The main hall was bustling with activity. The children sat on the four-poster bed; at first, they were a bit reserved and shy, but after the bumpy, cold, and exhausting journey, the warm and comfortable surroundings quickly put them at ease, and before long, they began to relax.

Especially when their Fifth Uncle brought in a box of pastries.

“Wait a moment—let me wipe your hands and faces.” Tang Xianling set down the pastry box and, noticing the three little girls’ rosy cheeks—likely from the sudden shift between cold and warmth—couldn’t help but say.

Upon hearing this, Jiang Yun hurriedly said, “Get some warm washcloths to wipe the children down. I’ll go get some frostbite ointment to apply right away.”

“Second Sister, you and your husband should wash up too.”

Huangfu Tieniu drew some hot water and prepared a basin of warm water. Cui Bo’an said, “Don’t go to all that trouble—you’re being far too kind. Zhenniang and I will take care of it ourselves.”

“All right then.” Huangfu Tieniu nodded without further ado, carried the basin of hot water into the room, wrung out a hot washcloth, and handed it to his husband. Tang Xianling used the warm towel to wipe the faces and hands of the three little girls.

After they were done, he applied some frostbite ointment to their cheeks.

Tang Xianling looked on and said with a smile, “All done. Now let’s eat. Uncle made all this himself—you can’t even buy this kind of food out there.”

The three little girls were all smiling—some shy, some reserved, some embarrassed, and some affectionate. It seemed they knew that both their uncle and their maternal grandmother doted on them.

The silver pendants around their necks were even bought by their grandmother.

The little girls had been raised to be so well-behaved and sensible that even when things got a bit chaotic later on, they didn’t shout or make a fuss. They sat quietly around the small table; when they took a pastry, they didn’t grab several at once. Instead, they looked at them for a while, chose one, took it in their little hands, and nibbled at it bit by bit.

Tang Xianling ruffled the three little girls’ hair. They were just too well-behaved…

Actually, that’s not good.

They’re so young—still just children.

“Go ahead, go ahead, eat up. There’s more when you’re done. Uncle will bring you some toys too.”

Tang Zhen and her husband had just finished washing up under the eaves outside. When they came in and heard Wu-ger say he was getting toys for the children, she couldn’t help but say, “You bought toys too? That’s too extravagant—why spend money on that?”

“I like them,” Tang Xianling said with a smile as he walked over to the cabinet and pulled open a drawer. “I bought some for Eldest Sister and Third Sister—they’re both so sweet—so I couldn’t leave you out.”

Inside that large box were three little velvet-flower hairpins, a rattle, and a small ceramic bird.

“I bought these in winter. These past few days, winter plum blossom patterns have been all the rage—they’re bright red and beautiful. There are also kumquat designs; I thought a little cluster looked really cute and auspicious, so I bought them all. You three pick one each. If you want the same one, we’ll go back to the West Market in a few days to buy another.” Tang Xianling selected three different designs; even the kumquat patterns had slight variations.

After making the purchases, he remembered that some siblings would sometimes get into big fights over minor differences in toy designs, so he warned the little girls beforehand: “If you want the same one, we’ll just go buy another one—it’s no big deal.”

Who would’ve thought that as the three children sat there—with the youngest, Sanniang, still with crumbs on her lips—the eldest, Daniang, wiped her hands, examined the small hairpins in the box for a moment, and then held it out for her two younger sisters to choose first.

The two younger sisters shook their heads and called out, “Big Sister, come here! Big Sister, you pick!”

The eldest sister glanced at her younger sisters. She took the plum blossom hairpin for herself, gave Erniang a larger golden tangerine, and set aside a smaller but more numerous golden tangerine for the youngest, Sanniang.

“Zhenniang does a wonderful job raising her children. It was just like this back home—the younger ones respect the older ones, and the older ones dote on their younger sisters,” said Cui Bo’an, his face beaming with pride at the sight.

Tang Xianling：……

“They’re all good kids,” Tang Xianling said with a smile.

My second sister has good genes—what’s it to you?!

