Lin He smiled: "Mother, if you truly favor the peach blossoms, it doesn't necessarily have to be the daughter-in-law who claims them. Since we are all relatives, if you like her so much, we can have someone bring her over to stay for a few days later, or perhaps you could even adopt her as a sworn daughter? That would be a fine arrangement too."

"What good is a sworn daughter? She can’t serve me for a lifetime," Madam Huang sighed. "It’s all because Dabao is such a disappointment. He wouldn't even take such a fine girl. I truly don't know what kind of woman he’s waiting for."

Lin He didn't speak further, quietly continuing her embroidery until dusk settled. Er Niu returned, reporting that he had inspected all the fields. This batch of land included a significant expanse, covering both top-tier and middle-tier grades, though they weren't consolidated in one spot but rather split across two or three nearby locations. If they were to purchase it, someone would definitely need to be stationed there to oversee it.

Er Niu relayed that he had settled the terms with the broker, and men would be sent tomorrow to finalize the paperwork. After the busy farming season concluded, they would buy the land and construct dwellings there. Regardless of whether they leased or rented the fields out for cultivation, since this was being set aside as dowry assets, someone would need to manage it separately, making it easier to administer once the girls married into their respective in-laws' families.

Once the houses were built, they could acquire a few trusted individuals to watch over the lands. Madam Huang and Lin He found this plan quite agreeable, noting that Er Niu’s round trip had only taken a day, meaning the distance wasn't prohibitive. As for the fields themselves, if the local villagers wished to rent them, they could be leased out for now. If the family required the land later, they would address it specifically then.

Er Niu concluded that these matters were solvable with money, so he hadn't returned for further debate. It wouldn't significantly impact the household now; they could simply consider it acquiring assets to be held there for the time being. Madam Huang and Lin He consented, telling Er Niu to take the men and finalize the land arrangements the following day.

The next morning, Er Niu departed with Chang Geng and Old Man Qin to handle the land purchase. Lin He remained at home with Chen'er, continuing her sewing, while Madam Huang watched over Da Xiong and Xiao Xiong in the courtyard. Zhao Shi, Zhou Shi, and Hong Yun arrived, leading Da Mao into the yard. Since the farming season wasn't entirely over, Lin He had paused the salve production for a few days of necessary labor, granting the salve workshop a temporary halt.

Madam Huang was quite surprised to see Hong Yun entering with Da Mao. "Hong Yun, why are you here? Look, Da Mao is with you too!"

Hong Yun and Da Sheng, her husband, had been working for Lin He for the past few years. Their annual income was quite substantial, allowing them to purchase several mu of land, enough to cover their family's needs for the year. A few days prior, due to the harvest, they had returned home to assist. The family hadn't expected them back so soon, especially since Da Mao had been primarily cared for by Hong Yun's mother-in-law for the past few years. Except for major festivals, he rarely visited, so bringing him today was unexpected.

Hong Yun smiled and explained, "Yes, Second Sister-in-law. Da Mao’s father wanted to come sooner. Since Big Brother only has one person working his own land this year, he was worried the mountain territory here might suffer a shortage of hands, so we recently hired some temporary laborers. Our wheat was done early, and with the salve workshop closed for a few days, I thought I'd bring Da Mao over to play with Xiao Xiong and Da Xiong." As she spoke, Hong Yun gently guided Da Mao forward.

Lin He observed Da Mao peeking out from behind Hong Yun. The boy was fair-skinned and rosy-cheeked, bearing a resemblance to Hong Yun, or perhaps even Hong Xia. However, he was quite timid, clearly intimidated by the unfamiliar faces. He clung tightly to Hong Yun, hesitant to step forward.

Madam Huang retrieved a pastry from the courtyard tray and offered it sweetly. "Come here, Da Mao. Second Aunt-in-law has some delicious pastries for you. See how fragrant they are? Your two younger cousins love these most. Come, come and take one."

Da Mao’s eyes fixed on the pastry in Madam Huang's hand; it was clearly alluring. Yet, he merely stared, remaining hidden by Hong Yun, afraid to approach. Seeing his demeanor, Hong Yun chuckled. "I think Da Mao gets lonely staying by himself all the time; he gets bored. You can't keep a child cooped up at home constantly. His grandmother keeps him sheltered all day, and now he’s terrified of strangers. When I just got back, he wouldn't even acknowledge me! I called him, and he ran away from me. He’s actually older than Xiao Xiong, yet look at him—so much less forward than them. I’m thinking of just taking him with me entirely; I don't know what he’ll turn into if this continues."

"My two boys are terribly mischievous; they cause trouble the moment you look away. I worry constantly," Madam Huang agreed. "But Hong Yun, you’re right, a child shouldn't be indoors all day. It’s good for him to get out more. Taking him yourself is fine; he’s old enough now, and your Da Yuan can help look after him too. There are more children here, and you’d feel more at ease if he were by your side."

Zhou Shi, who had been silent until now, chimed in, "Yes, since you all will be here for quite a while anyway, and Da Mao is growing up, it’s better if you raise him yourself."

"We’ve already discussed it, my husband and I," Hong Yun replied. "When we send Da Mao back in a few days, we’ll talk to his grandmother. But his paternal aunt married off the year before last. Having Da Mao around these past few years kept his grandmother company. If we take him away now, she’ll be quite lonely, so I’m finding it difficult to bring up."

Zhao Shi interjected gently, "That's true. His grandmother raised Da Mao single-handedly. If you suddenly take him away, she’ll likely be lonely. Perhaps let his grandmother keep him this year, and you can bring him over to play for periods when you have time, allowing her to adjust gradually. Old people truly do get lonely when left by themselves."

Hong Yun nodded, agreeing to wait until next year before taking Da Mao to raise himself. Meanwhile, Lin He watched Da Mao nibbling the pastry near Hong Yun and began to coax him with soft words. Da Mao was initially fearful, but after watching Lin He for a while, he dared to reach out and take things from her hand. After a bit more playful interaction, he followed Lin He when she walked away, leading him to join Xiao Xiong and Da Xiong’s play, with a maidkeeping a watchful eye nearby.

Hong Yun laughed, "Your He'er truly has a way with children. Look how every child adores her. My two boys constantly talk about 'Sister He.' Da Mao was afraid of everyone else, but he immediately followed He'er. Ha!"

"Indeed, that girl is naturally favored by children," Madam Huang agreed with a smile.

The two women continued chatting about their children, but Zhao Shi had been unusually quiet that day, seemingly preoccupied. Madam Huang noticed and asked, "Mother, what is it? Why the silence? Is something troubling you?"

Zhao Shi spoke up, "Yes, there is something. I want to tell you all so you can offer some counsel."

"What is it, Mother? Tell us," Madam Huang prompted.

"It’s about Hong Xia. Da Fa is gone now, and Yuan Zhu and Yuan Bao are quite grown. I see Hong Xia is still so young, and I’m thinking of finding someone for her. What do you all think?"

"Mother, why bring this up so suddenly? Did Hong Xia mention it herself?" Hong Yun asked.

"She hasn't said anything; it’s my thought. Hong Xia still needs a path forward; she can't just live like this forever," Zhao Shi explained.