The day of Wang Caixia's engagement banquet arrived, but Wang Qingchen and a few others had to attend school and thus missed it. Wang Qingchen didn't much care, but Wang Qingtong harbored a deep resentment, growing even more averse to studying.

After the engagement feast, Madam Yang held the Zhao family in very high regard. Setting aside the considerable betrothal gifts the Zhaos had presented, the Zhao couple were fundamentally kind people. Zhao Jing, who was engaged to Wang Caixia, was handsome and carried himself with effortless grace. In short, the Third Branch had found an excellent prospective son-in-law.

After sighing over the Third Branch's future in-law, Madam Yang began to fret about Wang Qinghua’s marriage prospects. One moment she'd mention a daughter from one family, praising her supposed virtue; the next, she’d talk about a girl from another, rumored to be fertile. She chattered on to such an extent that Wang Qingchen found it almost unbearable, finally excusing himself by claiming he needed to teach his younger siblings their characters, and swiftly slipped away.

Given Madam Yang's urgency to arrange a match for her son, Wang Qingchen decided he ought to lend a hand.

That evening, just before going to sleep, Wang Qingchen quietly asked Wang Qinghua about his thoughts on a future wife.

Wang Qinghua froze for a moment, then turned over, facing the wall, and mumbled, "How old are you? Don't meddle in this."

Seeing his elder brother hesitate, Wang Qingchen knew there was something to it. His eldest brother likely already had someone in mind but hadn't voiced it. Eagerly, Wang Qingchen pressed on, "Big Brother, do you have someone in mind? Who is it?"

"Who told you that? Nothing of the sort," Wang Qinghua grumbled.

Wang Qingchen instantly knew he was lying. It was rare for the honest man to tell a fib, and it was always easily detectable. Even with Wang Qinghua facing the wall, Wang Qingchen could vividly picture his brother’s ears likely turning bright red.

"There definitely is. Tell me, I swear I won't tell a soul." Wang Qingchen persisted, reasoning that speaking within the house didn't count as 'telling a soul.'

Wang Qinghua edged further toward the wall. "Really, there isn't..."

Wang Qingchen wouldn't be deterred. "Big Brother, stop lying to me. There must be someone. Tell me, and I'll help you check her out. Besides, if you don't say anything, and Mother arranges someone you don't like, won't you regret it to death?"

After Wang Qinghua listened, he was silent for a long while before finally replying, "If I tell you, others will only find fault with her and ruin her reputation."

Wang Qingchen found this utterly unbelievable, thinking how truly honest this man was. He had initially suspected Wang Qinghua's secrecy stemmed from his interest in a married woman, only to realize he was holding back for fear of damaging the girl’s standing. But then again, this was a matter for Madam Yang to be told; how could simply mentioning it tarnish her reputation? Wang Qingchen struggled to understand his brother’s logic. "Oh, my foolish brother! If you tell her, Mother can send the matchmaker to propose! Once you two are matched, who would dare say her reputation is damaged!"

Wang Qinghua still wouldn't name the girl, only mumbling, "Father and Mother probably won't agree. Better not to say anything."

"Won't agree? You haven't told them yet, how do you know they won't?" Wang Qingchen asked, puzzled but also intensely curious. Could the girl have some sort of flaw?

"Sigh. Once, I overheard Mother chatting with Third Aunt. They were saying they can't marry a daughter from that family; she's probably another family-wrecker." Wang Qinghua sighed.

"Family-wrecker?" Wang Qingchen grew more bewildered, but... wait. Madam Yang and Zhang Shi talking together, 'family-wrecker'... and Wang Qinghua would have had a chance to meet her... could it be...?

"Big Brother, are you talking about Luo the Second's daughter?" Wang Qingchen asked in disbelief.

Wang Qinghua was so startled by Wang Qingchen's guess that he sat bolt upright. "You... how did you know that?" He then anxiously grabbed Wang Qingchen's shoulder. "You absolutely must not tell anyone! She is a good girl. If her reputation is ruined, it will truly cost her a good match."

Wang Qingchen quietly processed this outcome. It explained his brother’s reluctance. The person who had nearly ruined Wang Qingyun’s engagement banquet the last time was the girl’s own mother, and after that incident, her mother had been labeled a 'family-wrecker,' and supposedly no one had sought matches with their family since. But how had Wang Qinghua encountered her? In this era, a girl mindful of her reputation would hardly associate privately with a young man.

"Big Brother, how did you run into her? Did she seek you out?" Wang Qingchen couldn't be blamed for this somewhat malicious conjecture, as it was hard to imagine the honest Wang Qinghua improperly initiating contact with that woman, and Wang Qingchen hadn't even met Luo the Second's daughter himself; he had no idea if she was good or bad.

Wang Qinghua quickly clamped a hand over Wang Qingchen's mouth upon hearing this. "Don't talk nonsense! She doesn't even know me. I like her on my own accord; she knows nothing." As he spoke, Wang Qinghua seemed to carry a tinge of melancholy.

Wang Qingchen sighed in relief. At least she wasn't scheming. As for her mother—Luo the Second's wife—Wang Qingchen considered that unimportant; a mother was a mother and didn't define the daughter. Still, it would be prudent to have Madam Yang make discreet inquiries first. After all, Wang Qinghua had only seen the girl briefly at Wang Qingyun's engagement; he might not have gotten a full picture.

Seeing Wang Qingchen’s thoughts drift away, Wang Qinghua shook him. "You absolutely cannot tell anyone! Having a mother like that already makes her pitiful. If her reputation is destroyed too, she truly won't find a good home."

