Li Mu went out without saying where he was going. Luoshen stayed home.

According to custom, the day after marriage, the first meal for the mother-in-law must be prepared by the new bride herself—the so-called “washing hands to make soup.”

How could Lu Shi let Luoshen do such things? As usual, she and A’Ting went to the kitchen.

Though A’Ju extremely disliked the Li family, after meeting Lu Shi this morning, she had to secretly admit that despite Li’s mother’s fallen status, having endured hardships and now being blind, her demeanor, speech, and manner of treating others showed not a trace of poor street or humble household ways. On the contrary, she displayed the refined bearing of a great family throughout, in no way inferior to the noble ladies from prestigious families that A’Ju was accustomed to seeing.

Moreover, though the young mistress absolutely could not be wronged, while living in the Li family, she naturally couldn’t ignore such important occasions.

A’Ju brought a cook from the dowry to the kitchen, invited Lu Shi out, prepared a meal herself, and finally had Luoshen present it—fulfilling the ritual appropriately.

Li’s mother was extremely pleased, inviting Luoshen to dine together. Luoshen asked A’Ting to join them as well, with A’Ting sitting at the foot of the table. The three women happily shared this first meal together. After midday, Shen Shi and neighborhood women began arriving successively for the “new bride’s sitting display.”

The so-called “sitting display” meant the new bride would appear the day after marriage for guests to observe. In reality, this was an opportunity for the new bride to meet the husband’s elders, relatives, and friends, while the husband’s family also evaluated the bride’s appearance and virtue.

If a new bride married into a strict household of a great family, she would customarily sit for display for three days.

The Li family now had a simple household with no complicated clan relatives, and Luoshen carried the title of “Gao family daughter.” How would Shen Shi and those neighborhood women dare to comment and criticize her? Their visit today was merely to participate in the excitement.

Lu Shi, fearing Luoshen wasn’t accustomed to such occasions, told her to go rest.

Though Luoshen had maintained a smiling face and tried her best to lower her stance, she could see that among the visitors, except for Shen Shi who remained generous, the other neighbors were all constrained before her. Every word they spoke and laugh they made required careful attention to her expression and reaction.

Never mind them—even she felt exhausted.

Combined with poor sleep last night and rising early this morning, by now she was indeed feeling drowsy. Since Li’s mother had spoken, she didn’t intend to force herself to stay longer and nodded. Just as she was about to bid farewell to Shen Shi and the others, she suddenly heard a voice from outside: “Mother, I’m late—don’t blame me!”

This was a young woman’s voice, yet it carried an uncommonly straightforward quality. The lingering tone held laughter that could be heard from afar.

Hearing this voice, Lu Shi’s face lit up with a smile. A’Ting’s eyes brightened as she quickly rose from beside Lu Shi and joyfully went out to greet the visitor.

Unable to suppress her curiosity, Luoshen stopped and turned to look.

A young woman in her early twenties entered—dressed in purple, her black hair bound with a headscarf. At the knot of the headscarf, a plain silver hairpin inlaid with pearls was visible. She had an oval face, willow-leaf eyebrows, and outstanding features. Her figure showed the typical tall and healthy build of northern women. Even standing among ordinary men, she wouldn’t be overshadowed. The purple clothing made her skin appear whiter and her eyes blacker, making her exceptionally striking. Upon entering, she immediately caught everyone’s attention.

This young woman represented a completely different type of beauty from Luoshen.

“Third Miss!”

A’Ting ran up to her and called out.

The woman smiled and nodded, greeting A’Ting.

Shen Shi and the others were obviously very familiar with her. Seeing her arrive, they all went up to greet her with mutual pleasantries.

The woman laughed: “Yesterday when elder brother got married, I should have come to help, but I couldn’t get away from business there. Thinking that Aunt Jiang and many neighbors were here, I was lazy and didn’t come, only watched over people preparing the wine and food to be sent for the banquet. Mother won’t blame me, will she?”

As she spoke, she approached Lu Shi.

Lu Shi smiled: “What are you saying? Yesterday many guests came—thanks to you and the two other taverns in town helping together, the wedding banquet went smoothly without any problems. I’m grateful—how could I blame you? Besides, you’re a young lady—even if you had come yesterday, I wouldn’t have let you bustle about in the middle of things.”

The woman also laughed: “I’m in this business now, long since showing my face in public, treating myself like half a man! Only Mother feels sorry for me! When others see me, who still considers me a daughter?”

This amused everyone.

Shen Shi laughed: “Yes! Yes! You deliberately say these things that make us envious just to anger us! Everyone in Jingkou knows you, Third Miss—even men can’t compare to you. If you still pity yourself like this, the rest of us might as well not live!”

Luoshen suddenly understood.

This young woman was the Third Miss Xie that A’Ting had mentioned to her this morning.

