Jin Ge’er shook his head, watching Xin Jie’er squirming in the Grand Madam’s lap with dissatisfaction. “That’s mine!” he said.

Xu Siyu was startled, then burst out laughing. The sound had barely escaped before he realized he was being improper — he quickly stifled it and pressed his lips together, and it was quite a while before he could speak again.

“Shall we get it back for you?” he said, voice low, his gaze glittering with a gleam of mischief.

Jin Ge’er’s eyes lit up at that: “Yes, yes!” His little face shone with barely contained excitement.

Xu Siyu thought for a moment, then whispered his instructions to Jin Ge’er: “When Xin Jie’er comes running over here in a moment, you run straight to Grandmother. Understood?”

Jin Ge’er nodded eagerly.

Xu Siyu set Jin Ge’er down on the ground, took a few steps forward to the wide-open lattice windows carved in the ten-thousand-character-and-plum-blossom pattern, and peered outside. He made a sound of surprise, then turned back to look at Xu Sijian, who was seated beside the Grand Madam, and said with a smile, “In a season like this, there are still lotus flowers in bloom… there must be lotus pods too — why don’t we take a boat over to have a look?”

Xu Sijian had been obediently sitting proper and well-behaved the entire time during the boating outing, mindful of his elder brother and Jin Shi — but inwardly he had been groaning to himself at the wasted opportunity. It was such a rare chance to come out and play, yet he hadn’t been able to enjoy himself freely. Now, at Xu Siyu’s words, there was no way he could keep still. In a few quick strides he was at Xu Siyu’s side: “Where are the lotus flowers? Where are the lotus flowers?”

During the rowing, Jin Shi had clung tightly to Xu Sijian’s sleeve and refused to let go. Xu Siyu, thinking of how she lived at Sanjing Hutong and was rarely out, and also of how Eleventh Young Lady’s boat was filled with women and young children who knew nothing of the water, had proactively switched boats with Jin Shi. Even so, his nerves had been taut the entire time — afraid some accident might happen. While the others were racing boats and splashing each other with water, he had been not only watching over the people on the boat, but keeping an eye on their surroundings as well. Every flower and tree around the water pavilion had been mapped in his mind.

Xu Siyu pointed to a small lotus pond to the east of the water pavilion: “See it? Over there.”

The lotus blossoms of mid-seventh month were already past their peak fragrance, but the lotus pods were just coming into their prime.

“There really are lotus flowers!” Xu Sijian exclaimed with excitement, which made Jin Shi, sitting by the Grand Madam, itch with curiosity too. She sat up straight and craned her neck to look.

Xin Jie’er, seeing this, simply could not hold back. She jumped down from the Grand Madam’s lap and ran over: “Second Elder Brother, Second Elder Brother, where are the lotus pods?”

Xu Siyu turned around — and his gaze was already blazing as it sought out Jin Ge’er.

Jin Ge’er was even more quick-witted than Xu Siyu had imagined. He darted straight for the Grand Madam’s side — not to throw himself into her arms, but to snatch up with one hand the duckweed that Xin Jie’er had just proudly presented to the Grand Madam for her to admire.

Xu Siyu was stunned.

Jin Ge’er had already turned to him with a smile as brilliant as a summer’s day.

Earlier, while rowing on the lake, Eleventh Young Lady had spotted some duckweed floating on the water, reached out to pick up a sprig, and used it to teach Jin Ge’er to recognize it. Xin Jie’er had seen it and taken a liking to it, so Eleventh Young Lady had given it to her.

He hadn’t expected that this was what the boy had been thinking about all along.

Xu Siyu also began to laugh.

The smile grew deeper and deeper, all the way into his eyes, all the way into his heart.

He stood tall and straight, the morning sun coming in from behind him, gilding his silhouette in a layer of golden light, blurring the features of his face.

Xin Jie’er shook his hand: “Second Elder Brother, Second Elder Brother…”

Xu Siyu came back to himself.

He stepped forward and bent down to scoop Xin Jie’er up into his arms.

The sunlight retreated from him, and his handsome features, his relaxed brows and bright eyes, became clear and pleasing to look upon.

“See there,” he said, pointing out the window. “Aren’t those lotus flowers?”

Xin Jie’er wriggled free of his arms and slid down to the floor, then pattered over to the Fifth Madam: “Mother, Mother, I want to go pick lotus pods!”

