Chen Xiao had come to comfort Ershun out of goodwill. However, he struggled to suppress a yawn in front of her. Just as he was about to fail, Ershun dropped a bombshell that nearly made him choke on his held-back yawn.

Wiping the tears squeezed from his eyes, Chen Xiao stared at Ershun, who was squatting in a corner with her head buried. "What do you mean? Ershun, are you saying Wu Xinzhi has even less of a chance in the second round? Then why…" Earlier that day, at the shrine, he had clearly heard Ershun console Wu Xinzhi, telling him to stay hopeful. If she didn’t believe there was a chance, why would she say that?

Ershun raised her tear-streaked face. Her nose was red from crying, and her ears were red from the cold. Tears glistened as she softly said, "Brother Hanwa, I only said that to encourage Wu Xinzhi to gather his spirits for the re-selection. In truth, I don’t think his chances are very good."

Seeing Chen Xiao’s confusion, Ershun explained further, her voice clear and deliberate. "The steward’s youngest daughter is a close friend of an embroiderer I know from the embroidery workshop. From her, I learned that only five people will be chosen in the second round. Unlike the selection for inner disciples earlier today, this round will only pick from the boys who passed the initial rounds. The Chongxuan Sect won’t personally oversee this; the school steward will submit the list directly."

Ershun laid it out, her reasoning meticulous. "I guess the candidates will be picked from the top six boys in the last two rounds. Of those six, one will inevitably be eliminated. Among them, the Wu family is neither the most influential nor the wealthiest. To make things worse, the boy ranked last is the Fan family’s young master..." Her slight shoulders trembled as she bit her finger, tears streaming down her face. "Wu Xinzhi’s parents dote on him and think the world of him. They probably never imagined they’d need to curry favor with the steward. Wu Xinzhi himself, with his pride, wouldn’t dream of suggesting such a thing to his family. I’m afraid… I’m afraid he’s going to be the one left out."

Chen Xiao looked at the crying girl with newfound respect. This little girl was far more perceptive than he had imagined, always thinking several steps ahead.

And Chen Xiao was spot on. Ershun’s calm demeanor earlier had stemmed from her inexperience with the world. Seeing Wu Xinzhi crushed by rejection that day made her realize how devastating another failure would be for him. After being unfairly blamed and scolded by her future mother-in-law, Ershun couldn’t help but waver in her confidence about the future.

If Wu Xinzhi failed the re-selection and stayed in Fancun, his prospects would be far less promising than if he went to Chongxuan Sect. But from an emotional standpoint, she couldn’t bear the thought of him leaving, not knowing when he’d return. Torn between reason and feelings, the little girl was deeply conflicted. Her tears weren’t from fear of further blame from Wu’s family but from genuine heartbreak for her beloved.

Chen Xiao understood this better than Ershun. The unresolved tension with her future in-laws spelled a difficult married life ahead. Any misstep would surely lead to harsh treatment. Wu Xinzhi’s ability to protect his wife was uncertain, especially in a village where opposing one’s parents was unthinkable. These issues were glaring risks.

But breaking off an engagement simply because of a difficult future mother-in-law was unheard of. Besides, for a family like the Chen’s, Wu Xinzhi was already the best match Ershun could hope for. To ensure her future happiness, Wu Xinzhi had to be selected.

Chen Xiao fell silent. This was a major event involving the immortal sects. Even if he wanted to help, he didn’t have the means. After consoling Ershun, he sent her back to her room to rest.

Chen Xiao, however, felt wide awake. He sat outside the storage room for a while, hugging his now-cold hand warmer, before reluctantly heading back to his room.

Climbing into the bed, shivering, he was startled by a sudden whisper from Sanshuan, who shared his bed. "Did my sister cry? Why?"

Chen Xiao froze, then quickly buried himself under the blanket, pressing his heavy coat on top. "Kids shouldn’t worry about adult matters. Go to sleep."

But Sanshuan didn’t listen. He turned to face Chen Xiao and said, "I already know. Sister was scolded by her future mother-in-law today. It’s my fault. If I were more capable, that old woman wouldn’t dare treat my sister like that."

The boy sighed like a little old man. "A girl’s future depends on having capable brothers to support her. Sister only has me and Sibao. For her sake, we have to make something of ourselves."

Chen Xiao couldn’t help but chuckle and turned to face him. "You’ve got big ambitions. What do you want to do when you grow up?"

Sanshuan perked up and leaned over excitedly. "Brother Hanwa, do you think I could go to the county capital like you and work in a big shop? It’s respectable, and I could save a lot of money. Then no one in the Wu family would dare bully my sister."

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Ershun’s struggles weren’t something Sanshuan could solve. Even if he grew up to be successful, it wouldn’t address the root of the issue. But his pure-hearted determination moved Chen Xiao.

Chen Xiao tucked Sanshuan back under the blanket. "Working in a big shop in the county is a fine dream. But for now, get some sleep. You need to grow up first. Leave your sister’s problems to me."

