Southern Song Dynasty Life Consultant

Chapter 1

Chapter 1: Robbery!

In Lin'an, during the Southern Song Dynasty, the midday sun in June was the hottest time of the year. The sun was blinding, and the cicadas' chirping was disturbing. Xiao Yuan did not take a nap and was sitting alone on the soft couch, lost in thought, with a half-open account book lying beside her.

Several months have passed since my aunt and I were driven out of the mansion by my stepmother. Back then, we had bought this three-courtyard house with some money and hired many servants. But unexpectedly, things took a turn for the worse. The Southern Song Dynasty financial crisis caused the devaluation of paper money (paper money in the Southern Song Dynasty), and our family's wealth was halved. Although we still have enough money in the account to last for a few more months, there is no income. Does this mean my aunt will have to do embroidery day and night to earn money again?

Seeing her worried face because of money, her personal maid Ah Xiu was very puzzled: "Fourth Sister, those checkers, playing cards, and Ludo that you made have already become popular in Lin'an Prefecture. Don't you have any money to spend at home?"

Xiao Yuan smiled bitterly. Back in the mansion, her stepmother often didn't feed her. Out of desperation, she spent several nights drawing up some chess and card diagrams, then asked someone to secretly sell them to buy steamed buns. Those few coins were hardly enough to buy her today. However, A Xiu's words reminded her that she should draw up some more diagrams and go to Madam Zhang. Her family was in the maritime business and was a well-known merchant family in Lin'an City. If she could open a shop with Madam Zhang, it would solve her immediate problem.

Thinking of this, she felt a surge of joy and immediately got up to write a letter, asking when Madam Zhang would be free so that she could pay her a visit.

Unexpectedly, after receiving the letter, Madam Zhang came to visit in person a few days later. Xiao Yuan was overjoyed and went out to greet her. She saw Madam Zhang standing in front of the flower garden, which was covered with a black curtain, looking at it on tiptoe. Xiao Yuan quickly walked a few steps and called out, "Madam Zhang, why are you standing in the sun? Even though you are under the umbrella, it is still very hot. Please come into the hall and sit down."

Madam Zhang smiled and took her hand, pointing to the flower garden as they walked: "Why are there only two kinds of flowers? I'll bring you some jasmine tomorrow; young ladies these days are all the rage wearing them."

The two sat down in the hall, one as host and the other as guest. Xiao Yuan sighed, "Where would my family get the spare money to buy such expensive jasmine flowers to wear? These flowers all have their uses. You know what balsam flowers are for, they're used to dye your nails. Chrysanthemums have many uses too, aren't they all the rage these days for sleeping on chrysanthemum pillows?"

Madam Zhang held the teacup and smelled it, a satisfied look on her face: "This chrysanthemum tea is very fragrant. I suppose it won't be long before the ladies of Lin'an Prefecture are all drinking this. No wonder people say that nowadays, anyone in the city who doesn't follow Fourth Sister's example will be ridiculed."

Xiao Yuan wouldn't miss the look on Madam Zhang's face. She was overjoyed, thinking that the cooperation was probably more than halfway done. She quickly said, "I had them make ice cream with the ice you sent. I'll bring it over for you to try."

Madam Zhang took the ice cream handed to her by the maid. The ice cream was served in a small glass bowl, its milky white color faintly tinged with red. She stirred it with a small spoon and discovered that it contained peaches. Looking at the ice cream in her hand, she praised, "Fourth Sister really knows how to manage a household." But then she sighed, "But what you mentioned in your letter is a bit difficult."

If Madam Zhang truly didn't want to cooperate, she wouldn't have come in person. She's saying this deliberately to secure a larger share after the deal is done. Therefore, Xiao Yuan remained silent, only smiling slightly at her.

Madam Zhang was secretly surprised. Fourth Miss had such composure. She didn't seem like a young girl yet. She hesitated slightly, then said, "I am a merchant's wife. It's fine for me to show my face in public, but Fourth Miss, you are the daughter of an official. How can you do this?"

Xiao Yuan deliberately took out a few chess and card diagrams and waved them around. She said, "I'm just using these diagrams to secretly invest. Why would I need to show my face?"

Madam Zhang was surprised that Xiao Yuan could answer so quickly. For a moment, she was speechless. However, she was unwilling to let Xiao Yuan haggle over the price without first putting pressure on her. So, she excused herself, saying she needed to go back and discuss it with her husband, and left.

