“Wei’er…” Madam Shen’s voice trembled as she reached out to touch her daughter’s cheek.

"Father! Mother!" A slightly impetuous boy's voice broke the stagnant air. The carved wooden window of the warm chamber creaked open a crack from the outside, and then a fluffy head poked in. It was his second brother, Shen Wenbai. A speck of ash smudged on his forehead, his hair was slightly disheveled, but his face wore an incredibly bright, even somewhat silly, smile. He proudly held up an oil paper package, the rich, sweet aroma instantly overpowering the smell of medicine: "Wei'er's awake? Perfect timing! Freshly roasted chestnuts! Still piping hot! I climbed over the back wall to buy them; Old Zhang was almost closing up shop, but I managed to stop him!"

He proudly waved the oil paper package, completely oblivious to the mess of medicine on the ground and his parents' solemn expressions, only concerned with making his younger sister happy: "Try it! It's delicious! I guarantee it's even better than the 'Yipinxiang' you were raving about yesterday!"

Almost simultaneously, the curtain to the warm chamber was gently lifted a crack. A smaller figure slipped in like a nimble cat. It was the third brother, Shen Wensong. He was only twelve or thirteen years old, dressed in a brand-new royal blue silk shirt, his little face taut and serious, but his eyes sparkling. He silently crept to the side of the canopy bed, quickly pulled a small, heavy embroidered pouch from his sleeve, and without a word, stuffed it into Shen Yuewei's hand, which was still clutching the corner of the quilt.

“Here you go,” he said in a low voice, with a touch of a young man’s seriousness, “I saved this up. Ask me if you need more if you need more.” After saying that, before Shen Yuewei could react, he quickly slipped back to the door, only peeking out half his head, staring at her expectantly with eyes full of “quickly put it away so your parents don’t find out.”

Shen Yuewei lowered her head, stunned, and opened her palm. The brocade pouch embroidered with green bamboo was heavy, filled with loose silver and a few round gold seeds. A surge of hot emotion rushed to her eyes, blurring her vision instantly. In her past life, she had been meticulous in the marketplace, haggling over every penny for survival, sometimes even arguing until her face turned red. She had never experienced such pure, selfless giving. This small brocade pouch felt like a red-hot iron, searing her very heart.

"Second brother... third brother..." She opened her mouth, her voice hoarse, the rest of her words blocked by surging emotions, leaving only her slightly trembling lips.

"Alright, alright, what are you all doing crowding here? Let your sister have some peace and quiet." Minister Shen cleared his throat, his imposing manner tinged with barely perceptible weariness. His gaze swept over Chun Tao, who was cleaning up the mess on the floor, before settling on his wife's furrowed brows. "Madam, Wei'er was frightened. Let her rest. We'll have the doctor come to check her pulse later."

Madam Shen hesitated, looking at her daughter's pale and fragile face, and finally just sighed, tucked her in, and said softly, "Alright, Mother will stay here with you. Sleep, Mother will stay with you."

The warm room finally quieted down.