Fourth Brother and Fifth Brother’s third birthday was celebrated quite festively. Though not extravagantly, several close families all sent birthday gifts. First Madam even personally visited to see her two young grandsons.

“Why didn’t you set their own birth order?” She was quite displeased. “Instead they have to use the ‘He’ generation character alongside their brothers!”

Seventh Miss had to present Xu Fengjia’s explanation. “The abbot of Guangfu Temple said the two children have very hard fate charts—they need to be suppressed in everything to grow up safely.”

Ever since Fifth Miss’s incident, First Madam had become particularly fascinated with supernatural matters. Hearing it was the gods and Buddhas’ will, she immediately had no more words. Clasping her hands together, she recited Buddha’s name several times before sighing to Seventh Miss.

“That may be so, but I was thinking the distinctions between brothers should be established as early as possible, lest legitimate brothers develop second thoughts over wealth and glory—that wouldn’t be worth it.”

Apparently Xu Fengjia had indeed personally gone to the Yang family to explain the details—First Madam didn’t blame Seventh Miss too much over the naming matter.

“The children are still quite young after all,” Seventh Miss said, though reluctant to emphasize Fourth Brother’s late development, she had no choice but to bring up this reason given the circumstances. “Besides, at three years old, Fourth Brother still can’t speak clearly…”

Seeing First Madam’s expression, she quickly added, “But he’s very alert, not stupid at all! I think this child is just too introverted.”

Fifth Brother could already express himself quite completely. Under the wet nurse’s guidance, he could even properly bow to adults, showing the manner of an older child.

First Madam’s face immediately clouded with worry. She gazed thoughtfully at the two young masters playing in the outer room for a long while before slowly sighing.

“Waiting another two years is fine. Fortunately, Fifth Brother is extremely clever.”

First Madam stood up and entered the small shrine room for Fifth Miss in the east wing’s inner chamber.

She gazed long at the brightly colored portrait. After a long while, she praised vaguely, “Seventh Miss painted this portrait well—it captures Little Fifth’s spirit.”

Then she lowered her head to wipe tears before surveying the surrounding furnishings.

Though this small shrine room had few items, it was dusted spotlessly clean. The candles and incense on the offering table were clearly changed regularly, and the fresh fruit on the table showed few traces of candle smoke.

Though these were all tasks done by maids requiring only Seventh Miss’s order, remembering to give that order already showed considerable mindfulness toward the deceased.

First Madam turned around and gently patted Seventh Miss’s hand, nearly shedding tears again.

“In this world, those who still remember your Fifth Sister are just us few.”

After half a sentence, she was wiping tears again.

Watching First Madam, Seventh Miss’s heart was truly filled with mixed emotions.

After just over a month apart, the white hair at her temples had increased again. Though barely approaching fifty, she looked nearly sixty. Compared to the elegant First Master, they seemed like an old wife and young husband.

She sighed and softly comforted First Madam. “But there are still Fourth Brother and Fifth Brother…”

Just as she spoke, the hurried footsteps of two young masters came from outside. Fifth Brother pulled Fourth Brother, surrounded by two maids before and behind, rushing into the shrine room calling, “Grandmother!”

This child wasn’t shy at all. Though First Madam hadn’t seen him often, he already remembered this was his grandmother, someone he should be affectionate with.

First Madam turned away to wipe her eyes, then immediately forced out a face full of smiles, beckoning to her two grandsons. “Fourth Brother and Fifth Brother found me!”

The two children snuggled close to First Madam. Fifth Brother also pulled Seventh Miss’s sleeve, pointing at Fifth Miss’s portrait for her to see. “Mother!”

First Madam was greatly comforted, glancing at Seventh Miss with delight. Seventh Miss smiled and nodded. “Yes, that’s your mother.”

She touched Fifth Brother’s head as praise for his cleverness. Fifth Brother became happy again, clamoring for pine nut candy as if it were his deserved reward. Seeing Seventh Miss’s reserved expression, he cleverly pulled First Madam. “Grandmother, pine nut candy.”

First Madam’s heart melted completely. How could she bear to refuse? Standing up and letting Fifth Brother hold her hand, she beckoned to hold Fourth Brother too. “Will Shou Brother come along?”

