Xianglan left the Song residence and wandered home like a lost soul. She shut the door of her room and sat in stillness for a long time, staring blankly at the jade bracelet Song Ke had given her, which adorned her wrist. Only when twilight began to settle across the sky did she rise, forcefully tugging the bracelet off. She then rummaged through her belongings, gathering every item Song Ke had ever given her into a box, which she locked securely and shoved beneath her bed. With an air of nonchalance, she stepped out to help Xue Shi prepare the evening meal.
Seven or eight days later, Chen Wanquan returned from his shop with news of Song Ke’s engagement to Zheng Jingxian. The couple stole glances at Xianglan, only to find her smiling as usual, using her chopsticks to serve them food as if she hadn’t heard a word. A few days later, Song Ke sold off all his local assets and moved his entire family to the capital. On the day of his departure, prominent officials and gentry of Jinling gathered at Ten-Mile Pavilion to bid him farewell. Chen Wanquan naturally attended and returned full of boasts about the grandeur of the occasion. He also handed Xianglan a letter, explaining that Song Ke’s servant had secretly passed it to him for delivery.
Back in her room, Xianglan opened the letter to find just two words: "Take care." Her heart clenched in unbearable pain, and the sorrow she had suppressed for days overflowed, tears streaming down her face like rain. Song Ke had been a bond from her past life, a beam of light in her heart. Whenever she thought of him, she felt that despite the hardships of this life, their reunion had been a kindness from heaven. But now, he was truly gone—soon to marry another, raise a family, and become a stranger to her. All that remained was a silent farewell in their hearts, an eternal separation.
Xianglan wept bitterly in her room, her sobs echoing through the house. Chen Wanquan and Xue Shi stood by the door, eavesdropping anxiously. Rubbing his hands together, Chen Wanquan fretted, "Our girl has always been delicate. What if she cries herself sick? You should go in and comfort her."
Xue Shi frowned worriedly. "Sister Lan once confided in me that Eldest Master Song genuinely intended to marry her as his proper wife with all the formalities. I was half-convinced, yet it seemed too good to be true—and now it’s fallen through. She seemed fine these past few days, but after reading that letter, she’s utterly heartbroken."
Chen Wanquan glared and scolded, "What do you know? She’s been deluding herself, and you didn’t talk sense into her—instead, you indulged her fantasies! What kind of man is Eldest Master Song? A twice-ranked imperial scholar, an official in the Hanlin Academy! How could he ever fancy Xianglan? Didn’t you see he’s engaged to the daughter of Duke Xian? If anything happens to our girl because of this, I’ll hold you responsible!"
Xue Shi retorted, "Why take it out on me? Sister Lan has a will stronger than ten oxes—how could I have dissuaded her?"
Chen Wanquan sighed deeply, squatting on the ground. He pulled out his long-stemmed tobacco pipe from his belt, took a few puffs, and lamented, "We’re just common folk. We can’t reach for the stars—better to live our lives honestly and contentedly."
Xue Shi nodded. "That’s what I think too. Sister Lan is not young anymore. Let’s find her a good match. Once a happy event comes along, this matter with Eldest Master Song will fade from her mind."Chen Wanquan said, "I used to think being a concubine for Eldest Master Lin was excellent, but Lan'er is unwilling, and the Lin family has several formidable women. I fear Lan'er would suffer if she entered that household. Eldest Master Lin has been away in the capital and hasn't returned—who knows when he'll be back? It's better to marry her within our neighborhood. We only have one daughter, and when we grow old and ailing, it'll be good to have someone to care for us at our bedside." He stood up, knocking his tobacco pouch against his foot, and said, "I actually have someone in mind... What do you think of Young Master Xia?"
Xue Shi raised her eyebrows and said, "Xia Yun?"
Chen Wanquan said, "Exactly him. Young Master Xia is now a provincial graduate, and although he didn't pass the imperial examination, he has caught the attention of the magistrate and serves as a clerk in the yamen. At least he holds an official position. I find him highly talented, with good character and appearance—he's reliable. These days, he's been visiting our home frequently, clearly interested in Lan'er, and has even sent someone to sound out my opinion. If we don't secure such a match quickly, we might regret it if someone else gets ahead of us."
Xue Shi said, "Young Master Xia is indeed good, but there's one thing that doesn't quite satisfy me—his family is rather poor. He has two older brothers, one older sister, two younger sisters, and three younger brothers, all with little money. His parents and sisters-in-law are also difficult to deal with. I'm afraid Lan'er would suffer if she married into that family."
Chen Wanquan waved his hand and said, "What does being poor matter? He's already an official—are you afraid he won't live comfortably in the future? Which girl doesn't serve her in-laws and get along with her sisters-in-law? If others can do it, why can't Lan'er?"
Xue Shi still worried, "But we don't know if Lan'er is willing or not..."
Chen Wanquan widened his eyes and raised his voice, "Why care if she's willing! She's willing for Eldest Master Song, but is he willing for her? We can't let her have her way in this matter. She's already sixteen—are we going to keep her at home until she becomes our enemy? It's always been the parents' order and the matchmaker's words. If it looks good, we'll settle it. Would I harm her?" With that, he flung his hand and went inside.
As for Xianglan, she had cried until exhausted and then fell into a deep sleep on her bed. The next day, when she came out of her room, she appeared refreshed and clear-headed. If not for her swollen eyes, one would never have guessed she had cried so miserably the day before. However, she spent her days shut in her room painting, occasionally tending to flowers and plants, and rarely spoke or laughed. Xue Shi watched this with growing concern.
