Chapter Summaries

Chapter 101 Summary

Key plot points and events

• Zheng Wanru leaves with Xie Hongwen for an outing. She seems to hope Shen Lantang will react angrily, but Shen remains calm and politely sends them off.
• Rather than dwell on Zheng’s behavior, Shen focuses on her work at the shop, where she plans to inspect the first version of the Flower Crown. She tells Xie Jin she may be home late; he accepts this without objection.
• Zheng returns with Hongwen and remarks pointedly that Shen is out late despite being married. Xie Jin calmly explains that Zhaojing is safe and that Shen sometimes works late.
• Shen returns before dark and finds Xie Jin and Hongwen waiting for her dinner. The family shares a warm meal.
• In the days that follow, Shen deliberately withdraws from Zheng’s affairs, avoiding her whenever possible and leaving family matters to others. Xie Jin tells Xie Madam that Shen is unwell and eating separately.
• At a meal with Xie Madam and Xie Jin, Zheng hints that Shen’s late outings and absence are improper, seemingly trying to create suspicion. Xie Madam instead praises Shen’s business ability and reassures herself that she is well.

Character developments and interactions

• Shen Lantang stays composed when provoked and chooses work and distance over confrontation. She accepts the costs of her role without casting herself as a victim, while also asserting—through her withdrawal—that she need not take on every unwanted responsibility.
• Xie Jin supports Shen both privately and publicly: he accepts her work schedule, waits with Hongwen for dinner, and answers Zheng’s insinuations without turning against his wife.
• Zheng Wanru appears to test Shen’s temper and later tries to undermine her reputation through indirect comments. Her efforts meet little success.
• Xie Madam expresses concern for Shen and speaks positively of her, reinforcing Shen’s standing in the household.
• Xie Hongwen is eager for his mother to join dinner, underscoring the family’s affectionate routine.

Significant themes

• Boundaries and self-preservation: Shen limits her involvement in conflicts that are not hers and treats household duties as responsibilities with limits.
• Quiet resistance: Rather than openly arguing with Zheng, Shen refuses to give her the reaction she seeks and steps back from the situation.
• Trust and family support: Xie Jin and Xie Madam’s confidence in Shen counters Zheng’s attempts to sow doubt.
• Work and independence: Shen’s business responsibilities provide both purpose and an avenue for maintaining her autonomy.

Plot points and events

• At dinner, Xie Jin tells Zheng Wanru that Shen Lantang has been absent because the autumn hunt left her tired, and invites Zheng to visit again. Zheng agrees but conceals her displeasure.
• Later, Lantang spots Zheng returning from the main courtyard and tries to avoid her. Zheng catches up, acting wounded and asking whether Lantang is angry about her having spoken to Xie Jin.
• Lantang says she is simply shy, then offers Zheng a baffling string of advice about believing in the world, herself, and love. She uses the confusion to make a quick escape.
• Xie Jin, who has been nearby, reassures Zheng that Lantang is tired and encourages her to go out more rather than remain shut up at home. Zheng accepts politely, though she does not understand his meaning.
• When Lantang returns to the courtyard, servants report that young Xie Hongwen is ill and refusing food. She finds him in bed, apparently feigning sickness, and catches him when his temperature proves normal.
• Lantang playfully pinches his cheek and asks why he is pretending. Hongwen insists he has done nothing wrong, then refuses to explain.

Character developments and interactions

• Shen Lantang continues to avoid Zheng Wanru, openly choosing escape over getting drawn into her emotional displays. Her teasing, irreverent manner also appears in her exchange with Hongwen.
• Zheng Wanru maintains a meek, vulnerable façade, but her concealed reaction to Xie Jin’s invitation suggests resentment or ulterior motives. Lantang’s evasiveness and Xie Jin’s advice leave her confused.
• Xie Jin remains composed and courteous, supporting Lantang without openly criticizing Zheng. His suggestion that Zheng broaden her life hints that he sees through, or is wary of, her behavior.
• Xie Hongwen acts unusually subdued and pretends to be sick, but his reason remains unknown. Lantang responds with affectionate humor rather than alarm.

Significant themes

• Appearance versus reality: Zheng’s show of innocence and Hongwen’s illness are both presented as performances.
• Avoidance and indirect conflict: Lantang sidesteps confrontation with Zheng, while Xie Jin communicates his concerns through polite, measured advice.
• Affectionate family life: Lantang’s playful treatment of Hongwen contrasts with the tension surrounding Zheng.

Plot points

• Shen Lantang asks Xie Hongwen why he pretended to be sick. He admits he wants to avoid another outing with his aunt, Zheng Wanru.
• Hongwen explains that Zheng Wanru cries repeatedly during their outings—over ordinary sights and food—and often clings to him while she weeps.
• Skeptical, Shen Lantang agrees to hide nearby while Hongwen demonstrates. He invites Zheng Wanru in and offers her an apple, prompting her to cry and reminisce about her late sister.
• Shen watches as Zheng Wanru embraces Hongwen, who looks uncomfortable but patiently pats her back until she calms down.

