The three of them chatted on the bullock-cart as they made their way home.
Dongfang Ming, on the other hand, sat silently in his carriage, flipping through books and accounts to pass the time on his journey back to the capital.
In the house, Liu Duo had previously gone upstairs for a nap after having her lunch. She woke up slowly from the longest nap she had taken in a while.
She rubbed her eyes, got up, got dressed and headed downstairs. She stopped by the stairway between the first and second floor when she heard not-so-familiar voices coming from below.
"Ran Er, you have to study hard. When you're at home, help your brothers-in-law with whatever you can. Be diligent, you can't be lazy."
"Your sister and her husbands paid for your schooling. When you succeed in the future you have to remember them, do you understand?"
"Yes, of course! They treat me very well, I'll never forget what they have done for me."