Having processed Uncle Wen's words, Lin He let the matter go and didn't dwell on it. Her family didn't bring it up again either. Lin He spent her days with Chen'er in the courtyard, embroidering her dowry, while Chen'er helped with smaller items like silk scarves and sachets.

Soon, it was early May. On this day, Da Bao returned to say the house in town was completely ready. The decoration had actually finished a while ago, and the furniture was moved in long since, but Lin He had insisted that since they weren't rushing to live there, a newly decorated house needed time to air out. They had waited almost two months. Da Bao reported that the lingering smells had mostly dissipated, and they could move in anytime.

Er Niu and Huang Shi figured that the busy farming season was approaching, and there were many things at home requiring their attention, so they claimed they couldn't spare the time to visit. They told Lin He that if she and the others liked the place, they should just go live there and take a few maids from home to attend to their needs.

During this period, Lin He noticed a change in Huang Shi compared to before. The woman who used to be unconcerned with household details had slowly taken over everything at home over the last few months.

She said that He'er wouldn't be staying home much longer anyway. Once she went to the Wen family, it was unlikely she’d have an easy time. Since she had this rare chance to stay with her natal family for a while, she should just relax and enjoy it. When she had nothing else to do, she should take Chen'er and Yun Qi to walk around the hills—it was spring and summer now, and the hillsides were covered with vibrant flowers, and the fruit trees were blossoming. Huang Shi added that Lin He always loved that place most, so she should have a good time while she could and not worry about things at home.

Lin He knew her mother was trying to spare her worry and prevent her from overexerting herself. Although she had been uneasy at first, Huang Shi had managed the household quite well over these past months and had grown adept at handling things. Moreover, she seemed to have settled into this routine. While Lin He didn't entirely approve of some of her methods, she understood that right or wrong, her mother would ultimately be the one making the decisions for this family going forward.

Everyone had a different way of doing things; she couldn't expect every minute detail to align with her own perspective. As long as there were no major errors in principle, Lin He let her handle matters. It was like teaching a child; sometimes you had to let them make a mistake once before they truly learned the right way to proceed next time.

Xiao Bao watched Chen'er getting to go with her elder sister and sister-in-law to town and felt quite envious. However, a school for Xiao Bao in town had not yet been arranged. Lin He told him to wait a while longer at home; she had already arranged for someone to find him a good school, and then he could attend every day. She just warned him not to complain about being bored once he started.

Lin He and the others weren't planning on staying in town for just a day or two; they packed a good amount of belongings to take with them. The next day, each person carried two large bundles, plus the necessary attendants: Zi Yu, Chen'er’s Zihuan, and a young maid for Yun Qi named Zisu. The people plus the luggage nearly overloaded the carriage.

Before leaving, Huang Shi gave Lin He a final set of instructions: "He'er, once you are in town, take good care of yourselves. Don't run around aimlessly if you don't need to. And if you happen to encounter the Wen family members, make sure no unpleasant incidents happen again." Lin He nodded.

Huang Shi then turned to instruct Chen'er, "Chen'er, since you are going with your big sister, you must listen to her. Don't neglect your daily tasks. Most importantly, do not buy random things. If I see you bring back another pile of nonsense, you won't be going to town again!"

Chen'er rolled her eyes at this, said nothing, but nodded her agreement. When it was Yun Qi's turn, Huang Shi smiled broadly and said, "Yun Qi, I won't say much more. Everything that needed to be said, I already told you last night."

Yun Qi, remembering her mother-in-law’s words from the previous evening, instantly flushed crimson. After a few more reminders, Huang Shi finally allowed them to set off for town. In the carriage, Chen'er looked at Yun Qi curiously and asked, "Big Sister-in-law, what did Mother tell you last night? Why was Mother so serious when talking to us, but so cheerful when talking to you? Was it some happy news?"

Yun Qi, already embarrassed, turned an even deeper shade of red that threatened to bleed when Chen'er questioned her so directly. Seeing Yun Qi's state, Lin He flicked Chen'er’s forehead lightly and said, "Why are you such a busybody, little girl? Must you inquire about everything? What Mother told Big Sister-in-law has nothing to do with you. You have time to practice your embroidery; focus less on meddling in other people's affairs."

Chen'er rubbed her head, glanced at Lin He, and dared not speak again. The maids nearby couldn't help but chuckle at Chen'er’s reaction. However, Chen'er didn't mind or feel slighted; Big Sister often scolded her like this, and she was used to it. Being a child at heart, she didn't feel any shame; the maids had seen this dynamic many times before.

Lin He smiled faintly at her, then glanced at Yun Qi sitting beside her. She figured her mother's entire talk was about having grandchildren, but judging by her tone, she seemed to have spoken to Yun Qi specifically about something. In truth, Lin He was a little curious how her mother had broached the subject—just how explicit had the conversation been?

The carriage ride to Tianxin Town was quick, taking little more than half an hour. As the carriage approached the house, Lin He saw, in the distance outside the gate, not only Da Bao, but also the long-unseen Wen Ningxuan.

That fellow Wen Ningxuan was dressed in a sky-blue woven silk robe with embroidered trim, cinched at the waist with a jade belt and adorned with jade pendants. His dark hair was neatly tied up with a jade coronet. His expression was as cool and aloof as ever. Watching the carriage speed toward them, a faint, chrysanthemum-like smile touched the corner of his lips. Lin He felt a tiny pang of jealousy—how could this man always look so handsome? But mostly, she felt surprised; she hadn't expected him to return so soon. His last message, sent via messenger, suggested he would be gone for several more days.

After alighting, seeing Wen Ningxuan made Lin He realize just how much she had missed him recently. When he wasn't there, she almost couldn't recall his exact appearance. It was true; sometimes when you miss someone too deeply, you genuinely forget what they look like. But the moment you see them, you realize that face has long been etched into your heart, impossible to forget.

The first thing Lin He noticed upon seeing Wen Ningxuan was that he looked thinner, and she felt a pang of heartache that he hadn't taken better care of himself. She reasoned that perhaps matters on his end had been overwhelming, which explained why he had been gone for so long—nearly half a year.

However, Wen Ningxuan’s first impression upon seeing Lin He was that his He'er had grown taller. She used to only reach his chest, but now she was almost at his shoulder, and she seemed a bit leaner. Though she had always been slender, she used to have a slight baby fat on her cheeks. That baby fat was gone now; the chin beneath her oval face had become sharper, and a pair of large eyes stared back at him. Instantly, Wen Ningxuan felt the fatigue from days of travel vanish completely.

The maids nearby came forward to bow to Wen Ningxuan. Da Bao urged eagerly, "He'er, hurry! Ask Ningxuan to come in! Ningxuan returned early this morning and hasn't even gone home yet. Let's go inside first so Ningxuan can rest; he must be tired after traveling so many days."