Jiang Yun brought some pastries and set them on the round table. The adults sat down at the table to chat, while the children played on the four-poster bed. The fourth son woke up and wailed once; Jiang Yun, accompanied by her second daughter and holding the fourth son, went to her room, where Tang Zhen was about to breastfeed him.

Tang Xianling, Tieniu, and Cui Bo’an then socialized in the main hall.

Tang Xianling：……

Who knows—here we go again, listening to my second sister’s husband brag.

Huangfu Tieniu picked up the thread of the conversation and chatted at length with Cui Bo’an, discussing the family business. He listened as Cui Bo’an offered some business advice, nodding from time to time. Seeing this, Cui Bo’an became even more animated and spoke at great length.

Tang Xianling yawned slightly and said, “I’m going to check on the kitchen—it’s time to start preparing the New Year’s Eve dinner.”

“All right, go ahead,” Cui Bo’an nodded.

Huangfu Tieniu stood up. As soon as Cui Bo’an saw him, he asked, “My younger brother, are you going to the outhouse? That’s perfect—I’ll come along too. I’ve had too much tea.”

“No, I’m going to stoke the fire,” Huangfu Tieniu replied.

This time it was Cui Bo’an’s turn to be taken aback. The kitchen was a place for wives and husbands—how could grown men like them possibly go in there?

Huangfu Tieniu pressed down on Cui Bo’an’s shoulder, his voice taking on a serious tone as he said, “Do as you please, Second Brother-in-law. I can handle the kitchen work here; you don’t need to come.”

Don’t say anything else that might upset his husband.

Cui Bo’an was actually taken aback for a moment; he nodded absentmindedly. It wasn’t until the two had left that he realized he’d actually backed down just now. But he wasn’t angry—on the contrary, he was pleased, and came up with an excuse: “No wonder—he comes from a family of military officers and officials; he really has a commanding presence.”

If Huangfu Tieniu had heard that, he would have been at a loss for words; it would have been better to praise him for chasing game back and forth in the mountains—at least that showed some fighting spirit.

As soon as he entered the kitchen, Tang Xianling couldn’t help himself and whispered to Tieniu, “Ugh”

“He sure knows how to brag.”

“If he brags again next time, I’ll brag too—and I’ll tell an even bigger one!”

“It’s not like he’s the only one who can put on a show. I’m not going to bother with him—I’m just worried it’ll make Second Sister lose face.”

Huangfu Tieniu nodded earnestly and agreed, “Let’s just listen and not take it to heart. It’s the New Year—no need to get angry.”

“I’m not upset—it’s not worth it.”

“Right.”

After Tang Zhen finished feeding her Si-ger, he fell asleep, so she simply tucked him into his mother’s bed. The mother and daughter hadn’t exchanged more than a few words when Cui Bo’an called from the main hall. Tang Zhen hurried over, thinking something was wrong, only to find that the pastries were gone and the tea had run out. Cui Bo’an didn’t want to ask her mother-in-law to attend to her, so she’d called Tang Zhen instead.

Tang Xianling was unaware of what was happening in the main hall.

He was cooking over here.

Jiang Yun came to get some snacks and said, “Don’t cook the mutton.”

Upon hearing this, Tang Xianling roughly figured it out. Over the years, his three older sisters and their mother had certainly grown to dislike the smell of mutton—the very scent made them queasy. Even when he’d previously made mutton offal soup, his mother had eaten very little of it. He couldn’t help but say, “I’ll make a pork bone soup with three kinds of seafood, stir-fry a few hot dishes, and we’ll have both steamed buns and rice.”

He’d bought the steamed buns from the Lu family; since it was cold out, buying a large quantity made them easy to store.

Most of the fried dishes for the New Year’s Eve dinner had been prepared in advance, so cooking them now went quickly.

Before long, Jiang Yun came into the kitchen to help as well. Tang Xianling added, “Mom, Tieniu and I have our hands full. Why don’t you take a break and chat with my second sister? It’s rare for her to visit.”

