Eleventh Young Lady was somewhat surprised, and fell into thought for a moment.

By the looks of it, Xin Jie’er had likely seen Jin Ge’er’s pair of orioles and made a fuss demanding a pair for herself. Xu Lingkuan, to appease his daughter, had bought a matching pair of identical birds and given them to Xin Jie’er. But Xin Jie’er had assumed that Xu Lingkuan had taken them from Jin Ge’er…

She felt rather troubled.

They all lived under the same roof, seeing each other day in and day out — this matter would come to light sooner or later.

And Xu Lingkuan — of all the things he could have bought, he had to go and buy a pair of orioles identical to Jin Ge’er’s.

Eleventh Young Lady instructed Hongwen and A’jin: “This matter ends here. Don’t go spreading it around.”

Both of them hastened to comply respectfully.

Fearing that Jin Ge’er would keep fixating on it, Eleventh Young Lady returned to the room, fed him mung bean water as she spoke: “Look at your dogs One, Two, Three, Four, Five, Six — they all look quite similar, don’t they? Orioles are the same — there are many that look alike…”

“Mother is wrong!” Jin Ge’er immediately retorted. “One and Six don’t look the same…” But he couldn’t quite explain how they differed. He tried to pull Eleventh Young Lady along to go see.

Eleventh Young Lady could only say, “But to Mother’s eyes, One and Six look just the same! You’ve definitely never looked closely at Second Elder Sister’s orioles — perhaps they also have something a little different from yours.”

Jin Ge’er didn’t quite understand his mother’s words, but he could tell she was comforting him, and that made him very happy. He obediently drank his mung bean water. Once he had finished, Eleventh Young Lady asked him to bring her two slices of sweet melon.

Jin Ge’er immediately fetched two slices of sweet melon from the tall-footed blue-and-white porcelain dish on the low kang table and handed them to her.

Eleventh Young Lady praised him: “How clever!”

Jin Ge’er giggled happily.

The names of the lap dogs had been chosen by Eleventh Young Lady precisely to teach Jin Ge’er to recognize numbers. It seemed to be working well — Jin Ge’er could now use numbers up to six quite fluently.

She then taught him the number “seven.”

They plucked seven small jasmine blossoms, counted out seven Snow Relief Pills, told seven stories, arranged seven little teacups… Mother and son played together with complete delight.

Xu Sijie came home from school.

Eleventh Young Lady quickly had a small maid draw well-water for him to wipe his face, and brought out chilled mung bean water.

A steward-mama came in to report: “As you instructed, the rowboats, oars, and sun canopies for tomorrow’s outing have all been brought out and prepared.”

Xu Sijie’s eyes lit up. Once the steward-mama left, he immediately asked, “Mother, who is going rowing?” His tone held a barely concealed note of envy.

Eleventh Young Lady had always been rather cautious around water, and kept close watch over all the children in this regard. It had been back in the third month, during the spring outing, that Xu Sijie and the others had last been on a boat. She could not help but smile. “Tomorrow we’re setting a family banquet at the Drooping Line Water Pavilion to welcome your Second Elder Brother home. We’ll row there.”

“Really!” Xu Sijie jumped up with excitement, then asked, “Are we all going?”

Eleventh Young Lady smiled and nodded.

“Then I’m going to go tell Fourth Elder Brother.” Xu Sijie said at once. “These past couple of days the teacher has had Fourth Elder Brother memorizing the Analects, and Fourth Elder Brother has been staying up very late every night. He’ll definitely be thrilled to hear we’re going rowing tomorrow!”

“All right!” Eleventh Young Lady smiled and looked at him. “Tell your Fourth Elder Brother to come over earlier tomorrow — we’ll all eat breakfast together.”

Xu Sijie went off cheerfully to Xu Sizhun’s quarters.

Jin Ge’er burrowed into his mother’s arms: “Mother, I’m going too, I’m going too!” as though he feared being left out.

The weather was hot, and it had been quite some days since Jin Ge’er had been out to play.

Eleventh Young Lady hugged her son and kissed him: “We’re all going!”

Jin Ge’er was overjoyed.

The next morning, he was up and pounding on Eleventh Young Lady’s door at first light: “Mother, Mother, we’re going rowing.”

“How is he up this early!” Xu Lingyi stared in disbelief, opened his pocket watch — it was barely the beginning of the mao hour.

Eleventh Young Lady urged him to get dressed quickly: “When he hears there’s something fun to do, of course he wakes up early.” She then quickly tidied the bedding and went to open the door.

