Shen Guanting walked into the shop and took a seat.
There were not yet many customers so early in the morning, but the shop had only a few tables and chairs to begin with, and nearly all of them were occupied.
Perhaps because the weather had grown warmer, the blue cloth curtain leading to the kitchen was no longer rolled up high. Instead, it hung neatly in place, keeping the heat from the stove away from the dining area.
The young shop assistant, Gao Cang, was quick and efficient. Before long, he brought over the wontons and scallion pancake Shen Guanting had ordered. The aroma of the hot food rose toward him, carrying a familiar taste.
Shen Guanting picked up his bamboo chopsticks, but his eyes drifted involuntarily toward the blue curtain. It was thick enough that he could hear the faint clinking of bowls and dishes, along with hushed voices from behind it, yet not even a shadow could be seen.
The curtain hung there in silence, like a soundless boundary.
Although he was now sitting in the pancake shop, close enough to her, he could no longer see her. In the end, things were different from before.
Thinking about it, he and her seemed to have only one clear and definite connection left: he was “Lin Jing’s senior brother.” It was a proper and secure connection, but nothing more.
After finishing breakfast, Shen Guanting set down his chopsticks, rose, and left the pancake shop. The street was already bustling with people. Quite a few brushed past him and went into the shop behind him.
There was little wind today. The shop’s signboard hung limply overhead, its writing difficult to make out.
Without slowing his steps, he headed toward the Treasure Pavilion.
As soon as he entered the Treasure Pavilion, he ran into Shen Qi, who had just hurried back from the docks.
The moment Shen Qi saw the expression on his young master’s face, he blurted out, “Young Master, what’s wrong this time? Don’t tell me someone went looking for trouble at the pancake shop again?”
These past few days, Shen Qi had been entrusted with an important task by his young master. All the follow-up matters concerning the caravan’s return to Huzhou—things that should have been handled personally by Shen Guanting—had been dumped on him in one go. He had been so busy that his feet barely touched the ground.
He had assumed that now that the trouble with Fourth Young Master Liang had more or less been dealt with, his young master would finally be able to relax a little. Yet somehow, his mood seemed even more somber.
Shen Guanting shook his head without answering and continued walking inside.
If he truly had to say who had caused trouble for Shopkeeper Lin this time, it was probably himself.
He thought again of what had happened in the shop—the unremarkable old purse hanging from her waist. She had presumably considered the matter carefully last night before choosing to replace the one he had given her.
She had to think about how to deal with the jade-ring purse he had gifted her, and how to define the connection between the two of them that had arisen because of that jade ring. For her, this was probably quite a troublesome matter as well.
But then again, since she had been willing to spend time and effort dealing with it, that meant she was not completely indifferent. She had not entirely disregarded him. In her thoughts, there was ultimately still a place for him.
That was far better than being completely forgotten, treated as nothing more than an insignificant passerby.
Besides, when she had seen him just now, her manner had been perfectly normal and her smile graceful. She had greeted him when greeting was called for and asked after him when appropriate, without the slightest hint of anything amiss. If she truly disliked him and had made up her mind to draw a clear line between them, she would probably have gone out of her way to avoid him. How could she have remained so calm and ordinary?
After talking himself through all of this, Shen Guanting’s expression gradually softened.
Shen Qi watched the succession of emotions crossing his young master’s face. In the end, Shen Guanting even revealed a faint, inscrutable smile, leaving Shen Qi all the more bewildered. His young master’s thoughts were truly harder to decipher than the most ingenious mechanical lock in the pavilion.
“The pancake shop is doing well,” Shen Guanting finally seemed to come back to himself and answered Shen Qi’s original question. “With a capable manager like Shopkeeper Lin in charge, nothing will go wrong there.”
Shen Qi nodded deeply in agreement. “That’s true. I’ve heard about it since I came back. In the matter involving the grain shop and the rice-noodle shop, Shopkeeper Lin joined forces with Young Master Qi and handled everything cleanly and decisively. Those who deserved punishment were punished, and those who needed a warning were duly cautioned. They judged the proper measure perfectly. She truly is a capable person.”
Shen Guanting gave a slight nod but said nothing.
She was like the governor of a city—clear-headed, cautious, skilled at defending what she had, and capable of expanding when necessary. The Double-Wood Pancake Shop was her city, and she guarded it securely.
As for him, his heart yearned for that city. But the governor had clearly noticed his improper intentions and had already heightened her vigilance. The city gates were not completely shut, but they were defended with meticulous care.
Still, if he were merely an ordinary citizen who observed the rules—moving about near the city, paying his taxes on time, buying his pancakes, never crossing the line or touching her boundaries—then Governor Lin would tacitly allow his presence and would not drive him away.
