It had been quite a while since Aunt Mei returned, yet Ye Jin had never once visited the Pear Garden where she and her son were staying.
This was her first time stepping foot into the Pear Garden.
The Pear Garden wasn’t as large as the courtyards where Madam Ye and the Old Matriarch lived. Being newly built, Ye Jin had initially thought it was merely newer but still couldn’t compare to the residences of Madam Ye and the others.
She never expected that the moment she crossed the threshold into the Pear Garden, she felt as if she had entered a paradise detached from the mundane world.
A pond had been constructed in the courtyard, complete with a fountain at its center.
Having lived her whole life within the deep, enclosed mansions, where had Ye Jin ever seen such ingenious wonders? She was stunned on the spot.
“Third Young Miss, what brings you here?” Liu’er, who had been walking Old Wang, was taken aback upon seeing Ye Jin and only managed to react after a good while.
It was daytime. Ye Jin shifted her gaze to Liu’er, or more precisely, to Old Wang in Liu’er’s arms.
During the New Year period, Ye Jin had the fortune of accompanying her legitimate eldest sister on an outing and had caught a distant glimpse of a dog held by the Princess Royal. That dog looked no different from the one in Liu’er’s hands now.
“I’ve come to see Aunt Mei,” Ye Jin replied, her heart still reeling with shock, though her face remained composed. “It’s been so long since Aunt Mei returned, and I haven’t had the chance to visit her until now. Today, I finally have some free time, so I came to see Auntie.”
As she spoke, she made her way towards the main hall.
Having served Ye Shaohua for so long, Liu’er had gained some insight into the ways of the world.
Ye Jin’s words sounded pleasant enough—Aunt Mei had been back for nearly a year, yet she only found time after the Fourth Young Master achieved top honors in the exams.
Did Liu’er believe that for a second?
Nowadays, seeing Ye Qingweng didn’t even faze her, let alone merely encountering Ye Jin. “Third Young Miss, please wait here. I’ll go inform Aunt Mei of your arrival.”
Ye Jin smiled as she waited outside, yet inwardly, she felt extremely uncomfortable.
She was unaccustomed to the sudden air of superiority from the people in Aunt Mei’s courtyard.
In the past, whenever she came to visit Aunt Mei, Aunt Mei would be overjoyed; where would there ever be a need to wait outside?
Only now did Ye Jin realize that things had truly changed.
After a moment, Liu’er came out and invited Ye Jin inside.
It was currently the second month, and the weather in the capital was still cold—one’s breath formed little puffs of white mist in the air.
The Ye Mansion was not as prosperous as it appeared on the surface. Moreover, Ye Qingweng was merely a minor official of the fourth rank; even the Old Matriarch’s rooms didn’t indulge in burning large amounts of high-quality charcoal.
Let alone Ye Jin—she had only been allocated a share once.
The rest consisted of ordinary, smoky charcoal that stung the eyes. After using it once, Ye Jin would rather endure the cold than use it again.
Unexpectedly, Aunt Mei’s room was as warm as spring.
Not a trace of charcoal smell could be detected inside.
“So it’s Jin Niang,” Aunt Mei said, having Liu’er take the glass cup brought by Ye Jin and casually placing it to the side without a closer look. “What brings you here today?”
“I came to see Auntie and Fourth Younger Brother,” Ye Jin replied, lowering her head and eyes as she stepped forward to massage Aunt Mei’s shoulders. “Where is Fourth Younger Brother?”
Aunt Mei let out a derisive laugh.
She opened her mouth, about to say something, when someone announced that the Fourth Young Master had returned.
Aunt Mei sprang to her feet, thrusting the hand-warmer into Ye Shaohua’s hands, which still bore traces of snowflakes.
She then took her cloak and replaced it with a woolen cloak Liu’er brought over, draping it over Ye Shaohua. “Why did you go out drinking again today?”
