I served as Li Bai's page.

I went back to my room, grabbed a change of clothes, and took a hot shower at the public bathhouse. Aunt Zhang cooked me a bowl of noodles. After I finished eating, I went back to my room, where Li Bai and Xu Ziyan were waiting for me.

"Have you eaten? Come sit down and tell us about your parents-in-law," Xu Ziyan said.

I handed the clothes I was holding to Xiaoqian and said, "Xiaoqian, get the scissors and take the things out of this garment."

Xiaoqian took a pair of scissors, cut open the seam, and a pair of gold bracelets and a longevity lock fell out.

"No wonder it felt so awkward wearing it, always scratching me. So that's what it is," I said.

Li Bai picked up the gold bracelet and the longevity lock, handing them to Xu Ziyan and saying, "These are for you and the child. Take them."

Xu Ziyan took the bracelet and put it on her wrist, saying, "It fits perfectly."

Immediately afterward, silver notes and a letter fell out of her clothes. Xu Ziyan said, "Yuehua, why did you bring silver notes back? Weren't you supposed to build a pavilion for Yueyuan?"

"Didn't they send a letter after building the boudoir? Let's see what it says," I said.

Li Bai was unfolding a letter and reading it, his eyes filled with tears.

"My twelfth son, my daughter-in-law Ziyan, seeing this letter is like seeing you in person. Since receiving your letter, I have been eagerly awaiting your return to Shu to visit you. However, it was Yuehua who came to visit me. Yuehua told me the reason, and I was very happy. My grandson, whether male or female, you should do your best to raise him. I have a longevity lock to give to my grandson."

My dear daughter-in-law, Ziyan, though we have never met, seeing the portrait painted by Yuehua, I feel that we are very much destined for each other. My son is willing to stop for you, which shows how much you mean to him. Although we are separated by thousands of miles, as elders, we can only offer our sincere blessings. Here is a pair of ancestral gold bracelets for my daughter-in-law, wishing you and my son to be of one heart and mind forever.

My dearest son, you now have a family of your own. In your words and actions, you must prioritize your family and never act willfully. As for bringing honor to our ancestors, do your best; do not force it. Your father and mother only wish for your peace, health, and happiness. The embroidered pavilion you built for your sister is now complete, and she will choose an auspicious day to move in. Your father and mother eagerly await the day you return with your wife and children to enjoy family life together…

After reading the letter, Li Bai handed it to Ziyan, covered his face with his hands, and wept. Thinking of his parents' longing eyes, he couldn't control himself any longer and buried his face in his arms, sobbing uncontrollably. Xu Ziyan stepped forward, patted his back, and said:

"My husband, it's all my fault. I couldn't let you come home to reunite with your family. I've disappointed our parents."

Li Bai stopped crying, raised his head, and took Xu Ziyan's hand, saying, "How can I blame you? We have a child now; we should be happy. There's plenty of time in the future; we'll have time to go home. I should work even harder so that one day I can return to our hometown in glory with my wife and child."

To break the somber atmosphere, I walked up to Li Bai and Xu Ziyan and said:

"Although you didn't go home, you still received your New Year's red envelopes." I took out four red envelopes and placed them in their hands. Then I took out another red envelope and placed it in Xiaoqian's hand. Xiaoqian excitedly said, "I got one too? I'm so happy, thank you, sir and madam."

Li Bai and Xu Ziyan were immersed in the joy of opening red envelopes.

"Young master and young mistress, let's go back to our room and dismantle this. I want to rest," I said.

"Can't you go to sleep later? I want to hear you talk more," Li Bai said.

"My young master, I've been on a ship for over ten days, let me sleep." After saying that, I lay down on the bed, and Xiaoqian covered me with a blanket.

Li Bai said, "Are you really that sleepy? Ziyan, let's go back inside." After saying that, he took Ziyan's hand and went back inside.

The next morning, I saw Li Bai reading in the garden. Not wanting to disturb him, I sat by the window unpacking my luggage. Li Bai saw me and came over, asking, "Have you slept enough? Tell me about things at home."

"Take these banknotes and put them away for the young mistress first."

Li Bai walked towards his room with several stacks of silver notes in his hand.

A moment later, Li Bai and Xu Ziyan arrived. I helped Xu Ziyan to a chair and said, "Young Madam, you're not feeling well. You could have just called me. You didn't need to get up so early."

"I've been awake for a while, and I can't fall back asleep, so I might as well get up and go for a walk," Xu Ziyan said.

"You and the young master are both very eager to hear about the family situation, so I'll tell you now. Actually, when I returned home, the master was still in Rencheng, Donglu. He didn't come back until the end of the year. The master and mistress are both in good health, and everyone in the family is doing well. The mistress has managed the household very well, and the people are still the same as before. After I gave the money to the mistress, Uncle Lu invited a feng shui master to look at the site the next day, and construction started at noon on the third day. It was only completed in March of this year. I've drawn a diagram for you; this is what the embroidered pavilion looks like."

I took the map out of my bag, and Li Bai and Xu Ziyan unfolded it and looked at it carefully. Li Bai asked, "Were the bamboos all planted when you left?"

"It's planted well. Don't worry, with Uncle Lu taking such good care of it. Didn't Miss write you a letter?"

"The young lady wrote to reassure me that I would take care of my parents, and also said that she didn't blame me for what happened to Brother Zhinan. She also thanked us for building him a pavilion, but said nothing else," Li Bai said.

"Your family misses you all very much. Ziyi has grown into a fine young man. The master and mistress have told the young master to drink less alcohol," I said.

"I haven't had a drink in a long time. If you don't believe me, ask the young mistress, right, Ziyan?"

Xu Ziyan glanced at Li Bai and said, "If you don't drink in front of me, who knows if you drink at the Taoist temple up there? Or if you often drink in Jiangling?"

"What are you going to Jiangling for? Master Sima has already returned to Tiantai Mountain," I asked.

"I just went out for a walk to clear my head, and I don't go there often," Li Bai explained.

"Whether you've had any or not, listen to your master and mistress, and drink less in the future. After you have children, you should drink even less; that's what your mistress said."

Just then, Xiaoqian came in and asked, "Miss, shall I take your breakfast to your room?"

"No need, I'll eat at the restaurant with you."

Li Bai helped Xu Ziyan up, and Xiaoqian and I followed behind them toward the restaurant.

Upon arriving at the dining room, I saw that the second and third concubines were already seated in the hall. I greeted them, "Hello, second and third concubines."

"Yuehua is back. She went out for a while and her skin has darkened," said the third concubine.

"With wind and rain on the road, it's no wonder they get tanned. The master is afraid of being tired, so he sends the servants home. That's the hardship of being a servant," said the second concubine.

"Thank you for your understanding of the servants, Second Madam, but I think it's alright. At least my young master never beats or scolds the servants."

The second concubine, feeling slighted, turned her face away.

Mr. Xu and Mrs. Xu entered the restaurant.

"Good morning, sir and madam," I said.

"Good morning, everyone, come and eat. Yuehua, you go and eat too," said Master Xu.

"I'm not in a hurry. Please have a seat, sir." I pulled out a chair for Mr. Xu, and he sat down.

After serving the masters their meal, Xiaoqian and I went into the dining room to eat.

Li Bai helped Xu Ziyan walk into the garden, saying, "Yuehua, Xiaoqian, we'll be waiting for you in the garden."