Applause resounded like drums after three pieces were played downstairs.

The young performer, with rosy lips and white teeth, stood up holding a pipa, bowed to the audience, and was about to step down for another performer.

Each day, he only needed to sing three songs to open the show; the tea house also had other young ladies take turns singing.

But the female guests hadn’t heard enough. Someone suddenly shouted.

"Another song!"

Soon after, many followed in chorus.

"Mr. Zhang, don’t leave in a hurry, we are all here for you. We’ve long grown tired of the other ladies’ songs, they don’t bring anything new."

Sitting in the front row with a basket at her feet, an aunt with a round face, who ran over to support during her grocery time, stood up while eating sunflower seeds.

"The little lady who insisted on monopolizing you last time has been punished and made to kneel in the ancestral hall. Mr. Zhang, what kind of girl do you really fancy?"

"Aunt has a niece who lives at the entrance of Qian Chao Alley, she is the only daughter in her family and has been spoiled since childhood. She doesn’t want a scholar, nor does she want someone running a shop, she insists on finding a handsome young man. The old couple are at their wits’ end, the marriage has been dragged on. Aunt thinks you are perfect! Once you finish singing, why not come with me for a look?"

This caused quite an uproar around.

"Well then, we can’t hold back Mr. Zhang, marriage is a big thing, it wouldn’t be nice to delay it. Everyone is idle anyway, why not come along to help you take a look?"

"Mr. Zhang, you should comply."

"Why are you blushing now, your face is all red, hahaha."

The young performer was at a loss, luckily the tea house shopkeeper came out to smooth things over, sheltering him behind his back.

"Everyone, give this old man some face, don’t take him as a joke."

"Mr. Zhang still needs to return to the theater, someday when he has time, he’ll sing a few more songs."

Listening to the commotion below, Xiao Huaian clicked his tongue.

But beside him, Shen Zhiyi was persistently poking his heart.

"What a pity, I wonder who will finally win him over."

"If my Shen Family had no male heirs to inherit the family business, it would be nice to bring him into the household as a son-in-law. In my house, he wouldn’t be able to defy me, he’d have to comply with me, and I wouldn’t treat him badly either. If I wanted to hear a tune, he could sing at any time, what a delightful life that would be."

Xiao Huaian snickered.

"That will be difficult."

"Don’t forget you have an elder brother above and three younger half-brothers below. There won’t be no heirs."

As he spoke, he peered intently.

It was indeed that the slap mark on Shen Zhiyi’s face was too conspicuous.

"Have you applied medicine?"

Shen Zhiyi: "No."

She dismissed it: "I can’t wait for the marks to stay a few more days. I’ll go to the Marquis Ning Mansion to let those ladies visiting with their daughters see how extraordinary the inner courtyard of my home is."

"My aunt is still hoping that another daughter will marry into a good family. Let’s see which main wife’s son would be willing to marry a rebellious wife."

Xiao Huaian: ...

"Your face is noticeably swollen."

Stubborn indeed.

"Who are they, for you to harm yourself in conflict with them?"

Xiao Huaian, as if he had expected this, tossed a jade bottle, pointing with his chin.

"Lucky for you. I happened to get an ointment, surely better than the clinics outside, give it a try."

His tone was annoyingly smug.

Wei Zhao softly sneered: "Tch."

An ointment that could grow flesh on bare bones, used on a slap mark.

He’s really something, Xiao Huaian.

Yu Tingwan glanced over.

White jade bottle, with a flat petal-shaped opening.

The pharmacy set up in Lan Garden had many bottles and jars, large and small, all like this white jade bottle, containing various external ointments and internal elixirs personally brewed by Elder Ge.

The effects were good, and the medicinal materials used were exceptionally rare, rarely used for outsiders.

She drew closer to Wei Zhao’s ear: "Did you give this?"

Wei Zhao: "He took it thick-skinned."

Wei Zhao softly said: "Didn’t win the person, but quite generous."

The young couple whispered.

Yu Tingwan: "Heir Xiao is already very diligent. How can he compare to you, my dear husband?"

Wei Zhao raised an eyebrow.

"Is that so."

Wei Zhao was evidently pleased: "After all, you went to great lengths back then to win me over."

It seemed a bit off.

Because she was concerned about the Wei Family’s meals, she had to win him over.

Yet somehow it wasn’t wrong.

Yu Tingwan pondered briefly, nodding: "Hmm!"

Shen Zhiyi didn’t know what the couple was whispering about, suspiciously eyeing Xiao Huaian, assuming it was common ointment: "Heir Xiao, why aren’t you at the brothel looking for ladies, how come you’re here?"

Xiao Huaian hesitated slightly, took a sip of tea.

"My sister-in-law is here, Wei Zhao was concerned and insisted on coming over, so I accompanied. Do you have a problem with him?"

Shen Zhiyi: ??

Of course not.

Their relationship was this good?

Yu Tingwan just left not long ago, and Wei Zhao dashed to catch up?

Wei Zhao leaned back in his wheelchair, his fingers fiddling with the ear pendant hanging from Yu Tingwan’s earlobe.

She didn’t have pierced ears.

The pendant was clipped on.

Although Wei Zhao was knowledgeable, he had never seen clip-on pendants before and was inevitably curious seeing Yu Tingwan wear it for the first time.

"Does it hurt?"

Yu Tingwan: "It hurt at first, but with time, you get used to it."

However, Wei Zhao gently removed it, rubbed her earlobe, and tucked the pendant into his sleeve: "The jade is heavy, the area is turning red. If you like it, we’ll get some more comfortable ones made."

Yu Tingwan paused slightly.

Unexpectedly, the words felt familiar.

Suddenly, there was a gust of wind in her ears, and the man’s lazy low laugh seemed to pierce through time and space.

—"Yu Tingwan, go ahead and bully me as you like."

—"I gave you earrings, it was an oversight of mine that I didn’t know your ears weren’t pierced, only thought you had few ornaments. I’ve already apologized, why still blame me?"

—"Changed them to clip-ons, you wore them for so long, it hurt, then turned around and blamed me again."

—"The jade is heavy, I’ll have it replaced with another material, make it lighter. How about that?"

She felt a bit dazed.

But as that voice faded, it was abruptly replaced by the patter of rain, accompanied by thunderclaps, seemingly ready to overthrow the world.

The scene shifted.

It was a cacophony hard to describe.

—"Why is the front blocked, what’s happening?"

—"Someone committed suicide by jumping into the river, that group of people, don’t know where they’re from, have been tirelessly fishing for the body. The river is so swift, it’s probably long gone, perhaps fell into a fish’s belly, can’t say."

—"Oh, whose family are they? How come they couldn’t think straight?"

—"That, I’m not clear about, but I’ve heard they fished up an ear clip, most likely a young lady."

The following words grew indistinct.

Trying to listen but nothing was clear.

Yu Tingwan breathed heavily.

"What’s wrong?"

Wei Zhao noticed something amiss, frowning tightly: "Are you feeling unwell somewhere?"

Yu Tingwan regained her senses, feigning calmness: "Nothing."

"Is my husband not busy today?"

Wei Zhao gazed at her for a long while before finally uttering a word.

"Busy."

His view was blocked, preventing anyone from seeing him wrap his arms around her waist, pulling her slightly closer to him. Then, he took her cold, pallid hand resting on her knee and held it tight.