Xianglan puffed out her cheeks. "I deliberately held back for days without writing to tell you, just so I could say it in person! You should have pretended not to know, Master, waited for me to tell you, and then properly rejoiced!"
"Silly girl, how could I possibly pretend about such a thing—"
Xianglan twisted her hands anxiously, her face flushing crimson. "You're always like this, Master—ruining the moment like someone burning a lute to cook a crane. You won't even humor me this once, won't yield to my wishes just this one time."
"You're being unfair now. When have I not humored you?"
"Humoring me just means making me follow your wishes."
Lin Jinlou guiltily rubbed his nose. "Who says so? Huh? Besides, what's yours or mine between us? Following whose wishes amounts to the same thing. And anyway, since we know, we know—it's not a bad thing, why hide it?"
There was nothing particularly wrong with the matter itself, but Lin Jinlou's attitude was undeniably irritating. Xianglan felt her anger rising—it was like a scholar trying to reason with a soldier, utterly futile—and turned her face away, ignoring him. Lin Jinlou quickly pulled her into his embrace, saying, "I was just so overjoyed I forgot everything else. Getting a child after turning thirty—how could I not be happy? I'd actually given up on this altogether, so it really feels like a big pie dropped right on my head by heaven itself."
Hearing this, Xianglan's heart softened. She still had her back to him, but her eyes drifted sideways, meeting his gaze. Lin Jinlou winked at her; Xianglan snorted and turned her face away again. Lin Jinlou chuckled. "Don't sulk. On such a fine day as this, come, have some food first. Don't starve my son and his mother." As he spoke, he picked up his chopsticks and diligently served Xianglan's favorite dishes into a small plate, then held it up to feed her.
Xianglan stared at him with clear, bright eyes. Seeing his delightfully foolish, beaming expression—so unlike his usual decisive authority—she felt both amused and a pang of emotion. She opened her mouth and ate the bite he offered.
Lin Jinlou fed her other dishes. Xianglan initially thought to say she could manage herself, but she didn't feel like moving. Watching him quietly, eating the various foods he offered, listening to his solicitous questions, and seeing him smile like a simpleton, her heart gradually settled into peace and contentment. This sense of fulfillment and comfort felt familiar; upon reflection, she realized she had felt this way in her past life with Xiao Hang and in this life with Song Ke. Those brief, beautiful moments had been lifelines she clung to desperately in times of hardship. She never would have imagined that such happiness could come from Lin Jinlou—not the cautious, tentative kind she had known before, but a serene, complete immersion.
It was an early autumn afternoon. Xianglan gazed out the window at the bone-white wisps of clouds against the vast, lonely sky. A gentle breeze stirred her loosely tied hair. Around the Pruning Autumn Pavilion, the pond water was emerald clear, half-covered with lotus leaves and dotted with furong blossoms. The banks were lined with rugged rocks and rare, exotic flowers in full bloom, brilliant as an embroidered screen—as one flower faded, another bloomed, a riot of vibrant colors. Another year had passed; the scenery remained, but people had changed, so much had shifted. Her first turning point in the Lin mansion had occurred at a feast in this very pavilion, when Cao Lihuan secretly added peach juice and she reported it to Qin Shi's confidante. The unpredictability of life—she never could have imagined then that one day she would sit here in fine silks and brocades, never could have imagined it.Lin Jinlou fed Xianglan for a while until she shook her head, refusing to eat more. He then coaxed and commanded her to finish a bowl of porridge before picking up his chopsticks to wolf down his own meal. Xiao Juan and Hua Shan cleared the remnants of the meal, brought up fresh fruits and pastries, brewed hot tea, and draped a jade-colored, gold-woven jacket with a double happiness pattern over Xianglan's shoulders.
The two of them sat in the waterside pavilion, exchanging idle, nonsensical chatter, intermittently discussing the recent happenings in the household, the congratulatory visits they had made, and a letter from Lin Dongxiu. Lin Dongxiu had given birth to a daughter after ten months of pregnancy. Though disappointed, she adored the child dearly and wrote about daily trivial details to Xianglan. At the end of the letter, she mentioned Jiang Xiyun.
