Mu Qing thought of Li's gaze at Liang Jiemin when he went back in third grade and nodded slightly.

  As long as there is hope, there will be a fighting spirit for survival. If things go on like this, it's possible that Li might make it through the summer... or maybe not...

  She held onto this extravagant hope, feeling extremely delighted in her heart.

  Everyone ate longevity noodles together, and Shen Muqing went to pay respects to Old Madam.

  Feng was also there, discussing with Mrs. Tai how to celebrate Shen Muqing's birthday.

  Shen Mu Qing smiled and said: "Tomorrow is You Hui's birthday, why don't we celebrate together tomorrow, it's the same."

  The old lady smiled and said: "Alright, alright."

  Tomorrow, Wanqing will also come. That girl is also a pitiful one. She stays at home every day doing needlework for her mother and only gets to take a break when she comes to our house to visit relatives. You two can have fun together then.

  Shen Mu smiled slightly and replied softly with a "yes".

  Madam Tai let Ziyu reward a piece of five-bat-shaped jade pendant as a gift: "This and the one given to Youhui last time are a pair, you each have one."

  Thank you for your hard work and dedication.

  Feng took out his own gift - a jade-filled red gold longevity hairpin and gave it to Shen Muqing.

  Wang Wenxiu also gave a pair of Western pearl hairpins to Shen Muqing.

  Shen Mu Qing accepted it and thanked him one by one.

  Outside, a little maid said: "The second young lady's room has Yanhong."

  The old lady smiled and said, "You must have heard the news and come to give him a birthday gift." After finishing speaking, her tone also had a few sighs. "She's also clever and quick-witted, but unfortunately doesn't like to take care of things."

  Madam Feng softly responded with a "hmm" before the lady's words had even finished.

  Madam's expression showed a hint of embarrassment at having misspoken. She hastily smiled and ordered the little maid: "Let Yanhong come in!"

  The little maid responded and left, soon shouting for Yan Hong to come in.

  Yan Hong indeed came to give Shen Muqing a birthday gift.

  She first bowed to everyone, then picked up a bottle of Western rose perfume.

  The old lady also looked surprised: "This is indeed a rare thing!"

  Everyone followed suit.

  Liáng Yòu Huì said discontentedly: "What's this, the thing Third Master gave to Third Mistress is really something - a monk who can fight."

  Everyone listened in surprise and asked Shen Muqing what was going on.

  Shen Muqing's face was slightly red as she explained to everyone, but the family still didn't quite understand. Shen Muqing had someone bring over that pair of bronze men to demonstrate for them.

  The old lady looked at the pair of bronze men with great joy, holding Shen Muqing's hand and repeatedly saying "good".

  Wang's mother went back home after lunch, and in the evening, the Liangs had a banquet and everyone gathered together for dinner. Even Jiang Shuangrui, who had been resting at home all along, also attended.

  The old lady looked at the people in the house with a smile, and also let someone hang out the lanterns ahead of time: "When every household hangs lanterns on the 15th of the first month, what's the point!"

  Liáng Yòu Huì and the three children all applauded in approval. The others even more followed the mistress's intention, playing together until the third watch of the night before dispersing respectively.

  The next day was Liang Youhui's birthday, and Shen Muqing got up even earlier than he did on his own birthday.

  All the clothes and ornaments were laid out, Shen Muqing's hair was combed and then scattered, her clothes were put on and then taken off again, and she repeatedly asked Ying Fen and Ming Xia by her side: "How is it?"

  Liáng Yòu Huì couldn't help but ask: "Sister, what's going on? Even on New Year's Day, we didn't see you dressed up like this?"

  Shen Mu Qing gazed at the cleverly smiling face in the mirror, changed into a white silk cheongsam, and absent-mindedly replied: "Nothing!"

  Liang Youhui saw that she was completely focused on dressing up and shook her head, calling Danzhu to go wash up directly.

  Waiting for her to come out again, Shen Muqing had changed into a goose-yellow base with a lychee-patterned right sleeve and a small sleeve with a twelve-fold bamboo plum orchid pattern. Her raven-black hair was casually tied up, with a pair of ruby lantern earrings hanging from her ears, making her waist as slender as a willow branch and her face as white as freshly fallen snow, looking two or three points more beautiful than usual.

  Mu Qing flashed a pearly smile as soon as Liang Youhui came out: "How is it?"

  Liang Youhui nodded without stopping, looked around her and scolded: "Today is my birthday, why are you dressed up so beautifully?"

  Shen Mu Qing wrapped her arm around Liang You Hui's shoulder: "Good little sister, I'll dress up nicely tomorrow and make it up to you."

  Liang Youhui, however, rolled her eyes and smiled: "Oh, I see. You must know that every year on my birthday, Third Brother takes me to the temple to burn incense, so you deliberately dressed up for him to see..." She said, covering her mouth with a smile.

  Shen Mu Qing's body stiffened, and his originally radiant smile immediately lost its dazzling luster.

  They had just paid their respects to Mrs. Tai, and Li Shi immediately sent someone to give Shen Muqing's share of the gift to send a congratulatory gift to Liang Youhui.

  Feng was very grateful and gave Qi Mama two taels of silver as a reward for delivering the goods.

  Qī Māma left with a thousand thanks and ten thousand gratitude.

  Everyone gathered in Tai Furen's house for fun and games.

  Jiang Shuangrui, Shen Muqing and Liang Youhui accompanied the old lady to play cards, while Fengshi took Wang Wenxiao to entertain guests who came to pay New Year's greetings. The three children were running in and out of the house, with the maidservants behind them shouting "be careful" from time to time. Although the environment was noisy, it also seemed lively.

