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His mother hadn't lied to him. This fairy sister was so pretty!

The polite greeting Qi Tongjun had prepared vanished at his innocent words. Caught between laughter and embarrassment, Shen Lantang turned and patted his little head.

"Call her Auntie."

Xie Hongwen promptly chirped, "Hello, Auntie!"

"Hello to you too, little Hongwen."

Qi Tongjun knew Xie Hongwen, of course. She led them toward her residence. Tan Shaoyuan was from the Tan Family's second branch. After the family patriarch passed away, the branches had divided the household. Qi Tongjun and her husband now lived with his parents. Besides the two of them, there was a married second son and a daughter who had yet to wed, so it was not a particularly crowded home.

Tan Shaoyuan was the eldest son, and his courtyard was quite large. His care was evident everywhere along the way. Shen Lantang saw koi playing in the pond, great lotus blossoms spread across the water, and crape myrtles blooming brilliantly along the bank. She smiled.

"Sister, your flowers are blooming beautifully."

"I've never had much to do, so I like pottering around at home. One thing leads to another, and the days pass by."

Before long, they reached Qi Tongjun's courtyard. Besides the flower beds, it had a flower-covered walkway twined with little blossoms. Several long wooden benches stood beneath it, while a stone table and stools sat near the entrance. It was clearly a place to enjoy the cool air, admire the view, and chat.

Servants brought tea and snacks from the house, along with Plum Drink chilled with ice.

"I didn't expect you to visit, Madam. I'm afraid we weren't properly prepared. Please forgive me."

"Not at all. I came without warning."

"Mother, look!"

Xie Hongwen pointed excitedly at a yellow-and-white cat on the roof. "Kitty!"

"Does Hongwen like cats?"

Qi Tongjun waved a hand, and a servant carried out a little gray puppy from the house. Xie Hongwen grew even more excited.

"Is Hongwen sensitive to animal fur?"

"He's never had any trouble with it. It's fine. Yingcao, Zhiyuan, play with the young master for a while."

With their mistress's permission, the two maids set Xie Hongwen down and let him chase the cat and dog all over the courtyard.

Shen Lantang had to admit the scene felt wonderfully lived-in. The courtyard alone felt like a home. At her place, apart from the kitchen and her bedroom, everything was exactly as it had been when she moved in.

The Plum Drink quenched their thirst, but these days, failing to serve tea to a guest would still be considered rude.

Qi Tongjun sat at the stone table and prepared tea for Shen Lantang. Holding a tea tong made of aged wood, she placed a tea bowl in the rinsing vessel and steeped it in hot water. Steam rose slowly in white wisps, veiling her face as though it had been brushed with a soft, alluring glow. Shen Lantang felt as if she were looking at Xi Shi beside the Silk-Washing River, or Yang Guifei dancing in Chang'an. She couldn't help thinking:

People in ancient times really knew how to feast their eyes!

After a while, the tea boiled. Shen Lantang lifted a cup and took a gentle sip. The moment it touched her lips, a thought flashed through her mind:

I really should make milk tea. With ice.

"Oh, right, Sister. I brought you a gift."

Qi Tongjun looked surprised. "You brought me a gift?"

"Of course." Shen Lantang beckoned, and Lan Xin took a pouch from her sleeve. Inside was a celadon jade comb carved with winding peonies.

Jade combs were hardly rare in this

era,

but the pattern on this one was exceptionally beautiful. The comb was a bestseller at their shop and had ranked among its top three products every year since its debut.

"What a beautiful jade comb!"

"Isn't it? I thought so too. The peony pattern reminded me of you."

Peonies were a symbol of wealth and splendor, after all.

"Oh, and there's this hairpin too."

Shen Lantang smiled. "There's a little cat dangling from it. I thought it was charming, so I brought it along. I didn't expect it to be so perfect for you. It's only missing a puppy."

Beneath the bead on the hairpin hung a kitten curled around itself, so endearingly comical that it made people laugh. It would be lovely to take out and admire at home now and then.

"You even prepared gifts for me, Lantang, but I have nothing interesting at hand to give you in return. How discourteous of me."

"Don't worry about it."

Shen Lantang waved a hand and said lightly, "You can bring me something next time you visit my home, or when we go out together."

Qi Tongjun paused, then smiled.

"All right."

The two chatted all morning. Friendship between women often deepened over gossip, grumbling, and conversations that wandered everywhere under the sun. Shen Lantang's knowledge of poetry and the classics was only skin-deep, but she had plenty of "expertise" when it came to jewelry, fashion, food, and pleasure. Qi Tongjun loved the finer things in life too, and their shared interests kept them talking happily.

Though Shen Lantang had a particular soft spot for beauties, she had worried before coming that their views might not align. If they saw the world too differently, they would have little to say to each other.

That worry soon disappeared. Qi Tongjun was beautiful inside and out. Her generosity and kindness came through in every word. Under the beauty's gentle gaze, amid her gracious words and thoughtful care, Shen Lantang melted, ascended, and evolved!

Beautiful women were the best!

Their visit lasted until noon, when Shen Lantang finally prepared to leave.

"It's already noon. Stay for a simple meal."

"Thank you, but this child needs a nap after lunch. We'd better head back."

Shen Lantang stroked Xie Hongwen's little face as she spoke.

"In that case, I won't keep you. Let me see you out."

Qi Tongjun escorted Shen Lantang and the others out. As they passed through a covered passage, a young woman carrying a child approached. Qi Tongjun's steps faltered almost imperceptibly when she saw her. The woman's expression brightened as well, and she walked toward them with her head held high.

"Sister-in-law, going out at midday?"

Qi Tongjun's smile did not change. Her gentle voice was like a lingering rain south of the Yangtze.

"A friend came to visit today. I'm seeing them out."

"A friend?" The woman covered her mouth and laughed.

"I forgot. Sister-in-law had so many friends even before she married. But now that you're a Tan wife, you ought to think more about the family than spending time with friends. Giving Eldest Brother children soon is what matters."