Xu Sizhun, who had been pressing his ear tightly against the study window lattice, felt his cheeks grow wet.

He straightened up, somewhat self-consciously preparing to wipe his eyes with his sleeve, when a handkerchief embroidered with white magnolias on a jade-colored ground was held out before him. “Fourth Young Master, if sand has gotten in your eyes, it’s better to wipe with a handkerchief.”

Brisk and clean, with no excess flourish — it was Hupo’s voice.

No wonder Mother had always kept a position of head housekeeper open for her in the household.

Xu Sizhun squared his shoulders and, with a deliberately casual “mm,” took the handkerchief, dabbed the corners of his eyes, and returned it to her. “Let’s go,” he said, and then walked out of the study with his head held high.

This was how things ought to be.

A family together, happy and whole.

Hupo watched Xu Sizhun’s retreating figure with a faint smile, cradled the blue-and-white porcelain flower pot in her arms, and followed after him.

Eleven was standing with her arm around Xu Sijie’s shoulder beneath the eaves.

The last light of the western sun fell upon them, gilding them as if in a layer of gold foil — a quiet and beautiful stillness.

Xu Sizhun found himself slowing his pace involuntarily.

A flash of red swept in like a gust of wind. “Mama, Mama, Mama — I’m back!” Jin Ge’er came charging in, crashing straight into Eleven’s arms.

Huang Xiaomao, Wang Erhu, Chang’an, Suifeng… they poured in behind him in a great surge, shattering the courtyard’s tranquility.

Eleven released Xu Sijie, lowered her head, and looked down with a smile at her son, who was covered in sweat. “Did you have fun at Baiyun Temple?”

“Lots of fun, lots of fun!” Jin Ge’er said, reaching behind him with one hand. Huang Xiaomao immediately passed him the bundle from his back. Jin Ge’er promptly squatted down and opened it on the ground. “This boxwood comb is for Mama; this white porcelain brush rest is for Fourth Brother; this yellow tassel is for Fifth Brother; this copy of the Tao Te Ching is for Second Brother; this gilded silver bracelet is for Second Sister-in-law; this big red peony silk flower is for Grandmother; the magnolia flower is for Second Aunt-in-law…” He had a whole heap of small odds and ends in his bundle. “The tea is for Father; the paperweight is for Fifth Uncle; the incense burner is for Fifth Aunt; the wooden sword is for Seventh Brother; the rattle-drum is for Eighth Brother; the rouge compact is for Second Elder Sister…”  He had brought a gift for every member of the family.

Xu Sizhun and Xu Sijie accepted their gifts, both offering their thanks to Jin Ge’er, with Xu Sijie in particular smiling as he ruffled Jin Ge’er’s head.

“No need, no need!” Jin Ge’er grinned with squinted eyes, then turned out a paper box and opened it, taking from a box full of pomegranate-red velvet flowers and handing one to Hupo. “This is for you!”

Hupo’s face broke into a pleasantly surprised expression. “I — I have one too?”

“Of course!” Jin Ge’er said, stuffing the paper box into Hupo’s arms. “The rest — let Nanny Song, Qiuyu, and the others take what they want.” Catching sight of Biluo standing to one side, he added, “Biluo, there’s some for you all as well.”

After all, he had bought quite a lot.

“Oh my!” Biluo quickly curtseyed.

The atmosphere in the courtyard grew lively and warm.

Jin Ge’er pulled Eleven along and regaled her with all that had happened at Baiyun Temple. “…The senior brother said that when paying respects, you have to wrap your left hand around the thumb of your right hand and hold it in a fist… When offering incense, you start from the back and work forward… When entering the gate, you can’t walk through the middle door — you have to enter from the sides…”

Eleven listened attentively as Jin Ge’er rattled on with excitement, occasionally chiming in with “Is that so?” and “Really?” The more she responded, the more animated Jin Ge’er became — he even told her about the ten copper coins he had lost while watching the street performers.

Xu Sizhun, seeing that Jin Ge’er showed no signs of stopping and that they were all still crowded at the entrance — which might give passersby the impression something was the matter — found an opening at last to break in. “Are you hungry? I’ve had the kitchen prepare abalone. Sixth Brother, why don’t you go and freshen up first, and then we can all have dinner together? Afterward, we can go to visit Grandmother together, and you can give everyone the things you brought back. What do you say?”

