Jin Ge’er grinned at the Old Madam with his mouth still full of half-eaten wheat cake.

The Old Madam paid no mind to this and planted two kisses in quick succession on his cheek.

Feeling his grandmother’s fondness for him, Jin Ge’er’s eyes crinkled into slits from smiling.

“Come now,” the Old Madam said in a drawn-out, coaxing tone, “call me ‘Grandmother’.”

Jin Ge’er obliged with a garbled “Grandmother.”

The Old Madam’s eyes curved into crescents with delight. She immediately instructed Nanny Du, “Go fetch that string of red agate beads from my dressing case for the Sixth Young Master to wear — those were blessed and consecrated for me by the abbot of Ciyuan Temple, Master Jining, back when I was young. Let our Jin Ge’er wear them close to his body to protect him and keep him safe and sound!”

“Mother, this is far too precious!” Eleventh Lady said at once. “He is still a child. If you wish to give him a gift, it would not be too late to do so when he is a little older.”

The Old Madam stroked Jin Ge’er as he sat in her lap eating his wheat cake, and smiled. “Big gifts for big occasions, small gifts for small ones.” She dismissed Xu Lingyi’s suggestion without a second thought and then turned to lecture Eleventh Lady: “You’ve been fretting day in and day out about our Jin Ge’er not speaking, yet look — isn’t he speaking now? I told you long ago not to rush, but you wouldn’t listen, always pushing the child to talk. Can impatience put hot tofu in your mouth? Everything has its time. When he is ready to speak, he will speak naturally.” Then she added, “As the old saying goes, the bird that does not sing, sings to shake the heavens. Look at our Jin Ge’er — he opened his mouth and spoke in full sentences. He is no ordinary child.” With that, unable to contain her affection, she cupped Jin Ge’er’s face in her hands and gave him two more smacking kisses.

Xu Lingyi and Eleventh Lady could only stand to the side, smiling along. Jin Ge’er, who had been happily eating his cake, was interrupted by the Old Madam and pursed his lips with a dissatisfied “mm, mm.”

The Old Madam quickly let go: “You eat your cake, you eat your cake — Grandmother won’t bother you.” Then she could not help asking, “Is the cake made from new wheat good?”

Jin Ge’er nodded repeatedly.

The Old Madam then instructed Yuban, “Go, give all that half-sack of new wheat the palace bestowed to the Fourth Madam.”

Yuban hurried off in acknowledgment.

The Fifth Madam was still living in the house.

Eleventh Lady was just about to decline when Nanny Du walked in, smiling warmly, carrying a small lacquered box of carved purple sandalwood.

“Give it to me!” the Old Madam said eagerly, and with her own hands she took out the string of beads, each the size of a pigeon’s egg.

They were too large to wear on the wrist, too small to wear around the neck.

The Old Madam looked them over and instructed Nanny Du, “Bring my scale-engraved chain for the Sixth Young Master to hang them on.”

Nanny Du turned and returned with a solid gold chain. The chain was as thick as a small child’s little finger, engraved with fine scale patterns, and in the dim indoor light, it shimmered and sparkled like sunlight rippling across a lake stirred by a gentle breeze.

Eleventh Lady suddenly thought of a dog leash…

She quickly said, “Mother, what if I knot a cord for Jin Ge’er instead?” — a polite way of declining.

The Old Madam held the chain in her hand and thought for a moment, then said, “That will do. This chain has engraved patterns — it’s a little rough. We wouldn’t want it to chafe our Jin Ge’er’s neck. You knot him a pretty cord and use it to hang this red agate bracelet for him.”

Eleventh Lady promptly replied with a respectful “Yes.”

The Old Madam then set the chain casually into the carved purple sandalwood box that held the red agate bracelet — the chain may not have been used, but it had been gifted to Jin Ge’er all the same.

“Mother!” Even Xu Lingyi now felt the gifts were too lavish. “Jin Ge’er is at the age when he gets into everything. Be careful he loses it.”

“Nonsense,” the Old Madam said. “How would things inside the room go missing? What are the nannies and maidservants in his room for…”

While the Old Madam and Xu Lingyi were talking, Jin Ge’er had already fixed his wide, glazed eyes on the gleaming gold chain lying in the purple sandalwood box lined with bright red velvet.

