When Ren Yaoqi returned to Ren Shijia’s room, she happened to catch Ren Shijia preparing to take Madam Liu to see Third Madam Lin—this was the purpose of Madam Liu’s visit to the Lin Family today.
Previously, Ren Shijia had harbored some reservations toward the Lin Family’s eldest branch, so she had been hesitant. However, after Madam Liu’s gentle and earnest pleas, she found it difficult to refuse out of politeness and reluctantly agreed.
This was not the time for Ren Yaoqi to voice her opinion, so she simply followed respectfully by Ren Shijia’s side.
Following the order of seniority, they naturally had to pay their respects to Old Madam Lin first before meeting Third Madam Lin.
Old Madam Lin had also been unwell recently and was recuperating. The usually lively courtyard was now quiet and deserted. However, upon hearing that Ren Shijia had accompanied her cousin-in-law from her maiden family, Old Madam Lin graciously agreed to see them.
It was worth mentioning that Old Madam Lin was the paternal aunt of Madam Liu’s mother-in-law, so they were also relatives. However, because Old Madam Lin had married early and Madam Liu’s mother-in-law had married far away, their relationship was not as close as that between Old Madam Ren and Old Madam Lin. Over the years, the interactions between the Lin Family and the Fang Family had also been rather sparse.
Compared to previous encounters, Old Madam Lin seemed somewhat dispirited, and her attitude toward Ren Shijia and Madam Liu was not as warm as before. However, she did not wear a cold expression to make them feel awkward, and overall, she remained quite gentle.
After just a few words, Old Madam Lin appeared weary, and Ren Shijia and Madam Liu did not linger. Before leaving, Madam Liu offered a few soft words of concern, but Old Madam Lin’s sighs and remarks before parting were rather thought-provoking.
“I wish to live a few more years, to see the Lin Family flourish and its descendants united and loving. Alas, grown sons no longer heed their mother. They don’t understand your good intentions, always thinking that whatever you do is meant to harm them. Ah! They’ve all become parents themselves, yet they still can’t grasp that elders only ever wish them well.”
Madam Liu smiled gently, refraining from further comment, and her expression gave no indication of whether she understood or not. Ren Shijia glanced at the old madam, bit her lip, lowered her head, and remained silent, her expression unreadable.
Ren Shijia was not adept at concealing her emotions, so whenever she felt at a loss, she would lower her head and say nothing.
Old Madam Lin waved her hand and lay down to rest. Ren Shijia then took Madam Liu to Third Madam Lin’s courtyard.
Third Madam Lin had instructed that she was not receiving visitors, but when the matron in the courtyard saw Ren Shijia bringing guests, she immediately went to report and then respectfully invited everyone inside.
Unlike Old Madam Lin, Third Madam Lin was not truly “bedridden with illness.” She was sitting on the kang in the side room, watching her granddaughter embroider, occasionally offering a word or two of guidance, while her eldest daughter-in-law stood by, massaging her legs.
Third Madam Lin was not as straightforward and lively as First Madam Lin; instead, her temperament somewhat resembled Madam Liu’s—gentle and mild-mannered. However, seeing her daughter-in-law standing before her with lowered eyes, not daring to speak much, it was clear that this Third Madam Lin was not as easygoing as she appeared on the surface.
Seeing so many guests arrive, Third Madam Lin smiled and invited everyone to sit. She then asked her daughter-in-law to personally prepare tea and snacks and also instructed her to call her grandson to accompany Fang Shuzhou on a stroll through the Lin Family’s garden.Lin Baoling, who had been sitting quietly embroidering, was delighted to see Ren Yaoqi and the others. She set down her work, slipped off the kang, and came over to chat with them in a very familiar manner, prompting Third Madam Lin to laughingly scold her for lacking manners, though she didn’t actually reprimand her harshly.
During her time with the Lin Family, Ren Yaoqi had met Lin Baoling a few times, but they were merely brief encounters without any deep connection. The younger generation of the Lin Family, including Lin Baoling, were all fond of their sixth uncle, Lin Kun, and spoke warmly to him when they saw him. However, none of the children usually went to play in the courtyard of Lin Kun and Ren Shijia. It was unclear whether the elders of the main branch had privately instructed them about something.
Third Madam Lin chatted and laughed leisurely with everyone, never mentioning the reason Ren Shijia had brought Madam Liu over, as if their visit was simply for tea and conversation.
Madam Liu, for her part, showed remarkable patience, not uttering a single word about Fang Yacun’s affairs, and instead devoted herself wholeheartedly to keeping Third Madam Lin entertained. Though her appearance was ordinary, her words were witty, making Third Madam Lin laugh several times.
By the time they had finished two cups of tea, the conversation remained light and breezy, shifting from the scale of the Li family’s birthday banquet in the west of the city to the newlywed bride of the Gao family in the north.
The children were also lively. Ren Yaoying and Lin Baoling got along particularly well. Lin Baoling brought out several pouches she had embroidered recently, and Ren Yaoying exclaimed in admiration.
