Neither Old Madam Pei nor Old Madam Yi showed any surprise. Old Madam Pei even laughed cheerfully, “Your Third Uncle manages the household now, so naturally he knows about family matters!”

Third Miss, Fourth Miss, and Fifth Miss all widened their eyes and turned to stare at Pei Yan.

This included Yu Tang as well.

But Pei Yan’s eyes found Yu Tang first.

Truth be told, it had been some days since he’d seen Yu Tang.

She wore the water-green phoenix tail medallion pattern kesi silk white mink fur cloak he had given her. The fluffy collar framed her fair, snow-white face. Her eyes, already particularly lively due to their distinct black and white contrast, widened as if reflecting his image, becoming even more clear and bright.

How girls truly change as they grow.

Miss Yu’s features were gradually maturing—she was becoming more beautiful.

He stepped forward, preparing to greet Yu Tang, but then saw Gu Xi walk to Old Madam Pei’s side as if about to help the old madam. His brow furrowed almost imperceptibly. He suddenly decided not to greet Yu Tang first but instead bowed to Old Madam Pei: “Mother, after such a long journey, are you holding up well?” He then bowed to Old Madam Yi: “Aunt!”

Both old madams nodded in unison.

Old Madam Pei smiled, “What could happen to me? But you—I heard you lost your temper again yesterday? Whatever it is, take it slowly. Losing your temper is useless—it only puts you in a bad mood and harms your own health. Your father and elder brother are both gone. If you… if something happened to you and your second brother, how do you expect this old woman to go on living?” As she spoke, Old Madam Pei’s smile faded and moisture gathered at the corners of her eyes.

“I understand, Mother.” Pei Yan said in a low voice, stepping forward to support Old Madam Pei. “Though I was quite unruly as a child, I’ve never been confused about major matters. Mother, please trust me. Neither Second Brother nor I will come to harm.”

“I certainly hope so!” Old Madam Pei replied, though her expression showed traces of fatigue.

At some point, Gu Xi had inserted herself between Old Madam Pei and Old Madam Yi, nominally supporting Old Madam Pei. She and Pei Yan stood on either side like a matched pair.

Old Madam Yi looked deeply at Gu Xi. Gu Xi didn’t notice—all her attention was focused on Pei Yan.

Mrs. Shen had been sent down the mountain. She had sent people to inquire and learned that Mrs. Shen had been sent back to her natal family overnight by Mr. Shen.

Without any consideration for marital affection.

They said she would be sent to the Wang family’s ancestral temple for quiet contemplation.

How was this different from divorce?

Gu Xi didn’t know if the Pei family had heard this news, but since Shen Shanyan was punishing Mrs. Shen this way, it was almost certainly to give the Pei family an explanation. The news should reach the Pei household soon.

At that point, she, who had come to the Pei family as Mrs. Shen’s guest, would no longer be able to stay.

She didn’t have much time left.

Whether she could leave a deep impression on Pei Yan would be decided right here and now.

Unfortunately, she knew too little about Pei Yan. Her attempts to learn more about him had made no progress. She didn’t know what kind of personality Pei Yan had, which meant she didn’t know how he viewed people. Should she boldly greet Pei Yan openly, or should she play the victim and shed a few aggrieved tears before him?

Gu Xi lowered her eyelids, hesitating. The Pei family’s young ladies had already stepped forward to greet Pei Yan.

Though they were nieces separated by generation, what should be avoided must be avoided, and what should be said sparingly must be said sparingly.

Pei Yan nodded slightly with a somewhat aloof expression, saying, “Both old madams are advanced in age. Since you’ve come along to the temple, don’t run around carelessly and worry them.”

Yu Tang curtsied along with the Pei misses in acknowledgment.

Pei Yan glanced at Yu Tang. Seeing her smile seemed peaceful and her expression serene, he finally relaxed the heart that had somehow been anxiously suspended without his knowing, secretly sighing in relief.

After everyone exchanged a few pleasantries with the temple’s abbess, the two old madams were accompanied by the abbess to the main hall where Guanyin Bodhisattva was enshrined.

Along the way, Pei Yan unobtrusively released Old Madam Pei’s arm and walked behind Old Madam Pei and Old Madam Yi, gradually falling in step with Yu Tang, Third Miss, Fourth Miss, and Fifth Miss who were following the two old madams.

Second Miss, supporting Old Madam Yi, couldn’t help but look back at Pei Yan, her face showing hesitation.

Pei Yan remained composed, slowing his pace even more until he positioned himself between Third Miss and Fourth Miss.

Fourth Miss—whether afraid of becoming separated from Third Miss or afraid of walking alongside Pei Yan—quietly glanced at Pei Yan. Seeing he seemed to be examining the bare pomegranate trees along the corridor, she suddenly quickened her pace, overtook Pei Yan, moved to Third Miss’s side, and took her hand.

Third Miss looked at her curiously.

She winked at Third Miss.

Third Miss quickly glanced at Pei Yan. Seeing he hadn’t noticed them, she pulled Fourth Miss forward several quick steps, following closely behind Old Madam Pei and Old Madam Yi, putting distance between them and Pei Yan.

Pei Yan found this amusing. From the corner of his eye, he couldn’t help but glance toward Yu Tang and Fifth Miss.

