When Lin He and the others arrived at Yin Ruoxuan’s place, they didn’t see Zeng Weiliang inside the shop. The three of them searched around the premises for quite a while but still couldn't locate him. After inquiring with a waiter, they learned that the proprietor had traveled out of town on urgent business and wouldn't be back for several days. The waiter advised them that if they needed to see the proprietor, they should return in a few days.

Having no other choice, the group left the establishment. Dabao looked visibly disappointed. “What bad timing. I should have suggested we delay our arrival by a few days. Now we have to wait all this time.”

“Dabao, didn’t you mention wanting to look around Qinghe County? This gives us a few extra days to do just that,” Wen Ningxuan, however, was quite cheerful. Anyone unaware of the situation might assume he had deliberately hidden Zeng Weiliang away.

Dabao nodded. There was nothing else to be done; the man wasn't present, so they had no choice but to wait. Still, Qinghe County was indeed vast. Since they were already out, spending a few days exploring wouldn't hurt. Moreover, seeing how pleased Wen Ningxuan looked, staying a bit longer for his sake seemed reasonable.

Lin He, observing the smile playing on Wen Ningxuan’s face, glanced at him and proposed, “Brother, why don’t we have Ningxuan send someone to quietly gather more information about this proprietor over the next few days? We need to understand the situation better, since we’re stuck here for a while anyway.”

On the journey over, Lin He had confided her worries to Dabao. Dabao knew Lin He was referring to the possibility that this Zeng Weiliang might be their Third Uncle, who had already established another family. Lin He felt it would be best to investigate discreetly, and since they had nothing else pressing, Dabao agreed with a nod.

Lin He looked toward Wen Ningxuan, who nodded in understanding. He told Lin He and Dabao that he needed to attend to some other matters and suggested they browse the streets while he handled things, promising to rejoin them later. With that, he walked off in another direction. Lin He and Dabao headed down the street, taking Ziyu with them. They wandered aimlessly until it was nearly noon. Dabao finally suggested they find a place to rest and wait for Wen Ningxuan to join them for a meal.

Dabao and Lin He secured a private room at a nearby eatery, asking Ziyu to wait outside for Wen Ningxuan. Once they were alone, Dabao voiced a thought: “He’er, Qinghe County really is a fine place. What if we acquired some properties here?”

“Brother, why consider setting up holdings here? It’s so far from our home region, which would make management difficult. Besides, things here aren’t cheap,” Lin He replied, a hint of confusion in her tone.

“He’er, you’re thirteen now, not a child. It’s time you started thinking about your future. Mother and Father have also spoken to me about this, saying we should discuss how to secure some assets for you and Chen’er. You’re thirteen, and Chen’er is growing up too; preparations need to be made for you both.” Dabao paused.

“Furthermore, you intend to be with the Second Young Master. His family is such an influential one; you need to consider this carefully. While the Second Young Master’s family might not value our modest possessions, this is what we wish to provide for you—it serves as your support from your maternal family. A larger shop in this county would be better. Since the Second Young Master has established the Caidie Xuan here, you’ll certainly be visiting often in the future, and you can manage it alongside your other duties. Let’s set up something for you here first. Regardless of the cost, anything you fancy, we will acquire. Our family’s current standing is entirely thanks to you; giving you everything we own wouldn’t be too much.”

Lin He looked at Dabao, her heart swelling with emotion. She had indeed considered these matters sometimes, but mostly she focused on securing the future for her younger siblings, never rushing her own situation. Dabao’s words made her feel that all her years of effort for the family had finally been worthwhile.

Seeing Lin He’s expression, Dabao knew she was leaning toward refusal, so he pressed on, “He’er, this is what you deserve; don’t refuse. It needs to be done regardless. I was thinking we could buy a few shops in this county for you. You can manage them yourself, or you can collect rent. While we have this free time, let’s ask the Second Young Master if he knows of any properties for sale. If something suitable comes up, we’ll handle it all together.”

Lin He’s earnings over the past few years had been substantial: income from the family pastry shop and farmland, plus her share from Caidie Xuan and He Cai Dolls, minus necessary expenditures, amounted to tens of thousands of taels in ready cash. In recent years, besides opening the shop, the family had purchased several establishments in Tianxin Town and acquired more farmlands. Most of the money hadn’t been spent on frivolous things; the bulk of it was invested. Buying a few shops now was certainly feasible; money sitting idle wouldn't generate more, whereas properties held inherent value.

Last year, seeing that Dabao was growing older and she herself was maturing, Lin He had entrusted the majority of her silver to Huang Shi’s keeping. After all, with the siblings getting older, it felt improper for her to retain complete control over the family’s finances. Lin He trusted her parents would manage it fairly for her.

Seeing Dabao’s firm stance, Lin He finally nodded, conceding the necessity of the matter. Dabao was delighted that Lin He agreed, repeatedly stating that as soon as the Second Young Master arrived, they should go look for properties immediately, hoping to conclude the acquisitions within these few days to avoid further delays.

As they were discussing this, the waiter ushered in Ziyu and Wen Ningxuan. Dabao hastily urged the waiter to serve the food and asked Wen Ningxuan if he knew of any suitable shops available for purchase, mentioning his intent to buy a few. Wen Ningxuan replied that he was aware of a few decent ones, though their prices were steep. However, if they had surplus funds, acquiring them would be a sound long-term investment.

Dabao hurried everyone to eat, insisting they view the properties that afternoon. Wen Ningxuan thoughtfully inquired about the intended use of the shops. Dabao explained they were just buying them for now, planning to collect rent for a few years before deciding anything else. Wen Ningxuan seemed to grasp the underlying reason for Dabao’s plan and asked no further questions, simply confirming he would take them sightseeing that afternoon.

The group spent the entire afternoon looking at several shops. Dabao found them all satisfactory, but Lin He felt two of them were truly viable. Their prices were moderate, and both came with small courtyards, offering ample space. The shop owners were agreeable, granting them three days to consider their options, stating that a simple notification would suffice if they decided against buying.

Upon returning, Wen Ningxuan retired to his room. Dabao and Lin He discussed the matter privately. Dabao proposed purchasing all four shops, estimating the total cost to be just over twenty thousand taels—money the family could certainly afford. Lin He objected, pointing out that Chen’er, Xiaobao, and the two younger ones still had many expenses ahead, and it felt wrong for her alone to take such a significant portion.