Jin Ge’er pulled his mother immediately toward the door: “Go rowing, go rowing.”

“We haven’t even eaten breakfast yet.” Eleventh Young Lady smiled and lifted her son into her arms. “And your brothers haven’t arrived. Let’s wait until everyone is here, eat breakfast, and then go rowing.”

“Then tell the brothers to hurry up!” Jin Ge’er was frantic, twisting in her arms to go find Xu Sijie.

Eleventh Young Lady smiled and handed Jin Ge’er over to Nanny Gu, who had followed behind but not dared to come too close: “Let him go and pester Jie Ge’er!”

Nanny Gu laughed and carried Jin Ge’er away.

Eleventh Young Lady quickly called Qiuyu in to dress her hair.

A small maid came in to announce: “Fourth Young Master has arrived!”

Eleventh Young Lady smiled and glanced over at Xu Lingyi, who was being helped into his clothes by his maid. “See? The moment they hear there’s something fun to do, every single one of them is interested.” She then instructed the small maid, “Please ask Fourth Young Master to take a seat in the western side room.” She put on a pair of solid-gold and jade earrings in the shape of blossoms and went to the western side room.

Xu Sizhun stood there with the posture of a straight pine, his brows faintly shimmering with excitement.

“Are you hungry?” Eleventh Young Lady asked with a smile. “We’ll have the meal served once your Second Elder Brother arrives.”

“Not hungry!” Xu Sizhun stepped forward to bow to Eleventh Young Lady, and Xu Sijie led Jin Ge’er in by the hand.

“Fourth Elder Brother!” Xu Sijie was overjoyed to see Xu Sizhun and called out to him heartily.

Xu Sizhun ran over: “Fifth Brother!”

As though they had not seen each other in years.

Eleventh Young Lady laughed.

Jin Ge’er let go of Xu Sijie’s hand and ran to Eleventh Young Lady’s side.

“Mother, the brothers are all here!” He tugged at her skirt.

“Second Elder Brother is still missing!” Eleventh Young Lady said with a smile, bending down to straighten Jin Ge’er’s collar.

Jin Ge’er tilted his head, his expression puzzled — clearly he had no memory of Xu Siyu at all.

“When you were small, he took you rowing,” Eleventh Young Lady explained to her son.

Jin Ge’er still did not understand. He only wanted to go rowing as soon as possible. He wrapped his arms around his mother’s legs: “Eat, eat!”

Eleventh Young Lady then instructed Qiuyu: “When Second Young Master arrives, have the meal served!” She led the children to pay their respects to Xu Lingyi.

Xu Lingyi lifted the smallest, Jin Ge’er, up onto the kang.

Xu Siyu arrived.

He looked at Jin Ge’er, who had grown so tall he nearly reached the kang’s edge, and could not help but stare wide-eyed: “Sixth Brother, you’ve grown this big already?”

“He just grew tall for nothing,” Eleventh Young Lady laughed, and pointed at Xu Siyu to introduce him to Jin Ge’er. “Quickly now — call him Second Elder Brother!”

“Second Elder Brother!” Jin Ge’er’s voice rang out bright and clear.

Xu Siyu smiled and called back, “Sixth Brother.”

“All right!” Xu Lingyi looked around, saw everyone had arrived, and rose to his feet. “Let’s go eat breakfast. After breakfast, we’ll be in time to pay our morning respects to Grandmother.” He also said to Xu Siyu, “Today your grandmother is holding a family banquet at the Drooping Line Water Pavilion to welcome you back — just keep her company and have a good chat with her. Whatever matters you have, leave them for tomorrow.”

Xu Siyu bowed in acknowledgment, staying a step behind Xu Lingyi as they moved to the western side room.

Everyone ate breakfast quietly.

Jin Ge’er would take a few bites of food and then lift his head, blinking his large phoenix eyes to study Xu Siyu.

Xu Siyu found it amusing, and winked at him.

Jin Ge’er startled — the little meatball in his spoon went plop straight down into his porridge bowl, sending rice broth splashing, a few drops landing on Jin Ge’er’s face.

Eleventh Young Lady quickly reached over to wipe Jin Ge’er’s face.

Jin Ge’er seemed not quite certain why the meatball had suddenly fallen into the porridge bowl. He looked at his spoon, then looked at the white congee in front of him, his cheeks puffed out high.

Xu Siyu bowed his head.

His shoulders rose and fell.

After quite a while, he slowly lifted his head, picked up his bowl, and quietly ate his porridge.

