Chapter 1

Chapter 1

In the height of summer, the scorching sun beat down relentlessly, making the heat unbearable. The world was utterly still; not a breath of wind stirred in the vast estate. Occasionally, the distant drone of cicadas from the treetops broke the silence, only adding to the restless atmosphere of the heat.

In the afternoon, maids walked briskly along the corridor, each carrying trays in both hands. The trays held exquisite bowls and plates filled with assorted fresh fruits, freshly fetched from the well, sliced into delicate pieces, and artfully arranged. Chilled with ice, the vibrant reds and greens looked fresh and tempting, making one’s mouth water.

The maids suppressed their own thirst and hunger, taking quick, hurried steps along the corridor, then crossing a pebbled path before filing straight into the main hall.

The door curtain was half-drawn.

Baitao, a maid stationed outside, peeked through the gap but was scolded by the door-keeping attendant and shooed into a side room.

Inside the main hall of the central residence, Lady Fang, the mistress of Jinyuan, was entertaining guests. Her half-sister, Madame Luo, née Fang, had returned to her maternal home last month to attend her niece's wedding. The marriage between the Lu and Fang families strengthened their ties, adding joy to joy, making it the most talked-about happy occasion in the capital recently.

Once daughters of a minor fifth-rank official, the two sisters now stood worlds apart—one adorned in luxurious robes as the esteemed wife of a marquis, while the other, dressed plainly, had been widowed in middle age and endured hardships from her in-laws. Reunited after many years, Madame Luo could not conceal her envy and disappointment. Throughout the luncheon, her expressions, glances, and words were filled with flattery, which Lady Fang found quite gratifying.

No sooner had the lunch been cleared than trays of fruits were promptly brought in. Shen Anning, who stood beside Lady Fang serving tea, quickly stepped forward to take the trays. With keen attentiveness, she personally offered the fruits to her mother-in-law, Lady Fang, and her aunt, Madame Luo, using both hands. She did not overlook the newlywed sister-in-law, Fang Siyan, or her cousin Luo Sutong, who was visiting for the first time.

Luo Sutong appeared flustered and honored, unsure how to accept such attentions from the wife of the heir. Madame Luo, however, glanced up and, noticing her niece Fang Siyan enjoying the service without hesitation, gave her daughter an almost imperceptible nod.

Her gaze then swept across the opulent and dazzling main hall of the marquis’s residence before settling on the slender figure busily attending to everyone.

Knowing Lady Fang had a sensitive stomach, Shen Anning even used a small silver fork to set aside a few pieces of fruit to cool. At the same time, she poured a cup of hot tea and reminded her considerately, “Mother, since your stomach is delicate, and the fruit is too cold, it would be better to have a sip of hot tea to warm your stomach before eating.”

Lady Fang gave a noncommittal “Hmm” but, putting on airs, ignored the teacup. Instead, she picked up the small silver fork and took a delicate bite of the fruit, as if either ignoring her daughter-in-law’s advice or intentionally flaunting her authority as the matriarch in front of others to demonstrate her superior status.

Madame Luo, quick to observe, praised enviously, “The fortune-teller once said that elder sister was destined for greatness and wealth, and now it has truly come to pass. Not only did sister marry into a marquis’s household, but our Fang family has also risen steadily thanks to her good fortune. Now, with two such filial and virtuous daughters-in-law, it’s truly the envy of others. If someday my son could have such luck and bring home a clever and filial wife like this, I could die content.”

Upon hearing this, Fang Siyan across the table chuckled playfully and said, “Aunt, please don’t flatter me or put me on a pedestal. Let me make it clear—the ‘virtuous daughter-in-law’ you speak of does not include your niece me. Everyone in the capital knows I’m lazy and indulgent, nowhere near dignified or virtuous, and I can’t even compare to eldest sister-in-law’s little finger—”

She then turned to Lady Fang at the head of the table and blinked mischievously, adding, “Of course, when it comes to filial piety, I can still hold my own. No one in the world understands or pampers me more than you, Aunt! I’d sooner neglect my own parents than neglect you, Aunt! Right, Aunt?”

Fang Siyan’s witty and sweet remarks elicited laughter from everyone.

Lady Fang feigned sternness and scolded jokingly, “And you have the nerve to boast about being lazy?”

She then added with a slight reprimand, “How long have you been married now, and you still can’t stop calling me ‘Aunt’? So unruly!”

Though her words were critical, her affection was unmistakable.

After this exchange between aunt and niece, Lady Fang turned to Madame Luo and said leisurely, “What good fortune are you talking about? Look—one is glib and lazy, the other is from the countryside and clumsy. At my age, I still have to discipline them one by one. When do I ever get a moment of peace?”

With that, she slowly took the teacup from Shen Anning’s hands, skimmed the tea foam, and remarked pointedly, “If they were truly filial, they should hurry up and give me a plump grandson. That would be a real merit.”

Fang Siyan, newly married into the marquis’s household, blushed slightly at these words.

Shen Anning also lowered her eyes.

Madame Luo laughed and said, “They’ve only just married—it’s still early. There will surely be good news in due time!”

Lady Fang, however, deliberately glanced at Fang Siyan below and set down her teacup, saying calmly, “It’s only been a month since the wedding, so I won’t press yet. But if a year or so passes without any good news, don’t blame me for nagging.”

Though spoken casually, the words struck a chord.

Shen Anning, who had been married into the Zhongyong Marquis’s Lu family for over half a year, placed her hands on her still-flat belly, her expression slightly troubled.

Fang Siyan, sensing the underlying message in her aunt’s words—a veiled criticism—relaxed and calmly drank her tea, enjoying the scene.

For a moment, the large hall fell into silence.

