I served as Li Bai's page.

"Who is she, and why is she in our house?" Li Bai asked, his words mumbled.

"Young Master, why don't you lie down and rest for a while? Madam is back."

"Ziyan is back, is it true?" Li Bai asked, grabbing my hand.

"Young master, you're drunk. The new madam has returned."

Liu walked up to Li Bai, took his hand from mine, and said:

"My husband, I'm back. What's so good about wine? Look how drunk you are, you can't even recognize people."

Li Bai withdrew his hand from Liu's, closed his eyes, and lay down.

Having made a fool of herself, Liu stood in front of Li Bai for a while, then said to me:

"Yuehua, take good care of your young master. I'm going to bed."

"Yes, madam."

After Liu left, Li Bai kept calling out, "Drink!"

Bo Qin asked Li Bai softly:

"Daddy, would you like some water?"

"Cheers," Li Bai mumbled with his eyes closed.

"You two watch over your father, I'll go get some hangover soup," I said to the two children.

"Go ahead, Uncle, I'll wipe Father's face," Pingyang said.

I went to the kitchen and made Li Bai a strong hangover soup. I brought it to the study and helped Li Bai up. Li Bai thought it was wine and took it, saying, "You can drink as you like, I'll drink it all." This made the two children cover their mouths and laugh.

After drinking the hangover soup, Li Bai fell peacefully asleep. After helping the two children wash up, I also went back to my room to rest.

The next day, I woke up to the sound of Li Bai reading aloud. I quietly left my bedroom to go to the kitchen to make breakfast. Just as I stepped out of the bedroom door, Li Bai called out to me:

"Yuehua, come here. You've gotten too bold and disobedient, haven't you?"

"Young Master, I didn't disobey you. Madam came back on her own; I didn't go to pick her up. If you don't believe me, you can ask the two children."

"Of course you'll ask me, and I'll reiterate: my wife and I are not a good match. Don't force us together. I will talk to her and ask her to leave this home gracefully and rationally."

"Yes, young master, I'll do whatever you say. But, young master, I have a friendly reminder: Madam is not one to obey orders; you'll have to be careful."

"Thank you for reminding me. Just take care of the children and do your job; I'll handle the rest."

"Yes, young master."

I went to the kitchen to prepare breakfast; the two children and Liu were already up. After everyone finished breakfast, Li Bai said to me:

"Yuehua, take Pingyang to buy groceries, and while you're at it, take Boqin to the school."

"Yes, young master."

As I stepped out of the courtyard with my two children, I heard Li Bai say to Liu Shi:

"Madam, let's talk."

Pingyang gripped my hand tightly and asked worriedly:

"Uncle, will those two start arguing?"

"Don't worry, your father knows what he's doing. After we send Boqin to school, we'll go to the dock at the east gate of the city to see Sun Fan."

"Okay, but I'm still worried about Daddy."

Looking at Pingyang's melancholy eyes, I was speechless and could only lead Boqin out of the alley.

I took Pingyang for a stroll around the East Gate Wharf, but we didn't see Sun Fan or his boat. Pingyang had no interest in the scenery and kept urging us on:

"Uncle, let's go back. I wonder how Father and the others' talk went? I really dislike Aunt Liu; she always makes things difficult for Father."

"Father knows you're worried about him, so he wants Auntie to leave. We need to talk about it slowly. We need to give Father and Auntie time and space to talk alone. So, we'll have to wander around the dock for a while before we go back," I patiently explained to Pingyang.

Pingyang nodded as if he understood, then sat on the dock, staring blankly at the ships coming and going.

It was almost noon, and Pingyang and I had been at the dock for several hours. Li Bai and the others should have reached a conclusion by now. I took Pingyang's hand and said:

"Let's go home."

Pingyang looked at me with delight and asked, "Can we really go back now?"

"Let's go back and check. It's almost noon, everyone needs to eat."

Pingyang and I bought some vegetables and headed home. Before we even entered the courtyard, we heard Liu's crying and the sound of things being smashed.

Pingyang and I quickly pushed open the courtyard gate and went inside. We saw Li Bai standing angrily in the pavilion, while Liu was in the study, smashing books all over the floor and even throwing the inkstone off the desk, shattering it on the floor. Liu was venting her anger while crying and cursing loudly:

"I'll teach you a lesson for lying to me! You tricked me into your hands and then dumped me, Li Bai! I'm not finished with you!"

Li Bai replied, "Our relationship was mutual; I never forced you. We simply couldn't get along, so breaking up was the right choice. Please be rational, okay?"

"Sure, just compensate me the amount I said, and I'll leave immediately," Liu said.

"I really don't have that much money left. Didn't you search every room?"

"I don't care, don't even think about letting me leave without paying."

Liu walked out of the study and sat down on a chair on the balcony, revealing a scoundrel's face.

Pingyang and I came to Li Bai's side, and I quietly asked Li Bai:

"Young Master, this is quite troublesome, isn't it?"

"She wants ten taels of silver, but I don't have that much. Do you have any left?" Li Bai asked me.

"I do have some, but that's about all I have. Giving her that wouldn't even cover her food expenses," I said.

"Go get it for her. I don't want to see her for another second," Li Bai ordered me.

I went to the bedroom and took out the last nine taels of silver. Li Bai took out another tael from his pocket, making a total of ten taels.

"Yuehua, take this to her and tell her to leave immediately."

I took the silver, went to the study to find a brush and ink, and took some paper. I came to Liu and said:

"Madam, here is ten taels of silver. Please give us a receipt."

"What receipt? Give me the money!" Liu, her face full of anger, tried to snatch the silver from my hand. I raised the silver in my hand, took a step back, and said:

"No receipt, no money. You can stay, fine, but you'll have to do everything yourself. I won't help you. You'll have to cook for yourself."

"How dare you, a mere servant, speak to me like that? Is there no law left?" Liu roared at me.

"I am a servant, but not your servant. Please understand that. I mean what I say." After saying that, I turned and walked into the living room.

Seeing my resolute attitude, Liu followed me into the living room and said:

"Give me a pen, I'll write."

"You must also write: From this day forward, I have no further connection with Li Bai."

Liu handed me the written agreement. I glanced at it and found it basically met the requirements, so I gave her ten taels of silver and said to her:

"Madam, please pack your things. I'll cook lunch, and after lunch I'll take you back to Liu Village."

Knowing that Li Bai's mind was made up and there was no hope of changing it, Liu stopped crying and silently went to the bedroom to pack her things.

I went to the kitchen to prepare lunch when Li Bai came in and asked:

"Did she accept the money?"

"I've accepted it. There's a written agreement as proof. She'll be going back this afternoon," I said.

"You should take her home in a carriage; it's not safe for her to go back alone."

"Yes, young master, I'll take her home after dinner."