With the almost deafening and endless sound of firecrackers, the fourth year of Taikang arrived.

The Fang family's celebration of the New Year was not as lively as in previous years. There was more anxiety and uneasiness. The marriage of Mr. Fang and Jun Zhenzhen was scheduled for the tenth day of February.

There was no need to do any sewing during the first month of the lunar year, and Miss Jun's wedding dress was already finished and hung in the inner closet.

"If you're not satisfied, you can still change it after the first month of the year," said Mrs. Fang.

Miss Jun just took a look and nodded, saying it was good and no need to change it.

There was neither the shyness of a girl getting married nor the joy on her face.

It was fake in the first place, Mrs. Fang felt a little embarrassed.

But even if it was fake and was a cover-up for medical treatment, they were married in everyone's eyes. If Chengyu recovered in the future, would it still count?

"It didn't count in the first place. How could she possibly look down on Chengyu?" Old Madam Fang said, "She didn't look down on him before. If Chengyu can be cured."

She emphasized the word cured.

"She can cure Chengyu's disease, which so many doctors are helpless to treat. She looks down on Chengyu even more because she has such ability."

That's true.

Mrs. Fang was silent for a moment.

"Mom, do you think she can really cure Chengyu?" she said.

Unconsciously, the tone of Mrs. Fang's voice had become less questioning than when she first heard about this matter. Moreover, Miss Jun had not done anything good during this period. She was either fighting with this young lady or arguing with that young lady, causing chaos in Yangcheng. She was still as troublesome as before and even worse.

Mrs. Fang's attitude changed instead.

Old Mrs. Fang seemed to have just realized this.

"I don't know either," she said.

I don’t know whether he doesn’t know why he has changed, or he doesn’t know whether Jun Zhenzhen can cure Fang Chengyu.

We will know this year whether it is possible.

Mrs. Fang did not ask any more questions.

Because there were many things to do at home during the New Year, Mrs. Fang went to get busy. Old Mrs. Fang sat for a while and then went to Fang Chengyu's place.

Fang Chengyu was moved to another place, and the house he originally lived in was cleaned up to be his new home, waiting to be moved back on the day of the wedding.

Fang Chengyu's room was very lively. His three sisters were crowded in his room playing cards and cracking melon seeds all over the floor. The little girls were also sitting around in the room eating and drinking. It was noisy but also had a unique sense of the festive atmosphere of the New Year.

Old Madam Fang stopped the maids from reporting and stood outside the window watching them having fun.

Since he learned that he was going to marry Jun Zhenzhen, Fang Chengyu had no reaction. He just said that he would obey his grandmother and mother in everything. Just like when they asked him to take medicine, he would take whatever they brought him. He never asked questions and never complained.

He did it not for himself, he did it to comfort them.

Old Mrs. Fang looked at the sisters and brothers who were chatting and laughing in the house, and thought that maybe she wouldn't be able to see this scene again next year. She turned away with tears in her eyes.

The Fang residence was decorated with new decorations inside and outside. Because there were few people, it was more lively, and the servants and maids were deliberately indulged. They laughed and had fun at home, and the sound of firecrackers continued.

Old Mrs. Fang was walking in the yard. She could hear the hustle and bustle around her, but her heart was filled with sadness. When her ears suddenly became quiet, she realized that she had walked to the courtyard where Miss Jun was.

Why did you come to her?

Miss Jun's courtyard was the same as before. There were not many maids and servants. Although the lights were on, it looked very deserted.

"What is Miss Jun doing?" Old Mrs. Fang asked the maid in the yard.

The maid shook her head and could not answer.

Miss Jun disliked the maids of the Fang family. She never let them around, although Miss Jun never scolded them now. She seemed to speak more kindly, but Fang Jinxiu said that was because she was pretending to fool the Fang family. Once she became the young lady of Fang, her true colors would be exposed, so no one dared to approach her.

Old Mrs. Fang stopped the maid and walked in. The curtains were not yet drawn and the bright room could be seen through the glass window.

