It's the New Year again, and Old Master Jiang and his wife have brought their eldest grandson back to the Jiang family ten days before the New Year. On the twenty-ninth day of the twelfth lunar month, all members of the Jiang family finally returned home. The whole family was reunited, filled with joy and laughter. Jiang Wanru sat quietly in her room, holding an embroidered handkerchief with auspicious words, slowly adding colors to it stitch by stitch. As she paused to look at the words on the desk, she saw the pattern of the embroidery and asked, "Miss, are you embroidering a plum blossom branch for the New Year?"

  "Ah, this color suits me well," said Jiang Wan with a smile, looking up at her. "I'll embroider the branches first and add the flowers later." Ji Yan looked at the embroidery frame with a sour face, clearly unimpressed by the awkwardly growing branches and uneven lines. She spoke in a soft voice, "Miss, if you really like this flower, let's wait until the weather warms up and our fingers are more nimble, then we can practice properly."

  Jiang Wanru glanced at the flower she had embroidered and felt quite good about it. She thought to herself that for a first attempt, her skills were impressive, and she couldn't help but feel proud. Although the lines of the peony branch were a bit uneven upon closer inspection, from afar, they still looked pretty good, and the branches she had embroidered had a realistic touch. Jiang Wanru looked up at Jixian and said, "No need to wait until the weather warms up, your young lady's hands will be quite agile after rubbing them together, I'll continue embroidering, and in just a few days, I'll finish this pattern."

  Ji Yan listened to Jiang Wanru's words, feeling quite helpless towards her own mistress. She lowered her head and continued writing, while Jiang Wanru embroidered flowers, thinking about Jiang Wanyan's words. After that day, people came and went at the Jiang residence, with Jiang Wanyi helping out with the main tasks, but there was no gap in their visits, just like before, every three to five days, someone would be sent to ask after her well-being verbally.

  The snow outside was exceptionally big, and soon it was time for dinner. Jiang Wanru heard the sound of snow falling outside and said to Jiyuan: "You go to the main kitchen and wait there, bring our food back. If it's convenient, you can have your meal there and come back afterwards." Jiyuan put down her pen and looked at the words she had written on the table, thinking for a moment before asking Jiang Wanru again: "Miss, is Young Master's handwriting very good?" Jiang Wanru smiled and glanced at her, saying: "At least that handwriting, you still need to practice every day for another year to catch up."

  Ji Yan's mouth moved slightly, her eyes darting back and forth. In the past year, she had been going in and out of the mansion among the lower-ranking servants, hearing too many things, occasionally having to be careful not to reveal anything. She was no longer the naive little maid she used to be; the innocence on her face gradually disappeared from her expression. Jiang Wanru looked up at her and urged her to speak: "Hurry up! Later there will be more people, and you'll have to wait for a long time again."

  Ji Yan came out of the room, and Jiang Wanru put down the embroidery in her hand, stood up and stretched. When the gate creaked, she heard Ji Yan's loud and slightly surprised greeting: "Hello, Master Lian!" Jiang Wanru was also startled by the greeting and walked towards the door. The snow was so heavy that it was already time for every family to have a reunion dinner on New Year's Eve, and Lian Zimo came to the Jiang's house looking for her at this time, what important matter could not wait?

  The door opened, and snowflakes fell outside. In the courtyard, Lian Zimo wore a dark red brocade robe, walking in the center, his white clothes fluttering in the wind, a handsome young man with a charming demeanor. Jiyuan followed closely behind him, smiling and asking: "Young Master Lian, is your brother who usually accompanies you still waiting at the back?" Lian Zimo's eyebrows furrowed slightly, and he said coldly: "I want to talk to your family's young lady, wait for me at the courtyard gate." Jiyuan's smile disappeared, and she stopped in her tracks, looking up at Jiang Wanyu.

  Jiang Wanmu looked at Lian Zimo, who was not in a good mood, and said to Jiyuan: "Jiyuan, go get Mr. Lian a bowl of hot tea to warm him up." She opened the door wider and said to Lian Zimo: "Brother Lian, it's cold outside. If you have something to discuss with me, come in and let's talk." She turned around and entered the room, putting away the paper she had written on, and then stacked the embroidery frame and box neatly.

  When Lian Zimo entered the room, Jiang Wanyu stood beside the table to greet her. After he sat down quietly, she slowly sat down too. Lian Zimo picked up the paper with Jiyan's writing and examined it carefully. His usually bold eyebrows were now filled with an inexpressible expression. After carefully looking through each sheet of paper covered with words, Lian Zimo said to Jiang Wanyu: "This handwriting still needs more attention, the pen force is too weak, and sometimes not focused enough when writing."

  Jiang Wanmu lowered her eyebrows and nodded obediently, saying "I'll be more careful in the future." Lian Zimo's eyes flickered with a faint smile that disappeared instantly. He carefully scanned Jiang Wanmu's room before turning back to her face, glancing at her dark blue cotton robe, and said in a deep voice, "Your elder sister takes good care of you, but your days in the Jiang household haven't been much better." Jiang Wanmu raised her head, shook it at him, and said cautiously, "At home, everything is provided for me, food and clothing are all complete."

  Lian Zimo stood up and began pacing around the room, his brow furrowed in thought. When he finally stopped, his eyes gleamed with a sharp intensity that was almost hurtful. He looked down at Jiang Wanruo, who sat beside the table, and said, "The eighth day of the new year is an auspicious day. My family will come to the Jiang household to present the betrothal gift." Jiang Wanruo's head jerked up in surprise as she stared at him. The eldest and second sisters of the Jiang family had not yet been engaged, so how could it be her turn, as the third sister, to be engaged first?

  Jiang Wan's eyes were clear and distinct, and even Zi Mo couldn't help but glance at her briefly before turning away. He slowly opened his mouth to say: "The elders of both families have already discussed this carefully a few days ago. I and Wan Yi will first pay our respects on the eighth day of the new year. As for the wedding date, since we are still young, the elders have decided that it will be in the autumn of next year, when we will be older and at a good age to get married."

  She opened the door and carefully held the wooden utensils, but accidentally dropped them and quickly knelt down to pick up the falling teacup. The tea water spilled all over the floor, and she managed to catch the empty cup in her hands. The wooden utensils fell heavily onto the floor, and the tea water spread out instantly. Jiyan held the cup with one hand and picked up the utensils with the other, stood up and laughed loudly at Jiang Wanyu: "Miss, what a close call! Luckily it was just spilled tea water, the cup is fine, and the utensils aren't broken."

  Lian Zimo's face turned dark, looking at Jiang Wanting and saying: "Your sister said she wanted to come and tell you something, I think as a man, this should be what I say. Now whenever she thinks of you, she feels uneasy in her heart, feeling guilty towards you. Jiang Wanting, I ask myself over the past year or so, I have taken care of everything for you. And your sister, perhaps when she was younger, didn't take care of you, but this past year, she has also been considerate of you at all times."