But the moment he showed signs of wanting to interfere in the city’s internal affairs or asking for more, she would immediately close the gates and defend them to the death.
If he retreated now, recognizing the difficulty and withdrawing his forces, there would truly never be another chance to breach the city. He had yet to see any perfect opportunity, but he would not retreat.
What he needed to do was remain beneath the city walls, set up camp, hold his position, observe carefully, and wait for the right moment.
Besides, Governor Lin seemed more tolerant than he had expected of his harmless probing and occasional mischief. That alone was already an excellent beginning.
Watching his young master’s thoughtful expression, Shen Qi had the distinct feeling that someone was about to be deprived of peace yet again.
Though Shen Guanting was burdened by no small number of worries, his junior apprentice, Lin Jing, was also being tangled up in a whole heap of problems. Ever since the matter involving Liang Fourth Son, the boy’s head had been filled with even more principles he could not make sense of.
He first went and discussed them with Tigerhead and Qi Lang, then sought advice from his teacher. Tigerhead followed him around as well, pestering the teachers and the headmaster, asking anyone he could catch.
The several mentors cited classical texts and each gave his own opinion. To the children, however, their explanations did not seem to line up at all, leaving them even more confused.
Tigerhead, who loved nothing more than watching a commotion grow, was extraordinarily skilled at fanning the flames.
After hearing the headmaster’s grand exposition, he immediately shouted, “But Headmaster, that isn’t what Master Yun Jianshan said that day…”
Seeing his opportunity, Qi Lang began chattering away, recounting Mr. Yun’s views as best he could.
The little scoundrels successfully stirred up a scholarly dispute among the teachers. While the several gentlemen were busy debating their learning, the children scampered off to play.
But the confusion in Lin Jing’s heart did not truly disperse. He was an eager student by nature, and with the unanswered questions still in his mind, he remembered that Shen Guanting had once told him, “You can seek guidance from Master Chen and Lord Han.”
Uncle Chen was his father’s teacher, so his learning must be second to none. Though he had not had much contact with Lord Han, the fact that Brother Ting had specifically mentioned him meant that he was surely a man of great insight as well.
After thinking it over, Lin Jing slipped straight back to Cloud Mountain Studio and reported the matter honestly.
Yun Jianshan was writing when he heard him. The tip of his brush paused, and he lifted his eyes to look at the serious little bean sprout standing before him.
“You’re quite honest. You became my student, yet you’ve come right out to tell me that you want to seek instruction from someone else?”
Lin Jing stood perfectly straight, his small face solemn and proper. “Teacher is always saying that when it comes to learning, one person’s wisdom is limited. This student is dull, so naturally I should ask for guidance from many sources.”
Yun Jianshan waved a hand. “Enough. If you want to go, then go. Although I know Lord Han, we are not close enough for me to send him a formal invitation without cause. You are only a child, so there is no need for so many rules and formalities. If you wish to ask him for guidance, simply go and see him yourself. Just mind your manners, and come back promptly once you are finished.”
With the gentleman’s tacit permission, Lin Jing ran off to borrow a carriage from Tigerhead. At the academy, he usually traveled in the Shen family’s carriage. The moment Tigerhead heard that this would give him a perfectly legitimate excuse to avoid sitting in the classroom, he immediately dragged Qi Lang along. After a quick discussion, the three little fellows set off for the Han residence, brimming with excitement.
Meanwhile, at the pastry shop, Lin Wu gradually began to sense that something was amiss.
At this hour on any other day, Lin Jing would have finished school and appeared at the shop entrance, skipping and hopping along.
But today, the sun was already slanting westward. Several helpers had finished tidying up and gone home, yet that small figure had still not appeared.
The shop, usually noisy and bustling at this time, had fallen quiet. Sitting in her chair, Lin Wu suddenly found the silence unfamiliar.
The shutters had already been closed. The daylight filtered through the thick paper on the windows, reduced to a hazy golden glow that fell weakly upon the outstretched leaves of the few potted parrot plants on the windowsill, casting soft halos of light.
The room grew dimmer by the moment. The outlines of the tables and chairs blurred in the shadows, and the silence seemed almost tangible, pressing heavily down upon the shop.
Outside, pedestrians and vendors still came and went along the long street. The sounds of footsteps and hawking had not ceased, yet they seemed to have nothing to do with this shop.
Those noises sounded distant, unable to penetrate the stillness within. Only she remained, keeping watch over the calm that had settled after a full day’s work.