After a while, Madame Luo glanced at the silent wife of the heir standing to the side and, sensing the awkward atmosphere, broke the tension with a smile. She sighed and said, “Indeed, parents are fated to worry. With your two outstanding children now settled, at least half your worries are over. Unlike me, I always have endless concerns.”

As she spoke, she glanced at her young daughter, who was quietly eating the fruit in small, well-mannered bites, and shook her head helplessly.

Lady Fang followed her gaze and, seeing the fair-skinned, well-behaved girl who was about the same age as Fang Siyan, remarked, “Why the rush? Tong’er is a beauty. Daughters are good—they’re like warm, comforting jackets. They’re much better than my two unruly sons, especially the younger one, that little rascal. These past two years, he’s given me no end of wrinkles!”

Lady Fang gently touched the corner of her eye and, remembering something, asked casually, “By the way, how are the two older girls ahead of Tong’er?”

Madame Luo replied, “Those two are quite worry-free. Yun’er gave birth to a daughter three years ago and a plump son last year. Yang’er married the year before last and gave birth to twin boys this spring. Though the families they married into aren’t prominent, there are advantages to modest households.”

As she spoke, Madame Luo straightened her back slightly, as if finally able to hold her head a little higher in this marquis’s mansion.

Lady Fang was momentarily taken aback, her expression cooling slightly before returning to normal. She set down her teacup and forced a smile, saying, “You are also blessed.”

Madame Luo’s eyes twinkled as she smiled and said, “It’s not my blessing—those girls clearly benefited from the Fang family’s fortune. First, Mother had you and your brother, who achieved great success, then you gave birth to the heir and the fourth master, such outstanding children. Only then did I have my little ones. In my opinion, it’s clearly the Fang family’s feng shui that’s excellent, destined for abundant offspring.”

Hearing this, Lady Fang’s expression softened slightly. She smiled faintly and said with pride, “The Fang bloodline is indeed prosperous.”

Madame Luo continued cheerfully, “Those sisters are all fertile. There were many suitors for Tong’er in Shandong, but we are, after all, proper descendants of the capital. As I age, I feel a longing to return to our roots. Though I fear I’ll be stuck in Shandong for life, I hope one of them might have the fortune to return to the capital. That would fulfill my wish…”

Madame Luo spoke wistfully.

Lady Fang’s heart stirred slightly.

Her half-sister had always been ambitious in her youth. She was just as beautiful and had once been proud and competitive, even secretly vying with her. Now, however, she was aged and faded, reduced to flattering her, with none of her former spirit left.

People were often like this: when evenly matched, they competed fiercely, eager to crush the other. But when the gap became vast—one in heaven, the other on earth—they no longer saw each other as rivals.

Not only did such feelings fade, but they often gave way to pity.

With this in mind, Lady Fang turned her gaze to Tong’er in the distance. Noting her rounded face and full figure, her eyes traveled downward, coldly assessing her as likely fertile. An idea began to form in her mind. She beckoned and said, “Tong’er, come here and let your aunt have a proper look at you.”

For the first time, she examined the girl closely, holding her hand and asking, “How old are you? What books have you read?” Then she added, “What do you think of the capital? How does it compare to Shandong?”

Luo Sutong answered each question with a smile, saying, “Shandong has its merits, and the capital has its own. But Shandong doesn’t have such wonderful aunts and uncles as here.”

Her words amused Lady Fang, who declared her even more delightful than Fang Siyan.

Though dressed modestly, Luo Sutong carried herself with grace, as befitting an official’s daughter—far more pleasing than those from the countryside who were stiff and uncommunicative. Looking closer, Lady Fang seemed to see a glimpse of her own youth in Tong’er.

Back then, the Fang family had also been an insignificant, low-ranking household in the capital.

A sense of satisfaction grew in Lady Fang toward this niece from a humble background, and her mind began to race. She said warmly, “You lived in the capital as a child and even visited your aunt’s home. Do you remember your aunt and your two cousins here?”

Luo Sutong paused, then blushed and stammered, “Tong’er… Tong’er was very young then, only… only this big.”

She gestured the size of an infant in swaddling clothes.

Lady Fang couldn’t help but laugh. “It’s alright if you don’t remember. You and your mother have traveled so far to return to the capital—don’t rush back. Stay at your aunt’s home for a while longer. I’d like to catch up with your mother.”

She added, “Your eldest cousin is returning home today. Tomorrow, I’ll have you meet your two cousins. Families should stay connected and visit often!”

There was a hint of implication in Lady Fang’s words.

Luo Sutong seemed to grasp the underlying meaning, blushing deeply and lowering her head. After a moment, as if remembering something, she quickly glanced toward Lady Fang’s side. Her eyes met those of the wife of the heir, who was standing nearby serving tea.

Their gazes met unexpectedly and lingered briefly.

Luo Sutong, feeling awkward, looked away first.

Fang Siyan glanced at Luo Sutong, then at her sister-in-law Shen Anning, before happily grabbing a piece of fruit and popping it into her mouth. The crisp sound of the fruit cracking echoed right as a sharp *clink* sounded.

Everyone turned toward the noise—

Shen Anning’s fingers trembled slightly, and she accidentally overturned a tea bowl on the table.

A note from the author:

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New story alert, everyone!

The first three chapters will come with a red envelope rain!

I originally planned to start with the story next door called *The Unmatched Concubine*, but on one hand, it’s a long novel, and on the other, I’ve rewritten the opening a dozen times and still wasn’t quite satisfied. After much thought, I decided to go with this one instead.

It’s a rebirth story, with an arranged marriage that blossoms into love. Hope you all enjoy it!

Also, today is a wonderful day—hard work is its own reward - I love working! Wishing everyone a happy May Day!