A lively and bustling atmosphere brings joy

When Jia Yun heard his mother bring up the matter of urging him to get married again, he immediately felt a headache coming on—how come he couldn't escape this calamity in his past and present lives?

He was immediately at a loss and quickly interrupted, "Mother! What are you thinking! My master has been incredibly kind to me, and my senior sisters are all innocent and virtuous young women. I haven't yet achieved any fame or established a family business, how could I dare to have such improper thoughts? Let's not talk about this for now, let's not talk about it."

He did have feelings for Yingluo, but he also knew that now was not the time to talk about marriage.

Seeing her son's resolute attitude, Bu knew that he was now focused on the imperial examinations, so she said no more, but she still held onto this thought in her heart.

In the afternoon, Jia Yun hired a clean carriage to go to the market to make purchases.

He first went to the South City Wine Shop. The shopkeeper, seeing that he was a regular customer, smiled and said, "Second Master Yun, are you looking to buy New Year's gifts? Our shop has just received some of the finest liquor."

Jia Yun nodded and said, "That's exactly what I need. Also, get a jar of aged Shaoxing wine; it must be mild."

The shopkeeper, understanding the implication, said, "Don't worry, Second Master, this Shaoxing wine is just right for a young lady to enjoy a light drink while staying up late on New Year's Eve."

Turning to the ink shop, the shop assistant greeted him, saying, "Second Master, are you looking to choose an inkstone? Here we have a Duan stone banana leaf inkstone, with elegant patterns; and a She stone gold star inkstone, with a warm and smooth texture."

He hesitated for a long time in front of the two inkstones, recalling Wan Yan's focused profile when she was practicing calligraphy, and then said, "Bring that She stone inkstone and a small wolf-hair calligraphy brush."

As he approached the jewelry shop, he paused, the faded red string on Yingluo's wrist dangling before his eyes.

The coral bracelets on the counter shimmered with light. He specially picked a string with evenly spaced beads, adorned with two small silver bells in the middle—they jingled melodiously when she moved, perfectly matching her lively appearance.

Finally, he stopped at his usual steamed bun shop and asked the shop assistant to fill two large baskets with freshly steamed white flour steamed buns.

As the carriage left the city, it started snowing again. Jia Yun found several ragged beggars huddled along the wall, so he told the driver to stop the carriage, and personally took the steamed buns down and gave two to each of them.

The shivering beggars repeatedly kowtowed in thanks, but he simply waved them off and silently boarded the vehicle.

As we walked three miles outside the city, we saw another mother and child huddled in a corner of the pavilion. The woman held her child tightly, shielding him from the wind with her own body. The child's face was purple from the cold, and he didn't even have the strength to cry.

Jia Yun's heart tightened, and he told the driver to take out the last four steamed buns from the basket, wrap them with a dozen or so copper coins, and gently place them in front of the woman.

Back in the carriage, the driver sighed, "Brother Yun is kind-hearted, but there are too many unfortunate people in the world. How can you possibly save them all by yourself?"

Jia Yun gazed at the snow falling outside the window, a vision of a peaceful and prosperous future flashing before his eyes. He murmured, "Let's save as many as we can."

He lowered the carriage curtain and stopped looking at the bleak scene outside the window.

Suddenly, she recalled a afternoon when Yingluo was practicing spear fighting in the courtyard, the tassel of her spear dancing like red plum blossoms in the snow. At that time, she had scolded him for peeking, then swept his hair ornament off with a swift backhand thrust, and reached out to support him as he stumbled…

As the carriage creaked to a stop in front of the dilapidated Sanqing Temple, dusk was approaching, and the sound of firecrackers on New Year's Eve echoed sporadically from distant villages.

Jia Yun got off the carriage carrying large and small bags, and before even entering the courtyard, he could hear a lively chatter and laughter coming from inside.

Pushing open the door, one sees four men of different temperaments sitting around a brazier, chatting and laughing loudly with Old Man Zhou. A fat sheep, sizzling and dripping with oil, is roasting over the charcoal fire.

