"Mother."
Hongshi, carrying a bundle as she walked to the door of the east wing's second room, couldn't help but chuckle: "You shouldn't speak of your own granddaughter like that. Our Xin Xin is only two years old and hasn't fully grown into her features yet. Once she does, she'll surely take after her aunt." She glanced at the child's aunt, whose beauty was like a painting. How did this person grow up like this?
Look at those eyes, that nose, that mouth—every feature was exquisite. When raising Xin Xin, she had followed the way her mother-in-law had raised her younger sister-in-law. But why did her Xin Xin grow more and more like her? Isn't it said that nieces often resemble their aunts?
"Wife, listen to me, don't overthink it. Overthinking will only hurt your heart and mind." Ji Yu didn't even need to look at his wife's expression to know she was doubting her way of raising their daughter again. The enticing scent of milk wafted into his nose, and he couldn't resist pressing his face against his plump daughter's chubby cheek, gently nuzzling her.
Before having a daughter, he couldn't understand his parents' doting affection for his younger sister. But with Xin Xin, he realized that boys and girls simply carried different scents.
Xin Xin leaned back repeatedly, her little chubby hands pushing hard against her father's big head, but she couldn't escape: "Daddy, spare Er Yaya…"
Like creamy tofu, Ji Yu wished he could take a bite, but he couldn't. After giving her a couple more kisses, he finally stopped, holding his daughter as he walked through the crowd of snowmen toward the main house, complaining to his mother with a smile.
"We all came from the same womb, but your heart is so biased it's practically in your armpit. You gave birth to Little Sister looking like that, while I turned out so rough. Now look at my daughter."
Seeing little Xin Xin rubbing her face, Ji Mengshi glared at her grinning second son: "In a few years, Xinyi will be old enough to marry, yet you, as a father, still have no sense of propriety?" She reached out to take her granddaughter, scratching her gently, and urged her son: "Hurry and go trim your beard."
"I'll go in a moment. Where's Father?" Ji Yu lifted the door curtain and craned his neck to look inside. The room was empty.
"He went to the backyard with your elder brother and the boys to feed the cows and the old donkey. It's cold, so the donkey shed and doghouse need tidying up, and more dry hay should be added." After scratching her granddaughter, Ji Mengshi set her down on the floor and urged again: "Hurry back to your room, wash up, and make yourself presentable for dinner."
"Am I really that filthy?" Ji Yu sidestepped his mother and ran toward the backyard: "It's been a while since I've been home. I'll go see Father first and see if there's anything I can help with. Might as well make use of this grimy state." He waved to Ji An, "Little Sister, keep Xin Xin company for a while. Later, Second Brother will bring you some osmanthus-scented cakes."
"Alright," Ji An curved her lips into a smile.
Little Xin Xin had already spotted her aunt. Waving her two not-so-agile short arms, she stumbled toward her, one foot deep, one foot shallow: "Auntie, candy is yummy," spraying saliva a foot long.
Afraid the little one might fall, Ji An quickly stepped forward to intercept her: "Auntie doesn't have any candy left. Next time I go to town, Auntie will buy you some."
By the time they finished their work in the backyard, it was already dark. Tonight, all seventeen members of the Ji family were present except for Ji Yan. Men and women sat at separate tables. There was a small pot of leftover stewed meat from yesterday, to which Hongshi had added some potatoes and dried beans today. She made two kinds of stuffed flatbreads—one with cabbage and meat scraps, the other with pickled cabbage and spicy tofu—and cooked a large pot of sweet potato porridge.
When it came to food, Ji Mengshi never skimped. The family's grains, rice, oil, and salt were prepared monthly and stored in the kitchen. Every ten days, there would be one or two meals with plenty of meat, and the meat was always served generously. Looking at the boys at the men's table, each with plump cheeks, it was clear their bellies were never empty.
Zhushi carried a tall basket of griddle cakes to the men's table, then turned back and snatched the ladle from Ji An's hands. "Go sit down, I'll serve the porridge."
"Thank you, sister-in-law," Ji An said, picking up the bowl of sweet potato and rice porridge that had been served—with more rice than sweet potato—and placed it before her mother before taking her seat to her mother's right.
Zhushi had grown accustomed to Ji An's polite ways. She handed the next bowl of porridge to Huang Shi, who had been waiting quietly nearby, deliberately ignoring the despondent look on her face.
"Dinner's late today, so the meat and vegetables in the pot had cooled a bit. I added two more handfuls of firewood to heat them up," said Hongshi with a beaming smile as she walked into the main hall carrying a large soup plate of food in each hand. Ji Xinran, seated near the door, stood up to take the smaller plate from her. The heaping plate, Hongshi carried over to the men's table.
The first and second branches of the family were all present and in high spirits. Only the third branch was missing its head of household, making it impossible to share in the lively atmosphere. Huang Shi felt a pang of loss and tried to force a smile, but her lips simply wouldn't turn upward.
