"What brings you here at this hour? Is there something the matter?" Xiqiu led Tong Xiyan to the small sitting room, where they both sat down on chairs.

Tong Xiyan looked grim, her eyes full of anger. She downed a cup of tea in one gulp and set it on the table: "This really infuriates me." With that, she picked up the teapot and poured herself another cup, gulping it down.

Xiqiu watched her, growing more puzzled: "What on earth has happened that has gotten you so worked up?"

"It’s all because of the third sister," Tong Xiyan furrowed her brows, her face full of rage: "Even business competition should have rules, but she undercut the price so low, obviously trying to make things difficult for me."

Xiqiu finally understood a bit; Tong Xiyan was probably talking about the issue with Tongxuan Hall’s orders that had caused quite a stir some days ago. She frowned and asked: "In other words, did Tianhong Embroidery Studio end up taking the deal?"

Tong Xiyan, still angry, said: "They didn’t just take it; they used underhanded methods to snatch it away." She scoffed, unable to suppress her anger: "I’d like to see how they’ll handle this order with their operations." Before they took the order, they were even temporarily hiring dozens of embroideresses. Tong Xiyan knew their business was good, but still not on the same level, considering the size of that order within two months—she could already foresee the outcome.

"Since you already know, why get so angry? You lost one order, so take on another. Besides, according to me, Tongxuan Hall deals with brothel garments, you’re better off not handling it!" Xiqiu spoke slowly, consoling Tong Xiyan.

Tong Xiyan finally calmed down a bit, nodded, and said: "I know, too. When Manager Lai asked me about it initially, I refused straight away. It’s not something I want to do. But later, I couldn’t contain my anger, and wanted to compete with them!" She sighed deeply, a full face of disappointment: "In the end, I still lost!"

"Fourth Sister," she held Tong Xiyan’s hand: "I know you’re not upset about the order itself, it’s just about pride. But let’s think from another angle: since you no longer care about the Jiang Family, we’re just familiar strangers, unrelated to each other. Why feel sad and disappointed? Not getting that business isn’t a big loss; there might be complexities we haven’t understood. Jumping in hastily, who knows what misfortune might befall?"

Tong Xiyan nodded, leaning her head on Xiqiu’s shoulder: "I understand everything you’ve said, just like the time when I opened the shop and you told me, even if there’s no business, I must never take shortcuts. Business is about integrity and reputation; just one mistake and it’s hard to raise your head and stand again. I remember it all..." She paused, her eyes reddening, tears silently landing on Xiqiu’s shoulder: "But when I heard about his wedding, my heart hurt, wanting to rush to the Jiang Family and slap him."

"There, there," Xiqiu stroked her back: "Sometimes, we should be glad for recognizing his true self early on. At least in the future, you won’t have to face his hypocrisy or suffer inexplicable irritation from strangers, right!"

"You’re right," Tong Xiyan smiled: "Nothing else matters, only my own life matters. Like Nurse Zhang said, a woman’s life isn’t only about love and family—we can have much more."

Xiqiu was stunned upon hearing this, and pushed Tong Xiyan away: "Did Sister Jingliu tell you this?"

"Yes," Tong Xiyan nodded, "I went to the embroidery shop today, and on the way back stopped by the medical hall. I saw Nurse Zhang and had some tea with her for a while. Her face was full of joy: ’...I always thought she was hard to approach, but her ideas are so unique that they opened my eyes!’

Xiqiu chuckled softly, showing a helpless expression, nodding: "Indeed, indeed!" yet didn’t say another word.

Tong Xiyan felt a bit better, wiped her tears, then looked at Xiqiu: "Where’s Zhi? I haven’t seen him for days." Xiqiu laughed: "The nurse took him for a bath."

"What about Min?" Tong Xiyan looked around: "Isn’t he back from the institute yet? Didn’t I hear a new teacher was hired? Why isn’t he back now?"

Xiqiu listened and laughed: "Since Mr. Ji arrived, Min has spent all his time in the outer courtyard. I heard from Erquan that the two of them often hide in a room together, not knowing what they’re up to. Anyway, Min is happier than before... every day he pinches time to come back before Zhi’s bedtime, playing with him a bit, then goes back to sleep. He’s quite busy!"

Tong Xiyan raised her brows, smiling: "Really? Then this teacher must be quite engaging, otherwise, why would Min like him so much?" Xiqiu then explained how she eavesdropped on Mr. Ji talking about the famous general Wu Qi to Tong Xiyan: "He sounds like a good person, whether he’s interesting, according to Min’s words, seems so!" 𝐟𝕣𝕖𝐞𝐰𝕖𝚋𝐧𝗼𝚟𝐞𝕝.𝗰𝐨𝐦

Tong Xiyan nodded thoughtfully, looked at Xiqiu, and said: "Will Mr. Ji stay around here all the time? When Zhi grows up, he’ll need to start learning. If he stays, it would be better to send Kun here as well, since you praise him so, it seems he really is good." She raised her brows, looking at Xiqiu: "Teaching one is teaching, teaching two is teaching too!"

Xiqiu thought this was a good idea, allowing Kun, Zhi, and Min the cousins to interact more in the future and grow close. Although she thought of this, she laughed and said: "You think far ahead. Your words don’t count, I’ll need to hear it from Sister-in-law myself."

Tong Xiyan pursed her lips and laughed, finally clearing away the earlier gloom.

Seeing Tong Xiyan off, Xiqiu returned to the bedroom where Fourth Master Xiao was playing on the bed with Zhi. Zhi wore a bright red belly band, his fair skin laying there like a little snowball. She laughed and walked over, looking at her son: "Doesn’t a bath feel refreshing?"

Zhi ignored her, clutching a rattle, shaking it randomly without rhythm or direction.

Fourth Master Xiao asked: "Has Fourth Aunt left?" Xiqiu took off her coat and sat down, nodding: "Yes, she’s gone." She recounted the reason Tong Xiyan came and asked puzzledly: "What’s really the origin of Tongxuan Hall? Such a place, yet causing such a stir..."

Fourth Master Xiao removed the rattle Zhi was trying to put in his mouth, replied casually: "The owner’s surname is Qin, originally from Hu-Guang, started with a medicinal business known around the Yingtian area, but never headed north... though judging by this stir, they seem poised to settle in the Capital, making quite an impression!"

From Fourth Master Xiao’s words, it seemed he had some admiration for Tongxuan Hall, which puzzled Xiqiu.

As they talked, Xiqiu took the rattle from Zhi’s hand, placing it by his side. Somehow, Zhi managed to kick and flip over, lying on his side and reaching with his tiny hands for the rattle.