Xiao Yuan smiled as she watched her retreating figure, showing no sign of panic. A Xiu asked curiously, "Fourth Sister, aren't you afraid Madam Zhang will leave?" Xiao Yuan laughed, "Why panic? She's very satisfied with what I made. She'll definitely come back in a few days."

On the third day, Madam Zhang indeed came to visit again. As usual, she first praised her, then made things difficult, insisting on getting 60% of the shares. Xiao Yuan, however, remained unmoved no matter what she said.

After several attempts over half a month, Madam Zhang came again, but only pretended to be surprised and said, "Fourth Sister, I just found out that you were actually kicked out of the mansion."

Xiao Yuan chuckled inwardly, then mysteriously approached Madam Zhang: "Madam Zhang, I'll only tell you this once. Actually, I was willingly kicked out by my stepmother. As a concubine's daughter without a father, isn't it more comfortable for me outside than inside the mansion?"

Madam Zhang was dumbfounded. How dare He Si Niang plot against her stepmother? She had truly underestimated her. Seeing Madam Zhang's expression, Xiao Yuan thought the time was right. If she really scared her away, the family's livelihood would still be in trouble. So she said, "Si Niang knows that Madam Zhang is a big businessman at sea. She wouldn't care about such a small business. She just pities my family's poverty and wants to help me out." Madam Zhang softened when she heard Xiao Yuan's pitiful words and said, "These days, the wives of officials all love to have your products made. I also want to use this shop to make connections with them and open up channels for my family's business at sea."

Xiao Yuan thought Madam Zhang was very shrewd, and invited her to sit in her boudoir. Madam Zhang knew that she wanted to talk about the main topic, so she gladly went with her. However, when she stood at the door, she was surprised. The boudoir was really too simple. The curtains on the bed were faded, the paint on the table in the corner was peeling, and there were no ornaments. There was only a white porcelain vase on the table with a few hydrangeas and chrysanthemums in it.

In fact, Madam Zhang herself was also a concubine's daughter. Suddenly remembering the hardships she had endured before marriage, tears welled up in her eyes: "I've been in business for so long that I forgot that I went through the same thing. I even tried to make things difficult for you. Actually, how much is a shop worth? Fine, we'll split it 40/60, and you'll take 60%. You just need to draw up the blueprints and give them to me. You don't need to worry about anything else. I'll settle your profits every month."

After a two-week battle of wits, Xiao Yuan had only hoped for a 50/50 split, and now that she had gotten 60%, it was a pleasant surprise. She had achieved her goal and was overjoyed that she would no longer have to worry about making a living. However, before she could enjoy her triumph for more than a few days, her stepmother learned of the news and immediately sent her illegitimate third brother to come and beg for money, saying that her eldest brother wanted to buy an official position and "borrow" 20,000 strings of cash.

"Twenty thousand strings of cash? Robbery!" Before Xiao Yuan could speak, A Xiu exclaimed in surprise.

If it were anyone else, Xiaoyuan would have definitely kicked him out, but this third brother had secretly given her a few steamed buns when she was about to starve to death by her stepmother. She felt she should repay even the smallest kindness with the greatest gratitude. She didn't want to see her third brother go back empty-handed and be harassed by her stepmother, so she had no choice but to reluctantly give him half a string of cash.

Before leaving, Third Brother gave Xiao Yuan a piece of advice: "Once the goods from the Zhang family shop come out, Madam will know it's your doing, so you still need to cover it up."

Xiao Yuan sighed to the heavens. Although she was already outside the mansion, her stepmother still held the power of life and death. If she didn't find a way to change the shop's appearance, this autumn wind would probably keep blowing endlessly.

Chapter Two: The Benefits of Engagement

Xiao Yuan stayed in her room for several days, racking her brains without success. A Xiu then advised her to go out for a stroll and clear her mind, hoping that a plan might come to her. Xiao Yuan thought her words made sense. She could see how other families ran their shops and perhaps she would find something useful. However, she hesitated, saying, "As the daughter of an official, it wouldn't be wise to go out to the street so rashly."

Ah Xiu opened the cabinet and took out a purple veil. "Fourth Sister, when you get into the sedan chair, draw the curtain tightly. If you want to lift the curtain to look, wear this veil. How can anyone see us?"

"Well, since she hasn't reached marriageable age yet, it won't hurt to go and take a look." Xiao Yuan was eager to find a way out, so she didn't care about anything else. She put on the veil, got into the sedan chair, and carefully propped up the curtain with a thin branch, leaving a gap to look at the shops that were receding outside.

