The Wang family lived in the eastern part of the capital. Their estate was not large, and the current head of the household was Wang Shi’s elder brother. Since their parents had long passed away and there were few siblings, the family was rather small.
The eldest son, Wang Shi1, was a scholar—diligent and devoted to his books. He spent his days reading with his younger brother and sister, hoping one day to bring honor to the family name.
The Wang residence was usually peaceful, but today it was livelier than usual. Laughter and conversation could be heard even from the gates. When Wang Shi arrived, she found it strange and asked the gatekeeper,
“Do we have guests today?”
The old steward smiled. “The young master from the Tang family came with his wife. They’re inside, talking with the master and the young masters.”
“Please, come inside, Madam.”
A smile flickered in Wang Shi’s eyes. “How long have they been here?”
“For a while now. The young master said he wanted to bring his wife to get acquainted with the family.”
The steward seemed delighted—the residence hadn’t been this cheerful in quite some time.
Inside the main hall, Tang Mo was chatting and laughing with his uncle about cuju.
“Let’s all go together later—it’s very lively. I’ve already reserved seats.”
Wang Mian waved a hand with a chuckle. “You young people go. It wouldn’t be proper for us.”
“Why wouldn’t it be?” Tang Mo replied lightly. “The more the merrier! And I’ve already booked a private room for dinner. We’ll eat afterward and come back—it won’t take too much time.”
He hadn’t come to see his uncle on a whim, nor to curry favor. It was simply that they had few close relatives, and he thought it right to visit often and keep their bond strong.
The three younger members of the Wang family perked up immediately at his suggestion. They hadn’t gone out for fun in ages, and at their age, such invitations were irresistible.
Wang Mian still hesitated, but then Wang Shi entered, smiling.
“Just agree to it. I’ll come along too—it’ll be a nice outing.”
Everyone turned to greet her at once. “Eldest Sister!” “Aunt!”
Tang Mo blinked in surprise. “Mother, you came to Uncle’s house today?”
Wang Shi smiled. “I left the Marquis’s residence early and thought it’s been far too long since I last visited your uncle, so I came by.”
“What a coincidence, then.”
Tang Mo laughed. “We had lunch outside and planned to admire the lotus flowers, but the sun was too fierce. So we decided to stop by Uncle’s instead—and let Xin An meet everyone properly.”
Wang Shi gave him a half-reproving look. “You claim to be thoughtful, yet you handled this poorly. If you meant to introduce your wife to your uncle and aunt, you should have sent word in advance and come formally. How can you just arrive unannounced like this?”
Wang Mian quickly intervened. “That only shows how at ease Mo’er feels with us. When family comes home, they don’t need to send word or bring a visiting card, do they?”
“Exactly! You’re being too formal,” Madam Wang added with a laugh. “We’re delighted that Mo’er brought his wife—don’t scold him.”
Still, Tang Mo took his mother’s words to heart. He bowed slightly. “Mother is right. I should have brought Xin An sooner, and in a more proper manner. It was thoughtless of me.”
“See?” Wang Mian turned helplessly to Wang Shi. “Eldest Sister, you’re being too stiff. This is his uncle’s home—he can come anytime. Saying things like that only makes you seem distant.”
Wang Shi sighed with a smile. “Fine, indulge him as you always do.”
“I only have this one nephew,” Wang Mian replied cheerfully. “If I don’t indulge him, who will?”
Wang Shi raised an eyebrow. “Then your dear nephew is inviting you to watch cuju and have dinner. Are you going or not?”
“Going, of course! Who said we weren’t?”
Everyone laughed. Even the usually composed Wang Shi, who had yet to become an official scholar, looked pleased. His younger brother Wang Tu, twelve years old and lively by nature, finally shed his usual stiffness from too much studying, while ten-year-old Wang Bao’er stood sweetly nearby—her dimples showing as she smiled, utterly charming.
There was still some time before the cuju match began, so everyone stayed chatting. The cheerful atmosphere made it impossible for anyone to feel unhappy.
Xin An sat beside Tang Mo, listening quietly. Whenever the conversation turned to her, she would answer with a few polite words. Madam Wang leaned close to Wang Shi, whispering something before both of them turned to smile at Xin An.
Xin An could only sigh inwardly. Discussing me right in front of me, are they?
It would probably take another year or two before everyone grew tired of treating her like the subject of curiosity.
Fortunately, her skin was thick enough now.
“I think it’s almost time. Why don’t we all get ready to head out?” Tang Mo finally suggested—after all, he had arranged the outing and had to see it through. The group chatted and laughed a bit more before dispersing to prepare.
The cuju field was the same one Tang Mo had brought Xin An to before, but this time there were more shaded pavilions. The private boxes now came with ice basins, chilled drinks, and refreshing mountain pastries—for those willing to pay.
When the group arrived, they weren’t particularly impressed—until they stepped inside their private box. Tang Mo immediately took charge of the arrangements, and just as the ice basins were brought in, the match was about to begin. The stands were already full; the audience waved fans, held water flasks, and chatted loudly.
Their box had an excellent view—spacious, comfortable, and offering free refreshments and team information. The service was impeccable.
“My heavens,” Wang Shi began to remark, then shook her head with a laugh. “No, I’ve never seen so many people in one place.”
Xin An smiled. “Aunt will soon know what bustle truly means. The first time I came, the noise nearly lifted the top of my head—it made my heart race.”
Little Wang Bao’er’s eyes widened. “And then?”
“And then,” Xin An said with a grin, “I joined in the noise.”
Wang Bao’er giggled so hard her eyes turned into crescents. Wang Shi remarked that their academy had also held cuju matches, but never with such crowds. “I’ve heard this field is huge and lively, but I’ve never actually been.”
“Me neither,” Wang Tu chimed in. “I just study all day. It’s a real loss.”
Tang Mo set down the booklet in his hands. “It’s good to come here and relax once in a while. Especially when you’re frustrated or stuck on something—come, cheer for the ball, and I guarantee your mind will be clear the next day.”
Wang Shi chuckled. “Wouldn’t all that noise make one dizzy instead?”
“Not dizzy,” Tang Mo replied easily. “Two words—stress relief.”
“It’s hard to explain,” he added, smiling. “You’ll understand once you experience it.”
Just then, a server came in holding a menu. “Would the guests like some chilled drinks?”
Tang Mo glanced over it. “Has the owner changed? These weren’t here last time.”
The server grinned. “Sharp eyes, young master. The owner’s the same, but there’s a new steward who wanted our honored guests to enjoy more comfort while watching the game.”
“I see,” Tang Mo said with a nod.
- The names “Wang Shi (王氏)” and “Wang Shi (王仕)” refer to different individuals and use different Chinese characters. The first, 王氏, employs the suffix 氏, a traditional marker indicating a married woman’s maiden surname—in this case, the Marchioness of Wei Yuan, born of the Wang family. The second, 王仕, uses the character 仕, meaning “to serve as an official,” and is a masculine given name belonging to Wang Shi’s nephew, the eldest son of her elder brother. ↩︎