With the Shang family’s betrothal visit on their minds, the Lin household rose early.

Though the courtyard had been swept yesterday, Zhou Wenlan still found fault. She ordered Lin Yuan and his son to move the clutter piled in the front yard to the back, adding sternly, “Be careful not to soil your clothes. Looking dusty and disheveled won’t do.”

Lin Yang nodded repeatedly as he and his father bustled about in a flurry of activity.

Lin Yue intended to help, but his mother shot him a piercing glance that stopped him in his tracks. “Don’t bother. Guests should arrive in about an hour and a half. Shang Wencheng will be here today, too. You’ll see him through the window.”

Lin Yue interjected, “Mother, why must we meet through the window at this stage? With both sets of elders present, we should meet openly. It’s better than not recognizing each other on our wedding day.”

Zhou Wenlan shot him a disapproving look. “What nonsense! How dare you speak of not recognizing each other?” Yet she realized Lin Yue had a point. After today, they would be officially engaged, so meeting wouldn’t be inappropriate.

“I expect his family will suggest a meeting. If they do, we’ll meet. If not, then forget it. Taking the initiative might make it seem like we’re desperate—that wouldn’t look good.”

Lin Yue hadn’t been particularly eager to meet either. Hearing this, he nodded. “I’ll take Mother’s advice. I’ll go make breakfast.” With that, he turned and headed back to the kitchen.

Standing before the stove, Lin Yue suddenly couldn’t decide what to cook today. Seeing the kettle’s water boil, he brewed four cups of tea and set them on the table. Then he called out, “Father, Mother, I’ve brewed tea and left it on the table. Remember to drink it.”

“Got it. We’ll be there shortly.”

While pouring the tea, Lin Yue noticed the mugwort Lin Yang had cut yesterday. He suddenly remembered he’d promised to make him some pastries. With so much going on lately, he’d completely forgotten. Today, however, he had some free time, so he decided to make enough extra for breakfast and to serve guests in the afternoon.

Mugworth could be used in many pastries. Lin Yue recalled making sweet rice balls and mugwort rice cakes before—both sweet treats. This time, he decided to switch things up with a mugwort thin pancake. It would be sweet and fragrant, with a slightly crispy crust instead of the usual soft, sticky texture.

Making pastries took some time. Lin Yue first rinsed the rice and beans, started the porridge, and then began preparations.

With summer approaching, the mugwort was losing its freshness. Compounding this, Lin Yang hadn’t been careful when cutting it. Lin Yue sorted through a basin of mugwort, discarding more than half as unusable. It would have to be tossed into the chicken coop for feed later.

The remaining mugwort was washed, blanched in boiling water, then plunged into cold water. Squeezing out excess moisture by hand, the processed mugwort was placed in a stone mortar. Water was added, and the mixture was ground into a paste before being transferred to a bowl.

Lin Yue estimated the amount of mugwort paste, scooped two spoonfuls of glutinous rice flour from the flour bag, and kneaded it into a dough that was moist but not sticky. Next came preparing the filling. Some peanuts from last year’s harvest remained, so Lin Yue decided to make a peanut and sesame filling.

He pulled two logs from the stove used for boiling porridge and placed them in the oven. After heating the wok, he roasted the peanuts and sesame seeds separately over low heat. Once cooled, he rubbed off the peanut skins by hand, ground them together with the sesame seeds, and added a little white sugar for flavor. The filling was ready.

The thin wrappers for the mugwort rolls were made much like pancakes, so Lin Yue worked quickly. He brushed oil on a hot pan, dropped in a ball of dough, and spread it thin with a spatula until both sides were lightly browned.

Place the cooked crepe on a cutting board, spread the filling evenly across it, then roll it up. Cut the roll into sections and arrange them on two plates—one large, one small. The large plate was perfect for breakfast; though it wouldn’t fill you up, one person could easily eat several pieces.

While plating, Lin Yue sampled one. The freshly cooked mugwort pancake released an intense aroma. Biting into it, the rich, nutty flavor of peanuts and sesame filled his mouth. The crushed peanuts offered a satisfying crunch and delicate texture, perfectly complementing the subtle bitterness of the mugwort.

Thinking the pastries would be best while still warm, Lin Yue placed the plates on the table and began calling out, “Father, Mother, breakfast is ready! Lin Yang, come have some pastries this morning!”

“Coming, coming! What did you make, brother?” Lin Yang dashed toward the kitchen the moment he heard the word “pastry.” But he stopped abruptly at the doorway, turned back, scooped a ladle of water from the water jar to wash his hands, and only then entered.

Lin Yang saw the plate on the table the moment he entered. He reached out, then remembered his parents weren’t there yet. Hesitating briefly, he still went to fetch bowls and chopsticks to serve porridge. Lin Yue brought over a bowl of pickled vegetables, which paired perfectly with the multigrain porridge.

“I made mugwort dumplings. It’s my first time, but I tasted them and they’re pretty good. Try some.”

As the brothers fetched bowls and chopsticks, Lin Yuan and his wife entered. They sat down to drink tea, waiting until Lin Yue and Lin Yang were seated before beginning their meal.

Lin Yang picked up two mugwort pancakes with his chopsticks and stuffed them into his mouth, his cheeks bulging. “Bro, I think these are better than the green rice cakes. They’re sticky but don’t stick to your teeth.”

Zhou Wenlan took a bite too. “They are good. The wrapper is perfectly cooked, and the filling is fragrant.”

Lin Yue felt a surge of pride, unable to suppress the smile tugging at his lips. Seeing his father hadn’t made a move yet, he whipped his head toward Lin Yuan. Only when Lin Yuan finally praised him did he nod in satisfaction and return to eating.

