The sealed inspection nursery immediately after Chapter 1. Moon-pale jade, silk curtains, and a burning incense stick create a beautiful prison atmosphere.

The cradle and Pavilion rules frame the interrogation.

Liang Hua remembers the life that forced her into the Pavilion contract.

Liang Hua admits her false registration without revealing anything beyond necessity.

The structure of Liang Hua's debt becomes clear in concrete terms.

Liang Hua explains the compensation school and why running is impossible.

Shen Yulan forces the conversation toward the danger of imprinting.

Little Cloud's ordinary infant movement briefly threatens Liang Hua's self-control.

Shen Yulan explains the inspection record process and the point where she has leverage.

The option of falsifying the report is made explicit.

Liang Hua asks the obvious question: why help? Shen Yulan answers without pretending kindness.

Shen Yulan names her price: songs.

Liang Hua realizes Shen Yulan has been listening for longer than she thought.

The personal nature of Shen Yulan's demand becomes clear without revealing why she needs the songs.

Liang Hua accepts that refusing is impossible, but she tries to control the bargain.

They complete the bargain with no illusion of trust.

Shen Yulan moves the falsification process into the Pavilion bureaucracy while attendants hover outside.

Shen Yulan alters the sound record and first-word entry.

Shen Yulan finalizes the altered first-word entry and warns Liang Hua how narrow their survival is.

The forged record leaves the nursery as an ordinary correction.

Shen Yulan copies the village song with reverence while Liang Hua realizes the bargain has tied them together.