Jiang Xiyun had indeed had a stroke of luck, marrying into a prominent family as a replacement wife. However, the household was complex, with no one easy to deal with from top to bottom. Her husband had concubines and children from his previous marriage, and her mother-in-law, having heard rumors, disliked her from the start. Yet, since her son was willing, she had no choice but to consent. Still, she remained displeased and, during the newlyweds' early days, shoved two charming concubines into her son's quarters. Jiang Xiyun, with her sweet words and firm actions, maneuvered skillfully—winning over some, playing dumb with others, suppressing rivals, and always coming out on top. She never suffered losses in speech or deed, gained her husband's favor, and engaged in constant scheming with her mother-in-law, sisters-in-law, and other relatives, consistently overpowering them and securing her place in the household. But such behavior inevitably bred enemies. Two months ago, while riding a carriage back to her maternal home, someone secretly placed wheat grains in the horse's ears. The horse, unbearably itchy, became frantic and threw her from the carriage, causing her to miscarry on the spot. The physician said the bleeding had been perilous, and surviving was no small feat, but it would likely be difficult for her to have children in the future.
Xianglan paused and sighed deeply, saying, "Xiu Jie ends her letter with, 'This shows that the net of heaven has large meshes, but it lets nothing through; the cycle of cause and effect never errs.' That is precisely what I would say too."
Lin Jinlou stroked Xianglan's cheek and drew her into his embrace, saying, "The path under one's feet is walked by oneself. She was too focused on her own interests in her dealings with others—no wonder it came to this."
The two fell into a long silence, broken only by the gurgling of the iron kettle on the small red-clay stove.
Lin Jinlou played with the bracelet on Xianglan's wrist and said, "My second brother is remarrying at the end of the year. Don't forget to prepare a gift and send someone to deliver it when the time comes."
Xianglan was startled: "Second Master Xuan remarrying? Who is he marrying?"
Lin Jinlou said, "It's just been settled—the daughter of an old acquaintance. After her father died and her mother remarried, the family fell into ruin and was reduced to utter poverty. She sought refuge with relatives and, I hear, endured much hardship. She's fair-skinned and neat-looking, with a gentle, quiet disposition. Her elder brother is ambitious—he passed the imperial exam and became a Recommended Man, a disciple of the Old Master. He's honest and loyal. The Old Master personally inspected the girl and approved the match. Tsk, my second brother has always favored flirtatious types like Madam Tan. Who knows if this simple, honest girl will suit his fancy."Since that incident, Lin Jinxuan had fallen seriously ill, his health fluctuating between recovery and relapse. When he finally improved somewhat, his entire demeanor had become despondent. While others could tolerate it, Lin Old Madam couldn't help sighing day and night with worry. Lin Jinlou, however, laughed and said, "I know how to cure Second Brother's illness—taking a beautiful concubine will surely fix it." Xianglan couldn't resist rolling her eyes at him, but Lin Jinlou winked back at her. Taking it seriously, Lin Old Madam searched through the maids in the mansion but found none to her liking, so she spent silver to buy a stunning beauty from outside and placed her in Lin Jinxuan's room. Within a few days, Lin Jinxuan perked up, eating an extra bowl of rice. A few days later, Xianglan heard from the maids that Lin Jinxuan was already gently holding her hand, teaching her to write with a brush. The portrait Xianglan had painted for Tan Luhua, which originally hung in the bedroom and which Lin Jinxuan would gaze at daily, shedding tears in remembrance, had now quietly been taken down and stored away who knows where.
Xianglan could only sigh, thinking that ordinary affection between men and women was ultimately like this—undying devotion and eternal love were rare in the world, which was why whenever they appeared, they became timeless tales. Whether passion or infatuation, most could not withstand the erosion of time. As the new love smiled like a flower, the old one gradually faded into a shadow, leaving only a ripple that slowly vanished. Life had to go on.