Jiang Yun didn’t look too happy and said, “If you don’t want to stay in the main hall, neither do I.”

“……” Tang Xianling paused for a moment, then quickly caught on. He couldn’t help but pout, at a loss for words.

Cui Bo’an was probably bossing around Second Sister, and Second Sister seemed to enjoy it. Mother couldn’t stand it but didn’t know how to speak up—if she said even a word or two, Second Sister would just take Cui Bo’an’s side. Who wouldn’t be angry at that!

“It’s okay, just take it slow,” was all Tang Xianling could finally manage to say.

Jiang Yun finally sighed and said, “If she thinks life with Bo’an is good, then I won’t say anything more or interfere.”

“It’s not that I want my daughter to have a hard life; I just want her to know she has a support system and someone to rely on at home.”

They had their New Year’s Eve dinner in the main hall. The stove used for the family’s small hot pot was set up there, along with a clay pot of “Three Delicacies Stew”—a pork bone broth base, with just a light broth. Inside were fried pork rinds, fried pork meatballs, dried tofu, and potato starch noodles. This dish wasn’t spicy; the broth was light and mild. A bowl of the dish with some broth—it was nice and warm to eat.

There was also a dish of braised spare ribs, a sweet-and-sour pork cutlet, a whole fish—it’s a custom in Fengyuan City to serve fish on New Year’s Eve—and a dish of chicken strips with pumpkin baked in salted egg yolk, all prepared for the children, along with two cold dishes.

As soon as the dishes were served, Cui Bo’an invited his mother-in-law and younger brother to sit down and eat.

Tang Xianling was still busy in the kitchen at the time.

“Let’s wait for Xianling to join us,” Jiang Yun said with a smile. “He worked hard on this spread, so he should come sit at the table.”

Huangfu Tieniu said, “Mother, I’ll go see if there’s anything else that needs doing.”

“Go ahead, go ahead.”

Jiang Yun stayed in the main hall, helping her three granddaughters put on their outer coats, and said with a smile, “We’re about to eat; you won’t be cold if you wear these.”

Ever since Cui Bo’an arrived here, he’d been taken aback time and time again. Back when his father-in-law was alive, his mother-in-law would be busy in the kitchen, and his father-in-law would say, “It’s cold out—hurry up and sit down to eat before the food gets cold,” without paying any attention to his mother-in-law. But now, things were different.

Tang Zhen noticed her husband looked a bit displeased, so she whispered to her mother, “Mother, the food will get cold soon. Why don’t we—”

“They won’t get cold. And even if they do, you eat what’s hot.” Jiang Yun looked over at him and spoke bluntly, “When your father was alive, the four of us—you, me, and your sisters—would prepare a table full of dishes for festivals and holidays, but we never got to eat the whole spread. Now that your father’s gone, my word is still law in this household.”

Cui Bo’an felt as if his mother-in-law were scolding him, and he felt a bit embarrassed.

Tang Zhen froze, lost in thought, a hint of shame visible on her face and in her eyes; she never again suggested anything like, “Why don’t we just start eating?”

Finally, all the dishes were ready, and everyone had gathered. Sure enough, the food hadn’t gone cold, because Tang Xianling had focused solely on stir-frying, while Tieniu had taken care of all the other tasks—setting out bowls and chopsticks, stoking the charcoal in the stove, and serving the dishes. By the time Tang Xianling finished cooking, Huangfu Tieniu had already served the food, leaving Tang Xianling time to even wash his hands.

Once everything was set up, it was time to eat!

“Second Sister, have a seat—there’s plenty of room.” Tang Xianling pulled Second Sister to sit down. “The kids can eat too. Come on, Sanniang, sit next to me—I’ll keep an eye on them.”

Jiang Yun: “That’s right. Let’s all pitch in and help out. Go ahead and eat. I see the three of them are well-behaved—they don’t need to be fed.”

“Grandma, I can eat on my own.”

“Good girl.”

Everyone laughed.