“All right!” Jin Ge’er grinned and grabbed Eleven’s hand to pull her along. “Mama, come wash my hair!” He looked all set to head home.

That simply wouldn’t do!

It was nearly dinnertime — how could Mother and Sixth Brother leave on empty stomachs?

Xu Sizhun quickly intercepted Jin Ge’er and said to Eleven, “Mother, why not let Sixth Brother wash up here? I’ll have Biluo bring water for him and Lvxue fetch him fresh clothes.”

He had already instructed the kitchen to prepare the food earlier, and had specifically arranged for bream to be made. Eleven had not been planning to leave either.

“All right!” Eleven said with a smile. “Then we’ll borrow your washroom.”

Xu Sizhun exhaled with relief and cheerfully instructed Biluo and Lvxue accordingly.

But Jin Ge’er gently tugged at his mother’s sleeve and leaned up to whisper in her ear, “Mama, let’s go home.”

“What’s the matter?” Eleven asked him softly.

He wriggled and fidgeted for a moment before whispering, “Mama, I don’t want abalone. I want snow vegetable buns!”

Eleven was taken aback.

Jin Ge’er had already continued, “I saw some buns being sold outside Baiyun Temple — this big!” He held up his hands to show the size. “The buns had a little red dot on top. They were supposed to be filled with snow vegetable and pork belly. But Teacher Zhao said I wasn’t allowed to eat food from outside…” He looked up at Eleven with round, yearning eyes. “Mama, I want snow vegetable buns.” He looked thoroughly ready to start drooling.

Young children are always curious, and they forever think things outside taste better than what’s at home.

Eleven couldn’t help but smile, and asked Jin Ge’er, “Is there still time to make snow vegetable pork belly buns now?”

“What’s so hard about that!” Jin Ge’er’s voice was small, but everyone was listening closely to the mother-and-son exchange and caught every word. Xu Sizhun laughed. “Go ahead and get cleaned up. By the time you come out all fresh, there’ll be a steaming basket of snow vegetable buns on the table.”

Jin Ge’er delightedly tugged Eleven along and headed toward the washroom.

Xu Sijie pulled Xu Sizhun aside to the study.

“Fourth Brother!” He seemed a little agitated. “Mother said… she said she had been afraid I would grow up and not recognize her as my mother… She also said I’m her son, and no matter what, she would never give me away to anyone else!”

Xu Sizhun put on a mildly displeased expression and gave him a light thump on the shoulder. “Didn’t I tell you not to worry? Mother has said it herself — so don’t go looking for trouble anymore from now on!”

Xu Sijie gave a firm and earnest nod. “From now on I’ll take proper care of Mother… I’ll study hard, and be like Second Brother — pass the licentiate exam, pass the provincial exam… I won’t take up acting anymore either, since it made things difficult for Mother…”

He spoke on, laying out his own plans.

Hupo and Biluo tidied up the things Jin Ge’er had scattered on the ground.

Biluo couldn’t help reaching up to touch the pomegranate-red velvet flower she had slipped onto her hand. “Sixth Young Master grows more and more like Fourth Madam every day… Fourth Madam is so generous with everyone too!”

As if that needed saying!

Hupo smiled without answering, and instead asked her, “How many are in your group? Go pick out a few flowers to wear.”

Biluo counted out several and took them inside.

The kitchen sent over the buns.

Jin Ge’er and Eleven had not yet come out.

Xu Sizhun looked at the buns — they were as large as Jin Ge’er had described — but they had no red dot on top. He said, “Do you have any red yeast rice on hand?”

The older woman who had brought the buns smiled. “Is Fourth Young Master saying we should stamp them with a lucky mark? I’ll go get some right away.” With that, she turned and brought back a small dish of red yeast rice, and used a brush to dot them.

The pure white buns gained a touch of color with that — much prettier for it.

Xu Sizhun was amused by this and smiled. “Let me try.”

The woman quickly handed him the brush.

Xu Sizhun dotted a few, then passed the brush to Xu Sijie. “You have a go too.”

