Being a second wife is difficult: I'm busy raising children in the Earl's mansion.

The curtain was lifted, and Aunt Zhou walked in front, followed by Lu Hui.

Today, Aunt Zhou was wearing a light blue jacket and carrying a celadon plate with several golden pastries on it, still steaming and looking like they had just come out of the oven.

Lu Hui walked behind, clutching something tightly in his hand, wrapped in a handkerchief, as if afraid of dropping it on the way.

As soon as Aunt Zhou entered the room, she placed a plate of pastries on the table: "Madam, I made some pumpkin cakes today. I'm bringing them over for you to try while they're still hot."

"I was worried that my wife had moved to a new house and hadn't cooked properly here yet, so I was afraid she would be too busy to eat."

Jiang Wan glanced at the plate of pumpkin cake, its golden color garnished with a few red goji berries, which looked very appetizing: "Auntie, thank you for your trouble. I haven't had dinner yet."

Aunt Zhou smiled and waved her hand, "Madam, you're too kind."

After she finished speaking, she turned her head and glanced at Lu Hui behind her. "Brother Hui, didn't you say you wanted to show something to Madam? Why are you hiding it?"

Lu Hui took a step forward, placed the packaged item in the handkerchief on the table, and carefully lifted a corner of it.

Under the handkerchief was a small wooden cat, about half the size of a palm. The wood was light-colored and fairly smooth.

The cat's ears are thinly trimmed, its tail is curled up, and its body is round and plump, making it look adorable.

The carving isn't particularly exquisite, but it's made up for it with care. The whiskers on the cat's head are even carved with fine lines, showing that the carver put a lot of effort into it.

Jiang Wan picked up the wooden cat and examined it. She looked up at Lu Hui and said, "Brother Hui, you carved it really well. It's much more detailed than the last one. You even carved out the beard. You can tell you put your heart into it."

Lu Hui's eyes lit up, and the corners of his mouth curled up slightly, but he suppressed it, his voice filled with pride: "Thank you for the praise, Mother! I revised it three times before I could carve it!"

As he spoke, he pointed to the cat's ears. "The first time I carved the ears too finely, they broke as soon as I touched them. The second time, the tail wasn't steady enough and it cracked halfway through carving. It was only on the third attempt that I managed to make it like this."

Jiang Wan praised it again. She turned the wooden cat over and looked at the bottom. She found two small characters carved on the bottom. The strokes were crooked and crooked, as if someone who had just learned to carve had carved them stroke by stroke.

Aunt Zhou chuckled beside her, with a hint of teasing: "Madam, look down there. He carved those two characters himself. I suggested asking someone to carve them for him, but he refused, saying that he had to carve them himself to show his sincerity when giving them to someone."

Jiang Wan examined the two crooked characters carefully, and after a while, she recognized them: "Wan'er?"

She looked up at Lu Hui. "Is this for Wan'er?"

Lu Hui nodded, his ears turning slightly red, but he still finished speaking: "Wan'er's birthday is coming soon, so I carved a cat for her. She likes cats, and she told me last time that she wanted a wooden cat, so I thought I'd carve one for her."

Jiang Wan put the wooden cat back on the table, observed Lu Hui's expression for a moment, and asked gently, "How long have you been carving this cat?"

Lu Hui looked down at the wooden cat on the table: "I've been carving it on and off for about ten days. I took advantage of the free time after finishing my homework to carve a few strokes."

As if that answer wasn't enough, he added, "Last time, Wan-jie said she wanted a wooden cat, so I thought I'd give it a try, and I never expected to actually carve one."

After listening to him finish speaking, Jiang Wan smiled and glanced at him: "You carved it yourself. The thought and effort hidden in it cannot be bought. When Wan'er receives it, she will probably be happier than if she received anything else."

Lu Hui's ears turned even redder as he listened, and after a while he said, "But it's not finished yet."

