Ziyu watched Lin He looking thoughtful in the courtyard and said, "Miss, are you thinking about matters at home? Are you concerned about Young Master Dabao’s marriage?"

"Yes, but I can't control it now. I don't even know when the date will be set. If things are rushed, we might not even make it back before he marries. I'm just wondering if Mother and Father have arranged everything back home. I'm a little worried about Chen'er and Xiaobao." Lin He looked at Ziyu as she spoke.

Ziyu had been with Lin He for quite some time and naturally understood her concerns. In truth, Ziyu shared similar worries. For years, all household matters had been managed single-handedly by her mistress. The Master and Madam rarely involved themselves, so now that the young master was getting married, they must be overjoyed and too busy with the arrangements to properly oversee everything else, likely forgetting some details.

Furthermore, Ziyu knew that what worried her mistress most was Miss Chen'er. Since the other Xiaobao and the two younger young masters were all boys, there was little chance they would be neglected. But Miss Chen'er was different; she was a daughter. She wasn't yet at an age where such matters were pressing, and moreover, she herself showed little interest in these affairs, making it quite possible she would truly be overlooked.

Although the Miss was not yet married and could still weigh in on household decisions, given her temperament, she would never want the family to descend into conflict over these issues unless absolutely necessary. If things could be settled early, that would certainly be best.

However, seeing how worried Lin He was, Ziyu did not voice her own anxieties. She merely soothed, "Miss, worrying about these things won't help. Let’s return home and see the situation before deciding anything. There will always be a way to resolve it. Besides, even if Young Master Dabao marries, his wife will only be newly arrived. With the Master and Madam, and Young Master Dabao himself, it won't be her turn to call the shots yet."

Lin He sighed. If the new sister-in-law would have no say in the household once she arrived, then what standing would she have to speak up? Yet, what Ziyu said made sense. Perhaps she was overthinking things; better to wait until they were back to address them.

Seeing that Lin He seemed a little relieved, Ziyu steered the conversation elsewhere. "Miss, the chicken soup you instructed me to brew is ready. Shall I send it over to the Second Young Master, or should we ask him to come here?"

"Have him come over. I have a few things I need to ask him as well," Lin He replied.

Since Wen Ningxuan’s body had not fully recovered, and the arrow extraction had caused considerable bleeding, Lin He, along with Ziyu and the others, rotated shifts making various dishes for him to aid his recovery every day.

Not long after, Wen Ningxuan arrived at Lin He's courtyard carrying several ledgers. Upon entering, he saw Lin He sitting alone in the courtyard, propping her head with her hand, lost in thought. Her expression was remarkably fluid—one moment smiling, the next troubled—so much so that she didn't notice Wen Ningxuan approach. He paused beside her without disturbing her, and after a while, Lin He finally realized someone was near. Seeing it was Wen Ningxuan, she asked, "When did you get here? Why are you so silent when you walk?"

Wen Ningxuan smiled helplessly. Clearly, she had been too engrossed in her own thoughts, yet now she was making it sound like his fault. He had spent a significant amount of time in close quarters with Lin He recently, deepening his understanding of her. On the surface, this woman appeared gentle and quiet, but beneath that exterior was a core of fierce stubbornness and an unwillingness to yield. While she usually seemed obedient and demure, prolonged interaction revealed a completely opposite nature—she was quite mischievous, cunning, and sometimes utterly unreasonable. Wen Ningxuan had observed, however, that this behavior was reserved only for him; she would never act this way toward outsiders. He found this quality rather enjoyable.

Through their time together, Wen Ningxuan felt that Lin He not only held vastly different views on many matters but also behaved differently from conventional women. At this time, most ladies, no matter how fierce or sharp-tongued they were outside, transformed into beings of gentle compliance for their husbands at home. He’er, however, was the exact opposite: toward outsiders, she always maintained that placid, well-behaved facade, but when facing him, she could become spirited and combative when angered, like a little cat driven into a frenzy.

Lin He noticed the ledgers in Wen Ningxuan's hands and inquired, "Why so many ledgers to review? You look at them every day—will you ever finish? Ah Xiang told you to rest more; your health hasn't fully returned."

"If we don't have ledgers to review, we'll worry. Besides, my health returned long ago; it wasn't as serious as Ah Xiang made it out to be," Wen Ningxuan said, his mouth curved into a smile.

As they spoke, Ziyu brought in the chicken soup and set it down for Wen Ningxuan, then stood respectfully nearby to serve. Wen Ningxuan picked up the spoon, took a sip, and frowned slightly, asking, "Did He'er not make this soup?"

Lin He mentally rolled her eyes. Did this young master have such a sensitive palate? Today, she had been thinking while Ziyu had merely added some seasoning. Could he really tell the difference? But Lin He truly doubted he could discern it after just one taste, so she deliberately asked, "Yes, I made it. What’s wrong? Does the flavor seem off?"

"It’s a bit too salty," Wen Ningxuan replied, setting the spoon down.

This man’s tongue truly was extraordinary. Indeed, she hadn't added the salt today; she had instructed Ziyu to do it. Ziyu had been with her for so long, and her cooking was decent; she couldn't possibly be that bad. Yet, he tasted it once and immediately knew something was amiss. Were all wealthy men this delicate?

Ziyu, standing nearby, heard Wen Ningxuan’s comment and immediately interjected, "Second Young Master, I am the one who added too much salt. Please wait; I will brew you a fresh bowl."

Lin He glanced at Ziyu, noting the deference she showed Wen Ningxuan—a level of respect she rarely displayed even toward her mistress. And it was just slightly salty; brewing a whole new pot seemed wasteful. Just as she was about to object, she heard Wen Ningxuan say, "No need."

Though he said that, the bowl of chicken soup was set aside and never touched again. Lin He motioned to Ziyu, who took the soup and left. Lin He turned her attention to Wen Ningxuan, who was looking over his ledgers, and asked, "It’s been a while since we checked on the factory construction. How is it progressing? It’s already November."

"It won't take much longer. Why, are you eager to head back?" Wen Ningxuan lifted his head to look at Lin He, then returned his gaze to the accounts.

"Yes. I received a letter from home saying my elder brother might be getting married soon. The date isn't fixed yet, but it will likely be before the New Year. My mother wants me to return early. We'll lose several days on the road, and I’m afraid we won’t make it back in time," Lin He explained.

"Dabao is marrying before the New Year? So soon?" Wen Ningxuan asked, looking slightly surprised.

"Yes, that’s what he wrote in his letter."

"Hmm, good," Wen Ningxuan said, looking up with a smile.