The moment Chen'er finished speaking, everyone in the carriage burst into loud laughter, save for Ziyu, who was flushing bright red and shifting restlessly. Finally, Lin He came to her rescue. "Alright, no more teasing. We'll be there soon, so gather your things; let's head home first."

Before long, the carriage entered the village. Lin He and Chen'er each lifted one of the curtains to look out. It had been quite some time since Lin He had been back to the village. This period was just after the busy farming season had ended, and many people were still toiling in the fields. Seeing a carriage approach, several villagers looked over their way.

Lin He greeted everyone she encountered on the way back to the village. Suddenly, just as they neared home, Chen'er sharply called out, "Stop the carriage."

Ling Xiao outside immediately halted the horses. Lin He was about to ask why, but then she saw Chen'er's eyes fixed intently outside the carriage window. Following Chen'er’s gaze, Lin He and Ziyu saw Li Zheng standing some distance away, speaking with a young woman. Li Zheng was standing sideways, so his expression was obscured, but the girl’s face was clearly visible.

The girl was someone Lin He and the others knew well—it was Lanhua, the one rumored to be engaged to Li Zheng. She stood facing him now, seemingly listening to something he was saying, her face flushed with shy pleasure. From this angle, the posture of the pair appeared quite intimate.

Lin He was about to suggest they wait right there and let Chen'er go down for a moment, but she noticed Chen'er’s face had turned icy cold. She commanded, "Brother Ling Xiao, let's go. Home."

Lin He had initially wanted to urge Chen'er to get out right then, but seeing Chen'er’s unstable mood, she realized an encounter wouldn't lead to a pleasant look for Li Zheng, and with so many people passing by, it wasn't convenient. She allowed the carriage to proceed toward their home.

Though Chen'er insisted on going home, her eyes remained fixed on that spot. Whether through some telepathic connection or because Li Zheng had sensed the carriage’s approach, his eyes suddenly snapped in their direction, and he instantly spotted Chen'er seated inside.

Lin He clearly observed Li Zheng involuntarily take a few steps toward them when he saw the carriage, his mouth forming Chen'er's name. However, they were too far away for the sound to carry, though they could clearly make out the shape of his lips.

But the moment Chen'er saw Li Zheng moving toward them, she pulled the carriage curtain down, turned her head away, and settled back into her seat demurely. The others in the carriage witnessed this scene. Ziyu and Zihuan, being maids, merely sighed without speaking.

Lin He frowned and shot Chen'er a glance. She hadn't expected such a coincidence—she had wanted Chen'er to return and finally confess her true feelings to Li Zheng, only for Chen'er to witness this scene.

Through this incident, Lin He gained a clearer understanding of Chen'er's view on relationships. In truth, what Wen Ningxuan had said last night and what Ziyu had just mentioned were correct: Chen'er and she were quite similar in this regard—both too forceful, too possessive in matters of the heart, everything revolving around the self.

When faced with trouble, Chen'er would rather suffer in heartbreaking silence than show a shred of weakness before a man, far less willing to lower her stance. Even when she knew she was wrong, she would cling to her error until the very end. Lin He, being older and having experienced more, knew how to self-reflect and exert control, especially with constant reminders from Ziqing and Ziyu. Consequently, Lin He had slowly begun to change in front of Wen Ningxuan.

But Chen'er? She was still young, letting her every action follow her whims. Asking her now to firmly express her feelings as she did at home seemed difficult. Alas, it seemed Lin He would have to take the lead herself—after all, her own attitude toward romance had influenced Chen'er.

When the carriage finally arrived home, Lin He and the others retreated to their own courtyard. Lin He had assumed her mother and the others wouldn't be home, that her father was busy in the fields, and most of the household servants had been taken to town, so the yard would be quiet. But as soon as they alighted, there were quite a few people in the courtyard. Walking in, they saw her First Aunt, Hongyun, and Grandmother, Madam Zhao, leading several children out, drawn by the noise.

Seeing that Lin He and the others had returned, Madam Zhao and Hongxia were overjoyed and immediately rushed over with bright smiles. Hongyun, holding one child, took Lin He's bundle with her other hand, laughing, "He'er, why is it just you and Chen'er back? Where is your mother? Why didn't she return with you?"

"There were still many matters in town that Mother needed to oversee. This trip was at Mother's instruction for Chen'er and me to come back for a look. It's been a while since we've been back. You know, when Great Aunt Hongyun gave birth, I didn't even know; I hadn't returned at all. I've been missing you all, Great Aunt. It just so happened I had some free time these past few days, so I came back to check in," Lin He replied with a smile.

"Mmm, come back more often when you’re free, He'er. Now that your family has moved out, and your Little Aunt has gone to town to work, the house feels quite deserted. See, your father is back tending the fields, so your Great Aunt and I are here in the courtyard helping to look after things," Hongxia said, walking deeper into the compound.

Once they were seated in the courtyard, Lin He leaned close to Hongxia, looking at the small child in her arms. She gently stroked the baby's cheek, remarking, "Another little boy added to the household! It will be even livelier at Great Aunt’s now."

"Heh heh, lively? It’s just one more mouth to feed, one more burden," Hongxia grumbled good-naturedly.

"Great Aunt, look at what you're saying! Having many children is a blessing! So many people wish for it and can't have it. Besides, your older ones, Dayuan and Xiaofang, are grown now; how much burden can they truly be?" Knowing Hongxia was just joking, Lin He laughed along.

"That's true. Thankfully, these younger ones are obedient, so I've had fewer worries over the years," Hongxia said, smiling with deep affection at the children before her.

Lin He observed the children around Hongxia. Dayuan and Chen'er were born in the same year, both over thirteen now. Because they resembled Hongxia, they were quite tall, likely even taller than Lin He, and they were delicate and handsome. Standing beside Hongxia, Dayuan already looked like a young lady.

The youngest, Xiaofang, was ten this year. Though not as beautiful as her older sister, she appeared exceptionally well-behaved and stood quietly next to her Great Aunt Hongyun.

And then there was Da Mao, playing further off, about the same age as Da Xiong, both six years old. Da Mao was built sturdily, his appearance resembling his Little Aunt Hongxia—thankfully not like his scoundrel of a father. Furthermore, the way Hongyun looked at Da Mao was filled with boundless tenderness, and Da Mao would run over to say a few words to Hongyun from time to time. It seemed Da Mao's standing hadn't diminished despite the arrival of a younger brother.

"Yes, Hongyun's children are all sensible. The family has been doing much better these past few years; Hongyun truly has fewer worries now," Madam Zhao said, looking at Hongyun with deep satisfaction.