"The cat's eyes haven't been colored yet, and the character underneath isn't carved very well either. I want to fix it. If I give it to her now, she'll definitely laugh and say, 'This cat looks like a mouse.'"

As he spoke, he couldn't help but chuckle, as if imagining Lu Wan actually saying that.

Aunt Zhou shook her head with a laugh: "This child is slow at everything, but he's faster than anyone else at carving wood. He worked on it until midnight last night, and I had to urge him three times before he finally put down his knife and went to sleep."

Jiang Wan rewrapped the wooden cat in a handkerchief and handed it back to Lu Hui, saying with a smile, "Slow and steady wins the race."

She glanced at Lu Hui, her tone softening slightly, "Besides, this is a birthday gift for Wan'er. You're willing to put so much effort into this one thing, so when she takes it out to look at it later, she'll remember that you carved it with care."

Lu Hui took the wooden cat and carefully put it in his arms, the corners of his mouth curving into a wider smile.

Just then, footsteps came from the doorway, the curtain was lifted, and Lu Zhao walked in.

He was wearing a navy blue robe today, and his hair was neatly tied up. Judging from the time, he must have come directly here after school.

He bowed to Jiang Wan and Aunt Zhou as he entered, then his gaze fell on Lu Hui, where he noticed a corner of a handkerchief peeking out from Lu Hui's arms.

"What are you hiding?" Lu Zhao asked.

Before Lu Hui could speak, Aunt Zhou answered for him: "It's a birthday gift for Wan'er. I carved a wooden cat, but it's not finished yet. I'm hiding it so she won't see it."

Upon hearing this, Lu Zhao didn't press for details about what it looked like. Instead, he turned his head to look towards the inner room: "Is Wan'er inside?"

Jiang Wan nodded: "I had a commotion this afternoon and just rested. I'm still not awake."

Lu Zhao withdrew his gaze and turned to Lu Hui, a slight smile on his lips: "Then you'd better hide it well. With Wan'er's personality, if she finds out in advance, she'll definitely come every day to ask if you've finished carving it yet."

Upon hearing this, Lu Hui subconsciously pressed the wooden cat closer to his chest, as if afraid that someone might see it now.

Seeing his action, Lu Zhao chuckled and stopped teasing him.

Suddenly, a noise came from the inner room, like the sound of someone turning over. The group fell silent for a moment and all looked towards the inner room.

After a moment, the noise stopped again, as if Lu Wan had unconsciously turned over in her sleep without waking up.

Lu Zhao breathed a sigh of relief and said in a low voice, "What a scare! She almost heard me."

Lu Hui quickly tucked the wooden cat in his arms deeper into his clothes. Aunt Zhou, who was watching from the side, reached out and straightened his clothes to completely cover the wooden cat.

Jiang Wan watched their actions, picked up her teacup, took a sip, and put it down before saying, "She is indeed tired today. You can talk without worry; she's fast asleep."

Aunt Zhou followed up, "Madam said the eldest young lady was tired. Was it about the wet nurse this afternoon?"

Jiang Wan nodded, not avoiding Lu Zhao. She put the teacup on the table and briefly explained that the old lady had agreed to change the wet nurse that afternoon.

Lu Zhao listened quietly until Jiang Wan finished speaking, then he said, "Wan'er's wet nurse should have been replaced long ago."

He spoke in a flat tone, as if he were talking about something he already knew: "Last year, Wan'er had a fever. She actually slept soundly through the night and couldn't wake up. Wan'er had to get up by herself to get water. When Mother was alive, Wan'er would follow her around every day, but after Mother left, the wet nurse became less and less attentive."

"I originally thought that Wan'er's personality had become sullen because of her mother. I was young at the time and didn't think about it. Later, when you came, Wan'er started to become more lively again. I slowly realized that she was a different person in front of her wet nurse and when she wasn't with her wet nurse."

"She was always reserved and restrained in front of her wet nurse, as if she was afraid of something." He lowered his voice when he said the last sentence, as if he had kept this matter in his heart for a long time and finally found the right time to say it.

