Qingshan, seeing his mother's resolute expression, said little more. After all, if his sister married well, he would surely benefit somehow; whatever Mother decided, he would follow, as it wouldn't be his responsibility in the end.

Indeed, Madam He acted immediately. That afternoon, she went to the village matchmaker, asking her to inquire in Hongxia's neighboring village about the rumored man. The matchmaker, living off such dealings, readily agreed, reasoning that even a neighboring village wasn't too far. Having accepted the silver from Madam He, she promised news by the next day.

At Lin He's home, not long after Madam He left, Madam Zhao departed as well. Hongxia went to the hired laborers' quarters to cook. With everyone gone, only Lin He's immediate family remained. Lin He turned to her mother, Madam Huang, and said, "Mother, I think you should have Father find a time to speak with Eldest Uncle about this. I fear Eldest Aunt won't easily give up."

Madam Huang knew Madam He well and nodded, resolving to discuss the matter with Er Niu when he returned that evening.

"Oh, right, Mother, I need to go into town tonight. Big Brother sent word earlier that the pastries I made for the shop taste slightly off, and he wants me to check. I’m taking Ziyu into town shortly and might not be back tonight," Lin He informed Madam Huang.

"Fine. Take Da Hei with you, and bring one of the estate guards as well. Come back as early as you can if there’s nothing pressing," Madam Huang instructed.

For the past couple of years, Lin He had traveled frequently between town and home. Sometimes she brought Ziqing, Ziyu, and Da Hei along. Having encountered trouble on the road a few times, Lin He felt this situation couldn't continue indefinitely. So, she hired a few guards whom she would have follow behind her when she went to town, just in case. Furthermore, the town shop also employed two guards. While Uncle Wen oversaw things, petty thieves were unavoidable, and having guards offered more peace of mind.

Lin He arrived at the shop in the carriage. Da Bao and the others were still busy inside. It was mid-afternoon, and the shop wasn't crowded. Da Bao was usually present. Seeing the family carriage stop outside, he knew his younger sister had arrived and hurried to the carriage door to help Lin He alight.

Da Bao was sixteen, now a young man. Though his features still held a touch of boyishness, his mind had matured considerably. He managed the pastry shop entirely by himself, and quite capably too; business was booming.

Although Lin He had set the shop's rules, Da Bao managed the few employees perfectly. The pastry shop Lin He's family opened wasn't large, perhaps about twenty square meters. It displayed a wide variety of pastries and snacks, all made by Lin He: small cakes, paper-wrapped cakes, meat floss pastries, mung bean cakes, red bean cakes, rose cakes, and many others, along with snacks like winter melon candy and pumpkin biscuits. On market days, the staff could barely keep up with the demand.

Despite its small size, the shop employed several people due to its good business: two shop assistants, a bookkeeper, Da Bao himself as the manager, and a few young maids from home working in the kitchen.

As Lin He entered, everyone inside called out, "Miss," before returning to their tasks. Lin He asked Da Bao, "Big Brother, what's going on? Didn't I explain the recipe for that Sachima pastry clearly to Cailing and the others? I even demonstrated it for them. Why is the taste still different?"

"Yes, I’m puzzled too," Da Bao replied. "They say they followed your instructions precisely, but the taste is definitely off. We can't figure out where the mistake is. They’ve tried several times, and it comes out the same way every time, which is why I called you here."

Lin He frowned and walked into the kitchen. After tasting their creation, she instantly knew they hadn't controlled the oil temperature properly during frying. Oil temperature is crucial when making Sachima; too hot, and it burns easily; too cold, and the flavor suffers. It was obvious from this Sachima that the oil temperature had been too high. The maid Caizhi, seeing Lin He diagnose the problem immediately upon tasting, laughed and said, "Sister Ling, look! Miss is still the best. She knew exactly what was wrong right away, after you all struggled for so long."

The maid Caizhi was only ten years old, purchased by Lin He from outside, and was currently learning the trade there. Seeing her playful demeanor, Lin He tapped her forehead lightly and said, "You have the nerve to tease Sister Ling? You couldn't even taste the difference yourself."

Caizhi stuck out her tongue and laughed. Lin He went over the key points for making Sachima with Cailing and the other maids again, emphasizing the critical areas, before leaving the kitchen.

He'er walked to the stone table in the back courtyard and sat down. Da Bao joined her, asking about recent family matters. Lin He told him about Yu'er’s situation. Da Bao, knowing Madam He, offered few words. Looking at Da Bao, Lin He recalled her mother's words and said, "Big Brother, Mother says you aren't young anymore; it’s time you considered getting engaged. Is there anyone you have in mind? If so, you should settle it now."

At He'er's words, Da Bao's face instantly flushed red. He replied sheepishly, "He'er, what are you saying? I'm not rushing things yet. Why is Mother so worried? Really."

"I also think you’re not that old, Big Brother, and marrying a few years later would be fine. However, if you do have someone in mind, you could settle things now. It wouldn't hurt to marry a bit later; it would also ease the family's worries, don't you think?" Seeing Da Bao's reaction, Lin He suspected he might already have someone in mind.

"I know about that. When the time is right, I'll tell Mother. Just tell her not to worry when you go back," Da Bao answered, his face still slightly red.

From Da Bao's response, Lin He sensed he likely did have someone in mind. It was quite normal for a man his age to have romantic interests. Since he wasn't willing to speak of it now, Lin He wouldn't press him. Yet, Lin He couldn't help but wonder who Da Bao’s intended might be. She ran through every girl she knew, but none seemed plausible. The girls Da Bao’s age whom Lin He knew were either relatives or household maids—none of them likely candidates. Who could the person in Da Bao’s heart be?

Furthermore, Lin He worried about Da Bao in this regard. As the eldest son, Da Bao would naturally take charge when their parents aged, and his wife would become the mistress of the household, requiring excellent character and virtues. However, in Lin He’s view, she was reluctant to interfere with his marriage. She felt Da Bao had already sacrificed a great deal for the family; denying him control over even his own marriage felt excessively cruel. (To be continued)