He dropped the wheat cake he was holding right onto the kang and grabbed hold of the chain with both hands.

The chain slid over the edge of the box and into Jin Ge’er’s grasp.

A soft rustling sound filled the room.

The Old Madam could not help but look down.

Jin Ge’er was already there, tugging away at the gold chain with all his might.

The Old Madam burst into laughter: “You mustn’t pull it, you mustn’t pull it!”

Jin Ge’er looked up at her when he heard this, his eyes blinking adorably.

The Old Madam had Yuban wring out a handkerchief, and while wiping Jin Ge’er’s hands, she laughed and said, “Be careful not to break it — then our Jin Ge’er won’t have anything to wear!”

But Jin Ge’er struggled to his feet in the Old Madam’s lap and looped the gold chain around her neck.

The Old Madam was stunned for a moment, then a smile surged from the depths of her eyes up to her face.

“Oh, my dear Jin Ge’er.” The elderly woman gathered her grandson into her arms. “He wants to put it on Grandmother!”

Jin Ge’er looked at the Old Madam with a playful grin.

“Did you see that!” The Old Madam turned to look at Xu Lingyi. “Our Jin Ge’er is not the kind of child who gets spoiled and loses all sense of propriety. What are you worried about? All right, let’s not speak of this again. Nanny Du, put the things away for the Sixth Young Master.”

Xu Lingyi could only bow his head and say “Yes,” while Eleventh Lady could only smile wryly.

The Fifth Madam arrived with Xin Jie’er and Shen Ge’er to pay their respects, and at once caught sight of the box sitting on the kang table.

Her gaze shifted, and she tugged at the Old Madam’s sleeve, turning playfully coy: “Whatever lovely thing have you given Jin Ge’er again — our Shen Ge’er wants one too!”

“You shameless little rascal.” The Old Madam laughed and gave the Fifth Madam’s ear a little pinch. “Don’t worry — when Shen Ge’er starts talking, he’ll have the same.”

“Jin Ge’er has started talking!” The Fifth Madam’s face lit up with delight. “Congratulations, Fourth Brother, congratulations, Fourth Sister-in-law.” Then she beamed at Jin Ge’er and said, “Jin Ge’er, do you know who I am? I’m your Fifth Auntie!”

Eleventh Lady then told Jin Ge’er, “Call her Fifth Auntie.”

“Fifth Auntie!” Jin Ge’er’s voice rang out clear and bright.

The Fifth Madam marveled aloud: “This child — what powerful lungs he has!”

“Indeed!” The Old Madam wore an expression of proud satisfaction. “I remember when the Fourth Young Master was small, he wasn’t even as tall as Jin Ge’er…”

“Then each generation surpasses the last!” The Fifth Madam looked at Xu Lingyi and laughed into her sleeve.

Everyone broke into laughter. The scene was lively and spirited, until Steward Bai came to request Xu Lingyi’s presence in the outer courtyard — only then did the gathering finally disperse.

Nanny Shi quietly reminded the Fifth Madam, “You were a bit too forward. Asking for things right in front of the Fourth Madam like that — what must she be thinking?”

The Fifth Madam was unconcerned: “The Fourth Sister-in-law is an honest sort by nature. Saying it plainly and openly like this actually makes it harder for her to take offense. I have no wish to hide my feelings and then brood over it alone at home.” She laughed as she said it.

Nanny Shi saw that her words made sense. She gave a small nod and said nothing more, calling for the maidservants to attend the Fifth Madam while she changed clothes.

Qiuju came to deliver fresh new wheat.

“The palace bestowed a sack on the Old Madam, and our Madam received a portion — these are what she sent me to bring over.” The words were vague and uncommitted. But they could not fool the perceptive Fifth Madam. After Nanny Shi had offered thanks, given a tip, and seen Qiuju out the door, she pursed her lips: “If it had truly been the Old Madam’s gift, Yuban would have been the one to bring it over herself… Well, she does know how to make herself agreeable.” She said it with a smile she could not quite suppress, then instructed Nanny Shi, “Find those lotus leaves we dried last summer, soak them and put them in the steamer to make lotus leaf wheat cakes — send some over to the Old Madam and to the Fourth Madam as well.”

