After dinner, Madam Ji Wu had tables set up in the flower hall for conversation. Madam Chen and Madam Liu both came over. Chen Xuan first greeted Gu Jin Chao with a smile: “I should properly address you as Third Aunt, but I’m not sure what would be most appropriate. It’s been a long time since I’ve returned home. How is Grandmother’s health recently? Is Mother well?”

Madam Ji Wu smiled: “There’s no need for such formalities. Just call her Cousin! When you return to the Chen family, you can address her as Third Aunt then.”

Gu Jin Chao nodded with a smile: “No need to be so formal. Your grandmother hasn’t been feeling well lately, but it’s nothing serious. Your mother is fine as always. Third Young Master’s wife, Madam Sun, has given birth to a niece for you, with the formal name of Yu.”

Chen Xuan was the daughter of a concubine and didn’t have deep feelings for the Chen family. She smiled and said, “It’s good that everyone is well,” before stepping aside.

Madam Ji Wu told Gu Jin Chao about Ji Yun’s situation: “…He’s now the magistrate of Suqian County in Huai’an Prefecture. A few days ago, he sent some fish and turtles via the Grand Canal. Half of them died on the way, and your eldest uncle wrote him a letter scolding him for it.”

Huai’an Prefecture was a good place, a famous transportation hub for the Grand Canal and salt transport, with jurisdiction over the Grand Canal Transport Governor’s Office and the Jiangnan River Governor’s Office. After passing the provincial examination last time, Ji Yun later placed in the third rank during the palace examination, so being appointed as a county magistrate was quite decent.

Chun’er, now four years old, was curiously looking at Chang Suo who was sleeping in the wet nurse’s arms, and asked Madam Liu softly: “Mother, is that my cousin?”

Madam Liu nodded with a smile. Chun’er then crawled across the kang bed and peered at his cousin by holding onto the wet nurse’s arm. After looking for quite a while, he said: “Why does Cousin look different from Little Brother?”

Madam Liu felt somewhat embarrassed and quickly pulled Chun’er back, whispering: “Be careful not to wake your cousin!”

Gu Jin Chao knew that the “Little Brother” Chun’er referred to was Ji Yu. She didn’t mind, but others who heard would certainly feel uncomfortable. She had been back for so long but hadn’t seen Ji Yao… He must be avoiding her! She smiled: “It’s fine, this child won’t wake up once he’s asleep.”

Despite saying this, she still had the wet nurse take the child away to sleep, so everyone could speak more freely.

At that moment, a child was peeking through the doorway.

He was just a little boy with a delicately carved face and a pair of upturned phoenix eyes.

Soon, a nursemaid with a round bun appeared behind the child, leading him in.

The child wore a small jacket embroidered with gourd patterns and a gold necklace. Seeing so many people present, he became somewhat shy. The nursemaid led him to greet everyone one by one, and he softly said: “Great-grandmother, Grandmother, hello.” When the nursemaid prompted him to greet Gu Jin Chao, he obediently said, “Cousin, hello.”

Gu Jin Chao immediately realized that this child was Ji Yu.

Madam Ji Wu frowned slightly: “Wasn’t he supposed to be studying in the study room? Why did you bring him here?”

The nursemaid explained: “Second Young Master said he wanted to recite the poem he just learned for you. He insisted on coming over, and I couldn’t stop him in time.”

Madam Ji Wu then asked Ji Yu to come before her and stroked his head, her voice softening: “Yu’er, why don’t you recite it for Great-grandmother tomorrow morning? Now go back with your nursemaid and rest.”

Ji Yu softly responded with an “Oh,” clutching his little hands with a disappointed expression. Nevertheless, he obediently followed his nursemaid back.

After everyone had dispersed that night, Gu Jin Chao said to Madam Ji Wu: “I noticed that child doesn’t resemble Second Cousin. He has such delicate features and seems very well-behaved.” She didn’t want her grandmother to keep the child away because of her presence.

Madam Ji Wu had someone bring over a candlestick and took out two pairs of children’s shoes from a bamboo basket, handing them to Gu Jin Chao: “Your childhood shoes, most of them made by me and Song Mama. Looking at Chang Suo, he’ll soon learn to walk. See if these fit him.”

The elderly woman’s eyesight wasn’t as good as before, yet she still wanted to do such delicate work…

Gu Jin Chao took the palm-sized shoes, feeling the thick soles, and was deeply moved.

After putting away the basket, Madam Ji Wu finally said to Gu Jin Chao: “I originally didn’t want you to see him and feel sad. I’m raising this child now, and your Second Cousin doesn’t often come to see him, so he’s only close to me. But when I look at his eyes, I’m always reminded of his birth mother, Madam Zhao, and I can’t bring myself to like him… Did you know that Madam Zhao died recently?”

Gu Jin Chao quietly looked at Madam Ji Wu, waiting for her to continue. Madam Ji Wu paused: “She hanged herself in the small Buddha hall. It was the cleaning woman who discovered her… No one knows why she suddenly wanted to die. The child was separated from her early and doesn’t have much impression of her, so he wasn’t particularly sad… In a few more months, the fifth daughter of the Marquis of Yongyang will enter the household, and he will have a stepmother.”

Gu Jin Chao held Madam Ji Wu’s hand, hesitating before speaking: “What happened back then was neither Second Cousin’s fault nor this child’s… It was simply not meant to be. Things will get better in the future.”

Madam Ji Wu smiled: “Alright, you should go to bed now. Tomorrow I’ve invited the Deyin Troupe to perform, so don’t oversleep.”

