On the morning before Xu Sizhun’s gathering, rain began to fall.

By midnight, the rain had stopped. The following morning, the leaves washed clean by the rain were a brighter green than usual, and the air felt fresher and clearer. As the sun rose, the lotus blossoms burst open one by one with soft sounds, filling the courtyard with fragrance — a single breath was enough to invigorate the spirit.

“The timing has been well chosen!” The Grand Madam glanced through the window, then turned to Shiyiniang with a smile. “Have all of Zhun Ge’s guests arrived?”

“They’ve all arrived!” Shiyiniang took the teacup from a small maid’s hands and offered it to the Grand Madam. “There is Young Master Wang Yun, son of His Honor Wang Li, Young Master Dou Dan, son of Elder Dou…” She went through them one by one for the Grand Madam. “They have been arranged at the Draped Line Water Pavilion — it’s cool there, and ideal for both admiring the lotuses and angling. Zhun Ge has invited Jin Ge’er to help receive the guests together. I’ve had the kitchen prepare a feast of eight cold dishes and twelve hot dishes. Besides the usual chicken, duck, fish, and meat, I also had someone travel express from Nanjing to bring fresh ‘Eight Water Delicacies.’ They’ve been packed in ice to arrive in prime condition — fresh and light on the palate.”

The Grand Madam listened and fell briefly silent, then said, “Zhun Ge has invited Jin Ge’er to receive guests with him?” Her tone carried a slight note of disapproval.

Shiyiniang quickly said, “The two of them have been close since childhood, and Zhun Ge was particularly earnest in his requests. I thought the two brothers together would be a support to each other. So I agreed.”

The Grand Madam gave a faint smile, and drew Jin Ge’er — who had been sitting quietly beside her listening to the adults’ conversation — into her arms. “Your Fourth Brother is hosting guests in the rear garden today. Do you want to go?”

Jin Ge’er shook his head. “I want to grow worms!”

“Grow worms!” The Grand Madam looked at Shiyiniang with some puzzlement.

Shiyiniang quickly told the Grand Madam about the earthworms.

The Grand Madam had always held that children ought to be raised in a rough-and-tumble manner. Children raised that way, she believed, grew up hardy and resilient, not easily toppled by the storms of life. Xu Lingyi and his brothers had been raised this way when they were small.

The old lady smiled and nodded, her expression brightening considerably. She kissed Jin Ge’er on the cheek. “Our Jin Ge’er is truly clever — even knows how to grow worms!”

Jin Ge’er pressed his lips together in a smile.

The Grand Madam then quietly advised Shiyiniang, “Remember to have those ‘Eight Water Delicacies’ served in crystal dishes — clear and sparkling, that’s what makes it fitting.” She added, “There is propriety in the choice of vessels as well.”

Shiyiniang felt there was a deeper meaning behind the Grand Madam’s words. She quickly ran back over the conversation in her mind, and could not help but wonder quietly: could she be referring to Jin Ge’er? Was she indicating that it was not quite appropriate for him to accompany Zhun Ge and attend guests? Or was she concerned that Zhun Ge had not had experience of this kind before, and that having Jin Ge’er present might mar Zhun Ge’s standing?

But it was not the sort of thing she could ask directly. She smiled and acknowledged the instruction, then immediately passed on the Grand Madam’s exact words to the household. Then, taking her leave of the Grand Madam, she straightaway sent Zhuxiang to the Draped Line Water Pavilion to check on things. “…See whether anything is lacking. Is the attendance satisfactory? What is Fifth Young Master doing?”

Zhuxiang departed for the Draped Line Water Pavilion at once.

Shiyiniang took Jin Ge’er back to her rooms, first corrected his notion of “growing worms,” then told Qiuyu and the others to find some old pots that were no longer in use, or ones with chips and cracks that had been set aside, and handed them to Huang Xiaomao. She had Huang Xiaomao and Liu Erwu accompany Jin Ge’er to the garden to dig soil and find earthworms.

Jin Ge’er happily ran off with the two young attendants.

Zhuxiang came back smiling to report. “Ge Jin has brought Biluo, Yuhua, and a few others from Fourth Young Master’s rooms to attend at the pavilion. Everyone is having a delightful time. Young Master Wang has painted a picture. Young Master Li composed a five-character quatrain to go with it. When I arrived, Fifth Young Master was holding the painting up to show everyone!”

