Yang Suian glanced at his cousin. Over there, Hua Zhi seemed to sense his gaze and looked back, giving him a faint smile.
Yang Suian smiled in return and said, "With Cousin helping me, I feel more confident. I imagine most in the Yang family would be pleased if I didn't return. As for Grandfather, I'll visit him when I have time."
"Suian..."
"Mother, this is for the best. I'd rather owe Cousin a favor than depend on the Yang family for survival."
Hua Xian stared blankly at her son, then at her mother. What should she do?
"The eldest young lady is more capable and protective than you think. As long as you remain her aunt, she will shield you for a day. You needn't worry about the Hua family—they won't stand by and watch you struggle in a pit of fire."
Hua Xian's heart raced. The words "willing to separate" leaped and bounded in her chest, eager to burst out, but she forcibly suppressed them. She couldn't act impulsively—she needed to think it over, to consider carefully.
Hua Zhi hadn't expected Third Aunt to bring up separation on New Year's Eve. After the meal, she led the whole family to the adjacent decorated hall to observe the vigil.
The room was warm, with six braziers of varying sizes arranged around, laden with fruits and pastries. Hua Zhi helped her mother settle into the innermost seat before turning to instruct, "Everyone, make yourselves at home."
There was no Spring Festival Gala here, no variety of celebrations, not even fireworks. Yet precisely because these were absent, no one had to worry about being neglected or having their words go unheard.
This was Shaoyao's first time experiencing such a heartfelt New Year. Seated beside Hua Hua, her eyes darted from one brazier table to another, and of course, her mouth never stopped moving.
When she reached for pastries yet again, Hua Zhi stopped her. "Give your stomach a rest. Save some room for dumplings later."
"I can eat more," Shaoyao protested, but she still withdrew her hand. Madam Zhu, fond of her obedient demeanor, pushed a teactoward her and remarked, "A good appetite is a blessing. This child clearly has fortune written all over her."
Shaoyao grinned with a simple, foolish charm.
Hua Zhi lounged lazily, cheek propped on her hand. Having sipped some sweet wine and now warmed by the brazier, her cheeks flushed pink, her eyes and brows exuding a delicate, feminine allure. Her voice softened as she spoke, "Who did Cao Cao usually celebrate New Year's with before?"
"Sometimes with Master, sometimes with those in the residence." Shaoyao leaned on the table. Yan Ge spent every New Year with the Empress Dowager in the palace, so she'd either muddle through with Master or drink and feast with a band of brothers until dawn. A proper, formal celebration like this had never been in her memory—or perhaps it had, in those years she couldn't recall.
"Is Master not here this year?"
"He went to save someone. Someone was poisoned with a toxin he himself concocted." The thought reminded Shaoyao of the traitor in their midst. She wondered if Yan Ge had found them yet—with his skills, it shouldn't have taken this many days.
Hua Zhi promptly changed the subject to something else. Eating and drinking, the new year quietly arrived.
On the second day of the new year, Yang Suian returned to the Yang family to pay New Year's respects. The younger generation of the Zhu family, led by the eldest among them, Zhu Ziwen, came to greet their aunt.
Madam Zhu had a headache that day and summoned Hua Zhi to keep her company while she went to lie down.
When Hua Zhi saw Zhu Shan, her smile stiffened. Her eldest uncle was far too impatient—Berlin was still in the thick of mourning!"Cousin." After performing the customary greeting, Zhu Shan secretly lifted her eyes to examine this cousin who had become the subject of so much talk, her gaze filled with curiosity.
Hua Zhi helped her up and led her to sit aside. Her peripheral vision scanned the room but found no sign of Berlin. Just as she was about to send someone to look for him, she saw Hua Bolin rushing toward her, holding something as if presenting a treasure. "Elder Sister, this is for you."
Hua Zhi stared blankly at the hairpin in the box before raising her eyes to her younger brother.
Hua Bolin rubbed the back of his head sheepishly. "I secretly brought a piece of sandalwood with me back then. I carved it slowly, but it’s not very well made."
Hua Zhi took the hairpin in her hand and examined it. Then, she removed the one from her hair and replaced it with this one. Stroking it gently, she looked up with a soft smile. "I like it very much."
Hua Bolin flushed, feeling both happy and a little embarrassed.
Hua Zhi glanced at Zhu Shan and noticed the young girl stealing repeated glances at Berlin. Her heart sank. Had her eldest uncle already hinted at something to her?
Clearing her throat lightly, Hua Zhi said, "Aren’t you going to greet your cousins?"
Only then did Hua Bolin realize that the room wasn’t just occupied by his elder sister. Several cousins were watching him with amused smiles. He grew even more embarrassed, but being naturally straightforward, he quickly composed himself and greeted them properly.
"Cousin, have you grown taller?" Zhu Ziwen looked him up and down, his gaze subtly shifting between Hua Bolin and his sister a few times.
By now, Hua Zhi was certain that Zhu Shan didn’t know, but her cousin definitely did. After a moment’s thought, she decided to feign ignorance and responded, "Cousin, you’d be better off asking me. He has grown a little. When we had clothes tailored before the New Year, the maid said he’d grown an inch since the beginning of the year."
"No wonder. He does look much taller. If he keeps growing like this, he’ll be quite imposing." Zhu Ziwen had initially thought his father’s idea wasn’t particularly good, but now he began to understand. With his own aunt and the household’s elder sister in charge—both of whom were uncomplicated—his younger sister would never face oppression if she married into the Hua family. Since the Zhu Family didn’t rely on his sister for political alliances, marrying into the Hua family might not be a bad idea.
With this in mind, Zhu Ziwen said, "I need to discuss something with my cousin. Berlin, why don’t you take your cousins for a tour? It’s their first time here."
Hua Bolin turned to Zhu Shan. "Cousin, would you like to go?"
Zhu Shan glanced at her elder brother and nodded.
Hua Zhi didn’t stop them. Innocent childhood friendships were beautiful in their own right. If one disregarded her eldest uncle’s intentions, such interactions between cousins weren’t crossing any boundaries.
"Eldest Uncle is being too hasty. Does Aunt agree?"
"My mother isn’t a bad person, but her perspective is limited—she only sees what’s right in front of her. Cousin, please don’t hold it against her."
Zhu Ziwen smiled with refined elegance, appearing utterly harmless. However, as the eldest grandson raised with care in the Zhu Family, he was anything but simple. Hua Zhi never underestimated anyone and now matched his evasiveness. "Eldest Uncle says one thing, and you say another. Do you both think I’m so petty that I’d cling to this matter indefinitely?"
"Cousin, spare me! If Grandfather heard this, he’d surely reprimand me. Who in the entire capital would dare say the Hua family’s eldest daughter is petty?" Zhu Ziwen laughed as he spoke, but this time his laughter held genuine warmth, unlike his previous forced smile—the kind reserved for family."There's no need for you to overthink it, cousin. A mistake is a mistake, and there's no reason to persist in it. I also apologize on behalf of my mother." Zhu Ziwen stood up and bowed deeply.
Hua Zhi quickly stepped aside to avoid accepting the gesture. "What I said to my eldest uncle, I say to you as well, cousin. From the perspective of protecting family, Aunt did nothing wrong. It's just that my mother and us two siblings weren't placed in her 'family' category. There's no question of blame or resentment."
Hearing these words, Zhu Ziwen understood that no matter how well her mother behaved in the future, she would never again gain Hua Zhi's approval. Yet it was true, as she said, that she didn't actually blame his mother.
Zhu Ziwen sighed inwardly—of course she wouldn't blame someone who meant nothing to her.
PS: Whew, finally kept my promise.
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