Blossom

Wang Yingxue was still pondering how best to phrase her question when Second Madam cheerfully beckoned to Dou Zhao, "Come here, child, come to your great-aunt!"

Ji Shi gently nudged Dou Zhao forward.

Dou Zhao remained unmoved.

Ji Shi could only smile apologetically at Second Madam and say, "This child—who knows whom she takes after? She remembers everyone when buying gifts but becomes shy when presenting them."

"That's good, that's good! Such sincerity is rare," Second Madam replied without taking offense. She turned and retrieved a paper box adorned with a vibrant red design of five bats descending upon a doorway from beneath the kang table, handing it to Dou Zhao. "These are Bone-in Abalone Confections your Fifth Uncle had specially brought from the Capital. Take them and enjoy!"

Wang Yingxue was astonished.

Bone-in Abalone Confections were a renowned delicacy from Jiangnan, said to be made from cheese yet possessing the texture of jade nectar pearls and the richness of snowy cream, without a hint of dairy's pungency—touted as the ultimate delicacy.

During her time in the Capital, Wang Yingxue had heard children from noble families boast about them but had never seen or tasted them herself.

Ji Shi was equally surprised.

The confections were notoriously intricate to prepare, with few in Jiangnan mastering the craft. Perhaps because rarity breeds value, Second Madam adored them, and Dou Shishu seized every opportunity to procure them for her. This New Year, he had only managed to send two boxes, yet Second Madam had gifted one to Dou Zhao.

Hurriedly, Ji Shi urged Dou Zhao, "Shou Gu, these were your Fifth Uncle's tribute to your great-aunt—only two boxes in total. Quickly thank her!"

Dou Zhao was taken aback.

In her past life, she had tasted Bone-in Abalone Confections at a family banquet hosted by the Yan'an Marquis Wang Qinghuai. The barely concealed pride of the Wang family's matriarch had even drawn private ridicule from Wei Yanzhen.

She hadn't intended anything grand—merely accompanying Sixth Aunt to the Ji family's shop to pick up some New Year goods. Seeing the bustling streets filled with shoppers, she felt compelled to buy small gifts for Sixth Uncle's household, careful to avoid any appearance of favoritism. Among the trinkets she brought back was the passionflower-patterned cloisonné enamel box now in her hands.

She hadn't expected Second Madam to reciprocate with such a lavish gift.

Though she held no fondness for Second Madam, Dou Zhao wouldn't willfully misinterpret her kindness.

With a smile, she stepped forward to express her gratitude and accepted the box cheerfully.

Second Madam nodded approvingly.

Just then, a young maid entered and announced, "Second Madam, Second Sister-in-Law Xiu has arrived with the young master and young lady of the Wu family to pay their respects. Mingjier and Yijie'er have come as well."

"Show them in at once!" Second Madam urged eagerly.

The Wu family hailed from Xinle, while the Dou family was from Zhen Ding. Though both families served in the court and shared provincial ties, Wu Songnian's aloof nature and their differing posts—one in the Imperial Academy, the other in the Ministry of Personnel—had kept interactions sparse despite their marital connection. It was only after Dou Shishu fell out of favor that Wu Songnian began inviting him for drinks, gradually bridging the distance. This was why Second Madam held Wu Songnian's children in such high regard—and why Wu Shan and Wu Ya were frequent guests.

In her past life, Dou Zhao had only ever heard Wu Shan's name in passing.He was skilled in calligraphy and painting, and was a close friend of Dou Dechang. When Dou Dechang eloped with his cousin from the Ji family, it was Wu Shan who accompanied him back and forth between the Ji and Dou households—one playing the tough role, the other the gentle—not only persuading both families to acknowledge the marriage but also turning the scandal into a celebrated tale for a time.

Dou Zhao remembered this vividly.

She had always believed that those who could twist black into white were no ordinary people.

Thus, when the Wu siblings entered with a crowd of children, she took a good look at the only boy among them, Wu Shan.

Wu Shan sensed someone watching him and turned around.

Dou Zhao gave him a polite smile.

He returned the smile, and like any well-bred seven-year-old boy, his expression was pure and sincere.

Dou Zhao couldn’t help but sigh inwardly.

What would these children become in ten years?

Meanwhile, three-year-old Dou Ming spotted her mother standing with her head bowed the moment she entered.

Overjoyed, she struggled out of her wet nurse’s arms and cried out, "Mother!" before rushing over to embrace Wang Yingxue.

Wang Yingxue’s expression changed slightly, and she whispered urgently, "What did I tell you?"

Dou Ming stuck out her tongue and cooed, "Auntie."

Second Madam, Ji Shi, and Second Sister-in-Law Xiu were all experienced women. They immediately understood that Wang Yingxue had instructed Dou Ming to call her "Auntie" in public but "Mother" in private. Their brows furrowed in disapproval.

In the past, Second Madam would have reprimanded her on the spot. But now, Dou Duo was already furious that Dou Shishu had pressured him into dividing half the family property with Dou Zhao, making it difficult for the East Mansion to interfere in certain matters. However, this didn’t mean she would tolerate such behavior right under her nose.

"Mingjier," Second Madam called sternly, "what did Nanny Liu teach you?"

Dou Ming quickly let go of her mother and hurried to Second Madam, respectfully performing a curtsy for her and Ji Shi.

Second Madam gave a faint hum and said to Wang Yingxue, "Mingjier has learned some manners, hasn’t she?"