“And how did Fifth Young Master seem?” Shiyiniang asked.

Zhuxiang thought for a moment. “Very well, actually. He was cheerfully chatting with Young Master Dou beside him!”

Shiyiniang considered this, then said, “Send a young maid to look in on Fifth Young Master every so often. This is his first time receiving guests. Even with Fourth Young Master there, I can’t help but worry.”

Zhuxiang acknowledged this with a smile, turned, and assigned the task to an alert young maid.

A small maid came in to report. “Madam, the Gao Qing Zhu family has sent a steward to bring a wedding announcement for the Marquis. Madam Zhu has sent her personal nanny along with the carriage and would like to come in to pay her respects to the Grand Madam, to you, and to Fifth Madam.”

A smile of delight bloomed on Shiyiniang’s face. Counting the days, Seventh Young Mistress ought to have given birth by now. “Please bring those nannies in.”

The small maid respectfully acknowledged this and brought in Seventh Young Mistress’s personal nanny.

The nanny was neatly dressed and appeared to have been freshly tidied up before being brought in.

“Congratulations, Madam, congratulations!” She knelt before Shiyiniang, her face aglow, her brow and eyes alight with excitement she could not conceal. “Our Madam, by the blessing of your good fortune and Fifth Madam’s, has given birth to a fine baby boy.”

She had given birth to a son — Seventh Young Mistress had at last secured her footing in the Zhu household.

Shiyiniang was happy for Seventh Young Mistress. She gave the nanny a reward and asked carefully about Seventh Young Mistress’s condition. Learning that the birth had had some complications but that both mother and child were safe, she brought the nanny first to the Grand Madam’s rooms, and then to Fifth Madam’s.

Fifth Madam, upon hearing the news, immediately broke into a string of cheerful laughter. She rewarded the nanny with silver, sent someone to take her away to rest, then could not suppress another burst of laughter. “What a shame we can’t ask that nanny for all the details right now. I imagine the expression on Zhu Anping and his mother must have been absolutely priceless. His mother in particular — I’d like to see how she handles herself this time.” Finished speaking, she called out loudly for He Xiang to prepare brush and ink. “I must write a letter for that nanny to bring back — I want to ask all about what’s happening over there.” She had the air of someone barely able to contain her excitement.

Having gotten to know Fifth Madam over these past few years, Shiyiniang had come to understand something of her temperament — and she herself was very curious too. She could not help but smile, and the two of them together composed and wrote a letter to send off to Gao Qing.

By the time she returned to her rooms, Jin Ge’er was already back, busily packing soil under the eaves with great gusto, stuffing the earthworms into the pot — utterly in his element.

Seeing Shiyiniang, he looked up, called out “Mother,” and went back to his busy work, wholly absorbed and contented.

Shiyiniang smiled and went inside.

Before long, she heard Jin Ge’er calling out “Father!” in his carrying voice and knew Xu Lingyi had returned. She instructed the maids to set out lunch, and went out to greet him.

Xu Lingyi was crouching beside Jin Ge’er, looking at him with a warm, gentle expression, listening attentively as Jin Ge’er in his clear, ringing voice explained how he was “raising worms.” Huang Xiaomao and Liu Erwu stood at a distance against the wall, hands at their sides.

Watching father and son side by side, Shiyiniang could not help but stop in her tracks. The corners of her lips lifted on their own, and her eyes and brow were suffused with a warmth as tender as the flow of spring water.

Xu Lingyi soon grasped what his son was trying to do, and burst into laughter — a rich, deep sound filled with undeniable amusement. In his eyes shone the fondness of an adult watching a child’s innocent play.

Jin Ge’er clutched his little shovel tightly, stared at Xu Lingyi with wide eyes, as though greatly dissatisfied with the way his father was laughing.

Xu Lingyi found this even more entertaining, and moved to pick him up.

But Jin Ge’er stepped back several paces to avoid his embrace, and stood glaring at Xu Lingyi, face downcast.

Shiyiniang’s heart gave a small lurch.

Sometimes what an adult finds amusing is, in the eyes of a child, the most serious thing in the world.

