One need not hang lanterns or drape festive garlands — a household touched by happy news was easy enough to feel, in the lightness of the servants’ steps, in the smiles on their faces, in the vitality that seemed to radiate from everyone.

Hua Zhi was ushered inside and, taking in the scene around her, let go of the greater part of whatever worry had still clung to her heart. Whether this child was a son or a daughter, it would be the Cai family’s eldest grandchild of the main line — and conceived just two months after the wedding, at that. For a woman in this era, this was the kind of fortune that would invite envy from others.

The Cai family had naturally anticipated that upon their daughter-in-law sending someone home to deliver the good news, someone from her family would come — her mother, perhaps, or the Cai family’s married-out daughters, the elder matriarchs of the Hua Family’s fourth household. Yet the one who had arrived was the Hua Family’s eldest young miss.

Surprised as they were, there was no one among them who was not pleased to welcome her. Setting aside the bond of marriage between the two families, there was still a business arrangement tying them together at present.

The Cai family’s eldest daughter-in-law came out from inside to receive her, smiling warmly. “No wonder there was a magpie calling this morning — it was announcing a distinguished guest.”

Hua Zhi offered a bow in the manner of a junior to a senior. “I have come without prior notice — I dare not trouble Madam to come out and receive me.”

“You must not say such things — on any ordinary day, you are not to be had no matter how one invites you.” The eldest daughter-in-law helped her up and, holding her hand, walked inside with her. “The Old Madam knew you were coming and changed into a new robe especially — let us go and pay her a visit.”

It may not have been the most heartfelt of sentiments, but the Cai family’s attitude toward her was warm enough. Hua Zhi’s smile became genuine in return.

The Old Madam had some difficulty with her legs, but her spirits were excellent. Her round face was ruddy with good health, and when she smiled, her eyes curved like a crescent moon — she must have been a person who laughed often and easily in her youth.

Hua Zhi liked people who were quick to smile. It said something about how a person faced life, and those who met life with laughter were always more open-hearted than those who met it with bitterness. So when she bowed, she bowed with genuine sincerity.

“Never mind all these formalities — come closer and let this old woman have a look at our Hua family’s eldest young miss.”

That one word — “our” — closed the distance between the two families at once. Hua Zhi walked right up to the Old Madam and let herself be examined, offering back a playful retort: “To answer the Old Madam — I have not grown an extra eye or an extra mouth, so I am afraid I may disappoint you.”

“If you had, this old woman wouldn’t even want to look at you — it is exactly this face that I enjoy.” The Old Madam’s eyes curved even more distinctly. Only someone with a genuinely strong inner core could project this kind of fearlessness from the very depths of their being. So when her granddaughter-in-law had needed someone to stand at her back, her first thought had been this person — not her own mother. That alone spoke to what the eldest young miss’s standing was in the hearts of those within the Hua household.

Understanding the purpose of her visit, the Old Madam chatted with her for a little while before having Qing Xiang lead her to the granddaughter-in-law’s room.

Once the visitor had gone, the Old Madam’s smile faded slowly from her face. “In the future, you are not to meddle in the things that go on in that boy’s rooms.”

The eldest daughter-in-law blinked. “Mother, what do you mean by that — I haven’t really…”

Then a recent matter came to mind, and her voice trailed off. She had indeed not involved herself too much in her son’s household affairs, yet there had truly been one thing lately.

“You remember now? You and your husband have been married all these years — have I ever put anyone beside his pillow? They are newlyweds and their feelings are still tender. Even if you do this, he may not thank you for it in the end.”

The eldest daughter-in-law’s face cycled from flushed red to pale white. She wanted to protest her innocence, but the protest was not entirely without grounds, so she could only say a little sheepishly: “I wasn’t saying it had to be right now — it’s just that, once she is with child, she will need people around her to attend to her needs. The people I have are trustworthy, and their station would never place them above her…”

“Now that Hua Qin is with child — what then?”

The eldest daughter-in-law fell silent. She did not feel she had done anything wrong — this was simply how things were done, how everyone had always done them. She had hated it too, once, when she was expecting their son and her mother-in-law had not placed anyone beside her husband. But her husband had gone and taken a concubine on his own — and yet her own position had not been shaken even slightly, had it?