Fourth Brother was named Heshou, Fifth Brother named Hefu—neither particularly elegant names, but they seemed to embody birth mother Fifth Miss’s unfulfilled regrets, so the elders had few objections.

Fourth Brother looked at First Madam, then at Guyu standing at the doorway not daring to enter, before hiding beside Seventh Miss’s skirt. He blinked timidly, ignoring First Madam’s invitation.

This child was much shyer than Fifth Brother after all.

Seventh Miss touched Fourth Brother’s head and settled First Madam. “Mother, please return to sit first. I’ll bring Fourth Brother over shortly.”

After First Madam left holding Fifth Brother, she patted Fourth Brother’s shoulder and asked warmly, “Does Fourth Brother want pine nut candy?”

Fourth Brother swallowed, then nodded, but still didn’t move. He stayed close to Seventh Miss’s leg, timidly pointing at Fifth Miss’s portrait and asking Seventh Miss, “Mother?”

“Yes, this is Fourth Brother’s mother,” Seventh Miss patiently repeated. “Also Seventh Aunt’s elder sister, Grandmother’s daughter.”

Though young children might not understand these complex terms yet, it could give him some impression.

But Fourth Brother shook his head, pointing at the embroidery on Seventh Miss’s skirt, then at that exquisite portrait. “Painting?”

Seventh Miss froze.

This child was so clever! Just over two years old, he already understood the logical difference.

“This is a portrait of Fourth Brother’s mother,” she gently explained to Fourth Brother. “Fourth Brother’s mother isn’t a painting—this painting depicts her.”

She struggled to lift Fourth Brother, letting him observe Fifth Miss in the painting up close. This portrait was covered with translucent green gauze to prevent smoke staining. Seventh Miss even lifted the soft gauze so Fourth Brother could see the person in the painting clearly.

Fourth Brother sucked his thumb, carefully observing Fifth Miss in the painting, then looked at Seventh Miss, seemingly struggling to express something with his expression. Seeing no response from Seventh Miss, he pondered for a long while before asking vaguely and slowly:

“But where… is Mother?”

This was the first time Seventh Miss had heard Fourth Brother actively ask a question—unexpectedly with such clear logic and coherence.

She felt somewhat delighted yet also half-heartbroken, couldn’t help glancing at Guyu as if seeking an appropriate answer. But from Guyu’s face she only harvested blankness.

Did such a young child even understand death?

Seventh Miss pondered a moment before softly answering, “Fourth Brother’s mother went to a faraway place. Seventh Aunt is helping her take care of you.”

Fourth Brother’s pale, tender little face immediately clouded with shadow. “Mother bad!”

He turned unhappily, leaning half his body toward the doorway. “Want younger brother.”

Seventh Miss had to release her hands, letting the green gauze fall to cover Fifth Miss’s smiling face.

She turned and delivered Fourth Brother into Guyu’s arms, having her take Fourth Brother to the nursery to play with Fifth Brother, while she herself turned back, pacing to the shrine to carefully examine the portrait she’d painted.

How could a painting replace a mother’s role?

The two children might not yet understand the taste of losing their mother, but in a few more years, when they understood human affairs, they would eventually realize that Fifth Miss in the painting could no longer provide them with parental affection.

She lowered her eyes and sighed silently.

After First Madam left, she summoned the wet nurses along with Guyu and Chunfen to speak.

“From now on, when Fourth Brother points at things, everyone pretend not to understand,” she instructed sternly. “This morning in the east inner chamber, this child spoke quite clearly, which shows it’s not that he can’t—precisely because he doesn’t need to speak and those around him understand his meaning anyway, so he’s become even lazier about speaking.”

She rarely showed such a stern face. The several servants were somewhat frightened. Guyu and Chunfen trembled, hastily agreeing. Only Wet Nurse Chu seemed to feel the need to defend herself, softly countering Seventh Miss, “Fourth Brother has a stubborn temper…”

“He has a stubborn temper and doesn’t like talking, so we adults can just indulge his temperament?” Seventh Miss raised her voice slightly. Seeing Wet Nurse Chu dared say nothing more, she only stared at her coldly before waving her hand. “All of you, go.”

