Lin He had Zi Qing present the gifts prepared that morning. For Uncle Wen, Lin He truly struggled to decide what to offer, so she settled on purchasing a rather expensive snuff bottle from an antique shop, which she then housed in a wooden box she had designed herself.

The box was crafted at Uncle Li’s home, and the carving was done by Xiao Shan while Lin He supervised. Unsure of Uncle Wen’s tastes, Lin He devised a plan: she had Wen Ning Xuan draw a portrait of Uncle Wen, which was then meticulously carved onto the box by Xiao Shan. Xiao Shan’s craftsmanship was excellent; the likeness of Uncle Wen etched onto the wood was strikingly vivid.

When Uncle Wen received the wooden box, he examined it closely, likely recognizing his own portrait. He laughed heartily and declared, “This box is quite unique. Did you make it yourself, He’er? I love it. Your thoughtfulness is always distinctive, He’er.” Without even opening the box to see what was inside, he held the wooden container in his hands, turning it over as if deeply appreciative.

Next came the presentation of tea to Madam Wen. As Lin He offered the tea, Madam Wen beamed, gazing upon Wen Ning Xuan and Lin He with motherly affection, as if her son had finally brought his wife home. Her demeanor was entirely different from when she had encountered them on the street previously.

After the tea ceremony, Madam Wen personally helped Lin He to her feet. In addition to the pre-prepared gift, she deliberately slipped a bracelet off her own wrist and placed it onto Lin He’s. At that moment, a lady nearby commented, “Sister-in-law, haven’t you worn that bracelet for many years? How come…”

“It is precisely because I have worn this bracelet for so many years that I gift it to He’er now. They say jade nourishes a person, and this is ancient jade, worn for many years. It is perfectly suited for He’er,” Madam Wen replied with a smile.

“Sister-in-law is truly good to her daughter-in-law,” the lady said, chuckling.

“She is my own daughter-in-law; if I don't treat her well, who should I treat well?” Madam Wen responded, maintaining her gentle smile.

Lin He did not decline, gracefully offering a polite, “Thank you, Mother.”

The subsequent tea offerings were made to the other elders present. Everyone in the room was one of Wen Ning Xuan’s uncles. The Wen family boasted quite a large lineage; those seated here were undoubtedly the important figures of the clan, as many others couldn't possibly fit.

Lin He served tea to each one sequentially. Uncle Wen had five brothers, all of whom were present today. Seated closest to the Old Madam was the second brother, addressed by everyone as the Second Master. He usually assisted Uncle Wen in managing the family’s shops. He shared some facial resemblance with Uncle Wen, but where Uncle Wen was tall and imposing, this man was lean and wiry, possessing the sharp, astute look of a seasoned businessman. Opposite him sat his wife, the Second Madam, who appeared somewhat distant and reserved, speaking very little. When Lin He presented tea to this couple, they offered only perfunctory courtesies without remarking on anything special.

Next was the Third Master. Lin He recalled Wen Ning Xuan mentioning that the Third Master was idle, holding no formal position in the household, spending his days playing chess with others, raising crickets, or buying antiques—essentially a freeloader in the Wen family.

As for his wife, she was the woman who had spoken when Madam Wen presented the bracelet earlier. Today, her attire was exceedingly opulent; the hairpins and swaying ornaments on her head seemed even more luxurious than Madam Wen’s. When Lin He offered tea, the lady remarked, “Xuan’er’s wife, remember your Third Aunt if you ever come across any excellent unguents in the future.”

From this interaction, Lin He concluded that this couple, both being financial drains on the Wen family, held no real power within the clan.

Following them were the Fourth Master and his wife. Lin He knew the Fourth Master was a scholar who had passed the xiucai examination in his early years, but apparently, he only enjoyed studying and had no interest in officialdom. He occasionally tutored the younger family members, thus holding no official post. However, he appeared extremely amiable, emanating a distinct scholarly aura. His wife was equally gentle; seeing Lin He approach with tea, she offered a soft smile and quickly helped Lin He stand, creating a very comfortable impression.

Seated opposite the Fourth Madam, to Madam Wen’s left, was Concubine Luo, one of Uncle Wen’s secondary wives. Despite being a concubine, her status seemed considerable; among Uncle Wen’s many consorts, she was the only one permitted to sit in a proper chair.