With one hand holding the warmer and the other accepting a cup of hot tea from Liu’er, Ye Shaohua took a deep breath. “Someone sought me out today. Look, Yang Ziji asked me to bring you a gift.”
As she spoke, she gestured for the servant behind her to present the gift to Aunt Mei.
Aunt Mei had known Yang Ziji for a long time and wasn’t surprised by the gift, merely muttering about why he kept sending presents.
Once warmed up, Ye Shaohua seemed to notice Ye Jin for the first time and remarked with a faint, mocking smile, “What wind blows Third Young Miss here today?”
Ye Shaohua wore a white brocade robe inside, over which the woolen cloak was draped. Her face was exceptionally fair, handsome with a sharp edge. The slight lift of her delicate jawline naturally exuded the air of a pampered young noble.
Born with an elegant, charming demeanor, her snow-white robe was spotless.
Such features on anyone else might seem effeminate, but on her—a playboy who could outdo any man in revelry—no one gave it a second thought.
Now, the fur trim around her neck softened the sharpness of her features, allowing even those who previously dared not look directly at her to steal a few extra glances.
Ye Jin clenched her fingers, forcing a smile. “I came to see Aunt Mei and you, Fourth Younger Brother.”
Inwardly, however, she was astonished. She had long heard rumors in the mansion that Young General Yang was quite familiar with Ye Shaohua.
She never expected it to be true.
“Aunt Mei and I are both well, no need for your concern.” Ye Shaohua, who understood exactly what Ye Jin was thinking, scoffed lightly and paid her no further mind, turning directly to return to her own room.
Never before had Ye Jin been treated like this by Aunt Mei and Ye Shaohua. Her face stiffened, yet she couldn’t bring herself to leave.
Over the past three years, Ye Shaohua’s circle of friends had expanded beyond just Yang Ziji.
Those friends she drank with all had influential backgrounds.
Knowing that Ye Shaohua cared most about Aunt Mei, these friends, including Yang Ziji, always sent gifts aimed at pleasing Aunt Mei’s heart.
Because Ye Shaohua was peculiar—there was hardly anything she fancied.
Those who failed to gift her something she liked could only take a roundabout approach and seek Aunt Mei’s favor instead.
Especially Yang Ziji; whenever he encountered trouble and failed to get Ye Shaohua’s help, he would immediately come to Aunt Mei, acting cute, and succeed.
To the point where Aunt Mei still thought Yang Ziji was a well-behaved darling, claiming that the rumors outside were completely unreliable.
Making Ye Shaohua, upon hearing this, roll her eyes in exasperation.
Naturally, the gifts these people sent Aunt Mei were nothing ordinary—each was virtually priceless. Aunt Mei, confined to the inner chambers and not born into an official’s family, had never seen such rare items before.
But that didn’t mean Ye Jin failed to recognize them.
Not to mention the curly-haired dog Liu’er was holding.
Even the clothes Liu’er wore were made of fine silk, superior to what Ye Jin, a legitimate young miss, possessed.
Ye Jin couldn’t help but think: once Ye Shaohua achieved the title of Zhuangyuan (top scholar in the palace examination), and with such a substantial dowry…
Not to mention marrying the Third Prince as a secondary consort; even becoming his principal wife wasn’t impossible!
Leaving aside the changes within the Ye family, for the Palace Examination was fast approaching.
The entire Ye household was on edge. The night before the examination, Aunt Mei couldn’t sleep; she got up in the middle of the night to sew a piece of clothing.
This time, the whole family attached great importance. The Old Matriarch bathed early and awaited news from outside.
Seeing the Old Matriarch so busily and joyfully occupied,
And the entire household revolving around Aunt Mei—where was the respect for her, the principal wife, at a time like this?
“If Ye Shaohua ends up with a second-tier Jinshi placement, that would be quite amusing,” Madam Ye whispered viciously. “Look at him—after the metropolitan exam, all he did was play around every day. When did he ever study seriously?”
The more she thought about it, the more possible it seemed.