Zhou Wanyan quietly added firewood, while Zhou Yingluo, like a playful puppy, darted among the men, her hair occasionally being ruffled by someone laughing.

These four men were none other than Zhou Kui's four sons! Zhou Jian, the eldest son of Weiyuan Escort Agency, Zhou Xuan, the second son, and Zhou Huan, the third son, and Zhou Zhong, the fourth son, who practiced medicine in Tianjin, all managed to return just before the end of the year!

Upon seeing Jia Yun enter, the laughter and chatter in the courtyard subsided slightly. Old Man Zhou squinted and smiled, "Yun-ge'er, what brings you here? Perfect timing, all four of your good-for-nothing senior brothers have come to visit. Come and get to know them!"

All four of them turned to look at Jia Yun.

The eldest brother, Zhou Jian, was a burly man with a booming voice. He clasped his hands in greeting and said, "This must be Father's newly accepted junior brother? I am Zhou Jian! I heard Father praise you in his letters, and seeing you today, you are indeed a man of exceptional talent!"

The second brother, Zhou Xuan, had a slightly dark complexion and a robust build. He chimed in, "Big brother is right! I've heard that junior brother is a good student and has excellent handwriting; he's truly remarkable!"

The third brother, Zhou Huan, with a gentle demeanor, patted Jia Yun on the shoulder: "Junior brother, please don't take offense. Our eldest and second brothers are both straightforward. When I was in Tianjin, I often examined the pulses of scholars, and I respected people like you the most."

The youngest of the four brothers, Zhong, was lively and playful. He hooked his arm around Jia Yun's neck and chuckled, "Junior brother, I heard you often accompany Yingluo to practice martial arts? You must be tired! She must bully you quite a bit, right?"

Before he could finish speaking, a pine cone hit him on the forehead, and he cried out, "Ouch!"

Zhou Yingluo's pretty face flushed red, and she put her hands on her hips, scolding, "Fourth Brother! What nonsense are you talking about! Who hit him! He was just clumsy!"

Her charming appearance made everyone burst into laughter.

Jia Yun felt a warmth in his heart and quickly cupped his hands in greeting, saying, "Jia Yun greets my four senior brothers! I've often heard Master mention how you've traveled all over the country and are incredibly capable. Meeting you today, I can see that your reputation is truly well-deserved!"

After speaking, he presented the gifts one by one. For Old Man Zhou, there was strong liquor and braised beef; for Wan Yan, there was a Shexian stone inkstone and a wolf-hair brush; for Ying Luo, there was a coral bead bracelet and candied fruit. These gifts made her eyes light up instantly—although she didn't know that her four senior brothers would really come back and hadn't prepared any gifts, the gifts for her master and senior sister were all very thoughtful.

"Hmph, at least you have some conscience, remembering that I love sweets!" Yingluo's radiant expression was what captivated Jia Yun the most.

The Zhou brothers were all straightforward, and seeing that Jia Yun was thoughtful and sensible, they looked at him with increasing affection.

As night fell, the dilapidated Sanqing Temple became bustling with activity.

The charcoal fire roared, filling the air with the aroma of roasted lamb. Zhou Jian and Zhou Xuan recounted their amusing stories of escorting goods, while Zhou Huan and Zhou Zhong shared their experiences as doctors, captivating Jia Yun's attention. Old Master Zhou Kui, his face glowing, listened intently to his sons, his bowl of wine never empty.

As the wine flowed freely, the atmosphere grew warmer.

Zhou Wanyan quietly added wine and served dishes, while Zhou Yingluo sat down next to Jia Yun, nibbling on candied fruit and occasionally giggling at her brothers' silly remarks.

The third brother, Zhou Huan, rolled his eyes and deliberately said loudly to Wan Yan, "Big sister, look at our Yingluo and Yun-ge'er, one is lively and the other is calm. They look quite well-matched sitting together! Why don't we talk to Father and arrange for Yingluo to marry our junior brother? We shouldn't let good things go to outsiders!"

