As soon as Xu Yunci finished speaking, Old Madam Xu didn't rush to agree on Li Shiyue's behalf. Her first reaction was to check on Li Shiyue. Actually, she was quite satisfied with Xu Yunci's approach.
With all eyes on her, Li Shiyue wasn't in a hurry to draw conclusions. She kept everyone's gaze in check and said, "What fun do I have on my own? Wouldn't it be better if my cousin came with me?"
"Before my marriage, my cousin and I held a banquet together. Wouldn't that be a wonderful story? People would only talk about the harmony among the sisters in the family. In the future, when people talk about the Rongguo Mansion, no one will be able to find fault with the Xu family daughter."
"If it were up to me, it would be good to have my aunt take care of me, but in the end I can't go with my cousin. When spring comes, my cousin will get married and become a Guo family woman, which will be different from when she was at home."
"This is the last time, so please grant my request, Grandmother."
Li Shiyue smiled radiantly, her eyes curving like crescent moons in the night sky, the bright light in them momentarily captivating all who looked upon her.
She seemed oblivious to how charming she was. Seeing that Madam Xu remained silent, she held Madam Xu's arm affectionately, making Madam Xu's whole body go weak.
After all, there were two men, Xu Yunci and Xie Yizhi, present. Her voice wasn't loud, and to them it sounded like ordinary conversation. Only Old Madam Xu could hear the intimacy in her tone.
Under Li Shiyue's gaze, she smiled helplessly. She had originally intended to take this opportunity to let her train on her own. Now that Xu Lingzi in the family was engaged and the second branch of the family had been separated, she didn't need to worry about Xu Lingwan's marriage.
If anyone really needs to worry, it has to be Zhou Shi who speaks up; she'd rather worry about Qing'er. Although the fourth branch of the family has also separated, she treats the children of the fourth branch differently from those of the second branch.
Only Li Shiyue remained. The Mid-Autumn Festival had passed, and the Double Ninth Festival was just around the corner. Winter was fast approaching, and on New Year's Eve, Li Shiyue, who would be 18 years old next year, was also approaching the time for marriage proposals.
She liked all the women, but she liked the two sisters from the eldest branch of the family more. After Li Shiyue arrived, her heart was devoted to her granddaughter.
If we go back in time, she would feel that she was being biased. But now that she's older, Madam Xu only feels that she hasn't given enough, and she always thinks that she can give Li Shiyue more and more, so that she can have a more fulfilling life.
Madam Xu had never hidden this selfish motive while she was in the Duke's mansion. She wanted to show Li Shiyue such favoritism so that others would know that Li Shiyue was not living under someone else's roof in her eyes. But seeing how much Li Shiyue valued sisterly affection, she suddenly felt that her own thoughts were not so important.
Holding Li Shiyue's hand, her eyes couldn't see anyone else: "Alright, alright, you're in charge. You can go find Fifth Sister later and discuss your little ideas with her."
Xu Yunci was not surprised; in fact, after hearing what Old Madam Xu said, it was somewhat expected.
Xie Yizhi noticed the faint smile on Xu Yunci's face, pondered for a moment while looking at the tenderness in Xu Yunci's eyes, and followed his gaze to see Li Shiyue standing beside Old Madam Xu.
Li Shiyue was immersed in the joy of Old Madam Xu's agreement, her profile turned towards them, seemingly unaware of their presence. Even in profile, her eyes were smiling, and her vibrant clothes made her incredibly charming.
Xie Yizhi was stunned. He seemed to have discovered something extraordinary, but he didn't want to tell anyone else.
"Since it's Yan Yan's birthday, I need to think carefully about what would be the best birthday gift. Hey, Cousin Prince, do you know what Yan Yan likes?"
"As you know, I just arrived at the manor and am not very familiar with the situation here. I thought that Yan Yan is a young girl, and she must have some special things she likes, so I had no choice but to cater to her tastes."
When Xie Yizhi met Xu Yunci's gaze, he simply smiled and let it pass. The sincere smile on his face seemed to be only meant to inquire about Li Shiyue's preferences.
Xu Yunci's gaze swept across Xie Yizhi's face, his eyes filled with scrutiny. But Xie Yizhi did not back down, his gaze turning to Li Shiyue with a deep intensity.
"It's better to ask the person herself what she likes; how can I make decisions for her?"
For some reason, Li Shiyue felt relieved. She seemed worried about hearing something from Xu Yunci, but after relaxing, she felt a sense of loss, a loss she didn't know where it came from.
It seems that Xu Yunci's answer shouldn't be like this, yet it also seems that it should be like this.
Suddenly, a warm hand covered her. Li Shiyue looked up and met the calm eyes of Old Madam Xu. She lowered her eyes, and the restlessness and confusion in her heart gradually dissipated.
Xie Yizhi seemed oblivious to the probing in Xu Yunci's words, and smiled as he looked at Li Shiyue: "Alright then, please, cousin Yan Yan, speak up and tell me your preferences."
"So-called preferences are just a set of rules. What matters on a birthday is the sentiment behind it, not the preference. If the sentiment is valuable, why worry about whether it is something you like?" Li Shiyue smiled slightly, raising her eyelids and gently glancing at Xu Yunci's face.
When she met his calm eyes, those phoenix eyes still held that deep, unfathomable look, mixed with a touch of tenderness, making her instinctively want to look away.
However, just as she made a dodging motion, the warmth in her palm suddenly tightened. Li Shiyue looked up and tilted her head to look at the owner of those hands.
Madam Xu coughed lightly twice: "What you all care about is having fun together. If this friendship is remembered for more than ten years, it will be different when you look back on it later."
"Yan Yan is not the kind of person who only cares about profit; she naturally values ​​relationships more. Birthday gifts are about the sentiment; what matters more than the sentiment itself?
"Didn't Erlang say he wanted to go to Guanqing Xiaoyuan? I've never been to that courtyard before. It just so happens to be Yan Yan's birthday, so I'll go and broaden my horizons to see just how amazing and desirable this imperial villa is."
Li Shiyue smiled sweetly and followed up on what Old Madam Xu had said, "Grandmother has difficulty walking, so I'm sure my cousin has made ample preparations to ensure you have a comfortable trip to Guanqing Garden."
Unbeknownst to her, her profile was being viewed with different expressions by her two husbands. Madam Xu noticed this but remained silent.
After all, Xu Yunci had previously expressed his feelings, which made Old Madam Xu used to it. She just didn't know if Xu Yunci had told Li Shiyue his feelings yet, as that was a matter between the young people.
Unexpectedly, Xie Yizhi seemed to have developed an interest in Li Shiyue, and his gaze did not seem to be directed at anyone else.
Enough, enough, she won't get involved in the affairs of teenagers.
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