Someone in Her Heart

"Madam, I have no experience in managing a household. I wonder when is it too early to learn how to employ people?"

Lin Yunwan looked puzzled, seemingly just curious.

Zheng Shi clenched her handkerchief, but did not reply immediately.

As the legal mother, she could arrange things however she wanted, but feeling guilty, she couldn't think of a way to object. She pursed her lips and said, "... Take it one step at a time. There's no such thing as instant success in managing a household."

Lin Yunwan smiled faintly and didn't press the matter further.

Wen Mu sat beside her, her eyes darting around... Zheng Shi clearly didn't care about this stepdaughter, yet she promised a generous dowry to marry her off. Would Zheng Shi really keep her promise?

She looked at her son again, not even glancing at Lin Yunwan. She really was... too timid!

Wenhai.

"Ah... Mother? You called me?"

Wenhai stood up, head bowed.

Wen Mu twitched the corners of her mouth. Her son was good in every way, except that he lacked any manliness!

She felt she had to help her son, so she said, "The snacks on your table were given to you by your maternal aunt, but how can you eat them all by yourself? Why don't you let your sister have some too?"

These are pastries from the Lin Residence; how could a young lady of the Lin family not have the chance to taste them?

Unable to refuse his mother, Wenhai obediently stood up with the snacks, but didn't know which sister to give them to first.

Nanny Fan entered and bowed slightly to report, "Madam, the manager of the Gold and Silver department has come to deliver the account books."

These were all things that Nanny Fan had to handle in her old age, and Zheng Shi never worried about them. As long as she was in the know, she could just check on them occasionally.

"Go and collect it for me."

"Yes."

Taking the opportunity, Lin Yunwan stood up and said, "Madam, I'll go with Nanny Fan and see how she collects the account books."

I was just saying I'd teach my stepdaughter how to manage a household, and here comes the opportunity.

Zheng Shi couldn't forcefully stop him, so she said, "Go!"

Lin Yunwan left with Nanny Fan.

Wenhai, having no other choice, offered the snacks to Lin Yunjiao and said in a low voice, "... younger female cousin, have some snacks."

"Whispering sound."

Lin Yunjiao refused to accept it, nor did she allow the maid to do so.

Wenhai blushed with embarrassment, silently reciting, "A good man doesn't argue with a woman."

He placed the snacks in front of Lin Yunjiao, then sat back down, looking very awkward.

Zheng Shi found him annoying and sent Wen Mu and Lin Yunjiao away. Nanny Fan also returned and asked her, "How is Eldest Miss learning about collecting debts?"

Nanny Fan paused for a moment before saying, "The Eldest Miss just sat there listening, not asking me anything. I don't know if she understood anything."

"Of course I didn't understand!"

"If I could just sit there and know how to read the ledgers, all my years of housekeeping skills would have been for nothing!"

Nanny Fan chimed in, "Madam is right."

Thinking of Wenhai, Zheng Shi frowned and said, "What a good-for-nothing! He doesn't even dare to speak to Yun Wan. How can they get married like this?"

Nanny Fan said, "This is not the Cousin Young Master's fault. It was an arranged marriage by their parents and a matchmaker, and it was all because the master refused to agree. If the master had agreed, the Cousin Young Master would have been a great man in everything he did!"

"Madam, you still need to work on the master."

Zheng Shi's eyes lit up, and she smiled, "That makes sense. She's a young lady, whether she agrees or not... we still need to find a way to get the master's approval."

She was also very worried. "We can't let her learn to be a housekeeper... we have to get rid of her quickly!"

"She said she wants to choose a maid, so you should help her with that. Otherwise, she'll complain to the master."

"She's very popular with the Old Madam now, who knows what she's saying about me behind my back."

We have to put on a show of politeness.

Nanny Fan comforted Zheng Shi, saying, "... Eldest Miss wouldn't dare, and the Old Madam wouldn't allow Eldest Miss to do such an unruly thing."

Zheng Shi was still anxious.

Her stepmother has a bad reputation now. She's not afraid of anything else, but what if she ruins her Jiao'er's marriage?

After Lin Huabin returned from the yamen, he went to the study first before going to Zheng Shi's place.

Seizing the opportunity, Zheng Shi quickly brought up Lin Yunwan's matter. "Master, you don't know, the Eldest Miss is now very close to that boy Wenhai."

Lin Huabin didn't believe it.

Yun Wan is a strong-willed girl; she's already rejected him, so why would she possibly be interested in Wenhai again?

Perhaps Zhao Jingyi raised this girl to be arrogant and haughty, making her look down on the young scholar.

Although he felt that Wenhai and Yun Wan were a good match.

"Master, please don't disbelieve me. Call Nanny Zhao over and ask her. Yun Wan has been frequently visiting me to pay her respects lately. Do you know why?"

Zheng Shi tried her best to persuade her husband.

Lin Huabin laughed, "Why are you keeping me in suspense? Just tell me everything!"

Zheng Shi helped him undress, she said with a smile, "Yun Wan came over because Wenhai often comes to keep me and his mother company."

"Earlier, Yun Wan didn't know that Wenhai was an honest and talented young man. Being a shy girl, even if she changed her mind, she wouldn't say it outright. But if she didn't have these feelings, she wouldn't be coming to my place every day."

"Think about it, the Eldest Miss spent the whole day learning from Nanny Fan, and then rushed over to see Wenhai. Does she really have no other intentions at all?"

Lin Huabin was actually somewhat persuaded.

Zheng Shi said coquettishly, "You're a man after all. You don't understand a young girl's feelings at all."

"How can you let the girl propose marriage herself?"

"I've always obeyed my parents' wishes; it's been this way since ancient times, and there's a reason for it."

Lin Huabin pondered for a moment, then said, "You're right."

Ultimately, doesn't it still come down to Zhao Jingyi has the final say?

Why doesn't he just go directly to Zhao Jingyi? Why wait for that girl to nod in agreement?

As long as Zhao Jingyi is satisfied and thanks him, isn't that enough?

"Master, our Jiao'er is not a child anymore. We can't keep delaying things for Yun Wan... Hmm? Am I right?"

Zheng Shi was stunned halfway through his sentence.

How come she's right all of a sudden?!

Overjoyed, she exclaimed, "So you agree to this marriage?!"

Lin Huabin didn't nod. He didn't even bother to change his clothes; he just put them on and said, "I'm going out for a bit. I won't be having dinner at home tonight."

He walked away in high spirits.

In fact, Wenhai is a good husband, without any bad qualities; he is truly a perfect match.

Yun Wan was, after all, just a young lady from a sheltered family; she would only realize his good intentions after she married him.

How will Zhao Jingyi thank him then?

"Miss, Nanny Fan just came over and said that you can go to the Discussion Hall to choose a maid tomorrow."

Xiruo came in to deliver a message, but saw Lin Yunwan lost in thought, holding a gold hairpin.

"Girl?"

Lin Yunwan put down the gold hairpin, paused for a moment, and then said, "I understand."

She put away the hairpin, feeling a little agitated.

In her previous life, she was the mistress of the house for twenty years, managing the Inner Residence, raising children, and caring for her husband.

She did everything a woman should do.

She was never a real woman, and she didn't know what it felt like to have someone in your heart.