"Baoling, your embroidery skills are truly excellent! Look at this ‘Abundance Year After Year’—the two carps are so lifelike!"
Lin Baoling covered her mouth and giggled, looking very pleased. The young girl loved to laugh this way, covering her mouth—it was her signature gesture.
Seeing her happiness, Ren Yaoying eagerly asked her for advice on needlework techniques, adopting a humble and earnest attitude that kept Lin Baoling laughing nonstop, even forgetting to cover her mouth. Only then did everyone notice that two of her teeth were slightly misaligned. When she smiled too broadly, her teeth were easily exposed, which explained why she preferred to cover her mouth when laughing.
"If you like them, Sister Yaoying, pick one to take home. I’ve embroidered several of these. Last time, during Brother Cen’s full-month celebration, the Li, Chen, and Su sisters all said they were lovely, and the madams praised them too. I even modified the patterns myself—they’re one of a kind!"
Over on the other side, Third Madam Lin shot a glare her way. "Child, how can you boast about yourself like that? It’s improper—your sisters will laugh at you."
Ren Yaoying quickly chimed in, "Not at all! Baoling’s embroidery really is wonderful. Unlike me—no matter how my aunt tries to teach me step by step, I just can’t get it right."
Everyone loves to hear compliments. Seeing her beloved granddaughter praised, Third Madam Lin’s smile deepened.
"Sister Yaoying, pick one! Which one do you want?" Lin Baoling asked cheerfully. Remembering the other sisters present, she turned to Ren Yaoqi and the others. "Sister Yaoyin, Sister Yaoqi, you should each pick one too."
Seeing Lin Baoling’s enthusiasm, the girls each chose one with a smile. Ren Yaoying even put on a conflicted expression and asked Lin Baoling, "Both ‘Certain Good Fortune’ and ‘Chang’e Flying to the Moon’ are so beautiful. Which one do you think I should pick?"
This made Lin Baoling cover her mouth and giggle again, and in the end, she gave both pouches to her.Over there, Madam Liu and Third Madam Lin were chatting more and more familiarly, their words gradually revealing intimacy and familiarity. Madam Liu seized the opportunity to say, "Sister Yuan, I heard you are also highly skilled in the appreciation of calligraphy and painting. I recently purchased a piece of calligraphy and painting, but I'm unsure if it's authentic. I wonder if Sister Yuan could help me appraise it?"
Third Madam Lin was taken aback. Although she came from a scholarly family, being skilled in the appreciation of calligraphy and painting was somewhat overstating her abilities. However, after glancing at Madam Liu's expression, she immediately realized that this was Madam Liu's excuse to have a private conversation with her.
After a moment's thought, Third Madam Lin still smiled and agreed, "Shall we go to the study then?"
Madam Liu quickly rose with a smile, "Thank you, Sister Yuan."
Ren Yaoqi, sitting nearby and chatting with Lin Baolin and the others, glanced over as Third Madam Lin and Madam Liu stood up to leave, smiled slightly, and then turned her attention away.
Ren Yaoying also looked toward Madam Liu, unable to suppress a slight curve of her lips. When her gaze swept over Ren Yaoqi, she saw nothing amiss on her face, so she turned back to chat with Lin Baolin, occasionally laughing.
Madam Liu and Third Madam Lin did not talk for long, returning after only the time it took to drink a cup of tea.
From their expressions, nothing could be discerned. Madam Liu's demeanor appeared quite relaxed.
After sitting for a little while longer, Madam Liu took the initiative to bid farewell, "I will visit Sister Yuan again in a few days. Thank you for your trouble this time."
Third Madam Lin's reply was rather cautious, "No need to speak of trouble. I can't be of much help anyway."
Madam Liu smiled, "Your willingness to help is already a great assistance to me."
Lin Baolin was still reluctant to part with Ren Yaoying, tugging at her sleeve and saying, "Sister Yaoying, remember to come play again next time."
Madam Liu looked at Ren Yaoyin with a kind smile and said to Lin Baolin, "It's rare that the two of you have such a connection."
After leaving Third Madam Lin's courtyard, Ren Shijia invited Madam Liu to visit her place again, but Madam Liu politely declined.
Ren Shijia tried to persuade her a few more times but eventually gave up, asking instead, "Cousin-in-law, did you succeed in your matter this time?"
She naturally knew the real reason Madam Liu had sought out Third Madam Lin.
Madam Liu sighed softly, "It's not that easy, but Third Madam Lin didn't completely shut the door either." However, she did not elaborate further.
Madam Liu had hinted at offering many benefits, and Third Madam Lin only agreed to mention Fang Yacun to her uncle if the opportunity arose, without making any firm promises. Nevertheless, Madam Liu was relatively satisfied with this outcome. She had made preparations on all fronts; all she needed was for Third Madam Lin's uncle to put in a few words for her husband at a critical moment—a mere trifle.
Minor revisions will be made later.
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