The Imperial Street was indeed the most prosperous place in Lin'an, bustling with people. Some people were leaning on their canes and standing in front of the sign for "five strains and seven injuries" as if they were looking around. There was a bead shop that, in addition to beads, also displayed the latest flowers and fruits. The most profitable pawnshop and the gold shop that could not be easily seen elsewhere... Suddenly, Ah Xiu called out in surprise, "Fourth Sister, our shop."

Poor Xiaoyuan had drawn countless illustrations, and her chess and card designs were all the rage in Lin'an Prefecture, yet she herself still used the most primitive playing cards made from scraps of paper, without even a single pattern. Hearing that a shop was nearby, how could she not want to see her creations? She immediately lifted the sedan curtain and looked out. Luckily, she was just a young girl, not yet of marriageable age, so no one paid her any attention. The playing cards were painted with colorful pictures, the chessboard was carved from gold, and the chess pieces even looked like rubies! The people of Lin'an truly lived up to their reputation for loving luxury. Xiaoyuan became more and more engrossed in looking, and unconsciously lifted half of her veil. Her gaze lingered among the shelves, when suddenly she met a pair of familiar eyes.

"Oh dear, Young Master Cheng!" Ah Xiu suddenly covered her mouth.

Xiao Yuan hurriedly pulled the sedan curtain shut, her heart pounding as if it would burst out of her chest. She touched her face and found it burning hot. Young Master Cheng, Cheng Mutian, was the man her stepmother had arranged for her marriage. He was extremely rigid and old-fashioned. If he saw his fiancée lifting her veil in the street, how could he tolerate it?

“Young Master Cheng, my fourth mistress didn’t mean to come out for a stroll. She just wanted to take a look at her own shop.” Seeing Cheng Mutian getting closer and closer to her with a stern face, Ah Xiu panicked and hurriedly pointed to the Zhang family’s shop.

Xiao Yuan, who had already drawn the sedan curtain, was annoyed when she heard what she said and punched the side of the sedan in frustration. As she expected, Cheng Mutian’s angry voice came from outside the sedan: “Cheng Fu, come on, let’s go inside and take a look.”

The master and servant hurriedly got into the sedan chair and returned home. Ah Xiu was still complaining that Young Master Cheng, despite his disability, wanted Fourth Sister to follow the rules like an adult. Xiao Yuan glared at her and she realized that although Young Master Cheng was married to Fourth Sister by Madam because of his lame leg, it was also true that Fourth Sister and he were childhood sweethearts and deeply in love. How could she tell Young Master Cheng about Fourth Sister's shop? He was probably already displeased when he saw Fourth Sister lift her veil, and this would only make matters worse.

Xiao Yuan, ignoring her scolding, returned to her room alone, annoyed that Cheng Mutian was too old-fashioned. Many young ladies in Lin'an City went out for a stroll; although she was from an official family, she wasn't even of marriageable age yet, so why couldn't she go out and have a look around? After her anger subsided, she felt remorse. Knowing Cheng Mutian was a meticulous man, why couldn't she have been more cautious? What if he sent back a draft letter announcing the engagement? She tossed and turned all night, lost in thought, unable to fall asleep for a single moment.

To her surprise, her birth mother, Consort Chen, returned from the mansion the next day beaming with joy. She showed her a betrothal letter from the Cheng family. Although the legal wife had not only withheld the betrothal gifts but also told them to find their own dowry, Xiao Yuan was still both surprised and delighted.

According to Southern Song Dynasty customs, after exchanging betrothal gifts, the bride's family was supposed to send over a list of dowry items. Where would Aunt Chen get so many things? Luckily, the matchmaker came up with a good idea. She said that since Fourth Sister was still underage, the wedding date had to be set after her coming-of-age ceremony. Therefore, they should first send over a generous list, and then prepare everything one by one. Less than three days after exchanging betrothal gifts, news came from the mansion that the Cheng family wanted to find a bride. The He family had already prepared a banquet at a wine shop in the city and asked Xiao Yuan to accompany the lady of the house. Finding a bride was much less interesting than Xiao Yuan had imagined. Because the Cheng family and Xiao Yuan's stepmother, Madam Jiang, were very familiar with each other, the two families chatted back and forth, completely neglecting the two brides. Xiao Yuan wanted to look up at Cheng Mutian, but was afraid of making a big move and being seen by others, so she could only look at the table first. On the round table, besides tea, fruit, and other exquisite dishes appropriate for the occasion, there were also several wine cups. The Cheng family had four, and her own side had two. It was meant to symbolize male strength and female weakness. She didn't seem to care, pursing her lips and shifting her gaze forward—Cheng Mutian was deep in thought, not even glancing at her. She suddenly felt very suffocated, so she excused herself to Madam Jiang, using the excuse of changing clothes to take A-Xiu out for some fresh air.