Amid the laughter, Third Miss Xie’s gaze turned to Luoshen, who still sat beside Lu Shi. She looked her over briefly, still smiling: “This must be elder brother’s new bride. I should call you sister-in-law.”

Lu Shi turned toward Luoshen, extending her hand.

Luoshen took her hand. Lu Shi gently grasped it, then turned to Third Miss Xie, smiling: “She is indeed the new bride your elder brother just married.”

Third Miss Xie’s gaze flickered slightly. She bowed to Luoshen and smiled, calling out “sister-in-law.”

Lu Shi said: “A’Mi, Third Miss’s father had connections with our family. She also came south with us to this place back then. Now she runs Zhennan Pass Tavern—everyone in town knows her. She often comes to help at home, and I’m very grateful.”

Luoshen rose from the sitting couch, returned Third Miss Xie’s bow, and smiled: “Thank you, Third Miss, for taking care of A’Jia and A’Ting.”

Before meeting the Gao family daughter, in Third Miss Xie’s imagination, the Gao daughter should carry the particular arrogance typical of the Southern Dynasty noble ladies she had seen, or at least be cold and unreasonable.

The Gao daughter’s beauty was naturally beyond question. Having just arrived yesterday at Jingkou dock without even fully showing her face, today her beautiful reputation had already spread throughout all of Jingkou.

Not only that, but she was elegant, gentle, with naturally noble bearing yet without a trace of arrogance.

Looking at this young girl before her, Third Miss Xie felt a surge of emotion that even she couldn’t identify. She paused, then smiled again: “Why be so formal with me? I’ve long considered Mother and A’Ting like family.”

Luoshen had an intuition that though this Third Miss Xie had been friendly and spoken appropriately since entering, she seemed somewhat resistant to her.

Third Miss Xie was the first person to give Luoshen this feeling since arriving in Jingkou yesterday.

But Luoshen didn’t mind and hadn’t developed any other suspicions.

This thought only flashed briefly.

Having greeted all the visitors, Third Miss Xie and Shen Shi and the others began chatting and laughing again. Luoshen felt bored.

Lu Shi smiled: “The new bride has been very tired from traveling these past days, and she rose early again today. Her constitution is delicate—she’s probably tired. I’ll apologize to everyone on her behalf and have her return to her room to rest first. There’s plenty of time ahead—we can talk more leisurely next time.”

Shen Shi and the others quickly nodded, urging Luoshen to go rest.

Luoshen thanked Lu Shi, smiled and apologized to everyone, then left with A’Ju’s company and returned to her room.

She indeed felt somewhat tired. After being served while washing her hands and face, changing clothes, and climbing into bed, A’Ju lowered the bed curtains for her and softly told her to sleep. She closed her eyes.

…

Outside, everyone continued talking with Lu Shi.

The topic naturally turned to praising the Gao family daughter and envying Li’s mother for gaining such a good daughter-in-law.

Lu Shi smiled and thanked them throughout. Finally, Shen Shi and the others left one by one.

Third Miss Xie was the last to leave. Lu Shi treated her affectionately, personally walking her out with her walking stick, supported by Third Miss Xie’s arm. The two walked slowly while chatting, heading toward the hanging flower gate leading to the main entrance.

“What Mother worries about most now is your marriage.”

Lu Shi smiled. “That Third Brother Sun who became sworn brothers with Mu’er has also come to me several times. Though his temperament is somewhat rough, he’s still a good man. He’s hinted to me several times that he’s interested in you, wanting me to ask about your feelings. Third Miss, what do you think of him?”

Third Miss Xie slowly stopped walking.

“What’s wrong?” Lu Shi asked.

Third Miss Xie said quietly: “Mother, you’ve always known my feelings. Now that Jingchen has married the Gao daughter—she’s beautiful, gentle, of high birth, and can help Jingchen—I’m truly happy for elder brother and Mother… I haven’t thought of anything else…”

Her tone became slightly choked at the end.

Lu Shi was silent for a moment, then sighed: “Child, how many years has it been? Why are you still so stubborn? I didn’t know Mu’er’s thoughts before and originally hoped you could be my daughter-in-law. When he was sixteen, that time I brought this up with him, he said he wouldn’t marry before establishing his career, and that he viewed you as a sister. I thought he was just saying that and figured a couple more years wouldn’t matter. Two years later, when he returned from the military, I brought it up again—he said the same thing. Only then did I realize he truly saw you the same as A’Ting…”

Lu Shi sighed again: “Since he felt that way, as his mother, I couldn’t force him. That’s why these past years I’ve often urged your marriage—I was afraid of delaying you. I didn’t expect it would still delay you. Now that Mu’er has married the Gao daughter, if you continue like this, how can I bear it? In the end, our family has wronged you!”

