By the time they returned to Lotus Lane, the lanterns had just been lit.

They first went to pay their respects to the Grand Madam.

Zhun Ge and Zhen Jie’er were playing cat’s cradle on the kang. Seeing Xu Lingyi come in, both of them froze in place.

The Grand Madam, who had been sitting at the edge of the kang watching the two of them play cat’s cradle with a happy smile, could not help but pat Zhun Ge on the head: “He’s not a tiger — can he really eat you?”

Zhun Ge clung tightly to the Grand Madam’s sleeve, pressing himself against her and peering timidly at his father.

Xu Lingyi’s brow furrowed at the sight.

Zhun Ge’s expression grew even more tense.

Since she had only just come as a bride, Eleventh Miss was still regarded as something of an outsider in the Xu household. It would never do for father and son to stand locked in this kind of standoff — and if any harsh words were spoken with her watching, the Grand Madam would likely feel ill at ease.

Eleventh Miss smiled and asked Zhen Jie’er: “Have you eaten yet?”

Zhen Jie’er was quite startled, and quickly climbed down from the kang, saying with proper courtesy: “I’ve already eaten.”

Eleventh Miss smiled and nodded.

Yet a trace of wariness crept into Zhen Jie’er’s eyes.

She was still just a young girl, showing plainly what was on her mind. But then again, if it were herself in that position, she would have been on guard too.

Eleventh Miss could not help but smile inwardly.

With that simple exchange between Eleventh Miss and Zhen Jie’er, the atmosphere in the room eased considerably.

The Grand Madam glanced at Eleventh Miss, and a measure of reassurance surfaced in her eyes.

After Xu Lingyi and Eleventh Miss had paid their respects to the Grand Madam, she smiled and had Zhun Ge and Zhen Jie’er pay their respects to the two of them in return.

Zhen Jie’er performed a half-curtsy dip, her movements steady and her posture graceful. Zhun Ge, however, was stilted and clumsy, looking thoroughly unfamiliar with the gesture.

Eleventh Miss recalled that when she had come to see Yuan Niang, he had been carried in his nurse’s arms to perform the greeting, and guessed that he probably rarely gave formal salutations to people.

Xu Lingyi’s frown deepened.

The Grand Madam quickly said: “It’s getting late — everyone rest!”

It seemed she did not want Xu Lingyi to reprimand Zhun Ge in front of her… yet the bluntness of this was still somewhat surprising to Eleventh Miss. She then thought of Xu Lingkuan’s liveliness… and felt the Grand Madam was perhaps a little indulgent with children. Yet Xu Lingyi seemed to have no spoiled habits to speak of. Perhaps she couldn’t be sure either way. After all, her time in contact with him had been quite short — perhaps she simply hadn’t noticed yet…

She could not help but glance over at Xu Lingyi.

She saw him, with a look of displeasure, bow in farewell to the Grand Madam: “Mother, please rest well. We will take our leave first.”

Eleventh Miss quickly followed suit, bowing along with Xu Lingyi as they took their leave of the Grand Madam.

On the way back, Xu Lingyi’s face was as dark as still water, his steps swift. Eleventh Miss had to take a few running steps every few paces just to keep up with him.

Even a fool could see he was in a foul mood, and only a fool would poke at him in such a moment.

Maids and manservants, Eleventh Miss included, all followed in perfect silence behind them.

Walking along the east-west corridor past the main hall, the Welcoming Spring Hall, and the courtyards of Xu Lingkuan and Yuan Niang, Xu Lingyi suddenly stopped.

Eleventh Miss looked around.

To the left was a grove of bamboo; to the right was a black lacquered side gate.

The maids following behind were all Eleventh Miss’s people and looked a little bewildered, but the manservants were Xu Lingyi’s men, and one immediately stepped forward to knock on the gate: “The Marquis and Madam have returned.”

The side gate swung open with a creak, and a maidservant came out to curtsy: “Marquis, Madam!”