The little girl was wearing New Year's clothes and sitting on the kang table, her hand on her chin, looking intently in front of her. No one knew what she was looking at. The bright light from the flickering glass reflected her, making her look warm and peaceful, which made people feel calm.

It's a funny idea to see that Miss Jun can actually feel comforted.

Old Mrs. Fang smiled self-deprecatingly, paused, and walked in.

There were only the master and the servant in the room. Liu'er was also wearing new clothes. She was sitting by the wall, playing with shadow puppets facing the lamp, and was smiling happily.

Despite being so deserted, Old Mrs. Fang did not feel any sadness. Instead, she felt a different kind of tranquility, just like the girl's calm eyes.

"Grandma is here." Miss Jun said as she got down from the kang.

Liu'er put down the shadow puppet in her hand somewhat unwillingly.

"You play." Old Mrs. Fang said without even looking at her. She had already sat down on the kang, looking at the chessboard in front of Miss Jun.

The crystal clear black and white characters on the chessboard are indistinguishable.

"Are you playing chess?" she asked.

Miss Jun waved to Liu'er, and Liu'er went to play by herself. This was bought by Miss Jun for her, and she also told her how to play. She was having a lot of fun.

Miss Jun hummed, reached out and picked up a black stone and placed it on the chessboard.

Old Mrs. Fang saw that the white pieces, which had previously had the upper hand, suddenly became confused.

When she was a girl, her family was wealthy. Although they were merchants, their family also learned to teach girls the arts of music, chess, calligraphy and painting like officials. However, her foundation was shallow. Her elders were unable to take care of her and could not teach her well. The teacher they hired was not very dedicated either. She only learned the basics and did not understand them very well. Later, when she became someone's wife, she had no time to have fun, so she naturally gave up the arts of music, chess, calligraphy and painting.

Later, not long after Grandma Fang passed away, she took over the business and became restless. She heard from others that calligraphy, painting, chess, and music were the best ways to temper one's temper, so she took up the art again. However, she was unable to temper her heart, and she just stared at the chessboard in a daze.

Old Mrs. Fang looked at the chessboard without saying anything, and Miss Jun didn't say anything either, and started twisting the white pieces again.

The room fell silent again, with the occasional sound of Liu'er talking to herself and laughing. A quarter of an hour later, with the black piece in Miss Jun's hand finally falling, the game was decided.

"White lost again this time." Miss Jun sighed.

Old Mrs. Fang couldn't help laughing.

"Whether you win or lose is up to you," she said.

Miss Jun sighed.

"If only the incident were like this," she said.

What childish words! Although they sound helpless, they don't make people feel uncomfortable, but rather a little relieved.

Old Mrs. Fang smiled.

"Yuxiu also knows how to play chess, let her play with you," she said.

Isn't playing chess alone as boring as playing chess between one's left and right hands?

It's a pity that she doesn't interact with her sisters at home. Fortunately, after going out together a few times, she and Fang Yuxiu get along well. Getting along well means that there are no quarrels or fights.

"No need, I'm used to playing chess alone." Miss Jun said with a smile.

Is it possible that no one wants to play with her during Fu Ning's time? Yes, with her bad temper, she must be unpopular everywhere. Of course, for Miss Jun, I'm afraid she doesn't like those people, so she prefers to play alone.

Old Mrs. Fang said nothing more.

Liu'er, who was fiddling with the shadow puppet, looked over here with some confusion.

In the past, the young lady never had anyone to play with during the Chinese New Year. But in Funing, she was surrounded by people. The clerks and the young ladies of the prominent families in Funing would come to play with her.

However, the young lady said that it was someone who deceived the Fang family. This made the young lady seem more pitiful, so Liu'er turned her head and ignored it.

The room returned to silence after no one spoke, but this silence did not make people feel deserted and lonely.

Mrs. Fang was silent for a moment, then stood up and said goodbye. Miss Jun walked her to the door.

"What are you doing here, old lady? Are you here to watch the young lady play chess?" Liu'er just remembered and asked.

"Probably." Miss Jun said.

"Look how idle she is." Liu'er said with a pout.