Huangfu Tieniu brought out some wine—after all, it was the New Year, and even though his family didn’t drink much, they’d still bought some. He poured a glass for Cui Bo’an and then poured one for himself. Tang Xianling, standing nearby with his eyes wide, said, “Pour me some too—I’d like to try it.”

“Sure.” Huangfu Tieniu poured some for Xianling.

The whole family gathered around the round table and enjoyed a lively New Year’s Eve dinner. This year, the Tang family didn’t set off firecrackers. Instead, they lit candles, gathered together to eat sunflower seeds and peanuts, and stayed up to welcome the New Year. The children were so sleepy they all dozed off on the four-poster bed. Late into the night, Jiang Yun, Tang Xianling, and Tieniu escorted Second Sister’s family to their rented courtyard. The coachman went to stay at an inn—even during the New Year, inns in Fengyuan City never closed.

Cui Bo’an had had a bit too much to drink and was staggering as he walked. Tang Zhen was holding the baby and had to support him as well. Jiang Yun suggested that Si-ger sleep with her that night: “…We have milk at home; I’ll warm some up to feed Si-ger. It’s hard for you to take care of three children on your own, even if they’re all well-behaved and obedient.”

“Don’t worry.”

Upon hearing this, Tang Zhen thought it over and agreed.

When they arrived at the rented courtyard, they found that everything was brand-new and complete—even the heating stove and a generous supply of charcoal were provided. The teapot, cups, bowls, and chopsticks were all new, and the water jar was full.

Tang Xianling first stoked the stove for his second sister to keep warm, then filled a kettle with water and placed it on the stove so that at night, if her children got thirsty, they could have a cup of hot water or use it to wash up.

He had thought of everything so thoroughly.

As soon as Tang Zhen saw this, for some reason, she felt even more distressed.

Seeing her younger brother had been so busy, Tang Zhen said, “Mother, Wu-ger, and Tieniu, you should go back. Bo’an and I will come over tomorrow morning.”

“Alright.”

That night, Cui Bo’an woke up with a full bladder. He got up to relieve himself. The stove was still warm, and his mouth was parched, so he called out to Tang Zhen to pour him some water. Tang Zhen poured the water and handed the teacup to her husband. Cui Bo’an drank a cup but didn’t go back to sleep; his mind was still on the events of the day.

He hadn’t really thought much of it.

Cui Bo’an didn’t see anything wrong with saying these things in front of his wife at all, so he spoke bluntly: “At dinner this afternoon, didn’t Mother take a dig at me? It’s just the way it is—I didn’t say anything wrong. Since ancient times, men have handled external affairs, and women have managed the household. Kitchen work—how could a grown man possibly do that?”

“Mother was just overthinking this.”

“It’s just one dish—why make such a big deal out of it? We’ve come all this way and are still guests here.”

As she listened, Tang Zhen’s expression grew cold. Without a moment’s hesitation, she said, “My mother is right. Since it’s just one dish, and we’re all here together as a family, there’s no harm in waiting for Wu-ger.”

“Let’s go to sleep.”

Tang Zhen climbed into bed, rolled over, and ignored her husband. Her mind was in a whirl. The quilt was new and thick, wrapping her in comfort. If her mother didn’t approve of their family, why would she have rented a house so early and bought them new household goods?

It was the first time Cui Bo’an had seen Zhenniang shut him up like that, but he didn’t take it to heart. He even smiled and said to her retreating back, “You, getting all petty and throwing a tantrum? Women are so quick to lose their tempers.” He snorted derisively and went to sleep as well.

New Year’s Day was bustling with activity—

The first thing Tang Xianling did when he woke up was to pat his chest and vow: “It’s the New Year—no getting angry, no getting angry.”

In this household, both Jiang Yun and Huangfu Tieniu spoiled Tang Xianling, so when he said this, it went without saying who could make him angry.

Tang Zhen arrived early in the morning with the children. As soon as they entered the kitchen, they began bustling about, preparing the New Year’s Day meal together—in Fengyuan City, it was customary to eat dumplings on the first day of the New Year.

