The osmanthus in the courtyard was in full bloom, scattering golden petals across the ground. Yujing insisted on climbing the tree to pick a branch for her sister-in-law. Neither Yu Zhong nor Shen Qi could stop her, so they stood beneath the tree, looking up anxiously, afraid she might fall.
Xie Yuduo returned.
“Yujing, climbing so high—are the flowers below not fragrant enough?”
“Second Brother! The branches up here are much prettier!”
Seeing him approach, Shen Qi asked in surprise, “Huh? I thought you said you wouldn’t be back at noon?”
“Father came by earlier to remind us to visit Uncle’s house this afternoon, to introduce you to the relatives. So I came back to let you know. Eldest Sister, will you be coming?”
Yu Zhong smiled. “Since I’ve been back these past few days, I haven’t visited Uncle’s house yet. I’ll be returning to the provincial capital in a couple of days, and if I don’t go today, Auntie will scold me for being ungrateful next time she sees me.”
Xie Yuduo nodded. Seeing Yujing preparing to climb down, he reached out to help her and asked, “What about you? Are you coming?”
Yujing slid safely from her brother’s arms to the ground, clutching the fragrant osmanthus branch, and shook her head vigorously.
“I’m not going! If I see that Aunt Zhao again, she’ll just say I’m ugly and not as pretty as Second Sister!”
Shen Qi asked, “Aren’t we going to Uncle’s house? Why would we see Aunt Zhao there?”
Yu Zhong explained to her, “She’s the neighbor next door to Uncle’s house. Because her maiden family is related to Second Aunt from our West Courtyard as maternal cousins, and we often run into her, we just call her Aunt Zhao.”
Xie Yuduo frowned. “Why bother with that old hag? Our Yujing is perfectly lovely!”
Shen Qi glanced at him.
These past two days, he had been exceedingly gentle with her, making her think he was naturally good-natured. But outside their room, he was indifferent to everyone, neither warm nor cold. Truly, as Old Lady Wu had said, he was a man of few words.
Yet even when dealing with someone as difficult as Second Aunt, she had never heard him speak so harshly.
Yu Zhong also shook her head and smiled. “That Aunt Zhao really is quite annoying. When I was little and lived at Uncle’s house, she was always comparing me to her own daughter. I never thought she’d still be at it with Yujing. Let’s go early this afternoon and come back quickly, and try not to run into her.”
Uncle’s house was located in the outskirts of Pingshan County, quite a distance away.
After lunch, Xie Yuduo rode on horseback while Shen Qi and Yu Zhong sat together in the carriage. The journey took about the time it takes to finish a meal.
On the way, Yu Zhong carefully reminded Shen Qi, “Our uncle’s family name is Lin. They run a small business near the city and are Mother’s only relatives from her maiden family. In the early years, our families were very close. Even though Mother is gone, the two families still keep in touch.
Auntie is a good person, but she’s getting old and tends to ramble. If she says anything careless, don’t take it to heart. There’s also a cousin at home named Baisheng, though I haven’t seen him in years.”
Shen Qi listened and nodded, committing it all to memory.
Uncle’s house was in an alley near the city gate, where the carriage couldn’t enter, so they stopped outside.
Perhaps Father Xie had already given notice, as Uncle Lin and Auntie Lin seemed to have expected their visit. They had prepared tea in advance and welcomed them inside.
Uncle Lin, around fifty or sixty years old, took Xie Yuduo to the front courtyard to discuss business matters.
Auntie was also very warm, pulling Shen Qi by the hand and calling her “niece-in-law,” then holding Eldest Sister’s hand and asking about her children’s recent well-being.
After chatting at home for a while, Eldest Sister asked, “Cousin Baisheng isn’t home? What has he been busy with lately?”
"Oh dear, don't even mention it! Since he grew up, he was sent to work as a shop assistant in your family's shop, and he also followed your uncle selling goods, but he always complained he couldn't earn enough money.
Two years ago, he went off with his friend to work on a ship, but came back in less than half a year, saying it was too exhausting. He stayed home until this spring, then went north with a neighbor to trade grain. Who knows when he'll be back? It really worries me to death!"