Character developments and interactions

• Hongwen shows surprising maturity and consideration: despite being worn out by his aunt’s frequent crying, he comforts her and tries to prove his account to his mother.
• Shen Lantang takes his complaint seriously but remains wary of confronting Zheng Wanru directly; she prefers to observe from hiding.
• Zheng Wanru appears overwhelmed by grief and longing for her deceased sister. She expresses affection for Hongwen and a desire to stay close to him, but her emotional outbursts place a burden on the child.
• Mother and son share a warm, playful exchange, while Hongwen’s interaction with Zheng Wanru reveals both her deep sorrow and his growing fatigue.

Significant themes

• Grief and remembrance: Zheng Wanru’s memories of her sister surface in everyday moments.
• Children’s emotional labor: Hongwen is expected to comfort an adult, even as he struggles with the responsibility.
• Family bonds and boundaries: Zheng Wanru’s love for her nephew is genuine, but her dependence on him leaves Shen Lantang unsure how to intervene.

• Key events: After Zheng Wanru leaves in tears, young Xie Hongwen runs to Shen Lantang and admits that his aunt’s repeated crying and talk about his late mother make him feel frightened and miserable. He worries this makes him a bad son. Shen reassures him, then recognizes that Zheng’s behavior is causing him distress rather than helping him honor his mother. When Hongwen says his father dismissed his concerns and urged him to be understanding, Shen agrees to help him get a brief break. The next morning, Hongwen tells Zheng he must stay home to make pastries for his late great-grandmother’s birthday. Zheng cannot object without seeming to oppose a filial act, so she leaves.
• Character development: Hongwen is shown as emotionally perceptive but anxious about whether his feelings make him unfilial. He trusts Shen and asks her for help, even though he is too young to challenge the adults himself. Shen moves from observing Zheng’s tearful behavior to taking Hongwen’s distress seriously and devising a practical way to protect him. Zheng’s apparent grief continues to dominate her interactions with the child.
• Character interactions: Shen comforts Hongwen, rejects his fear that he is a bad child, and gently challenges his father’s advice by helping him find an alternative. Hongwen and Shen conspire on an excuse that lets him avoid Zheng for a day. Zheng initially offers to help with the pastries, but Hongwen insists on making them himself, leaving her no suitable reason to stay.
• Themes: The chapter contrasts genuine care with performative displays of filial piety. It questions the idea that a child must endure distress to satisfy adult expectations, while showing how social conventions can be used strategically: Shen turns the family’s emphasis on honoring elders into a shield for Hongwen.

Chapter 105 Summary

• Zheng Wanru leaves the household: After Zheng Wanru departs, Xie Hongwen and Shen Lantang share a private moment of mutual approval. Wanru, unfamiliar with the Xie household and short on spending money, goes out alone and returns frustrated after finding she cannot afford the things she admires.
• Hongwen prepares a birthday gift: Xie Hongwen eagerly helps make a treat for his great-grandmother, Princess Yong’an, though the servants handle most of the cooking. Shen Lantang encourages him, and his excitement and affection make the kitchen feel festive. Xie Jin is touched by Hongwen’s thoughtfulness and recalls Princess Yong’an’s wisdom and compassion. He resolves to take his new wife to visit an elderly relative he has neglected.
• Family warmth: Shen Lantang later chats comfortably with Xie Heng, who praises her and Xie Jin for raising Hongwen well. Their easy, affectionate exchange reflects how well she has been accepted into the family. Xie Heng is pleased to accept her praise in return.
• Wanru grows resentful: Returning home, Wanru sees Shen Lantang laughing with Xie Heng. She is struck by how warmly the formidable elder treats her sister-in-law, and hears from a servant that Shen has always gotten along well with the household. Wanru interprets this closeness as a source of influence and security for Shen, and her unease turns into resentment. She conceals her reaction and forms a plan.
• A pointed approach: When Xie Jin returns, Wanru addresses him as “Brother-in-law” and brings up Hongwen’s birthday gift for Princess Yong’an, setting the stage for her next move.

Character and Theme Notes

• Xie Hongwen is affectionate and eager to honor his great-grandmother, showing the thoughtfulness encouraged by his family.
• Shen Lantang appears at ease within the Xie household, warmly guiding Hongwen and relating naturally to her father-in-law.
• Xie Heng and Xie Jin show pride in Hongwen and value family remembrance and filial devotion.
• Zheng Wanru feels isolated and financially constrained, then becomes envious of Shen Lantang’s acceptance and influence.
• Themes: family affection and filial piety contrast with social insecurity, envy, and the quiet maneuvering that can arise from rivalry.

Plot points

• Zheng Wanru asks to join Xie Jin and young Xie Hongwen in celebrating Xie Jin’s grandmother, the late Princess Protector of the Realm. Xie Jin is moved by her wish to honor the woman remembered as a national heroine.
• Xie Jin brings Zheng Wanru into the kitchen, where Shen Lantang and Hongwen are preparing birthday food. Both are uncomfortable with Zheng Wanru’s presence.
• Shen Lantang leaves the kitchen, reassuring Hongwen that she is not abandoning him. She then confronts Xie Jin for leaving the work of honoring his own grandmother to his wife, a very young child, and an outsider.
• Xie Jin readily agrees to take part. Back in the kitchen, Shen Lantang uses his presence as an excuse to leave, saying she has already paid her respects and has an arrangement with Auntie.
• When Zheng Wanru questions whether leaving is unfilial, Xie Jin defends Shen Lantang: she has already honored his grandmother, and he should take responsibility for honoring his own elder while he is present.
• Shen Lantang visits Madam Zhou and jokingly presents Xie Jin as a considerate husband who has sent her to rest.