“Wu-ger, you don’t need to help make the dumplings. Just take this box and go sit in the main hall to eat with them.” Jiang Yun shoved the box of peanuts and sunflower seeds into Wu-ger’s hands and shooed him off to play.

Tang Xianling: Heh heh heh.

So he went off to play with the four little children.

Huangfu Tieniu called out to Cui Bo’an to go out for a stroll. There wasn’t really anything to buy, but Huangfu Tieniu took Cui Bo’an out anyway—just to keep him out of the house.

To keep his husband from getting all worked up.

Huangfu Tieniu and Cui Bo’an strolled down the street. As they were heading back around noon, they saw a horse-drawn carriage heading toward Main Street. Upon closer inspection, they realized it was the Wei family’s carriage. After a moment’s thought, Huangfu Tieniu called out to Cui Bo’an.

“I’m going to check it out up ahead.”

Cui Bo’an was taken aback. It was freezing cold out; he’d already followed Huangfu Tieniu around the streets for quite a while, exposed to the wind. Now that they were about to head home, why take a detour to go further ahead? He hesitated for a moment, but eventually picked up his pace to follow, though his expression betrayed a hint of displeasure and dissatisfaction.

When they reached the shop, the carriage had just pulled up, and someone was knocking on the door.

Huangfu Tieniu called out, “I’m from the Tang family.”

The person inside turned around and immediately broke into a smile. “Happy New Year, young boss.”

“Happy New Year,” Huangfu Tieniu replied, recognizing the man as the young servant who attended Young Master Wei.

“My young master has received your New Year’s gift and sent me specifically to deliver this return gift. Wishing you, Mr. Tang and young master, a prosperous new year in your business.” The servant offered a string of auspicious wishes before heading back to the carriage to fetch the return gift.

The Wei family was truly generous; the gift boxes were all made of brocade. He didn’t know what was inside, but there were two large brocade boxes and a deer.

“We’ve received quite a few deer at the estate. Our young master said Mr. Tang is welcome to take them and enjoy them.”

Huangfu Tieniu took the deer and said, “He’ll be pleased. Please be sure to thank your young master for me.”

“You’re too kind.” After delivering the gifts, the servant got back into the carriage and returned to the manor.

Mr. Tang’s New Year’s gifts hit the spot for the young ladies at the manor.

With the New Year upon them, members of every branch of the Wei family had returned to their ancestral home with their wives and daughters to celebrate the New Year. The Wei mansion was now bustling with activity, as all the branches were present. Wei Feng had many younger sisters, and he was closest to those in the eldest branch—he had been raised by his eldest aunt for several years as a child. Therefore, upon receiving Mr. Tang’s pastries, he opened the box, took a quick glance inside, but couldn’t bear to eat them. Instead, he carried the pastry box, still in its original condition, straight to his eldest aunt’s quarters.

His eldest aunt loved them, and so did his sisters. They said, “These pastries may look plain, but they taste fresher and better than any in Lujing.”

They meant the flavor was excellent and quite unique.

Wei Feng mentioned Brother Tang’s restaurant to his sisters and sighed with a touch of regret: “This place is quite ordinary and a bit cramped. If it were larger—a proper restaurant—I could invite you all to dine there.”

Naturally, they’d have to clear the place out and reserve it for half a day.

He was then lectured briefly by his great-uncle, who mainly accused Wei Feng of being an idle wastrel—obsessed with food to such an extent. A fine young man, he said, should be planning his career and future; he was good-for-nothing. “Just look at the young men of the Gu family, and then look at yourself,” he added.

The one he was using for comparison—and to put Wei Feng down—was Wei Feng’s good friend, Gu Sanlang.

Wei Feng was thick-skinned and broad-minded. As he endured the lecture, he put on a pitiful act, but in reality, he didn’t take a single word to heart. He even thought to himself: “Uncle, you’ve just never tried it. Besides, that guy Gu Tou went to the Tang Family Restaurant and ate even more than I did.”

