Shaoye followed him out through the corner gate, and when she saw the Shizi still walking forward she grew anxious. She quickened her steps and tugged at the corner of his robe. “I need to get back quickly for lunch…”

Gu Yanxi stopped with a sigh and looked at her. She had been there for all of one day and was already using the word back. If she stayed much longer, would she even remember the way to her own home?

“Remember my name for now. In daily conversation, address me as Elder Brother Yan. Just treat me as an ordinary companion.”

“I can call you Elder Brother Yan?”

“I said you can, so you can.”

Shaoye had no more hesitation. Cheerfully, she called out at once, “Elder Brother Yan.”

Something flashed briefly in the depths of Gu Yanxi’s eyes. Shaoye, whose heart was entirely fixed on getting back for lunch, noticed nothing — she could only hope he would let her go quickly.

“You’re not wearing your veiled hat.”

Shaoye instinctively reached up to check — truly, she wasn’t. But she had crossed paths with several people on the way out just now, and they had even greeted her. If any of them had shown even the faintest flicker of disgust or fear, she would have picked up on it. And yet—

Gu Yanxi’s lips curved slightly upward. “Go eat.”

“Oh.” Shaoye obediently walked back. All the way in, she kept paying closer attention — the gate attendant who saw her gave a bow and went right back to their duties without a second glance.

All the way back, everyone she passed bowed in greeting, calling out “Miss Shaoye.” The most extreme reaction was simply not looking at her. But on no one’s face was there even a trace of displeasure or aversion.

Shaoye’s steps grew lighter and lighter, until at last she simply used her lightness technique and came bounding joyfully into her friend’s courtyard.

“Hua Hua!”

Hua Zhi stepped to the doorway to welcome her. “Go wash your hands quickly. Liu Xiang, go tell Fudong to set out the meal.”

“Yes.”

Shaoye spotted her veiled hat sitting on the rack at once, her eyes bright. She tugged her friend close and whispered, “Hua Hua, your household’s servants don’t fear my face.”

“Are you happy?”

Shaoye nodded vigorously. So happy. Back home she went without the hat too, but that was different — the people there were mostly her companions, and the servants had all been trained. Even so, it wasn’t as though there had been no gossip at first. It had taken the Shizi dealing with someone harshly before people stopped daring to say anything.

But she had been at the Hua household for less than two days!

Hua Zhi felt a softening in her heart at Shaoye’s puppy-like gaze. She took her by the hand and led her toward the basin to wash up, saying as they went, “It’s perfectly ordinary. Making a fuss over it would be the true lack of manners.”

Shaoye smiled until her eyes curved. She knew it wasn’t ordinary at all — but Hua Hua said it was ordinary, so it was ordinary.

“From now on, whenever you come to the Hua household, you don’t have to wear the veiled hat. In the cold months it might block the wind, but in the heat it’s so terribly stifling.”

“Mm. Alright.”

In the afternoon, with no classes to give, Hua Zhi pulled Shaoye along for a short nap in her room. When she woke, she found Shaoye curled in on herself at the edge of the bed — the sleeping posture of someone with very little sense of security. No matter how optimistic and strong she appeared when awake, what had happened to her could not possibly have left no mark. Hua Zhi couldn’t imagine what kind of horror it must have been to make her mind choose to forget.

She pulled the quilt over Shaoye gently and climbed out of bed with quiet, careful movements, signaling to Yingchun to bring her outer robe into the outer room.

While dressing, she gave instructions in a low voice. “I’m going to Grandmother’s room. Have everyone keep their movements light.”

“Yes.”

The Old Madam had only just risen herself. Seeing her granddaughter, she understood at once why she had come. The arrival of an outside man in the household that morning had not only reached her ears — the second and third daughters-in-law had both come over, making veiled comments in opposition, all of which she had sent away.

Her granddaughter’s decision was not wrong. The worry she felt was understandable — with four children falling ill all at once in the household, one could hardly blame her for being cautious.

