The news of Li Wu coming to the Wang family manor to propose marriage truly stunned Wang Youfu’s family. Everyone had assumed that Wang Guifang would spend the rest of her life alone, perhaps just visiting her daughter occasionally—that would have been considered a good outcome. No one expected things to turn out so unexpectedly, with someone wanting to marry Wang Guifang. For the Wangs, this was wonderful news. Furthermore, since Wang Guifang was always gentle-natured and got along well with her family, they were all genuinely happy for her this time.

To mark the occasion, Madam Yang specially brought Luo Qing and Caiyun back to Wang Family Village.

The fact that Madam Yang came specifically to congratulate Wang Guifang on remarrying caused an immediate shift in the attitude of the Old Mistress, who usually treated Madam Yang coolly. In the Old Mistress’s eyes, the fact that her daughter-in-law could be happy for her daughter, even offer blessings, was unequivocally a good thing. It was therefore no surprise that the Old Mistress became warm and pleasant toward Madam Yang.

Madam Yang's specific visit to congratulate her made Wang Guifang feel quite shy. After all, it was awkward for a woman to bring up such matters herself. Accepting Madam Yang’s congratulations might give the impression that she had been eagerly seeking to remarry, but refusing would seem disingenuous. Wang Guifang was momentarily at a loss for what to do.

Fortunately, Madam Yang understood Wang Guifang’s predicament and didn't press her for a reaction, quickly changing the subject.

"Though Wu Zi has never married and has lived alone, he’s been in the village long enough that no one has ever heard of him having a bad temper. He’s also known to be hardworking. If you marry him, you won’t suffer. In the future, if you have a child or two, your life will be set," Madam Yang remarked.

Wang Guifang nodded shyly, clearly agreeing with Madam Yang’s assessment. No matter what, Li Wu had a good reputation in the village, except for the old rumor about him being a wife-killer. But her mother had already dismissed that, saying it was just petty gossip spread by jealous people.

"That’s wonderful. With you married off, your second brother and I can finally breathe easier. We always worried about how you would manage the rest of your life, as a woman can’t rely solely on her dowry. Now that you have a husband, everything will be fine," Madam Yang said with relief.

Hearing this, Wang Guifang was deeply moved. She knew the true characters of her second brother and sister-in-law, so she knew Madam Yang spoke from the heart. Precisely because of this, Wang Guifang felt even more gratitude. "I know you and Second Brother have always cared for me. Even after the Liu family divorced me, you looked after me often. I don’t know how to repay you, but if you ever need anything I can help with, I will never refuse."

"Oh, you," Madam Yang said, smoothing Wang Guifang’s hair gently. "Your Second Brother and I only wish for you to be well. We don’t need repayment. Your happiness is the greatest reward for us."

Wang Guifang didn't know what to say, and her voice caught in her throat. Seeing this, Luo Qing gently advised, "Little Aunt, remarrying is a good thing! Mother brought us here to congratulate you. We should be happy now!"

"Yes, Qing'er is right. We must be cheerful. Such joyous news shouldn't be met with tears!" Madam Yang chimed in.

Wang Guifang managed to hold back her tears, then smiled and nodded. "Mm!"

After chatting for a while longer and presenting some silk bolts as gifts, Madam Yang led her daughter-in-law and daughter back to town.

Upon their return, Wang Youfu also inquired in detail about Wang Guifang’s remarriage, showing clear concern for his sister.

Madam Yang recounted everything thoroughly. Wang Youfu was very satisfied with the details. Leaving aside the fact that Li Wu had never married, had no elders or children, he was known for his good character, was hardworking, and had just built a new house two years prior. Moreover, Li Wu had offered thirty taels of silver as a bride price, indicating solid means. Given Li Wu's excellent standing, the Wang family naturally had only cause for celebration.

The only one feeling a distinct pang of discomfort was Tian Shi. Only a short while ago, she had been dreaming that once the elder Wang couple passed away, she would claim Wang Guifang’s dowry and force Guifang to live by her graces. Now, Wang Guifang was getting married respectably while the elders were still alive—how could Tian Shi possibly be happy about that?

Although Tian Shi was present when Li Wu first came to propose, she knew the entire history of Li Wu's parents' previous proposal attempts intimately. She had fully expected the Old Mistress and the others to refuse. Yet, in such a short time, not only had they agreed, but they had also allowed Li Wu to send a matchmaker.

