When Gu Jin Chao and Madam Wang brought the Yu family mother and daughter to Half Bamboo Side, the theater troupe was still preparing.

Madam Qin handed the script to Elder Madam Chen.

She only glanced at it briefly before passing the script to Gu Jin Chao. “Look and see what you like.”

Elder Madam Chen wanted to give her face, but Gu Jin Chao couldn’t truly decide on her own. After looking, she returned the script. “I think ‘The Tale of Washing Silk,’ ‘The Purple Hairpin,’ and ‘The Southern Branch’ are all quite good, but I’m not sure which to choose.”

Elder Madam Chen then handed the script to Elder Madam Chang. “You take a look too.”

Elder Madam Chang waved her hand with a smile. “Never mind, I’ll follow the host’s preference.”

Elder Madam Chen then gave the script to Madam Qin. “The few your Third Sister-in-law mentioned are all good, you can pick any one of them.”

Madam Qin showed no unusual reaction and smilingly took it to instruct the theater troupe.

While waiting for the play to begin, Elder Madam Chen exchanged pleasantries with Madam Yu. Madam Yu was very respectful toward her, and Yu Wan Xue sat beside her with a graceful posture like an orchid. When Elder Madam Chen asked her questions, she answered in a soft and gentle voice.

Elder Madam Chen asked Yu Wan Xue if she read books regularly, and Yu Wan Xue responded softly: “I do read, though not well. I’ve read ‘Female Instructions’ and ‘Admonitions for Women.'” She also mentioned that she had brought a box of hand-copied Buddhist scriptures as a gift for Elder Madam Chen.

The maid beside her presented a red-lacquered paulownia wood box, from which Yu Wan Xue took out the Buddhist scriptures.

Elder Madam Chen was very pleased and asked Lü Luo to accept the box.

For girls, lack of talent is considered a virtue, but Elder Madam Chen worried that Chen Xuan Qing might be too proud and look down on a woman without learning. So she asked Yu Wan Xue about her reading habits. Being literate was good enough; being able to read books would broaden one’s horizons and prevent having shallow experience.

Elder Madam Chen also asked whether she knew women’s needlework and household management. Yu Wan Xue answered that she knew them but wasn’t proficient.

Elder Madam Chang and Elder Madam Zheng also asked many questions, making Yu Wan Xue blush.

Although she knew she was here to be inspected as a potential match, such a situation was too embarrassing.

Madam Qin had chosen “The Purple Hairpin,” and soon Huo Xiao Yu in theatrical costume appeared on stage. Everyone watched with great interest. At the end of the play, Liu Yi and Huo Xiao Yu resolve their misunderstanding, the Yellow-Robed Man generously assists them, and the two are reunited, their love restored.

By the time the play ended, it was noon. Elder Madam Chen invited everyone to the flower hall of Tan Mountain Courtyard for lunch and instructed the kitchen to serve snow pear water for everyone to drink.

Zhou Yi Xuan, however, followed Gu Jin Chao and quietly asked her, “Third Aunt, who is this Madam Yu, that you went to receive her?”

Gu Jin Chao thought for a moment and told her, “The late Old Master Yu was the Provincial Governor of Shandong, and Old Madam Yu had a close relationship with Mother. This time, Madam Yu brought her daughter over, possibly for a match. Miss Yu and our Seventh Young Master have a childhood betrothal agreement, with a pair of jade pendants as tokens.”

She hoped Zhou Yi Xuan would abandon her idea of marrying Chen Xuan Qing.

After all, Elder Madam Chen would certainly not break off the engagement with the Yu family. She wouldn’t hurt the Yu family’s face for no reason just for Zhou Yi Xuan.

The only worry was that she might still want to follow Chen Xuan Qing, crying and making a scene about wanting to be a concubine, but then only she would lose face.

Zhou Yi Xuan’s expression indeed darkened, her fingers twisting her handkerchief. “Seventh Cousin… he… he already has a betrothal? I never heard about it.”

