Lin He nodded, signaling to Wen Ningxuan to continue. From Wen Ningxuan’s account, Lin He finally grasped a general picture of his family. The Wen family was quite a large clan. Though they were primarily involved in commerce now, Wen Ningxuan's great-grandfather had once held an official post. For reasons unknown, he resigned from the imperial court in middle age and relocated the entire family to Tianxin Town, bringing his two brothers’ families along.

After his great-grandfather resigned, the family subsisted for a long time on his former salary and the estates granted by the court. The great-grandfather had three sons, meaning Wen Ningxuan’s grandfather had two brothers, and combined with the descendants of the other brothers’ families, there were many people in total. For such a large household, even vast wealth would eventually dwindle, especially since the family members had always lived lives of ease and none knew how to manage finances. By the time it reached Wen Ningxuan’s father’s generation, the family fortune had already begun to decline.

Fortunately, Wen Ningxuan’s father, Uncle Wen, was farsighted. From his teens, he knew the family couldn’t continue this way. He took what little money remained and went into business, eventually carving out a path for himself. However, the family’s funds were insufficient for him to truly expand. It was at this juncture that he met the current Madam Wen. Her family had made their fortune through trade and was considered enormously wealthy on her side. Madam Wen took a liking to Wen Ningxuan’s father and, despite her parents' strong objections, married down into the Wen family. Since Madam Wen was an only daughter, her family naturally provided considerable financial support to the Wen family after the marriage. It was due to Madam Wen’s wealth and Uncle Wen’s business acumen that the Wen family achieved its current standing.

By the time of Wen Ningxuan’s father, Uncle Wen had already separated his own brothers’ shares. However, Uncle Wen and his remaining four brothers had never formally split the household, primarily because Uncle Wen still had one younger brother—meaning Wen Ningxuan still had an uncle who was unmarried. The formal division of the household was postponed until the youngest uncle married.

Coupled with the fact that Wen Ningxuan’s father kept several concubines and had a large brood of children, the household was teeming with people. These connections made Lin He’s head ache. She had known the Wen family would be complex, but she hadn't anticipated this level of intricacy.

Seeing Lin He clutching her forehead in slight distress, Wen Ningxuan smiled and said, “This is just for your understanding; it doesn’t matter if you remember it all. My youngest uncle is eighteen this year and is expected to marry within the next year or two. It won't be this complicated then.”

Lin He smiled faintly and did not reply. A moment of silence settled in the carriage. After a while, Wen Ningxuan broke it by asking, “He'er, you dislike such a complex family structure?”

“Mmm, I really don’t. You know my family is very simple—just my parents and my siblings. We are all quite young, and there aren't many serious conflicts. We are a happy family. But a large family naturally brings more affairs, and I feel that kind of life would be tiring,” Lin He stated her thoughts frankly.

“What if the family you marry into in the future is just such a large clan, how would you manage?” Wen Ningxuan inquired.

“I don’t know. I’ve never considered that question,” Lin He gave an ambiguous reply.

Wen Ningxuan felt a flicker of anxiety, but at least Lin He hadn't shut the door completely; otherwise, he wouldn't know how to proceed. Lin He found Wen Ningxuan’s reaction slightly amusing, and perhaps a little touching. It was amusing because although Wen Ningxuan tried to mask his nervousness, his intense gaze revealed how much he awaited her answer—and how unsettled he must be that she hadn't provided one. This chipped away at the calm, detached image he usually projected, at least in her eyes.

It was touching because, in this era where men were supreme, it was rare for a man to be so considerate of her feelings. Moreover, for someone as aloof and seemingly otherworldly as Wen Ningxuan to become so susceptible to worry over her pleased him, which touched the heart of Lin He, who had never experienced romantic feelings before.

Lin He looked at Wen Ningxuan, smiled briefly, and then asked, “And you? Do you like being part of this large family? Have you felt burdened by it all these years?”

“I had no choice. Even if I disliked it, this is my home, and I must live here. Besides, I’ve grown accustomed to it over the years. Although we live together, I’ve had my own courtyard since I was very young, living my own life. Aside from Grandmother, Father, and Little Mo, no one else would bother me,” Wen Ningxuan stated flatly.

“Have you and Little Mo always been this close?” Lin He asked.

Wen Ningxuan nodded and continued, “Yes. Although Little Mo and I were not born to the same mother, our bond has always been strong. My mother passed away when I was very young. I was raised under the care of Little Mo’s mother. Little Mo and Eldest Brother were born to the current Madam Wen. Because I was raised under Madam Wen’s aegis, many people assume I am a full brother to Little Mo and the others, but that is not the case. My mother was Father’s Second Wife—in name, Second Wife, but in reality, merely a concubine. I am a son born of a concubine. My mother died of illness when I was three; I don't know the specifics. After she died, Father placed me under the care of the current Madam Wen, making me the current Second Young Master.”

“Have these years been good to you under Madam Wen’s care?” Lin He had heard this account from Ziyu and wasn't surprised, but hearing it from Wen Ningxuan’s own lips brought a pang of sympathy.

“For a son not of her flesh, it wasn’t exactly good, nor was it terrible. At least now I carry the title of Second Young Master, and what the family is obligated to provide, I do not lack,” Wen Ningxuan said with a self-mocking tone.

Looking at this side of Wen Ningxuan, Lin He felt her pity deepen, but she couldn't find the right words to say, as any comment seemed inadequate. She chose to remain silent, simply gazing at him. Wen Ningxuan seemed to sense her feelings, a faint smile touching his lips, erasing the earlier melancholy. He asked cheerfully, “He'er, are you pitying me?”

Lin He hadn't expected Wen Ningxuan to possess such a playful side. She merely shot him a reproachful glance, and Wen Ningxuan burst into laughter. Meanwhile, Ziyu, who had been sleeping soundly, finally woke up. The first thing she saw was Wen Ningxuan laughing. Ziyu rubbed her eyes, thinking she must have seen incorrectly. She had known the Second Young Master for years and had never witnessed him smile like that. After confirming it was indeed him laughing, she stood aside in astonishment.

Lin He glanced at Wen Ningxuan and then addressed Ziyu, “Are you awake now?”

“Yes,” Ziyu replied, still somewhat dazed, nodding slowly.