Spring in the Hall of Paintings

The door curtain was lifted, and several maids and servants accompanied four young girls into the room. Yun Wei, having never seen so many sisters together, immediately noticed the tallest girl among them. She wanted to approach but maintained her decorum. The Old Madam, seeing this, showed a hint of affection in her expression.

Guo Luoluo took Yun Wei’s small hand and smiled, saying, “This is your second sister, Yun Jing.”

With a round face and a gentle demeanor, Yun Jing, dressed in a light pink qipao, bowed slightly and greeted, “Sixth sister.”

“Second sister,” Yun Wei also smiled warmly. Guo Luoluo then pointed to another girl with an oval face, creamy cheeks, and smiling eyes, dressed in a pink blouse, introducing her, “This is your eldest uncle’s third daughter, Yun Xin.”

Yun Wei bowed and couldn’t help but be drawn to the most beautifully dressed and strikingly elegant girl. Who was she? Guo Luoluo raised an eyebrow with a hint of pride. Fucha, holding a teacup and adjusting the tea leaves, understood immediately without needing to turn around. Yun Wei, with a sweet and friendly smile, said delicately, “Third sister, greetings. I apologize for any oversight.”

The Old Madam, leaning against a cushion and twirling her prayer beads, received the tea from Juoluos, who said, “Mother, tea for you.”

Guo Luoluo continued to smile and pointed to the only girl being supported by maids, dressed in a plain qipao with silver accessories, slender and slightly breathless, her eyes as soft as water. She spoke with tenderness, “This is Jingyi from the Gu family.”

“Cousin, greetings.”

Yun Wei deliberately lowered her voice, fearing she might startle her delicate-looking cousin who exuded a scholarly air. She vaguely remembered her mother mentioning that their aunt, who was Yun Wei’s own aunt, had lost her husband three years ago. Although the late uncle left behind a title of a light cavalry colonel and some modest family assets, the direct line was weak, and distant relatives had harbored ill intentions towards the widow and orphans. In her anger, the aunt moved back to her own family with her assets and children, cutting off the malicious intentions of her relatives.

Jingyi nodded, looked at the Old Madam, and with more mist in her eyes, said softly, “Grandmother, Mother—she—”

“Yiyi, your mother is fine,” the Old Madam said. At this moment, Jingyi, sitting next to the Old Madam with a gentle and delicate appearance, drew attention but also caused Yun Wei to feel somewhat left out.

Juoluos noticed the Old Madam’s frown and quickly explained, “Second sister-in-law, you may not know, but Auntie went to pay respects to the late uncle a couple of days ago and was quite distressed. She is currently resting and thus could not greet you. Jingyi—she has always been frail. Your mother only has this one granddaughter, so she has been somewhat spoiled. However, Jingyi has grown up well and is also learned.”

Fucha smiled faintly and said calmly, “As long as Auntie takes care of herself, it’s fine. Whether she can receive me or not doesn’t matter; we are all family.”

Noting her daughter’s embarrassment, Fucha showed no sign of displeasure as she turned to the Old Madam and said, “I have two jin of bird’s nest from the south. I’ll prepare it tomorrow and send it to Auntie.”

Jingyi weakly stood up, bowed, and said, “Thank you, second aunt.”

The Old Madam’s lips curled into a smile: “Rongxuan’s wife, you are thoughtful.”

“Sixth sister, I am your fourth sister, Yun Lan.”

The girl who had always captured Yun Wei’s attention smiled and took Yun Wei’s hand, stepping forward. She was the most beautiful among them, with an oval face adorned with delicate features. Her eyes were as clear as two pools of water, her skin was as smooth as cream, and she wore a hairpin with elegance and grace. Her every gesture was imbued with unique charm, making her appear both approachable and ethereal.

“Fourth sister,” Yun Wei couldn’t help but show a hint of affectionate closeness and a trace of admiration in her eyes. Yun Lan, with a bright smile, led Yun Wei to the Old Madam and said with a gentle voice, “Grandmother, I’ve seen this sister before.”

Guo Luoluo smiled and scolded lightly, “Impudent child, you speak nonsense. When have you seen her?”

Yun Wei blinked, curious, and tried to recall when she had seen an elder sister as charming as a fairy from a painting. Yun Lan chuckled and said, “Mother, I have seen her. I recognize Sixth Sister’s face; we are naturally meant to be sisters.”

At this, the Old Madam’s smile returned. She held Yunwei and Yunlan by the hand, saying, “This is good. You two are both wonderful, and it’s even better if you sisters get along well.”

