The snow in Jiangnan falls gently and persistently. In the plum garden of Prince Jing's Mansion, red plum blossoms reflect the snow, their subtle fragrance wafting in the air. The silver-clad landscape is dotted with touches of crimson, a breathtaking sight.

"Quick! Over here! The snow is thicker over here!"

"Sister Huaiyu! Wait for me!"

The tranquility of the garden was broken by the crisp sound of laughter. Shen Huaiyu, dressed in a fiery red cloak, looked like a nimble snow fox, giggling as she ran through the snow, making snowballs to throw at her twin brother Shen Huaijin who was running ahead of her.

Shen Huaijin was agile and dodged with a smile, while also grabbing a snowball to fight back.

A little further away, the siblings Xiao Yuning and Xiao Yuyan appeared much more "refined." Xiao Yuning, wrapped in an elegant moon-white cloak, held a small charcoal pencil and drawing board, intently sketching the scene of snow-laden plum blossoms.

Xiao Yuyan squatted to the side, using a small twig to write something earnestly on the flat snow. Every now and then she would look up at her sister's drawing, then look down and continue writing. Her little face was red from the cold, but her expression was unusually serious.

"Yu Yan, what poem are you writing?" Xiao Yuning finished drawing a plum blossom and curiously peeked at her younger brother's poem about the snow.

Xiao Yuyan raised his head, his eyes shining with precocious intelligence: "It's not poetry, sister. I'm calculating how many hours it will take for the big snowman we built to melt into water, and how much plum trees we can irrigate if we collect that water." He pointed to the adorable snowman that several children had built together not far away.

Xiao Yuning chuckled and tapped her younger brother's forehead: "You, your head is always full of these mathematical and scientific things! Just like Second Brother Kang!" A trace of longing flashed in her bright eyes when she mentioned her second brother who was far away in Xiling.

Shen Yuewei, her second brother Shen Wenbai, and her second sister-in-law Lin Qingrou stood under the veranda of the warm pavilion, watching the children playing in the garden, their faces filled with warm smiles. Servants brought over steaming ginger tea and freshly baked plum blossom cakes.

"Look at these children, how happy they are playing." Lin Qingrou smiled and handed a cup of ginger tea to Shen Yuewei. "The snow in Jiangnan is the best. Although it's cold, it doesn't hurt people. The children can run around freely."

Shen Wenbai stroked his short beard, watching his children chasing and playing in the snow, and his nephews and nieces quietly drawing and doing math. He sighed, "Yes. Huaijin and Huaiyu are just like Zhaozhao when she was little! Yuning is calm, like you, Yuewei. Yuyan... tsk, his penchant for pondering things really does have a bit of Chengkang's vibe back then." The atmosphere in the corridor paused slightly at the mention of Xiao Chengkang.

Shen Yuewei held a warm teacup, her gaze falling on Xiao Yuyan, who was earnestly solving a problem. It was as if she could see her son far away through him, and her eyes welled up with tender tears: "Yes... When Kang'er was his age, he was always either fiddling with medicinal herbs or pondering strange and unusual questions... I wonder what he is like in Xiling..." She didn't finish her sentence, her worry evident in her words.

Xiao Yuyan seemed to sense something, raised his head, and gave his mother a reassuring smile: "Don't worry, Mother, Second Brother is so capable, he will definitely come back safely! After I finish solving this problem, I will tell you and Second Uncle and Second Aunt about the Xiling herb that Second Brother mentioned in his last letter. It's so interesting!" His childlike words, full of trust, dispelled the gloom in the adults' hearts.

Looking at her son's sensible smile, Shen Yuewei felt a warmth in her heart and nodded: "Okay, Mother will wait and see."