One day, Xianglan propped open the window, placed a pot of cymbidium orchids on the windowsill, and watered them with a spray bottle. Xue Shi approached the window and said, "Later, Young Master Xia's mother, sister-in-law, and sister will visit our home. You should come over later too—we mustn't be impolite." Xianglan casually agreed.
Before long, Xia Yun's mother, Madam Jin, along with Second Sister-in-law Xia and Third Sister Xia, arrived. Xue Shi personally opened the door to welcome them in. Taking Madam Jin's hand, she said with a smile, "It's been a while since we last met, Elder Sister. You look even more spirited, and your complexion is better than before. Truly, joy brings vigor."Originally from Yuzhou, Jin Shi had fled famine with her family to Jinling before marrying into the Xia family. Though she was only eight years older than Xue Shi, she appeared to have aged over twenty years more. Xue Shi had once served as a maid in a wealthy household; though merely a third-tier servant, she had seen some sophistication. Moreover, the Chen family was wealthier than the Xia family, making Jin Shi often feel inferior. But now that Xia Yun had passed the imperial exams and become a clerk in the yamen, Jin Shi suddenly felt she could hold her head high, standing straighter as she said with restrained pride, "I must say I'm quite pleased, especially since our third child is so promising. Just this morning, he went to the yamen again, saying he had to attend the morning roll call..."
She glanced around and saw a house with one main hall and two side rooms, noticeably larger than ordinary homes. It had recently been whitewashed and repaired, appearing exceptionally neat and refined. The carved lattice partitions were adorned with colorful window gauze, exuding an air of grandeur. The courtyard was paved with bluestone slabs at the center, with a pebble-lined path meandering through. Flowers and plants bloomed vibrantly all around, competing in splendor. A small rockery stood nearby, planted with banana trees, beside which a large earthen vat housed several goldfish. Under a grapevine trellis, stone tables and stools were arranged, with a redwood cage hanging above, where a oriole chirped and hopped about.
A large yellow dog bared its teeth and barked twice, but after Xue Shi scolded it, it retreated to a shady spot to doze off with narrowed eyes.
The women of the Xia family were utterly dumbfounded. Jin Shi’s remaining words stuck in her throat, unable to come out. Xia Sanjie swallowed hard and exclaimed in awe, "Good heavens, such extravagance! It’s like living in a fairyland. Our home is just like a pigsty."
Hearing this, Jin Shi snapped back to reality, inwardly furious that Xia Sanjie had embarrassed them. She shot her a fierce glare. Though Xia Ersao was also astonished and envious, she found Xia Sanjie’s remark inappropriate and slapped the back of her head, scolding in a low voice, "You foolish girl! If you keep spouting nonsense with that dog’s mouth, we won’t bring you along next time!"
Xia Sanjie rubbed the back of her head, pouting in displeasure.
Xue Shi noticed everything but pretended not to see, merely smiling as she said, "Our girl insisted on planting some flowers and trees. It just so happened that a wealthy family was renovating their garden and had some leftover plants and unusual rocks discarded. Her father fetched a cart to bring them back—it didn’t cost much. The two of them worked for half a day to plant everything, and now it looks quite presentable." In truth, Chen Wanquan had been reluctant to tidy up the yard, but Xianglan had said she needed flowers and plants for her painting, so he had put in the effort to arrange the courtyard.
Jin Shi’s smile grew somewhat strained. Previously, when Xia Yun passed the exams, some prosperous and respectable families had sent silver, and a prominent local gentry had even gifted them an empty house. Though it wasn’t spacious and was somewhat old, it was still a two-courtyard residence. After cleaning it up, the whole family had moved in joyfully, feeling they had surpassed everyone. But now, seeing the Chen family’s small courtyard, she realized it was ten times more luxurious than her own home. Upon entering the house, she saw ebony tables and chairs, cloisonné vases, hanging scrolls of calligraphy and paintings, and celadon-glazed tea bowls with brown and green lotus patterns—furnishings fit for a wealthy gentleman.Even Second Sister-in-law Xia was astonished, stroking the teacup and small table while exclaiming repeatedly, "Oh my, this is truly the elegance of a wealthy household... That Lin family, no matter how rich and respectable they are, can't be much better than this. Just think how much silver all these antiques in this room are worth... Oh dear, even these pastries look so exquisite, I can hardly bear to eat them..."
Third Sister Xia had already stuffed two pieces of cake into her mouth and was chewing heartily. "Why can't you bear to eat them?" she said. "They're even more fragrant than what we buy for New Year's."
Xue Shi smiled proudly. "These are pastries from Guisuzhai," she said. "Her father bought them yesterday when he went to the street. Eat as much as you like, there's plenty more."
Jin Shi felt even more sour inside. Clearing her throat, she said, "I say, Sister Xue, you might not like what I'm about to say... What's the use of decorating the courtyard so extravagantly? It would be more practical to raise some chickens and ducks. Not only would you have something to crow every day, but you could also collect a few eggs, and during the holidays you could slaughter them for meat. Isn't that much more practical than all these flowers and plants? And these pastries—they're the most impractical. If you make them yourself, you waste oil and flour. If you buy them outside, a string of cash only gets you two small packets. Your family isn't like ours. Our scholar serves in the yamen, and people bring these pastries and fruits every day. Even when they're given to us, I don't care for them and just leave them to waste."
Upon hearing this, Xue Shi was taken aback, and her expression darkened slightly.
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