Character developments and interactions

• Shen Lantang moves from avoiding Zheng Wanru to confronting Xie Jin directly. Her anger is driven by fairness and filial duty, though she is also plainly eager to escape Zheng’s company. She is resourceful and playful in how she gets out of the kitchen.
• Xie Jin is initially passive, leaving the preparations to others, but accepts Shen Lantang’s rebuke without resistance and steps in. He also firmly supports her when Zheng Wanru challenges her.
• Zheng Wanru sincerely expresses admiration for the Princess and a desire to honor her, but her pointed challenge to Shen Lantang creates tension.
• Xie Hongwen is eager to help and briefly fears his mother is abandoning him; Shen reassures him warmly. He also observes the contrast between his father’s initial inaction and later participation.

Themes

• Filial devotion: Honoring the Princess is framed as a family responsibility, not merely a child’s task or a public ritual.
• Sincerity over appearances: Xie Jin argues that devotion matters more than outward displays.
• Family responsibility and fairness: Shen insists that Xie Jin should not leave the burden to others.
• Humor amid social tension: The characters’ private thoughts, Shen’s dramatic confrontation, and her joking excuse to Madam Zhou lighten the strained atmosphere.

Plot points

• Shen Lantang spends the day reading at Madam Zhou’s, then returns home to find Zheng Wanru has gone to rest.
• She asks Xie Hongwen whether Zheng cried again or pressured him. He says she did not, but he remains unwilling to go out with her the next day. Shen suggests he pretend to be sick if necessary.
• When Zheng arrives, Hongwen hides. Xie Jin notices Zheng’s disappointment at not seeing him and later asks his son why he arranged a celebration for his great-grandmother’s birthday—and whether he still dislikes spending time with Zheng.
• Hongwen insists he likes Zheng, but accidentally reveals Shen’s plan to feign illness. Xie Jin confronts Shen, who admits she advised it and explains her concerns about Zheng’s behavior.

Character developments and interactions

• Shen Lantang tries to protect Hongwen while avoiding open conflict. Though irritated that he gave away her plan, she responds with warmth when she sees his guilt and worry.
• Xie Hongwen is still a child, caught between social expectations and his discomfort. He hides from Zheng, tries to reassure his father, then unwittingly betrays Shen’s suggestion.
• Xie Jin questions Hongwen and Shen, but sees Zheng’s conduct as acceptable. His disagreement with Shen exposes how differently they interpret Hongwen’s distress.
• Zheng Wanru appears eager to connect with Hongwen, but his avoidance and her emotional displays leave him uneasy.
• Shen recounts that Zheng has held Hongwen and cried repeatedly while mourning her dead sister—Hongwen’s mother—and that Shen personally witnessed the behavior.

Significant themes

• Filial piety and emotional pressure: Mourning customs can make a child’s exhaustion or fear seem like disrespect.
• Protecting children versus social convention: Shen recognizes that Hongwen may struggle to express his true feelings as he grows older and internalizes expectations of dutiful behavior.
• Misunderstanding within marriage: Shen and Xie Jin interpret Zheng’s actions differently, leaving Hongwen’s needs at the center of their disagreement.

Chapter 108 Summary

• Shen Lantang challenges Xie Jin over Zheng Wanru’s frequent grieving in front of Xie Hongwen. She argues that, whatever Zheng’s intentions, her sorrow is burdening the child: Hongwen has begun to feel guilty for being impatient when his aunt makes him remember his late mother.
• Xie Jin disagrees, insisting Zheng’s feelings are sincere and that helping Hongwen remember his mother is not wrong. Shen grows frustrated, especially when Xie Jin assumes her objections are really about Zheng’s earlier behavior toward her.
• Shen firmly tells him that her concern is Hongwen’s well-being, not personal resentment. She urges Xie Jin, as the boy’s father, to take responsibility and address the situation. Unable to offer a solution, Xie Jin agrees to spend time with Hongwen and judge for himself how the boy is coping.
• Hongwen is delighted that his father will accompany him, seeing it as a chance to spend time together. He asks Shen to come too, but she declines. Despite her anger, she maintains her usual composure at dinner and continues caring for both father and son.

Character Developments and Interactions

Shen’s protectiveness of Hongwen is clear, and she tries to make Xie Jin recognize the emotional effect Zheng’s behavior may be having on him. Xie Jin remains well-meaning but initially misunderstands Shen’s motives, frustrating her by defending Zheng and making the discussion about Shen’s personal feelings. Hongwen’s excitement at simply having time with his father hints at the importance of their relationship.

Significant Themes

• Adults’ responsibility toward children: Sincere grief can still affect a child negatively, and adults must consider how their emotions shape a child’s sense of safety and self-worth.
• Communication and misunderstanding: Shen and Xie Jin talk past each other until she redirects the discussion toward Hongwen’s needs.
• Parent-child connection: Hongwen’s joy at going out with his father underscores his longing for attention and companionship.

