Wen Ningxuan led Lin He along the path. Along the way, Lin He couldn't help but scrutinize the place where she would spend the rest of her life. She couldn't tell if Wen Ningxuan had redecorated the courtyard, but everything, from the objects to the layout, was exactly to her liking.

The more she looked, the more she loved it, wishing she could stop and take a proper look at the entire place. Seeing the smile on Lin He’s face, Wen Ningxuan beside her lowered his voice and said, “Let’s go pay respects to Father and the others first. I’ll take you on a proper tour when we get back.

I guarantee you’ll love it.” Lin He glanced at Wen Ningxuan with a smile and nodded. After leaving Wen Ningxuan’s courtyard, Lin He understood why he had warned her not to get lost. If she were left to navigate this place alone, she would surely get lost even ten times over.

They passed through winding corridors and around artificial lakes, twisting through countless turns before she finally heard Wen Ningxuan say, “We’re here.” As Lin He followed Wen Ningxuan into the main hall, she was startled to find it full of people. She knew Wen Ningxuan’s family was large, but she hadn't expected quite so many. The main hall, spanning dozens of square meters, was packed, giving Lin He the feeling of being in a high-level corporate meeting.

The two people seated at the head of the room, directly facing the entrance, were one, Old Man Wen—oh wait, now she had to call him Father—and the other was not Madam Wen, but an elderly woman, presumably Old Madam Wen, Wen Ningxuan’s grandmother. Although the old woman’s hair was silver and her face bore the traces of time, her spirit was sharp. Coupled with her refined attire, she didn't appear the least bit aged.

The moment Lin He walked in, the old woman’s eyes locked onto her. If Lin He hadn’t been mentally prepared beforehand, she surely would have become much more nervous. The two sides of the room were also filled with people, seated in two rows.

Judging by their ages, they were likely Wen Ningxuan’s uncles and aunts, with their families seated behind them. Wen Ningxuan must have sensed the tension radiating from the person beside him, squeezing her small hand to signal that he was there. For some inexplicable reason, Lin He felt a surge of calm and offered Wen Ningxuan a smile.

Their subtle interaction was likely noticed by everyone in the room. Old Man Wen saw them approach and said with a smile, “Xuan’er, He’er, come, come over. First, pay respects to your Grandmother and serve her tea.” Wen Ningxuan led Lin He forward.

Immediately, a servant brought over kneeling cushions and tea. Wen Ningxuan gently pulled Lin He down onto a cushion, and together they presented the tea to Old Madam Wen seated before them. The old woman looked at Lin He, said nothing, accepted the tea, took a small sip, and motioned for them to rise.

“Is my Xuan’er’s wife named He’er?” “Yes, Grandmother,” Lin He replied demurely, keeping her eyes lowered. “Mmm, He’er, from now on you are part of the Wen family. You must live well with Xuan’er.

Our family is quite different from your mother’s household. You must adapt quickly to our rules, do you understand?” the old woman said, watching Lin He intently. “Yes, Grandmother,” she responded obediently.

The old woman studied Lin He for a moment, nodded, and then gestured for the matron beside her to hand over a wooden box. Lin He glanced at Wen Ningxuan, who smiled and said, “It’s Grandmother’s gift to welcome you. Just accept it.” Lin He quickly reached out and took the box, saying, “Thank you, Grandmother.” Then, she signaled for Zi Qing, who was standing behind her, to bring out the gifts she had prepared earlier.

One gift was an embroidery piece depicting ‘Longevity of the Pine and Crane,’ which Lin He had stitched herself. The other was a wooden box containing a special balm Lin He had formulated recently—a balm different from any she had made before. This balm had been specially reformulated just before her wedding.

It served a purpose similar to modern perfume: applying it left a faint, pleasant scent that lasted longer than her previous versions, and the packaging was exquisitely beautiful. The balm wasn’t yet available on the market. Lin He had concocted it specifically for the Wen family, thinking that all women enjoyed such things, and since she was new to this place, having extra gifts on hand was always wise.

As the saying went, one cannot go wrong with generosity. Indeed, the old woman took the gifts and opened them immediately. Her face softened into a slight smile as she examined the embroidery.

“Did He’er stitch this herself?” “Yes, Grandmother. It is not particularly well done, I hope Grandmother will not find it lacking,” Lin He said softly. “Mmm, very good.

The stitching is fine and dense, more delicate than what is sold in the markets,” she said, motioning for someone beside her to put the embroidery away. Then, she glanced toward the wooden box next to it, and the matron next to her quickly opened it. Upon opening the wooden box, the old woman’s eyes lit up.

Inside the large box were many smaller boxes—twelve in total, each of a different color. The boxes themselves were carved into shapes resembling seashells, remarkably exquisite. “Xuan’er’s wife, what is this?” the old woman asked Lin He.

Lin He politely and meticulously explained the purpose of the balm to the old woman. She also told her that the twelve boxes of balm each represented a month, crafted from flowers in season during that month, resulting in twelve distinct fragrances. She assured her they could be applied anywhere on the body without causing skin irritation.

As she spoke, Lin He opened one of the boxes and dabbed a small amount onto the back of the old woman’s wrist. Though the scent was subtle, the moment it was opened, the entire room filled with its fragrance. Everyone present widened their eyes and looked over when they saw the small wooden boxes.

Even Wen Ningxuan showed a flicker of surprise. He had never seen such things before. These items appeared far superior to anything she produced at Caidie Xuan, yet he had never heard her mention them.

Old Man Wen, watching the display, was initially surprised, but after a moment, he nodded with satisfaction, smiling as he said, “Mother, this was made specifically for you by He’er. This is likely one-of-a-kind in the world; even Caidie Xuan doesn't sell anything like it. He’er truly put her heart into this.” Hearing Old Man Wen’s words, the old woman broke into a smile.

She then signaled for her attendants to put the items away and nodded at Lin He with clear approval. Next, it was time to serve tea to Old Man Wen. If Old Man Wen had been satisfied with Lin He before, then after observing her demeanor just now, his satisfaction could be described as absolute.

Throughout the tea presentation, Old Man Wen was constantly smiling warmly at Lin He, making her feel that he was no different from the shop steward she had met previously. Furthermore, after drinking the tea, Old Man Wen did not speak much, not even offering the usual platitudes about taking good care of Wen Ningxuan in the future. He merely remarked that since Lin He was new, there would inevitably be things she found unfamiliar, instructing Wen Ningxuan to look after her well.

Then, he handed Lin He a piece of jade before allowing them to rise. Lin He had studied jade for a long time but was still unable to discern its quality accurately. However, she assumed that anything Old Man Wen presented would be valuable.

The jade felt warm in her hand and was crystal clear; it was undoubtedly a fine piece.