Moreover, judging by how she spoke, she showed no deference to Madam Wen, yet the Old Madam and Uncle Wen allowed her this liberty. When Lin He offered tea to her, Concubine Luo was quite gracious, offering kind words and presenting Lin He with a substantial bracelet. This further solidified Lin He’s belief regarding her high standing: Madam Wen gave a bracelet, and she followed suit. The unspoken reasons behind this mirrored gesture were evident to everyone present, yet no one voiced them, as if this parity was simply expected. However, Wen Ning Xuan had never mentioned Concubine Luo to Lin He; this was the first time Lin He had learned of her existence.

Overall, the tea ceremony proceeded smoothly. Everyone accepted the tea, bestowed a welcoming gift, and then Lin He presented her own offerings while exchanging pleasantries. Once the ritual was complete with a particular elder, the next followed. Lin He felt that the Wen family members were not as difficult to deal with as Zi Yu had suggested; at least, no one had actively troubled her yet. Just as Lin He began to relax, trouble arose during the offering of tea to Wen Ning Xuan’s fifth uncle.

Wen Ning Xuan’s fifth uncle was named Wen Shixiang, the Fifth Master of this household. Because he was quite young, everyone called him Fifth Master. He was only about two years older than Wen Ning Xuan and remained unmarried, details Lin He had learned from Wen Ning Xuan previously.

However, Lin He had no idea her Fifth Uncle was such a character. As she presented the tea, he sat languidly in his chair. He stared at the tea for a moment, then appraised Lin He, saying, “Weren’t they saying Xuan’er’s wife was a country girl? She doesn’t look like one.” He then made a show of trying to discern any 'country bumpkin' traits on Lin He.

Wen Ning Xuan coughed pointedly beside her, his eyes fixed on Wen Shixiang, signaling him to stop talking nonsense and just drink the tea. Wen Shixiang glanced at Wen Ning Xuan, raised an eyebrow, took the tea, and brought it almost to his lips, then suddenly seemed to recall something. “Xuan’er, what gift did your wife bring me? Let me see it. If it’s not good, I won’t drink this tea,” he demanded, sticking out his hand to ask Lin He for the gift. If not for the cynical mockery in his eyes, Lin He might have suspected Wen Ning Xuan’s fifth uncle was mentally deficient, given his manner of speaking and demanding gesture, which resembled someone with incomplete intellect.

But Lin He recognized the expression in the Fifth Master’s eyes and knew Wen Shixiang was intentionally causing trouble. He probably felt the tea ceremony had been too smooth and decided to orchestrate this disruption.

In any other setting, Lin He would have ignored him—drink it or don't. But today seemed inappropriate for such defiance. So, she remained kneeling awkwardly on the cushion. The room fell silent upon hearing Wen Shixiang’s demand. Fortunately, after a short pause, Uncle Wen, seated in the main position, spoke, “Shixiang, that’s enough. You need to head to the shop after this.”

Wen Shixiang glanced at Lin He, brought the tea to his lips, and took a small sip. Zi Qing, behind Lin He, quickly presented the gift. Wen Shixiang didn't even look at it, immediately handing it off to a nearby attendant. Lin He now understood that the man hadn't wanted the gift at all; his sole aim was to humiliate her.

With that, the tea offering was considered complete. The other junior relatives were then introduced. There were too many young members of the family for Lin He to properly distinguish them all in one go; she only managed to familiarize herself with a few key figures.

The first were Wen Ning Xuan’s elder brother, Wen Ningchen, and his wife. Wen Ningchen was only a few months older than Wen Ning Xuan, appearing of a similar age and handsome and dashing. However, Lin He found the way he looked at her rather distasteful, his eyes carrying a hint of levity, the air of a dissolute young master.

As for Wen Ningchen’s wife, Li Yuzhen, she was attractive enough, but lacked refinement. Despite being adorned with gold and silver jewelry, she gave off an air of being petty and small-minded. Furthermore, the way she spoke suggested she was not born of a noble family. Lin He recognized that some people, no matter how expensively they dressed, could never elevate their innate bearing; Wen Ningchen’s wife fell into that category.