss Yu’s quarters. Madam Shen has caught a cold, and I need to attend to her illness, so it wouldn’t be proper to wait long in your room. So I came over here.”

As she spoke, He Xiang produced a black lacquered box inlaid with mother-of-pearl.

Fifth Miss’s personal maid A’Shan quickly received the box.

“Thank you, Miss Gu.” Fifth Miss said with a shy smile, still showing a bit of childishness. She wasn’t very talkative—where was the lively, active girl from just moments ago?

Yu Tang’s heart stirred, deep in thought.

But Gu Xi seemed accustomed to this version of Fifth Miss. She smiled apologetically at Yu Tang: “I’m sorry, I didn’t know earlier that Miss Yu would also be here, so I only brought a box of Hundred Flowers incense. It’s best used when reading or writing.”

In her previous life, Gu Xi had loved making incense, and the incense she made was very famous in Lin’an. Many wives of local gentry and scholars in Lin’an took pride in obtaining incense made by Gu Xi. Yu Tang had also received this Hundred Flowers incense in her previous life—it truly was fragrant and refreshing, exceptionally pleasant. Unfortunately, she had only received one box, and before she could finish using it, Lin Shi had taken away the remaining incense on the grounds that as a widow, she shouldn’t indulge in luxuries.

Later, she gradually adapted to fresh air and actually didn’t much care for burning incense anymore.

But she still smiled and accepted it—it would be good to give it as a gift to someone who liked using incense in the future.

Gu Xi then began to look around the place where Yu Tang was staying.

The furniture, bed curtains, and such were all from the Pei family, but the hanging screen, flower vase, and tea cups should be what each person customarily used at home.

That hanging screen consisted of four panels of black lacquer with gold-traced designs of plum, orchid, chrysanthemum, and bamboo. Whether in terms of craftsmanship, materials, or patterns, everything was very ordinary. The flower vase was a commonly seen cloisonné piece. As for the tea cups, needless to say, they were a set of plain white porcelain without any patterns or color. When she had first moved in, a round table had also been set with such a tea set. At the time, the young Pei family maid assigned to serve in her room had told her that these were placed for appearance’s sake. Once the resident changed to their own tea set they’d brought, they would naturally put these away.

Yu Tang’s quarters were clearly already arranged, yet this tea set still sat on the table. Either she didn’t know the Pei family’s customs, or she hadn’t brought her own customary items up the mountain.

A young lady from a wealthy family, staying at someone else’s home for a short visit, yet not bringing her own customary items—could she still be called a young lady from a wealthy family?