Sanshuan obediently curled up under the blanket, his trust in Chen Xiao evident. "You’re right. Brother Hanwa is so capable."

With that, the boy’s fatigue caught up to him, and he drifted off to sleep. Chen Xiao, on the other hand, remained wide awake, lying in bed until dawn.

At the crack of dawn, Chen Xiao got up. In the courtyard, Er Shun was acting as if nothing had happened, feeding the two chickens in the coop.

Glancing around, Chen Xiao saw that his aunt was busy in the kitchen preparing breakfast, while his uncle, Chen Changgen, was still inside and hadn’t come out yet. He walked over to Er Shun and said softly, “I have an idea. It might help Wu Xinzhi get selected.”

Er Shun froze in surprise before her face lit up with joy. She set down the sieve she was holding and clutched Chen Xiao’s sleeve. “Brother Hanwa, are you serious? You’re not joking, right?”

Chen Xiao replied in a low voice, “I can only promise to try. There’s no guarantee it’ll work. If it doesn’t, please don’t blame me.”

Although disappointment flickered across Er Shun’s face, she quickly composed herself. “The fact that you’re willing to help already means the world to me. I would never hold it against you.”

Chen Xiao nodded. “Then leave it to me.”

During breakfast that morning, Chen Xiao proposed fixing up the family house. His uncle, aunt, and the rest of the Chen family sitting around the table were taken aback.

Chen Changgen, struggling to maintain his composure as the head of the household, stammered, “Hanwa, w-what brought this on? Why are you suddenly thinking about renovating the house?”

Chen Xiao replied firmly, “Uncle, if it weren’t for you taking care of me all these years, I wouldn’t be where I am today. I’ve saved up some money, and I want to use it to fix up the parts of the house that are run-down. It’s my way of showing gratitude and fulfilling my duty to you.”

Chen Changgen frowned and shook his head. “That’s out of the question. You’re the only heir of my elder brother’s family. Looking after you was my responsibility. If I accepted your help, wouldn’t that make me a selfish man taking advantage of your gratitude?”

Chen Xiao’s aunt, initially delighted by the idea of renovations, also hesitated. She chimed in, “Exactly. Taking care of you was our duty. You should save that money for your own future—for building your own house, marrying, and starting a family. That’s how you can truly honor your parents’ memory and repay us.”

Chen Xiao responded with quiet determination. “Uncle, Aunt, you don’t need to persuade me. I’ve made up my mind. The county town is far from home, and I don’t know when I’ll be able to visit again. If my employer transfers me to the capital someday, I’ll be even farther away. Fixing up the house so you can live more comfortably will bring me peace of mind.”

Despite their initial refusals, Chen Xiao’s uncle and aunt eventually relented after several rounds of persuasion.

Knowing Chen Xiao’s time at home was limited, Chen Changgen took time off from his duties and enlisted several villagers to help start the renovations. Chen Xiao contributed 20 taels of silver for materials, while labor costs were repaid through favors and goodwill, which the Chen family would slowly return over time.

The major repairs involved replacing the roofs of three rooms, which required new beams and swapping out the thatch for tiles. In addition, the crumbling plaster on the walls needed to be patched up and smoothed over.

The most expensive materials were the three main beams for the roof and the tiles. Fortunately, rural living expenses were modest, and the 20 taels were just enough to cover the costs.

For the wall repairs, mud had to be hauled from a nearby clay pit. Chen Xiao’s aunt and San Shuan borrowed a cart and made multiple trips. Though Chen Xiao offered to help, his aunt firmly refused, insisting he stay home with Er Shun and Si Bao. Together, they sifted through the mud, removing stones and clumps, and mixed in red clay for better adhesion.

The bustling activity at the Chen household soon drew the attention of curious neighbors. When they heard that Hanwa had saved up money working in the county town to repair the family house, everyone was full of praise.

With the roof stripped bare and the new beams installed, the workers were eager to push forward and complete the project. However, Chen Xiao called a halt.

“Uncle, there are a few changes I’d like to make,” he said.

“What changes?” Chen Changgen asked, puzzled.

“The main gate, the stove, and the arrangement inside your bedroom,” Chen Xiao explained earnestly.

His real intent was to subtly adjust the house’s feng shui. He had returned with the goal of repaying the karmic debt tied to Hanwa’s life, and the jade pendant he carried was a key part of that plan.

Although the celestial configurations of this world were vastly different, with even the cardinal directions slightly altered, the basic principles of residential feng shui remained unaffected. By making some adjustments and incorporating the jade pendant as a protective talisman, Chen Xiao aimed to ensure the Chen family’s peace and prosperity for the next three to five decades.

He could have gone further, aligning the feng shui to bring the family great wealth and outstanding descendants. But given the Chen family’s modest fate, such grand ambitions could backfire, shortening their lifespans or leading to unforeseen calamities.

That said, Chen Xiao was unsure how effective these adjustments would be or how much of an impact they would have. Yet, he was determined to do what he could. At the very least, the changes wouldn’t bring harm, and that alone was worth the effort.