Xu Sijie imitated him and dotted a few, then laughed. “Never mind Sixth Brother — even I feel like taking a bite looking at these…” Before he had finished speaking, there was a commotion at the entrance, followed by a stern voice ringing out close beside them. “What are you two doing?”

The two of them looked up in bewilderment, following the sound, and saw Xu Lingyi standing at the doorway, brow faintly furrowed, his expression grave.

“Father!” Xu Sizhun and Xu Sijie quickly came forward to pay their respects.

Xu Lingyi’s eyes swept over the brush Xu Sijie had set down. He said in a measured tone, “You’re both this old now — why are you still behaving like children. Taking a brush to dot buns with lucky marks…” He was clearly displeased. “I don’t know how you came up with it!”

Fifth Brother had only just learned of his origins, and now Father was scolding him like this. Would he feel wronged as a result?

Xu Sizhun was a little worried. He quickly explained, “I saw that buns sold outside all have a little mark on them…” He hadn’t finished his sentence when he felt his sleeve tugged.

He glanced sideways involuntarily and saw Xu Sijie’s hand.

“Father, I was the one at fault!” Xu Sijie called out clearly. “I won’t do it again!”

His voice was bright and open — not the slightest trace of grievance in it.

Xu Lingyi’s expression eased slightly. “Where is your Mother?”

What had brought her to Xu Sizhun’s quarters for dinner, for no apparent reason?

“She’s helping Sixth Brother bathe!” Xu Sizhun quickly replied.

Xu Lingyi gave a faint nod and headed toward the washroom.

“Fifth Brother!” Xu Sizhun said quickly. “Father has always been like this…”

Xu Sijie shook his head gently at him, gesturing that there was no need to say more. “Father treats me as his own son — that’s precisely why he scolds me like this, why he sees fit to discipline me.” A soft smile spread across his lips. “Fourth Brother, you were right. It was I who was overthinking things.” He said it plainly and with conviction. “I won’t let myself be like that anymore!”

For the first time, he spoke with such certainty.

For the first time, he felt a settled peace within himself.

Xu Sizhun didn’t fully understand, but if Fifth Brother could let go of this matter, that was always a good thing.

He smiled and clapped Xu Sijie on the shoulder. “That’s all I wanted to hear!”

Xu Sijie smiled and gave Xu Sizhun a nod.

On the ninth day of the ninth month, a family banquet was held at Lingqiong Villa.

Eleven, presiding over the household, had arrived early in the morning with the children.

Xiang Shi met the Grand Madam and Second Madam at the foot of the hill.

They had barely sat down when the fifth branch of the family came up the hill.

Xu Lingkuan walked at the front, holding the hand of eight-year-old Xin Jie’er. Seven-year-old Shen Ge’er walked in the middle, brandishing a wooden sword and skipping along with it. Three-year-old Cheng Ge’er was cradled in the arms of his wet nurse, walking side by side with Fifth Madam. Xin Jie’er apparently spotted something, stopped, and pointed it out to Xu Lingkuan. He followed her gaze and glanced over, occasionally bending down with a smile to say a word or two to her. Shen Ge’er, seeing this, ran over to take a look as well, wanting in on the fun. Cheng Ge’er, seeing them all, squirmed in the wet nurse’s arms trying to get down. Fifth Madam took him and carried him over herself. The family laughed and lingered there for a little while before finally continuing up the hill.

Xu Sijie, who was leaning against the beauty’s railing of Lingqiong Villa, felt a ripple rise in his heart — but just as quickly, it was scattered by Eleven’s voice. “Jie’er, go see whether your Fifth Uncle and the others are on their way up.”

Xu Sijie turned around and saw a pair of calm, steady eyes, full of trust.

“All right!” He smiled, turned, and went to meet Xu Lingkuan. His gaze was open and composed as he called out, “Fifth Uncle!” “Mother was just wondering why you hadn’t arrived yet.”

Xu Lingkuan couldn’t help raising an eyebrow slightly.

In the past, Xu Sijie had always seemed somewhat hesitant and constrained around him. Why the sudden change…?

The thought flashed through his mind, and Xu Sijie had already moved past him.

“Shen Ge’er, Sixth Brother has been waiting for you for ages!”

—