Though Lin He said this, Mother Huang was still uneasy. After lunch, she started bustling about, packing this and packing that. By the time Lin He saw, there were five or six bundles piled before her. Lin He couldn't help but feel a mix of amusement and tears, yet her heart was warmed. Perhaps this, too, was a blessing.

In her past life, Lin He went everywhere alone; no one ever fussed over her preparation like this. When she left, a single backpack sufficed—only what she could carry, and what couldn't be taken was simply left behind.

Whether studying or working, Lin He often overheard complaints like, "Ugh, my mom is so annoying, I told her I didn't need this, but she packed it in anyway. No wonder my bag is so heavy!" or "My family is maddening; they call constantly like they're checking up on me. I have no dignity!" Though Lin He never voiced it, deep down she knew how desperately she longed for someone to care that much.

Now, Mother Huang was just like the parents of Lin He's former classmates and colleagues. Lin He felt it was a profound happiness to have parents, but even happiness couldn't carry so many bundles. Smiling, she said to Mother Huang, "Mother, Big Brother and I only need one bundle each. There are so many things we don't need to take. Why are you packing so many clothes? One set of clothes each for changing will be enough. What are all these steamed buns for? We can eat on the road; no need to pack them."

Lin He said this while inspecting the bundles, and eventually, most of what Mother Huang packed was cleared out. Seeing the clothes Lin He set aside, Mother Huang exclaimed, "Ay, why are you taking those out? When you're away from home, you need an extra set of clothes in case one gets soiled. Take these few skirts I made for you! Being out is not like being here in the countryside; if you dress too shabbily, people will mock you."

Lin He laughed, "Mother, I'm going to set up a shop, not attend a beauty pageant. Why would I need such fine clothes? The skirts are also cumbersome for moving around. I'll just take these two sets I made myself. The weather isn't that hot anymore, and these are just right for the temperature."

Mother Huang looked at the two outfits Lin He held: one was a short, rose-pink top paired with trousers of the same color, embroidered with several butterflies using dark pink silk thread—quite lovely. The other set was a similar style, a magenta short jacket and yellow trousers, adorned with some embroidery, and the bottom hem was finished with a layer of white silk—very fine indeed, and the colors were vibrant. Mother Huang approved and insisted Lin He take a pair of embroidered shoes, saying she had made them and they were comfortable.

Mother Huang also packed several sets of undergarments for Lin He, stating a girl needed more of those when traveling. Lin He didn't object to this; she figured with running around every day, she'd likely be bathing daily given the weather, so carrying more was sensible.

After quite some time, Mother Huang finally helped Lin He consolidate one bundle. When it came to Big Brother's things, it was much simpler: one set of clothes to wear and one set to change into. Mother Huang didn't say much, remarking that boys weren't that particular.

Chen'er and Little Bao watched their older siblings pack, feeling intensely envious of the trip. Little Bao circled Lin He, sweetly pleading, "Sister, take me with you! I've never been to the County Seat. I want to go too."

Lin He patted Little Bao's head and said, "Little Bao, the County Seat is too far; we have to take a carriage. This time, your brother and I are going with other people, so it's not very convenient."

Little Bao wasn't a child who threw tantrums. Hearing his sister say that, though disappointed, he didn't press the issue, just walked away with a long face. Seeing Little Bao unhappy, Lin He coaxed him, "Little Bao, come here, let Sister tell you. We're riding with someone else this time, so it truly is hard to take you both. How about this: when Sister has money, Sister will buy her own carriage, and then wherever Little Bao wants to go, Sister will take you. How about that?"

Little Bao was thrilled to hear his sister talk about buying a carriage. He grinned widely and said, "Then Sister must keep her word! When Sister has money, she has to buy a carriage, okay? Then Little Bao wants to ride the carriage everywhere!"

Lin He nodded, promising she would keep her word. Mother Huang, watching from the side, chuckled, "He'er, don't talk nonsense with him like that; he takes everything seriously. This boy has an excellent memory. Be careful he doesn't really ask you for a carriage later."

Lin He replied, "I'm not just humoring him. When the family is better off in the future, we definitely need a carriage. A carriage runs much faster than an ox cart, making travel much more convenient."

Mother Huang's eyes widened. "He'er, you want to buy a carriage? Horses aren't cheap, and you have to feed them! I heard horses cost a fortune, requiring a lot of silver. Just say it for fun; don't actually buy a horse. I don't know how to care for one."

Lin He found her mother's expression amusing. If they had enough money to buy a horse, surely they could afford to feed it. But she didn't press the matter with Mother Huang, deciding to deal with it when the time came. She just vaguely agreed with Mother Huang to placate her.

By the time all the packing was finished, it was nearly evening. Mother Huang said she was going to prepare something for dinner and took the younger ones out, telling Lin He to check one last time if anything was forgotten, as it would be troublesome if they needed something and didn't have it. Lin He checked, making sure nothing was missed. In reality, as long as she had the silver, anything forgotten could be bought.

Speaking of silver, Lin He realized she should take quite a bit more. If she saw any good items, she could buy them for her family. It was a rare chance to go out, so spending some silver to buy gifts for her family would make everyone happy. Lin He opened the iron latch under her bed, moved the bluestone slab, and took out two hundred taels of silver notes, plus a dozen or so taels of loose silver. If there were any novelties in the County Seat, she could buy them back to study.

After dinner that evening, the whole family sat in the courtyard. Everyone seemed more excited about Big Brother and Lin He going to the County Seat than the travelers themselves. They mentioned that in the village, apart from the Xia Landlord's household, only the Clan Elder had ever been to the County Seat. The Elder described the County Seat as magnificent, many times larger than the town, though the prices were terrifyingly high. Talking about it, it sounded as if visiting the County Seat was an immensely glorious achievement.

After chatting for a while, Mother Huang urged everyone to sleep, emphasizing that they had to catch the carriage early the next morning and needed a good night's rest to have energy. She sent Er Niu to bed, reminding him he needed to drive them in the morning and shouldn't oversleep, as keeping Uncle Wen waiting wouldn't be good. She also told the younger ones to sleep, as they would disturb Lin He and Big Brother. Eventually, the entire family retreated to their beds early.

Lying down, Lin He couldn't sleep for some reason. She didn't know why; what was so exciting about going to the County Seat? No matter how prosperous, could it compare to the bustling megacities of her past life? Perhaps being influenced by her family's excitement, she had caught the feeling and was beginning to look forward to the trip.