Li'er was playing with Pan'er while Ye Yunniang tidied up at home, wanting to do more to lessen Cai Damei's burdens.
As she was cleaning, the sound of the door opening echoed.
Cai Xiaomei entered the courtyard carrying her grandson Zhou Yan. "Sister, look what I've brought! Oh, Yunniang is back." Cai Xiaomei held a cut of meat in her hand.
"Yes, I'm back. Auntie, please come inside. I'll fetch some water." Ye Yunniang ushered Cai Xiaomei into the house and went to the kitchen to prepare tea for the main room.
"Auntie, have some tea."
"Alright, thank you." Cai Xiaomei observed her niece-in-law, who looked fairer and slightly plumper than before.
Living in a wealthy household truly nourishes a person.
"How many days off did your mistress grant you?"
"I must return this afternoon." As she spoke, Ye Yunniang pulled a silver firecracker from her pocket and handed it to Zhou Yan in Cai Xiaomei's arms. "New Year's lucky money."
"That's too generous, we can't accept it." Cai Xiaomei reached out to stop her.
"Auntie, this is from me as his aunt. It's a child's lucky money—there's no such thing as too much." Ye Yunniang insisted, tucking the silver firecracker into Zhou Yan's hand.
Hearing this, Cai Xiaomei could no longer refuse and urged her grandson, "Quickly thank your aunt."
Zhou Yan clutched the firecracker tightly. "Thank you, Auntie."
"Yan'er is so well-behaved. I hope Pan'er grows up just as obedient." Ye Yunniang patted Zhou Yan's head affectionately.
"Your mother knows how to raise children. With her around, Pan'er will surely have a bright future."
"Praising me like that—you must know I bought fish and want my steamed fish dish." Cai Damei pushed open the courtyard gate, carrying groceries.
"Now that you mention it, I am quite hungry. I could really go for some steamed fish." Cai Xiaomei stood up, taking the fish from Ye Yunniang. "You stay here with Yan'er and Pan'er. We'll handle the cooking."
Cai Xiaomei and Cai Damei went into the kitchen to prepare the meal.
Ye Yunniang took Zhou Yan to where Li'er and Pan'er were playing, and the two women amused the children, one big and one small.
Cai Damei took charge in the kitchen, preparing steamed fish, braised pork with dried beans, stir-fried tofu with cabbage, shredded radish with meat, fried peanuts, and finally, an egg and bean sprout soup.
Seeing the fried peanuts, Ye Yunniang couldn't help but think of her father-in-law and Li Jun—both loved fried peanuts. But because it required too much oil, Cai Damei only made them during the New Year, frying up a large plate.
"Let's eat, everyone!" Cai Damei called the family to the table.
After the reunion meal, Cai Damei took Zhou Yan home, leaving space for Ye Yunniang and her mother-in-law.
Inside the house, Ye Yunniang first unpacked a bundle for Cai Damei—a complete set of clothes and shoes.
"You should've just made clothes for Pan'er. I have enough to wear. Such fine fabric is wasted on me." Cai Damei stroked the soft material, sighing regretfully.
"The mistress rewarded me generously—there's enough for both you and Pan'er." Ye Yunniang opened another bundle containing a light spring cotton jacket and pants for Pan'er, along with two pairs of tiger-head shoes.
After showing the clothes, Ye Yunniang handed over her monthly wages and the New Year's red envelopes given by the masters for Cai Damei to keep.
"So much?" Cai Damei gasped, holding golden beads.
The gold and silver added up to over a hundred taels.
"Yunniang, did something happen in the mansion?" Cai Damei grasped Ye Yunniang's hands, her voice laced with worry.
Ye Yunniang briefly explained the incident involving Ding Fang.
"The mistress realized she misunderstood me and specially gave me 100 taels. The prettier ones are New Year gifts from the old master and mistress." She pointed them out one by one.
"My poor Yunniang, you've suffered in that household." Cai Damei's heart ached—she would rather have no silver at all if it meant Ye Yunniang was safe.
Tears welled up in Ye Yunniang's eyes as she leaned into Cai Damei's embrace.
"Mother, I'm not suffering. Knowing you and Pan'er are waiting for me at home makes it all bearable—truly, it does."
The two women held each other, speaking softly.
"Mother, you must eat well and not skimp. I have food and shelter in the mansion—it costs me nothing." Ye Yunniang had noticed the coarse rice and sorghum flour in the pantry at home.
The only meat was half a pound of cured bacon, a gift from Cai Xiaomei.
Vegetables consisted of two cabbages, and there were only ten eggs.
Ye Yunniang reached into her bundle again, pulling out a jewelry box. She opened it and slipped a gold bracelet onto Cai Damei's wrist.
"Mother, this bracelet—I knew at first glance it would suit you."
"I'm already halfway into the grave—what use do I have for such things?" Cai Damei flushed with embarrassment. When her husband was alive, he had bought her a silver bracelet, but it was melted down during hard times.
She never imagined her daughter-in-law would bring her a gold bracelet.
"Mother, you're still young. When Pan'er marries and has children, you'll be the one guiding them." Ye Yunniang saw Cai Damei as her pillar and hated hearing such talk.
"Alright, alright, I won't say it." Cai Damei couldn't bear the thought of leaving Ye Yunniang and Pan'er either.
"Mother, you must take care of yourself. I can earn money." Ye Yunniang feared Cai Damei's frugality would harm her health.
Touched by her concern, Cai Damei promised not to deprive herself.
Glancing outside, Cai Damei lowered her voice. "How are things... with him?"
Ye Yunniang's face flushed, then paled. She wanted to speak but hesitated, finally murmuring, "It's... fine."
"Listen, don't think of it as shameful. Men have needs, and so do women." Cai Damei's views on the matter were unconventional.
"Mother, you know so much." Ye Yunniang was curious.
"When I was young, our neighbor was a peculiar woman. Others called her immoral, a temptress. But she was the only one who gave me medicine when my parents beat me or food when I was starving.
She often said the world was unjust to women—men could seek pleasure outside, but women were expected to be tireless stone figures, devoid of desire, like wheat seedlings denied water and fertilizer." Cai Damei recalled the beautiful woman's words.
"What happened to her?"
"In the end, her in-laws sold her. Two days before she left, she taught me ways for a woman to find her own pleasure, hoping I'd live more comfortably. But I married a good man." Cai Damei's eyes dimmed with sorrow at the memory of her late husband.
Pan'er's grandfather had died too soon.
Cai Damei passed on everything she had learned from her neighbor to Ye Yunniang.
Though they could have talked all day, it wouldn't be proper to stay until evening.
After lunch, they chatted a while longer, hugged the children, and then Ye Yunniang left with Li'er.
By the time they returned to Zhiyu Pavilion, it was only mid-afternoon (around 3 PM).
Ye Yunniang freshened up, changed into clean clothes, and headed to Fanghua Courtyard.
First, she visited Miss Ziyuan, presenting her with homemade pickles from her mother, then entered the inner chambers.
"Chunyao, I'm back."
"Mm, it's all yours now. I'm heading home." Chunyao yawned as she spoke.
"Alright, thank you for your hard work." Ye Yunniang handed Chunyao a jar of pickles.
Delighted, Chunyao accepted it and left.
