“You don’t like any of these pastries?” Ren Shijia sat across from Ren Yaoqi on the kang. Seeing that Ren Yaoqi had only tasted one pine nut candy before stopping, she asked with a smile.

Ren Yaoqi shook her head: “I just ate in my room. I’m afraid eating too much will cause indigestion.”

Ren Shijia was about to say something when a maid led a servant woman in through the door, so she temporarily stopped talking.

“Young Madam, it’s time to take your medicine,” the maid came forward and said.

The servant woman behind her brought over a small food box in her hands.

Ren Shijia frowned slightly and scolded lightly: “There’s still a guest here, and you’re bringing medicine to the table?”

Ren Yaoqi quickly said, “Aunt, I’m not a guest. Please don’t stand on ceremony.”

The servant woman holding the food box smiled and said: “Yes, Young Madam. This is your maternal home, and Fifth Young Miss is your niece—why stand on ceremony? This medicine must be taken on time to be effective.”

Ren Shijia no longer insisted and signaled for the servant woman to bring out the medicine.

While Ren Shijia was drinking her medicine, Ren Yaoqi cast her gaze toward the somewhat short servant woman: “Nanny speaks with a Jiangnan accent—you don’t seem to be from our Yan Bei.”

The servant woman looked clever and shrewd. Upon hearing this, she quickly smiled: “Fifth Young Miss has good eyes. This servant is from Jiangning.”

“Jiangning? That’s indeed a good place.” Ren Yaoqi smiled. “My great-aunt is in Jiangning.”

Ren Shijia closed her eyes and drank the medicine in one gulp, then took the tea cup the maid handed her to rinse her mouth. Hearing this, she continued: “She’s the kitchen servant your great-aunt helped me find. She’s skilled at making medicinal cuisine.”

“Oh?” Ren Yaoqi looked at the servant woman again. “No wonder Nanny looks very capable. That explains it.”

Ren Shijia was very tolerant with children and said good-naturedly to Ren Yaoqi: “She’s indeed capable. Not only can she make medicinal cuisine, but she also knows some medical skills. Her pulse-reading and diagnosis are very accurate, and she prepares all the medicine I drink. Oh yes, I also have a cook who can make Jiangnan pastries. If you want to eat Jiangnan-style pastries, just come and tell me.”

Ren Yaoqi quickly thanked her.

The servant woman cleaned up the medicine bowl, bowed, and withdrew.

Ren Yaoqi picked out a pitted preserved fruit for Ren Shijia while saying: “I originally wanted to bring Eighth Sister with me today. She used to love playing in your courtyard the most. But her wet nurse said she wasn’t feeling well today, so I came alone.”

Upon hearing this, Ren Shijia didn’t know what to say.

She had the best relationship with Fifth Brother Ren Shimao and Lin Shi, so among her several nieces, Ren Yaoyu was most familiar with her. However, yesterday, the old madam had scolded Lin Shi in front of everyone because of her affairs. Afterward, she heard that Lin Shi had said many unpleasant things to Ren Shimao when he chased after her, and even made a fuss about returning to her maternal home. Finally, somehow, the couple quarreled. Lin Shi scratched Ren Shimao’s neck, and he angrily left the residence.

She didn’t know what to say. After all, what the Lin family had done to her was too excessive, which had also somewhat changed her relationship with Lin Shi. Thinking of this, Ren Shijia couldn’t help feeling melancholy.

Ren Yaoqi had been watching Ren Shijia’s expression carefully.

She felt that the incident of Lin Shi being splashed with hot tea by Old Madam Ren in public was not simple. This time, the old madam hadn’t even left the Lin family’s minimal face, and this was in the presence of the Lin family’s young madam.

What had made the conflict between the Ren and Lin families suddenly escalate? Ren Yaoqi felt she should look for answers from Ren Shijia, who had suddenly returned to the residence.

Just as Ren Yaoqi was about to say something more, a maid hurried in: “Miss, Master has arrived.”

From this form of address, she should be Ren Shijia’s dowry maid.

Ren Shijia’s face lit up with joy, and she hurriedly tried to get up. The maid quickly stepped forward to support her: “Miss, please be careful. The master was called by the old master for questioning.”

Only then did Ren Shijia slow her movements. She couldn’t help looking out the window and quickly instructed the maid: “Go tell the kitchen to prepare hot food and dishes. Your master is coming over now and probably hasn’t had a proper breakfast.”

The maid quickly agreed, called over another maid to serve, and hurried off to the kitchen herself.

Watching from the side, Ren Yaoqi became increasingly certain that Ren Shijia hadn’t returned to her maternal home because of a conflict with Lin Kun, as rumored outside. Looking at Ren Shijia’s behavior, she showed no resentment toward Lin Kun whatsoever.

Ren Yaoqi felt it inappropriate to stay longer: “Since Uncle-in-law has come, Yaoqi will visit Aunt another time.” As she spoke, Ren Yaoqi tugged at Ren Shijia’s sleeve somewhat shyly. “Has Uncle-in-law come to take Aunt back to Yunyang City? Yaoqi still wants to try Aunt Jiangnan’s pastries.”

Ren Shijia was in a good mood and patted Ren Yaoqi’s head: “Feel free to come anytime. Aunt will be staying here for several more months and won’t return to Yunyang City. Aunt finds it peaceful here and would love for you all to visit often.”

