“Madam, this is an invitation from the residence of Duke Jin. It arrived just as we were heading out, so we narrowly missed each other.”

  Guyu came over holding a beautifully crafted invitation, with a delicate lotus flower painted on the cover, its colors soft and understated.

  Jiang Fuyue nodded, gncing at the invitation.

  "I still remember, before you were married, you and Miss Sun were very close," Guyu said as she sat down, cracking sunflower seeds. "Now, Miss Sun has become the young dy of the Duke’s household, and you’ve become the head wife of the marquis’s house. You’re both in the capital, so close to each other. It’s wonderful!"

  "Yes," Jiang Fuyue replied, her gaze tinged with a faint nostalgia.

  Miss Sun’s mother and Jiang Fuyue’s mother were kindred spirits, and they had been close friends. Over time, they became friends as well.

  After her mother passed away, Jiang Fuyue fell into a deep mencholy and rarely went out. Fortunately, Miss Sun often visited to offer comfort.

  But ever since Jiang Bai Sheng took a second wife, Miss Sun had stopped coming.

  Later, both of them married, and they became busy with their own households, and it had been a long time since they st met.

  "Later, you should personally choose some valuable gifts from the storeroom and take them over in two days."

  "Yes!"

  After some time, Jingzhe’s letter arrived, and Guyu left to pick out the gifts.

  Jingzhe could tell Jiang Fuyue was anticipating this moment, and her heart warmed.

  In the past, Jiang Fuyue had been overwhelmed with responsibilities, and these kinds of social events were merely a necessary part of maintaining retionships. Even when she attended, she wore a forced smile, showing no real enjoyment. It was completely different from how she was now.

  It had been a long time since Jingzhe had seen Jiang Fuyue so rexed.

  “Madam, what do you think about going shopping tomorrow to pick up some cosmetics and accessories?” Jingzhe suggested casually. “It’s been ages since we’ve gone shopping. Every time, shops just send things directly to the house. It’s really boring.”

  Jiang Fuyue looked at her with amusement. "Since when did you suddenly like bustling crowds?"

  Jingzhe ughed awkwardly.

  Even if she wanted to, she didn’t have the time before.

  “How about you go with Guyu tomorrow? I just want to rest,” Jiang Fuyue said.

  She had been busy for so long, feeling mentally exhausted. Now that she had the time, she just wanted to rex.

  “Ah? Well, maybe not,” Jingzhe pouted. "If I go out with Guyu, I’ll feel like a mother! Always worrying about everything!"

  Even though she was grown up, the thought of wandering around the streets still made her anxious.

  Jiang Fuyue chuckled.

  Just then, Guyu returned with the preliminary list of gifts.

  “Madam, do you think this arrangement is okay?” Guyu asked, handing the invitation to Jiang Fuyue and sitting next to Jingzhe. “I just went to the storeroom and happened to run into Mama Liu, who was also there to pick something up. She said it was for Mr. Li. I looked at it, and it’s a rare book from a famous calligrapher from the former dynasty. Mr. Li really dares to ask for such a thing!”

  “What?” Jingzhe excimed, her eyes widening. "Mr. Li dared to ask for it, and Old Madam actually gave it to him? That’s a rare edition!"

  Rare editions like that cannot be measured by price. They may sit in the storeroom unnoticed, but once they find the right buyer, they can fetch whatever price the seller desires.

  Yet, Old Madam actually gave it directly to Mr. Li.

  “Exactly!” Guyu nodded vigorously. "I was stunned when I heard about it!"

  Jiang Fuyue looked over the list and said, “There’s nothing wrong with it. Go ahead and arrange it this way.”

  “Understood,” Jingzhe replied and left to handle the arrangements.

  With nothing to do, Jiang Fuyue yawned, asking Guyu to help her loosen her clothes before lying down to rest.

  Three days ter, it was time for the Lotus Viewing Banquet hosted by Duke Jin.

  After a period of rest, Jiang Fuyue felt rejuvenated. She woke up early that morning, began preparing herself, and then set out with two maids and a number of gifts to the Duke's residence.

  Though the Marquis of Anyuan’s reputation wasn’t great, it was still a marquis’s household, and it was retively close to the Duke's residence. The carriage ride only took about a quarter of an hour.

  At this hour, the Duke's residence was still quiet, with only maids and servants standing guard outside the gates. There were no guests yet.

  When Sun Jingke heard the announcement at the door, she immediately rushed to greet them. Upon seeing Jiang Fuyue, she nearly jumped for joy. “It really is you! I thought the doorman was pying a trick on me! You, the busy one, coming so early?”

  “Well, are you not happy I came early?” Jiang Fuyue smiled.

  “Of course not!” Sun Jingke responded, linking arms with Jiang Fuyue and leading her inside. “I’m so happy! It’s still early, let’s go back and have a good chat!”

  “No rush,” Jiang Fuyue said. “I still need to pay my respects to the Duchess.”

  Sun Jingke spped her forehead. “How could I forget about that?”

  With that, Sun Jingke quickly pulled her toward the Duchess’s quarters.

  The Duchess was a kind woman, born into a prestigious family, and she and Duke Jin were a perfect match. The only regret in her life was probably her son.

  When they arrived, the Duchess was chatting with her close friend in the hall. As soon as she saw her daughter-in-w so eager, she smiled and waved them off.

  The rear courtyard of the Duke's residence was truly magnificent, especially the lotus pond. The water was nearly completely covered by blooming lotus flowers, and occasionally, koi fish could be seen swimming under the leaves.

  Around the pond was a white marble railing, with vivid carvings of lotus flowers emerging from the water.

  The breeze blew gently over the ke, bringing a cool and comfortable feeling.

  Sun Jingke and Jiang Fuyue stood by the pond, looking at each other. Sun Jingke turned to her and said, “You seem different today!”

  “What’s different?”

  “Well...” Sun Jingke studied her more closely. “I can’t quite expin it, but you just seem to be glowing today.”

  Jiang Fuyue smiled slightly. “Have I become a Bodhisattva?”

  Glowing indeed.

  Sun Jingke rolled her eyes. “You can’t take a compliment, can you? Here I am, giving you a compliment, and you turn it down!”

  Jiang Fuyue ughed happily, her mood light.

  Sun Jingke gnced at her, then turned to look at Jingzhe and Guyu, lowering her voice. “Tell me honestly, do you have any other pns?”

  Previously, Jiang Fuyue had been exhausted, but now she seemed completely different, like she had been reborn.

  Jiang Fuyue raised an eyebrow in surprise. “You can even tell?”

  Sun Jingke said, “Don’t forget what our retionship is! How could I not know? Now tell me, what’s your pn?”

  “Right now?” Jiang Fuyue replied. “I don’t have any pns. I’m not brushing you off, but I’ve been so tired. I just want to rest and take care of my health first.”

  Madam Zhou still hadn’t replied, and things were still up in the air. Jiang Fuyue felt uncertain, so she couldn’t say more.

  Sun Jingke nodded thoughtfully. “That’s the right way to go about it. Don’t rush! It’s most important to get your health back first! I’ll pack some supplements for you to take home, so you can properly recover!”

  Jiang Fuyue chuckled. “There’s no need. The marquis’s storeroom has plenty of good things, and my health isn’t that bad. I have enough.”

  “Enough of what?” Sun Jingke rolled her eyes.

  Jiang Fuyue was looking down at a thousand-year-old lotus flower when Sun Jingke suddenly called out, “Xie Ziqi! Stand right there!”