Gu Jin Chao said, “I only heard Mother mention this matter recently… Alright, you’ve watched the play for half the day and don’t like tea, go drink a bowl of pear water to quench your thirst.” Gu Jin Chao handed her a cup of pear water.

But Zhou Yi Xuan was utterly dispirited and couldn’t drink the pear water at all.

Elder Madam Chen’s purpose in inviting Yu Wan Xue today was partly to make Zhou Yi Xuan give up hope. Knowing that Chen Xuan Qing had a betrothal and would soon be married, she surely wouldn’t still have feelings for Chen Xuan Qing. So she called Zhou Yi Xuan over to introduce Yu Wan Xue to her. Yu Wan Xue stood up to greet her, and being half a head shorter, appeared petite and gentle. Zhou Yi Xuan felt even more uncomfortable seeing this.

What man wouldn’t like such a delicate and dependent woman? She disliked herself for being too tall.

Elder Madam Chen smiled and said to Zhou Yi Xuan, “Wan Xue and Xuan Qing have been betrothed since childhood, and they will be married before long. Even though Wan Xue is a few months younger than you, in the future, you’ll have to call her Seventh Cousin-in-law.”

Zhou Yi Xuan forced a smile.

Madam Yu was delighted in her heart. Since Elder Madam Chen had said this… did it mean she had already acknowledged this marriage?

After lunch, Madam Yu happily led Yu Wan Xue back.

Elder Madam Chen asked Gu Jin Chao what she thought of Yu Wan Xue.

Gu Jin Chao replied, “She is reasonable in speech and measured in conduct. Gentle and elegant, and also knows how to be modest. I think she’s quite good.”

Elder Madam Chen nodded in agreement. “Although her temperament is rather quiet, there are advantages to quietness. Someone like Xuan Qing, who appears gentle and polite on the surface, is extremely proud inside. He may treat someone well, but it doesn’t mean he likes them. His temperament is like his grandfather’s, and he doesn’t even have a chambermaid yet, focusing solely on the eight-legged essays. His father thinks his character is rigid, but his grandfather quite likes this personality.”

After speaking, she pondered for a moment and sighed, “Inviting the Yu family’s daughter today… was out of necessity. I’m afraid her wedding date with Xuan Qing will have to be moved up.” She sat down with Jin Chao and said, “After going back, discuss Xuan Qing’s marriage with Old Three. If he agrees, I’ll invite Madam Yu over to discuss the wedding date, aiming to have them married before Xuan Qing turns seventeen. Their birth charts were matched long ago, so there’s no need to worry about that.”

Gu Jin Chao agreed.

In the evening when the Third Master Chen returned, Jin Chao told him about Chen Xuan Qing’s marriage.

Third Master Chen thought for a moment and said to her, “Years ago, Mother and Old Madam Yu had a good relationship and arranged a childhood betrothal, exchanging tokens at the time.” Since tokens had been exchanged, any change would be breaking one’s word. “…Now Xuan Qing is also at the age for marriage. I’ll defer to Mother and you on everything. You two can decide on such matters.”

Gu Jin Chao said, “Then I’ll inform Mother tomorrow.” She straightened up and ladled soup for Third Master Chen. “You came back early today. Are the court affairs finished?”

Third Master Chen shook his head with a smile. “Court affairs are never finished.” His finger lightly tapped the table edge, but he suddenly fell into deep thought.

Gu Jin Chao looked at him, wondering why he wasn’t eating. “What are you thinking about?”

Third Master Chen slowly said, “An opportunity. I need an opportunity to break the deadlock.”

Without investigating Liu Han Zhang, Wang Xuan Fan couldn’t be implicated. He had to think of a way to make Zhang Ju Lian talk. And he just had an idea…

It must be about his court affairs. What opportunity did Third Master Chen want?