Eldest Aunt sighed heavily.
"Just think, he and Yuduo grew up together since childhood, yet now one is up in the heavens while the other is down in the dirt!"
Yu Zhong comforted her, "Give him another couple of years to gain some experience, and he'll be fine."
"What worries me even more is his marriage! He's two years older than Yuduo, and we've arranged meetings with so many families, but he never seems to find a suitable wife. Look at Yuduo—I heard he only met one girl, and look, he married such a wonderful wife! It's truly rare!"
She then turned to Shen Qi.
"Yuduo's wife, could you also keep an eye out for me? See if there are any good girls in your town? Someone like you would be perfect. As long as she's good-looking, even if her family is poor, it doesn't matter. Our family wouldn't mind!"
Shen Qi noticed Eldest Sister's awkward expression and thought to herself, Eldest Sister was right—this Aunt Lin truly has a good heart but a sharp tongue, and she doesn't even realize it. Shen Qi didn't take offense and simply smiled.
"Aunt, please don't worry too much. A talented man like my cousin, who has traveled far and wide, must have high standards. It's better to take your time and choose carefully. If the girl isn't a good match, it could become another headache."
Aunt Lin took Shen Qi's words as genuine praise for her son and continued chattering away. Eldest Sister couldn't bear it any longer and excused herself, saying she had matters to attend to at home. She called for Xie Yuduo, and they prepared to leave.
Before they had even walked out of the alley, a woman around forty years old approached them. She grabbed Xie Yuduo's arm and exclaimed loudly.
"Oh my, Second Young Master, you're here! What a rare guest! I haven't seen you in years. Why don't you come inside and sit for a while?"
Shen Qi noticed Xie Yuduo's impatient expression and Eldest Sister's frozen smile. She guessed this must be the infamous Aunt Zhao, who loved to praise people by calling them ugly.
Aunt Zhao held onto Xie Yuduo, refusing to let go, showering him with affectionate words while her eyes never left Shen Qi. She scrutinized Shen Qi from head to toe twice, making Shen Qi feel uneasy.
"No wonder! Yuduo has such high standards—he ended up marrying a wife who is both talented and beautiful. Look at her elegant demeanor, almost no different from the girls in our city! On closer look, she even bears some resemblance to my Third Daughter! Yu Zhong, don't you think so? I've always said…"
Before she could finish, Eldest Sister interrupted, "Aunt, your eyes must be playing tricks on you. Third Daughter isn't as fair-skinned, and she's not as tall as my sister-in-law. How could they possibly look alike?"
Shen Qi knew Eldest Sister was gentle and rarely argued with others. Cutting off an elder mid-sentence was already out of character for her, so she must have been quite angry.
Aunt Zhao felt somewhat embarrassed by Yu Zhong's retort and quickly changed the subject, though she couldn't go three sentences without mentioning Shen Qi's appearance.
One moment she praised Shen Qi for her beauty, the next she said other girls weren't bad either, and even mentioned how her Third Daughter used to be very close to Xie Yuduo and Lin Baisheng, the two cousins, playing together every day as children…
"Let's go. We have things to do at home."
Xie Yuduo didn't wait for her to finish. He walked over, took Shen Qi's hand, and didn't let go until he had helped her into the carriage.
Although the local customs were simple and honest, it was still quite unconventional for a married couple to hold hands on the street.
Taking advantage of the fact that Eldest Sister hadn't arrived yet, Shen Qi whispered, "Why didn't you let her finish speaking?"
Xie Yuduo's brows furrowed again.
"Why bother with her? She's just spouting nonsense."
Shen Qi shot him a sidelong glance; he seemed genuinely open and sincere.
In truth, while listening to Aunt Zhao speak earlier, Shen Qi had already sensed the underlying meaning—
In Aunt Zhao's eyes, her own third daughter and Xie Yuduo were the ones who were childhood sweethearts, a match made in heaven.
Somehow, the two didn't end up together, and instead, Shen Qi got the great fortune, which Aunt Zhao deeply regretted.
Today, seeing Shen Qi arrive, she subtly pointed out flaws in her words to prove—
"She really isn't as good as my third daughter."