Secrets of the Inner Household

"Come here. Wash your hands."

Xie Hongwen obediently held out his hands while Shen Lantang poured water over them. He rubbed his little hands together as hard as he could.

Shen Lantang was his mother, but the two had almost never spent time alone. At meals and whenever they saw each other, they were always surrounded by people. Now, studying Xie Hongwen's round little face in the moonlight, Shen Lantang did something she had long wanted to do.

"Ah—"

Xie Hongwen jerked his head up. "Mother pinched me!"

"That's right. I pinched you because I like you. That was all motherly love," Shen Lantang declared shamelessly.

"Really?" Xie Hongwen's eyes sparkled. "Mother likes Hongwen?"

Once children grew old enough to understand things, they probably began to grasp what "mother" meant. It was only natural for them to seek a mother's love and care.

That was precisely why the Xie Family had sought a second wife. A child needed a mother while growing up. Even a stepmother who comforted, understood, and cared for him was better than leaving that place empty throughout his childhood. He would only learn the difference between a birth mother and a stepmother when he was older.

A kind lie was necessary. Besides, she was not entirely lying. Who didn't like a soft, cuddly little child? With that thought, Shen Lantang said with complete confidence:

"Of course Mother likes little Hongwen."

Xie Hongwen immediately broke into a huge smile and said without the slightest hesitation, "Hongwen likes Mother too!"

Shen Lantang clutched her chest. A direct hit.

"Do you really? How much do you like me?"

Xie Hongwen looked troubled. After a moment, he spread his arms in a great big circle.

"This, this much!"

"That much? Isn't that even more than you like your father?"

"Well, um..."

Just as Xie Hongwen was about to answer, Nanny Feng hurried in through the courtyard gate.

"Young Master!"

She rushed over and swept Xie Hongwen into her arms.

"How did you get out, Young Master? The nights are chilly; you'll catch cold. Where are Yingcao and Zhiyuan? How were they watching you?"

After scolding them in a flurry, Nanny Feng seemed to notice Shen Lantang at last. She bowed and said:

"Sorry for the trouble of looking after the Young Master, Madam. This old servant had to step away on an errand. Please forgive me."

Shen Lantang smiled gently. "It's quite all right. What matters is that he's safe."

"It's late. This old servant will take the Young Master inside to rest. Madam should rest early too." With that, she carried Xie Hongwen indoors.

It had all happened so quickly that Shen Lantang stared blankly as they disappeared behind the door. She lowered her gaze to her hand. Her fingertips could still feel Xie Hongwen's cheek.

So soft and plump. Perfect for pinching—

Shen Lantang's days returned to their old routine. She spent them eating, drinking, and keeping to herself behind closed doors, occasionally going out to "work."

One day, Shen Lantang came back from an outing and heard from a servant that Xie Hongwen had gone to the study to sit in on lessons.

Madam Qian, her elder sister-in-law, had two children. Her eldest, Xie Qin Yan, was six that year, and her daughter, Xie Ling Jia, was two and a half. Xie Qin Yan had returned from the provinces before the New Year and stayed to study. Xie Hongwen was not yet three and had not begun his formal education, but there was no harm in his listening to a lesson now and then when he had time. One could never learn too much.

That boy Xie Qin Yan had inherited the Xie Family's good looks and was quite handsome. Despite his young age, he carried himself like a stern little

CEO,

while Xie Hongwen's attempts to act like an old man were charming in their own way. Seeing the two of them always lifted Shen Lantang's spirits. It had been a while since she had treated herself to the sight of adorable children, so she decided to go and have a look.

The study had been established by the Xie Family's great-grandfather. Its first "beneficiary" had been the family's current patriarch, Xie Jin's grandfather. Perhaps because of its long history, the study was plainly furnished, but that only lent it the air of a scholar's "honorable poverty." Several teachers who had taught there had praised it.

Sunlight streamed in through the windows on both sides, spilling across the desks and floor like golden rice in a field. Standing in the corridor outside, Shen Lantang watched Xie Hongwen sit with his tiny back perfectly straight. In his still-babyish voice, he put on a solemn tone and recited each word distinctly:

"Heaven and earth, dark and yellow; the universe,

vast and boundless."

"...They yielded their thrones and gave away their kingdoms; there were Yu and Tang."

The teacher at the front nodded in satisfaction. "Good."

"That concludes today's lesson. Tomorrow, I'll check how much you've retained."

The two little boys raised their hands and gave the teacher a proper salute.

There was something delightful about children trying to act like adults.

Shen Lantang waited until the teacher had left the study before going in.

Clap, clap, clap— As she applauded, she said:

"Hongwen was wonderful. Mother saw how well you recited just now."

"Mother!"

Xie Hongwen looked proud, though he was clearly trying to hide it. The sight of him acting so grown-up brought a slight smile to Shen Lantang's lips.

"Did Mother come to see me?"

"Of course. I saw how well you did, Hongwen, and I'm proud to share in your achievement. By the way, do you know what that means?"

"I do!" Xie Hongwen said loudly. "It means Hongwen is happy, and Mother feels happy too!"

"That's right!"

Close enough. No problem!

"Aunt." Xie Qin Yan gave Shen Lantang a respectful bow.

At six, Xie Qin Yan's face was beginning to lose some of its childish roundness. She could already tell he would grow up to be very handsome. Everyone appreciated a good-looking face, and seeing him put Shen Lantang in a pleasant mood. She said to him with a composed smile:

"Good day, Qin Yan. How did your studies go today?"

"I studied diligently today, but my knowledge is still shallow. There is much I do not understand."

Shen Lantang replied gently, "You are still young and have only just begun your studies. That is why a teacher is here to guide you through what you do not understand. As the old sayings go, pulling up seedlings to help them grow only harms them, and haste makes waste. You must not rush for results and lose sight of why you study."

"I will remember your guidance, Aunt."