Chu Lian looked over the ingredients that had been sent over to their kitchen this morning: amethyst-coloured grapes, red honey peaches, mandarins, and a few other fruits. She nodded to herself and picked out several fresh lotus roots, some lotus seeds with their bitter centers removed, some water chestnuts, and a few other ingredients she would need. She then sent Xiyan to the second gate to ask the gatekeeper to buy a bottle of milk from outside.

While waiting for Xiyan to return, Chu Lian was already starting to prepare the ingredients in the kitchen. This time, she didn’t get anyone to help her and worked on the dish herself.

Senior Servant Gui only knew the name of the dish that Third Young Madam wanted to make, but she didn’t know how to make it herself. Thus, she simply stood to one side and watched.

Chu Lian was someone who would focus solely on the task at hand; it was like her surroundings didn’t even exist. This was especially so when she was making delicacies.

However, in Senior Servant Gui’s eyes, her concentration seemed more like a dazed look of distraction, like she was trying to cover up her sadness.

When Chu Lian finished preparing all the fruits she would need for the shaved ice dessert, she noticed that Xiyan still hadn’t returned. Her search brought her to a small bucket of glutinous rice, soaking in the corner of the kitchen. Chu Lian instantly thought of the raindrop mochi she had been preparing to make earlier that morning. Since they had ice today... An idea popped into her mind. She called the servant stationed in the kitchen and asked her to find a bag of soy bean flour.

It was easy to make raindrop mochi, and their appearance and taste was best suited for summer.

Senior Servant Gui was still feeling a little sad for Third Young Madam as she watched her busy herself with making food. But the longer she watched, the more Senior Servant Gui grew entranced by the delicacies Third Young Madam was making.

Heavens, was that clear dessert the size of a large pearl really made from glutinous rice?

It was unbelievable! She hadn’t seen such a beautiful dessert in all her years of living.

Around this time, Xiyan came back with a large jar of milk. Chu Lian then sent the maidservants off to retrieve the leftover ice from the bedroom. Ten minutes later, she finished making both the shaved ice dessert and the raindrop mochi.

Chu Lian instructed Xiyan and Mingyan to bring the desserts to the parlour while she returned to her bedroom for a fresh set of clothes.

There were several portions of each dessert. Chu Lian told Senior Servant Gui to find someone to send a portion to Matriarch He over at Qingxi Hall, and while she was at it, to Madam Zou as well. Since Madam Zou also lived with her daughters, Chu Lian sent a larger portion their way. As for her mother-in-law, Madam Liu, it wouldn’t be good for her to eat cold foods due to her condition, so Chu Lian only sent the raindrop mochi over.

It wasn’t very appropriate to visit her seniors after she had just sent them gifts, especially as He Sanlang had left earlier that day. Thus, Chu Lian settled down with her personal maidservants, enjoying the fruits of her labour in the comfort of her own parlour.

When she finished eating, Senior Servant Gui saw that Third Young Madam looked a little weary. She couldn’t resist trying to improve her mood a little. “Third Young Madam, please don’t be sad. Perhaps Third Young Master has a lucky star shining upon him and he’ll be able to come back within two years.”

Although she had just eaten some desserts to relieve the heat of summer, Chu Lian still thought it wasn’t refreshing enough. She didn’t like summer in the first place, and that dislike made her seem somewhat fatigued. To her, Senior Servant Gui’s remark had come completely out of the blue. Chu Lian tilted her head and stared. “Momo, I’m not sad at all. Since my husband’s gone, then so be it. Even if I cry to the heavens, it’s not like he’ll come back. Wouldn’t it just be a waste of my tears and energy? Why not just live happily, eat some good food, and pass my days peacefully here in the estate?”

Senior Servant Gui looked at Third Young Madam, who was looking at her with her head crooked to one side. She looked as pretty as ever, despite being a little tired. Still, it felt like there was something wrong with her words.

However, when Senior Servant Gui thought about it carefully, there wasn’t actually anything amiss with what Third Young Madam had said.

In the end, she couldn’t say anything in response.

Over at Qingxi Hall, Senior Servant Liu received the desserts that Chu Lian had sent over via Xiyan.

Though they were both as quiet as possible as they asked after each other, Matriarch He, who was entertaining the old Duchess of House Zheng, still heard them.

“What’s going on outside?” The matriarch’s low voice echoed through the hall.

Senior Servant Liu hurriedly brought the containers of food to the porch and reported, “Replying to the matriarch, Third Young Madam sent her maidservant over with some desserts!”