“Did you rest well, Grandmother?”

“All is well. The lingering summer heat is fierce — whatever matter it is, there’s no need to come over at this hour. Don’t get sunburned.”

Hua Zhi’s heart warmed. She naturally knew that the Old Madam could not have been unaware of Lu Yanxi entering the household — the fact that she said it this way was as good as silent approval.

“It’s nearly the tenth month already. The heat can’t do much to anyone now. Grandmother, perhaps a little later you might go out for a short walk — it would be good for your health.”

The Old Madam nodded with a smile. “As you say.”

Hua Zhi smiled, took the ginseng tea Nanny Su had prepared, blew on it gently, and handed it to her grandmother. She waited until she had drunk half a cup before speaking of her reason for coming. “Cao Cao knew I was looking to hire a martial arts teacher and, without telling me, went and brought someone along — one of her companions. His skills are far beyond what an ordinary martial arts teacher could offer, and compared to someone my maternal grandfather might find, Cao Cao’s companion is naturally someone more trustworthy. So I agreed to it. Tomorrow when he comes, Grandmother, do come by the front courtyard to take a look and give your appraisal.”

“What sort of background does Cao Cao have? And what of this man? Could they bring trouble to the Hua household?”

“Their exact background isn’t something I know clearly. I can only judge from our few dealings together that they are not people of great wickedness or malice. As far as I’m concerned — what does it matter what background they come from? What is there left in the Hua household for anyone to scheme over? Everyone in the capital knows the Hua household is under the Empress Dowager’s protection, with even His Majesty’s tacit approval. Who would be foolish enough to come and provoke us at a time like this?”

The Old Madam thought it over carefully and found it truly was so. She had been overcomplicating things. Stripped of that concern, anyone willing to extend a helping hand to the Hua household at a time like this was worth the Hua household keeping in mind with gratitude.

“Since you have a clear sense of things yourself, then let go and do what you need to do. I found that female physician to be quite good — worth befriending.”

“Yes. Those who have endured so much suffering and yet preserved the sincerity of an innocent heart — how many such people are there in this world? Most people couldn’t compare to her. Someone she can trust, I’m also willing to extend a few degrees of trust to.”

The Old Madam patted her hand, then suddenly brought up something else. “Your second and third younger sisters have some small reputation for talent here in the capital. Grandmother would like to have them try at the clan school as well. What do you think?”

Hua Zhi raised an eyebrow. “What do they themselves think?”

“Of course I need your approval first before I speak to them.” The Old Madam spoke as though this were entirely self-evident. “You have so much to manage. I was thinking that if they could step in and teach the children when you’re busy, that would be a good thing.”

Hua Zhi neither agreed nor objected outright. “Grandmother’s intention is certainly a good one. Why don’t you speak with the two of them and have them prepare? Two days from now, they can come to the clan school and try giving the children a lesson. We’ll all go and listen. What does Grandmother think?”

“Excellent.” The Old Madam agreed with a pleased smile, feeling immensely satisfied deep down. She had worried that Zhi’er might be unwilling to let the younger sisters step forward and take some of the limelight — but now it seemed she had been petty-minded.

Hua Zhi was well aware of her grandmother’s subtle test, but she truly did hope the two sisters could be built up into proper support. As time went on, there would only be more and more to manage in the household. It was looking as though she would have to make a trip to the northern region, and having someone who could step in for her would be exactly what she needed.

What a pity — Grandmother was bound to be disappointed. Grandfather’s assessment of the two younger sisters had been: Their characters are all learned, it’s only the arrangement of them that leaves something to be desired.

She had read their small poems herself. By the standards of the world she had once lived in, they might even be called talented women — but in the Great Qing Dynasty, where every educated person could compose a few verses, their level of skill was far too lacking to impress. They would be better off following her example and refraining from putting it on display.