Lin He glanced at Madam Huang but said nothing, thinking the same thing herself. Madam Huang muttered beside her, "If it were Xiao Mo, forget it. I already married one daughter off to the Wen family; I absolutely won't let this daughter marry in there either. My daughters weren't born for the Wen family’s sake..."

Madam Huang grumbled for a long time, her voice fading until she walked away. Lin He sighed, setting her needlework aside, and told Ziyu to call Chen'er over. Ziyu acknowledged the order and immediately left.

Not long after, Chen'er arrived. She cautiously looked at Lin He upon entering, knowing she had been excessively angry and thrown things earlier. Fearing a scolding, she checked her older sister's expression first. Seeing no anger on the Elder Sister's face, she stepped inside and asked, "Elder Sister, why did you ask Ziyu to call me here?"

"Come, Chen'er, sit next to your Elder Sister. I have something to say to you," Lin He said, patting the stool beside her.

Lin He watched Chen'er approach and began, "Chen'er, Mother just mentioned arranging your betrothal. Why did you get so angry? You don't even know who it is, so why say you refuse the match?"

"Elder Sister, I..." Chen'er paused, then said, "I just don't want Mother arranging my marriage. I want to marry someone I fancy, just like you did, Elder Sister."

"Do you have someone you fancy now, Chen'er? You'll be thirteen right after the New Year. You must know that girls your age should be getting engaged. If you wait a few more years, it will be hard to find a suitable match," Lin He said softly, fixing her gaze on Chen'er.

Chen'er lowered her head and remained silent. Lin He observed her; a trace of shyness touched the girl's face, and she pursed her lips as if hesitant to speak. It seemed the girl genuinely harbored a secret affection.

Seeing Chen'er wouldn't speak, Lin He smiled and said, "If you won't tell me, then let Elder Sister guess. If I guess correctly, you must admit it, alright?"

Chen'er still made no sound. Lin He paused, then deliberately spoke, "I guess the person you favor is Er Gouzi, isn't it?"

Hearing this, Chen'er immediately looked up and retorted, "No, Elder Sister! Er Gouzi and I just play together sometimes; I don't like him."

"That’s strange. I thought you got along quite well with Er Gouzi. Everyone in the household says Er Gouzi treats you well. I think Er Gouzi is a decent fellow too. You’ve grown up playing together, so if you don't like him, who is it? You don't know any other boys." Lin He feigned curiosity.

"Elder Sister, you sound just like Mother! Does playing with Er Gouzi mean I have to like him? I know other people besides him!" Chen'er immediately argued back at Lin He's words.

"Other people? Who else? The others you play with—Yuan Bao, Xiao Shan—they are all from our own family. Is there anyone else suitable in the village? Who is it?" Lin He pretended to forget about Xiao Mo, watching how Chen'er would react.

As expected, upon hearing Lin He say that, Chen'er immediately exclaimed loudly, "Elder Sister, it's not anyone from the village! Stop guessing; you'll never get it right."

With Chen'er's response, Lin He was now certain that the person Chen'er liked was Xiao Mo. But should she bring it up? Lin He hesitated. If she didn't mention it, the girl would remain shy and certainly wouldn't confess directly. However, Lin He feared that if she laid the matter bare, given Chen'er's temperament, the girl might think, Well, everyone knows now, and become even more unrestrained.

Lin He thought for a moment and intentionally said, "Oh, that's right. Since I can't guess, I won't guess anymore. But if you don't tell me now, and when Mother sets a date for your engagement, don't come crying to me to intercede for you."

"I won't agree to the engagement anyway. Mother can't force me," Chen'er replied without fear. She had seen how engagements worked in the family; Father and Mother had never truly forced anyone.

Silence settled between them. After a long pause, Lin He picked up the embroidery on the table again, casually remarking, "Ziyu, did the snow outside stop?"

"Miss, not yet. The snow seems to be getting heavier. Ah, this cursed weather this year is truly too cold; we've already had several big snowfalls," Ziyu complained softly.

"Yes, if this snow doesn't stop, when can we go back home for the New Year? Oh, right, what kind of New Year's gifts should I send to the Wen family? The others in the Wen family are easy; I can send some pastries or fragrant balms. But for Uncle Wen and Xiao Mo, I want to send something special. What do you think I should send?" Lin He spoke while observing Chen'er's expression.

Indeed, Chen'er, who had been working on her embroidery, froze noticeably when she heard Xiao Mo's name. She immediately looked up and asked, "Elder Sister, will Brother Xiao Mo be back for the New Year?"

Lin He knew Xiao Mo probably wouldn't return for the New Year. Bringing him up suddenly was purely to test Chen'er's reaction. Seeing Chen'er so tense, Lin He said nothing more, just stared quietly at her. Chen'er met her gaze, her face instantly flushed crimson, and she fell silent again.

Lin He sighed and decided to confront the issue directly. "Chen'er, the person you like is Xiao Mo, isn't it?"

"Elder Sister," Chen'er cried out, slightly annoyed and ashamed.

Lin He didn't reply. After a long moment, she spoke earnestly, "Chen'er, if you like Xiao Mo, Elder Sister advises you to think seriously. The Wen family might not be suitable for you. Of course, first and foremost, I know that once feelings take root, you often cannot stop them. If you can still pull yourself away now, then don't sink any deeper."

"Perhaps you disagree with Elder Sister’s view right now. Maybe you're thinking, why can you be with Brother Xuan, yet I can't like Xiao Mo? Let me tell you this: the Wen family is not right for you, and Xiao Mo is not right for you either."

Chen'er looked at Lin He, her eyes filled with uncomprehending doubt.

Lin He gently adjusted the hairpin in Chen'er's hair and said softly, "Chen'er, Elder Sister cannot be certain if you truly like Xiao Mo, perhaps even you yourself are unsure if it counts as liking him. But if you trust your Elder Sister, sever this thought. Love isn't simply about how good you are to each other so you can stay together. You need to consider more deeply whether the other person's various aspects fit you, and whether you can bear the bad things that might come if you are together, do you understand?"

Lin He originally wanted to mention some specific matters concerning the Wen family, but she feared that the more she said, the more it might ignite a spark of rebellion in the girl's heart, potentially turning uncertain feelings into solid realities. She hoped Chen'er would use her own eyes to see and her own heart to feel what Lin He was telling her.

Lin He looked at Chen'er, stroked her head, and said, "Chen'er, remember this: no one in this world wishes you well more than your Elder Sister. I'm not demanding anything of you, but I hope you will think deeply about what I've told you, understood?"

Chen'er looked at Lin He and nodded.

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