The remark carried layers of meaning.

Wang Yingxue’s heart sank—she knew her daughter’s slip-up had been noticed. But in front of Second Madam, even the legitimate daughters-in-law had no right to speak, let alone an unacknowledged concubine like her.

Not daring to say much, she quickly replied with deference, "For Mingjier to learn manners under your guidance is truly her good fortune!"

"It’s best that you think so." Second Madam accepted the flattery without courtesy and declared, "Mingjier will stay with me from now on."

Wang Yingxue was stunned.

Second Madam had already turned to Dou Ming and said, "And where is your sister?" Without another glance at Wang Yingxue.

Dou Ming hadn’t intentionally neglected to greet Dou Zhao. Having lived under Wang Yingxue’s care for so long, she had no one to discipline her except her mother. It was only after coming to Second Madam’s residence that she began learning etiquette. But she was still young and couldn’t fully grasp hierarchy—she only knew to bow to elders and call younger ones "sister" or "brother."

Obediently, she called Dou Zhao "Sister" and curtsied to her just as she had for Second Madam.

Dou Zhao returned the courtesy and instructed Tuo Niang to serve the Bone-in Abalone Confection that Second Madam had just rewarded her in a crystal dish:

"...I didn’t know Brother Wu and his sisters would be visiting. So I’ll borrow the gift to share—let’s all taste this delicacy from Grandaunt."The conversation filled the room with warmth, as maids bustled about fetching plates and chopsticks, instantly enlivening the atmosphere.

Second Cousin-in-Law laughed and said, "Our Sixth Aunt is truly learned. After just a few days with you, even Shou Gu can say things like 'borrowing flowers to offer to Buddha.'"

Ji Shi was quite surprised, but considering her nephew Ji Yong from her maiden family was only two years older than Dou Zhao and had already finished studying the Three Character Classic , she didn't find it particularly astonishing.

"Look at our Zhigeer—I've taught him for seven years, and he's never shown such aptitude," she said modestly. "It just goes to show that every child is different."

"There's no need for formalities in front of me," Second Madam interjected. Since the treats originally belonged to her, she felt doubly pleased that Dou Zhao had shared them with the Wu siblings, seeing it as a sign of generosity and a reflection of her own good upbringing. Beaming, she added, "Our Shou Gu doesn't hoard treats—she's a good child. And our Zhigeer, so young yet so diligent in his studies, is also a good child." She then hugged Wu Ya. "Our Ya Jie'er, so well-behaved and obedient, is another good child."

Everyone laughed.

Yi Jie'er pouted in dissatisfaction. "What about me? What about me?"

"Oh dear, we forgot about our Yi Jie'er," Second Madam chuckled. "Our Yi Jie'er is also a good child." As if suddenly remembering, she turned to Dou Ming. "And our Mingjier is a good child too!"

Yi Jie'er covered her mouth, giggling with satisfaction, while Dou Ming simply smiled along with her.

Wang Yingxue, left out in the cold, felt a pang of bitterness and sorrow.

With so many children around Second Madam—some of noble birth, some clever, some formidable—her own Mingjier, just three years old, stood little chance of winning favor, especially since the Eastern Dou family had always looked down on the Western Dou branch.

Her heart ached with the desire to bring her child back to her side.

Determined to teach Wang Yingxue a lesson, Second Madam assigned capable old women and maids to care for Dou Ming and even selected a few children from the family's long-serving servants to keep her company.

Children being children, it didn't take long before Dou Ming stopped crying for her wet nurse.

On New Year's Eve, when the Dou family returned to the North Tower to honor their ancestors, Wang Yingxue, who was accompanying Third Madam, finally seized an opportunity to find Dou Ming.

Dou Ming was standing by the stove with Yi Jie'er and the others, waiting for freshly made Maltose Candy.

Hearing someone call "Mingjier," the children turned around. Yi Jie'er even asked, "Who's that?"

After a moment's hesitation, Dou Ming replied uncertainly, "She's my mother's sister..."

Yi Jie'er immediately grabbed Dou Ming's hand. "Just a concubine? Why bother with her? If we leave now, we'll miss out on the Maltose Candy."

Dou Ming still hesitated, and Yi Jie'er grew displeased. "Fine, go then! But if you leave, don't ever play with me again." Hearing this, Dou Ming quickly relented. "Alright, alright, I'll stay and get the candy with you."

Yi Jie'er smiled happily. "Later, we'll go find Shou Gu to play. Sixth Aunt has lots of Spun Sugar Candy."

Dou Ming's mouth watered at the thought. She turned to Wang Yingxue and said, "Mother's sister, I'll play with you later."

Tears welled up in Wang Yingxue's eyes.

When Madam Pang came to pay her New Year's respects, Wang Yingxue couldn't help but pour out her grievances to her.Madam Pang disagreed, saying, "What right do you have to challenge the Dou family now? If they want to raise Mingjier, let them. This is a good opportunity for you to recuperate properly and try to have a son." She added, "Seventh Master should be back by now, shouldn't he?"

Wang Yingxue's face flushed slightly as she replied shyly, "It's still early!"

Yet she took Madam Pang's words to heart and quietly consulted a physician to begin restoring her health.

By the fourth month, news arrived from the Capital that Dou Shiying had ranked sixth in the second-tier imperial examinations and was selected as a Bachelor of the Imperial Academy.