It was only then that Madam Huang recalled she had been busy in the kitchen with the maids, having been so preoccupied with the two little ones that she had come out; a gentle reminder from Lin He sent her rushing back to the kitchen.

As dusk settled, Xiao Bao was the first to return. Lin He, along with Chen'er, Xiao Bao, the other youngsters, and Yun Qi, sat in the courtyard, chatting and laughing while awaiting the return of Da Bao and Wen Ningxuan.

While they were mid-conversation, Da Bao walked in through the main gate. Just as Lin He was about to call out a greeting, she saw Xin Rou, who stood behind Yun Qi, approach Da Bao with a bright smile. After offering a simple curtsy, Xin Rou fell into step behind Da Bao, speaking softly as they walked.

Lin He glanced toward Yun Qi, who also rose to her feet, yet her steps remained rooted in place. Furthermore, upon seeing Da Bao and Xin Rou conversing, Yun Qi’s expression visibly darkened before she sat back down, remaining utterly silent.

Normally, Lin He might have spoken up, but at this moment, she merely observed, holding her tongue. She wanted Yun Qi to see clearly now how Xin Rou behaved, and what kind of situation might arise if this girl were ever brought into the household.

Even though Yun Qi seemed slightly improved after their talk, no one truly knew if it had made a lasting difference. The crucial thing was that Yun Qi needed to work through these matters herself.

Otherwise, even if Lin He convinced her now and she accepted the words, one manipulative whisper from another source later on could easily sway her. Thus, Lin He felt it was best to let Yun Qi witness the truth firsthand.

Not long after Da Bao returned, while they were still in the courtyard, Lin He saw Wen Ningxuan approaching from the entrance. Lin He started to rise to greet him, but then noticed that Xin Rou, who had been following Da Bao, instantly ceased her talk with him, her gaze fixed intently on the approaching Wen Ningxuan. By the looks of it, had there not been others present in the courtyard, she would have rushed right over to him.

It was difficult to fault Xin Rou, however, as that fellow Wen Ningxuan was truly an excessively striking figure. He was clad in a flowing, luxurious moon-white silk robe, cinched at the waist by a purple-gold jade belt inlaid with black amber. His raven-black hair cascaded down, carrying an air of untamed elegance and refinement. His footsteps were steady and powerful, his skin subtly luminous, and his eyes sparkled with starlight brilliance.

From afar, seeing Lin He in the courtyard, the inherent coldness in his demeanor was masked by a faint smile on his lips. Even though Lin He had seen him countless times, she was momentarily captivated by the sight of him, let alone Xin Rou seeing Wen Ningxuan for the first time. Moreover, everyone else in the courtyard was silent, seemingly mesmerized by his presence.

Since Madam Huang was not present and there were no elders in the courtyard, Wen Ningxuan, upon arriving, showed no restraint towards others and walked straight towards Lin He, a mischievous smile playing on his face. "He'er, what are you looking at so intently?"

"Brother-in-law, Eldest Sister is looking at you. Brother-in-law is truly handsome," before Lin He could reply, little Xiong piped up mischievously from beside her.

Being praised for his looks by a child in front of so many people, whether it was fortunate or unfortunate, Wen Ningxuan twitched his mouth, patted Xiao Xiong’s head, and then cast a rather smug glance at Lin He before smiling.

Lin He knew he was teasing her. She stood up, glanced at him, and said, "You're back, then. Let’s eat; the whole family has been waiting for you."

Hearing this, Wen Ningxuan offered a brief, apologetic smile and a greeting to the people in the courtyard, then took Lin He’s hand, leading her toward the dining hall. As everyone else rose to follow toward the hall, Lin He noticed Xin Rou still frozen in place, her eyes still fixed on Wen Ningxuan without any attempt to conceal it.

Wen Ningxuan, however, acted as if this person’s existence was completely unnoticed; as he passed by Xin Rou, he didn't even lift the corner of his eye, merely leading Lin He onward.

Lin He watched this, a cold sneer touching her lips. As she passed in front of Xin Rou, she abruptly stopped, looking at the girl with an expression that was half-smile, half-smirk, and said, "Xin Rou, are you staring at him like that because you don't recognize him yet? Let me introduce you: this is my husband, Wen Ningxuan, the Second Young Master of the Wen family. His household is one of the foremost wealthy families in town, and he hasn't even taken a concubine yet, let alone a principal wife."

Xin Rou blinked, momentarily stunned, likely not having grasped the sudden shift in Lin He’s address. However, Yun Qi, who was ahead, suddenly turned around, her voice quite icy as she spoke. "Xin Rou, you are here as a maid; you must conduct yourself as a maid. Go inside and help serve the meal."

After Yun Qi finished speaking, her eyes remained locked on Xin Rou. Xin Rou finally snapped back to reality, her expression embarrassed as she offered a curtsy to Lin He and the others before heading toward the dining hall.

Once Xin Rou had gone, Wen Ningxuan shot Lin He a look filled with veiled complaint, then said with a half-smile, "Wife, you are quite generous."

Lin He winked at Wen Ningxuan and replied with a smile, "Your wife has always been generous with you." With that, she pulled Wen Ningxuan along toward the dining hall.

Ordinarily, the Lin family did not permit servants to wait on them during meals, but because Wen Ningxuan was present, Madam Huang insisted on special arrangements, positioning several maids to stand by the table during dinner.

Whether Xin Rou failed to grasp the purpose behind Lin He’s words to her, or perhaps she was simply too self-assured, she deliberately positioned herself behind Wen Ningxuan during the meal and served him with an almost excessive diligence.

Lin He had initially intended for Zi Qing and Zi Yu to attend to the table, but seeing Xin Rou step forward on her own, she said nothing, merely directing Zi Qing and Zi Yu to a smaller side table to watch the two younger children.

Lin He observed coldly for a while, never interjecting from beginning to end. This time, she wanted Da Bao and Madam Huang, and everyone else, to clearly see what kind of person Xin Rou truly was. Although there was no official talk of Xin Rou becoming Da Bao’s concubine yet, based on Madam Huang's demeanor, she held a rather favorable impression of the girl.

As for Da Bao, judging by his manner when speaking with Xin Rou, he was not resistant to her presence. Moreover, Lin He worried that if Yun Qi were to eventually request this of Da Bao, he might feel indebted to Yun Qi and soften his heart into agreeing. A person like Xin Rou absolutely could not be allowed through the door.

Putting aside all else, the fact that Yun Qi’s own mother had arranged for this person’s entry was a definite red flag. Yun Qi’s mother was far more calculating than Yun Qi; if she could conceive of this plan, she certainly had follow-up measures in place.

Furthermore, Xin Rou herself was wholly unsuitable to be Da Bao’s concubine. This girl was clearly restless; not only was she brazen, but she was also audacious. In front of the entire family, she first shamelessly flirted with Da Bao, and upon seeing a better prospect, she immediately shifted her focus to Wen Ningxuan. This was undoubtedly worse than Dong Yu from the elder uncle’s family.

Lin He had initially intended to speak directly to Madam Huang, but she hesitated, worried that while Madam Huang might not have considered such implications before, bringing it up might plant the very idea in her head. And Lin He truly felt her mother’s judgment of character was poor; if she became set on something, she would tenaciously pursue it regardless of others' opinions. Therefore, after careful consideration, Lin He decided against addressing the issue directly.