Jiang Wan's heart stirred slightly upon hearing this, as this was the first time Lu Zhao had mentioned the time when Mrs. Gu was still alive in front of her.

Although he spoke calmly, he probably already harbored a lot of resentment towards the wet nurse.

This child has always been intelligent, but he is also withdrawn and not close to anyone. His birth mother died early, and his father is often away from home. He has probably kept some things to himself for a long time.

It's already quite remarkable that he took the initiative to say these things.

Aunt Zhou chimed in at the opportune moment: "Zhao-ge'er is very thoughtful. I've also heard Hui-ge'er mention that the wet nurse by the young lady's side is never around. Sometimes the young lady can play alone in the courtyard for half a day without anyone taking care of her."

"Brother Hui even asked me why Sister Wan's wet nurse always sits down."

Lu Hui nodded twice, as if to confirm Aunt Zhou's words.

Jiang Wan glanced at them and steered the conversation back to the main topic: "The wet nurse has already left and won't be in the manor tomorrow. As for the people around Wan'er, I've had Wang Mama select a few more reliable ones. She can choose for herself later. This kind of thing will definitely not happen again in the future."

After she finished speaking, she looked at Lu Zhao. He didn't say anything more, but just nodded slightly, as if he wasn't surprised by the result.

He added, "Thank you for your trouble, Mother. Although Wan'er seems carefree, she is actually very thoughtful and sentimental. I would appreciate it if you could help her choose the right person for her."

The group chatted for a while longer.

Aunt Zhou asked a few questions about whether she was used to living in the new courtyard. Jiang Wan said that it was more spacious than the previous one, and the windows faced south, making it much brighter during the day.

Aunt Zhou asked again if the boxes in the storeroom had been moved. Jiang Wan said there were still a few odds and ends left, and Qiu Tang was keeping an eye on them, so there was no rush in the next couple of days.

Just then, another noise came from inside, this time a bit louder than before.

The group fell silent and looked towards the inner room. After a moment, Lu Wan's voice came from inside, muffled: "Mother...who's here?"

Lu Hui's expression changed slightly, and he quickly covered his chest with the handkerchief containing the wooden cat.

Jiang Wan stood up and called out towards the inner room, "Your Aunt Zhou, Brother Hui, and Zhao'er are all here. Come out now that you're awake."

The inner room was quiet for a while, then there was the rustling sound of clothes being put on.

Lu Zhao glanced at Lu Hui, who was frantically trying to tuck the wooden cat in his arms deeper, accidentally spilling the corner of the handkerchief out in his haste, which he quickly stuffed back in.

Aunt Zhou stood to the side, suppressing her laughter and pretending not to see anything.

When Lu Wan came out of the inner room, her hair had been combed again. Although it was still a little crooked, it was much neater than before.

Seeing that Aunt Zhou and Lu Hui were both there, she greeted Aunt Zhou, then turned to Lu Hui. Just as she was about to say something, she suddenly noticed that the hem of his robe was bulging and the corner of his handkerchief was sticking out.

"What are you hiding in your arms?" Lu Wan asked.

Lu Hui's ears turned bright red instantly. He took a step back and covered his face with his hands, saying, "It's nothing."

Lu Wan looked at him suspiciously, then at Aunt Zhou.

Aunt Zhou was drinking tea from her teacup when she suddenly became very interested in the tea leaves at the bottom of the bowl.

Lu Zhao looked away, pretending to be looking at the orchids on the windowsill.

Lu Wan's gaze finally landed on Jiang Wan's face. Jiang Wan smiled and spoke naturally, "Your brother Hui has been hiding mysteriously for a long time. If you're really curious, you can sneak a peek after he leaves. He won't run away anyway."

She winked at Lu Wan as she said this, as if she were genuinely offering advice.

