I served as Li Bai's page.

After the carriage left, I stuffed two silver dollars and another flask of wine into Sun Fan's hand and said:

"Don't be afraid. Everyone encounters many dangerous or unpleasant things in life; just face them bravely. Go back now, don't keep Grandpa waiting."

"I don't want the money or the wine. I smashed the wine you gave Grandpa, so I can't take yours anymore," Sun Fan said.

"Just take it. You're a boy, don't be afraid of anything. Go back now."

Sun Fan stood there dumbfounded, holding the money and the wine, not knowing what to do.

Pingyang said to me, "Uncle, let's go back with him and visit Grandpa Sun while we're at it."

Boqin said, "Okay, let's go to the docks and have some fun."

Pingyang took the wine jug from Sun Fan, and Boqin took Sun Fan's hand. The four of us walked together toward the dock inside the East Gate.

Along the way, Pingyang and Boqin tried their best to cheer Sun Fan up, and gradually Sun Fan recovered from his earlier fright. When we arrived at the East Gate Wharf, Sun Fan was already chatting and laughing. Grandpa Sun had just brought the boat close to the wharf and called out to Sun Fan:

"Why are you only just getting back? I've already made two business trips."

Pingyang and Boqin shouted loudly, "Grandpa Sun!"

Grandpa Sun stepped off the boat and said, "Miss and Young Master are here. Come in for dinner."

"Grandpa Sun, we're not going. I just brought them to the dock for a bit. You guys go make your money," I said.

Pingyang handed the wine jug to Grandpa Sun, saying, "Grandpa, here's a jug of wine for you. Drink some when you're tired."

"How can I accept your wine, Miss? You mustn't," Grandpa Sun said.

"Grandpa Sun, please accept this. We often eat the fish you catch, and we've never been polite." As I spoke, I took the wine from Pingyang and placed it in Grandpa Sun's hand.

At this moment, Sun Fan took out the two silver dollars from his pocket and placed them in Grandpa Sun's hand, saying:

"Grandpa, here are these two silver dollars."

"How could you take money from Miss Sun's family?" Grandpa Sun glared at Sun Fan and said.

"This isn't something we gave him; it's compensation from someone else. Grandpa Sun, please accept it," Pingyang said.

"Why did someone compensate you? Did someone bully you?" Grandpa Sun looked at Sun Fan anxiously.

"Grandpa Sun, Brother Sun Fan was almost hit by the carriage," Bo Qin said, tugging at Grandpa Sun's clothes.

Grandpa Sun anxiously pulled Sun Fan over and looked him over from head to toe, fearing that something might happen to his grandson.

"Grandpa Sun, don't worry, Sun Fan was just startled, he's fine," I said.

Grandpa Sun breathed a long sigh of relief and said, "It's good that you're alright. Be careful when you walk in the future, and stay to the side, understand?"

"I understand, Grandpa. I will definitely remember your words," Sun Fan replied.

"Alright, it's all over now, Sun Fan. You and Grandpa go back to the boat. We're going to stroll around and head home too," I said.

"Pingyang, Boqin, be careful on your way. I'll come to your house when I have time." Sun Fan looked at Pingyang and Boqin with reluctance and followed Grandpa Sun onto the boat.

I took my two children and strolled back to the main street. We bought some wine and food, and also bought a few scallion pancakes from a pancake stall. By the time we got home, it was already past noon.

When Li Bai saw us enter the courtyard, he said loudly:

"Are you trying to starve me to death? Don't you know what time it is?"

I took out a flatbread and handed it to Boqin, saying, "Give this to Father so he can eat it first. Uncle will go cook right away."

I went to the kitchen and, with Pingyang's help, prepared lunch. Li Bai ate while asking:

"Excuse me, is this for lunch or dinner?"

"Of course it's lunch. We'll have 'jumping fish' for dinner. It was a gift from Brother Sun Fan," Bo Qin said.

"Did you go to the docks again? No wonder you took so long," Li Bai asked.

Pingyang said, "We weren't originally going, but Sun Fan got scared, so we took him back." Then she told Li Bai about their experience, concluding, "That auntie was so fierce."

"You must be careful when you go out in the future. You must have Uncle Yuehua with you before you can go out," Li Bai said.

"Yes, Father," the two children replied in unison.

Days passed by one after another. Apart from the daily necessities of life, I watched Pingyang and Boqin grow up day by day. Life lost its novelty, and Li Bai seemed a little impatient, but he dared not leave home to wander like before.

"Yuehua, it's been a long time since I heard from Danqiu Sheng and Cen Xun. I'd like to go to Mount Song." Li Bai said to me in his study that day.

"Go ahead, I'll take good care of Pingyang and Boqin," I said.

"Then I'll set off tomorrow."

"Is Twelfth Brother home?" Li Bai had just finished speaking when Li Youcheng's voice came from outside the door.

"My father is at home, Fifteenth Uncle, are you looking for my father?" Pingyang and Boqin were playing in the yard when they heard the call, and Pingyang quickly answered.

Li Bai and I walked out of the study and saw Li Youcheng push open the courtyard gate and walk in.

As Li Youcheng walked, he excitedly said, "Twelfth Brother, my brother Li Lie brought a message saying he'll meet me in Yanzhou tomorrow. He has something important to say."

"Didn't he reveal anything about it?" Li Bai asked.

"No, the letter was for my mother. She said she'd find out when she got there."

"Then I'll have Yuehua make the preparations; our whole family will go tomorrow."

"Young Master, you go with the Fifteenth Young Master. We won't go. Boqin still has to go to school; we don't want him to fall behind in his studies," I said.

"Alright, you stay home and take good care of the two children. I'll take this opportunity during my trip to Yanzhou to pay a visit to the Governor of Yanzhou, my great-great-grandfather."

The next morning, Li Bai rode his horse and went to Yanzhou with Li Youcheng.

After Li Bai left, Pingyang asked me, "Uncle, did Father go to kiss his bride?"

"I don't know, why would you think that?" I asked Pingyang.

"Didn't Uncle Fifteen say that Uncle Li Lie asked Father to go? That day, Uncle Li Lie said he wanted to find Father a wife."

"Your memory is better than your uncle's; I've forgotten what Uncle Lie said."

Li Bai was gone for several months. Li Youcheng had already returned. When he came back, Li Bai told him to tell us that he was doing well and that we should take good care of ourselves.

With the year-end approaching, I was washing clothes and blankets with my two children by the fountain. They were happily playing in the water when there was a knock at the door. Pingyang called out loudly:

"Who is it?"

"Daughter, open the door, it's me, your father."

Pingyang and Boqin excitedly ran towards the courtyard gate, shouting as they ran, "Father's back!"

Pingyang opened the gate, and Li Bai and a beautiful young woman stood at the entrance. The two children froze on the spot.

Li Bai said, "Daughter, son, quickly greet Auntie."

Pingyang and Boqin ran towards me quickly. I stood up and looked at the woman. Wasn't this the woman from the carriage that day?

Li Bai walked in with a young woman and said to me:

"Yuehua, this is our new wife, Liu. She will be living with us from now on."

I walked over, bowed, and said, "Greetings, Madam. Please come in and have a seat."

At this moment, Liu probably recognized me and the two children. She smiled contemptuously, swayed her hips, took a step forward, and hooked her arm around Li Bai's as she walked towards the living room.