Gu Jin Chao retired to the west wing room. Her original courtyard had been given to Ji Yu to live in, making it convenient for Madam Ji Wu to look after him.

That night, Chang Suo didn’t disturb her, but Gu Jin Chao herself didn’t sleep well. She was still concerned about Fourth Master Chen’s affairs…

She dreamed all night.

One moment she saw Third Master Chen with blood all over his shoulder, standing on a mountainside, his face unclear, with howling winds at the bottom of the cliff.

Then she saw Fourth Master Chen with an icy face, standing behind Third Master Chen without speaking.

Later she saw a large kang bed by a window, with a thin, emaciated person curled up in the bedding. When she approached to look, the person’s eyes were tightly closed, face pale – wasn’t that how she looked when she died…

Cai Fu entered with water and, seeing Gu Jin Chao’s forehead covered in fine sweat, quickly wrung out a cloth to wipe her face.

Gu Jin Chao gradually regained consciousness.

Madam Ji Wu sent a nursemaid to call her for breakfast. She ate a plate of date cakes and a bowl of white fungus soup. Following everyone to the waterside pavilion to watch the opera, she saw a tall, thin figure on the path, with stern features, followed by several stewards, heading toward the screen wall.

Madam Ji Wu called out to Ji Yao, asking him to come over: “It’s so early, where are you going?”

Ji Yao replied: “There’s a problem with one of the merchant ships. I need to go check. I’m afraid I’ll only be able to pay my respects to you in the evening…”

He looked up and saw Gu Jin Chao, his lips moved slightly before saying softly: “Cousin has come, and I haven’t even had the chance to see you. I’m too busy right now. I heard that my nephew came with you this time?”

The Ji family’s merchant business had countless ships traveling the Grand Canal every day; even if there was a problem, Ji Yao shouldn’t need to go personally…

Gu Jin Chao smiled slightly: “He did come with me, but fearing he would be mischievous, I didn’t bring him out. If you have time, you can come see him this afternoon.”

Ji Yao smiled bitterly for a moment, then said: “I’ll try to come back early!”

After another glance at her, he took his leave from Madam Ji Wu and headed toward the screen wall with his stewards.

Gu Jin Chao looked at his thin figure, feeling a dryness in her eyes… Even though she had no romantic feelings for Ji Yao, they had grown up together. Moreover, she had disrupted his marriage plans…

The performance was “The Jade Hairpin,” which Gu Jin Chao had seen several times and no longer found interesting. Wanting to go for a walk outside, she mentioned this to Madam Ji Wu. Madam Ji Wu was engrossed in the performance and merely squeezed her hand: “There will play you like later, remember to come back.”

Gu Jin Chao nodded with a smile and walked back along the lakeside path with Cai Fu. Autumn was approaching; the high pink walls of her former courtyard and the extending branches of the locust tree were beginning to turn yellow. Cai Fu held her hand and smiled: “Last time I accompanied you here was with Sister Qing Pu. It’s been so long in the blink of an eye…”

Gu Jin Chao was somewhat lost in thought: “I wonder how she’s doing now…” The last letter mentioned she was pregnant and had sent some small jackets for Chang Suo, which was why she hadn’t come to pay respects these past few months.

There was a rustling sound from behind. Gu Jin Chao turned around and noticed a clump of phoenix tail bamboo shaking not far away.

She frowned, wondering if someone was following her. This was inside the Ji family compound – who would do such a thing?

She led Cai Fu back and reached out to part the bamboo. A child quickly retreated from inside – wearing a gourd-patterned embroidered jacket, a gold necklace, with a delicately carved face… He stood straight-backed and said softly: “Cousin…”

Yu’er? Gu Jin Chao looked around, then crouched down to be at eye level with Ji Yu, asking gently: “Yu’er, why are you following me? Where is your nursemaid?”

Ji Yu was the same age as Chun’er but not as lively. His upturned phoenix eyes faintly revealed his birth mother’s beauty.

After hesitating for a long time, he finally said: “Nursemaid fell asleep while fanning herself… I saw Aunt outside, so I followed.”

Gu Jin Chao noticed cake crumbs on his face and took out a handkerchief to wipe it clean. The child was startled, staring at Gu Jin Chao in surprise.

Why would such a small child follow her?

Gu Jin Chao saw a nearby pavilion, took his hand, and walked there, asking him to sit down.

“Do you want Cousin to play with you? How about I call some little maids over to play ‘hundred strings’ with you?”

Ji Yu quickly shook his head: “I don’t want to play with them… They don’t like me.”

Gu Jin Chao smiled, stroking his hair: “How could that be! Yu’er is so adorable, everyone likes you.”

“It’s true,” Ji Yu nodded seriously, “Grandmother, Second Grandmother, Aunt, and Father don’t like me… Everyone likes Chun’er. Yu’er isn’t likable, no one likes me… Before, Great-grandmother said that once Yu’er could recite poems, Father would like me. But he still doesn’t like me… Third Uncle often holds Chun’er, but Father never holds me. Cousin, has Yu’er done something wrong?”

He looked at Gu Jin Chao with great expectation: “Everyone smiles at Cousin… Cousin, could you teach Yu’er? Yu’er also wants to be liked.”

Gu Jin Chao felt a pang in her heart. She sighed and smiled: “You see everyone smiling at me, but not everyone likes me either. Yu’er shouldn’t worry, when you’re older, everyone will like you.”

When he grows up, he’ll understand many things.

Ji Yu still kept his back perfectly straight, trying hard to listen to her, hoping that he too could be liked, just like Chun’er.