Xia Wentao's demeanor clearly indicated he had no intention of sharing the Master's words with Wang Qingchen and Zhao Cheng. Wang Qingchen and Zhao Cheng paid it little mind; after all, it was private business. Since Xia Wentao hadn't offered to tell them, it must have been something they were not meant to know, so they simply acted as if nothing was said.

With Xia Wentao’s divination interpreted, it was time for Wang Qingchen and Zhao Cheng’s fortunes to be read. Wang Qingchen noticed Zhao Cheng waiting for him to step forward, realizing Zhao Cheng was showing deference. Not wanting to refuse the courtesy, Wang Qingchen handed over the slip he held, "Master, if you would be so kind as to interpret this one for me."

Wang Qingchen was quite content with his current life. In truth, he had only endured material hardship when he first arrived in this world. At home, Wang Youfu, Madam Yang, and Wang Qinghua had always treated him well. Furthermore, it wasn't long before he started earning money, and since then, he had never suffered material want. Moreover, having already achieved the rank of Juren, he was very close to the goal he had initially set for himself; therefore, he felt he had little left to ask for. Thus, he inquired of the Master about matters concerning his family.

Upon hearing Wang Qingchen’s request, the interpreting Master glanced at him with some surprise. Among all the divinations he had interpreted, those of young men Wang Qingchen’s age usually concerned future prospects or romantic pairings; inquiries about immediate family were rare. This struck the Master as quite unexpected.

Wang Qingchen barely reacted to the Master’s surprised glance. In his view, this Master interpreted countless fortunes for countless people every day; even if the Master looked at him now, he would likely forget him soon enough.

According to the Master, the fortune Wang Qingchen received was very good. It suggested that his family members would enjoy a lifetime of smooth sailing, free from any major calamity or disaster. The Master concluded by adding that the relationship between Wang Qingchen and his kin would remain harmonious and deeply affectionate.

Wang Qingchen was very satisfied with what the Master had to say. He held no great aspirations for his own future prospects, but knowing his family was well brought him a deeper sense of peace.

Little did Wang Qingchen know at that moment that Xia Wentao, who had already finished his reading nearby, heard Wang Qingchen's request and the Master's interpretation, which sparked an immediate thought: a young man like Wang Qingchen, so dedicated to his family, who had already attained the rank of Juren while not even residing in the capital—wasn’t he precisely the sort of prospective son-in-law his own family desired for his sister?

Xia Wentao looked at Wang Qingchen, growing more pleased with every passing moment, finding his notion increasingly reliable. Look at him—Wang Qingchen was the same age as his sister. Moreover, from what he had gathered recently, Wang Qingchen was not a rigid or old-fashioned person; quite the contrary, he possessed his own strong convictions. Furthermore, Wang Qingchen’s general temperament was excellent: gentle, possessed of the bearing of a true scholar. Most crucially, Wang Qingchen was not from the capital; he knew nothing of his sister's past issues. Even if Wang Qingchen were to learn of them later, Xia Wentao was certain that a man so unpedantic and open-minded would not overly concern himself with his sister's minor stain.

Still, this was merely a sudden notion that had crossed Xia Wentao's mind. To actually enact it would require approval from his parents. However, he could certainly write a letter home to inform them first, and then he could observe Wang Qingchen’s character more closely to properly vet him for his sister.

Over there, Wang Qingchen was utterly oblivious to Xia Wentao's current thoughts. After his divination was interpreted, he naturally stepped aside, yielding his place to Zhao Cheng behind him.

Zhao Cheng inquired about his future career. Happily, the fortune Zhao Cheng drew was excellent; according to the Master, a dazzling career path awaited him without question.

Hearing the Master's words to Zhao Cheng, Xia Wentao became very excited internally. In his estimation, his trip to his maternal uncle’s house had been entirely worthwhile. Not only had he potentially found a suitable match for his sister, but he had also secured an ally who could support him in official circles down the line. It was truly worth the effort.

The three men, having received favorable readings, were in high spirits. After leaving Lingjue Temple, they didn't rush back. Instead, they settled for lunch at the food stalls below the mountain before heading off to visit another scenic spot outside the city, reputed for having many different varieties of peonies in full bloom.

During their afternoon outing, whether it was Wang Qingchen’s imagination or not, he couldn't shake the feeling that Xia Wentao’s gaze kept subtly settling on him. Yet, whenever he felt it and turned to look, Xia Wentao’s eyes would naturally drift elsewhere. Had he misjudged? After all, why would Xia Wentao stare at him so pointedly? Concluding he must have been mistaken, Wang Qingchen refocused his attention entirely on admiring the peonies.

