The five of them had been staying at the Yuanmingyuan Garden for several days, spending their days either sightseeing or reading at the Siyi Study. When the weather was bad, they would play chess and compose poetry indoors, living a leisurely and contented life. However, they were unaware that their every move at the Bitong Academy these past few days had been reported to Lanqin.

After days of careful observation and investigation, Lanqin had a pretty good grasp of the personalities of the five people. Ultimately, she had to make a choice among them. Lanqin could not make the decision for Bechuk; the final decision rested with Bechuk.

That day, Lanqin summoned Biechuk. Without needing to say anything, Biechuk guessed what Lanqin meant and remained silent for a long time, his eyes darting around.

Lanqin then realized what was happening, dismissed the eunuchs and maids, and spent time alone with Biechuke.

Lanqin pulled Bechuk closer and sat down beside her. Looking at Bechuk, Lanqin seemed to remember her as a little girl who had never grown up. But the little girl before her had blossomed into a graceful and beautiful young woman. Lanqin couldn't help but sigh at the fleeting nature of time; the little girl she once held in her arms was now getting married. Lanqin could still recall Bechuk's childhood appearance and every little detail about her, yet in the blink of an eye, she had reached the age to marry.

Seeing Lanqin lost in thought, Bechuk smiled and nudged her, asking in a coquettish tone, "What's wrong, Mother? Are you missing Father?"

Lanqin tapped Biechuke's forehead, deliberately trying to annoy him, "You're so glib. Now, your mother is thinking, among these five talented men, which one would my daughter like..."

Bechuk blushed, lowered his head, and whispered, "Mother, you can decide..."

Lanqin said earnestly to Biechuke, "How can your mother make this decision for you? This is a major life event for you; you must choose the one you like. Your mother can only offer advice; you must make the decision yourself..."

Biechu nodded, and Lanqin began to speak: "Based on my observations over the past few days, Sima Bowen, Gao Feng, and Qin Mo are all calm and collected, and getting along with them might be boring. On the contrary, Lu Changkong and Qiu Rui are both lively and cheerful people, and living together might be much more enjoyable."

Bechuk twirled his fingers and muttered, "But I don't think a calm personality is necessarily boring... If I really choose a lively and cheerful person, I might end up being restless every day and things won't go smoothly."

Lanqin chuckled inwardly at Biechuke's little scheme, but didn't expose it, and continued her analysis: "I haven't finished speaking yet, and you're already contradicting me. Let your mother finish her analysis before you make a decision..."

Bechuk smiled and tugged at Lanqin's sleeve, saying shyly, "Mother..."

Lanqin smiled and said, "Although your mother likes people with an outgoing personality, I don't necessarily want you to choose Lu Changkong or Qiu Rui. Besides, Lu Changkong is a bit spoiled like a rich kid, he's not cunning, and he's not a bad person. He's just like a child who hasn't grown up yet, which is good. He's a good match for you. As for Qiu Rui, you can tell at a glance that he's been spoiled at home. He lacks some manly spirit and is somewhat timid in his actions. Since coming to Yuanmingyuan, he's been unable to make up his own mind and listens to Lu Changkong in everything. Your mother doesn't like that kind of person. What about you?"

Bechuk suddenly looked up and blurted out, "I don't like it either..."

Lanqin chuckled and said, "You're not without your own ideas, are you? You even know who you don't like."

Bechuk stuck out his tongue and said with a smile, "Mother, what about the other three?"