Wang Qingchen felt he needed to shift his brother's perspective. "Big Brother, you're always thinking about her marrying someone else. Why don't you think about her marrying you? Wouldn't it hurt you if she married someone else?"

"But... but Father and Mother won't agree. They always say they need to find a girl from a respectable family, and her mother is like that..." Wang Qinghua mumbled, turning back to face the wall.

"This is about your wife, the person you'll spend your life with. You have to like her first and foremost. When Father and Mother say 'respectable family,' they just want you to live well. If you have someone you like, they won't object." Wang Qingchen reasoned.

Wang Qinghua offered no reply.

Wang Qingchen pressed on. "If you don't even try, how do you know Father and Mother won't agree?"

Still silence.

Wang Qingchen figured further persuasion would be futile. He secretly resolved that if Wang Qinghua wouldn't speak, he would approach Madam Yang himself, lest his elder brother end up regretting this for the rest of his life when it would be truly too late. Having made up his mind, Wang Qingchen closed his eyes and went to sleep.

Having stayed up late the night before, Wang Qingchen arrived at the schoolhouse the next day with dark circles under his eyes. He soon learned the tutor's mother was ill and the tutor had returned to attend to her; they wouldn't be back for perhaps two days. It was a rare holiday for them. Wang Qingtong was the happiest; he hadn't played with his old friends since starting school, and upon hearing the news, he was already planning his fun activities.

Seeing his sons return, Wang Youfu inquired about the situation. Learning that school was dismissed due to the tutor's absence, Wang Youfu headed into town to buy two pounds of meat. Since his sons had the rare day off, he wanted them to have something good to supplement their diet.

Taking advantage of Wang Youfu's trip to town, Wang Qingchen planned to speak to Madam Yang about his elder brother's situation.

He watched Caiyun circling the single remaining old hen in the yard, then quietly entered Madam Yang's room, where she was working on embroidery.

"Mother, did Big Brother say anything to you this morning?" Wang Qingchen asked, testing the waters.

"Your Big Brother? He said nothing. Just mentioned he was going to check the fields. Did he mean to say something?" Madam Yang looked up questioningly.

"Uh, it's like this, Mother. Big Brother has someone he fancies, but he’s afraid you won't approve, so he hasn't dared tell you." Wang Qingchen revealed the secret.

Madam Yang stopped her needlework abruptly. "Your Big Brother has someone in mind? That silly boy, why wouldn't he tell us?" Reflecting on Wang Qingchen's words, she continued, "He told you? Tell Mother quickly who the daughter is. I need to inquire about her character so we can settle things for your brother sooner."

Wang Qingchen relayed Wang Qinghua's worries from the day before. As expected, Madam Yang’s strong impression of Luo the Second’s wife being indiscreet made her slightly displeased that her elder son favored her daughter.

Wang Qingchen quickly interjected, "Mother, this is Big Brother's marriage. If he is satisfied, his future life will be good; what others say doesn't count. Besides, her mother is her mother; she is her. We shouldn't doubt her character just because of her mother!"

Madam Yang considered Wang Qingchen’s words and conceded the logic. "Since your Big Brother likes her, I will make discreet inquiries. If she is truly a good girl, I will send a matchmaker to propose to her family."

Meanwhile, at Luo the Second's home, following the incident at Wang Qingyun's engagement banquet, no one had indeed been willing to arrange matches with their family. Their daughter was of an age for marriage, and they were quietly growing anxious, completely unaware that a potential match was silently approaching.

After speaking with Madam Yang about Wang Qinghua, Wang Qingchen prepared to go study. He was determined to pursue official scholarly success and needed to study hard. However, as he left Madam Yang’s room, through the main hall doorway, he saw Caiyun still circling the hen. Puzzled, Wang Qingchen walked over. This hen was one of the four Wang Qingchen had bought for Madam Yang to recuperate with; the other three had already been butchered for her nourishment. This one was kept for Caiyun to collect eggs.

"Caiyun, why are you circling her like that?" Wang Qingchen asked.

"Second Brother, Dahua hasn't laid an egg today. She usually lays around this time. Today, she’s been sitting in the nest for a long time, but nothing has come out yet." Dahua was the name Caiyun had given the hen.

"You're not spending all day just waiting for it to lay an egg, are you?" Wang Qingchen sounded surprised.

"Yes! I'm saving all the eggs Dahua lays. I've saved twenty-seven eggs already! Mother says they can be sold for twenty-seven wen!" Caiyun said proudly.

"You save all the eggs? Why don't you eat them?"

"If I sell the eggs, I can buy lots and lots of other things! But I don't know what's wrong with Dahua today; she hasn't laid yet." Caiyun looked upset.

"Caiyun, don't save them next time. Keep the eggs to eat. If you want to buy something, just tell Second Brother, and I'll buy it for you, okay?" Wang Qingchen offered.

Caiyun thought for a moment, then insisted, "But... I want to earn the money myself to buy things. And I want to earn lots and lots of money so Father won't think about selling me again."

Wang Qingchen felt a pang in his chest. After that incident, Caiyun had always seemed so lively and cheerful. He had thought she had moved past it, but apparently, she remembered everything.

Wang Qingchen gently ruffled Caiyun's hair and comforted her. "That won't happen. Our family has money now; we bought a shop in town! How could we ever sell Caiyun?"

Caiyun lowered her head. "But... but they said..."

Wang Qingchen cut her off. "It won't happen. Second Brother guarantees it, absolutely not." The 'they' Caiyun referred to must be the envious villagers who resented their family’s sudden wealth. Adults spoke, and children naturally mimicked, never considering the harm those careless words could inflict. All Wang Qingchen could do now was slowly guide Caiyun through it.