“Yes, Grandmother,” Yun Wei said, bowing. Yun Lan also said a few pleasant words, making the atmosphere cheerful and lively. Fucha, lost in thought, waved for her daughter Yun Wei to come closer. Observing Yun Lan’s easy charm and the varied reactions of those in the room—Jueluos’ broad-mindedness, Guo Luoluo’s satisfaction, and the maids’ mixed feelings of jealousy, admiration, or quiet acceptance—Fucha took note of everything with a contemplative expression.

Guo Luoluo said softly, “Second sister-in-law, don’t be surprised. Lan is just a bit more playful compared to Wei’s calm demeanor.”

“Third sister-in-law, you’re mistaken,” Fucha said with a sweet smile. “Lan is lively and charming with a sweet mouth. She truly captures people’s attention and makes it hard to know how best to care for her.”

Fucha, holding her daughter’s small hand, remained calm and composed, without showing any signs of jealousy or envy. Instead, she said with a tone of instruction, “You should learn more from your Fourth Sister.”

“Yes,” Yun Wei nodded repeatedly, clearly envious of the affection and admiration directed towards Yun Lan. Guo Luoluo smiled and said, “If everyone were like Lan, our Tong family would be even livelier. Yun Lan, you should take care of Wei in the future. As the older sister, you need to look after your younger sister.”

“I will, Mother,” Yun Lan replied, thinking she would receive thanks from Fucha, but instead saw only a faint smile and a nod from her. This reaction was different from those of the others, and Yun Lan felt a hint of surprise. Perhaps this was what ancient people referred to as jealousy. Her gaze softened with pity towards the bewildered Yun Wei. She thought, she would certainly face criticism when she returned, so she resolved to be kinder to her as a form of compensation. In truth, she had no desire to “bully” these naive girls from an older era.

Juoluos proactively said, “Mother, it’s getting late. Let’s serve the meal.”

The old lady nodded, and Juoluos began to organize the arrangements again. In a short while, the maids had neatly arranged the dishes. The old lady sat in the center, with Jingyi sitting to her left. Yun Wei felt a bit disheartened, realizing that the old lady did not favor her the most. Yun Lan softly said, “Sixth Sister, would you like to sit with me?”

Yun Wei looked at the old lady, then at Yun Lan, and finally asked her mother with a questioning gaze. Seeing Fucha nod, she took her place next to Yun Lan and smiled, “Alright, Fourth Sister.”

Fucha stood beside the old lady, took the chopsticks prepared by Juoluos for serving the dishes, and said with a smile, “Eldest Sister, please take a seat. It has been over ten years since I last served Mother; it is time for me to fulfill my duty.”

Juoluos could not refuse, and the old lady said, “This is also the filial piety of Rongxuan’s wife. You should sit as well.”

At this, Jingyi, who was sitting next to the old lady, could only rise and make way for Juoluos. Jingyi bit her lip and instead took a seat next to Yun Wei, further away from the real power holder, the old lady, even less favored than the two concubine daughters, Yunjing and Yunxin.

Without the old lady speaking, others did not comment. It seemed as though no one noticed Jingyi’s discomfort and grievance. Everyone ate in the usual silent manner, while Fucha, with a smile, constantly paid attention to the old lady’s preferences and movements, diligently placing the dishes she liked most in front of her.

Juoluos silently nodded in approval, truly a perceptive heart. Guo Luoluo’s glance at Fucha became more complex.

Yun Lan knew that Yun Wei’s family had been living in the remote areas of Fuzhou and likely had less formality around meals. Wanting to compensate Yun Wei, she deliberately ate slowly, making it easier for Yun Wei to mimic her. However, she saw that Yun Wei already demonstrated great etiquette at the table, exhibiting the manners of a refined household, and did not need any guidance.

The old lady smiled slightly. After washing her hands and drinking tea, she said, “Rongxuan’s wife, you’ve worked hard.”

“It is only right to serve Mother,” Fucha replied.

After taking the tea cup from the old lady, Fucha arranged for the maids to clear the leftover dishes. Fucha’s orderly conduct made the old lady even more satisfied, and she couldn’t help but say, “Rongxuan is fortunate to have you.”

Fucha bowed respectfully and said, “It is the daughter-in-law’s fortune to marry into the Tong family and serve the old lady. The old lady treats the daughter-in-law as if she were her own daughter, which is the daughter-in-law’s fortune.”

The old lady stared at Fucha for a while, then slightly closed her eyes and said, “I am tired. You all should go and rest as well.”

After everyone bowed and left, each returned to their respective quarters. The old lady reclined on the couch, propping her head on her arm, and sighed with closed eyes, “Rongxuan truly married the right wife. With her around, there is more hope for the future.”