That evening when Xu Fengjia returned, she discussed with him. “The children are already three years old. I’m thinking about tutors for early education—you should also keep an eye out. By four years old, they can quite well begin their education. Study until seven, then formally engage a teacher for proper schooling. For martial arts training, you can arrange it… I think around this age would be appropriate.”

Xu Fengjia’s expression stirred. “The children are already three years old!”

In Great Qin, children beginning education at four was extremely common. Ninth Brother had started at four, and by seven when he formally entered private school, he could already recite the Doctrine of the Mean and Great Learning fluently. Seventh Miss’s arrangement was quite standard.

After pondering, he asked Seventh Miss, “Send a letter to the Sun family later to ask Second Sister. Her young heir is already of private school age. If the early education teacher is good, we can just engage him directly, saving us the trouble of searching. Sitting out one year’s tutorial isn’t anything.”

This solution unexpectedly aligned with Seventh Miss’s own thoughts. She hummed casually while picking up a chopstick of crispy fish for Xu Fengjia, asking him, “How are you finding Jiangnan cuisine? If you’re not used to it, tomorrow we can engage a northern head chef—cook from both sides… Second Sister’s birthday is approaching. I can casually ask when I arrange the gift-giving.”

Xu Fengjia found it quite novel. “Since when did you care about my tastes?”

Seventh Miss gave him a look and said softly, “I’m not made of wood—don’t I know how to care for others?”

Before Xu Fengjia could respond, she added, “I didn’t care about you before because—you didn’t deserve it!” By the end, her words were already blurred by a string of light laughter.

Xu Fengjia snorted with laughter, tapping Seventh Miss’s forehead with his chopsticks and teasing in a lowered voice, “Tonight you’ll know whether I deserve it or not.”

Though they dined without attendants serving, there were always people moving about in the western side room. Seventh Miss’s cheeks suddenly burned red. She lowered her head, not daring to look at Xu Fengjia lest she provoke his interest again, only saying softly, “No, my monthly courses came—you’ll have to wait a few days…”

Since the two had talked openly, Seventh Miss had never again avoided marital intimacy.

Xu Fengjia clicked his tongue, sighing impatiently before saying softly, “Then why are you teasing me?”

Without waiting for Seventh Miss’s answer, he raised his voice. “I find your Suzhou cuisine quite good, though Huaiyang cuisine—the thousand-layer tofu and crystal pork are best. I haven’t seen your chef make those.”

“Those are restaurant dishes—we don’t eat them at home regularly,” Seventh Miss answered while watching Lixia enter the room. She noticed Xu Fengjia’s hearing was very sharp. “What is it? Didn’t you go down to eat?”

Lixia glanced at Xu Fengjia, her face showing difficulty. After pondering, she replied to Seventh Miss, “Fourth Brother is making a fuss and won’t sleep… and now Fifth Brother is crying too.”

Both Xu Fengjia and Seventh Miss set down their chopsticks. Fourth Brother and Fifth Brother rarely made noise—hearing about Fourth Brother throwing a tantrum was especially unusual.

Seventh Miss frowned and listened to Lixia’s explanation.

“According to Guyu, Fourth Brother doesn’t much like talking and usually points at what he wants. This afternoon…” She carefully glanced at Xu Fengjia. “The young madam instructed that from now on when Fourth Brother points at things, we must all pretend not to understand. Later when Fourth Brother wanted to play with something and pointed, no one dared help. In the end, Fifth Brother got it for him. Fourth Brother became unhappy, and at bedtime when he wanted Wet Nurse Chu to coax him to sleep, he pointed at Wet Nurse Chu. She pretended not to understand and instead left the room. Fourth Brother started crying loudly, refusing to sleep!”

Listening carefully, Seventh Miss could indeed hear the east wing was less quiet than usual.

Her brow furrowed even tighter.

These two wet nurses really weren’t easy to deal with—there wasn’t a single simple person in Mingde Hall.

Though she’d given the order not to indulge Fourth Brother’s gestures, how subordinates carried out an order could produce completely opposite results.