The Old Madam shook her head. Under ordinary circumstances she would not have bothered saying any of this, but this particular matter could not be left to run its course. “If that boy wants to seek out someone himself in the future, that is his business — but you are not to place anyone in his rooms. Do you understand?”

The eldest daughter-in-law did not dare to defy her, and answered in a low voice that she understood. In her heart, though, she was not entirely convinced by the Old Madam’s concerns. She thought well enough of the eldest young miss and had no dissatisfaction with her daughter-in-law either — otherwise, she would never have agreed to help the Hua Family look for a marriage match. But that was entirely separate from the question of adding someone to her son’s household. Who did not hope for many children and grandchildren?

On the other side of the household, Hua Zhi entered Hua Qin’s courtyard. Cai Zhiming, who had received word, came out to meet her — calling out “Elder Sister” from a distance, his whole body alight with joy.

Hua Zhi smiled and offered her congratulations. “Felicitations.”

Cai Zhiming laughed a little foolishly until Qing Xiang reminded him from the side, “Brother-in-law, the young miss is still waiting inside.”

“Right, right — Elder Sister, please come in quickly. Aqin has been waiting for you so long her eyes must be aching.”

Hua Qin was resting propped against the headboard. As the light at the doorway dimmed with the figure entering, she took one look at who had come and, inexplicably, her eyes turned red. There had been no great wrong done to her, and by all accounts her days here were going along smoothly enough — yet the sight of her eldest sister-cousin made something twist in her chest, and her nose followed.

Hua Zhi sat on the edge of the bed and took her hand, squeezing it gently. “I heard you were expecting and came right away without even stopping to prepare anything — I’ll bring something proper next time.”

“That you came at all is enough for me.” Hua Qin sniffled and looked toward her husband, who had been even slower to gather his wits than usual today. “Ming’er, I want to talk with Elder Sister for a while.”

“Of course, you two talk.” Cai Zhiming finally came back to his senses and turned to go. He made it to the doorway, took one look at the sky outside, and stopped. Looking back, he said, “Elder Sister — please stay for dinner this evening.”

Hua Zhi shook her head. “There is much to see to at home, and I slipped out without telling anyone. I will head back once the rain eases a little.”

Cai Zhiming could not press her further and stepped out.

Hua Qin glanced at Qing Xiang, who understood without a word needing to be said, leading the rest of the room’s attendants out and closing the door behind them. Nian Qiu withdrew to the doorway, ears alert, ensuring that nothing that was not meant to be heard could be overheard.

“Is there something unclean about the Cai household — or about your husband’s personal attendants?” Hua Zhi went straight to the point.

It seemed that marriage had a way of marking women with something distinctly different from the ease of girlhood. Something had accumulated on Hua Qin beyond just the grace of a young wife — a restlessness born of finding herself within another family’s walls.

“I had actually known for a while that I was probably expecting. My monthly cycle is always regular, and this time it was nearly ten days late with still no sign, yet I did not tell anyone. I had also been feeling a little off my food, and I only said it was because I had caught a slight chill. At the time, I was thinking I would wait until more time had passed and the signs were clearer before having a physician called in — give everyone a happy surprise. What I did not expect was to receive a fright myself first.”

Hua Qin sat up and leaned forward against her eldest sister-cousin’s shoulder, as though drawing strength from the contact. “Mother-in-law hinted that since I was not feeling well and could not properly attend to my husband, I ought to be generous about it — which is just another way of saying she wanted me to take in someone for Ming’er. I know this is a normal thing in every household, but we have only just been married.”

Hua Qin’s voice turned thick. Here she had been just on the verge of touching happiness, only to find herself cut all over the hands just as she was about to grasp it. If she was expected to bring in a companion for her husband simply because she was feeling unwell, did that mean now that she was with child, she ought to be even more actively accommodating to qualify as a good wife?

Hua Zhi patted her shoulder gently. “What did your husband say?”

“I haven’t told him. He probably doesn’t know about it. But as a man — would he actually refuse if someone were being brought in for him?”

“Is there no one else in his rooms?”

“There is a bedroom attendant who has been with him for two years.”