Hou Xiao’an bit the tip of his chopsticks, stunned for a long moment before saying, “Sister A’Yu, how do you know so much?”

Wen Yu’s chopsticks picking at rice grains paused slightly. Even without looking up, she could feel the person beside her looking at her with a gaze so sharp it seemed to pierce right through her. She stirred the rice in her bowl and smiled, answering, “My father used to run a small business in Luodu. I heard him talk about it so much that I picked up bits and pieces through osmosis.”

Xiao Li made no sound. Hou Xiao’an, however, lightened the atmosphere with joking words. “With Sister A’Yu’s aptitude, you must be excellent business material!”

Wen Yu said, “Times are hard. Being able to survive and reunite with family is already heaven’s mercy—I dare not hope for anything else.”

Hou Xiao’an was a lively one. He started talking about other things at the table, and the topic was quickly covered over.

After the meal finished, Wen Yu had no further eye contact with Xiao Li. He seemed to have matters to attend to. After the meal, he informed Xiao Huiniang and left with Hou Xiao’an.

Wen Yu was still thinking about the bed issue. When helping Xiao Huiniang clear the dishes, she mentioned, “I only learned today that Second Master has been making do sleeping on that reclining chair by the fire pit these past few nights. I was thinking this isn’t a sustainable solution in the long run. Aunt, what do you think about having another low couch made to put in your room? In the future, I could sleep in the same room as you, which would also make it convenient to look after your daily needs.”

Xiao Huiniang said, “I only cough severely—my hands and feet still work fine. How could I not even manage my own daily needs? But what you say makes sense. The house only has two beds. When we occasionally have guests, there really isn’t room. I’ll ask the carpenter later to see if it can be finished before New Year’s.”

Xiao Huiniang was someone who acted on her thoughts. After tidying up the house inside and out, she also went out with an umbrella, saying she was going to ask a few widowed women if they were willing to take on handkerchief embroidery work, and would stop by the carpenter’s as well.

With Wen Yu alone at home, she extinguished the fire in the fire pit and lit a charcoal brazier instead. She burned some thin wooden sticks until they were charred black, then briefly sketched on the ground several simple yet eye-catching handkerchief embroidery patterns. She then took needle and thread and, following the patterns on the ground, outlined a rough form at the corner of a handkerchief.

For such simple embroidery patterns, once she had the flower design in mind, she could embroider freehand. But if she were to embroider the fan for the Xu family, the pattern was too intricate and complex. She would need to first draw the pattern on the silk fabric with an ink brush as a base, let it dry, and only then could she begin needlework.

Thinking of brush and ink, Wen Yu’s hand suddenly paused mid-stitch. That’s right—she’d forgotten to tell Xiao Huiniang that she also needed to buy brush and ink.

Wen Yu glanced at the window outside where snow fell like goose down. She weighed between going out to buy now versus telling Xiao Huiniang or that scoundrel in the evening, and felt it would be better to wait and tell the mother and son later.

Just then, knocking came from outside the courtyard gate, along with the faint sound of a woman’s inquiry. “Aunt Xiao, are you home?”

Wen Yu set down her needle and thread to go open the door. After a moment’s hesitation, worried that the rash marks on her face might frighten someone, she simply put on a plain silk veil.

“Coming.” She quickly walked down the stone steps and opened the courtyard gate to see a young girl holding a basket of clothes. The girl’s hands and face were red from cold, but her eyes were round and cute. Seeing Wen Yu, obvious confusion showed in her eyes as she stammered, “This… this is Aunt Xiao’s house, right?”

Wen Yu nodded and said, “Yes, but Aunt is out right now. If you have business with her, you can come in and sit for a while.”

The girl quickly shook her head and pushed forward the basket in her hands, so nervous her speech became stuttered. “No… no need. I’m here to return Aunt Xiao’s laundered clothes. My… my mother is ill and won’t be able to take laundry work until after New Year’s. Please… please tell Aunt Xiao for me.”

After speaking, she lowered her head, her face flushing red to the roots of her ears. Clearly, she wasn’t good at lying.

Wen Yu felt this girl was somewhat strange, but didn’t intend to ask more. She took the basket the girl handed over and simply nodded in acknowledgment.

But the girl didn’t leave. When she looked at Wen Yu again, she seemed to want to say something but hesitated.

Wen Yu could only ask, “Is there something else, miss?”

Her veil covered her features below the bridge of her nose, leaving only a pair of clear moon-like eyes shrouded in misty clouds, looking at people without revealing joy or sorrow.

The girl’s hands nervously clenched into fists. As if summoning great resolve, she gathered her courage to ask, “Were… were you bought by that scoundrel named Xiao?”

Wen Yu froze for a moment—first, because the girl immediately assumed she’d been bought, and second, because of her form of address for that scoundrel.

A scoundrel?

It seemed quite fitting, actually.

She felt inexplicably amused in her heart, yet also somewhat puzzled. She shook her head and answered, “No. Why do you say that, miss?”

The girl murmured, “Everyone living nearby knows that scoundrel is not a good person. I heard he killed someone when he was eight years old and spent several years in prison. After coming out, he either loiters at the gambling house or burrows into brothels all day… idle and unproductive. Aunt Xiao is anxious about his marriage, but with her son like this…”

She seemed unable to say anything too harsh, only adding, “What decent family’s daughter would fancy him? The neighbors all say that later on… he’ll probably make do with some brothel woman, or buy himself a wife.”

She looked at Wen Yu again, quite indignant. “As long as you’re not a wife he bought, that’s good. But don’t be deceived by his handsome face. I’ve seen girls blocking his way crying several times. He’s heartless—doesn’t even give those girls a glance.”

