Lin He nodded, and she, Wen Ningxuan, Little Bao, and Chen'er, followed by Ziyu and Ling Xiao, set out for the street in a grand procession. It was Chen'er's and Little Bao's first time here, and they were thrilled by how vast it was, especially seeing so many things they couldn't find back home.

Chen'er's eyes lit up looking at the wares; her inner shopaholic immediately surfaced. She bought everything she liked, leaving no stall untouched. Little Bao, though drawn to the toy stalls, only sought Lin He's opinion on items he truly adored, asking which ones were necessary purchases. Seeing his happiness and rewarding his thoughtfulness, Lin He selected several things he liked for him.

Originally, Lin He was happy seeing the two little ones delighted, but Chen'er's unrestrained shopping was giving her a headache. Having finally seen some small success in lecturing Chen'er previously, Lin He looked at Wen Ningxuan and shook her head. Wen Ningxuan smiled and said, "Let them be. I don't get to come out with them often. Besides, they’ll just say I, their brother-in-law, am stingy." Wen Ningxuan whispered the last part softly into Lin He's ear.

Hearing this, a blush rose on Lin He's face. She merely glanced at Wen Ningxuan. She supposed he was right; this wasn't the place to discipline Chen'er, and since Wen Ningxuan was accompanying them today, she would indulge her just this once, lecturing her properly later upon their return.

They browsed from afternoon until nightfall, and everyone was quite tired. Lin He called Chen'er and Little Bao home. After ensuring Wen Ningxuan stayed for dinner, Lin He sent him back to his courtyard, anticipating he likely had matters to attend to.

A full day of shopping was genuinely exhausting; Lin He felt that browsing the marketplace was indeed a feat of endurance. In contrast, Chen'er and Little Bao were still buzzing with energy back in the courtyard. Chen'er even declared they should go again tomorrow. Lin He flicked her forehead with her finger. "Go again tomorrow? If you keep shopping like this, you’ll empty Big Sister’s coffers! No going tomorrow. You need to sort through these bags first."

Chen'er pouted. "Big Sister, this isn't your money. Brother Xuan bought this for me. Brother Xuan said we can go anytime we like what we see."

Lin He inwardly rolled her eyes. This girl certainly knew how to win favors. Making such promises to Chen'er, he clearly hadn't witnessed Chen'er's shopping prowess yet. Moreover, Wen Ningxuan was a spendthrift himself; while she tried to curb Chen'er’s bad habit, he was indulging it. She resolved that Wen Ningxuan, too, would need a serious talking-to tomorrow.

Lin He felt this trend in Chen'er absolutely could not be allowed to continue. Her expression hardened, and she spoke sternly, "It’s not about whose money it is. It’s about your behavior. I brought you here so you could see more places and broaden your horizons, not to buy things wantonly. This behavior must stop immediately. Whether it’s Brother Xuan or anyone else, this bad habit must change. If I catch you shopping wildly like this again, I will not be lenient. Look, Little Bao shows more self-control than you."

"Besides, Brother Xuan has work to do. He can't spend every day taking us out to play, or where will the money come from to buy you all this? Do you think everyone is like you, oblivious to the fact that money must be earned through hard work? Next time you shop recklessly, I’ll send you out to work for people so you learn how difficult it is to earn money."

"That's right, Second Sister, you are too thoughtless," Little Bao chimed in, acting much older than his years. "Look at all this stuff you bought; it’s so childish. The Eldest Young Masters probably won't even play with it. I don't know why you bought it. What a waste."

Chen'er pouted and tapped Little Bao’s head. "What business is it of yours? Look at all the things you bought. You only know how to criticize others."

Watching Little Bao and Chen'er bicker, Lin He laughed. Ziyu, standing nearby, chuckled as well. "Young Master Little Bao has certainly become sensible. Hearing you speak, someone who didn't know better might think you were older than Miss Chen'er."

Little Bao laughed, shooting a smug look at Chen'er, who responded with an air of disdain and turned to fiddle with her purchases. Lin He used to watch Chen'er and Little Bao squabble daily back home and hadn't thought much of it, but after not seeing the two little ones for so long, their sparring brought her unexpected joy.

For the next few days Chen'er and Little Bao stayed, Lin He finally stopped feeling bored. In the mornings, she had Little Bao read and review his lessons indoors. She would then take Chen'er to practice embroidery or teach her how to cook a few simple dishes. Chen'er proved much more naturally gifted at cooking than embroidery. Once taught the steps, she generally remembered them, though she struggled with regulating the heat and mastering spice measurements. With time to practice, she could certainly improve—at least they had discovered one of Chen'er's strengths.

One day, Lin He was with Chen'er and Ziyu doing embroidery. Lin He observed Chen'er's work and saw definite improvement. It seemed Chen'er truly kept her promises and hadn't let things slide just because Lin He was away. Watching Chen'er’s needlework, Lin He smiled. "It seems you have put in the effort these past few days I was gone. Look, your embroidery is getting much better. Soon you’ll catch up to Big Sister, and then Big Sister will have one less chore to worry about."

"Mmm, Big Sister, I practice every day. For anything I don't know, I ask Ziqing to teach me. If I promise you something, I will do it wholeheartedly. Don't worry about me anymore," Chen'er replied with surprising maturity.

Lin He looked at Chen'er with deep satisfaction. "Chen'er has finally grown sensible. Big Sister can worry less now, and I won't have to keep thinking about you while I’m doing things."

"Big Sister, you won't be as busy when you go back. Mother always talked about how much work there was managing the household when you weren't here. She said you’ve truly worked hard managing things all these years. She mentioned that once Eldest Sister-in-law arrives, you can finally rest for a while. You only need to focus on your own affairs and getting along well with Brother Xuan. Eldest Sister-in-law will handle the household management. Then you’ll have time at home to take us out to play," Chen'er said, blinking her bright, clear eyes.

Hearing Chen'er's words, a pang of sorrow hit Lin He. Yes, once Eldest Sister-in-law married in, things at home would indeed change. If Mother stepped down from managing the household, it was only natural that Eldest Sister-in-law would take over. Lin He wasn't clinging to the authority or wealth of managing the household, but hearing it still brought a sourness to her heart. Now, she finally understood what people meant in her past life when they talked about the sudden, jarring feeling of being classified as 'someone else’s person' by their own maternal family.