At the same time, at the Marquis of Changxin Manor.
To welcome back the young lady who had been lost outside for many years, ever since the return letter arrived, everyone in the manor had been busy preparing.
The eldest daughter-in-law, Li, and the third daughter-in-law, Qian, who were temporarily managing the household, both devoted themselves fully to tidying up the young sister-in-law’s courtyard—
From the material and style of the tables, chairs, and cabinets, to the color and pattern of the window screens and drapes, everything was carefully deliberated and selected.
Tonight’s family banquet was also set at the Mirror Flower Waterside Pavilion beside the garden, surrounded by light gauze and bright lanterns.
The environment was delightful, and the thirty-six hot and cold dishes on the huanghuali round table catered to everyone’s tastes, leaving nothing unattended.
Even though they had already met once during the day, when Yun Ran appeared in the waterside pavilion, dressed in brand-new clothes and accompanied by her maid, she still drew all eyes in the Marquis of Changxin Manor, everyone turning to look at her with fascination.
Once again the center of attention, Yun Ran: “……”
She swept her gaze over the faces around the table— some handsome, some beautiful— while wondering why everyone in her family was so good-looking, and at the same time cast a pleading look at Zheng Shi: “Mother, aren’t we going to eat?”
Zheng Shi fully understood her family’s mood of looking at a “national treasure.”
In the days just after she found her daughter, her own eyes could hardly leave Yun Ran, the more she looked, the more she liked her.
But at the moment—
“It’s getting late, let’s all take our seats and start the meal.”
Zheng Shi gave the word, then called Yun Ran: “Come, Ranran, sit next to Mother.”
“Alright.” Under everyone’s gaze, Yun Ran walked over and sat beside Zheng Shi.
The tall man sitting on her right was her eldest brother, Yun Yi.
“Big Brother.” Yun Ran greeted him politely.
The eldest brother was twenty-seven this year, twelve years older than her, and had served as Siye in the Guozijian for many years. He naturally carried an air of dignified scholarly authority, far less approachable than Fourth Young Master Yun.
Yun Yi could naturally see his little sister’s unease, and felt a pang in his heart.
Back when his sister was born, he had been the happiest among the brothers.
Every day after coming home from studies, the first thing he did was go to the back courtyard to hold his sister.
You could say Yun Ran was practically raised in his arms.
As a child, his sister loved to stick to him most. After learning to speak, she would follow him around all day, calling “Big Brother, Big Brother” like a little tail…
That adorable little glutinous rice ball of a sister had, in the blink of an eye, become a graceful and elegant young lady.
Her features were still as lively and charming as he remembered, but the distance between them as siblings truly made him feel sorrowful.
“I remember you used to love wisteria cakes the most. The kitchen made some today.”
Yun Yi picked up a plate of lotus-shaped cakes and placed it in front of Yun Ran: “Try it, see if it still tastes like before.”
Yun Ran hadn’t expected her seemingly aloof big brother to take the initiative to serve her food, and was momentarily at a loss. “Th-thank you, Big Brother.”
Saying that, she picked up a soft pink and white cake and took a big bite to show her appreciation.
With that bite, her eyes lit up.
What looked like an ordinary pastry had a surprisingly delicate and rich filling.
The first bite released the refreshing fragrance of wisteria flowers, mingling with a sweet but not cloying honey that spread across her tongue.
The aftertaste was not only faintly sweet, but also carried a trace of fresh tartness.
“Is that hawthorn?” Yun Ran asked in surprise.
Yun Yi nodded, his upright brows gentle: “You loved pastries as a child, but Grandfather and Grandmother worried you’d get indigestion from eating too many, so they ordered the kitchen to mix some crushed hawthorn into the cakes. It balanced out the sweetness and was good for the stomach.”
Mentioning Grandfather and Grandmother, a trace of sadness flickered across Yun Yi’s face.
Back when his sister went missing, both elders were deeply grieved, and within twelve years, they both passed away.
Before they left, both had held the hands of the Marquis and Lady of Changxin, tearfully entrusting them: “Be sure to find Zhuzhu.”
Yun Baozhu was Yun Ran’s birth name, the meaning clear at a glance.
However, Yun Ran was already used to her current name, and Zheng Shi also appreciated the gradual, progressing meaning of “Ran,” so the matter of changing her name was never raised again.
At this moment, everyone at the table thought of the departed elders and felt regret, especially for the grandmother who had only passed away the year before…
If only she could have held on until today, she wouldn’t have had to leave with such regret.
“Alright, alright, the table’s full of good food and no one’s touched it yet. Ranran, eat fewer cakes and try more of the dishes.”
Zheng Shi brought the topic back in time, then glared at Yun Yi: “You too, Dalang, you’ve taught yourself silly. Who starts a meal by giving out cakes?”
Yun Yi pursed his lips.
At the side, his wife Li Wanrong chuckled: “Mother is right, he’s always been a bit silly.”
As she spoke, she rolled up her sleeves and picked up some food for Yun Ran: “This Xiefen Shizitou was made by the new Huaian Cuisine Chef we hired. Try it and see if it tastes the same as what you had in Yangzhou?”
Yun Ran quickly picked up her bowl: “Thank you, Sister-in-law.”
Li smiled gently: “No need to be so polite with family, go ahead and try it.”
Eldest sister-in-law Li Wanrong, from the Zhao Commandery Li clan, was beautiful and elegant, every smile and gesture revealing the bearing of a noble family.
Sitting together with Yun Yi, the couple was the very image of a perfect match.
But sitting next to this model couple were the third brother and third sister-in-law, who were known in Changan as the “mismatched pair”—
Third brother Yun Ze, at twenty, was handsome as jade and extraordinarily talented, a top contender for the next imperial exams and the dream suitor of countless young ladies in Changan.