Xu Lingyi did not even glance at her, and walked straight through.

Eleventh Miss did not dare linger, following him through the gate, and only then realized — this was the back entrance to her own courtyard.

The side gate connected to the covered walkway behind the rear annex rooms. They went directly along the eastern covered walkway to the main chamber.

The two of them entered the room. Xu Lingyi immediately called for Chun Mo and Xia Yi to help him change his clothes.

Eleventh Miss did not dare be idle either, and personally went to brew a cup of tea.

Xu Lingyi changed and sat down on the kang by the window, took a sip, and looked at Eleventh Miss with mild surprise.

Eleventh Miss smiled and explained: “These past few days I’ve seen that the Marquis drinks Tieguanyin, so I brewed a cup following your usual habit!”

Xu Lingyi nodded, said “mm,” his expression softening slightly, and took another sip.

At least this flattery hadn’t landed on the wrong end.

Eleventh Miss breathed a quiet sigh of relief and asked with a smile: “Would the Marquis like something to eat? Before I left, I had the kitchen stew some rock sugar lotus seed and white fungus soup.”

The evening before, Hupo had told her that their courtyard had a small kitchen of its own, and Xu Mansion had also assigned two kitchen matrons, two general-purpose maidservants, and two junior maids — all on duty day and night, with hot water and hot food ready at any time.

The tension between Xu Lingyi’s brows eased further: “I don’t eat anything in the evenings. If you’re hungry, go ahead and eat yourself!”

Barring anything unforeseen, the two of them would be bound together for the rest of their lives. The coy back-and-forth of guessing games was the province of lovers’ ambiguity — it didn’t suit their situation. Why not let life be a little simpler?

“I had it made because I thought you might come back having drunk a fair amount,” she said, taking the initiative but still stating her purpose plainly. “I don’t eat in the evenings either — I worry about indigestion.”

Xu Lingyi raised an eyebrow slightly, said nothing, and bowed his head to drink his tea.

Eleventh Miss could not help but smile inwardly.

She had been someone who loved to talk and laugh in her university days, even winning a debate competition. But later, in the working world, she would come home after a day’s work not wanting to say a single word. Over time, neighbors and friends all said she had become too quiet. Who would have thought that Xu Lingyi would be even quieter than she was. And this silence was different from hers — it seemed innate. Even in front of the Empress Dowager he had been brief and to the point, with not a single unnecessary word.

Though the two of them were together, they did not need sweet words — yet this mutual silence was still somewhat uncomfortable.

Was it to be she who would have to come up with conversation from now on?

Thinking of this, Eleventh Miss felt a mild headache coming on.

She was not someone particularly skilled at making small talk. And besides, she very much doubted that Xu Lingyi would enjoy listening to someone prattle on about this and that.

But seated across from Eleventh Miss, Xu Lingyi had no such complicated thoughts.

He only noticed the tea was a little cool, but still drinkable. More than anything, he was thinking of Zhun Ge.

Yuan Niang had always followed the words of that Daoist priest, Changchun. After much back-and-forth, she had indeed conceived, and had trusted him all the more firmly. Even before Zhun Ge was born, Changchun cast a divination. He said the child would be male, but not easy to raise. Before the age of ten, he would face three ordeals: one of bloodshed, one of water, and one of unexpected misfortune. If he passed through these three trials, he would live a life of smooth sailing. If he could not overcome them, there would be more ill fortune than good. And so he must be tended with the utmost care. When Zhun Ge was born, the prediction of a male child proved true. Yuan Niang lost a great deal of blood giving birth to him, fulfilling the ordeal of blood; at ten months old, he nearly choked and died during his bath, fulfilling the ordeal of water. From that point onward, Yuan Niang never allowed the child to be away from her for even half a day.