After the meal, Lin Yang cleared the dishes while Lin Yue followed Zhou Wenlan to place the pastries and melon seeds in the main hall before returning to their room to await the Shang family’s arrival.

As an entire hour passed without a sound at the gate, Zhou Wenlan sensed something amiss. She recalled how the Shangs had always arrived early in the past, never like this day. A growing unease settled in her heart.

As noon approached, Zhou Wenlan could no longer sit still. She rose, adjusted her sleeves, and stepped outside. She didn’t go far, merely standing at the courtyard gate to glance toward the village entrance. Unfortunately, the road was deserted. Just as she was about to close the gate and return inside, she heard someone calling her name.

“Wenlan, what are you doing standing at the gate? Isn’t today the day your son-in-law comes for the engagement? Why isn’t there any sign of him?”

Zhou Wenlan forced a smile. “He should be here soon. It’s still early. Where are you headed, Sister-in-law?”

Zhong Chunlan shifted the basket in her hands slightly forward. “It’s almost noon. I was just heading to the vegetable patch to pick some greens.”

“Well then, go quickly, sister-in-law. Don’t be late.” With that, Zhou Wenlan closed the courtyard gate, shutting Zhong Chunlan’s muttering words outside.

In the main hall, Lin Yuan noticed Zhou Wenlan’s troubled expression and asked, “What’s wrong? They still hadn’t arrived?”

Zhou Wenlan frowned deeply, offering no reply, only letting out a sigh.

Lin Yuan glanced toward the side room, his voice lowering slightly. “Could something have happened?”

Zhou Wenlan dismissed the thought. Even if something did happen, could it affect the entire family? There were no reports of bandits in these parts. Most likely, the marriage was falling through. At that thought, she spat sharply. She couldn’t jinx it. She’d wait a little longer. If he still hadn’t come by the afternoon, she’d go to his house and call off the engagement. Another half-hour passed before Zhou Wenlan finally heard movement outside the door. She took a deep breath, rubbed her face, and only opened the door once her smile felt less stiff.

The moment she saw the Shang family, Zhou Wenlan knew she was right. The three of them arrived empty-handed, without a trace of red on their clothes. This wasn’t an engagement ceremony—it wouldn’t even pass for a casual visit. Even the matchmaker wasn’t carrying the red handkerchief, her face grim.

Zhou Wenlan stood at the doorway with a stern expression, her voice tinged with coldness. “I wonder what brings your family here? It seems we’ve failed to provide proper hospitality.”

After speaking, she didn’t step aside, instead, she blocked the entrance, a flicker of anger in her eyes.

Shang Wencheng’s gaze shifted nervously, avoiding Zhou Wenlan’s eyes. He silently took half a step back, positioning himself behind his mother.

Hong Xiufang gave an awkward chuckle. Catching sight of father and son retreating behind her, her smile grew even more strained. She glanced at the matchmaker, who didn’t even acknowledge her. All she could think about was how her reputation was now half ruined. It was all her own fault for being so talkative, promising back then that no matter what, she’d handle everything smoothly. Now look at this mess—she’d have to tag along with the broken engagement. What a jinx.

In the end, Hong Xiufang had no choice but to steel herself and speak up. “Sister, the thing is… these two children’s horoscopes aren’t quite compatible. Since they haven’t been betrothed yet, let’s call off the match. We haven’t completed the six rites anyway, so ending it now won’t affect the children…”

Shang Wencheng chimed in, “Exactly, exactly. It’s truly incompatible. This marriage is best called off.”

Seeing his son speak up, Shang Dafu stopped hiding and shouted, “Call it off now! Don’t waste my son’s time!”

Zhou Wenlan heard this and immediately interrupted. She’d never heard such shameless talk—calling off the engagement on the day of the betrothal gift exchange! Anyone unaware would think her Yue-ger had some flaw.

“Come inside to talk. Standing at the door like this is unseemly.”

Once the Shang family entered the courtyard, Zhou Wenlan slammed the door shut. She didn’t invite them in, but retorted sharply, “What do you mean by ‘incompatible horoscopes’? Your family didn’t say that back then. I want to see exactly where the incompatibility lies. Don’t try to pin the blame on us later.”

Hong Xiufang hastily waved her hands. “Not at all! Not at all! We wouldn’t do such a thing. We’re not that kind of people.”

Zhou Wenlan burst out laughing in exasperation. “Then what kind of people are you? People whose word is as good as gold, perhaps?” Mid-sentence, she fixed a piercing stare on Shang Wencheng and sneered, “Cowardly and untrustworthy. You’re a disgrace to scholars. Ugh!”

Hong Xiufang, who had been feeling guilty for being in the wrong, couldn’t hold back when Zhou Wenlan insulted her son. She shouted back, “What’s your problem? It’s not like the wedding is today! What’s wrong with calling it off? Your ger isn’t some heavenly beauty. Why can’t we back out? Or is he so unmarriageable he’s clinging to us?”

Shang Dafu’s eyes gleamed with cunning. Whatever thought crossed his mind made his voice grow louder. “You brat! Just agree to it! Stop whining! If you drag this out any longer, it won’t just be a few people from my family coming next time.”

“I’m no heavenly beauty, and who I marry is none of your concern. I’d marry a pig or a dog before I’d marry your worthless son!”

Lin Yue had sensed something was off. Long past the appointed hour, the courtyard remained silent. Instead of his mother calling him, this brazen family had arrived. He couldn’t sit still any longer. Pushing open the door, he stormed out.

“We’re calling off the engagement—but it’s not you ending it, it’s me. Heaven has eyes, letting me see your family’s true colors now and spare me decades of misery later. This isn’t about incompatible horoscopes; it’s your shameless family trying to climb the social ladder. I wonder which poor family will be so unlucky as to marry into yours.”

The Shang family’s faces paled at these words.