Wet Nurse Chu apparently wasn’t pleased with her interfering in the children’s education, so she’d given her a belated show of strength—subtle but deliberate.

She glanced at Xu Fengjia and sighed inwardly—at least Wet Nurse Chu had done it without obvious traces.

“Then have Wet Nurse Chu go back and coax him properly…” she instructed Lixia.

Halfway through her words, Xu Fengjia snorted.

“Let him cry!” His brow also furrowed, frightening Lixia into retreating several steps toward Seventh Miss’s side. “Indulging his temper at such a young age—how will he go to battle when grown? Take Fifth Brother to sleep next door. Let him cry—when he’s tired from crying, he’ll naturally sleep!”

Seventh Miss couldn’t help but frown deeply, yet nodded to Lixia, signaling her to follow Xu Fengjia’s instructions.

After Lixia left, the room fell silent for a moment.

Seventh Miss picked up her chopsticks, took a bit of rose fermented bean curd and placed it in her mouth before hearing Xu Fengjia ask, “Those two wet nurses—are they being somewhat disrespectful to you because they nursed the children?”

She couldn’t help but raise her eyebrows at Xu Fengjia in surprise.

This man was truly perceptive, able to see so much from this small detail.

Fourth Brother crying over changed childcare policies wasn’t a major issue, but Wet Nurse Chu choosing to escalate the matter clearly showed dissatisfaction with her interference, pushing problems upward to make Seventh Miss face this dilemma.

If she ignored Fourth Brother’s crying, she was a cruel stepmother. If she accommodated Fourth Brother’s crying and sent Wet Nurse Chu back to comfort him, she’d lost a move. For such minor household power struggles, Seventh Miss hadn’t expected Xu Fengjia to appreciate the nuances.

“So I’m thinking, after they begin education next year, before the children turn five, send the wet nurses away to retire,” she said slowly, showing no sign of anger. “Otherwise if they’re spoiled beyond recognition, that wouldn’t be proper either.”

This was also an unwritten rule in wealthy families—after children began education, wet nurses gradually withdrew. Seventh Miss had no desire to make things difficult for these old women. In any case, in a few years everyone would part ways. Arbitrarily suppressing people close to Fourth Brother and Fifth Brother would only easily stir up trouble.

Xu Fengjia’s brow darkened, seemingly containing hidden anger. “Ridiculous! Even Grandmother doesn’t dare casually dispose of you, yet you let a few insolent slaves make you suffer!”

He slapped down his chopsticks, about to call for someone. Seventh Miss quickly pressed down his hand, saying softly, “Don’t be impulsive!”

She gripped that rough large hand, gently rubbing the tiger’s mouth with her fingertips, soothingly explaining to Xu Fengjia, “This bit of grievance—I haven’t taken it to heart at all… They can only show off for a few more months. Everyone can part amicably. If you punish them, later they’ll gossip, saying things like ‘with a stepmother comes a stepfather.'”

Xu Fengjia’s movement immediately froze. After a long while, he sighed deeply and picked up his chopsticks again.

“Inside and outside the family, so many vexing matters!” He made no effort to hide the irritation in his heart. “Endure, endure, endure—who knows how long we must endure!”

Seventh Miss smiled with pursed lips.

“You can’t endure already? Let me tell you, a hundred endurances forge steel!” She was about to release her hand to continue eating, but unexpectedly Xu Fengjia instead gripped her soft hand in return, also using his thumb pad to gently rub her palm.

This gesture when done by Seventh Miss was soothing, but when done by Xu Fengjia, it always contained threads of teasing.

His eyes also took on a hint of laughter… like red swirling in liquid glass, bright enough that Seventh Miss dared not look directly.

“Having one more person to endure together with me… it suddenly doesn’t seem so hard to endure!” He smiled and released her hand. “Eat, eat. Tomorrow there are many more things to do.”

Seventh Miss caressed her palm, then pressed her burning cheeks. After a long while she softly agreed.

“Yes, there are still many things we need to do together…”

This phrase had once carried deep helplessness and compromise, but speaking it now at this moment, beyond all that, it contained a faint hope.