The Fourth Madam’s words were tantamount to an intangible slap to Qing Mo, implying that Qing Mo was vulgar—her adornments were tacky, her speech was common, and her insistence on bringing up the fact that others were from the countryside was the height of vulgarity.

After speaking, the Fourth Madam offered Lin He a faint smile, which Lin He returned in kind. If there was anyone in the Wen household besides those in her own courtyard whom Lin He admired during her time here, it was this Fourth Madam. She rarely spoke, mostly sitting quietly and demurely in her chair, never engaging in the tedious discussions of the other women. If family matters arose, she would speak with fairness, judging the issue on its merits and never joining in the clamor. Furthermore, when she looked at Lin He, there was always a gentle smile, not overly affectionate, but profoundly comforting. Lin He had heard from Wen Ningxuan that the Fourth Madam came from a distinguished family of scholars and was highly cultivated; Lin He felt that her exceptional bearing alone was worthy of that title.

The Old Madam, overhearing Ziyu and the Fourth Madam, showed a flicker of awkwardness on her face, likely realizing she had underestimated Lin He. However, she quickly laughed, waving a dismissive hand. “Indeed, what Fourth Wife says is true. Good things cannot simply be bought with money. The affection Xuan’er holds for his wife is something money can never purchase.”

The Old Madam laughed first, and the women in the room followed suit. Naturally, Lin He joined in with a light heart.

In the days that followed, Lin He mostly remained within the confines of her own courtyard when she had nothing else to do. Everything she needed was there, and there were no constraints. For the time being, Lin He was quite content and did not find life monotonous.

Here, the things Lin He did were quite similar to what she did at her maiden home. Most of her time was spent on embroidery, making clothes for herself and seasonal attire for Wen Ningxuan. When there was truly nothing else, she would busy herself in the ointment room or tend to her favorite flowers and plants in the small garden. When tired, she would rest a while in the small upper room and then occupy herself with things she enjoyed. Ziqing and Ziyu were almost always with her, often sharing jokes. In terms of daily life, it was even more pleasant than it had been at her parents' house.

As for cooking, Lin He initially wasn't expected to handle it. With so many maids in the courtyard, if they couldn’t manage such tasks, then she certainly wouldn't have to. Moreover, Ziyu and Ziqing were both decent cooks. However, on her very first day, Lin He noticed that Wen Ningxuan seemed unable to stomach the food the maids prepared; he would eat only a very small amount at every meal before setting down his chopsticks to watch her eat.

Lin He recalled their time in the small courtyard in Qinghe County, where Wen Ningxuan had only ever wanted food she prepared. Thinking that this young master’s palate was indeed that delicate, Lin He decided that since she had nothing else pressing to do, she might as well take over the cooking for every meal except breakfast, as Wen Ningxuan returned for lunch midday as well.

Thus, one day, Lin He deliberately cooked a special meal herself. When Wen Ningxuan returned, she had the maids serve the dishes, intentionally not mentioning she had prepared them. Sure enough, that day, Wen Ningxuan noticeably ate more and seemed to be in excellent spirits while dining, remarking that it had been a long time since he had tasted such delicious fare.

Inevitably, Lin He had to take on this responsibility. Besides lunch, she began cooking the evening meals too. Lin He herself didn't mind these tasks, and seeing Wen Ningxuan enjoy his food brought her great pleasure.

Lin He cooked for several days, and while Wen Ningxuan clearly ate more, he never asked about it. Still, Lin He knew he understood. Indeed, on this day, Wen Ningxuan returned from the shop, tasted a dish on the table, smiled contentedly, and murmured softly, “Cook when you have the leisure; let the maids handle it otherwise.”

Lin He rolled her eyes internally. The man spoke sweetly, but his actions contradicted his words. He only ate a little, even when the maids cooked; it was a wonder how he had grown so tall eating so sparsely.

However, Lin He understood deeply. She knew that when Wen Ningxuan’s mother was alive, she often cooked for him. His current preference for her cooking likely wasn't just about the taste, nor was it merely due to a picky palate—she knew he wasn't truly picky; the first time they shared a carriage ride, he hadn't complained about the meager fare at a rustic roadside tea stall. What he truly savored was the feeling of being genuinely cared for and cherished.

Lin He smiled at him. “Yes, I know. I have nothing else to do anyway, and meals for just the two of us are simple. These tasks won't tire me out.”

Wen Ningxuan reached for her hand resting on the table, held it briefly, and offered a faint smile. Not long after they finished eating, Ziyu came in to report that Master Wen had urgent business and required them both to come to the Old Madam’s main residence.

Lin He looked at Wen Ningxuan with some surprise. In the days since their marriage, apart from the day they served tea, she hadn't seen his father at all, nor had he sent word from his courtyard. Why summon them today, and specifically to the Old Madam’s residence? Could this be a reckoning over the incident at the Lotus Pond? Wen Ningxuan merely offered her a faint smile and led her toward the main house.

When the two arrived, the entire extended family was present, appearing as if they were discussing a serious matter. Upon seeing Lin He and Wen Ningxuan enter, Old Master Wen began, “Xuan’er, He’er has been married into our family for some time now. A few days ago, I consulted the almanac, and the dates were unfavorable for a formal return visit, so we postponed the matter. The full month since the wedding is coming up soon, and your grandmother and I have checked the calendar—the days are quite auspicious. For your full moon celebration, you shall visit He’er’s family.”

It was then that He’er realized this was about the huimen (return visit). She had learned of this custom since arriving here: a new bride, usually within three, six, seven, eight, or nine days after the wedding, or at the full moon, returns to her maiden home accompanied by her husband to visit her parents. Lin He had only heard whispers of it; the same custom existed in her family, but she wasn't very clear on the details and had almost forgotten about it.

Next, Old Master Wen discussed the necessary preparations for the huimen with the Old Madam right in front of Lin He. Afterward, he turned to her and asked, “He’er, is there anything else we should note? The customs in our two regions differ. We will adhere to your family’s customs for this return visit.”

Actually, Lin He wasn't entirely sure herself and was about to speak when Wen Ningxuan interjected, “These preparations sound sufficient. Just prepare some extra pastries and send them to my courtyard early. We will leave after breakfast the day after tomorrow.”

The Old Master nodded in agreement, then gave detailed instructions to Madam Wen regarding what needed meticulous handling, leaving nothing ambiguous. Once the planning concluded, the Second Master, standing nearby, smiled and said, “Brother, hasn't Sister-in-law always managed these matters? Why are you handling this personally this time?”

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