The more Tian Shi thought about it, the angrier she became. Why was her life in the Wang family the most miserable? She had to diligently serve her in-laws and manage all the household chores, even keeping an eye on her son’s marriage prospects. Yet, despite doing so much for the Wang family, she couldn't earn Wang Youliang’s affection; he was openly involved with a widow in town. Before, while Wang Youliang hadn't paid her much attention, at least he had always been home, only caring about money and not getting into other mischief. Back then, Tian Shi had felt secure; her husband shared her humble interests and lacked the opportunity to stray. Now, he was doing things that filled her with despair.

Thinking of this, Tian Shi felt an overwhelming sense of injustice. Here was Wang Guifang, who was supposedly worse off than her, and now she was suddenly striking gold, on the verge of a happy and fulfilling life. The more Tian Shi stewed, the more inequitable it felt—why did she have to endure the worst fate?

Driven by this mindset, Tian Shi resolved to make sure others couldn't have it easy either. How she would accomplish this would rely on the secrets she had accumulated over the years.

Meanwhile, Wang Qingchen had been quite unsettled since Zhao Cheng left. Primarily, their academic performance in school had been nearly identical, and the tutor often compared the two boys. Now that Zhao Cheng had departed Qing Shan Town, and there was no telling if he would ever return, Wang Qingchen found it difficult to adjust.

Of course, it wasn't just Wang Qingchen who felt the shift; other students and even the tutor were unaccustomed to it. In the past, students were accustomed to hearing the tutor praise Zhao Cheng and Wang Qingchen together. Suddenly missing one piece made listening feel strange. The tutor was even more thrown off; sometimes, a phrase would start on his lips before he realized Zhao Cheng had already gone to the county seat, prompting a sigh: "If Zhao Cheng were here for this question..."

Thankfully, Wang Qingchen soon stopped dwelling on it. After all, his ultimate goal was to elevate his social standing through the imperial examinations; everything needed to be oriented toward that objective, leaving no real need to linger over Zhao Cheng's departure.

Considering that even without Zhao Cheng as a benchmark, he still needed pressure to improve himself, Wang Qingchen devoted nearly all his time to his studies lately. He couldn't bear the thought of his results in the academy examination lagging far behind Zhao Cheng’s—that would be truly depressing.

Wang Youfu and Madam Yang watched Wang Qingchen's intense dedication with concern, fearing he would compromise his health for his studies. However, they felt helpless, as they were completely ignorant in academic matters and had no meaningful advice to offer. It seemed the best course was silence, lest they inadvertently disrupt their son's efforts.

Fortunately, Madam Yang figured that while she couldn't assist with academics, she could certainly manage his diet. Consequently, Wang Qingchen noticed a significant upgrade in his meals during this period. Though he found it slightly amusing, he understood it was his family’s heartfelt expression of care, so he graciously accepted it.

Wang Qingchen was preparing for the academy examination, and logically, no one should bother him at this time. However, clearly, someone else held a different opinion. After making his decision last time, Wang Youliang had hired a new cook to put the eatery back on solid footing, freeing up his schedule to seek out Wang Qingchen.

After hearing Wang Youliang's request, Wang Qingchen was at a loss for what to think. Despite the considerable efforts made by the Old Residence and Huang Shi, his elder uncle hadn't abandoned his intentions?

Wang Qingchen was sure the Old Residence would have tried to reason with Wang Youliang about the implications, but Wang Youliang clearly paid them no mind. This put Wang Qingchen in a difficult position. Frankly, Wang Qingchen did not approve of Wang Youliang going to see Huang Shi. Setting aside the elders' considerations—the Wang family’s reputation was not something to trifle with—there was Huang Shi herself. She surely had to consider her own son. Wang Qingchen believed that Huang Shi's previous association with Wang Youliang was partially motivated by her son's welfare. Now that she had left Qing Shan Town, that consideration must have been a major factor. For Wang Youliang to insist on finding her now seemed deeply inappropriate. It would hurt not only Huang Shi but also the Wang family.

While Wang Qingchen wouldn't articulate the risks and benefits to Wang Youliang—believing his uncle was aware but simply refusing to acknowledge them—Wang Qingchen could refuse to take him to the county. Furthermore, he resolved to inform the family elders. It was a matter he couldn't easily resolve, but the elders were different. From every perspective, they were the most suitable candidates to handle such an affair.