Chen Yuancheng opened his eyes: "I only gave her two women's items, nothing more. As for why I didn't tell her the value of the items, do you think she would accept my things if she wouldn't even accept your jade hairpin and gold hair ornament?"

"Big brother, you know Sister Yunying so well, why won't you admit it?"

"Is there anything wrong with me treating her as a friend and understanding her personality? What do you want me to admit?"

Chen Yuanyao leaned back: "Come on, I've never heard of giving a friend a comb inlaid with red beans."

“Those aren’t red beans, they’re red jade.”

“Brother, you have to be honest. Do you dare say that the red jade shape showing through the comb isn’t a red bean? Sister Yunying didn’t notice it because she didn’t think of anything else. When you were introducing the comb and hairpin to her, you were so nervous that you almost crushed your hands behind your back.”

She had never seen her older brother so nervous. His face was tense, but he had to try his best to appear relaxed and answer with a smile. With each sentence, his eyes kept scanning the other person's expression.

Chen Yuancheng was momentarily speechless because of his sister; he was indeed a little nervous at that moment.

It was because Xiao Yunying knew too much that he was afraid she would recognize the wood as sandalwood and wouldn't accept it. So he could only observe her expression while making up excuses to smooth things over.

Fortunately, rosewood is rare. Apart from royal families and nobles, ordinary wealthy people couldn't buy it even if they had the money.

She was just a peasant girl; no matter how much she knew, she couldn't recognize things she had never seen before.

Seeing that her elder brother was silent, Chen Yuanyao pressed him, "Brother, when did you decide to befriend Sister Yunying?"

when?

Chen Yuancheng asked himself the same question.

"It must have been the first time we met."

He felt that her overall demeanor, her attitude towards him, the way she looked at him, and the tone of her voice were all different from others.

Her smile, in particular, was radiant and pure, leaving a deep and unforgettable impression.

Chen Yuanyao covered her mouth: "What?! Big brother, you've fallen for Sister Yunying at first sight?"

Love at first sight?!

Is that really the case?

Chen Yuancheng sat up straight: "Yuanyao, if you have nothing to do, I will suggest to your mother that she hire a etiquette teacher for you. If one is not enough, we can hire a few more teachers to teach music, chess, calligraphy and painting. In any case, you won't be bored in the future."

Chen Yuanyao moved to the other side: "Fine, I won't say anything more."

The carriage arrived at the main gate of the Chen family's residence. Chen Yuancheng and his companions alighted from the carriage, where the steward was already waiting at the gate.

"Young Master, the Old Madam requests your presence."

Chen Yuancheng glanced helplessly at his younger sister and said to the butler, "Let's go."

Chen Yuanxuan, holding the cloth bag, said, "Brother, wait for me, I'm going to find Grandmother too."

Chen Yuanyao grabbed her younger brother by the collar: "What are you going to do?"

“My grandmother said yesterday that apples are delicious, so I went to give her some.”

"Let's go tomorrow."

Chen Yuanxuan asked, puzzled, "Why?"

“Grandmother is talking to my eldest brother about serious matters; you’re just a child, you shouldn’t listen.”

Chen Yuanxuan grabbed the cloth bag and ran away, saying, "No, I am a descendant of the Chen family. What is it that my elder brother can listen to but I cannot?"

The doctor said that my brother's body cannot be overworked.

He has grown up and, as the second son of the Chen family, should share the burden with his elder brother.

Chen Yuanyao grabbed his collar and wouldn't let go: "You can listen to other things, but you just can't listen to this."

"What exactly does Grandmother want to talk to my eldest brother about?"

Chen Yuanyao grabbed her younger brother by the collar to stop him from running away, and led him toward their residence: "It's a matter of lifelong importance."

"What life-long event?"

"I told you you're too young to understand. You'll understand when you grow up. Let's go back to the yard first."

"Fine, I won't say."

Chen Yuanxuan carried the cloth bag and ran back to his own courtyard, while Chen Yuanyao turned and headed towards her parents' courtyard.

It was already dark when Chen Yuancheng came out of his grandmother's courtyard.

He politely declined his grandmother's offer to stay for dinner, and Lingqi carried him back to his own courtyard with a lantern.

"Young master, would you like the kitchen to serve some food?"

"I'm not hungry, you eat."

"Young master, you still need to take medicine later, so please eat something."

medicine?

He was really fed up with taking medicine.

Despite drinking it for so many years, his illness remained unchanged, showing no improvement whatsoever.

"I'm not drinking anymore, I want to rest early."

"Young Master..."

Chen Yuancheng said, enunciating each word clearly, "I said, I'm not drinking anymore."

Ling Qi dared not try to persuade him, realizing that her usually kind young master had become so forceful: "Yes."

Chen Yuancheng stepped into the room: "You may leave."

The servants inside had been informed in advance and lit candles. The gifts that Xiao Yunying had sent had already been delivered and placed on the table.

Chen Yuancheng closed the door and sat down at the table, touching the cloth bag.

Did he really fall in love with Yunying at first sight?

He thought he only felt an instant connection with her and considered her a good friend.

But if not, why would he personally make a wooden comb and hairpin for her?

He didn't know what he was thinking, but by the time Yuan Yao came to find him this morning, he had already made up his mind.

That was clearly an item given by a man to a woman to express his feelings.

Perhaps his sister was right, but he was unaware of it.

Chen Yuancheng sat alone in the room for a long time until late at night before calling someone to help him wash up. He then took off his outer clothes and went to bed to rest.