The Drooping Line Water Pavilion at dawn — trees lush and verdant, the lake rippling clear and bright, a cool breeze carrying the refreshing chill of the water rushing toward them, washing the heart as clean and fresh as spring water.

The Grand Madam leaned on the railing of the water pavilion, gazing out at Biyi Lake, from which waves of laughter and cheerful voices drifted over. A look of contented warmth spread across her face.

“Mother!” The Second Madam walked out of the pavilion, and her gaze could not help but fall upon Eleventh Young Lady, who was rowing with the children. Eleventh Young Lady’s figure, so lively and engaged, brought an involuntary flicker of warmth to the Second Madam’s eyes. “The wind is strong here — shall we go inside?”

The Grand Madam paid her no mind, and pointed toward the center of the lake with a smile. “Your eyes are sharp — help me look. Is that Zhun Ge over there?”

The Second Madam followed the Grand Madam’s gaze. There she saw Zhun Ge, who was always so timid, actually standing at the prow of the boat working the sculling oar. He was chatting with Xu Sijie beside him one moment, then turning to talk with the boatwoman standing behind him the next — looking thoroughly delighted.

“It is Zhun Ge!” she said, somewhat surprised. “He seems to be in quite good spirits.” As she spoke, thinking of how the Grand Madam had always been anxious about Xu Sizhun, she paused slightly, hesitating: “Shall we find an excuse to have him come up to the pavilion?”

Xu Siqin, Xu Sijian, and Jin Shi were in one boat; Eleventh Young Lady, Xu Siyu, Jin Ge’er, and Xin Jie’er were in another; Xu Sizhun and Xu Sijie were in a third — and all three boats were now racing each other.

“No need!” the Grand Madam said with a smile. “They’re having such a good time — besides, there are experienced boatwomen accompanying them on the water. Nothing will go wrong.” So saying, she leaned on the Second Madam’s shoulder and went into the pavilion.

Fang Shi was wearing a water-green Hangzhou silk vest, her belly swollen large and round. She was talking with the Fifth Madam, who was likewise pregnant.

Seeing the Grand Madam enter, she hastily pressed her hands to her back and tried to rise.

“Don’t get up, don’t get up!” the Grand Madam said warmly, settling herself onto the black lacquered cloud-mica arhat bed. “I had you come for a bit of leisure — if you’re going to be this formal, you might as well have stayed home.”

A flicker of gratitude passed through Fang Shi’s eyes. She replied respectfully, “Yes,” and sat back down.

The Grand Madam began asking about her eating, clothing, and care during the pregnancy.

From outside the pavilion came a clamor mixed with laughter, and the slightly fawning voice of one of the women servants: “Fourth Madam, do be careful!”

The Grand Madam chuckled warmly: “The rowers are back!”

The Second Madam said, “The sun is up now, and the lake is steaming with heat — if they hadn’t come back soon, they’d have been roasted to smoke!”

Her words had barely faded when the clamor drew closer and closer, and Eleventh Young Lady came in with the children.

“Grandmother, Grandmother!” Xin Jie’er ran toward the Grand Madam. “Look—” She held out her palm, on which lay a few sprigs of duckweed. “I just picked this from the lake.”

“Oh my!” The Grand Madam hugged Xin Jie’er. “How lovely!”

Xin Jie’er could not conceal her pride.

Xu Siqin, however, had gone to sit beside Fang Shi, asking her quietly, “Are you all right?”

Fang Shi’s face turned red. She gave a barely audible “mm,” then afraid he hadn’t heard, quickly nodded her head as well.

On the other side, Xu Sijian was muttering quietly to Jin Shi: “I told you to go with Fourth Aunt, and yet you insisted on staying with me. Now look — Second Elder Brother had to help look after Jin Ge’er and Xin Jie’er. With Grandmother and Second Aunt watching, it looks so bad!”

Jin Shi said timidly, “But, I… I was scared!”

“They’re all close family, and Fourth Aunt is the most gentle and kind of anyone. What on earth could you possibly be afraid of?” Xu Sijian said gruffly.

His mother-in-law had said the sixth young master was terribly precious and delicate, and that it was best to keep a distance from him — lest something happen and the Grand Madam end up blaming them. Avoid contact when at all possible.

Jin Shi grumbled inwardly but did not dare say a word of it to Xu Sijian.

Meanwhile, Xu Siyu had been holding Jin Ge’er all along. Seeing the boy’s pout and silence, he asked quietly, “What’s the matter? Are you feeling unwell somewhere?” Remembering that Jin Ge’er had been slow to speak, he was afraid the boy might not be able to answer, and added, “Does your head feel dizzy?”

—