Lin He chided Wen Ningxuan with a playful pout after hearing Da Bao, "After such a long journey, why not rest first? I'm not just visiting for a day or two; I'll be here much more often now. Why don't you go back and rest, and come see me again when you’re refreshed?"

Wen Ningxuan looked at Lin He and smiled. He felt that her attitude toward him this time was subtly different from before. He couldn't quite pinpoint it, but the old He wouldn't have looked at him so intently, nor would she have expressed such obvious concern, especially not in front of others.

Lin He noticed the hint of amusement in Wen Ningxuan’s eyes and glanced at the others nearby, a blush rising on her face. She cleared her throat as a diversion and called out, "Big Brother, weren't we coming inside? Hurry up! There are still so many things to unpack."

Da Bao and the others followed, faces touched with subtle smiles, walking into the house. Lin He walked alongside Wen Ningxuan as they entered the courtyard. Wen Ningxuan said, smiling, "He'er, what made you decide to buy a residence in town? You never mentioned it during the New Year."

"Oh, it was a sudden thought," Lin He replied. "Mostly, it was to accommodate the family. This house is close to the pastry shop, which makes things more convenient."

"Show me around?" Seeing Da Bao and the others leading the maids into the deeper courtyard, Wen Ningxuan reached out and took Lin He's hand, which was resting at her side.

Lin He didn't object, allowing him to hold her hand. Wen Ningxuan’s palm was warm and dry. Lin He gently curled her fingers around his and led him into the yard, chattering excitedly about the day she bought the house, the ideas she had for decorating it, and everything that had happened while he was away.

Lin He never realized she could be so talkative. In the past, when she saw friends detailing every little thing to their boyfriends, Lin He had always thought those girls were too clingy and rather looked down on it. Yet, without realizing it, she had become one of those attached young women, and she was only just noticing now.

Wen Ningxuan listened with a gentle smile, occasionally interjecting to discuss a point or offer advice. After touring the entire house, Lin He took him to the small huāpǔ (flower garden) in the yard. Since the house was finished, Lin He had deliberately taken time to completely replant and reorganize the garden beds. Standing before it, Wen Ningxuan felt the small garden added significant charm to the residence. It was not only refreshing but gave one the sense of being in a secluded paradise. His He'er was so capable; she could do everything.

The huāpǔ was clearly tended with great care by Lin He. She had painstakingly enclosed the area with flagstones and planted several varieties of flowers. At this season, the blossoms were at their most brilliant, truly beautiful, lending an air of elegance to the entire property. Lin He paused before the flowerbeds, then turned to Wen Ningxuan with a bright smile, "Is the huāpǔ nice? I spent so much time getting all these flowers moved over from home."

Wen Ningxuan gazed at Lin He’s cheeks. Her eyes were stunning; when she smiled, they looked like crescents of the moon. Her nose was straight and slightly upturned, giving her a playful air, and her lips were the color of rose petals. Wen Ningxuan found it almost impossible to look away. Gazing at her, he couldn't help but pull Lin He close into his embrace, whispering softly by her ear, "If you love tending a huāpǔ like this, then marry me sooner. I’ll build you a massive garden back home to manage, as long as it pleases you."

Lin He smiled but didn't answer, leaning her head against his shoulder. She inhaled the faint scent of mint on him and felt how wonderful it was to have him near. This moment offered a sense of security deeper than any other.

After a moment, Lin He noticed Zi Yu walking toward them in the distance and gently pushed Wen Ningxuan away, whispering, "Zi Yu is coming."

Wen Ningxuan released Lin He and took two steps back. Zi Yu had spotted them from afar and approached with a slight smile. "Miss, shall we dine here for lunch or go to the pastry shop? If it’s here, I’ll take Zi Huan and the others to buy groceries. Oh, right, Miss Chen’er said she needed to see you."

Lin He noted the warmth in the maid Zi Yu’s expression and glanced at her. "We’ll eat here. There are too many people; it would be inconvenient at the pastry shop. See if there’s anything else you need to buy, and take Zi Huan and the others to get it."

After Zi Yu left, Lin He asked Wen Ningxuan to wait in the small pavilion in the courtyard while she went to see what the maid Chen’er wanted.

As Lin He approached the house, she overheard Chen’er complaining. She said that since Zi Huan had gone to the kitchen, she couldn't find where anything was stored. Although the courtyard was large, the rooms were slightly smaller than those at home, and Chen’er had brought so many miscellaneous things that the house was completely piled up and disorganized.

Lin He shook her head with amusement, realizing the girl was truly a pampered young lady who needed servants for everything. Chen’er immediately grabbed Lin He’s hand upon seeing her enter, smiling ingratiatingly. "Big Sister, you’ve come at the perfect time! I have so many things with nowhere to put them. Will you help me organize them?"

Lin He glanced into the room. It was a chaotic mess. Clothes in the wardrobe weren't even folded, just stuffed into a bundle that occupied more than half the space, explaining why she had no room. Lin He pointed to Chen’er’s head with exasperation. "You’re a grown person; how much can you actually manage? Come here, take everything out, and I’ll show you how to fold it. Next time, do it this way. Even though we have maids, you should handle things within your own capability."

Chen’er pouted but reluctantly pulled out the bundle and other items. Following the folding method Lin He demonstrated, she neatly stacked everything. Once finished, the room suddenly seemed quite spacious and orderly. Chen’er was delighted, exclaiming that she never realized she could be so capable. Lin He couldn’t help but laugh and walked back outside.

When Lin He and Chen’er reached the courtyard, Da Bao had also come out and was chatting with Wen Ningxuan. They seemed to be discussing something serious, as Da Bao’s face appeared somewhat stern, while Wen Ningxuan maintained his usual cool composure, revealing nothing. Chen’er started to move toward them, but Lin He held her back, saying that Zi Yu and the other maids should have returned with the groceries by now, and they should go help them prepare the meal.

At noon, Lin He, Chen’er, and the maids prepared a feast of dishes Lin He had recently researched and perfected. When the group sat down to eat, Lin He announced that they should treat it as a housewarming dinner. Seeing the spread, Chen’er remarked, "We should have asked Little Mo brother to come. He loves Big Sister’s cooking the most." (To be continued)