Facing Chunyao, Ye Yunniang didn’t hide the truth.
Honestly, she just wanted to be lazy and change fewer sets of clothes.
The two of them took advantage of Jiang Tingjun being asleep to try on the winter outfits issued by the household.
Each had two sets, padded jackets made with fresh cotton this year, warm and cozy when worn.
"Could I buy some of your mother-in-law’s pickles?" Chunyao asked, swallowing her saliva.
"I still have two jars left. If you like them, Sister Chunyao, take them all. Mentioning money would be too distant." Ye Yunniang was grateful for the guidance Chunyao had given her.
Chunyao accepted them and the next day brought Ye Yunniang a small box of pastries.
"This is the Jin family’s ancestral pastry—Snowfish Cake. They don’t usually make it, but since Second Master wanted some, they did."
Ye Yunniang opened the box. Inside were two pieces as smooth and lustrous as jade, cool to the touch like snow, and when eaten, not soft and sticky but with a slight crisp chewiness.
After eating, the lingering fragrance remained on her lips, leaving an endless aftertaste.
Ye Yunniang had never imagined such delicious food existed in the world.
"When I married Old Jin, it was for this Snowfish Cake," Chunyao said, unable to resist swallowing again. No matter how many times she ate it, she never grew tired of it.
"Sister Chunyao, have some too." Ye Yunniang pushed one piece into her hand.
Chunyao refused. "This is for you. Eat it quickly. Snowfish Cake can’t be stored; it must be eaten within a day." With that, Chunyao stood up and left.
Ye Yunniang called Li'er at the door and gave her a piece.
Li'er’s eyes widened, and she jumped with joy—it was so delicious.
Ye Yunniang regretted not being able to bring some back for her mother and Pan'er to taste.
That night, Ye Yunniang coaxed Jiang Tingjun, telling him about the deliciousness of the Snowfish Cake.
She deliberately tried to engage him, hoping he would speak.
Jiang Tingjun was busy gnawing on his own fingers.
"No eating fingers," Ye Yunniang said, pulling his hand away.
Jiang Tingjun immediately bit down on Ye Yunniang’s hand instead.
Ye Yunniang pulled her hand back.
Unfazed, Jiang Tingjun latched onto her clothes and began sucking.
Seeing his behavior, Ye Yunniang figured he was hungry and loosened her clothes.
Jiang Tingjun took a few mouthfuls but then stopped, playing with his teeth instead.
Ye Yunniang tried to pull away, but he resisted, opening his mouth to wail.
Not wanting to disturb anyone late at night, Ye Yunniang had no choice but to feed him. "No playing, eat properly."
Jiang Tingjun took a few more sips before getting distracted again.
Ye Yunniang pulled away firmly, refusing to let him continue.
Jiang Tingjun whined, gripping her clothes stubbornly. His nails accidentally scratched—
Ye Yunniang couldn’t help but cry out, and Jiang Tingjun laughed.
"You little rascal, always bullying your nanny." Ye Yunniang couldn’t resist giving him a light pat.
Jiang Tingjun thought she was playing and tugged at her clothes even harder.
After much effort, Ye Yunniang finally managed to lull Jiang Tingjun to sleep.
Letting out a soft sigh, she tucked him in properly.
Sitting down to rest, Hong Cai brought over a cup of tea. "Sister Ye, have some milk."
"You have it. I’m not hungry." Ye Yunniang yawned, feeling drowsy.
"Alright, I’ll have it. Sister Ye, you should rest for a bit."
"Mmm, you go rest too. I’ll watch over things here." Ye Yunniang yawned again.
"Keeping watch with Sister Ye is such a relief." Hong Cai knew how responsible Ye Yunniang was and genuinely wanted her to rest.
Hong Cai sat nearby, sipping the milk.
Ye Yunniang spread out bedding by the foot of the bed, moving carefully so as not to wake Jiang Tingjun, who was sound asleep.
She lay down, resting one hand near Jiang Tingjun’s so she would wake at the slightest movement.