Xiao Yuan walked along the stream behind the pavilion, kicking pebbles as she went. Suddenly, A Xiu tugged at her sleeve and softly called out, "Fourth Sister, Young Master Cheng!"

She looked up and saw Cheng Mutian standing behind the flower wall, waving at her from afar.

"Ah Xiu, am I not seeing things?" Xiao Yuan rubbed her eyes and asked.

Ah Xiu also looked incredulous, "Young Master Cheng is very particular about rules, this..."

Xiao Yuan thought for a moment, then called Ah Xiu to follow her, and asked softly through the flower wall, "What is it?" Cheng Mutian said from the other side of the flower wall, "I will soon have my father arrange a date for the engagement ceremony with your family. Are you satisfied now?" "What?" Xiao Yuan was stunned. When had she ever forced anyone into marriage?

Cheng Mutian continued, "Since you insist on opening a shop, after the betrothal gifts are exchanged, you can invest in it under the name of the Cheng family. I will have Madam Zhang deliver the dividends to your home on time, and you will not be shortchanged. Don't let me see you showing your face in public again, or I will definitely tell Madam Jiang."

Xiao Yuan stared intently at the green branches on the flower wall. Engagement had such benefits? All her worries about opening the shop vanished in an instant; she no longer had to worry about the household coming to harass her. She stood there for a long while, then remembered that if she didn't like the prospective bride, she would be given colored silk, but if she did, she would be given a gold hairpin. She blurted out, "You haven't even put a gold hairpin in my hair yet, how can I make an engagement?"

This time, it was Cheng Mutian's turn to be dumbfounded on the other side of the flower wall.

On the way home, Axiu and Xiaoyuan rode in the same sedan chair. She took a gold hairpin and held it up to Xiaoyuan's head for a while, then laughed and said, "Fourth Sister, Young Master Cheng is really a person who is cold on the outside but warm on the inside. He may say some harsh things, but he is actually thinking of Fourth Sister's best interests."

Xiao Yuan peered out through the gap in the sedan curtain. The thought of having the Cheng family as a shield meant that she wouldn't be afraid of the Ren family's attempts to take advantage of her would make the sky seem much bluer.

Chapter Three Fire

A month passed in the blink of an eye. The shop was doing well, and Xiao Yuan's marriage was settled. She was living a very comfortable life. Just as she was rejoicing that no one had come to take advantage of her since the Zhang family's shop changed its shares to the Cheng family, she heard that someone from the mansion had arrived.

Xiao Yuan thought that one of her brothers from the manor had come to ask for money again, so she quickly pulled off the gold necklace around her neck, took off the pair of bracelets she had just put on, thought for a moment, changed into some old clothes, and then led a few clever maids to Aunt Chen's room.

Upon reaching the corridor, the old woman from Aunt Chen's room, seeing her attire, hurriedly came forward with a smile and said, "Fourth Sister, no young master has come in person; it was Liu Ma, who serves the Madam, who sent her."

Xiao Yuan frowned slightly and went into the house, where she saw Liu Ma sitting on a small stool chatting and laughing with Aunt Chen.

"Fourth Aunt, come quickly, Granny Liu is telling an interesting story." Aunt Chen stood up, gave the main seat to Xiao Yuan, and moved to a lower seat herself. She said to Granny Liu, "Granny Liu, you just said that Eldest Brother is raising two strange people?"

Aunt Liu stood up and bowed to Xiao Yuan, her face full of worry. "Fourth Aunt, Aunt Chen, this is no fun at all. You have no idea how miserable I am. The eldest young master asked me to serve one of his guests. That guest is a literary person who is very particular. He has to change the water dozens of times every time he washes his face and dust off his clothes dozens of times every time he puts them on. How can I, at my age, endure this kind of torment?"

Xiao Yuan smiled slightly: "Mama Liu, you are a favorite of Madam, how can I ask you to do these things? Just tell Madam to find you another job."

Aunt Liu slapped her thigh and said, "How could I not go to Madam? But Madam always does what the young master wants. After I complained, she gave me a different job and made me serve one of the idle men she keeps. That idle man is the exact opposite of the previous customer. He hasn't taken a bath in months. Even though we prepared clean clothes for him, he won't change them. His room stinks all day long, which makes me get scolded by the young master every day."