Meanwhile, back in Wangjia Village, Madam Yang was chatting with Madam Zhang.

"While it is certainly an honor for a son to pass the Juren examination and bring glory to the family, he has been gone so long, and I don't know if he’s lost weight or suffered any hardship. My heart hasn't known a moment of peace." Madam Yang sounded worried.

"Oh, you worry too much. Qingchen can take care of himself. Didn't Caixia and her husband say when they returned that Qingchen and the others are in the county town now? Everything is fine; stop fretting," Madam Zhang consoled her.

"I know what you say makes sense, but I just can't shake this worry. Qingchen has never been this far away from home in his entire life. And he is such a sensible boy; if he were wronged, he would never tell us. That is what concerns me most," Madam Yang insisted.

"From what Caixia's couple relayed, Wang Qingchen should be returning soon, shouldn't be much longer now!" Madam Zhang estimated.

Madam Yang nodded. "I'm just hoping he comes back quickly!"

"Rest assured! Oh, speaking of which, Qingshan and Xiujuan's couple are moving out of the old residence these next couple of days. Have you decided what gift you plan to send them?" Madam Zhang asked.

Upon hearing this, Madam Yang replied, "I was thinking of sending them two new quilts. I already have them prepared, just waiting for the day they move into their own home! What are you planning?"

"Thinking about it, those two haven't had it easy these last couple of years. When they first split the household, the Eldest Sister's side didn't give them much. Back then, their life was genuinely hard. Thankfully, they are both capable of enduring hardship, and things have slowly gotten better. Now they even have a child. And they have surplus money to build a house—seeing that makes my husband and me so relieved. We are thinking of giving them some cooking utensils and dishes so they can save money and buy fewer household necessities," Madam Zhang explained.

"That's a thoughtful idea. Speaking of Qingshan and his wife moving into their new place, Qing Tong’s new house was built at the same time as theirs; it’s finished too. And their two new houses are adjacent. Has anything been said about the brothers moving in together?" Madam Yang asked with some confusion.

"Qing Tong? He'll likely have to wait a while longer. I heard he plans to wait until after he’s married before moving in! Let me tell you, I heard from Xiujuan that Qing Tong saw how his mother mistreated Qingyun’s wife, and that's why he refuses to stay in the old residence after marriage; he insists on moving out! Honestly, with the Eldest Sister acting like that, even her son is scared of her. Why doesn't she try to change? Even if not for her daughter-in-law, she should do it for her own son to remain close to her later! Look at Qingyun’s wife, such a good person. When the two families were negotiating the match, she praised her so highly, and now she finds fault with everything! If Qingyun’s wife hadn't given birth to a boy shortly after marrying, I suspect the Eldest Sister would still be finding ways to treat her poorly!" Madam Zhang shook her head.

Madam Yang had also heard whispers about what happened between Madam Tian and Qingyun’s wife, Luo Yin. If the Old Madam hadn't stepped in to protect Qingyun’s wife, Madam Tian would likely have been even harsher.

"Things should be better now, especially since Qingyun’s wife is heavily pregnant, and she looks like she could deliver any day," Madam Yang commented.

Madam Zhang nodded. "She is due soon; I heard she'll likely give birth around the end of this month. And Little Auntie too—I estimate she'll be due early next year."

"It’s good news for them to have children. When she and Wuzi finally have their own, their life will be much better. Little Auntie has finally turned a corner by meeting Wuzi; otherwise, if she had ended up like the Liu family…" Madam Yang trailed off.

"That Liu family," Madam Zhang shook her head. "Let me tell you, they don't have the wealth they used to. The whole family is living hand-to-mouth now. They can’t even afford to find a wife for Liu Song, and that Liu Song has picked up a gambling addiction. Do you think their family will fare well in the future? They won't just lose their estate; they’ll likely die out without a successor. Serves them right!" Madam Zhang said with satisfaction.

"Dying out, is that too severe? Are they the only branch of the Liu family left?" Madam Yang asked, perplexed.

"Not entirely. Speaking of which, I wanted to ask—has Qinghua’s wife become pregnant yet?" Madam Zhang inquired cautiously.

Madam Yang sighed with regret after hearing the question. "Not yet!"

Madam Zhang grew anxious. "This is a major issue! Do you urge them on regularly?"

Madam Yang shook her head. "I haven't. I figure if the two of them can’t conceive, they must be worried enough themselves; I didn’t want to press them and make them feel worse."

Madam Zhang could only shake her head helplessly upon hearing that.