Song Yichun’s face turned a deep shade of anger.

Gu Yu spent nearly every day of the year at the Song residence; did he need to be treated like a guest? What kind of guest was he, anyway?

However, in front of Song Maochun and the others, Song Yichun couldn’t afford to lose his temper. If he confronted Song Mo and Song Mo refused to see him, could he go so far as to drag him there? That would only make him look worse!

Song Maochun and the others noticed the tension. They hadn’t expected Song Mo to be so assertive. Realizing he had misspoken, Song Maochun quickly said, “Since Tian Ci has a guest, let’s wait until the guest leaves to talk.” He then shifted the topic to other matters. “The Duke of Ying’s residence hasn’t hosted a wedding in many years. I think we should hire people from Chunfangzhai to handle the banquet. They did a great job when the Earl of Huichang’s son got married last time, and everyone praised it…”

The “Four Dati” banquet refers to a traditional practice where four types of fresh fruits or pastries are presented to guests before they sit down. Once the guests are seated, those items are removed and replaced with four types of dried fruits, four types of pastries, four types of fresh fruits, and four types of cold dishes. This is a custom reserved for wealthy families, and the more affluent the family, the more elaborate the “Four Dati” banquet.

Song Tongchun quickly chimed in, “I agree that it’s better to hire outside help. The last time the Earl of Dongping’s family had a wedding, they also hired outside people for the ‘Four Dati’ banquet—it’s quite the trend in the capital now!”

The conversation shifted to the wedding banquet for Song Mo, successfully diffusing the earlier tension.

Gu Yu turned to Song Mo and asked, “Aren’t you going to see your uncle?”

“Why should I?” Song Mo replied, changing into a new outfit with the help of his servant. He smiled and added, “Aren’t you the guest here?”

Gu Yu chuckled but soon frowned, hesitating as he spoke. “Tian Ci Ge, I asked my aunt about what gifts you should receive for your wedding. She said it’s not appropriate right now since the emperor is still unwell…”

“The Empress’s concerns are valid,” Song Mo said, recalling the emperor’s recent illness with unease. He then firmly advised Gu Yu, “You need to be more restrained these days. Be careful not to provoke the censors—you’re fifteen now, old enough to take on responsibilities. If you cause too much trouble, the Empress won’t be able to help you. Your brother is only three years younger than you; if you waste a year, he gains an extra year of opportunity. You can’t be as willful as before.”

His words came from the heart.

Gu Yu was moved.

Song Mo tossed a calligraphy practice book to Gu Yu. “We don’t have to take the imperial examination, so we can’t measure our knowledge by that standard. But how well you write can be seen at a glance. Both the emperor and the Crown Prince appreciate calligraphy. If you practice your writing well, it will only benefit you.” He added, “Don’t keep putting it off. Starting now, you need to write three thousand characters every day.” Without waiting for a response, he called for Wuyi to come in and assist Gu Yu with his writing practice.

Gu Yu obediently sat down to practice.

Song Mo watched for a while and, seeing his earnestness, nodded in approval. “I’m going out for a bit, but I’ll be back soon. You need to finish today’s three thousand characters by the time I return!”

Gu Yu was taken aback and raised his head to ask where Song Mo was going, but Song Mo had already left the banquet room.

Although it was already dusk, the Dou residence in Jing’an Temple Alley was bustling with activity. The maids and servants wore smiles as they moved about, either hanging up large red lanterns with double happiness symbols, helping with ladders, wiping down chairs, or tying red strings around the tea tables. The atmosphere was festive.

Wang Yingxue looked through the half-open window at the busy and cheerful scene outside and couldn’t help but snort disdainfully. She slammed the window shut and muttered, “It’s nothing special!”

Old Madam Hu, focused on her needlework, said nothing.

She understood why Wang Yingxue was so furious.

After the Fifth Miss married into the Jining Marquis’s residence under the guise of the Fourth Miss, the Fourth Miss demanded all her dowry back. It was unclear whether this was intentional or not, but it included additional items given to the Fourth Miss by the second, fifth, and sixth madams of the Dou family. When Mama Zhou inquired about it, Su Lan immediately retorted, “Additional items are part of the dowry, right? Since they are part of the dowry, they should be returned.”

Mama Zhou had nothing to say and could only watch as Su Lan directed the maids to move the items back and lock them in the Fourth Miss’s storeroom.

Since the Fifth Miss had become the bride, the second madam and the fifth madam should have compensated her with additional items. However, everyone pretended not to hear, and with the Seventh Master in a foul mood and the Seventh Madam under house arrest, the Fifth Miss, as the new bride, couldn’t very well ask for them herself. The matter was left unresolved.

To everyone’s surprise, when the Fourth Miss got married, the Second Madam and the Fifth Madam sent over a new set of additional gifts, and they were even more valuable than the last. How could this not infuriate the Seventh Madam?

But what could she do? The Seventh Master was determined to keep the Seventh Madam confined, and she could only watch as Su Lan smiled while collecting those items into the storeroom.

Wang Yingxue asked Old Madam Hu, “When is the Fifth Miss coming over?”