Yu Tang and Fifth Miss weren’t looking at him but were focused on whispering to each other.

The corners of his mouth curved slightly upward as he gazed at the distant mountain forest for a while, not noticing Yu Tang quickly glance at him.

“He really won’t!” Yu Tang sighed inwardly, glanced at Pei Yan again, and explained helplessly to Fifth Miss, “Your Third Uncle is someone with a cold exterior but warm heart. You’re a junior, and you yourself said you never saw your Third Uncle before you were five years old. How can you determine that he’s very stern? Besides, even if he is strict, if you haven’t done anything wrong, why would he punish you? Don’t listen to hearsay. Your Third Uncle would be hurt if he knew.”

Fifth Miss stuck out her tongue slightly and boldly glanced at Pei Yan before whispering, “But what if he…”

Yu Tang felt that others had all vilified Pei Yan.

He was clearly such a good person.

Just because his expression was serious, people speculated he was bad.

She felt very uncomfortable about this.

She decisively interrupted Fifth Miss: “He won’t! Do you believe me or those gossips whispering in your ear?”

Fifth Miss immediately nodded vigorously, saying, “Of course I believe Sister Yu.”

“Good then!” Yu Tang gave her no chance to say more, immediately continuing, “The road tests a horse’s strength, time reveals a person’s heart. Then try what I suggested. Take the initiative to talk with your Third Uncle, greet him proactively. If anyone slanders him, immediately stand up and defend him. Then see if he’s the kind of person you described!”

“Yes, yes, yes!” Fifth Miss continued nodding vigorously.

Yu Tang didn’t realize her voice had grown louder with each word, and of course she didn’t see the unstoppable smile at the corners of Pei Yan’s mouth.

Soon, everyone arrived at the main hall.

The abbess personally led the two old madams and everyone to offer incense.

The two old madams each donated fifty taels of silver for incense offerings. Yu Tang and the other juniors each tossed in three taels in silver ingots, including Gu Xi.

Behind Ku’an Temple were over ten acres of vegetable gardens and bamboo groves that yielded winter and spring bamboo shoots each year. Though there were no incense offerings from outsiders, with this one hundred taels in incense money, it was enough for the temple’s food and drink for a year. Moreover, the two old madams had also brought some rice and oil.

The two guest reception monks happily helped the Pei household servants move things along with several lay practitioners. The abbess invited everyone to a side room for tea.

Yu Tang stood on tiptoe and looked around carefully but didn’t see her elder uncle’s wife’s cousin.

Had she gone to rest or was she busy with something else?

As Yu Tang wondered, she took the tea tray from a young novice monk and helped distribute the tea.

The abbess spoke with the two old madams about temple affairs: “A few days ago, Old Madam Yong from the fifth branch came by and also donated fifty taels in incense money. Adding gifts from other branch madams and ladies, the temple has collected about one hundred eighty taels in incense money in total. However, seven more lay practitioners came to live permanently in our temple last year. We led everyone up the mountain to dig winter bamboo shoots. After sending some to each household and keeping some for the temple, we still sold over thirty taels worth…”

She was reporting to the two old madams about temple affairs.

Yu Tang wasn’t listening very carefully.

The abbess was still the same abbess. Her stinginess couldn’t be changed, so the temple’s austerity couldn’t be changed either.

But regardless, Ku’an Temple could provide many desperate women with a hiding place, a place to settle and make their livelihood. She should be grateful for this abbess’s decades of dedication.

Her mind was full of wondering why Pei Yan had lost his temper—to the point where Old Madam worried he would be consumed by anger and harm his health.

Had something happened that she didn’t know about?

Yu Tang looked for Pei Yan’s figure.

Perhaps because the side room was full of female family members, Pei Yan had been here just moments ago but had now disappeared somewhere.

She asked Fifth Miss quietly, “Do you see your Third Uncle?”

“I wasn’t paying attention either,” Fifth Miss was listening intently to the abbess and replied to Yu Tang half-heartedly. “Maybe in the outer courtyard? Or he went to hide in some side room? It’s so cold—who would foolishly stand in the courtyard? Just have someone look for him!”

Yu Tang didn’t know whether to laugh or cry.

Looking at Second Miss and the others, they were all listening attentively too.

Yu Tang didn’t understand.

In her view, Pei Yan was far more important than these account matters.

She couldn’t help asking Fifth Miss, “Why are you listening to all this? Have you already started learning household management?”

“Not yet,” Fifth Miss whispered. “My mother instructed me to. She said understanding worldly matters is also learning. Before we came, she reminded me to listen carefully to what expenses the temple has. Even when supporting an ancestral temple in the future, we can’t let people carelessly squander our goodwill—we must keep track of things.”

Yu Tang looked at Second Madam with admiration, thinking she needed to find an opportunity to ask Pei Yan if he had encountered something unpleasant.

Soon, she had an opportunity.

After lunch, the two old madams decided to each take an afternoon nap and would meet the lay practitioners practicing in the temple in the afternoon to see if there was anything they could help with.

The temple arranged a side room for each of them to rest.

Yu Tang had Shuang Tao find A’Ming and ask A’Ming to pass along a message for her.