Chapter 109 Summary

• After their argument: Shen Lantang and Xie Jin share an awkward, quiet night. Xie Jin wants to talk but cannot find the words; Shen assumes he is ready for bed and falls asleep before he can speak.
• Xie Jin and Hongwen’s outing: The next morning, Xie Jin takes Hongwen out. Zheng Wanru greets the couple politely, though she gives Shen a challenging look. Shen privately expects Zheng to upset Xie Jin and looks forward to seeing him return miserable.
• Shen’s expectations are overturned: Xie Jin and Hongwen return cheerful. Zheng says she is going to dinner with her aunt and will leave for the evening. Shen later asks Hongwen about the outing and learns that he had a wonderful time—including riding on his father’s shoulders—and that Zheng did not cry once. Shen realizes her prediction was wrong and feels embarrassed, though she consoles herself that Hongwen’s problem seems resolved.
• A second quiet night: Shen’s embarrassment leaves her unusually subdued. Xie Jin cannot understand her change in mood, but he does not press her, and they again spend the night peacefully.
• Plans for another outing: The next morning, Xie explains that he must return to the barracks, but will request two extra days off so he can take Shen and Hongwen out. Shen says she will look after Hongwen while he is away. She then takes the boy for a stroll among the blooming crabapple trees.

Character Developments and Interactions

• Shen Lantang moves from smug anticipation to surprise and embarrassment when Zheng behaves well and Xie and Hongwen return happy. Her thoughts remain teasing and self-mocking, but she is relieved that Hongwen enjoyed himself.
• Xie Jin remains unsure how to handle conflict or read Shen’s moods. Still, he makes an effort to spend time with Hongwen and plans a family outing, while giving Shen space when she seems down.
• Hongwen enjoys bonding with his father and reports that Zheng did not cry during the outing.
• Zheng Wanru acts composed and friendly in front of the family, though her smug looks suggest lingering tension with Shen.

Themes

The chapter emphasizes miscommunication and emotional awkwardness between spouses, the difference between assumptions and reality, and the importance of parent-child bonding. Its humor comes largely from Shen’s confident but mistaken expectations—and her reluctance to admit she was wrong.

Key plot points and events

• Shen Lantang and Xie Hongwen watch the maids working in the garden. Hongwen remarks that Zheng Wanru spent their outing talking to his father, Xie Jin, and stopped crying while following him around.
• Putting this together with Zheng Wanru’s past behavior, Shen concludes that Wanru is in love with Xie Jin and wants to marry him.
• Shen is unfazed: custom and family reputation would make a man marrying both sisters—or marrying his wife’s younger sister after her death—unacceptable. She decides to sit back and watch the situation unfold.
• Unknown to Shen, her thoughts are audible to Xie Madam, who overhears the entire deduction. Horrified, Xie Madam looks toward Xie Jin and Wanru and sees their conversation as suggestively romantic.
• Shen notices Xie Madam looking pale and rushes to support her. Xie Madam tries to appear composed and asks what Xie Jin and Wanru are discussing.

Character developments and interactions

• Shen Lantang shifts from irritation and confusion about Wanru’s behavior to confident amusement, interpreting it as romantic rivalry rather than a threat.
• Xie Hongwen innocently provides the clue that sparks Shen’s conclusion, describing his peaceful outing once Wanru’s attention moved to Xie Jin.
• Xie Madam is shaken by what she overhears and struggles to reconcile the possibility of Wanru’s feelings with Shen’s apparent lack of concern.
• Xie Jin and Zheng Wanru are seen talking by the lake; Wanru appears cheerful and bashful, though the chapter does not confirm her intentions directly.
• Shen shows sincere concern for her mother-in-law, even as her private thoughts have inadvertently caused Xie Madam distress.

Significant themes

• Misinterpretation and overheard thoughts: Shen’s private reasoning creates a crisis for Xie Madam before anyone has openly discussed the matter.
• Social propriety and reputation: Marriage customs make Shen believe Wanru cannot realistically become Xie Jin’s wife.
• Dramatic irony and comedy: Shen calmly anticipates entertainment, while Xie Madam reacts with alarm to the same supposed revelation.

Key plot points

• Xie Madam tries to learn whether Shen Lantang knows what Xie Jin and Zheng Wanru discussed. Lantang insists she does not, though her private thoughts reveal she trusts Xie Jin—and would not mind if Zheng Wanru’s attention distracted her from Xie Hongwen.
• At the lake, Xie Madam steers Zheng Wanru toward Lantang for any future needs, praising her daughter-in-law repeatedly. Xie Jin agrees with the praise, leaving Zheng Wanru visibly displeased.
• After sending Zheng Wanru away, Xie Madam confronts Xie Jin about his recent interactions with Lantang and Zheng Wanru. He recounts events, but neither he nor his mother can make sense of Lantang’s claim that Zheng Wanru’s behavior is emotionally harmful to Hongwen.
• Xie Madam decides to take Xie Jin’s place accompanying Hongwen and Zheng Wanru for their outing, citing propriety. She ends by reproaching Xie Jin for failing to win his own wife’s affection.

Character developments and interactions

• Shen Lantang remains outwardly innocent and composed, while privately showing a mixture of trust in Xie Jin and mischievous satisfaction at the possibility of Zheng Wanru causing him trouble.
• Xie Madam becomes increasingly frustrated by the awkward distance between the newlyweds. She openly favors Lantang, praises her to Zheng Wanru, and tries to manage the situation, though she does not understand its deeper tensions.
• Xie Jin is baffled by his mother’s questions and criticism. He reports events plainly and accepts her decision to take over the outing, seemingly unaware of the romantic implications around him.
• Zheng Wanru maintains polite manners, but her smile turns strained under Xie Madam’s praise of Lantang; afterward, she looks coldly at Lantang.
• The scene highlights the contrast between Xie Madam’s protective, meddling approach and the restrained, indirect way the others communicate.