Seeing her mother's eyes brimming with tears, Ji Xinran felt a twinge of heartache. She missed her father too, but he was striving for a better future and couldn't always be at home. Next year would be better—next year, her father would pass the provincial examination. By then, even if Grandmother remained unreasonable, she would have to show some restraint.
Once the men's table began eating, Ji Mengshi picked up her chopsticks and took a piece of frozen tofu. Only then did the women at their table start their meal. Ji An took a sour cabbage and spicy tofu griddle cake and, just as she was about to take a bite, noticed Huang Shi sitting diagonally across from her, head bowed over her porridge, shedding tears. She pretended not to see, took a bite of the cake, and chewed slowly.
Hongshi picked out a piece of pork skin for her daughter, who was sitting in her lap staring eagerly at the meat dishes. Beside her, Huang Shi was quietly weeping, and Hongshi felt a knot of frustration tighten in her chest. Just because your husband isn't home, does that mean mine can't come back either? When Third Brother returned, she, as his second sister-in-law, had never made such a scene.
Ji Xinran placed a griddle cake in her mother's bowl. "Don't just drink porridge," she said softly. At that moment, she felt a surge of resentment toward her grandparents. Second Uncle taught at the town school, and Grandmother allowed Second Aunt to stay with him often. Why couldn't she permit her own mother to go and care for her father?
Thinking of her father, studying alone far from home to bring honor to the family, she couldn't help but feel a pang of sorrow, her eyes reddening. On such a cold day, she wondered if he even had a warm meal to eat.
"One after another, either eat or get out!" Ji Mengshi slammed her chopsticks down on the table with a sharp crack. Hongshi, also furious, shoved her stunned daughter into Zhushi's arms and sprang to her feet, turning toward Huang Shi, who sat with her head bowed, quietly weeping. "Third Sister-in-law, speak plainly today. What's bothering you?"
Ji Xinran fought back a sob and slowly stood up. "Second Aunt—"
"You shut up!" Hongshi snapped angrily. "When elders are speaking, you have no right to interrupt." She had tolerated Huang Shi for too long, which had made Huang Shi think she was easygoing. Giving her such a look—she had treated her with too much respect.
Ji Xinmin and Ji Xinjia, who had been eating at the men's table, looked at a loss. They hurried over to stand protectively beside their mother, wanting to apologize to their second aunt but too intimidated by her furious glare to speak.
Ji An glanced at her father, whose face had darkened, then stood up and fetched a small basket and a large bowl. She placed six griddle cakes in the basket and filled the bowl to the brim with meat and vegetables. "Third Sister-in-law, if you're not feeling well, don't force yourself. Go back to your room and eat on the kang," she said, not waiting for Huang Shi's response before instructing the two boys hovering nearby, "Quickly, help your mother back."
The two boys obediently reached out to support her. Huang Shi knew that staying would only make things more awkward. Leaning on her sons for support, she rose unsteadily to her feet and carefully left the table.
Ji An handed the flatbread and meat dish to Ji Xinran, who was still standing there. Ji Xinran woodenly took it, her eyes fixed on the person before her. This same scene had played out in her past life, but the outcome had been different.
In her past life, her mother had been pointed at and cursed by her second aunt, breaking down in tears. Grandmother, furious, had picked up the bowl of porridge in front of her and thrown it at her mother, hitting her directly in the left eye. The scalding porridge clung to her skin, burning her mother’s left eye. A doctor was called and medicine prescribed, but after that, none of the elders in the family showed any further concern.
Her mother hadn’t dared to send word to her father. It wasn’t until her father returned home at the winter solstice that he learned Grandmother had struck her. Later, her father even argued with Second Uncle over this incident. Second Uncle ended up beating him. In this life, these things probably wouldn’t happen again—but where had things started to go differently?
Ji Xinran pressed her lips tightly together. Was it because Grandmother hadn’t thrown the porridge bowl at her mother? No, that wasn’t it. It must have been when she spoke up and was scolded. Then, her aunt couldn’t stand it and stepped in to help the third branch out of the situation. And after that? If her mother wasn’t injured, would her father still gradually lose faith in his parents?
Ji An didn’t miss the shifting expressions on Ji Xinran’s face and knew exactly what she was thinking, but she didn’t care. Originally, tonight’s incident was Huang Shi’s fault. She had intervened only because she feared her mother, in a fit of rage, might accidentally hurt someone, turning a justified position into an unjust one.
In the book, the conflict between Ji Mengshi and Ji Yan, mother and son, had escalated openly after Huang Shi was injured several times.
“You should take this back to eat too. Keep your mother company and comfort her. Try to ease her mind, so she doesn’t dwell on things so heavily.” After saying this, Ji An turned and went back to her seat. Sitting down, she picked up the flatbread and continued eating: “Second Sister-in-law’s cooking gets better and better. The dough is perfectly risen and soft, and the filling is neither too salty nor bland—it’s very fresh.”
Although she hadn’t vented her pent-up frustration, since her sister-in-law had offered a way out, Hongshi wasn’t an ungrateful wretch like Huang Shi. She changed her tone: “My elder brother went to Bin County in the south in July and brought back a few pounds of dried shrimp, giving me some. Tonight, I added a handful to the filling. If you like it, I’ll make it again in a couple of days.”