“Mother! It has nothing to do with elder brother—it’s all my fault. Please don’t blame yourself, and don’t worry about me!”

Third Miss Xie knelt down.

“I’m doing well alone now! That Mother doesn’t despise me—I’m already very grateful! From now on, I’ll regard him as my sworn brother, and Mother will still be like a mother to me. I only ask that Mother not treat me differently because of my former presumptions!”

Lu Shi quickly helped her up from the ground, sighing: “Don’t worry. I’ve long regarded you the same as A’Ting—as my daughter. Only when you’re well can Mother feel at ease.”

Third Miss Xie wiped the tears from her eyes and smiled: “Mother, I’m fine. You don’t need to escort me further. I’ll go now—be careful on your way.”

Lu Shi stood there leaning on her walking stick with both hands, listening to the sounds of her leaving through the gate, mounting her horse and riding away. She stood lost in thought for a long while, then let out a long sigh.

…

Luoshen woke from her nap feeling refreshed. Lying on her pillow, looking at this unfamiliar bed where she’d slept only one night, she stretched lazily, got up, lifted the bed curtains, and poked her head out. Finding no one nearby, she was about to call out when she heard voices outside the door—A’Ju and a servant woman surnamed Ding speaking.

The two seemed afraid of waking her, keeping their voices very low. But faintly, Luoshen heard “Li Langjun” and “Third Miss,” seemingly discussing matters related to the two of them. Curious, she quietly got out of bed, put on her shoes, and crept closer to listen carefully.

Outside the door, the servant woman was repeating gossip she had overheard to A’Ju.

“…The old lady has sharp hearing. I was afraid of being discovered and didn’t dare follow too closely. I only vaguely heard some words—the old lady seemed to say that now that Li Langjun has married the Gao daughter and established a family, it’s not good to keep delaying Third Miss. Her meaning seemed to be telling her to find someone to marry soon. But Third Miss knelt down and said she doesn’t think of anything else now, only regards Li Langjun as her sworn brother. I saw this woman is quite independent—like a man, she came on horseback and left on horseback…”

Luoshen coughed. The voices at the door immediately stopped.

A’Ju and the servant woman pushed open the door and entered. Seeing Luoshen, they were startled.

“Young mistress woke so quickly? Did we wake you? You got up without putting on an outer garment—the weather is cool, be careful not to catch cold.”

A’Ju murmured while immediately bringing a thick satin cloak to drape over Luoshen’s shoulders.

“What were you two just talking about?” Luoshen frowned slightly and asked.

A’Ju and the servant woman exchanged glances. A’Ju signaled for the servant to leave, then led Luoshen to sit by the bed, helping her put on socks while saying quietly: “That Third Miss Xie who came at midday—I felt something was wrong at first glance, so I kept an eye out and had someone follow a few steps to pay attention to what she and the old lady discussed. Sure enough, we heard some things.”

“Young mistress probably heard some too just now. It seems the old lady has always regarded her as a daughter-in-law, but Li Langjun…”

A’Ju stopped.

Luoshen had guessed.

Li Mu and this Third Miss Xie had apparently once planned marriage. Li’s mother also regarded her as a daughter-in-law, but Li Mu later changed his mind and sought to marry her instead…

Her heart suddenly felt blocked and uncomfortable, as if she had swallowed several flies. Her eyes stared at the socks just put on her feet, motionless.

A’Ju showed a pitying expression and comfortingly grasped her hand: “Never mind—things have turned out this way, which wasn’t your wish either. It’s just fate playing tricks. The Eldest Princess doesn’t know about this yet…”

She hesitated.

“Perhaps write a letter and have your brother take it back…”

“Don’t let A’Ye and A’Niang know first! I just got married—should I immediately make trouble about divorce because of this? Even if A’Ye and A’Niang knew, it would only add to their worries!”

Luoshen immediately shook her head, firmly refusing.

A’Ju looked at her with great sympathy, embracing her and sighing deeply: “What injustice! How could you encounter such a person!”

Luoshen leaned in her arms, lost in thought. Qiongshu entered, smiling: “Young mistress, Li Langjun has returned. He says the eldest young master’s hangover has cleared and he’s going to visit him. If you want to go too, he asks you to come out now—he’s waiting for you.”

Luoshen suppressed her turbulent emotions, combed her hair, changed clothes, and draped a warm stole outside before coming to the main hall.

Li Mu appeared to have just returned from outside, still wearing a riding whip around his wrist, standing quietly at the base of the steps before the main hall’s covered porch, his back straight. Seeing her approach, he quickly came to meet her.

“I’ve already told Mother. Let’s go.” His tone was gentle.

Luoshen stared at him, turned around, and walked away without him.

Less than a day after marriage, Li Mu seemed already accustomed to her attitude of disgust toward him. Looking at her back, he smiled and shook his head, following her.