Yet, due to an accident, he ended up having intimate contact with Qian, a merchant’s daughter, in full view of the public and had no choice but to marry her.
At last year’s wedding, countless young ladies in Changan cried red-eyed, cursing Qian, the merchant’s daughter, as shameless for scheming her way into marrying Yun Ze, saying it was like a toad sullying a swan.
Before coming, Yun Ran had been very curious about her third brother and sister-in-law.
Now, seeing them in person, her third brother was indeed tall and handsome, fair as a swan. But her third sister-in-law was beautiful as a flower, with a graceful figure, not toad-like at all.
And the couple’s relationship didn’t seem at all like the “reluctant marriage” people said—
Look, third brother was naturally picking up third sister-in-law’s cup to drink her tea.
“Why aren’t you eating?” Qian noticed her little sister-in-law staring at her with big, bright eyes, glanced around the table, and suddenly realized: “Are you wanting to try this mustard fish head? Someone, bring this dish over to the young lady.”
As she called out, she explained to Yun Ran: “I grew up in Sichuan and love spicy food. I thought, since you’ve been in Yangzhou all these years, you’d have a lighter palate, so your sister-in-law and I made sure to have more light and fresh dishes for you. Please don’t mind.”
“With sisters-in-law so thoughtful, I’m grateful, how could I possibly mind?”
Yun Ran saw third sister-in-law misunderstood, but couldn’t explain, so under her expectant gaze, she picked up a piece of mustard fish head.
With one bite, the fresh, numbing spice nearly made her mouth catch fire. She sucked in cool air, quickly looking for water.
Her four-year-old nephew sitting by the Changxin Marquis immediately raised his cup: “Aunt, drink Azong’s Litchi Syrup Water, it’ll help with the spice!”
Yun Ran, of course, wouldn’t take the child’s drink, but soon a maid brought over a cup for her.
Sweet and cool, it finally soothed the burning sensation.
Little Azong covered his mouth and giggled: “Auntie is just like me, one bite of mustard and her face turns red!”
Qian hadn’t expected Yun Ran couldn’t handle spicy food and looked apologetic: “Are you alright, sister?”
“I’m fine, I’m fine.” Yun Ran said awkwardly, “The dish only looked like it had a bit of mustard, I didn’t expect it to be so powerful.”
With admiration, she glanced at third brother Yun Ze, who was eating spicy chicken without changing expression, and asked in surprise: “Third brother, you can really handle spicy food?”
To Yun Ze, his impression of his little sister was not as deep as his eldest brother’s.
When she went missing, he was only eight. Perhaps he was sad at the time, but as he grew up, the childhood memory faded.
Now, seeing his sister take the initiative to talk, he paused before replying, “I only started eating spicy food after marrying your third sister-in-law.”
Yun Ran let out a soft “wow.”
Yun Ze looked at her, puzzled.
Yun Ran grinned: “Looks like you and third sister-in-law have a really good relationship!”
Yun Ze: “…?”
Is that what counts as a good relationship?
If she knew how Qian, that shrew, once smeared chili on her lips just to tease him—making him leap out of bed in the dark, desperately looking for water—he wondered what she’d think.
“Father, stop staring at Ranran.”
At the end of the table, Fourth Young Master Yun raised his brows and winked at the Changxin Marquis: “You’re the head of the family, and today we’re all reunited. Shouldn’t you raise a cup and say a few words?”
As soon as he said this, everyone at the table looked toward the head seat.
The Changxin Marquis, Yun Biao, was forty-five this year.
Though he’d grown stout in middle age, a big, burly man with a dark face, under his beard, his sharp brows and starry eyes, high nose and thin lips, still showed some of his youthful elegance.
He had been gazing at his obedient daughter with fatherly affection, but was suddenly called out by his fourth son and glared at him with tiger-like eyes.
Seeing everyone looking at him, he had no choice but to stand up with his wine cup: “This is just a family banquet, no outsiders here, so I won’t say any flowery words. Just this: Ranran has suffered a lot over the years. Now that she’s finally home, your mother and I will never let her suffer again.”
“As for you brothers and sisters-in-law, I hope you’ll be more caring and tolerant toward her. If she falls short in any way, be more understanding. If there’s ever any friction or disputes, come to me or your mother, don’t keep it bottled up. Remember, only a harmonious family can thrive.”
When he finished, the table fell silent for a moment.
Yun Ran worried that her father’s favoritism was too obvious and might upset her brothers and sisters-in-law.
But then she saw her eldest brother and sister-in-law raise their cups and stand: “Father is right. As the eldest, we’ll take care of our sister and never let her be bullied.”
Third brother and sister-in-law also stood up: “We will, too.”
“I don’t even need to say it.” Fourth Young Master Yun winked at Yun Ran. “From now on, in Changan, your fourth brother’s got your back!”
“And me!” Little Azong hopped up on his short legs. “I’m a little man, too! If anyone bullies Auntie, I’ll protect her!”
The childish, innocent words made all the adults at the table laugh.
Yun Ran’s anxious heart finally settled, and she laughed along with them.
That night, as she lay in the soft silk bedding, she gently stroked the Thunderstruck Jujube Prayer Beads on her wrist and murmured softly, “Master, don’t worry. My family is wonderful. Though everyone has their own temperament, they’re all good people.”
They weren’t as hard to approach as she’d feared, nor did they look down on her in the way she’d worried.
Even though she hadn’t yet met her second brother and sister-in-law, with the rest of the family so kind, they surely wouldn’t be bad either.
And Yun Ran felt confident that, in such a good family, her days ahead would be happy too!
As night deepened, silvery moonlight shrouded the tranquil Marquis of Changxin Manor.
The young girl who had traveled so far to Changan finally let go of all her worries and drifted into a peaceful sleep.