Hearing all this, Wen Yu’s expression remained quite calm. She said, “Thank you for your kind concern, miss, but you worry too much. I’m merely a servant in their household.”

The girl opened her mouth, clearly her mind hadn’t processed this yet. She only managed a dry “Oh.”

After closing the courtyard gate, Wen Yu returned to her room, picked up needle and thread, and continued outlining the embroidery pattern’s rough form. Her eyelashes didn’t even tremble once.

Because of the matter of Zheng Hu fighting with Wang Qing, Xiao Li didn’t even get to make up for lost sleep. After lunch, he headed straight to the gambling house.

But upon arriving at the gambling house, the manager informed him that the boss wasn’t there—he’d gone to Zuihong Pavilion to check accounts. He’d left word that when Xiao Li came in the afternoon, he should go to Zuihong Pavilion.

Xiao Li’s face wore a devil-may-care smile. He responded affirmatively to the gambling house manager delivering the message, then turned and walked out of the gambling house. Only then did his eyes completely cloud over with gloom.

Only the few brothers who knew his background understood how much he detested that place called Zuihong Pavilion.

Following closely behind him now, one asked, “Second Brother, should we go with you?”

Xiao Li’s steps didn’t stop. He only said, “I’ll go myself. You all do what you need to do.”

“But…”

Xiao Li stopped and glanced at them, saying, “Last time when I fought with Wang Qing, the boss couldn’t really make a scene about it. This time Tiger acted impulsively again—the boss has to get a handle on things and give us a stern talking-to. If you all come along, won’t that make the boss think I’m challenging him?”

Only then did the group relent.

Hou Xiao’an chased after him a few steps, pointing at himself and asking, “Second Brother, what about me?”

Xiao Li smacked the back of his head and said, “Didn’t you find yourself a two-copper-coin errand?”

Hearing this, Hou Xiao’an broke into a smile. “Alright! Then I’ll take it that Second Brother is giving me permission to run errands for Sister A’Yu!”

After the two brothers walked away, a few thugs who followed Wang Qing stood under the eaves cracking melon seeds. Looking at their retreating figures, one spat. “Look how happy that skinny monkey is. What, is that Xiao fellow taking him to Zuihong Pavilion to lose his virginity?”

Another said sourly, “That Xiao fellow has been quite proud lately. Who knows how the boss will ultimately handle the Chen Laizi matter. I heard that after Chen Laizi sent that girl to that Xiao fellow to settle his debt, quite a few gambling addicts tried to have their sisters or wives accompany him when he went to collect debts. Really blessed with romantic fortune!”

This remark made the other thugs even more dissatisfied. One scoffed, “Zheng Hu said that what Chen Laizi gave him was some ugly woman with a face full of rashes. Who believes that? If you ask me, the boss is just playing favorites—used to favor Song Qin, now favors that Xiao fellow. Poor Brother Wang has been loyal to the gambling house for so many years. The He family running the canal transport business has extended olive branches to Brother Wang several times, but he never went. Now look at his circumstances.”

An old thug suddenly spoke up quietly, “You youngsters probably don’t know what that Xiao fellow’s mother used to do, eh? Who knows if he isn’t the boss’s bastard left outside…”

Xiao Li stood before Zuihong Pavilion. No matter how many years had passed, seeing that lantern-decorated plaque still felt glaring to his eyes.

He lifted his foot and stepped through the main entrance. The madam had been approaching with a smile, but upon recognizing him, her expression immediately changed to one that smiled without warmth, looking at him sideways. “Oh my, what a rare guest indeed!”

Some girls in the pavilion had originally wanted to greet him, but seeing this, they could only exchange glances and stand in place.

Xiao Li raised the corner of his mouth unconcernedly and said, “Mama, your pavilion outside is quite deserted. Forget about people coming—even a flying sparrow would be rare.”

“You!” The madam glared at him angrily.

But Xiao Li paid her no more attention and walked straight into the main hall. He tossed an identification plaque at the head enforcer guarding the stairway and asked, “Where’s the boss?”

Zuihong Pavilion was now also property of the gambling house boss. The head enforcer clearly recognized Xiao Li. After checking his duty badge, he stepped aside and answered, “Tian character room number five.”

As Xiao Li lifted his foot to walk upstairs, the earlier commotion apparently woke a guest in one of the rooms. A door upstairs opened, and out walked a woman with gorgeous features but obvious fine lines at the corners of her eyes. She leaned halfway against the railing, yawning as she looked at Xiao Li. “Ah Huan, back at the gambling house on business again?”

Xiao Li put on a different smile and said, “Disturbing Sister Mudan’s peace—truly a transgression.”

The woman also smiled. Though her youth had faded, she still deserved the phrase “infinitely charming.” Someone seemed to be calling from inside the room. She frowned and glanced back, saying, “Give my regards to your mother later.”

With that, she leisurely returned to her room.

Downstairs, a young girl had her heart stirred by the youth’s unruly, clear-cut handsome face. She quietly asked an older woman who’d been in the pavilion longer, “Who is that young master? He seems quite familiar with Sister Mudan. Does he come to the pavilion often?”

The older woman glanced at the girl and said, “He used to grow up in this pavilion. You tell me if he’s familiar with the girls or not.”

The young girl let out a soft “Ah,” and looked at the youth’s retreating figure again, feeling a bit of regret in her heart.

So he was a prostitute’s son—born into the lowly register, inferior to others from birth.

Xiao Li pushed open the door and walked in, saying to the middle-aged man sitting by the window reading account books, “Boss, about Zheng Hu…”

“That matter I discussed with you last time—how have you considered it?”

Boss Han set down the account book in his hands and looked up at Xiao Li.