“She said she would come early tomorrow morning,” Old Madam Hu replied. “The Seventh Master specifically sent Gao Sheng to the Jining Marquis’s residence.”

Wang Yingxue couldn’t help but complain, “Is he afraid Ming Jie won’t come? Ming Jie is now the lady of the Jining Marquis’s residence, and there must be countless matters waiting for her to decide. Even if she arrives a bit late, what’s the big deal? Besides, they will have plenty of opportunities to meet in the future; why rush this moment?”

Old Madam Hu didn’t know how to respond.

Meanwhile, Dou Zhao avoided the servants and spoke with Song Mo in the back garden’s Taihu stone pavilion.

The setting sun illuminated Song Mo’s tall figure, softening his silhouette and giving him an indescribable elegance.

“You wanted to see me?” he asked with a smile.

Dou Zhao gazed at the boy who had come as promised. His hair was still damp, and the evening breeze carried the scent of the elm tree from him. He had rushed over after washing up, having heard she wanted to meet him.

This made her feel respected and cherished.

Isn’t this what a woman seeks throughout her life?

Dou Zhao couldn’t help but smile.

Out of the corner of her eye, she caught a glimpse of the sky just after sunset.

The orange-red evening clouds looked like flames, swirling across the sky as if trying to seize the last opportunity to burn brightly, even knowing they would ultimately be consumed by darkness. They wanted to paint the earth in their colors.

Suddenly, Dou Zhao felt a sense of clarity.

In her previous life, she had grown weary of living solely for survival, so after her rebirth, she tried hard to avoid repeating the same mistakes. She even chose a different lifestyle, allowing people and events to enter her life that had not appeared before. It seemed everything was developing in the direction she desired.

But now, upon calm reflection, she realized her life hadn’t fundamentally changed.

Without the threat of her stepmother, there was still Dong Dou watching her closely; without Wei Tingyu, there were still He Yu, Ji Yong, and even Song Mo; without the burdens of the Jining Marquis’s residence, she faced the disputes among the various branches of the Dou family… Whether in her past life or this one, she had only thought about how to avoid greater harm, never seriously considering what she truly wanted.

She wanted to see Song Mo.

Yet, the moment she met him, she still hadn’t figured out what to say.

Perhaps, deep down, she hoped Song Mo would choose for her.

That way, if things went awry later, she could comfort herself by saying she had tried her best; it was just that time was not on her side.

Ultimately, she was still that timid girl from her past life, forced to straighten her back and smile through hardships for the sake of survival!

She had never truly grown up.

The sky is high enough for birds to fly, and the sea is vast enough for fish to leap.

If the heart is not free, it makes no difference where one is!

Dou Zhao stepped forward, leaving the pavilion, and stood side by side with Song Mo against the backdrop of the evening glow.

“Song Yantang!” She turned her head, smiling at Song Mo. The golden sunset made his gaze appear even warmer. “I want to tell you that I might not be a good wife…” She pursed her lips and smiled, her smile brighter than the burning clouds, radiating a sense of openness and freedom. “But I will strive to be a good partner for you.”

What had happened, Song Mo did not know.

Yet, he could feel it.

The Dou Zhao of the past seemed like a gem, shining brilliantly and stunningly, yet always appeared too composed, masking her brilliance. But at this moment, she shone with a fierce radiance, as if tempered in fire, bright, dazzling, and breathtakingly beautiful!

Song Mo gazed at Dou Zhao, a gentle smile spreading across his lips, slowly reaching his eyes and filling his heart with warmth…

“Good!” he heard himself respond to Dou Zhao, his tone brimming with unmistakable excitement.

With a light step, Song Mo left Jing’an Temple Alley and returned to the Duke of Ying’s residence.

Gu Yu had only written a third of the characters.

He couldn’t help but complain, “Tian Ci Ge, why did you take so long to come back?”

Song Mo smiled and ruffled his hair, then turned to Chen He. “Please invite Mr. Yan, Mr. Liao, Xia Lian, and Zhu Yicheng to the study.”

Chen He complied and left.

Song Mo changed into another outfit, sat down on the large kang by the window, and took a sip of hot tea, his expression showing a hint of relaxation.

Seeing this, Gu Yu couldn’t sit still any longer. He abandoned his unfinished writing and plopped down across from Song Mo. “Tian Ci Ge, what kind of tea is this? It’s so good!”

Song Mo had someone brew a cup for Gu Yu and said, “Aren’t you going to write?”

Gu Yu chuckled, sitting there motionless. After taking a sip of tea, he frowned and said, “Isn’t this the Maojian I brought you from the palace last month?”

Song Mo playfully tapped him. “Drinking tea requires an appreciation for its essence. You, on the other hand, chew like a cow on peonies; it doesn’t matter what you drink!”

As soon as he finished speaking, Yan Chaoqing and the others walked in.

Song Mo stopped the conversation, and once Yan Chaoqing and the others were seated and tea was served, he smiled and said, “Tomorrow is the day for the wedding preparations. I wanted to discuss with you all who we should invite to help with the arrangements.”