After finishing the milk, Hong Cai took the tray outside and didn’t return.
The inner room grew quiet, the window slightly ajar.
Ye Yunniang slept fitfully, disturbed by what felt like an annoying mosquito disrupting her dreams.
Why were there still mosquitoes in late autumn?
In her haze, she dreamed of a faceless man appearing, struggling to open her eyes but failing.
Finally managing to wake, the room was silent. She glanced at the bed—Jiang Tingjun was still fast asleep.
Ye Yunniang lay back down, rubbing her legs together to suppress the discomfort.
Unbidden, memories of the dream returned—lips being fiercely sucked as if devoured, scorching hands roaming…
"Mmm—"
A soft moan escaped her, startling her awake.
Jiang Tingjun had woken up.
Ye Yunniang pulled the bell cord by the bed.
Hong Cai, dozing in the side room, heard the sound and came over with hot water from the stove.
Ye Yunniang cleaned Jiang Tingjun up and rewrapped him.
Hong Cai carried out the dirty water.
Ye Yunniang leaned against the bed, cradling Jiang Tingjun as she nursed him.
Jiang Tingjun suckled with closed eyes, his free hand flailing about.
Ye Yunniang winced as his nails scraped her chest.
"Little troublemaker, always grabbing at me." She playfully caught his hand and pretended to bite it.
Jiang Tingjun giggled.
Ye Yunniang laughed too.
After feeding, she held him upright to burp him.
Once he settled back into peaceful sleep, Ye Yunniang placed him back in bed.
She lay down and quickly drifted off again.
Strangely, the dream continued—the pesky mosquito and the faceless man returned, tormenting her.
Ye Yunniang waved a hand, rolled over, and went back to sleep.
When she woke again, she was momentarily disoriented.
Sitting up, she examined her chest by candlelight—several red marks, slightly swollen, tender to the touch.
She made a mental note to ask Miss Ziyuan to trim the young master’s nails.
After Jiang Tingjun’s second nighttime feeding, Ye Yunniang slept soundly until dawn.
The next morning, Ye Yunniang carried Jiang Tingjun to the main house.
Fourth Madam Jiang had just finished breakfast.
She ordered the tea table on the couch removed and replaced with a thick blanket.
Jiang Tingjun was placed atop it, surrounded by various toys.
He examined one, played with another, then tossed them all aside before crawling toward his mother, arms outstretched.
"A son naturally clings to his birth mother," Fourth Madam Jiang thought, reaching to pick him up.
Then Jiang Tingjun grabbed her earring and yanked hard.
"Ah—!" Fourth Madam Jiang cried out.
The maids’ expressions darkened.
The atmosphere in the room shifted, and Jiang Tingjun burst into loud wails.
Ye Yunniang stepped forward to take him.
"Don’t hold him. Let him cry. The little brute dared to hit his own mother—he needs to learn a lesson." Fourth Madam Jiang checked her ear in the mirror—red and swollen, throbbing with pain.
She rubbed her earlobe, then smacked Jiang Tingjun’s bottom.
His cries, which had begun to quiet, escalated into full-blown howls.
His mother, however, laughed.
"My son cries so fiercely!"
It was the first time Ye Yunniang had seen a mother who teased her child like this.
A maid entered to announce a visitor from the House of Joy.
Fourth Madam Jiang instructed Ye Yunniang to take Jiang Tingjun back to the side courtyard while she received the maid.
The maid had come to inform them that dinner would be held at the House of Joy that evening—a letter from the capital had arrived, announcing that the eldest master had another son.
After the maid left, Fourth Madam Jiang scoffed, "Here to ask for money again."
Ye Yunniang carried Jiang Tingjun back to their quarters.
In the afternoon, Chunyao visited.
Ye Yunniang stayed and asked Chunyao what she should be mindful of when taking the young master to the House of Joy.
"With Fourth Madam Jiang there, you needn’t worry," Chunyao reassured her.
Ye Yunniang nodded.
"But remember one thing—slow your breathing before entering the room."
