Madam Hong was startled and immediately hugged the two children: "Brother-in-law, don’t be angry, I’ll leave, I’ll leave immediately!" After speaking, she turned to the two children and said, "Stay well at home. When the new wife enters the door, she will be your mother. You must be filial to her, understand!"

"No!" The two children spoke in unison, without a trace of compromise: "If you leave, we will leave together. Whoever loves living in this house can live here. We have only one mother, and she has already passed away!"

"Okay, okay." Han Cheng was too angry, raising his hand as if to strike but paused mid-air, seeing Madam Hong standing in front of the two with tears in her eyes, "Brother-in-law, they are just children."

"Hmph!" Han Cheng turned and left the courtyard without looking back.

In the courtyard, all three were stunned. Then the two children clung to Madam Hong, excitedly asking, "Auntie, does Father not want you to leave?"

Madam Hong looked towards the door, her gaze dark and unreadable.

Three days later.

Zhi ran in from outside, sweating all over: "Mom, I’m so hot." He rushed into the door.

Xiqiu put down the book in her hand: "It’s so hot, don’t go out. Let me take you to bathe, that will feel better." But Zhi turned and ran towards the ice blocks in the room, hugging them tightly, even rubbing his face against them, and sighed comfortably: "So comfortable!"

Mrs. Zhou was startled: "Boy, it’s too cold!" She wanted to pull him away, but Zhi waved his hand: "Not cold, not cold, just right!" He even stuck out his little tongue to lick, smacking his lips and saying, "Really tasty, just not sweet."

"You can’t lie on that." Xiqiu came over and pulled him up: "If you’re hot, let me take you to bathe."

Zhi stood up, tugging at his clothes, pointing to the ice: "Mom, let’s put some sugar on the ice!" Xiqiu was startled, asking, "Why put sugar?"

Zhi grinned, saying, "Just now I took a taste, and it wasn’t sweet, but very nice. If we put some sugar, it will be both tasty and nice." Tugging at Xiqiu’s sleeve, he said, "Mom, try it."

Looking at his flushed little face, Xiqiu thought for a moment and nodded: "Then you go bathe first, and I’ll think of a way, okay?"

Zhi’s eyes lit up, nodding: "Okay!" He grabbed Mrs. Zhou’s hand and went to the bath.

Xiqiu turned to Chunliu: "Go to the ice cellar and get a block of ice." Chunliu responded, and Biwu, hearing there was something to eat, quickly followed her out. Shortly, Chunliu returned with a block of ice, and Biwu leaned over to ask: "Madam, are you really going to sprinkle sugar on it?"

Xiqiu chuckled, tapping Biwu’s forehead, raising a brow: "Want some?" Biwu nodded eagerly: "Yes!" and swallowed.

"Then take a mallet wrapped in cloth and crush it all." Xiqiu laughed, and Biwu, without asking why, turned around to fetch a wooden mallet, wrapped it in cloth, and seriously crushed the ice. Xiqiu instructed Chunliu to bring some mung bean paste from the kitchen...

Zhi hurriedly finished bathing and ran over wearing just a dudou: "Mom, where’s my ice?" Then he saw the ice slush covered in mung bean paste on the table, his eyes crinkling with a smile. Without a word, he grabbed a spoon and began eating heartily, laughing, "So good!"

Xiqiu chuckled, instructing Chunliu to send some to Min and Mr. Ji, and made more for the maids to share. Biwu, holding a bowl, and Zhi together polished off two large plates.

In the afternoon, Zhi was extraordinarily spirited, but Biwu started having a stomach ache, so much so that she felt weak-legged and held onto the door frame, still asking: "Boy, save some for me."

Bihuai glared at her, directly dragging her back to her room to rest.

Zhi laughed cheekily, ate another half bowl, but Xiqiu wouldn’t let him eat more, so she took it away. Knowing he was guilty, Zhi didn’t make a fuss, taking one last deep look at the half bowl of ice slush, his face calm as he went out, and Xiqiu had Chunliu put it away to keep Zhi from seeing it...

But Zhi stuck to the door, following Chunliu out. Once Chunliu left, he sneaked into the kitchen and ate the remaining half bowl, plus added some water into it.

"Madam." Chunliu came in holding half a bowl of water: "Looks like it was eaten by the boy." Worried Zhi might get sick from eating too much.

Xiqiu found Zhi, pointing to the half bowl of water: "Did you eat that?" Zhi shook his head, seriously replying: "Mom, in this hot weather, ice melts into water if not eaten. How could it be me eating it?"

Xiqiu looked at Zhi’s blinking almond eyes, speechless. If he hadn’t eaten it, how did the ice turn into water? Did the mung bean paste also turn into water?

Just about to speak, Nanny Cen came in from outside, lifting the curtain, saying: "Madam, Madam Zhou is here."

Xiqiu was surprised, wondering why she came. Wasn’t her health not good?

Thinking, she had Mrs. Zhou and Wenyu take Zhi out to play while she went out to greet her. Madam Zhou had already entered the courtyard: "Fourth Madam." Xiqiu supported her: "Why have you come, if there’s anything, just send a message with the nanny."

"I’m feeling well today and thought to take a walk." Smiling, she entered with Xiqiu, then added: "I wanted to first go to Tong Mansion, but felt a bit apprehensive, so I thought to come see you first."

Xiqiu paused, looking at her, asking: "What brings you here?"

Madam Zhou laughed and replied: "To propose!" Accepting the tea Chunliu brought, she continued: "I don’t want to wait any longer. Once this is settled, I can be at ease."

Xiqiu slightly frowned, sitting beside her, asking: "Then... did Lord Zhou agree?"

"Of course, he did." Madam Zhou answered assuredly: "He broke Fourth Miss’s heart once, and now there’s a chance for him to make amends. It’s a blessing for him!"

Xiqiu nodded thoughtfully, and Madam Zhou asked: "Fourth Madam, do you have any concerns?" Pausing, she appeared nervous: "Do you think they’re not suitable? Or is Lord Tong opposed?"

"No, no!" Xiqiu smiled, shaking her head.

Madam Zhou breathed a sigh of relief, and after sitting for a while, stood up saying: "It’s getting late, the bride must meet the in-laws eventually. I should go early and return early." Then, quite optimistically, she added: "Fourth Madam, wait for my good news."

Xiqiu saw her out, and Madam Zhou went all the way to Tong Mansion. Madam Jiang came to greet her, aware of Madam Zhou’s poor health, she called for a sedan to carry her in. Madam Zhou smiled: "You are too kind."

"Madam, you’re too polite." She said, inviting her to sit down, already knowing the purpose of Madam Zhou’s visit, her gaze falling on the box in Madam Zhou’s arms, contemplative.

"First Young Madam," Madam Zhou got straight to the point: "As Fourth Madam might have told you, I’m here today to propose for my son." She paused, then continued: "Bohan foolishly broke off the engagement with Fourth Miss years ago. They’ve each gone through ups and downs and ended up single. I think this may be heaven giving them a chance, it’s their fate, so I’m here, albeit embarrassed, to propose again."