Before the Fifth Madam could respond, the Grand Madam had already spoken: “What lotus pods? The sun is already up — it’s terribly hot on the lake.” She then beckoned to Xin Jie’er. “Come, keep Grandmother company playing tiles.” She turned to give Nanny Du instructions: “Bring out that set of jade tiles — the clicking sound is so pleasant to hear.”

She was probably trying to charm the children into playing.

Nanny Du went off smiling to fetch the tiles.

But Xin Jie’er was not happy with that. She tugged at her mother’s sleeve and wheedled, “I don’t want to play tiles, I want to go pick lotus pods, I want to go pick lotus pods!”

“Be good now,” the Fifth Madam coaxed her. “It’s too hot on the lake!”

Xin Jie’er stuck out her lower lip: “I want to go pick lotus pods, I want to go pick lotus pods…”

The Fifth Madam’s brow furrowed.

This child — throwing a tantrum with no regard for the occasion!

The whole family was gathered here. Carrying on like this and refusing to listen — what would everyone think? The kinder ones would put it down to the child being too young to know better. But anyone with stricter sensibilities might very well lay this at her own feet — thinking she had failed to raise the child properly.

At this thought, she could not help but glance over at the Second Madam.

The Second Madam seemed to be in conversation with the Grand Madam and appeared not to have noticed the scene on this side.

The Fifth Madam’s heart eased a little. She glanced over at Eleventh Young Lady.

Jin Ge’er was sitting in Eleventh Young Lady’s lap, his plump little hands spread open before her, babbling away about something. Eleventh Young Lady was looking at him with a warm smile, nodding her head each time he said a word… a picture of perfect harmony and contentment.

A flash of irritation shot through the Fifth Madam’s heart.

“Why are you so disobedient!” she said in a low, sharp voice, scolding Xin Jie’er. “Look at Jin Ge’er — he’s even younger than you. See how he doesn’t go around making a fuss demanding this and that…” She shot her daughter a stern look.

Xin Jie’er heard that, and burst into tears.

Jin Shi, who had been quietly watching the whole scene, saw the Fifth Madam’s anger and quickly rose to take Xin Jie’er into her arms: “Fifth Aunt, shall I take Second Younger Sister outside to pick flowers?”

The Fifth Madam was desperate for a way out. She immediately forced a smile: “That would be wonderful, thank you.”

“Not at all, not at all!” Jin Shi smiled sweetly.

But Xin Jie’er kicked her legs in Jin Shi’s arms: “I don’t want to pick flowers, I want to pick lotus pods!”

Jin Shi could barely hold her and nearly dropped her.

The Fifth Madam’s expression changed dramatically. She shot to her feet, just about to reprimand her daughter, when the Grand Madam’s unhurried, gentle voice reached her ears: “Sijian’s wife — come, bring Xin Jie’er over to me!”

Jin Shi had not expected Xin Jie’er to start struggling, and was at a complete loss holding her awkwardly. The Grand Madam’s voice was no less than salvation itself. Flooded with relief, she replied cheerfully with a “yes” and carried Xin Jie’er over to the Grand Madam’s side.

“There now, there now — what is there to cry about over such a small thing!” the Grand Madam said, coaxing Xin Jie’er. “The sun is strong right now. We’ll wait until it sets, and then we’ll go pick lotus pods. Those lotus pods are growing in our own lake — it’s not as though they’ll sprout legs and run away.” So saying, she produced a handkerchief and wiped Xin Jie’er’s face.

Xin Jie’er sniffled and said, “Someone else will pick them first…”

“No, no they won’t.” The Grand Madam said, smiling serenely. She lifted her head to instruct Nanny Du, “Pass along my word — no one is permitted to go to the lake and pick lotus pods.” Then she lowered her head and looked at Xin Jie’er warmly. “How does that sound?”

Xin Jie’er’s tears turned to smiles.

The Grand Madam hugged Xin Jie’er: “Now that’s more like it. Crying over such a small thing is not our family’s way.” She then lifted her head to instruct Yuban: “Set up the tile table — we’re going to play!”

The maids and women servants started bustling about with cheerful energy.

A lively atmosphere filled the room at once.

The clear, bright sound of jade tiles clinking together rang like mountain spring water, soothing the heart and mind during this blazing summer afternoon.