She stepped forward quickly, intending to smooth things over between the two of them.

Xu Lingyi realized the child’s display was also rather amusing, but seeing the expression on his son’s face, he immediately understood that his own attitude had wounded Jin Ge’er. He quickly restrained his laughter. “You can’t keep them in the pot like this. What if the worms crawl away?”

Shiyiniang let out a breath of relief and stopped walking.

Jin Ge’er, who was not given to holding grudges, was immediately caught by what Xu Lingyi had said. He thought for a moment, then ran inside.

Only then did Xu Lingyi notice Shiyiniang. He smiled, stood up, and asked softly, “Are you warm?”

“Your servant has been inside the whole time — not warm at all.” Shiyiniang gave a small curtsy. “Marquis, please come in and rest. Your servant will fetch water for the Marquis to wash his face.”

Just as they were speaking, Jin Ge’er came running back out.

He was holding a tall-footed fruit dish, which he placed upside down over the pot as a cover. Then he dusted off his little hands, looking immensely satisfied as he gazed at Xu Lingyi. “Now they won’t run away!”

Xu Lingyi suppressed a smile. “They might not run away, but they’ll suffocate.”

Jin Ge’er looked at the pot, then at Xu Lingyi, and finally turned his gaze to Shiyiniang.

Shiyiniang herself was not certain whether earthworms could suffocate, but thinking there was a possibility, and that Xu Lingyi had said so, she gave Jin Ge’er a small nod.

Jin Ge’er’s lips puckered in disappointment.

Xu Lingyi immediately stepped forward and picked up his son. “All right — let’s have your mother find a piece of fine ramie cloth to cover it!”

Jin Ge’er’s eyes lit up. He turned his head to look at Shiyiniang. “Mother, please find me a piece of fine ramie cloth right away — otherwise all my worms will run off!”

Shiyiniang, wholly indulgent, wiped the sweat from his brow with her handkerchief, and followed behind Xu Lingyi toward the main hall, smiling. “Very well! I’ll find you a piece right now.”

Jin Ge’er squirmed to get down while calling to Huang Xiaomao and Liu Erwu, “You two stand watch — don’t let my worms escape!”

Xu Lingyi paused.

The two young attendants glanced up at Xu Lingyi with a trace of awe, then quickly called out in unison, “Yes!”

Jin Ge’er stopped squirming. Only then did Xu Lingyi carry him inside.

Shiyiniang called a maid in to help the two wash up and change clothes, found a piece of fine ramie cloth, and went with the freshly washed Jin Ge’er to the spot under the eaves.

Huang Xiaomao and Liu Erwu had been standing guard there the whole time.

Jin Ge’er and the two boys together fumbled the ramie cloth over the flowerpot. Only then, satisfied, did he go back inside to eat lunch.

After lunch, he ran out again to check on his earthworms. “Xiaomao, Erwu, count them — have any run away?”

The two smaller boys actually made to tip the soil out of the pot and start sorting through for the worms.

Shiyiniang stopped them quickly. “Look at how Nanny Ji’s wife plants flowers — she drops the seeds into the soil, sprinkles on some water, and after some days they sprout on their own. If you keep turning them over and over like this, how will the earthworms grow properly!”

Jin Ge’er nodded. Though he abandoned his plan to tip the soil out and count the worms, he still instructed Huang Xiaomao and Liu Erwu, “Remember to water the earthworms every morning when you wake up.”

Son was truly too adorable!

Shiyiniang laughed and kissed her son soundly on the cheek, then took Jin Ge’er by the hand to go take his afternoon nap.

In the afternoon, Shiyiniang told Jin Ge’er stories.

After each story, Jin Ge’er would run out to check on the earthworms he was keeping under the eaves, and would ask Huang Xiaomao and Liu Erwu, who were standing guard nearby, “Have they grown yet?”

Huang Xiaomao and Liu Erwu would shake their heads. Huang Xiaomao even said, “How could they grow so fast? It’ll take at least four or five days!”

Jin Ge’er was a little disappointed, and sat quietly in Shiyiniang’s lap listening to stories.

Zhuxiang came in. She gave Shiyiniang a meaningful look. “Madam, Fifth Young Master just returned to his own courtyard!”

—