Chapter 28 Gift Giving

Everyone in the room looked in the direction where the sound came from. A tall and straight man walked in against the light. His eyes were clear and there was a smile on his face.

"Why did you come back so early today?" Liu was the first to speak.

Xiao Jinwen recently joined the Crown Prince's Imperial Guard and often stayed outside the palace, so I seldom saw him.

He glanced at everyone in the room looking at him, then bowed to his grandmother at the top of the table. After sitting down, he explained, "It was my eldest brother who let me come back first."

Liu raised her eyebrows and said nothing more.

Liu Qingwan glanced at her cousin, but lowered her head.

Her current position in the mansion is awkward.

Everyone used to think that she would marry her fourth cousin, but now her aunt has arranged a marriage for her cousin, and the rumor has been dispelled.

The servants looked at her again, seeing that she was now sixteen years old, and they all looked at her with a curious look.

Although she was not the only old lady in the mansion, wasn't Xu Shuyao also in mourning? She was different from herself.

After Xiao Jinwen finished speaking, he looked at Xu Shuyao opposite him, as if he had made up his mind and was waiting for her reply.

Xu Shuyao naturally avoided these young masters of the Duke's Mansion. Just as she was considering whether to answer, Xiao Jinshan came to the rescue: "Fourth brother! We are talking about the dogwood sachet! Would you like to wear one?"

Xiao Jinwen didn't refuse, but his eyes fixed on the embroidery. "Did you do this?"

Since she had already lied once, Xiao Jinshan didn't mind telling it again, "Yes, yes! It took a lot of effort!"

"Thank you for your hard work, third sister. Give me one!" the man said softly.

But after he put on the dogwood bag, he quickly glanced at Xu Shuyao who was not far away.

Not long after Xiao Jinwen arrived at Songhe Hall, the second and fifth sons of the Xiao family also arrived.

Xu Shuheng came with the Fifth Young Master. Xu Shuyao smiled at her younger brother. When she came over before, her younger brother was still reading a book. The fact that he could come now must have been because the Fifth Young Master had someone to call him.

The room was bustling with activity and constant chatter.

Similarly, after Xiao Jinwen, the second and fifth young masters both received a cornus officinalis sachet.

Seeing that Xiao Jinrong had died, Xu Shuyao felt a little uncomfortable. Although she had originally planned to ask her cousin to do a favor, she was in a bad mood when she thought of what Xiao Jinrong had done before.

Fortunately, those red dogwood bags were all the same color, and the patterns were common auspicious patterns such as magpies climbing branches and phoenixes announcing good news. Even the things stuffed inside were the same.

What she didn't expect was that the eldest son of Duke Chengguo would come back so soon.

This prince who was loved by everyone seemed to have his own aura. As soon as he entered Songhe Hall, the aunts who were originally talking and laughing became less talkative, not to mention his brothers and young ladies.

When Xu Shuyao thought about the message he asked her to pass on that day, she felt a chill down her spine.

Madam Xiao, who was at the head of the group, also noticed the agitation and said angrily, "Since you've arrived, they've all become gourds with sawed mouths. What do you usually do?"

Xiao Mo glanced at the people in the room and raised his eyebrows helplessly, "Grandma! You saw it too. I came in and said hello to you, but I didn't say a word."

He was not wearing formal attire today, but a dark blue round-necked robe, with his feet resting leisurely in front of him, unlike his other brothers who sat upright.

He could switch between coldness and leisure with ease. If this person appeared in such a state outside, it would be really confusing, Xu Shuyao thought.

After Madam Xiao and he joked around, everyone present couldn't remain silent anymore.

Wang scolded her eldest son, "Don't bring your military tricks into the mansion."

He then livened up the atmosphere by saying, "Didn't the third girl prepare a lot of dogwood sachets just now? Hurry and give one to your big brother!"

Xiao Jinshan immediately picked one up with both hands and handed it to the prince. Coincidentally, he asked the same question as Xiao Jinwen, "Did you do this?"

The third daughter of the Xiao family blushed, nodded, and then shook her head.

Wang and Liu thought she had asked her maid to help, so they said comfortingly, "It's not a big deal. It's a nice thought, and the smell is quite pleasant."

Xiao Mo didn't say anything and really wore the red dogwood bag around his waist.

After this interruption, the atmosphere was not as tense as before.

Xiao Jinshan then took out a green headband and handed it to the old lady. "Grandma! In addition to the red dogwood bag, I also prepared this headband. I sewed it stitch by stitch and never let anyone else touch it. I wish you a long life."

Madam Xiao took the headband and looked at it carefully, then nodded in approval, "The third girl is thoughtful."

Following Xiao Jinshan, Liu Qingwan also asked the servants to move her gifts.

After a while, a five-panel screen appeared in front of everyone. The pine and crane pictures embroidered on it were lifelike, with tall and straight pines and graceful cranes.

As soon as this gift was presented, even the third daughter of the Xiao family lowered her eyes. She, a real granddaughter, was outshined by the gift of a cousin, and she felt really bad.

Except for Xiao Mo, several young masters in the mansion walked over to watch with a look of amazement on their faces.

Xu Shuyao was a little depressed. Liu Qingwan's gift was superior to hers in terms of both value and effort. Such a large screen could not be embroidered overnight. It would take at least three months to half a year.

People have started preparing gifts so early, what else is there to say?

But when she looked at her brother not far away, her heart, which had originally fallen, suddenly lifted up.

When the crowd returned from admiring the screen, their gazes turned to the last young lady present. They saw this cousin from the Xu family actually holding out a pair of shoes. The young lady smiled gently and sincerely, "Shu Yao is honored to live here. Luckily, thanks to the care of the old lady, we have a stable life. My sister and I have nothing. Seeing that you, the old lady, remembered the shoes made by your old friend, I made a pair with all my might. I'm just not sure if they will fit."

Madam Xiao took the pair of cyan satin soft-soled shoes from Xu Shuyao's hand, looked at the girl's bright eyes, and pulled her to her with her own hands: "Good child! You put your heart into it!"

The old man stroked the shoe surface with his hand, as if feeling a little emotional.

Then she asked the maid beside her to take off her shoes and put on the pair in front of her in front of everyone.

He even stood up and took a few steps, perhaps because he found that it really fit him, and said "not bad" twice.

Liu Qingwan lowered her head, but Xiao Jinshan didn't seem as upset as before.