Taking advantage of a moment while the tiles were being shuffled, Fang Shi lifted her gaze and glanced at Xu Siqin, who was leaning by the window conversing with Xu Siyu. A faint look of quiet relief passed through her eyes.

Her husband had no gift for scholarship, but what he did have was a generous, loyal, and steady disposition. The Xu family had already laid the path before Xu Siyu — and Xu Siyu was walking it. For him to be on good terms with Xu Siyu and absorb some of the scholarly community’s influence could only be to his benefit.

She could not help but lay a hand over her swollen belly.

Her elder brother had been right — she could not guide her husband, but she could shape her son.

With that thought, a smile edged with quiet anticipation spread across her face, and she gently played a nine of ten-thousands tile.

The porcelain-skinned Zhiyu, seated beside the Grand Madam, quickly called out, “Pung!”

Three rows of ten-thousands tiles had appeared in front of the Grand Madam.

The Fifth Madam let out a small groan: “Do you even know how to play tiles?” And with that she played a one of circles, turning to Eleventh Young Lady, who was playing the leaf card game with the children to one side, and said with a laugh, “One money-giver gone, and in comes another with even more to give.”

Fang Shi’s face flamed red.

Eleventh Young Lady was unbothered, casually playing a leaf card and saying with a smile, “You’re receiving the money — why should it matter whose it is?”

Her words had barely faded when the Second Madam laid her tiles face-up on the table: “I win — pure suit!”

The Fifth Madam leapt to her feet: “How can it be a pure suit? You didn’t reveal a single set!”

The Second Madam said languidly, “Not revealing any sets means you cannot win a pure suit?”

“This won’t do, this won’t do — I’m changing partners!” the Fifth Madam pouted theatrically, playing to the Grand Madam’s amusement.

The Grand Madam laughed: “Eleventh Young Lady you won’t have, Siqin’s wife you won’t have — let’s hear who you want to switch to?”

The Fifth Madam’s eyes darted around, and she pointed at Jin Shi, who had been playing leaf cards with Eleventh Young Lady and keeping the children company. “Swap in Sijian’s wife!”

“Me!” Jin Shi stared blankly, then hastily waved her hands. “I can’t play, I can’t play.” She then turned to Fang Shi for help: “Elder Sister-in-Law, you know I don’t know how to play tiles…”

The Grand Madam gave a small nod and looked at the Fifth Madam: “Are we changing or not?”

The Fifth Madam sighed helplessly, then earnestly instructed Fang Shi: “There are nine tiles in the circle suit, nine in the ten-thousand suit, nine in the bamboo suit… keep a mental count when you play… when you see someone has revealed two sets, start thinking about whether they might be going for pure suit, all-pungs…”

Fang Shi kept nodding.

Eleventh Young Lady smiled to herself and turned back to focus on the game with the children.

“Three of ten-thousands!”

Jin Ge’er looked at the tiles in his hand, then looked at the three of ten-thousands Eleventh Young Lady had just played onto the table. His expression grew somewhat tense. After much deliberation, he cautiously played a “four of circles.”

Eleventh Young Lady planted a kiss on her son’s cheek with a smack: “Our Jin Ge’er is so clever — he knows four is bigger than three!”

Jin Ge’er beamed.

His eyes curved into little crescent moons.

He then drew out a “four of bamboo” from his hand and stared at his mother with those large phoenix eyes of his.

Eleventh Young Lady gave him another kiss on the cheek: “This one is also a four — it beats three!”

Jin Ge’er’s face broke into a radiant grin.

Xin Jie’er, seeing this, drew out a “four of bamboo” tile and tossed it onto the table: “Fourth Aunt, mine, mine!”

Eleventh Young Lady kissed Xin Jie’er as well: “Our Xin Jie’er is also very clever.”

Xin Jie’er, delighted, shot Jin Ge’er a triumphant look.

Jin Shi, watching the whole scene, found it so adorable she burst into giggles.

Xu Sijian, who was fishing with Xu Sizhun and Xu Sijie at the side of the water pavilion, heard the familiar laughter and craned his neck to peer over. Seeing Jin Shi sitting happily beside Eleventh Young Lady, he turned back and returned his full attention to his fishing bobber.

Qiuyu walked up softly to Eleventh Young Lady’s side: “Madam, the Marquis is asking you to come back for a moment.”

—