Li'er was playing with Pan'er while Ye Yunniang tidied up at ho, wanting to do more to lessen Cai Dai's burdens.
As she was cleaning, the sound of the door opening echoed.
Cai Xiaoi entered the courtyard carrying her grandson Zhou Yan. "Sister, look what I've brought! Oh, Yunniang is back." Cai Xiaoi held a cut of at in her hand.
"Yes, I'm back. Auntie, please co inside. I'll fetch so water." Ye Yunniang ushered Cai Xiaoi into the house and went to the kitchen to prepare tea for the main room.
"Auntie, have so tea."
"Alright, thank you." Cai Xiaoi observed her niece-in-law, who looked fairer and slightly plumper than before.
Living in a wealthy household truly nourishes a person.
"How many days off did your mistress grant you?"
"I must return this afternoon." As she spoke, Ye Yunniang pulled a silver firecracker from her pocket and handed it to Zhou Yan in Cai Xiaoi's arms. "New Year's lucky money."
"That's too generous, we can't accept it." Cai Xiaoi reached out to stop her.
"Auntie, this is from as his aunt. It's a child's lucky money—there's no such thing as too much." Ye Yunniang insisted, tucking the silver firecracker into Zhou Yan's hand.
Hearing this, Cai Xiaoi could no longer refuse and urged her grandson, "Quickly thank your aunt."
Zhou Yan clutched the firecracker tightly. "Thank you, Auntie."
"Yan'er is so well-behaved. I hope Pan'er grows up just as obedient." Ye Yunniang patted Zhou Yan's head affectionately.
"Your mother knows how to raise children. With her around, Pan'er will surely have a bright future."
"Praising like that—you must know I bought fish and want my stead fish dish." Cai Dai pushed open the courtyard gate, carrying groceries.
"Now that you ntion it, I am quite hungry. I could really go for so stead fish." Cai Xiaoi stood up, taking the fish from Ye Yunniang. "You stay here with Yan'er and Pan'er. We'll handle the cooking."
Cai Xiaoi and Cai Dai went into the kitchen to prepare the al.
Ye Yunniang took Zhou Yan to where Li'er and Pan'er were playing, and the two won amused the children, one big and one small.
Cai Dai took charge in the kitchen, preparing stead fish, braised pork with dried beans, stir-fried tofu with cabbage, shredded radish with at, fried peanuts, and finally, an egg and bean sprout soup.
Seeing the fried peanuts, Ye Yunniang couldn't help but think of her father-in-law and Li Jun—both loved fried peanuts. But because it required too much oil, Cai Dai only made them during the New Year, frying up a large plate.
"Let's eat, everyone!" Cai Dai called the family to the table.
After the reunion al, Cai Dai took Zhou Yan ho, leaving space for Ye Yunniang and her mother-in-law.
Inside the house, Ye Yunniang first unpacked a bundle for Cai Dai—a complete set of clothes and shoes.
"You should've just made clothes for Pan'er. I have enough to wear. Such fine fabric is wasted on ." Cai Dai stroked the soft material, sighing regretfully.
"The mistress rewarded generously—there's enough for both you and Pan'er." Ye Yunniang opened another bundle containing a light spring cotton jacket and pants for Pan'er, along with two pairs of tiger-head shoes.
After showing the clothes, Ye Yunniang handed over her monthly wages and the New Year's red envelopes given by the masters for Cai Dai to keep.
"So much?" Cai Dai gasped, holding golden beads.
The gold and silver added up to over a hundred taels.
"Yunniang, did sothing happen in the mansion?" Cai Dai grasped Ye Yunniang's hands, her voice laced with worry.
Ye Yunniang briefly explained the incident involving Ding Fang.
"The mistress realized she misunderstood and specially gave 100 taels. The prettier ones are New Year gifts from the old master and mistress." She pointed them out one by one.
"My poor Yunniang, you've suffered in that household." Cai Dai's heart ached—she would rather have no silver at all if it ant Ye Yunniang was safe.
Tears welled up in Ye Yunniang's eyes as she leaned into Cai Dai's embrace.
"Mother, I'm not suffering. Knowing you and Pan'er are waiting for at ho makes it all bearable—truly, it does."
The two won held each other, speaking softly.
"Mother, you must eat well and not skimp. I have food and shelter in the mansion—it costs nothing." Ye Yunniang had noticed the coarse rice and sorghum flour in the pantry at ho.
The only at was half a pound of cured bacon, a gift from Cai Xiaoi.
Vegetables consisted of two cabbages, and there were only ten eggs.
Ye Yunniang reached into her bundle again, pulling out a jewelry box. She opened it and slipped a gold bracelet onto Cai Dai's wrist.
"Mother, this bracelet—I knew at first glance it would suit you."
"I'm already halfway into the grave—what use do I have for such things?" Cai Dai flushed with embarrassnt. When her husband was alive, he had bought her a silver bracelet, but it was lted down during hard tis.
She never imagined her daughter-in-law would bring her a gold bracelet.
"Mother, you're still young. When Pan'er marries and has children, you'll be the one guiding them." Ye Yunniang saw Cai Dai as her pillar and hated hearing such talk.
"Alright, alright, I won't say it." Cai Dai couldn't bear the thought of leaving Ye Yunniang and Pan'er either.
"Mother, you must take care of yourself. I can earn money." Ye Yunniang feared Cai Dai's frugality would harm her health.
Touched by her concern, Cai Dai promised not to deprive herself.
Glancing outside, Cai Dai lowered her voice. "How are things... with him?"
Ye Yunniang's face flushed, then paled. She wanted to speak but hesitated, finally murmuring, "It's... fine."
"Listen, don't think of it as shaful. n have needs, and so do won." Cai Dai's views on the matter were unconventional.
"Mother, you know so much." Ye Yunniang was curious.
"When I was young, our neighbor was a peculiar woman. Others called her immoral, a temptress. But she was the only one who gave dicine when my parents beat or food when I was starving.
She often said the world was unjust to won—n could seek pleasure outside, but won were expected to be tireless stone figures, devoid of desire, like wheat seedlings denied water and fertilizer." Cai Dai recalled the beautiful woman's words.
"What happened to her?"
"In the end, her in-laws sold her. Two days before she left, she taught ways for a woman to find her own pleasure, hoping I'd live more comfortably. But I married a good man." Cai Dai's eyes dimd with sorrow at the mory of her late husband.
Pan'er's grandfather had died too soon.
Cai Dai passed on everything she had learned from her neighbor to Ye Yunniang.
Though they could have talked all day, it wouldn't be proper to stay until evening.
After lunch, they chatted a while longer, hugged the children, and then Ye Yunniang left with Li'er.
By the ti they returned to Zhiyu Pavilion, it was only mid-afternoon (around 3 PM).
Ye Yunniang freshened up, changed into clean clothes, and headed to Fanghua Courtyard.
First, she visited Miss Ziyuan, presenting her with homade pickles from her mother, then entered the inner chambers.
"Chunyao, I'm back."
"Mm, it's all yours now. I'm heading ho." Chunyao yawned as she spoke.
"Alright, thank you for your hard work." Ye Yunniang handed Chunyao a jar of pickles.
Delighted, Chunyao accepted it and left.
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