A thought suddenly occurred to her: without Lin Jing, perhaps her life in this world would have been exactly like this. Quiet and still, tending this shop from sunrise to sunset, repeating the same days over and over.
The thought had barely spread through the silence when familiar hoofbeats and the rumble of wheels sounded outside.
Lin Wu rose and went out. The carriage had already stopped in front of the shop.
The curtain was lifted, and Lin Jing’s small figure nimbly leaped down. The instant his feet touched the ground, he slung his little book bag over his shoulder, picked up the food box, and ran toward her.
“Mother! I’m back!”
When he reached her, Lin Wu took the food box from his hands. It was noticeably lighter than before.
Before she could ask why he was so late, Lin Jing had already tilted up his little face and eagerly begun his report.
“Today, Tigerhead, Qi Lang, and I went to visit Lord Han and ask him about some questions.”
Lin Wu understood at once. A few days ago, Shen Guanting had mentioned the turmoil in the capital to him, and the child had apparently been turning it over in his mind ever since. He had even gone straight to Lord Han’s door to seek advice.
“Sounds like you gained quite a bit,” she said as she walked back into the shop. “Since it’s so late, you must have talked for a long time.”
Lin Jing nodded his little head. “Lord Han explained so much and quoted so many passages from books. I understood some of it, but not all.”
Uncle Chen also told us a lot, just like he used to back in the palace.
He chattered on like a happy little sparrow, following behind Lin Wu like a tiny tail.
Lin Wu checked the shop once more, then locked the door and headed for Clear Water Lane with him.
“A Jing, if you finish school late in the future, or if you’re going somewhere else, you must tell me beforehand or ask someone to send word,” Lin Wu said, turning her head toward him. “Otherwise, I’ll worry.”
Lin Jing immediately nodded and answered obediently, “I know, Mother! I’ll remember to tell you next time!”
He replied so quickly that even his footsteps grew livelier. Then he suddenly remembered another matter he had to report.
“Brother Ting said that during the monthly break at the end of this month, he’ll take us to the estate to play. He said he still owes us one trip! We can go horseback riding!”
At the thought of galloping around the estate, he could not help bouncing as he walked.
Lin Wu watched the small figure run ahead of her. He was so excited that his arms and legs moved awkwardly out of sync, his back radiating nothing but simple, unclouded joy.
“It’s very hot now, and the sun is fierce. You’ll have to wear your hat properly if you’re going to the estate. Don’t let yourself get sunburned.”
“I know!” Lin Jing turned around and walked backward, facing Lin Wu. He used his hands to draw a large circle over his head. “I’ll wear that big straw hat. Mother should wear one too—a bigger one!”
When they returned to the courtyard at home, he could hardly wait. He ran inside, found his little straw hat, and held it up, already worrying over her again.
“Mother, you don’t have a big straw hat. We need to buy you one. Or you can wear mine—we can take turns.”
Lin Wu was amused by his serious expression and placed the little hat over his head.
“I’m not going with you to the estate this time. You can go and have fun with Sparrow, Tigerhead, and the others.”
“Huh? Why not?”
Lin Wu entered the kitchen and began taking ingredients from the bamboo basket as she spoke.
“For one thing, it’s rare for me to have a day off, and I’d like to enjoy some peace and quiet at home. For another, it wouldn’t be proper for Brother Ting and me to go out together every time. If it happens too often, people may notice and start making unnecessary remarks.”
Lin Jing listened with an expression that suggested he only half understood. But he had heard the claim that they “couldn’t go out together” before.
He furrowed his little brows. “Sparrow said the same thing. The Lady and the First Young Master can’t go out to play together.”
He thought for a moment, then immediately came up with a solution. His little face was filled with resolve as he waved one small hand.
“Then tell Brother Ting not to go!”
Lin Wu could not help laughing. “You’re going to the Shen family’s estate to ride horses. What sense would it make to leave out the one person who actually knows how to ride? Besides, I don’t really like horseback riding. I had enough of it last time. You children go and enjoy yourselves. I can steal half a day of leisure at home instead. That will suit me just fine.”
Lin Jing blinked at her. Though he could not quite understand why anyone would dislike horseback riding, he remembered that when Lin Wu was tired, she did indeed enjoy sitting quietly for a while. After a moment, he nodded his little head.
“All right. Mother doesn’t like horseback riding. She likes staying at home. I understand. There are lots of things adults don’t like doing, but children do.”
The news soon reached Shen Guanting through Tigerhead.
His hand paused slightly over the chess piece before he placed it down with a soft click. He shook his head, seeming both helpless and unsurprised.
That gate of hers was certainly guarded as tightly as could be.