Then Uncle’s wife stepped in to smooth things over, implying, “Why scold the child during the New Year?”

Because of this incident, in order to appease Wei Feng and save the boy’s face, his aunt specifically said, “That little shop was so thoughtful. Since we ate their pastries, we must return the favor.”

So Uncle Wei’s wife prepared a return gift.

The Wei family’s carriage clattered away until it was out of sight. Huangfu Tieniu, carrying the deer on his back and holding a brocaded box in one hand, said to Cui Bo’an, who was standing nearby looking a bit dazed, “Second Brother-in-Law, let’s take a detour through the back yard on our way back.”

The shop up ahead was locked, and Xianling and his mother were in the kitchen and the main hall. If they knocked on the door, it would take ages, and if Xianling was in the main hall, he’d have to put on an outer robe to open it—the sudden shift from cold to warm would be a hassle.

Huangfu Tieniu didn’t think taking the long way back was a big deal—it was just a few steps, after all.

Ignoring Cui Bo’an, he strode straight ahead.

Cui Bo’an snapped out of it as if waking from a dream, scurried after his younger brother, and—with all traces of his earlier sullenness gone—said, his voice brimming with excitement, “Younger brother, whose house was that just now?”

“The Wei family of Fengyuan City,” Huangfu Tieniu replied.

Cui Bo’an: “So was that man the Wei family’s steward?”

“No, he’s a servant attending Young Master Wei.”

Cui Bo’an clicked his tongue in surprise. Not only was the servant so well-dressed, but he was even traveling by carriage—he’d assumed it was the steward. He wasn’t familiar with the families of Fengyuan City and didn’t know what sort of household the Wei family was, but judging by the carriage canopy, the plaque hanging at the front, and various other details, he could tell this was a wealthy family.

“My brother, are you on good terms with the Wei family? Is it through the Huangfu family?”

“No, Xianling knows Young Master Wei. Our family runs a restaurant, and Young Master Wei really likes the food we cook—he’s supported us a few times, so that’s how we got to know each other.” Huangfu Tieniu spoke honestly, adding at the end, “It’s not a very close relationship, though.”

Cui Bo’an thought to himself, “Not very deep? Yet they’ve returned the favor with such a lavish gift!”

Only then did he remember that his younger brother was carrying everything, so he smiled warmly and reached out to take the silk-lined box from his younger brother’s hands. “Let me take that.”

“All right, thank you, Second Brother-in-Law.” Huangfu Tieniu let go.

Cui Bo’an nearly stumbled. Huangfu Tieniu turned back and asked, “Is it a bit heavy? Why don’t I carry it instead?”

“No, no, I just took it and wasn’t paying attention for a moment. Let’s go, let’s go.” Cui Bo’an finally decided to hold it with both hands, wondering what could be inside the brocade box to make it so heavy.

His younger brother sure has a strong grip—carrying a deer on his back and holding the brocade box, he looks so light and nimble.

The back gate wasn’t locked; it was only loosely ajar, so the two strode straight back. Before Huangfu Tieniu could speak, Cui Bo’an, beaming as if he’d just received some good news, called out loudly, “Mother, Wu-ger, the Wei family has sent a return gift.”

Tang Xianling heard the commotion outside and thought something had happened, so he threw on his overcoat and went out into the courtyard. Huangfu Tieniu met his husband’s gaze and said, “Young Master Wei has sent a deer.”

“A deer?!” Tang Xianling’s eyes lit up.

Huangfu Tieniu was delighted; he knew his husband would like it.

“Right. I’ll clean it up in a bit—let me know how you’d like it prepared.”

“That’s wonderful. When my eldest and third sisters arrive, they’ll be able to enjoy it too,” Tang Xianling said.

Cui Bo’an chimed in from the side, “There are also two brocade boxes.”

“Oh, Young Master Wei is quite generous—why did he even give us these brocade boxes?” Tang Xianling only noticed them then, and with a smile, thanked her second brother-in-law for his hard work.

Cui Bo’an hadn’t gone to any trouble at all; he was simply curious about what was inside the silk-lined boxes.

