Only four geng had passed on the second day when Madam Huang climbed out of bed. Er Niu’s eyes were still closed when he asked, “It’s only the fourth geng, why are you up so early? Is there something you need to do?”

Madam Huang replied, “You keep sleeping. I’ll wake you later. I’m getting up to make some pastries for the children so they can eat when they wake.”

With that, she dressed and went to the kitchen, where she mixed dough, baked flatbreads, and boiled some corn porridge. By the time Lin He and the others rose, the table was laden with breakfast—many different kinds. Lin He asked, “Mother, when did you get up? You’ve made so much breakfast; you must be tired.”

Madam Huang smiled and said, “Tired? It’s not like this every day. You all have to drive the cart later, so I got up early to make you a full breakfast for the road. You likely won’t eat well on the journey. Oh, is Da Bao awake yet? Hurry and wake Da Bao, or we’ll be late.” Saying this, she immediately walked to Da Bao’s room to rouse him.

Lin He looked at the spread of breakfast. Mother is too anxious, she thought. It’s just a short trip, why such a big fuss? It’s not even far, just a few days away. Having a mother like this truly makes a child a treasure.

After the family finished breakfast, Er Niu hitched the ox cart to take them to town. As they neared the town, they saw Uncle Wen waiting from a distance. Oddly, Lin He also spotted Wen Ningxuan, whom she had met before, standing beside Uncle Wen. Is he going too? Lin He wondered inwardly.

When they reached Uncle Wen, Lin He hopped down from the ox cart and said with a smile, “Uncle Wen, you’re so early! Didn’t you tell me not to rush? Now I feel like I’m the late one.”

Uncle Wen smiled back, “It’s fine, we just arrived too. The carriage hasn't come yet; we still have to wait a moment. By the way, this is my second son, Wen Ningxuan. Xuan’er, this is He’er, the other owner of He Cai Doll.”

Wen Ningxuan glanced at Lin He and said flatly, “We met last time at He Cai Doll.”

Uncle Wen, unaware they had met, said, “Oh, you’ve known each other? When did you meet? He’er doesn’t come to town very often.”

“The last time Mo’er went to He Cai Doll to buy something,” Wen Ningxuan replied, seemingly reluctant to elaborate.

Lin He glanced at Wen Ningxuan. His attire today was far simpler than the wealthy appearance she remembered from last time—a plain blue qingshan robe that didn't look special at first glance. Under closer inspection, however, the fabric was clearly of the highest quality. Lin He nodded to him as a greeting. To her surprise, he completely ignored her, turning his body aside instead.

Lin He felt a bit awkward, thinking Uncle Wen’s sons were strange people, their personalities nothing like Uncle Wen’s. Perhaps sensing Lin He’s discomfort, Uncle Wen smiled and said, “He’er, my second son isn’t very talkative. We’ll be traveling together, so I hope you can bear with him. Don’t let him bore you, alright?”

Lin He blinked, replying mischievously, “Hmm, my mother always says my older brother Da Bao doesn't talk much, calling him a silent gourd. But you see, I don't get bored even when I’m with my own brother. I doubt I will with him.”

Lin He said this deliberately, implying Wen Ningxuan was a silent gourd, thereby getting back at him for the earlier awkward moment. Da Bao scratched his head and smiled at this, while Uncle Wen laughed heartily, “Indeed, where He’er is present, even adding another silent gourd won't make things dull.”

Wen Ningxuan, on the other hand, seemed not to have heard, his expression remaining placid. Internally, however, he was looking at Lin He with newfound respect. He had always heard his father talk about Lin He in this way or that and expected some extraordinary young woman. The first time he saw her at He Cai Doll, he thought she was just an ordinary country girl. Seeing how she bantered with his father today, he found this young lady quite interesting.

His father was usually very stern around them because his expectations were so high; he either quizzed them on their studies or lectured them. Consequently, none of his siblings enjoyed spending time with him. Yet, here was Lin He, chatting and laughing easily with his father—truly unique.

They didn't wait long outside Cai Die Xuan before the carriage arrived. The driver was Chen Bing, a waiter from Cai Die Xuan. Upon seeing Lin He and Da Bao, he bowed respectfully, retrieved a small stool from the front of the carriage, placed it near the door, and allowed them to mount.

This carriage was not the one Lin He had ridden before; this one was significantly larger. The outer curtains were brown, and other than its size, it showed no obvious distinction. As she boarded, Lin He lifted the curtain, noting that the fabric felt exquisite—certainly not something an ordinary family could afford.

Inside, it was truly a world apart. The carriage was spacious with a high ceiling, preventing any feeling of being cramped. The walls were lined with the finest silk, and the long seats on both sides were covered with thick cushions, promising extreme comfort.

Between the seats on both sides was a small table laden with fruit, a Zisha teapot, and several cups of the same material. Once the four of them were seated, Chen Bing started the carriage. Lin He and Da Bao sat on one side, facing Wen Ningxuan and Uncle Wen.

As soon as he boarded, Uncle Wen retrieved a book from beneath the seat and began reading, leaving Lin He and the others to their own devices. Da Bao, perhaps too excited about going to the county seat after sleeping poorly the night before, soon drifted off into a light sleep after the carriage started moving. Lin He and Wen Ningxuan sat directly opposite each other. Since there was nothing much else to look at in the confined space, her direct line of sight fell upon Wen Ningxuan’s face. Lin He felt it was somewhat unnatural to stare at someone she barely knew, so she shifted her gaze, but she didn't know where else to look in the small carriage.

She decided to mimic Da Bao, closing her eyes. However, Lin He wasn't asleep. She felt a gaze fixed upon her face the moment she shut her eyes; without guessing, she knew it was Wen Ningxuan’s.

Even with her eyes closed, Lin He felt uneasy being stared at so intently. She deliberately shifted her body and slowly opened her eyes. She glanced toward Wen Ningxuan, only to see him staring intently at the carriage curtain, clearly having noticed her waking up, and he immediately averted his gaze.

Lin He found this Wen Ningxuan quite perplexing. He wasn't that old, yet he was perpetually cold and unwilling to speak much to her, but he seemed quite interested in her nonetheless—stealing glances at her while she kept her eyes shut. What was the meaning of all this? Still, Lin He was certain she couldn't figure him out; who knew what a silent gourd like him was thinking?

Lin He looked at the fruit on the table, tempted to grab some to quench her thirst, but they were all apples and pears, fruits she never cared for. So, she picked up a teacup, poured herself some tea, and poured a cup for Uncle Wen beside her. Lin He left Wen Ningxuan alone; what if he refused the tea and ignored her, making things even more awkward?