  Mrs. Tai was playing with a few children, while Liang Youhui was yielding to Mrs. Tai. Jiang Shuangrui seemed not very familiar with Yezi cards, and Shen Mucheng appeared distracted. They were talking about playing cards, often making mistakes like "leaking" or "cheating", which made Liang Youhui win with a big sweat, and he kept glancing at Ziyu who was sitting next to Mrs. Tai watching the game.

  It was almost noon, and Liang Youhui became somewhat anxious: "Why hasn't the person who went to pick up Fifth Aunt returned yet?"

  Shen Muqing took the opportunity to throw away the token and asked Mrs. Tai: "Do you want to send someone to take a look?"

  Madam nodded and called for Zi Yan to go take a look at the second gate. She also called for Liang You Hui to support her in going to the toilet.

  Du Rui and Shen Muqing, who were sitting face to face, were a bit bored cleaning the card table.

  The room was quiet, with only occasional rustling of papers being heard.

  "Has Third Uncle gone in?" Jiang Shuangrui suddenly asked.

  Deep and quiet, serene and subtle, lost in thought.

  Thinking of himself and Liang Youhui on their way to comfort Mrs. Tai, they met Liang Jimin, who looked at him with a piercing gaze.

  Her face involuntarily turned slightly red, and she said in a low voice: "I don't know!"

  When coming to pay respects to Mrs. Tai, Liang Shi would occasionally glance at her a few times, and Liang Youhui would smile and watch the commotion on the side; after paying respects to Mrs. Tai, Liang Jimin retreated according to the rules, she stayed in Mrs. Tai's room all the time, and didn't have the chance to ask Liang Jimin what he was going to do today. Moreover, she felt a little embarrassed to ask in her heart. Afraid that Liang Jimin would be suspicious, thinking that she would control him with her wife's identity...

  Jiang Shuangrui smiled slightly.

  Bright eyes with undisguised thorns.

  "You'd better ask. After all, we're husband and wife, for a lifetime..." She spoke lightly, but her tone was tinged with a hint of melancholy.

  Jiang Shuangrui is what meaning?

  Shen Mu Qing smiled and nodded, but her heart was on guard.

  Or does she know something?

  At the moment when their short weapons clashed, Shen Muqing felt a burst of flames erupting in all directions.

  She took a deep breath and was about to change the subject when Mrs. Liang walked out with the support of Liang Youhui.

  Shen Mu Qing couldn't think deeply and went forward to support the other arm of Ta Furen.

  A few people sat down again, and Liang Youhui brought up the old matter: "Is it that Auntie is making excuses again to not let Wu come?"

  The old lady took over the tea presented by Shen Muqing, smiled and said: "No, no. Whoever she offends will not offend me."

  Two people were talking when Zi Juan brought in a little girl.

  She looks like she's seventeen or eighteen years old, with snow-white skin and a goose-egg-shaped face with a mole made of cinnabar powder at the corner, looking very cute.

  Liang Youhui saw her and exclaimed: "Canyu, how is it you? Where's my cousin?"

  Shen Mu Qing's heart skipped a beat as he quietly sized up the little girl without showing any expression.

  Only saw the cicada wings slowly and unhurriedly advancing to pay respects to Tai Furen and Liang Youhui, smiling brightly: "The fifth young lady's wind chill has not yet recovered, afraid of passing it on."

  "This year I won't be able to come celebrate your birthday, Second Sister." As he spoke, he handed a yellow bamboo box to Liang Youhui, "Fifth Sister specially asked me to give this gift to Second Sister and also asked me to wish her a happy birthday on her behalf."

  Dan Zhu took the things and handed them over to Wing. Then he knelt down and gave Liang Youhui three head knocks: "Wishing you a happy new year, may every year be like today."

  Liang Youhui let out a mouthful of air and said gruffly: "Get up!"

  Cicada Wing got up and knocked her head to Madame Tai and Jiang Shuangrui respectively: "The second girl said, thank you, Madame Tai and Nai Nai, for remembering her. I am her servant, and I will give you a bow on her behalf."

  Madam Tai and Jiang Shuangrui nodded slightly.

  Cicada got up, smiled at Shen Muqing and said: "This must be Third Granny. I am Cicada, a maid beside Fifth Miss of the uncle's house, paying respects to Third Granny." After speaking, she respectfully kowtowed to Shen Muqing.

  The maidservants around her have all grown up to be so elegant and poised, let alone the young ladies.

  He felt uncomfortable as if he had swallowed a weight, but still forced a faint smile and nodded slightly towards the cicada wings.

  Old Mrs. Feng asked about Feng Wanqing's illness: "It's been almost a month, isn't it? Hasn't she recovered yet? Have you called in a doctor? What did the doctor say? What medicines have you used?"

  Cicada Wing stood before Madam Tai with a gentle and obedient smile, answering her questions in an orderly manner.

  Knowing that the Feng family had invited the best doctor from the Imperial Hospital to treat Feng Wanqing's illness, Madame Feng nodded and said, "If any medicinal herbs are needed, just send someone to fetch them from our house!"

  The cicada wings showed a grateful and tearful expression, thanked the madam, and then wanted to bid farewell: "There is only Wu Jin serving by the girl's side, I am not at ease. After a few days, when the girl is better, come with the girl again to thank Madam for her kindness."

  The old lady didn't say anything else and ordered Zi Juan to send Cui Yi out.

  The cicada wings again gave a salute to Mrs. Tai, Jiang Shuangrui, Shen Muqing and Liang Youhui before following Zi Xuan down.

  The old lady looked at the yellow bamboo box and smiled: "Yanqing's hands are clever, probably made clothes for Youhui."