“Wu-ger, what gift did you give Young Master Wei to warrant such a generous return gift?”

“Just the pastries we’ve been eating these past couple of days. His family is from a prominent household, so they probably place a lot of importance on etiquette,” Tang Xianling said. To ordinary folk like them, this was a generous gift, but in the eyes of a wealthy family, it was merely a drop in the bucket—or perhaps not even that.

Still, the thought should be appreciated.

Tang Xianling said earnestly, “I really didn’t expect Young Master Wei to send a return gift, especially delivered on New Year’s Day. We’re truly grateful to him.”

“Mm-hmm, I told you so,” Huangfu Tieniu said earnestly as well.

The lacquered box was carried into the room and placed on the table. Tang Xianling opened it and couldn’t help but smile when he saw its contents: a box filled with assorted candied fruits and two jars of tea leaves. Cui Bo’an, standing nearby, looked a bit disappointed when he realized they were just food.

Tang Xianling looked at him and thought: If his family sent a box of pastries, and the Wei family sent a box of gold, silver, and jewels, would his family dare to accept it?

In social exchanges, there’s always a hierarchy—one party is higher in status than the other—and his family hadn’t built its fortune by relying on the Wei family.

Candied fruits and tea—now that’s what’s truly good.

The second box contained some sachets and spices, as well as several silk fans as thin as a cicada’s wing. The fan surfaces were beautifully embroidered with lifelike designs, and the handles were made of fine wood, smooth and comfortable to the touch.

Cui Bo’an saw that the second brocade box contained some “girls’ trinkets,” but upon closer inspection, he realized these fans were quite expensive. After all, he had never seen such exquisite embroidery on the market; if sold, they would fetch a hefty amount of cash.

“But why give summer fans in the winter? They’re of no use,” Cui Bo’an muttered.

Tang Xianling took the fan and waved it to create a breeze, saying, “It’s quite nice. Given the Wei family’s standing, if they’d sent something else, we common folk wouldn’t be able to use it. This fan is perfect for us to enjoy fanning ourselves at home.”

In the summer, paired with some incense, it would be so romantic.

When Cui Bo’an heard “the Wei family’s standing,” he immediately understood—could the Wei family be officials? Or perhaps high-ranking officials.

By noon, the dumplings were ready. Cui Bo’an ate two large plates, and the conversation turned entirely to the Wei family.

Another day passed, and the Gu family, the Huang family, Liu Baojian, and Master Yuan all sent their return gifts here and there. The Gu family sent the Four Treasures of the Study, a box of paper, and a calligraphy piece featuring the character for “blessing.”The gifts from Master Yuan and Liu Baojian consisted mostly of food, leather goods, and mutton; Mr. Huang sent two bolts of cloth—not the finest or softest quality, just very ordinary fabric—but Tang Xianling was quite pleased with them.

Mr. Huang was a down-to-earth man; his family ran a business selling cloth and silk. Giving two bolts of cloth was something Mr. Tang could actually use; if he had sent silk—that would have been a real blunder.

Ordinary people—especially merchants—couldn’t afford to wear silk.

When Cui Bo’an heard the messenger from the Gu household mention Magistrate Gu, he blushed, unable to contain his excitement.

“Magistrate Gu works in my maternal grandfather’s office; we aren’t close—he’s just had dinner at our house once,” Tang Xianling quickly interjected. He’d originally intended to brag a bit to impress his second sister’s husband, but he hadn’t planned on exaggerating that much.

Cui Bo’an: “I understand, I understand. He’s a man of high standing. I just didn’t expect your restaurant, Fifth Brother, to be so thriving that you’ve managed to befriend so many influential people.”

Tang Xianling was about to explain further when a sudden insight struck him, and he seized the opportunity to steer the conversation in a different direction: “Yes, business at the restaurant is booming, but sometimes I’m so swamped I can’t keep up—I don’t feel comfortable leaving it in the hands of outsiders…”

Hurry up and get my second sister to stay!