“It’s nothing, it’s nothing,” Wang Jingtong explained the incident to the Third Elder Sister. “Everything’s fine now!”

Third Elder Sister breathed a sigh of relief, saying: “That’s good, that’s good!”

Ah-Sen asked curiously: “How did you know about it?”

Third Elder Sister smiled: “Young Master Xi had Bao Shu deliver a message to me, saying Youyou had gotten into trouble and asking me to come quickly.”

“Oh!” Ah-Sen and Wang Jingtong both widened their eyes in surprise. Ah-Sen continued, “I was wondering why we didn’t see Young Master Xi earlier. I thought he was hiding because he was scared. So he went to summon reinforcements.” Feeling proud of the child’s resourcefulness, which reflected well on him as an uncle, he stepped forward to the main hall’s steps and called out, “Young Master Xi.”

Young Master Xi immediately appeared: “Second Uncle, Second Uncle, please lower your voice! So Mother doesn’t hear.”

Ah-Sen gazed at Young Master Xi’s chubby cheeks and chuckled, asking: “Where’s your tutor?”

“Uncle Yang called him out to attend some Eight Immortals Banquet,” Young Master Xi smiled, his eyes narrowing to slits. “Is that Li Thirteen gone?”

Ah-Sen nodded, stroking Young Master Xi’s head: “You did well today, knowing to call for help!” Just as he finished speaking, he saw Chun Bing and Yuan Xiao walking in shoulder to shoulder.

“Elder Cousin Shen, Second Cousin Shen!” Young Master Xi exclaimed as soon as he saw them and ran over.

Third Elder Sister explained: “When they heard Youyou was in trouble, these two boys insisted on coming along to plead for her. I figured if things got out of hand, these two might be useful, so I let them come.”

As they were speaking, Fu Tingyun, hearing the commotion, came out: “Third Elder Sister, why don’t you come in and sit?”

“I saw you were busy,” Third Elder Sister greeted Fu Tingyun, and they all entered the hall.

Chun Bing didn’t see Youyou and didn’t dare leave his mother’s side, so he stood on tiptoe to peer into the inner chamber.

The house had recently installed new Xiang bamboo blinds. Through them, Chun Bing could see a small figure in pink clothes kneeling before the large kang bed by the window, completely motionless. Somehow, his heart ached at the sight. After the adults had taken their seats and the maids had served tea and snacks, he could no longer contain himself and asked: “Ninth Aunt, where is Cousin Youyou?”

Chun Bing had been taught proper etiquette by his father and was usually extremely well-mannered. For him to speak up before the adults had begun the conversation was unprecedented. Fu Tingyun was privately surprised but still replied: “She caused trouble and is now being punished!”

“Ninth Aunt, it wasn’t Cousin Youyou’s fault,” seeing his brother speak up, Yuan Xiao also chimed in boldly. “If anyone should be punished, it should be that Li Thirteen. How can Cousin Youyou be punished?” As he spoke, he ran to Fu Tingyun and tugged at her sleeve. “What if, what if,” Yuan Xiao thought for a moment and said, “I take the punishment for Cousin Youyou?” Once the words left his mouth, he suddenly thought it was a good idea, and his tone became more resolute. “I’m a big brother, let me take the punishment for Cousin Youyou!”

“This child!” Fu Tingyun smiled and stroked Yuan Xiao’s head. “You truly have a kind nature. But Youyou did wrong, how can I let you take her punishment? What meaning would the punishment have then?” Fu Tingyun explained the principle that “whoever makes a mistake must take responsibility,” then asked Third Elder Sister why she had suddenly brought the children over. Upon learning that Young Master Xi had sent the message, she became somewhat emotional and pulled Young Master Xi to her side, smiling: “This child, usually I only see him interested in eating this and that, never taking anything seriously. I didn’t expect he would know to stand up for his sister…”

Now that’s more like how an eldest son should behave!

Young Master Xi, receiving his mother’s praise, smiled so broadly his eyes narrowed to slits.

“Our Young Master Xi is thoughtful in all matters,” Third Elder Sister took the opportunity to praise him further.

Fu Tingyun naturally had to respond with a few modest words.

Chun Bing’s gaze, however, remained fixed on the bamboo blinds of the inner chamber.

He saw the small figure kneeling before the kang bed shift position, appearing to have sore knees.

Chun Bing grew secretly anxious.

Seeing the adults discussing the day’s events, he quietly signaled to Young Master Xi.

Young Master Xi took advantage of his mother’s inattention to quietly move closer to Chun Bing.

Chun Bing whispered, “Why hasn’t your family served the meal yet?”

Young Master Xi looked outside in confusion and said: “It’s not yet noon, what meal would we serve?” Then his expression changed to one of sudden understanding, and he smiled knowingly: “I get it, Elder Cousin Shen must be hungry.” He was quite pleased with himself. Usually, people teased him for always thinking about food, but now the highly-respected Elder Cousin Shen was also thinking about food—surely they couldn’t call him gluttonous anymore!

Yuan Xiao, standing nearby, heard this and came over to join the conversation: “Brother, you already had two steamed buns and a bowl of porridge this morning…”

Chun Bing grew anxious, glancing at the adults who were engrossed in conversation, and finally said: “You two fools, if it’s time for lunch, then Cousin Youyou won’t have to continue kneeling!”

The two children suddenly understood. Young Master Xi quickly said: “I’ll go tell Zheng San-niang right away!” Then he darted out of the hall.

Chun Bing breathed a sigh of relief.

Shortly after, Young Master Xi returned and gave Chun Bing a “mission accomplished” gesture.

Chun Bing smiled slightly.

His gaze returned to the bamboo blinds of the inner chamber.