Xianglan sighed softly and said, "Tan Luhua is still confined in the temple. In another year or two, if she's willing, let her marry into an ordinary family."
Lin Jinlou picked up a piece of Furong cake with his chopsticks, placed it on a small plate, and pushed it toward Xianglan. "You're still worried about her? She's more cunning than you. The old nuns at the convent are gradually loosening their control; she's already dressed up and put on makeup, flirting with the scholar staying there. She just doesn't dare go further yet. The Old Master's intention is to release her in three to five years, but not now." He looked up and saw Xianglan's stunned expression, as blank and adorable as a porcelain doll, and couldn't help but laugh, pinching the tip of her nose. "In all the world, you're the silliest."
Xianglan swatted his hand away and gave him a sidelong glance. "This is great wisdom appearing as folly, simplifying complexity."
Lin Jinlou chuckled, unable to resist kissing her cheek. Seeing his smug, infuriating smile and that no one was around, Xianglan couldn't help but wrap her arms around his neck and kiss his cheek in return. Lin Jinlou was momentarily stunned, then laughed, "Oh my, how extraordinary! You, little pedant, actually kissed me outside the bedroom. Am I dreaming today?"
Xianglan blushed, let go of him, and pretended not to hear. Lin Jinlou wanted to tease her further upon seeing her shy demeanor, but then thought better of it—if he really angered Xianglan, it would be troublesome if she refused to kiss him outside in the future. So he restrained himself, merely grinning as he served her more food, saying, "You're about to bear my son, yet you're still so shy. Do you remember what I said to you at night before I left last time?"
Xianglan's face reddened even more, and she glared at him before asking, "What if it's a daughter?"
Lin Jinlou beamed with joy. "A daughter is fine too—I'll love whatever you give birth to. Having a son is just to satisfy the elders, so they won't nag endlessly."Xianglan's face also broke into a smile, finally setting her mind at ease. After eating half a piece of cake, she suddenly remembered something and said, "The master wrote a letter two days ago saying that during the Ghost Festival, various temples are holding Puja ceremonies. He instructed the Lin Family to withdraw silver to perform merits for the deceased ancestors. The silver has already been withdrawn from the accounts, but I noticed Third Young Lady's name is still on the memorial list—could she really be dead? The other day when I went out, I saw a woman on the street wearing an apricot-yellow top and reddish-brown skirt walking past. Her figure from behind looked exactly like Third Young Lady's, but unfortunately it wasn't her."
Lin Dongling's whereabouts remained unknown. Some claimed to have seen her dressed as a peasant woman sitting on a market-bound cart in Qing County; others said they spotted her heavily made-up, waving from a balcony in Yangzhou's brothel district; still others reported she had become the adopted daughter of a wealthy man in Baoding or had married into a family in the outskirts of the capital. The Lin Family sent people to investigate each lead, but none proved true. Lin Dongling had always been selfish and willful, with blood on her hands—ultimately spoiled rotten by Wang Shi. Though Xianglan held no fondness for her, she couldn't help feeling a twinge of pity now.
Lin Jinlou looked up at the sky, his face contemplative. Since Lin Dongling's disappearance, the Lin Family had dispatched numerous search parties both openly and discreetly. On the tenth day after she vanished, the City Defense Office reported retrieving a young female corpse from the reeds along the northern moat. The coroner determined she had been raped before murder. Lin Jinlou went personally to identify the body, but it was too decomposed to recognize, its features blurred. Half-submerged in water, the remains had swollen beyond recognition of their original stature. The clothing was torn, though the colors somewhat resembled what Lin Dongling wore when she disappeared. Unable to confirm the identity, Lin Jinlou still claimed the body and arranged a burial, but kept this from Wang Shi, fearing the shock might harm her.
This was likely Lin Dongling's end—vanishing without a trace being a form of conclusion in itself.
First update. The final chapter follows shortly.
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