Wen Ningxuan pointed across the way. Ziyu was indeed sleeping soundly, nestled in the corner of the carriage, completely lost to the world. Wen Ningxuan said, "Perhaps you woke up too early this morning. I noticed you fell asleep as soon as you got into the carriage. You were leaning against Ziyu, and I could see Ziyu swaying slightly. I was worried you two would be jostled by the movement of the carriage, so I swapped places with Ziyu, letting her rest over there so you could sleep more comfortably."

Lin He smiled a little sheepishly. Truthfully, leaning against Wen Ningxuan was certainly more comfortable than leaning on Ziyu. Ziyu was about her own age, a girl, and their weights were similar. Moreover, Ziyu looked sleepy herself, and when she slept leaning on her, Lin He always felt Ziyu’s body shifting. But Wen Ningxuan was different; he was a man, already tall, and he practiced martial arts, so leaning against him was incredibly steady, and she slept very soundly.

However, at this moment, it felt a bit improper. If others saw, they would likely gossip. But Lin He didn't care about such things. She figured if they kept up this pattern of late nights and early starts, and couldn't nap during the day, she would be utterly exhausted by the time they reached Qinghe County.

"He'er, tomorrow don't wake up so early. We'll set off an hour later. You women's bodies surely can't handle this pace. Staying up too late at night isn't good either. Yesterday was a bit too late; let's find an inn early today," Wen Ningxuan said gently, looking at Lin He.

"No need, we can manage. We can catch up on sleep in the carriage; don't delay the journey," Lin He said, waving her hand.

Lin He had initially said that out of politeness; she thought someone with Wen Ningxuan’s personality would certainly insist on keeping the schedule. It was quite strange that Wen Ningxuan agreed so readily this time, and there was even a hint of cunning in his smile. Lin He was instantly deflated. What was wrong with this man? Couldn't he understand simple courtesy? But she had spoken the words herself, so it was awkward to take them back. She decided that in the future, she wouldn't be so polite to this fellow.

In reality, Wen Ningxuan was reluctant for Lin He to rush like this. But when she was asleep, the feeling of holding her in his arms was too wonderful. This was the first time he had been in such close proximity to a woman’s body—soft and yielding, emitting a faint, delicate fragrance of youth. Holding her was profoundly comforting, and Wen Ningxuan smiled to himself.

Fortunately, because the journey was urgent, they traveled quickly. They arrived at Qinghe County on the morning of the fifth day. Upon arrival, Wen Ningxuan led them straight forward. Lin He realized something was wrong, saying this wasn't the way to the inn. Wen Ningxuan laughed, saying, "Last time we stayed at an inn because the decoration at Caidie Xuan wasn't finished. This time, we'll stay there. I specially sectioned off a small courtyard specifically for you; I think you’ll love it."

Hearing this, Lin He felt a surge of anticipation for the small courtyard. As they followed Wen Ningxuan, Qinghe County was just as bustling as the last time, packed with people. Wen Ningxuan led them along the street and stopped in front of the Caidie Xuan storefront. Lin He looked at the exterior of Caidie Xuan and was slightly stunned—it was truly opulent. The exterior decoration was incredibly luxurious; just looking at the facade, it was hard to imagine the extent of the splendor inside. Wen Ningxuan asked, "He'er, do you want to go to the courtyard first, or see the inside?"

Lin He was overwhelmingly curious about how the interior was decorated. She insisted on going inside first. Wen Ningxuan's servant drove the carriage aside, and Wen Ningxuan led her in. Once inside, Lin He was quite surprised. The decorative style inside was somewhat different from the outside. It couldn't simply be described as luxurious; rather, amidst the nobility, it gave off a fresh, airy feeling. It didn't seem like it was merely constructed from expensive materials. If the entrance gave the impression of dazzling magnificence, the interior conveyed a sense of comfortable elegance.

Moreover, the shop was vast, with doors and windows open on two sides. Even though it was a busy time of day, it didn't feel stuffy. To have a shop decorated like this at this time truly made Lin He admire Wen Ningxuan's creativity.

Lin He stood in the shop for a moment before following Wen Ningxuan to the small courtyard he mentioned. Arriving at the courtyard was another surprise for Lin He. It was hard to imagine that people of this era could have designed such a space. The courtyard wasn't large, perhaps containing four or five rooms, with a small enclosed area. Some flowers and plants were growing in the yard, which also had a separate entrance and exit. What was even more astonishing was that the furniture here resembled that in her own home, yet it was different. Her home had simple furnishings, but this place combined ancient and modern elements, giving it a distinct retro feel, yet it looked incredibly comfortable. She guessed Wen Ningxuan had seen her simple furniture at home and had these pieces custom-made. Since the courtyard was small, these furnishings looked cozy and natural, reminiscent of the small villa she lived in during her past life. Lin He instantly loved it.

Seeing Lin He's reaction, Wen Ningxuan chuckled softly and asked, "He'er, do you like this small courtyard?"

Lin He nodded to Wen Ningxuan. Knowing that this courtyard was set aside specifically for her, likely because he anticipated she would have cause to visit often, she was deeply touched by his meticulous planning in a way words could not express. Having a man treat her with such thoughtfulness, having a man place her so highly in his heart—Lin He had never felt so much that her transmigration to this era was a blessing. Perhaps some things truly were predestined.

Wen Ningxuan was delighted to see Lin He pleased. He said, "From now on, you and Ziyu will live in this courtyard. I will stay on this side of the yard, just a few steps away from you. If you need anything, just have Ziyu come find me. There are two maids in this courtyard, purchased to serve you."

Lin He remembered the two young maids she had seen earlier in the yard, who had just bowed to them and gone to the kitchen to prepare a meal. Lin He nodded in acknowledgment.

"Then rest well for the rest of today. I will send someone to look for locations this afternoon. If we find something suitable, we'll go look tomorrow," Wen Ningxuan instructed briefly before leaving.

Lin He took Ziyu for a walk around the courtyard. The plants were well-tended, and everything inside the rooms was clean, indicating the two maids were quite diligent. Lin He asked Ziyu to call the two maids from the kitchen. Lin He smiled as she looked at them closely. They were both quite young, around ten years old. Seeing Lin He staring at them, they both cried out "Miss" and immediately lowered their heads, appearing timid and afraid to meet Lin He’s eyes.

Lin He said, "Stand up properly before you speak."

The two little maids obediently stood up. Lin He asked with a smile, "What are your names?"

"Your slaves do not have names; we were told to wait for the Miss to bestow them," the slightly older one said quietly.

"Oh, then you shall be called Yuegui, and the younger one shall be Yuezhe. In the future, both of you just need to do your work well. If there’s anything you don’t know, just ask Ziyu," Lin He instructed with a faint smile.

The two maids replied with deep deference that they understood, then stood quietly to the side. Lin He smiled, had Ziyu give each of them a small red packet, and then told Ziyu to take them away. Not long after, Ziyu returned and reported that these two maids had been bought by the Second Young Master several months ago, after this courtyard was finished. The elder maid was only ten, and the younger was not yet nine. Both came from poor families with too many children, sold off by their parents. This young maid had never been sold to be a servant before; the older one was slightly better off, having worked in a wealthy household previously before the family fell on hard times, leading to her being sold.