Nanny Shi responded with ready agreement and went off to prepare the lotus leaf wheat cakes.

Eleventh Lady also made lotus leaf wheat cakes. In addition to sending some to the Old Madam, she also sent portions to Bowstring Alley and Sanwell Alley. The children ate with great relish. Xu Sijie even declared, “Mother, this summer I’ll help you dry the lotus leaves!”

Xu Siyu chimed in with a suggestion: “Mixing in elm-seed flowers is also quite good!”

“Wonderful!” Eleventh Lady smiled and nodded, holding up the five-colored bat cord against Jin Ge’er’s chest to measure it, and said, “We’ll set some aside for both — let’s make lotus leaf wheat cakes and elm-seed wheat cakes!”

Xu Sizhun, unable to get a word in, asked Eleventh Lady, “What are you making, Mother? Why are you knotting a cord for Sixth Brother?”

For aesthetic reasons, Eleventh Lady had decided to make Jin Ge’er a small sleeveless jacket to wear over his brocade robe, and hang the red agate bracelet from the left lapel.

“Does it look nice?” she asked Xu Sizhun.

A jade-green sleeveless jacket, white jade buttons, red agate, a five-colored cord. Xu Sizhun nodded repeatedly: “It looks beautiful!”

“Other jade ornaments would look lovely with it too,” Eleventh Lady said with a smile. “Shall I knot cords for each of you as well?”

Xu Siyu felt he was already grown up and naturally excluded himself. Xu Sizhun knew that Eleventh Lady’s health was not good and that his father had been preventing her from doing needlework these days. Only Xu Sijie spoke up at once: “Yes, please! Mother, make one for me too. Grandmother gave me a jade pendant for New Year’s, and I have a turmeric-yellow sleeveless jacket — it would go perfectly with the jade pendant.”

If there was one child Eleventh Lady was most fond of among these few, it was Xu Sijie. Whatever she said, he would respond to her in a way that resonated — just like now, following her train of thought and immediately putting together a striking combination of clothing and accessories.

Eleventh Lady smiled and said, “Have you started studying painting with Teacher Zhao?”

“Yes!” Xu Sijie smiled. “I’ve just begun practicing line work.”

“Then in a few days, help me draw a couple of embroidery patterns.”

“Of course!” Xu Sijie was genuinely delighted — a delight that welled up from deep within, making it seem all the more sincere. “What patterns does Mother want? If I can’t draw them well, I’ll go ask Teacher Zhao to draw them for me.”

“There’s no need for that,” Eleventh Lady laughed. “They’re quite simple things. If you can’t manage, I’ll teach you.”

Xu Sijie agreed at once and came to stand before her: “Mother, when do we start?”

Seeing his eager enthusiasm, Eleventh Lady thought for a moment and said, “You have a day off the day after tomorrow. Why not then?”

“Tomorrow is also a day off,” Xu Sijie said. “Teacher Zhao has a friend sitting the Palace Examination — Teacher Zhao is going to see him off.”

Eleventh Lady then asked Xu Siyu, “Are you going tomorrow to see the Fang family’s uncle off? Shall I arrange a carriage for you?”

Xu Siyu thought for a moment and smiled: “Would Mother please have a carriage take me to Sanwell Alley? I’ll go with Elder Brother to see Brother Fang off.” He was no longer as reserved as he used to be.

Eleventh Lady had Qiuju fetch a token to make the arrangements with the outer courtyard.

Zhuxiang returned.

“Everything has been delivered. The uncle’s concubine says to thank you, Miss, for thinking of them. She asked me to bring back some sachets she made herself for the Young Masters to enjoy.” As for what had happened at the Sanwell Alley side, she said nothing.

Eleventh Lady did not ask, but that evening, while Zhuxiang was attending her as she washed and readied for bed, she asked softly, “What happened at the Sanwell Alley side?”

Zhuxiang lowered her voice: “Madam, I saw a carriage stopped at the front outer quarters — it looked like it belonged to the Third Madam. The First Young Madam only thanked me for delivering the things and said nothing else!”

—