Mrs. Huang paused after saying this, looking at Lin He as if hesitant to speak. Lin He smiled and said, "Mother, what is it you want to say? Is it about what I said to Yunqi's mother today?"

"No, I know you are right about Yunqi's matter. You are a smart child, and everything you do is for the good of the family. I also know Yunqi's mother; she isn't easy to deal with, but the person marrying in is Yunqi, not her. And the demands she made were excessive; we can't just follow her lead on everything. We'll do as you suggested. What worries me now is that Boss Wen and Madam Wen came today. Boss Wen is a good man, but Madam Wen’s attitude seemed rather cold. I wonder if Madam Wen doesn't much care for He'er, perhaps?" Mrs. Huang looked at Lin He.

"Yes, my dear, you are perceptive. I knew something felt off today, and now I see it—it was Madam Wen's demeanor. While she wasn't exactly unhappy, she certainly didn't look pleased either," Er Niu exclaimed, slapping his thigh in sudden realization.

Lin He had certainly noticed Madam Wen's manner today, but she had long been prepared for it. Madam Wen only offered superficial courtesy even to Wen Ningxuan; she certainly wouldn't extend more to Lin He. Lin He had actually thought Madam Wen wouldn't come at all, but it was better that she did, as it showed respect. Lin He didn't much care about her attitude; as long as things appeared civil on the surface, it was sufficient.

After hearing her parents, Lin He smiled faintly and said, "The madams of prominent families are often like this. Their husbands hold the real power, and they must maintain proper decorum when they go out. Besides, you both know Ningxuan isn't her biological son, so naturally, she isn't as invested in his affairs."

Lin He herself wasn't entirely clear on the Wen family's true feelings about this match. Based purely on her own speculation, she knew many people in Wen Ningxuan’s family were likely not pleased with her marrying in. Given Wen Ningxuan's status and appearance, countless young ladies from established families would gladly marry him. If nothing else, there was Ningnuo, whom she'd met before—she had the pedigree and the looks, and she was Madam Wen's goddaughter, meaning Madam Wen certainly wouldn't welcome Lin He marrying Wen Ningxuan. However, these were things she couldn't easily explain to her parents, so she offered vague words to placate them.

Though Mrs. Huang and Er Niu didn't fully understand the Wen family either, they didn't completely accept Lin He's explanation either. Mrs. Huang said with a touch of worry, "He'er, it would be best if things were as you say. I worry for you, though. Even if Madam Wen isn't Ningxuan’s birth mother, Ningxuan still calls her mother. Once you marry in, she will be your mother-in-law. If she treats you poorly or harbors ill intentions, what will you do? Your father and I are truly uneasy."

"It's alright, Ningxuan said he would handle these matters. And although I must call her 'mother-in-law,' they run their household separately; they rarely gather together. Don't worry too much," Lin He softly soothed Mrs. Huang.

"Yes, my dear, what good is worrying now? Are you suggesting He'er shouldn't marry at all? Talking too much will only make He'er more anxious. All we can do is ensure He'er has a grand wedding. Our family home will always be He'er's steadfast support. Furthermore, Boss Wen is very satisfied with He'er, and ultimately, he is the one who calls the shots in their household," Er Niu, being a man, approached matters more rationally.

Mrs. Huang looked at Lin He and nodded. Although still worried, she said no more. Seeing her mother's expression, Lin He didn't wish to dwell on the issue and changed the subject. "Mother, why haven't I seen Third Sister since I returned? How has Third Sister been lately? Has Grandmother been making things difficult for her?"

"Lately, your Grandmother has been better and hasn't troubled your Third Sister-in-law. And Hongxia mentioned recently that she brought up the matter of your Third Sister remarrying to your Grandmother again. While your Grandmother still disagrees, she isn't as agitated as before. I was thinking we could see how things stand after the New Year."

"Mother, let's go see Third Sister this afternoon. I brought back some small gifts for Xiaoshan and Xiaoyun too, and we can deliver them together. We’ll gently probe Third Sister. If she agrees, Father can speak with Li Ping again, and we can finalize things after the New Year. As for Grandmother, we can speak directly to Grandfather. If Grandmother continues to object, it will be harder for her to justify it; if we keep waiting, how many more years do you plan to wait?" Lin He said.

Mrs. Huang stared at Lin He, slightly stunned. She felt her daughter had changed noticeably since her return, as if she had suddenly grown up, truly taking on the air of a responsible adult managing the household. Although she knew her daughter had always been more sensible than others her age, previously, unless absolutely necessary, she would discuss matters with her parents or let them take the lead. She wouldn't state things so directly, and when she did, her tone brooked no argument. Had her daughter encountered something while away? Mrs. Huang thought of the matter Boss Wen mentioned about Wen Ningxuan being injured and asked, "He'er, was Ningxuan hurt when you were in Qinghe County? What happened? Why didn't you ever mention it?"

If Uncle Wen hadn't brought it up today, Lin He hadn't planned to tell her parents at all. The matter inevitably involved that so-called Third Uncle. Speaking too much might upset her father, and she feared her mother would worry excessively, potentially letting it slip out during casual conversations with others. Moreover, Ningxuan hadn't given her the full details; she felt it was best to suppress the information for now, at least until she understood the full extent of it herself. Lin He paused before replying to Mrs. Huang, "It was nothing serious, just some minor injuries related to business matters. It’s all fine now."

"Oh? Business matters? People get hurt over business? It seems even the big cities aren't peaceful. He'er, you should go out less if you can. Mother truly worries," Mrs. Huang said with genuine alarm.

Lin He knew she would react this way, so she didn't press the issue, simply nodding vaguely in agreement. Lin He noticed her father sitting silently for quite some time and asked, "Father, what are you thinking about? Are you still reluctant about Third Sister remarrying?"