When Aunt Chen and Xiao Yuan were still living in the mansion, they often lacked food and clothing. Liu Ma often secretly helped them by taking things out to exchange for money. Although Liu Ma always pocketed at least half of the money, Aunt Chen was still grateful for her help and kindly suggested, "Why don't you go and talk to Madam and ask if you can go back to her room to serve her?"

Aunt Liu wiped her eyes with her sleeve: "If I say it once, they'll deduct my monthly pay every time. How dare I say it again?" As she spoke, she knelt down in front of Aunt Chen, hugged her legs and cried: "Aunt Chen, for the sake of our past relationship, please save this old body of mine."

Aunt Chen quickly pulled her up, "We don't live in the mansion anymore, how can we help you?"

Liu Ma glanced at Xiao Yuan furtively and said, "It's because you've separated from Madam and are living alone that I've shamelessly come to your door. I hope Fourth Sister and Aunt Chen will have mercy and assign me any task to help me escape this misery." Aunt Chen didn't dare to make a decision. She only looked at Xiao Yuan and secretly drew a circle with her hand in her sleeve. Xiao Yuan understood Aunt Chen's meaning perfectly. Although they had been driven out of the mansion, they were still members of the He family. The mistress of the house could sell them off at any time, so they couldn't afford to offend her too much. Even if she knew Liu Ma was there to spy on them, she still had to keep her around.

She was initially annoyed, but upon closer inspection, she almost burst out laughing. Her stepmother must already suspect that the Cheng family's share of the profits had been delivered to her, hence sending someone to keep an eye on things. But this house was her territory. It was far too easy for her to let Liu Ma know what she didn't.

Thinking of this, she put on a broad smile. She first gave Liu Ma a stern talking-to: "Liu Ma, what are you saying? Back when we were in the manor, things were so difficult. Even after we made money, we didn't forget your share, did we?"

These words startled Liu Ma, who shrank back. "Fourth Sister, you can't say things like that. If Madam finds out, we'll all..."

"I was just saying it casually, why is Aunt Liu in such a hurry?" Xiao Yuan smiled and summoned the housekeeper, instructing her, "Aunt Liu is a great benefactor to my aunt and me. Give her an easy job. I won't allow it if she gets tired."

The housekeeper, Wu Sao, was a new hire after Xiao Yuan left the mansion. She was unaware of her master's background. Seeing how much Fourth Sister valued this Liu Mama, she quickly led her to the residence of the housekeepers and treated her with great respect. She dared not let her do the slightest thing.

Upon hearing Wu Sao's report, Xiao Yuan instructed A Xiu to give her a hairpin as a reward, suppressing a smile as she praised, "You did very well; keep doing this from now on."

As soon as Aunt Wu left, Xiao Yuan hugged a cushion and laughed as she fell onto the couch. Aunt Chen scolded, "You knew she was sent by the Madam to watch over us, yet you still treated her like this."

Xiao Yuan punched the pillow a few times, saying angrily, "She did the same thing back in the manor, and this time I won't call her Ruyi."

Aunt Chen went over and hugged her, saying, "Fourth Sister, don't be afraid. I'll keep an eye on her. Besides, she's very greedy. Even if she finds out about something, we can just shut her up with money."

"Auntie is right, how could I have forgotten about that?" After a moment's thought, she had a plan in mind, and became happy again. She ordered the maid to bring the mahjong set and started playing cards with Auntie Chen.

Although Xiaoyuan didn't like mahjong, she had to grit her teeth and play with Aunt Chen until late at night in order to keep her company. She even ate her dinner on the mahjong table with steamed buns filled with meat and vegetables.

Seeing that she was yawning one after another, Aunt Chen knew that she couldn't hold on any longer, so she quickly urged her to go back and rest. Just then, they suddenly heard a commotion outside: "Fire! ... Firefighting!"

Xiao Yuan was instantly wide awake. She exchanged a glance with Aunt Chen and ran out at the same time. She stood on tiptoe and looked south. In the distance, she could see flashes of fire in the direction of the imperial city. She exhaled and shouted, "The fire is still far away. What are you shouting about?"

Aunt Chen scolded the servants a few times, but then pulled Xiao Yuan aside and whispered, "Fourth Aunt, before I entered the He family, I also encountered a big fire. The fire looked far away, but it came very quickly and couldn't be put out at all. We'd better pack our valuables and go to the mountain to take shelter."

