Funerals were supposed to be serious, but reality was full of mundane hassles. Sure, Xiao Chan was sad about her father dying, but she'd been sold to the Su family when she was four and only went home once or twice a year. She didn't really know what having a father meant.

Part of her sadness was just sadness for the sake of it. The practical side was a headache—bringing loads of gifts, visiting this family and that family, following all the proper etiquette, paying for all the funeral expenses. Plus, the young master coming along showed the Su family valued her, which meant even more things to worry about. It wasn't just a matter of going back, kneeling a bit, and burying the dead.

In a way, this was like returning home in glory, even if that seemed wrong for a funeral. Her father had died, and here came his daughter who worked for a rich family no one in town could even dream of approaching, with the family's son-in-law tagging along to pay respects. Whether it was Chief Steward Chang or Su Tan'er who'd decided this, it showed they appreciated Xiao Chan's work and gave her family face. People would say the old man raised a good daughter, got himself a proper funeral. That's probably what he would've wanted while alive anyway. Of course, we don't usually need to be so blunt about these things.

Social customs and relationships—that's just how life worked.

After breakfast, they left the Su residence. Young Dongzhu drove the carriage while Guard Geng rode escort. Geng was over forty but solid and reliable, carrying a nine-ringed broadsword as one of the Su family's guard captains. He'd grown up with Su Boyong, practically raised in the Su household, and the family had even arranged his marriage to one of their senior maids. With two sons now, his loyalty ran deep.

Guard Geng treated Ning Yi with obvious respect since his younger son studied at Yushan Academy where Ning Yi taught. After greeting Ning Yi, he sat outside until Ning Yi invited him in for a chat. Soon enough, he went back out, leaving the interior to Ning Yi and Xiao Chan.

Despite her sleepless night, Xiao Chan stayed perky, occasionally lifting the curtain to peek outside while chatting with Ning Yi. He asked detailed questions about her family—which relatives would show up, who the neighbors were, what elders to expect.

Xiao Chan knew how to handle things and had already figured out the social chess game the night before. She figured the young master could just sit there while she dealt with everything, but Ning Yi was no fool—an hour of conversation gave him a clear mental map of who to thank on Xiao Chan's behalf, what to say, what gifts went where. He wasn't here as window dressing.

Once they left Jiangning, the official road filled with people heading toward the city—most in rags with sickly yellow faces, like what Ning Yi had seen coming back from the mountains. This first wave wasn't too bad yet, mostly people with relatives to stay with—the really scary ones would come later, driven by floods and plague. Xiao Chan knew all this and quietly filled Ning Yi in.

Off the main road, refugee traffic thinned out and the path got bumpy. They stopped at noon to rest the horses and ate some of their provisions—thousand-layer cakes and such, good quality stuff that would keep for days. Xiao Chan had packed plenty, worried Ning Yi might not stomach rural food.

In the morning, Xiao Chan and Ning Yi had sat facing each other. When they started up again after lunch, the carriage lurched and some gift boxes tumbled down. After cleaning up and sitting back down, they ended up side by side. Xiao Chan sat next to Ning Yi with her head down, hands folded on her knees, very quiet. She was actually debating whether to move back across, but those boxes were in the way now... Ning Yi didn't care, just lifted the curtain to look outside—green mountains, clear water, scattered villages, not much farmland. Pretty desolate overall.

"You didn't sleep last night, Xiao Chan. There'll be lots to do when we arrive. Try to get some sleep, even if it's bumpy..."

At his words, Xiao Chan gave a little "mm" and closed her eyes to try sleeping. She really was tired—her mind drifted a bit, then her head slowly tilted over until it rested against Ning Yi's arm.

The mountain road jolted them around badly. Ning Yi shifted to support her shoulder and let her lie across his lap, patting her shoulder twice. Where he couldn't see, Xiao Chan's eyes opened. She blinked bashfully at his pats, then slowly closed them again. She lay on her side on the carriage seat, head on Ning Yi's right thigh, and after a bit pulled her legs up too. In the summer heat, the girl wore thin white clothes, sleeping quietly like this—slender, soft, and pure.

She slept the whole way, waking only as they neared Nanting Village. She sat up with pink cheeks, fixing her messed-up hair while Ning Yi rubbed his numb leg. Seeing this, Xiao Chan quietly knelt by his legs to massage them.