Even he himself had been unsettled, and had simply turned a blind eye to many things — yet who could have known that the boy would be raised into something no better than a little girl, knowing only how to play cat’s cradle and pitch sandbags…

Thinking of this, he drew in a long, deep breath.

This could not go on… raised entirely by women, he feared the boy would never amount to anything. This family still needed him to one day hold it up.

Just then, a junior maid came in with a look of trepidation and reported: “Marquis, Madam, Wen Yiniang has come to pay her respects!”

Eleventh Miss noticed Xu Lingyi’s expression darken slightly, and then he gave a flat “mm.”

Wen Yiniang entered, smiling brightly, holding a red lacquered gold-trimmed box: “The Marquis and elder sister have been through so much these past few days. It happens that Third Master Wen sent over two ginseng roots and a catty of blood swallow’s nest just recently. I’ve brought them over especially for elder sister to nourish herself with.” As she spoke, she gazed attentively at Xu Lingyi and held the box out toward Eleventh Miss.

Such eagerness to please!

Eleventh Miss recalled Wen Yiniang’s furtive watching from that day in the small courtyard, and very much wanted to play the humble fool and simply accept the gift. But seeing those large eyes of hers, glistening as they gazed at Xu Lingyi, she immediately changed her mind and decided to remain impassive — letting Xu Lingyi make the choice.

And Hupo, without Eleventh Miss’s signal, would certainly not move.

For a moment, Wen Yiniang’s pale and tender hand, holding the red lacquered gold-trimmed box, hung suspended mid-air.

Xu Lingyi did not understand why Eleventh Miss had not spoken, and glanced over at her. Just at that moment, Eleventh Miss looked over with a questioning gaze, and their eyes met.

This was an inner household matter — surely he was not expected to speak up…

But thinking of First Madam’s merciless lecture at the Luo household that very day, he guessed Eleventh Miss had perhaps never received any guidance in such matters. Almost involuntarily, he gave a nod.

Eleventh Miss understood at once, smiled at Wen Yiniang and said a simple “You are too thoughtful,” whereupon Hupo stepped forward and received the box.

A slight chill crept into Wen Yiniang’s heart.

From the moment she learned Eleventh Miss would be coming as the new bride, she had deeply regretted her behavior. She should never have offended her that day in the small courtyard. She had been looking for an opportunity to make amends ever since, yet never found the right moment. Today she had come especially to offer the medicinal gifts. First, she had wanted to give Eleventh Miss a sense of what kind of family the Wen family was — two century-old ginseng roots and a catty of blood swallow’s nest were not things money alone could procure. She hoped to impress her a little. Second, she wanted to observe Eleventh Miss’s reaction. Would she accept with a gracious smile, or would she give her a cold reception? If the former, she was likely someone of deep and calculating mind, and she would need to be careful and find a way to untangle this knot. If the latter, it would be no great matter — she could simply ply her with some gold and silver to win her over, and the affair would be settled… Yet she had not anticipated that Eleventh Miss would glance over at the Marquis, letting him make the decision — and the Marquis, who had never before interfered in inner household affairs, actually told her how to act. It was plain that he was taking Eleventh Miss’s side.

“The Marquis and Madam have had a tiring day.” She looked at Eleventh Miss’s fine and delicate features, countless thoughts flashing through her mind. “Your servant will take her leave now — so as not to delay your rest.”

Eleventh Miss smiled and nodded, watching as Wen Yiniang departed, and then asked Xu Lingyi: “Would the Marquis like to rest?”

Xu Lingyi was just about to speak when another junior maid came in to report: “Marquis, Madam, Second Young Master and Qin Yiniang and Qiao Yiniang have come to pay their respects!”

“Let them in,” said Eleventh Miss, noticing a faint glimmer of warmth in Xu Lingyi’s eyes, his tone also noticeably gentler.

Could it be that Xu Lingyi did not care for the ingratiating Wen Yiniang? Or perhaps, that he was very fond of Xu Siyu?

—