Yun Qi looked up at her mother, a familiar discomfort stirring in her chest, and softly urged, "Mother, please stop. I suppose those gift boxes really were unavailable. Taking the pastries back is the same thing; these pastries are quite delicious. When Da Bao sends them over later, just take them, and don't say another word."

Yun Qi's mother shook her head at her daughter. "Daughter, if you continue like this, you will always remain the same in this family, no different from a maid. Perhaps even that maid He'er has more standing in this household. You really must think carefully about what I’ve told you."

Yun Qi sat in silence. In truth, she knew that what her mother demanded today was excessive. Although she wasn't entirely clear about the pastry shop’s business, it was still their family’s enterprise, and she knew a little. She had seen Da Bao calculating accounts at home sometimes.

The pastries at the shop were not cheap. For their family in the past, even during the New Year or major festivals, they would have been reluctant to buy such things; common folk like them could rarely afford such delicacies. Yet her mother was now demanding those elaborate, gift-boxed mooncakes, asking for several boxes right off the bat. It was no wonder the shop had refused; Yun Qi could understand that much.

What made Yun Qi uneasy was that Da Bao could have spoken to her mother more gently. Even if he wasn't showing deference to her mother, he should have at least saved face for Yun Qi by letting her mother down easier. Furthermore, this was her mother’s first visit to the pastry shop, and Da Bao had sent her packing. What was the harm in her mother sitting there for a while? Was such a large place really going to be disturbed by her presence?

Yun Qi and Da Bao had been together for quite some time now. Setting aside the wedding night, Da Bao had treated her reasonably well throughout this period; the couple could be described as mutually respectful.

But Yun Qi always felt something was missing from Da Bao’s treatment of her. Initially, she hadn't known why, as she had never experienced these things before, nor did she know how a couple ought to interact to be considered good. However, since coming to the town recently and observing the dynamic between the Second Young Master and He'er, Yun Qi was beginning to understand. The Second Young Master was not only meticulous and gentle with He'er, but the way he looked at her was laden with so much meaning. Yun Qi didn't know how to articulate it, but she knew that Da Bao’s gaze toward her lacked all of that.

Moreover, when her mother visited today, although Da Bao maintained all the outward propriety, it was nothing more than surface etiquette; he had absolutely no patience. Her mother had only said a few things, and Da Bao grew impatient. Da Bao wasn't usually like this; he was generally very patient with his family. No matter how much his own mother chided him, he never reacted this way. Did this imply that Da Bao was indifferent to her, and therefore indifferent to her family as well?

Take the Second Young Master, for instance; he never treated his mother-in-law with such scant patience. Whatever needed doing in the household, the Second Young Master never showed a hint of annoyance, always executing tasks happily for the family. But Da Bao?

Seeing Yun Qi remain silent, her mother also stopped speaking, only letting out continuous sighs from the side. After they sat in the room for a while, the maid by Yun Qi’s side, Zi Su, came in to announce that the Eldest Young Master had already sent the pastries over; they were all loaded onto the carriage waiting at the gate, ready to take the in-law grandmother home.

Yun Qi and her mother quickly went to the room to retrieve the items purchased that day. In the room, Yun Qi’s mother didn't say much more, only urging Yun Qi to visit her maternal home when she had time, mentioning that her two younger sisters often missed her. Yun Qi nodded, helped her mother carry the goods to the carriage, and saw her off.

Returning home, Lin He and Chen’er were both sitting by the pavilion, engaged in embroidery. Yun Qi walked over, still feeling unsettled, and sat down by the pavilion without moving. Lin He looked up and smiled. "Sister-in-law, what’s wrong? Are you missing your family? Sad to see Auntie leave?"

Yun Qi shook her head. "No, just a little vexed."

"Is it about the mooncake gift boxes from today?" Lin He paused her needlework and inquired.

"Not entirely. I know my mother asked for too much today. Da Bao wasn't wrong; they couldn't produce all that at once."

"Oh? Then what is it?" Lin He watched Yun Qi.

Yun Qi shook her head, then after a long pause, spoke again. "He'er, I want to ask you something. Don't lie to me, alright?"

"Mm, go ahead."

"When your eldest brother married me, was it something he agreed to of his own volition?" Yun Qi asked, looking straight into Lin He’s eyes.

Lin He’s hand, busy with embroidery, froze for a beat. A moment later, she raised her head and smiled at Yun Qi. "Of course, he agreed to it himself. Who could force someone into something like that? What's wrong, is Eldest Brother treating you poorly?"

"No, he treats me very well. But I always feel like something is missing. I feel like, after being married into this family for so long, Da Bao hasn't truly regarded me as his wife. He rarely speaks to me; perhaps I speak more to you all each day than I do to him. I never know what he’s thinking. It feels like he’s hiding so much inside," Yun Qi said as she recalled their time together.

Lin He looked at Yun Qi, unsure how to answer. In truth, Lin He had noticed these things too. Da Bao had been decent to Yun Qi lately, fulfilling the duties a husband owed a wife, but he never seemed to invest emotion in her—no, to be precise, there was some emotion, but it lacked that intimate connection between a married couple.

Any woman, no matter how slow to realize things, would sense her husband’s attitude towards her to some degree. The fact that Yun Qi only now voiced this question showed her patience was considerable; likely, Da Bao’s treatment of her mother today had truly bothered Yun Qi.

Although Yun Qi’s mother had been overly demanding today, Lin He could empathize with Yun Qi. If a man truly loves you, he will be good to your family. Look at Wen Ningxuan: from the first time they met until now, that proud and aloof man treated his parents with utmost respect and managed to get along easily with his siblings. This is the manifestation of a man’s love for a woman; because he loves her, he will treat her family as his own, respecting and cherishing them.

Da Bao today had certainly lacked patience with Yun Qi’s mother, but Lin He found it difficult to intervene too deeply in these matters. She did not want to feed Yun Qi lies. She felt that Yun Qi sharing this wasn't a request for her to speak to Da Bao, but purely a need to confide. Yet, she certainly couldn't tell the unvarnished truth.

After thinking it over, she could only offer comfort. "Sister-in-law, you know my eldest brother. He’s not good with words, and he speaks little even with us. He’s been like this since childhood. In reality, he cares for you deeply. After being together for so long, you must understand his nature."

Yun Qi glanced at Lin He, said nothing, but nodded softly. (To be continued)

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