Everyone laughed.

The fourth brother, Zhong, immediately chimed in, "Third Brother is right! I think it's a good idea too! Junior Brother, although my sister is a bit fierce, she's very beautiful and skilled in martial arts. She'll be a great wife for you!"

Jia Yun hadn't expected them to be so direct. She almost choked on her drink, and her cheeks flushed red, whether from the alcohol or embarrassment, she couldn't tell.

Zhou Yingluo blushed deeply with embarrassment and jumped up to punch her third and fourth brothers, yelling, "You're talking nonsense! I'll tear your mouths apart!"

Zhou Jian laughed heartily, "Beat them! Beat them hard! These two lads deserve to be taught a lesson! But speaking of which, junior brother, we martial arts people don't stand on ceremony. My sister is a good girl, if you like her, I, as her elder brother, will be the first to approve!"

Zhou Xuan wiped the grease from his mouth: "That's right! Junior brother isn't an outsider! I think this will work!"

Grandpa Zhou squinted and took a sip of wine, watching his children playfully fighting and Jia Yun looking embarrassed. He smiled and didn't stop them, clearly very satisfied with Jia Yun.

Zhou Yingluo, feeling utterly overwhelmed by the teasing, stomped her foot and whispered with a hint of anticipation, "If you... keep talking nonsense, I... I won't talk to you anymore! This... can't be resolved so quickly... let's... let's wait a few more years..."

After saying this, she could no longer contain her embarrassment, turned around and ran back into the inner room, while a louder burst of laughter erupted behind her.

The laughter in the courtyard gradually subsided, and the crackling of the charcoal fire illuminated Jia Yun's slightly flushed cheeks.

He lowered his head and sipped the remaining wine in his bowl, feeling the warmth spread from his throat to the tip of his heart—Yingluo's shy and timid glance just now was more intoxicating than any fine wine or delicacy.

Grandpa Zhou Kui observed all of this, then slowly sipped his wine: "You bunch of monkeys, you've only just come home and you're already causing chaos. Yun-ge'er is a scholar, he's easily embarrassed, can he take your nonsense?"

Even so, the old man's smile lines deepened, clearly pleased with the scene of "keeping the good stuff in the family."

At this moment, the curtain in the inner room was lifted, and Zhou Yingluo came out carrying a plate of freshly cut frozen pears.

She forced herself to remain calm, though the lingering rouge still clung to the corners of her eyes. She placed the plate on the stone table, deliberately avoiding looking at Jia Yun, and scolded her brothers, "Even with food, you can't shut your mouths!"

Zhou Xuan reached for the pear, winking and saying, "This pear is sweet! Much sweeter than some people's vinegar!"

Yingluo stomped her foot in anger, and Zhou Wanyan quickly pulled her down to sit, stuffed an embroidered handkerchief into her palm, and said gently, "You should try this pear too."

Zhou Huan, who had been quietly observing, suddenly turned to Jia Yun and said seriously, "Junior Brother, since you are so devoted to your studies, what are your plans for the future? If you one day pass the imperial examination with flying colors, will you still remember this humble mountain temple and the simple meals you share today?"

The question came so suddenly that the courtyard fell silent. Even Zhou Kui put down his wine bowl and stared intently at Jia Yun.

Jia Yun stood up and bowed deeply to Zhou Kui and the others: "Master, fellow disciples, senior sisters, although I am not talented, I know that 'a drop of kindness should be repaid with a spring of gratitude'."

He looked up at the She stone inkstone beside Wanyan and said in a clear voice, "If I achieve my lofty ambitions in the future, I will certainly live up to the kindness of my master's cultivation, and I will not forget... nor fail to live up to the affection we have today."

The last half of the sentence was spoken very softly, but his gaze involuntarily drifted towards Yingluo.

The girl was twisting a handkerchief with her head down, but the corners of her lips quietly curved up.