Significant themes

• Miscommunication and emotional distance: Xie Madam senses that Xie Jin and Lantang are growing no closer, while Xie Jin himself seems unable to identify the problem.
• Propriety and social expectations: Xie Madam objects to Xie Jin accompanying a young woman, even when he is also accompanying a child.
• Jealousy and affection: Xie Madam’s praise of Lantang unsettles Zheng Wanru, while Lantang’s teasing thoughts suggest that care can coexist with a desire to see someone inconvenienced.
• The limits of generational understanding: Xie Madam and Xie Jin cannot grasp Lantang’s concerns about emotional pressure on Hongwen.

Plot points and events

• Xie Madam takes Zheng Wanru and young Xie Hongwen shopping, replacing Xie Jin on the outing. Wanru is visibly disappointed that Xie Jin is not coming.
• At a flatbread stall, Wanru becomes overwhelmed with memories of her sister buying her the same food and bursts into tears. Hongwen comforts her by offering his own flatbread, and Xie Madam is left baffled by Wanru’s intense reaction.
• Meanwhile, Xie Jin invites his wife, Shen Lantang, out. They spend the afternoon shopping and listening to music, returning in high spirits.
• Xie Madam privately tells Xie Jin about Wanru’s frequent emotional displays. He is surprised, having never seen her cry when they were together, and assumes she was simply more reserved around a man.
• Xie Jin says the Zheng family will arrive the next morning and that their old residence is ready, reassuring his mother they can move in there.

Character developments and interactions

• Zheng Wanru appears polite and deferential, but her disappointment at Xie Jin’s absence hints at her attachment to him. Her sudden, prolonged crying also suggests she readily expresses emotion around Xie Madam and Hongwen.
• Xie Hongwen is considerate and affectionate, offering Wanru his food to comfort her. His ease with her dramatic tears suggests they are already familiar to him.
• Xie Madam tries to manage Wanru’s visit but is increasingly bewildered and strained by her emotional behavior. She privately turns to Xie Jin for reassurance about the Zheng family’s impending arrival.
• Xie Jin and Shen Lantang enjoy a relaxed outing together, showing warmth and ease as a couple. Their happiness contrasts with Xie Madam’s unease.

Significant themes

• Family boundaries and household tensions: Xie Madam’s insistence that one Zheng daughter-in-law is enough reflects her concern about the family’s arrangements and relationships.
• Emotional performance and propriety: Xie Jin believes Wanru restrained herself around him because of social expectations, while she is openly emotional with others.
• Contrast between harmony and discomfort: Xie Jin and Shen Lantang’s pleasant day together stands against Xie Madam’s growing anxiety about Wanru and the Zheng family’s arrival.

Plot points and events

• Shen Lantang spends a restless night thinking over the revelations about Zheng Wanru’s feelings for Xie Jin and her wish to become Madam Xie. She recognizes that the arrangements already made will not change.
• The Zheng family arrives in Zhaojing and is warmly welcomed by Xie Heng and Xie Madam. The adults exchange polite, affectionate greetings, while Shen Lantang and Xie Jin observe.
• Madam Zheng apologizes for Nanny Feng’s misconduct. Xie Madam accepts the apology, saying the nanny has already been punished and the matter should be put behind them.
• Madam Zheng is eager to see her grandson, Xie Hongwen. He greets his maternal grandparents, and Madam Zheng embraces him emotionally and gives him a treasured jade bracelet for his health and happiness.
• After spending time with Hongwen, Madam Zheng turns her attention to Shen Lantang, ending the chapter on an unresolved moment.

Character developments and interactions

• Shen Lantang remains preoccupied by what she has learned about Zheng Wanru, quietly observes the Zheng family, and notices how different Madam Zheng looks from what she had imagined.
• Madam Zheng appears worn down and emotional, especially when reunited with Hongwen. Her affection for him is clear, as is her eagerness to meet the family again.
• Xie Madam responds graciously to the apology and deliberately arranges for Hongwen to meet his maternal grandparents, showing tact and care.
• Xie Hongwen behaves politely and confidently with unfamiliar relatives, warmly thanking his grandmother for her gift.
• The Xie and Zheng couples renew an old friendship through courteous, affectionate conversation. Xie Heng also treats the younger Lord Zheng with familiar respect.

Significant themes

• Family ties and reunion: The visit restores contact between the Zheng family and their daughter’s household, with Hongwen at its emotional center.
• Grief and remembrance: Madam Zheng’s tears and Xie Madam’s painful reaction hint at the family’s lingering sorrow over the past.
• Courtesy and reconciliation: The adults use apology, forgiveness, and hospitality to smooth over conflict and resume friendly relations.
• Unspoken tensions: Shen Lantang’s thoughts about Zheng Wanru foreshadow complications, while Madam Zheng’s sudden attention to her raises a new question.

