There was also another of Uncle Wen's illegitimate sons, named Wen Xunhao, the son of Concubine Luo. By seniority, he should be slightly younger than Wen Ningxuan. He was handsome and conducted himself impeccably when paying respects to Lin He, appearing utterly refined and gentle. This was precisely what the saying meant: the status of the son derived from the mother's favor. Uncle Wen likely had other illegitimate sons, but only he was seated here, suggesting Concubine Luo was favored, and her son along with her.

The remaining young lady was Wen Qingmo. Lin He had met her several times and recognized her. This time, Wen Qingmo’s demeanor was much improved; she performed her courtesies to Lin He obediently and sweetly addressed her as "Second Sister-in-law." Only in her eyes did a faint, almost imperceptible flicker of disdain surface. Lin He pretended not to notice and offered a casual acknowledgment. In this guise, Wen Qingmo not only strongly resembled Madam Wen in appearance but also in expression; her superficial performance was flawless. Without needing any confirmation, it was obvious they were mother and daughter.

After serving tea and completing the introductions, the entire extended family settled in the main hall for conversation. Lin He and Wen Ningxuan occupied the chairs furthest inside, listening as the family members spoke. It was immediately clear that the way the Wen family conversed was vastly different from the casual chatter in her own home.

When the Wen family gathered, not only was their posture formal, but the topics discussed were equally serious. It seemed as though Uncle Wen and the Old Madam were the CEOs of this enterprise, and those seated around them were subordinates reporting on business operations. The ones speaking were several of Wen Ningxuan's uncles, updating Uncle Wen on the status of their shops and the sources of their inventory.

As for the rest of the younger generation, Lin He would bet anything that absolutely none of them were interested in these subjects. Yet, every one of them sat ramrod straight, listening intently, appearing deeply concerned. However, two individuals among this group were exceptions: Wen Ningxuan, seated right beside her, and Wen Shixiang.

Wen Ningxuan rarely attended such family functions. While others spoke, he leaned back lazily in his chair, staring at Lin He as if something fascinating were written across her face. Only after Lin He shot him several glares did he finally chuckle and shift his gaze away.

Then there was Wen Shixiang, seated diagonally across from Lin He. He seemed utterly uninterested in the family's discourse, propping his head on his hand with a look of near slumber. Lin He noticed the Old Madam and Uncle Wen glancing his way several times, but they would only spare a quick look before turning their eyes away—a sight they were clearly accustomed to.

Lin He sat on her chair like a stiff wooden post. She held little interest in these topics, and even if she did, it certainly wasn't her place to speak. But remaining still for too long made her fear she might doze off; she hadn't slept well the previous night.

Unable to help herself, Lin He forced her eyes wide open, focusing on her hands resting in her lap, counting her fingers. Perhaps sensing Lin He's discomfort, Wen Ningxuan suddenly rose and announced, "Grandmother, Father, there is nothing more for us here, is there? We shall take our leave now. We didn't sleep well last night, so we're going back for a proper rest."

The moment Wen Ningxuan finished speaking, Lin He felt a clang in her head, and her face flushed instantly to the roots of her hair. She desperately wished she could throttle the man. If he wanted to leave, he could have simply left; why did he have to frame it so suggestively in front of everyone?

Fortunately, neither the Old Madam nor Uncle Wen made any issue of it. Uncle Wen merely offered a gentle smile, and the Old Madam cast a placid glance at Lin He before nodding and saying, "Mm, then you two may go ahead."

Wen Ningxuan started to reach for Lin He's hand, but before he could, Lin He swiftly stood up, offered her respects to everyone in the room, and then followed him out.

Once outside the main residence, Lin He finally let out a long, relieved sigh. Seeing her sudden relaxation, Wen Ningxuan smiled and asked, "If you hated being in that room so much, why force yourself to sit there? If I hadn't spoken up, were you planning to stay put all day?"

Lin He managed a slight twitch of her lips. "What was I supposed to do, just leave? People would say the new bride was unruly on her very first day. How would I manage my life afterward?"

"Why worry about what they say? If you don't want to be there, you leave. If anyone has an issue, they can bring it to me," Wen Ningxuan replied with a laugh.

"What about when you are not home? Since I have married into this family, I must observe its rules. I can't constantly use you as a shield, and besides, Father already told me about respecting these Wen... Father's feelings. We can’t make things difficult for him, even if others can ignore things," Lin He pouted slightly.

Wen Ningxuan laughed, taking Lin He's hand in his. "Alright, whatever you wish. But you must tell me if anything displeases you."

Lin He nodded and walked alongside Wen Ningxuan. At first, due to her nervousness and Wen Ningxuan’s brisk pace, she hadn't paid any attention to the layout of the Wen estate.

It appeared to be the compound where the Old Madam resided. The courtyard wasn't excessively large and the decorations were rather simple, yet everything necessary was present. There weren't many servants along their path; several were older pōzi (older maids/nurses). They greeted the pair with utmost politeness, addressing them as Second Young Master and Second Young Mistress, to which Wen Ningxuan would offer a brief nod.

After walking for what felt like nearly half an hour, they finally reached the courtyard where he and Lin He would reside. Along the way, Wen Ningxuan had briefly explained who lived in which compound, but mostly just so she was aware, not necessarily expecting her to memorize it.

In short, Lin He felt there was only one word to describe the Wen family's estate: vast. It must be one of those legendary multi-courtyard residences, though Lin He had no interest in figuring out the exact number of sections.

Lin He only cared about knowing their own courtyard. As soon as they entered, Wen Ningxuan dismissed Ziqing, telling her to gather everyone in the courtyard to await the Second Young Mistress's instructions. Ziqing acknowledged the order, bowed, and left.

Wen Ningxuan turned back to her. "Shall I show you our courtyard?"

Lin He noticed a secretive air about him when he asked, sparking her curiosity. What had this man arranged in this residence that he guaranteed she would love?

Following Wen Ningxuan inside, Lin He was genuinely surprised. The courtyard looked small from the entrance, but as they proceeded deeper, it opened up considerably. Behind the main yard, there was actually a two-story building constructed with very unique and exquisite décor, set in a tranquil environment.

In front of the building was a large flower garden—the one she had glimpsed from afar earlier. From a distance, only a tiny fraction had been visible; standing inside now, she could see it completely. This flower garden was three times the size of the one at her family's house in town, and it featured many extremely rare species of flowers, though Lin He couldn't fathom where Wen Ningxuan had procured them.