Upon hearing this, Lu Wan's lips twitched slightly, and her previous seriousness eased a bit. She replied, "Alright, then Brother Hui will show it to me when he wants to. I'll wait."

She didn't take another step forward, nor did she insist on seeing what was wrapped in the handkerchief.

Seeing that she really didn't move forward anymore, Lu Hui's shoulders visibly relaxed, and he put down the handkerchief in his hand. It was as if he had stood there for a while before he caught his breath and muttered something under his breath.

"Just wait and see, you definitely won't be disappointed."

Lu Wan heard this, but didn't turn around. Her lips curved slightly, but she quickly suppressed the smile.

The group sat for a while longer.

Seeing that it was getting late, Aunt Zhou stood up to say goodbye. Lu Hui followed her out, glancing back at the direction of the inner room as he reached the door.

Lu Wan was squatting by the windowsill looking at the orchid, unaware of him. He quickly touched the ears of the wooden cat in his arms to make sure it was alright before turning around and stepping out the door.

Lu Zhao also stood up and bowed to Jiang Wan: "Mother, I'll be going back now."

Jiang Wan nodded: "Drive carefully, the roads are slippery in the dark."

Lu Zhao responded and followed him out the door.

The courtyard quieted down, and the lanterns under the eaves were lit, casting a warm orange glow on the blue brick ground.

Jiang Wan stood at the door for a while, watching the figures disappear through the moon gate, before turning back into the house.

She walked to the door of the inner room. Lu Wan hadn't gone back yet; she was sitting on the edge of the tatami, swinging her legs and flipping through an old picture book.

Jiang Wan walked in and sat down on the edge of the tatami mat. She glanced at the sketchbook in the woman's hand and casually asked, "Will you sleep with Mother tonight?"

Lu Wan looked up at her, seemingly surprised, but without giving it much thought, nodded: "Okay."

Jiang Wan didn't explain further, but simply reached out and tucked a strand of hair that had fallen beside her cheek behind her ear, then asked, "Your birthday is coming soon, how do you want to celebrate it?"

Lu Wan closed the picture book and thought about it seriously: "I want to eat a bowl of longevity noodles and add a poached egg."

"That's all?"

Lu Wan nodded: "Also, make sure Brother Hui finishes carving his wooden cat. Don't delay any longer."

She said this with a very serious expression, as if she were genuinely concerned about it.

Jiang Wan was somewhat surprised: "How did Wan'er know he was carving a wooden cat?"

Lu Wan placed the sketchbook on her lap, her voice tinged with a hint of smugness: "How could Brother Hui possibly hide his feelings?"

"When I came out, he kept touching the thing in his arms. Besides, these past few days he's been subtly asking me what kind of cat I like, what my favorite color is, and what I want for my birthday. I knew exactly what he meant!"

Upon hearing this, Jiang Wan couldn't help but chuckle: "It is indeed quite obvious."

Lu Wan smiled, pursing her lips, and then lowered her voice, saying, "I don't plan to expose him. I'll wait until he finishes carving before telling me. Anyway, I'm really looking forward to it. Mother, you mustn't tell him I already know!"

Jiang Wan nodded and replied with a smile, "Okay, I won't say anything."

Lu Wan seemed satisfied with the promise. She flipped through the album again to look at the painting, her fingertips slowly tracing the lines on the canvas, without saying a word.

Jiang Wan sat next to her for a while before standing up. When she went to the outer room, Qing He had already cleared away the teacups on the table and was adding oil to the lamp.

Jiang Wan sat down at the table, picked up the list again, and looked at it over. She needed to go through the list again tomorrow to choose a maid for Lu Wan.

As if suddenly remembering something, she turned to Qinghe and said, "Go tell Wang Mama to have those maids come over tomorrow. I want to see them in person, and I also want Wan'er to come out and take a look. She has to be satisfied."

Qinghe responded, her hands still moving, and said in a low voice, "Don't worry, Madam, I'll go first thing tomorrow morning."