Key plot points and events

• Madam Zheng warmly meets Shen Lantang and gives her a valuable necklace and hairpins, asking her to accept them as a gift from family.
• The Zhengs explain that they plan to remain in Zhaojing for nearly half a month. Madam Zheng asks whether Xie Hongwen can visit and stay with them after the ancestral rites; the Xie elders readily agree.
• Xie Madam tells Shen Lantang to help prepare Hongwen’s belongings and visit him at the Zheng residence while he stays there.
• After lunch, Hongwen is exhausted but frets about leaving to stay with his grandmother. Shen Lantang reassures him that Madam Zheng is kind and won’t behave like his tearful aunt, Zheng Wanru.
• Once Hongwen falls asleep, Shen Lantang realizes Madam Zheng’s gift was an attempt to earn her goodwill and protect the child’s future. The thought moves her.
• Xie Jin is waiting for Shen Lantang and sends the servants away, apparently wanting to speak privately; the chapter ends before he explains why.

Character developments

• Shen Lantang recognizes the emotional motive behind Madam Zheng’s generosity and is touched by the depth of a mother’s love.
• Madam Zheng shows affection for Hongwen and a thoughtful, vulnerable concern for how he will be treated.
• Hongwen is sociable and considerate, but also a sensitive child who worries about separation and whether his grandmother will cry like his aunt.
• Xie Jin seeks a private conversation with Shen Lantang, suggesting something important is on his mind.

Significant themes

• Parental love and protection: Madam Zheng’s gift is less about its value than her hope of safeguarding her grandson.
• Family bonds and care: The families make room for Hongwen to build a relationship with his grandparents.
• A child’s emotional perspective: Hongwen’s worries reveal how adult behavior—particularly Zheng Wanru’s crying—shapes his understanding of family.

Character interactions

• Madam Zheng treats Shen Lantang warmly and gives her a meaningful family gift.
• The Zhengs and Xie elders agree together on Hongwen’s visit, with Xie Madam encouraging the bond.
• Shen Lantang comforts Hongwen, listens to his fears, and gently restores his excitement about the visit.
• Xie Jin quietly arranges to speak with Shen Lantang alone.

Chapter Summary: “Family”

Key Plot Points and Events

• Xie Jin prepares to return to the military camp and takes Shen Lantang’s hand, awkwardly attempting to comfort her after Zheng Wanru’s repeated mistreatment.
• He acknowledges that Shen Lantang has been wronged and promises to make it up to her, though his emotionally clumsy explanation leaves her unimpressed. Shen accepts his apology, partly because she values the compensation he hints at.
• Xie Jin departs for the military camp that evening. Shen Lantang and Hongwen spend two peaceful days together.
• After the Zheng family completes its ancestral rites, Shen accompanies Madam Xie to bring Hongwen to the Zheng family residence in Zhaojing.
• The Zheng family, though once prestigious, has declined in comparison with the more powerful Xie family. Their ancestral residence remains grand because it was originally bestowed by the emperor.
• Madam Zheng warmly welcomes Hongwen and is visibly overjoyed to see him. Despite the strict child-rearing customs of the nobility, she immediately embraces him and refuses to let him go.
• Shen meets members of the Zheng household, including Madam Li, Zheng Yuanqing’s favored concubine, and Zheng Qingyu, the family’s only son. Contrary to her expectations, Zheng Qingyu is quiet and well-mannered rather than a dissolute heir.
• Zheng Yuanqing, Madam Li, and Zheng Qingyu all show affection toward Hongwen, giving him gifts and welcoming him into the family.

Character Developments

• Xie Jin: Becomes more aware of Shen Lantang’s grievances and recognizes that he previously misunderstood her while believing Zheng Wanru’s complaints. Though poor at expressing his feelings, he shows that he cares about Shen’s happiness and does not want her to feel wronged.
• Shen Lantang: Remains practical, sharp-tongued, and emotionally guarded. She accepts Xie Jin’s apology without dwelling on the past, while privately teasing him for being insensitive and overly formal. She also acts as a caring and attentive mother figure to Hongwen.
• Madam Zheng: Reveals a deeply affectionate side toward Hongwen. Her joy overrides the rigid conventions of aristocratic child-rearing, showing how strongly she loves her grandson.
• Hongwen: Behaves warmly and confidently with his maternal relatives, addressing them politely and helping create a friendly atmosphere.
• Zheng Qingyu: Is introduced as quiet, reserved, and courteous, contradicting Shen Lantang’s preconceived expectations of him.
• Madam Li: Appears graceful and favored within the Zheng household but is presented more neutrally than Shen initially anticipated.

Significant Themes

• Misunderstanding and belated understanding: Xie Jin realizes only afterward that Shen had been unfairly treated, emphasizing how delayed recognition cannot fully erase past hurt.
• Marriage and emotional communication: Xie Jin and Shen’s relationship develops through awkward but sincere attempts at reconciliation. Their practical, humorous exchanges suggest growing mutual comfort.
• Family affection: Hongwen’s arrival brings out genuine tenderness in the Zheng household and strengthens ties between the two families.
• Social expectations versus genuine emotion: Madam Zheng’s willingness to disregard aristocratic rules in order to hold Hongwen shows that personal affection can overcome rigid class customs.
• Prejudice and assumptions: Shen’s expectations about Madam Li and Zheng Qingyu are shaped by familiar household-drama stereotypes, but reality proves more complicated.

