I served as Li Bai's page.

"Mr. Li, why don't you and your family come out for a stroll?"

As we walked down the street, we encountered people everywhere who greeted the master, and he returned their greetings one by one.

Ziyi and I are no longer bound by the master and mistress; we can eat and buy whatever we want.

"Purple Robe, let's go buy some candied hawthorns." I saw a candied hawthorn vendor on the street, so we went up to him and bought one skewer for each of us.

When I handed the candied hawthorns to the master and mistress, the master said, "I don't want them. I haven't eaten these in years. I'm afraid they'll make my teeth ache from the sourness." Although he said he didn't want them, he still reached out and took them.

The lady said, "Take this; it's a little something from the child. It's sweet and sour, and delicious."

We wandered around the streets of Qinglian Town until it was almost dark before returning to Longxi Courtyard.

Aunt Lu and Aunt Chen went to the kitchen to prepare dinner, but we young people couldn't eat anymore.

Staying up late to welcome the New Year was tough; my wife would occasionally tap me on the head. My midnight snack was sweet fermented rice with poached eggs, cooked by Aunt Lu. I managed to stay awake until midnight.

As soon as midnight struck, the New Year arrived. We young people knelt before our elders and said in unison, "Happy New Year, Master, Madam, Uncle Lu, Aunt Lu, Uncle Chen, and Aunt Chen!"

Everyone received another red envelope.

"On behalf of the young master and young mistress, Yuehua kowtows to the elders, wishing them a happy new year, good health, and peace!"

The lady said, "Get up quickly."

The young master and young mistress received another portion.

The New Year passed quickly, and the construction site behind Longxi Courtyard was bustling with activity again. On the day the project was completed, a large banquet was held at Longxi Courtyard, with over a dozen tables set up. The master gave a speech, saying:

"Dear neighbors, relatives, and friends, thank you all for your support in building my house. My son spared no expense in building this house for his sister, which shows the deep affection between them. On behalf of my son, I thank you all." The old man said, bowing to everyone.

"We've prepared a simple drink today; I hope everyone will enjoy it to the fullest." The master finished speaking and raised his glass: "Come, let's drink together!"

After the embroidered pavilion was completed, Uncle Lu bought a lot of bamboo from the market and planted it around the pavilion. Yueyuan was very satisfied with her new home.

"Yuehua, when you go back, please thank my brother and sister-in-law for me. Tell my brother not to worry, I will take good care of our parents for him," Yueyuan said.

"Miss, I will certainly convey your message."

In the season of spring warmth and blooming flowers, my master was going to Rencheng in Donglu, and I should also return to Anlu. My master asked me to go with him so that we could look after each other on the way.

"Yuehua, we're leaving tomorrow, so please get ready," the master said.

"My things are all ready, and I can leave at any time," I said to the master.

That evening, Madam called me into her room. Yueyuan was also there. Madam took out a garment and said, "I had Aunt Lu sew some money and two letters into this garment. One is from Master and me to the young master and young mistress, and the other is from Yueyuan to his brother and sister-in-law. You should wear it; it's safer that way."

"Okay, I will take good care of it. After I leave, please take care of yourselves. Don't worry about the young master; he will write to you often," I said.

The lady said, "When he brings letters back later, you can draw some pictures inside them and bring them back with you."

"Madam, I will certainly comply."

The master said, "Tell your young master to settle down and stop running around. Now that he has a child, it's his responsibility to set a good example and educate him properly."

"I will tell him. Don't worry, sir."

The next morning, Uncle Chen hitched up the carriage, and I sat in the driver's seat, saying to him, "Uncle Chen, you sit inside, I'll drive."

The lady and her whole family saw us off at the gate of Longxi Courtyard, giving us endless words of advice.

The woman in purple rode her horse and accompanied us for a long way.

"Purple Robe, you can go back now. Don't bother seeing me off."

"Yuehua, you must take good care of the young master. Come back for the New Year."

"Alright, you can go back now, Purple Robe, goodbye."

"goodbye."

The man in purple reluctantly stopped, and only turned back after we had disappeared from his sight.

After I arrived in Changlong County with my master, I said to him, "Master, I'd rather take a boat from Yuzhou. I'm not familiar with the other routes. You and Uncle Chen can take the carriage."

"We'll take you to Yuzhou and watch you board the ship before we leave. Traveling by water would be a long detour, so we dare not take that route," the master said.

After the master took me to Yuzhou, he went to the street and bought some gifts for me to take to his in-laws. When we arrived at the dock, there happened to be a passenger ship going to Jinling. There were several people on the ship, and the master decided to let me take this ship, thinking that it would be better to have more people to look after each other.

"Yuehua, take this boat and go. Remember to take good care of the young master."

"I know, sir. Please be careful on your journey with Uncle Chen. I'm off." I picked up my luggage and boarded the passenger ship. The sir watched me until I was out of sight. Perhaps in his eyes, I had become the shadow of the young master.

After more than ten days of rough seas, the passenger ship arrived in Jiangling. I disembarked with my luggage, intending to find a carriage to return to Anlu. But then I saw a familiar carriage driving towards me, and the driver was none other than Li Bai.

"Young master, over here." I waved my hands.

Li Bai stopped his carriage in front of me, jumped off, and hugged me tightly, saying, "I've been waiting for you here for more than ten days. As soon as the Yangtze River thawed, I figured you should be back, so I came to wait for you."

"Are you stupid? Just wait at home."

"I want you to come back soon. I want to know how my parents are. Please tell me."

"The master and mistress are both well, your sisters are well too, and the Yueyuan Embroidery Pavilion is finished. You can rest assured," I said briefly.

"Get in the carriage. You ride, I'll drive," Li Bai said as he helped my luggage onto the carriage.

"Let me do it, young master. It wouldn't look good if Master Xu and Madam Xu saw us when we arrived at the Xu family home."

"That's just how their family is; they have to categorize everything into different levels, which makes them feel quite uncomfortable," Li Bai said.

"Young master, when in Rome, do as the Romans do." I said, and sat down in the driver's seat. Li Bai sat next to me. We headed towards Anlu.

When they returned to the Xu family home in Da'an Mountain, it was getting dark. Xiaoqian was helping Xu Ziyan, who was heavily pregnant, looking out from the doorway.

I jumped off the carriage and walked up to Xu Ziyan, saying, "Yuehua greets the young mistress."

"You're finally back! If you hadn't come back, your young master would have gone crazy," Xu Ziyan said.

"Young Madam, you're exaggerating. Come on, let's go back to the house." After I finished speaking, I went to the carriage to get the luggage. Xiaoqian quickly took it and carried it. Li Bai helped Xu Ziyan walk into the courtyard.

"Yuehua is back!" Uncle Wu called out. Master Xu and Madam Xu came out from the inner courtyard.

I handed them the gifts that Li Bai's father had bought, saying, "Master and Madam, these are gifts from my husband and wife for you. We couldn't bring too many, so we hope you won't find them inappropriate."

Master Xu accepted the gift and said, "You've come all this way, it must have been so kind of you. It's good you're back. You must be tired from the journey, go back to your room and rest. We can talk tomorrow."

"Yes, sir," I said.