Ren Yaoqi was somewhat curious: “But Uncle-in-law came personally to fetch you. Won’t he be angry if you don’t go back with him?”

Ren Shijia smiled, speaking with certainty: “Of course not. Your uncle-in-law has the best temper.” Perhaps because she was in front of her young niece, Ren Shijia wasn’t very guarded, and her tone was full of trust and attachment to her husband.

Ren Yaoqi had roughly gotten the answer she wanted and stood up to take her leave.

As she was about to exit the courtyard gate, Ren Yaoqi encountered the servant woman who had earlier brought medicine to Ren Shijia. Ren Yaoqi stopped and smiled: “I heard you can make licorice preserved plums. My concubine mother is also very skilled at this. Oh, my concubine mother’s surname is Fang—she’s from the Fang family of Jiangning. Since you’re also from the Fang family, did my concubine mother learn this skill from you? She said she learned it from a kitchen servant before she was married.”

The servant woman was somewhat startled that Ren Yaoqi could connect her to Concubine Fang like this, and quickly tried to distance herself: “This servant has never worked for the Fang family and doesn’t know the concubine mother you mentioned from the Fang family. This servant used to work for a wealthy household surnamed Yang. Later, when Old Madam Fang wanted to find a cook skilled in medicinal cuisine for Young Madam Lin, Madam Yang recommended this servant.”

Ren Yaoqi frowned: “Is that so? What a pity. I was hoping to invite you to often visit my concubine mother’s courtyard and tell her about the Fang family affairs.”

The nanny just smiled apologetically and remained silent.

Ren Yaoqi smiled slightly and walked past her.

Upon leaving, she happened to encounter a man of about thirty.

This man was of medium build with proper features and a very square chin. He wore a thin jacket of dark blue satin. Walking steadily, when he noticed Ren Yaoqi’s group, he looked up with very spirited eyes.

After a moment of confusion, Ren Yaoqi realized this person was her aunt Ren Shijia’s husband, Lin Kun of the Lin family’s second branch.

Ren Yaoqi curtsied and called him Uncle-in-law.

Lin Kun paused, looked Ren Yaoqi over, and smiled warmly: “You’re Third Brother’s daughter, called Yaoqi, right? Your aunt mentioned that you paint extremely well.”

Ren Yaoqi was slightly surprised.

In her previous life, she had no impression of this uncle-in-law, though everyone in the Ren family said he was a gentle person who was very easy to get along with. To put it directly, he was someone without great ambitions who followed others’ opinions.

But he could tell at a glance that she was Ren Yaoqi from the Ren family’s third branch and even knew she was skilled at painting. The Ren family had many daughters with very similar names, and Ren Yaoqi had met him fewer than five times. Even her aunt had said upon seeing her that she had grown so much in a year that she was almost unrecognizable, yet he could immediately identify her.

This person had very keen observational skills and was very careful. Although he was cautious, careful observation had probably become his habit.

Ren Yaoqi didn’t quite believe he was the kind of gentle, unambitious person everyone described.

Lin Kun didn’t know that the young lady before him had already analyzed him from head to toe. He smiled and nodded to Ren Yaoqi, bid her farewell, and continued toward Warm Fragrance Pavilion.

Ren Yaoqi turned to look at his retreating figure, doubt showing in her eyes.

The Lin family’s waters ran deeper than she had imagined.

Originally, having Concubine Fang and Lin Shi oppose each other was her design, but now the people involved were more numerous than she had previously imagined.

Her side was already at a disadvantage in the Ren family. Muddying the waters would be beneficial for borrowing strength against strength, reducing the disadvantage.

At this point, she should carefully consider her future strategy.

How could she ensure that whether it was the east wind overcoming the west wind or the west wind overcoming the east wind, she would always be the benefiting party?

Meanwhile, Lin Kun and Ren Shijia, the married couple, were having their reunion.

Ren Shijia dismissed the attendants and was embraced by Lin Kun.

After their sweet intimacy, Ren Shijia looked up at Lin Kun somewhat nervously: “Husband, what did Father tell you when he called you over?”

Lin Kun helped his wife sit on the kang and sat beside her, placing his hand on her abdomen, saying gently, “Nothing much, just asked some questions.”

Ren Shijia lowered her head, holding Lin Kun’s hand, and said somewhat bitterly: “Husband, I… I’ll arrange for you to have two bed warmers.”

Lin Kun laughed and looked down at Ren Shijia: “What’s gotten into you again? Didn’t I promise you? Just us and our children—no one else.”

Upon hearing this, Ren Shijia felt both sweet and sorrowful, her eyes reddening as she said: “I know your feelings, husband. But what my parents considered isn’t wrong either. I can’t be so selfish. The Lin family’s second branch only has you as the sole heir, and my belly isn’t promising. If… if… how could I face our parents-in-law underground in the future?”

Lin Kun’s eyes flashed, and he held Ren Shijia without speaking.

Ren Shijia tried again to persuade Lin Kun: “Even if this child I’m carrying is a son, he alone cannot support the second branch’s family business. Mother said that after the bed warmers give birth, they’ll be sent away. Then… then it will still be just us and our children.” After a pause, she added, “Your children are my children. I’ll raise and educate them well to become successful.”