Character Interactions

• Xie Jin and Shen Lantang share an awkward but meaningful conversation in which he apologizes and promises to compensate her.
• Shen and Hongwen display a close, affectionate bond as she encourages him to greet his maternal grandmother.
• Madam Zheng enthusiastically embraces Hongwen, while Shen and the other family members observe her affection.
• Hongwen warmly greets Zheng Yuanqing, Madam Li, and Zheng Qingyu, who respond with gifts and kindness.
• The visit establishes a more welcoming and affectionate relationship between Hongwen and his maternal family.

Key plot points and events

• The Xie and Zheng families exchange polite greetings after Xie Jin returns to the army camp. He had been allowed to remain in the capital briefly after the autumn rites.
• Xie Hongwen grows restless during the adults’ conversation, so Madam Zheng takes him to the room she has prepared for his stay. It is furnished with particular care, including new bedding, padded furniture corners, fresh flowers, and folded-paper toys.
• Zheng Wanru complains that her mother is lavishing attention on Hongwen and asks why her brother-in-law, Xie Jin, did not come. She says Hongwen needs a blood relative to protect him and doubts that Shen Lantang will always care for him.
• Madam Zheng rejects Wanru’s suspicions, noting that Hongwen likes Shen Lantang and that the young woman seems kind.
• Shen Lantang takes a slow tour of the Zheng Residence, enjoying the freedom from conversation and admiring its autumn begonias. She briefly sees Zheng Qingyu carrying water as exercise, a routine his mother arranged to offset his studying.
• The families share an elaborate lunch. Madam Zheng eagerly serves Hongwen and praises him over small acts of good behavior.

Character developments and interactions

• Madam Zheng shows her deep affection for Hongwen through the care she puts into his room and the attention she gives him. She trusts Shen Lantang’s apparent warmth toward the boy.
• Zheng Wanru appears jealous of her mother’s focus on Hongwen and remains suspicious of Shen Lantang, framing her concern as protection for her nephew. Madam Zheng gently rebukes her.
• Shen Lantang feels relieved to explore the residence rather than remain in formal conversation. Her easy rapport with Hongwen is noted by Madam Zheng, though Shen herself does not dwell on the household’s family tensions.
• Xie Hongwen is lively and comfortable with the adults who care for him; his fondness for Shen Lantang and delight in the paper figures are evident.

Significant themes

• Family affection and caregiving: Madam Zheng’s preparations show how love is expressed through practical attention and indulgence.
• Trust versus suspicion: Wanru doubts a stepmother’s capacity for genuine care, while Madam Zheng judges Shen by her actions and Hongwen’s response.
• Social formality and personal freedom: The adults’ polite conversation feels tedious to the children, and Shen welcomes the chance to escape it.
• Education and physical well-being: Zheng Qingyu’s chores reflect his mother’s effort to balance intensive study with exercise.

Key plot points and events

• Xie Madam and Shen Lantang leave the Zheng household after visiting Xie Hongwen. Xie Madam is visibly distracted because she misses her grandson.
• Shen Lantang invites her mother-in-law to West Market to look at fabrics for the household, giving her a welcome diversion.
• With Xie Jin and Xie Hongwen away, Shen Lantang finds her days unusually quiet. She finishes her work, then goes shopping—combining leisure with market research and buying jewelry as gifts.
• While out, she sees Madam Li harshly reprimanding her son, Zheng Qingyu, in public. His blank, accustomed reaction strikes Shen Lantang as unusual, but she avoids intervening or confronting them.
• Five days after Xie Hongwen’s arrival at the Zheng home, Xie Madam returns with fabric, using plans for new clothes as an excuse to visit him. The boy eagerly greets her, and the two grandmothers begin discussing his clothes in the garden pavilion.

Character developments and interactions

• Xie Madam reveals how deeply attached she is to Xie Hongwen; her longing contrasts with her usual dignified, restrained manner. She also treasures the pearl earrings Shen Lantang gave her and wears them repeatedly.
• Shen Lantang remains practical and observant, turning shopping into useful research and thoughtful gift-giving. She notices the troubling dynamic between Madam Li and Zheng Qingyu but chooses not to get involved.
• Xie Hongwen is excited to see his mother and grandmother and eagerly talks about growing tall like his father.
• Madam Zheng and Xie Madam share a warm, cooperative conversation about the child and his clothing.
• Madam Li and Zheng Qingyu have a tense interaction: she scolds him sharply, while he appears unnervingly accustomed to it.

Significant themes

• Grandmotherly affection and family bonds: Xie Madam’s separation from Hongwen makes her attachment clear.
• Care expressed through practical gestures: Shen Lantang’s gift and Xie Madam’s fabric-shopping visit show affection through thoughtful acts.
• Social observation and hidden family dynamics: Shen Lantang recognizes that Madam Li’s treatment of Zheng Qingyu seems unusual, hinting at problems beneath the family’s surface.

Plot points and events

• Shen Lantang sits with Madam Zheng and Xie Madam as they discuss regional fabric styles and plan clothes for Xie Hongwen. Shen mostly keeps the peace by agreeing with both women.
• Xie Hongwen is measured for new clothes and cheerfully cooperates.
• Zheng Wanru arrives and asks to use a fabric Xie Madam brought for Hongwen. Madam Zheng gently refuses, offering to buy Wanru fabric herself; Wanru is disappointed and leaves.
• Wandering by the lake, Wanru broods over her long-standing but unreturned efforts to win Xie Jin and the Xie family’s affection.
• Madam Li approaches her and offers to show her some fabric and jewelry, correctly sensing that Wanru is upset about being denied the cloth. Wanru is tempted by the offer.