Meanwhile, he heard his mother’s voice: “…So does this mean we can go to Mount Yuming to escape the summer heat this year?”

“Yes!” Fu Tingyun smiled. “Just the other day, we transferred the deed at the Shuntian Prefecture. These days we’re preparing to find craftsmen to renovate the house there. When the weather gets hot, we can all go stay at Mount Yuming for a few days.”

“We’ll go,” the Third Elder Sister smiled. “We’ll come help you warm the house when the time comes!”

According to custom, when moving into a new house, one should invite relatives and friends to visit, bringing liveliness and good energy. People called this “warming the house.”

Fu Tingyun smiled and nodded repeatedly.

Third Elder Sister then asked: “Did Seventh Sister’s husband help find this house?”

“Yes!” Fu Tingyun said. “I didn’t expect him to have even better information than the real estate agents and Manager Ye.”

Third Elder Sister couldn’t help commenting: “Back then, he also helped your Third Sister’s husband run errands. How is it that such a resourceful person can’t put more effort into his studies for the imperial examinations? And Seventh Sister just allows him to idle away his days in the capital.”

“Everyone has their personality!” Fu Tingyun smiled. “Like our Sixth Uncle who enjoys traveling.”

Mentioning this, Third Elder Sister sighed: “They divided the family before Grandmother’s first death anniversary had even passed. Now the Fu family has become the laughingstock of Huayin. And Sixth Uncle still isn’t settled—he’s even moved to Weinan… Making others think they want to establish a separate ancestral hall!”

Didn’t Second Uncle and Second Aunt also buy a house in the north of the city to live separately?

After all, they had left the ancestral residence. In others’ eyes, this was equally like drawing a clear line with the old house.

In front of Third Elder Sister, Fu Tingyun didn’t feel comfortable commenting further, so she changed the subject to ask about Third Sister’s husband’s position: “I heard he might be promoted to Supervising Secretary?”

Third Elder Sister’s face lit up at this: “Nothing’s certain yet. It’s hard to say.”

As she was speaking, Zheng San-niang entered, smiling and curtsying to everyone before asking Fu Tingyun for instructions: “Where would you like the lunch to be served, Madam?”

So early!

Fu Tingyun couldn’t help glancing outside, but since the meal was already prepared, it wouldn’t be good to let it get cold. She smiled and said: “Set it up in the hall then!”

Zheng San-niang acknowledged with a sound and instructed the servant women to bring the dishes.

Yuan Xiao heard this with delight and was about to mention Youyou’s situation, but his brother grabbed him and covered his mouth.

He looked at his brother in confusion.

Then they heard Ninth Aunt instruct Yu Wei: “Let Youyou get up now! After the meal, she’ll be punished by copying ‘Poems of a Thousand Families’ five times.”

Yu Wei smiled and went to call Youyou.

Only then did Chun Bing release Yuan Xiao.

Yuan Xiao couldn’t help giving him a thumbs up.

Chun Bing smiled faintly, though a hint of pride flashed in his eyes.

The children were arranged at a small table for lunch.

As soon as Youyou sat down, she thanked Young Master Xi.

Yuan Xiao placed a chicken leg in Youyou’s bowl: “Eat this leg and your legs won’t hurt anymore.”

Youyou nodded vigorously, her eyes reddening: “Thank you, Second Cousin Shen, for pleading for me to Mother.”

“Hehe!” Yuan Xiao laughed sheepishly. “This wasn’t your fault anyway…”

Reminded of the upsetting incident, Youyou became indignant: “It was all that Li Thirteen’s fault…”

Young Master Xi offered a suggestion: “Why don’t I tell my tutor and have him beat that boy up?”

“I want to go too!” Young Master Xu, sitting beside Young Master Xi, immediately said, “I want to go with the tutor to beat him up.”

“That’s not right!” Chun Bing immediately objected. “What you would not wish for yourself, do not do to others. He did wrong, his behavior was improper, but we shouldn’t make the same mistake as him…”

“Elder Cousin Shen is such a bookworm!” Youyou was quite dissatisfied, pouting and mumbling under her breath, “Didn’t even help plead for me…”

Chun Bing looked at the irritated Youyou, his lips slightly parted as if wanting to speak but hesitating, while his eyes revealed a flash of sadness.

“Don’t be angry, Youyou!” Yuan Xiao quickly tried to comfort her, placing another chicken leg in her bowl. “I’ll go with you to settle accounts with that Li Thirteen.”

Youyou shook her head and gave the chicken leg to Young Master Xu, saying: “No matter what, I shouldn’t have carelessly shot pebbles. He also lied to me. Let’s just consider this even.”

“Then, Sister, why don’t you practice martial arts with us?” Young Master Xi suggested. “That way, you definitely won’t miss—didn’t he say we hit his eye? Next time, we’ll blind his eye, so he won’t be able to pretend and fool people anymore!”

“No, no!” Youyou shook her head vigorously like a rattling drum. “Getting hit in the eye is so painful! Being blind means you can’t see anything for the rest of your life.” She then realized Chun Bing’s words made sense and paused before continuing, “We can’t be villains like him!”

Yuan Xiao nodded repeatedly.

Young Master Xi, however, remained unconvinced.

He merely wanted to stand up for his sister. If she didn’t think it was a good idea, he would simply find another way.

A faint smile appeared at the corners of Chun Bing’s lips as he said: “Don’t talk while eating or sleeping. Hurry and eat, or you might spray food into someone else’s bowl.”

Everyone immediately quieted down.

But Chun Bing thought he heard Youyou mumble something about him being too controlling.

He couldn’t help but smile bitterly.

Looking up, he saw Yue Chuan running into the hall: “Madam, Lady Li is here to visit!”