Only then did Ye Hongsheng heave a long sigh of relief, slapping the table and saying, “A good judgment. Such a person should be sent to the eighteenth level of hell.”

“Ming’er has already moved on and isn’t particularly sad. Don’t bring this person up with her—what’s past is past.”

“Mm.” Ye Hongsheng nodded.

“I hear you’ve gained the favor of Lord Fan and others in the capital. Sheng’er, you’ve done well,” Ye Chongming said.

Ye Hongsheng shook his head, “It’s still Ming’er’s tea sets and her theories that are impressive. When I left home for the capital, Ming’er explained a lot about how to arrange tea settings. Lord Fan probably likes this and therefore spoke more with me.”

Seeing that his second son had become accomplished and could now forge relationships with capital nobles like Lord Fan, yet remained humble and steady, Ye Chongming nodded approvingly.

It seemed his third granddaughter’s competence didn’t come from nowhere.

The New Year was approaching, and every household was hosting banquets. The Ye family was busy attending these events daily. Ye Yaqing followed Madam Tao to banquets every day, going from place to place, so busy that her feet barely touched the ground.

Ye Yaming was unwilling to go, and the Ye family didn’t force her. Even so, Ye Yaming still attended one event. It was the Mei family’s banquet—Old Lady Ye’s maiden family. It would have been impolite for Ye Yaming to decline again.

“Second Sister, you’ve lost a lot of weight recently, but your spirits are better than before,” Ye Yaming remarked, looking at Ye Yaqing, whom she hadn’t seen for some time.

Ye Yaqing touched her face excitedly and asked Ye Yaming, “Really? Have I lost weight?”

After taking over from Madam Tao, she wasn’t very tall, standing less than 5’3″, and perhaps due to puberty, she was slightly plump. Her figure was completely different from Ye Yaming’s tall and slender frame.

Because of this, although she didn’t say anything, she was still quite conscious of it. This was evident from the tiny portions—like cat food—she ate at each meal.

“Mm.” Ye Yaming nodded emphatically, “If you don’t believe me, ask Fourth Cousin Mei and Yin’er.”

They were sitting in a gazebo at the Mei family compound, and nearby, on an open space, a group of young ladies were playing a game of pitch-pot. Fourth, Miss Mei, as the hostess, was accompanying them.

“She has indeed lost weight,” Fourth Miss Mei said.

“Second Sister, you must have noticed when wearing your skirts? The size must not fit properly anymore,” Ye Yayin also said.

“That’s true!” Ye Yaqing smiled so widely her eyes curved into crescents.

She looked into the distance, thinking of something, and suddenly her face, which had just composed itself, bloomed with another smile—a sweet one.

Seeing her expression, Ye Yaming suddenly had a thought.

Although she had never been in love in her previous life, she had seen young ladies who had fallen in love. Their most typical characteristic was that they would occasionally smile foolishly, and sometimes they would suddenly lose weight.

Could it be that something was going on with Ye Yaqing?

After returning to the Ye family compound, Ye Yaming separated from Ye Yaqing on the path. After walking a few steps, she said to Ye Yayin, “I just remembered something I need to tell Grandfather. I’ll go to the main courtyard; you go back first.”

“Alright, Sister, go ahead,” Ye Yayin obediently replied.

Ye Yaming went to the main courtyard and asked Old Lady Ye, who was removing her makeup, “Grandmother, has Second Sister recently been betrothed to any family?”

Old Lady Ye waited for Maid Yu to remove the largest ornament from her head before turning to look at her granddaughter, “I haven’t heard anything from your aunt. What’s wrong? Is your Second Sister acting strangely?”

She knew that Ye Yaming would never come to ask her this question without reason.

Ye Yaming sat down on a nearby daybed, her brows slightly furrowed, “When your aunt comes to pay respects tomorrow, please ask her about it.”

She tilted her head, “Second Sister has been attending banquets every day recently, and I’m worried she might have met someone at these gatherings. If the person is suitable, that’s fine, but if not, yet he’s sweet-talking Second Sister, that would be troublesome.”

Old Lady Ye immediately became serious.

“Alright, I’ll ask your aunt tomorrow. If she doesn’t know either, I’ll have her investigate.” She patted Ye Yaming’s hand, “Don’t worry, I won’t say it came from you.”

“Mm.” Ye Yaming was relieved and smiled at Old Lady Ye, “Then Grandmother, please rest. I’ll head back now.”

As the eldest daughter-in-law of the main branch who managed the household, Madam Tao came to seek instructions from her mother-in-law on various matters daily, making several trips to the main rooms each day.

On this day when she came over, Old Lady Ye asked, “How are the marriage arrangements for Yaqing coming along?”

Madam Tao’s smiling face immediately fell, “We’ve looked at several families recently, but none were suitable.”

Old Lady Ye couldn’t help but sigh.

They had started looking for matches for her second granddaughter since she was thirteen. After so many years, they still hadn’t found a suitable one.

“Recently she’s been attending banquets with you. Do you know who she spends time with there and whom she has met?” she asked.

Madam Tao instinctively shook her head, “I’m always with the ladies, while she plays with the young girls…”

As she said this, her voice halted, finally understanding her mother-in-law’s implication.

“Are you saying she has an issue?” Remembering that Ye Yaqing had attended a banquet with Ye Yaming yesterday, she asked, “Did Ming’er notice something?”

Old Lady Ye: “…”

Since she couldn’t hide it, she didn’t try to, “Last night, Ming’er came over to ask about Qing’er’s marriage arrangements. She seems to suspect something. Since you don’t know, quickly call her maid over and question her. Don’t let anyone deceive her.”

Madam Tao couldn’t sit still now, “Mother, I’ll go right away.” She hurriedly left.

Returning to the main branch’s quarters, she found an excuse to summon one of Ye Yaqing’s maids.

At first, the maid pretended to be deaf and dumb, but after being intimidated by Madam Tao, she cried, “The young miss told us not to tell. She said if we told anyone, she would sell me.”

“If you don’t tell me, I’ll sell your entire family right now,” Madam Tao threatened.

The maid finally sniffled and sobbed out the whole story.

Just as Ye Yaming had formed a friendship with Yang Shu, Ye Yaqing had also met some young ladies at banquets. She had become quite close to a Miss Su.

Since Ye Yaming and Ye Yayin didn’t attend banquets, Ye Yaqing had been playing with Miss Su during the previous few occasions. However, Miss Su repeatedly begged Ye Yaqing to accompany her to meet her cousin. Ye Yaqing, naturally gentle and compliant, agreed.

When Miss Su met her cousin, she naturally wanted to speak with him alone, so Ye Yaqing had to talk with her cousin’s friend.

Gradually, Ye Yaqing began to converse quite pleasantly with this friend.

After listening, Madam Tao’s brows were tightly knit. “Do you know what that person’s name is?”

The maid said, “He’s called Yang Chuzhi.”

“Yang Chuzhi?” Madam Tao thought for a long time but couldn’t recall any family with a child of that name.

She asked further, “How did he dress and behave, from what you observed?”

“He dressed very well, and from his appearance, his family background doesn’t seem inferior to ours. His looks are also quite good,” the maid had naturally observed him, “He speaks and acts with perfect courtesy, never overstepping boundaries. If the young miss shows the slightest indication that she doesn’t want to talk anymore, he would find an excuse to take his leave, never persisting.”