Character developments and interactions

• Shen Lantang continues to act agreeable and avoid conflict, though she privately wonders why Wanru directs her anger at her.
• Madam Zheng is affectionate toward Wanru but maintains a boundary when Wanru tries to claim fabric intended for Hongwen.
• Xie Madam remains polite toward Wanru despite her wariness, which stems from Wanru’s feelings for Xie Jin and her limited warmth toward Hongwen.
• Zheng Wanru reveals her entitlement and frustration: she believes her efforts to ingratiate herself with the Xies should have earned her more consideration.
• Madam Li uses Wanru’s disappointment to draw her in with an offer of beautiful possessions, suggesting she may be cultivating influence over her.

Significant themes

• Family affection and favoritism: Madam Zheng’s indulgence of Wanru contrasts with the Xies’ priority of Hongwen.
• Social manners and hidden tensions: Polite conversation masks distrust, resentment, and Wanru’s romantic ambitions.
• Manipulation through gifts: Madam Li’s offer plays on Wanru’s vanity and sense of grievance.
• Status and entitlement: Wanru assumes her position as the Zheng family’s legitimate daughter should secure her special treatment.

Key plot points and events

• Shen Lantang and Xie Madam visit the Zheng residence for lunch. Xie Hongwen asks to speak privately with Shen, and the two go to his room.
• Shen asks whether Hongwen’s maternal grandmother treats him well. He says she does—and even better than his paternal grandmother. He also complains that his aunt ignores him.
• Hongwen proudly shows Shen a wooden horse and a puppy, then plays paper-folding games with her. Shen notices Zheng Wanru laughing with her father’s concubine, Madam Li, an unexpected sight she chooses not to investigate.
• Back in the garden, Xie Madam and Madam Zheng enthusiastically plan Hongwen’s winter clothes. Shen feels like a bystander but agrees to return in a few days to continue the work.
• After leaving, Shen takes Lan Xin and a wooden box to a bookshop, where she has begun a sensational romance novel. Its plot involves a woman disguised as a man, mistaken romantic feelings, deception, an unwanted marriage, secret pregnancies, and a reunion sixteen years later.

Character developments

• Shen Lantang relaxes and drops her polite social manner once alone with Hongwen. She is affectionate toward him but remains wry and independent, eager to spend the afternoon on her own pursuits.
• Xie Hongwen is energetic and openly attached to Shen. He enjoys showing off his toys and sharing his games with her, while candidly comparing how his grandmothers treat him.
• Madam Zheng and Xie Madam grow comfortable together through planning Hongwen’s clothes, while Xie Madam recognizes Shen’s desire for freedom and lets her go.
• Zheng Wanru appears in an unexpectedly friendly exchange with Madam Li, suggesting a change or hidden complication, though Shen does not pursue it.

Significant themes

• Family affection and care: Hongwen’s different experiences with his two grandmothers and his aunt reveal how attention shapes family bonds.
• Social performance versus private ease: Shen maintains appearances among elders but feels more natural with Hongwen and when pursuing her own interests.
• Gender and social constraints: The novel Shen reads explores disguise, desire, marriage imposed by duty, and the limited choices available to women.
• Deception and reputation: The book’s false claims and concealed identities drive its conflicts, echoing the chapter’s brief hint that Zheng Wanru’s behavior may conceal something.

Character interactions

• Xie Madam reassures Madam Zheng about Shen’s youthful, playful nature, helping put the older woman at ease.
• Shen and Hongwen share a warm, playful bond, contrasting with Hongwen’s complaint that his aunt neglects him.
• Madam Zheng and Xie Madam collaborate enthusiastically on Hongwen’s wardrobe.
• Shen notices Zheng Wanru’s friendly conversation with Madam Li but keeps out of their affairs.

Chapter 120 Summary

• Plot: After reflecting on the novel’s happy ending, Shen Lantang grumbles about its unreliable blood-mixing test for proving paternity, arguing that family resemblance and inherited traits would make more sense. At the bookshop, she returns a travelogue and discovers that the other borrower is Zheng Qingyu, a young man she had previously met at the Zheng residence. They exchange polite greetings, and she lends him the book before browsing downstairs. Later, several young scholars arrive to study and have tea. One recognizes Zheng’s book and strikes up an enthusiastic discussion with him.
• Character developments: Shen Lantang’s lively, skeptical personality shows in her critique of the novel, while her love of books—especially travel writing—brings her into unexpected encounters. Zheng Qingyu reveals a thoughtful interest in literature and a strong longing for the freedom and wider world described in travelogues. A visible patch on his sleeve makes Shen suspect that Madam Li’s strict “education” has left its mark.
• Character interactions: Shen and Zheng maintain courteous formality, with Shen offering him the book he wants. Zheng later connects warmly with a fellow scholar over their shared admiration for Xu Shutong, suggesting the beginning of a new friendship.
• Themes: The chapter humorously contrasts emotional storytelling with scientific reasoning. It also emphasizes books as a way to explore beyond one’s circumstances, the desire for freedom, and the connections formed through shared interests.