Xiao Yuan found it unbelievable, "We're far from the capital, how could it have burned all the way here?"

Aunt Chen pointed to the pillars under the eaves: "The houses here are made of wood or bamboo, how can they withstand a fire?"

Xiao Yuan then realized that Aunt Chen's words made a lot of sense. She quickly helped Aunt Chen arrange for people to move the furniture and sent Liu Ma back to the mansion to report the news.

Because the fire was still far away, the servants were not panicked, and the managers were already able to arrange things in an orderly manner. Aunt Chen stood on the steps watching them move the chests and boxes, and took Xiao Yuan's hand and said, "Fourth Sister, it's a pity about your shop. It's closer to the capital, and it's probably already been burned down."

Xiao Yuan was also heartbroken, but afraid that showing it would upset Aunt Chen even more, she forced a smile and said, "Aunt, anyway, we have Madam Zhang. Her family is big and powerful, so this little loss is nothing. But where should we stay for the next few days? How about we stay at A Xiu's house for a few days, like before?"

Aunt Chen shook her head: "Axiu's house is already small. After we left the mansion, we hired some more people. There's no room for her to live there. In the past, after a fire, the imperial court would settle the victims in temples. We should go to the temple on the mountain as soon as possible and we can get a good courtyard."

Xiao Yuan nodded, seeing that Aunt Chen was very experienced in handling things, so she leaned against her, waiting to settle down so she could sleep. The servants were quick and efficient, and the mountain wasn't too high; in less than an hour, Xiao Yuan was standing on the Buddha hall in the temple. Aunt Chen pulled her to kowtow to the Buddhas a few times, and then she returned to her assigned room and slept until dawn.

Chapter Four: Mid-Autumn Festival Gifts

The property she had painstakingly acquired was reduced to ashes in a fire. Aunt Chen had been hoping to prepare more dowry for Xiao Yuan, but now she had no place to live. She was in her room thinking about doing some work to supplement the family income when she heard the old woman guarding the gate come to report that someone from the Cheng family had come to deliver Mid-Autumn Festival gifts.

Aunt Chen asked, "The Cheng family should be at the manor to celebrate their marriage, why are they here?"

The old woman shook her head repeatedly, claiming ignorance. Just as Aunt Chen was about to ask her to leave and say goodbye, she suddenly saw Xiao Yuan quietly beckoning to her from inside the room, so she hurried over.

Xiao Yuan whispered in Aunt Chen's ear, "Aunt, I shouldn't be the one to bring this up. But that gift isn't for the Mid-Autumn Festival. It's just that Cheng Erlang saw that we were suffering from a disaster and couldn't come in person, so he used the Mid-Autumn Festival as an excuse to send us some things."

Aunt Chen suddenly realized what was going on and hurriedly ordered the old woman to give the person who came to her a reward and bring in the gift box.

When Aunt Chen received the gift box and opened it, besides some seasonal items, there was also a delicate little box. She opened it and looked inside, then called out to Xiao Yuan repeatedly. Xiao Yuan, who had been following custom and hiding in her room to avoid seeing the gift from her future husband, suddenly heard Aunt Chen calling and hurried over from next door. Aunt Chen handed her the contents of the box, saying, "Look at this, this gift is far too precious."

Xiao Yuan looked at it and saw that it was a piece of paper. She opened it and glanced at it. The words "house deed" were written at the top, but the signature was He Yuanyuan. She looked up and asked, "Is this a Mid-Autumn Festival gift from Cheng Erlang?"

Aunt Chen said, "That's right, it gave me quite a fright when it was placed in this little box."

Xiao Yuan was overjoyed, but afraid that Aunt Chen would laugh at her, she deliberately threw the deed back into the box and said, "Auntie, just take it and take possession of the house. What's so special about it? My shop already has the Cheng family's signboard. What's a house compared to that?"

Aunt Chen asked in surprise, "Fourth Sister, aren't you even a little surprised that Second Brother Cheng has given such a generous gift?"

Before Xiaoyuan could answer, she laughed to herself, "That's true. This house will eventually belong to the Cheng family. Auntie is overthinking it. I'll send someone to collect the house right now. We'll tidy it up and move in before the Mid-Autumn Festival."

Xiao Yuan blushed. She lowered her head, picked up the box, and ran back to her room. She smoothed out the crumpled corners of the paper several times. Then she picked it up again and read it three times from beginning to end. Only then did she remember to take the contract back to Aunt Chen to accept the wife.