“Thank you, Second Sister-in-law.” Seeing her mother still motionless, Ji An put down her flatbread, picked up chopsticks, and placed them in her hand: “You should try Second Sister-in-law’s cooking too.”
Ji Mengshi was emotionally exhausted. Following her daughter’s suggestion, she picked up a cabbage and meat scrap flatbread, tore off a small piece, and handed it to Xin Xin, who was reaching out with her little hands.
At this point, Ji Zhongming, who had been silent for a long time, spoke up: “Everyone, eat up. Once you’ve had your fill, rest early.”
Ji Yu glanced at his eldest niece, who was carrying away the food, unsure what to say, his heart a mix of conflicting emotions. Sometimes, he truly wished he could be unfilial just once and urge his father to divide the family. It wasn’t that he, as an elder brother, was narrow-minded—it was just that Third Brother had become too shrewd from his studies.
Not to mention distant matters, just take the sale of the Provincial Examination Sub-list Rank two years ago. Third Brother sold his Provincial Examination Sub-list Rank for three hundred taels of silver and brought back only fifty taels. With the remaining two hundred and fifty taels, he spent one hundred and sixty-five taels to buy a shop in the county town, entrusting it to Huang Shi’s second brother to manage, specializing in buying and selling used books.
Father knew about this, but Mother was still kept in the dark.
Ji Yu wasn’t coveting his brother’s modest assets; he just felt Third Brother’s actions were improper. You took the Provincial Examination twice, each time costing fifty taels, all paid by Father and Mother. You sold your Provincial Examination Sub-list Rank for three hundred taels—no matter how you reason it, you shouldn’t have given Father and Mother only fifty taels.
And all these years at the Xianxue, has the third brother not earned a single penny? With his Official Rank, he guarantees students every year—where has all that silver gone? The family's expenses all come from the common fund, yet he bought a shop in the county with the money he earned before coming to tell Father. What could Father do?
No one has ever sucked their parents' blood like this. Ji Yu could see it now—the third brother's heart was just not warm. Now he was waiting for next year's Xiangshi. If the third brother passed, then the Ji family would likely be heading toward a split. Grabbing a pancake, he took a big bite, chewed twice, then suddenly paused. Lifting his eyelids, he looked at his younger sister, whose expression remained as indifferent as ever.
Had this girl finally stopped sitting idly by? Ji Yu felt a flicker of anticipation. With the younger sister pitted against the third brother—one cunning, the other truly shrewd—it was bound to be quite a spectacle.
Noticing the gaze directed at her, Ji An glanced back but offered no response. Ever since she demanded a share of the profits after selling Spring Festival couplets at the age of three, her second brother had been convinced she harbored a little fox inside. Convinced or not, she had no intention of explaining anything.
While the Ji family was having their meal, dozens of miles away on the slopes of Shanlin Mountain, in the east wing of the guest courtyard at Hanyin Temple, a beautiful woman with deer-like eyes sat upright on the couch. Her dark hair was loosely draped, and she wore a rabbit fur cloak. In her hands, she held a letter, reading it over and over again.
A square-faced maidservant pushed the door open and presented a freshly refilled Bed Warmer. "Madam, the bird's nest soup from the kitchen is ready. Would you like to have it now?"
The woman shook her head lightly, sighed, and put down the letter. Taking the Bed Warmer, she held it in her hands, her brows furrowed as she murmured softly, "I wonder what happened in the prefecture. With such heavy snow last night, Cousin actually rushed back overnight." Her cheeks puffed slightly, revealing a hint of displeasure and grievance. "He didn't even wake me when he left, leaving only this letter to worry me."
The maidservant bowed and said with a smile, "His Lordship cares for you, Madam. You had finally fallen into a deep sleep—how could he bear to disturb your rest?"
That might be true, but she felt an emptiness inside. "Did he really not leave a single word for me?" After the joys of intimacy and a night of deep sleep, she woke to find him gone, leaving her alone in bed. After years apart, he said he thought of her day and night, but hadn't she also been longing for him in her dreams?
"His Lordship left in a hurry. I suspect there must be an urgent matter." Seeing her mistress in such a state, the maidservant dared not admit that she too had slept soundly last night.
"An urgent matter," the woman's eyes welled with tears.
After a moment of silence in the room, the maidservant, seeing no further questions, quickly changed the subject. "The young master came by this afternoon. He said the snow on the roads is too thick, and we might have to stay here for a few more days, waiting for the snow to melt before setting off back to Fanzhou."
The woman turned her face away and replied indifferently, "I understand."
After the snow, several clear days followed, and the roads were soon cleared. On this day, Ji Cheng drove the donkey cart to the county's bookstore to deliver handwritten copies, not returning home until after dark. As soon as he arrived, before the donkey cart had even come to a complete stop, he jumped down and rushed into the main hall.
"Father, Zhizhou Lord Luo has disappeared. The county is now conducting searches everywhere. I heard it's the same in the prefecture."