Gu Jin Chao didn’t know. Although she had memories from her previous life, in that life she was also just a housewife. She didn’t know how he eventually succeeded in bringing down Wang Xuan Fan, demoting him to the Prefect of Yangzhou. But no matter how much one thinks, one still needs to eat. She pushed the bowl in front of him, “The small kitchen stewed ham and tendon soup. Try it and see if it suits your taste.”

Third Master Chen took it and drank it but noticed she had only touched a little of her rice.

“Why are you eating so little lately?” He picked up his chopsticks and put food in her bowl, adding a lot of meat. “Eat all of this, don’t leave any.” Yesterday, when he happened to hold her waist, he felt she was already too thin. How could she be picky about food?

Jin Chao looked bitter, not because she didn’t want to eat, but because she really couldn’t. This morning she felt nauseous, but fortunately drank a cup of jasmine tea to suppress the feeling. Smelling the tendon made her even more uncomfortable, thinking it smelled fishy, and she wanted to eat even less.

She said softly, “Third Master, I really can’t eat anymore… I ate a lot of braised lamb at Mother’s place at noon. My stomach is still full.”

Third Master Chen raised his eyebrows. He pulled her into his lap. Seeing that the maids and old women were still present, Gu Jin Chao grabbed his sleeve and asked in a lowered voice, “Third Master… what are you doing…”

Third Master Chen said calmly, “Checking if you’re lying.” His hand touched her stomach, pressing gently. “It’s still flat, you’re lying.”

Third Master Chen called Qing Pu over. “What did the Third Madam eat at the Old Madam’s place today?”

Qing Pu hesitated for a moment. The Third Madam had been eating too little lately, and they were also worried… “A cup of pear water, a few pieces of sweet melon, and less than half a bowl of eight-treasure rice. Nothing else.”

Third Master Chen looked at her eyes helplessly, as if she had done something wrong.

Gu Jin Chao could only say, “Maybe it’s the stuffy weather affecting my appetite. I’ve always eaten less in the summer. If you force me to eat, I’ll feel sick and throw up…” She was afraid Third Master Chen would force her to eat that bowl of meat.

Third Master Chen looked at her solemnly, thought for a moment, and his gaze suddenly became very gentle.

He leaned in close to her ear and softly asked, “Jin Chao, your monthly cycle doesn’t seem to have come this month… Are you…”

Gu Jin Chao was startled. Her cycle had always been irregular, and delays were common.

Could it be… she was pregnant?

Jin Chao hesitated very much. “…I don’t know either.” How could she confirm such a thing?

Third Master Chen was stunned for a moment. A child… why hadn’t he thought of it before? “Tomorrow, I’ll send someone to fetch Doctor Ji to check. If it’s true, you can’t be as casual as you are now… Not eating will starve my child.” He gently rubbed Jin Chao’s lower abdomen, his voice revealing obvious joy. “Jin Chao, you’re carrying my child…”

Their child. Jin Chao might be carrying their child.

What could be the deepest bond between them if not a blood connection?

Third Master Chen gently put her down and immediately called Grandma Sun in, instructing her to go to Doctor Ji’s place overnight to inform him to come check Jin Chao’s pulse in the morning. It was already too late today, and Doctor Ji was seventy years old, so they wouldn’t disturb him to come over. Since she couldn’t eat meat, that night Jin Chao was forced to eat a bowl of white fungus and lotus seed soup, three pieces of yellow pea cake, and a plate of walnuts for dinner.

Holding her as they lay in bed, Third Master Chen also couldn’t fall asleep for a long time.

Jin Chao shifted her body slightly, and Third Master Chen immediately put his arm around her waist and said, “Don’t move, just sleep like this. If you sleep alone on the inside, you might kick off the blanket…”

Jin Chao said softly, “The weather is still hot, it doesn’t matter if I kick off the blanket.”

Third Master Chen lowered his head and said near her ear, “It’s not allowed now. Sleep well.”

Tomorrow they would know.