Wen Shu Appears

"Then do you know who's coming?" Xia Wan inquired, her voice tinged with excitement. "And where have my uncle and the others gone?"

Zhang Ru gave Xia Wan a puzzled look. "I haven't heard my father mention anything about it. Did your uncle leave on an errand?"

Xia Wan's spirits dampened upon hearing Zhang Ru's response, a sense of frustration washing over her.

"Sister-in-law, do you have any idea when Uncle Zhao will return?" Xia Wan's tone conveyed her growing anxiety. "Or perhaps you could tell me where he's gone. We might be able to track him down."

"I'm not entirely sure. All I know is he left with my husband and a few others for the county town this afternoon. Their purpose? I'm in the dark as much as you are," Zhang Ru admitted candidly. "But there's talk that they're onto some lucrative deal. They even had me prepare a large box here at home, claiming it would be essential upon their return."