Soon they reached the village and got out, launching into all the expected greetings and social niceties.

Xiao Chan's father's funeral was already on day three. Summer meant no delays with burial. Besides, Xiao Chan was technically sold property—if her masters hadn't given permission, she might not have come at all. No one would wait for her to start the ceremonies. Entering the village, they could see the funeral shed set up by the main hall, with Xiao Chan's relatives already coming to meet them along with her brother and sister-in-law.

Xiao Chan had sketched out her family before—mother and father, though father was dead now. Her brother had married the prettiest girl from the next village, a younger brother had starved to death as a child, and she'd been sold to the Su family. Her father's surname was Xu, but Xiao Chan had entered the Su household at four without a proper name, so she didn't really use the Xu surname. Her brother was Xu Dalang.

Thanks to Xiao Chan's position at the Su household, the Xu family lived decently, well-off by village standards. The funeral looked respectable—musicians, monks, Taoist priests¹, the works—and lots of people came, which in the countryside counted as having face. Xiao Chan was the source of that respectability. As soon as she arrived, people swarmed over to chat—various aunts, neighbors, everyone.

It wasn't brown-nosing exactly. Country folk were genuinely curious about Xiao Chan, who worked for a household "rich enough to rival nations." So Xiao Chan greeted everyone and introduced Ning Yi, who made the rounds saying thanks for looking after Xiao Chan's family, mentioning how she managed lots of important things at the Su household. When they heard he was the Su family's son-in-law, everyone got excited—saying Xiao Chan had found good masters, the Xu family had luck, that sort of thing. A son-in-law from a rich family coming to a servant's father's funeral? That carried serious weight. Some guessed Xiao Chan had become a concubine, basically Ning Yi's secondary wife, future young mistress material—which also counted as good fortune...

Xiao Chan looked young but had seen plenty. She knew how to work a room and smooth things over. She hadn't expected Ning Yi to handle all the glad-handing so well. Even if he'd just sat there stone-faced, it would've been enough face for the family—people would just think that's how rich folks acted. But here he was saying the right things, making people feel special, everyone going on about what good employers the girl had found.

Then came meeting Xiao Chan's mother, the funeral proceedings, the evening banquet—all manageable social stuff. Come evening, Xiao Chan put on mourning clothes and knelt with her mother in the funeral hall. Ning Yi didn't need to stick around constantly—the funeral hall had opera performers, but that held zero interest for him. Xiao Chan's brother and sister-in-law had set up his room already. Still, he made an appearance to chat with village elders and local big shots, helping Xiao Chan dodge some social obligations.

Rural entertainment was thin on the ground. The funeral hall shows and chitchat would go all night for some, but social duties had their limits. Around nine o'clock, Ning Yi headed back to his room to change bandages and get cleaned up for bed. Not long after, Xiao Chan showed up with a basin and towel. Funeral hall noise drifted over, but this courtyard stayed quiet. She'd changed into pale moon-white clothes, her slightly damp hair carrying a subtle fragrance. She came to change his bandages like she would in Jiangning.

"Won't you get in trouble for leaving?"

"It's fine. Mother and my brother and sister-in-law are there. Nobody really keeps vigil all night anyway... Mother told me to come..." She kept her head down, expertly unwrapping bandages, her voice getting quieter though her hands never paused.

"The villagers all seem pretty nice."

"They were saying how good Young Master is..."

They chatted lightly while she changed his bandages and helped him wash up, just like in Jiangning. After several trips to get everything done, she carried the basin out—water splashing outside, distant laughter floating over. Ning Yi opened the window to let in the cool night breeze. As he sat back on the bed, the door opened again.

Xiao Chan entered with lowered head and quietly shut the door. She glanced at him, then slowly approached the bedside. Under her pale clothes, her chest rose and fell slightly, her fingers clutching her hem as she bit her lip nervously.

"Young... Young Master, could Xiao Chan... could I sleep here tonight...?"

Her voice was as thin as a mosquito's...

Ning Yi looked at her, slightly puzzled, then seemed to get it and sighed with a smile. "No." He pointed at the door. "Go sleep in your own room."

Xiao Chan pressed her lips together but finally gave a soft "mm" and left rather meekly.

Due to editing issues, this chapter has been revised. Chapters 88 and 89 have been deleted, but this doesn't affect reading continuity. Please excuse any inconvenience.