Back at the Chu family compound, Chi Xinyao and Jin Xiangyu had already prepared a sumptuous meal to warmly welcome the young lady who had come from afar.
Leng Zhaodi was somewhat taken aback by the family's sudden enthusiasm.
She sat awkwardly at the dining table, looking at the sumptuous dishes she only saw during holidays. Overwhelmed with emotion, her nose tingled, and her eyes instantly welled up with tears.
"Thank you, thank you."
Chi Xinyao patted Leng Zhaodi's hand and said softly, "Alright, Zhaodi, we were practically comrades-in-arms back in the countryside, why are you saying such formal things?"
Jin Xiangyu nodded and took the initiative to put a piece of fish into Leng Zhaodi's bowl: "Quick, try this braised fish, it's delicious!"
"kindness!"
After lunch, when Ye Nian'an took Leng Zhaodi to see the clean and bright guest room, which was fully equipped with brand-new bedding and toiletries, she could no longer hold back.
Leng Zhaodi stood at the door, not going in, but instead taking a step back and bowing deeply to Ye Nian'an.
“Sister Nian’an, thank you. But this…this is too precious, I can’t stay here for nothing.”
Her voice wasn't loud, but it carried a hint of stubbornness: "I...I think I'll find a guesthouse to stay in."
Seeing Leng Zhaodi's stubborn appearance, Ye Nian'an was not angry at all, but instead smiled.
She knew that this girl was proud at heart.
"Who said you could stay for free?"
Ye Nian'an's eyes lit up, and an idea came to her. She sighed with feigned distress and pulled Leng Zhaodi to sit down on the stone bench in the courtyard.
"To be honest, I'm really short-handed here, so short-handed that I'm almost going gray from worry! I have ten kids in my family now, and I need a trustworthy and reliable helper!"
"You can come and help me take care of the kids, and that will be considered as payment for the rent and food here. How does that sound?"
These words were reasonable and gave Leng Zhaodi a way out, while also making her feel needed, rather than simply a burden.
Leng Zhaodi's heart skipped a beat. Looking into Ye Nian'an's clear and sincere eyes, all her refusals stuck in her throat.
She knew that Nian'an was protecting her self-esteem.
"……good."
After a long while, Leng Zhaodi nodded heavily: "Sister Nian'an, thank you."
With the problem solved, Ye Nian'an was in a great mood. She remembered something else and asked, "By the way, didn't you say you wanted to change your name? How's that going?"
Mentioning this, Leng Zhaodi's expression became somewhat complicated, but more than that, it was one of relief and ease.
“I told my parents what I was thinking. They disagreed at first, but I persisted and argued my case. In the end, they finally relented and agreed.”
At this point, she scratched her head somewhat embarrassedly, "But, although they have agreed, I... I can't think of a good name for myself for the time being."
She had been using the name Leng Zhaodi for eighteen years, and suddenly having to change it left her mind blank.
"This is easy to handle!"
Ye Nian'an's eyes lit up, and she immediately pulled her to find Ye Xiang.
Ye Xiang was reading a newspaper at the other end of the courtyard.
"Dad! Dad! Stop reading the newspaper!"
Ye Xiang looked up and saw his beloved daughter rushing over, pulling Leng Zhaodi along. He smiled gently and took off his glasses: "What's wrong, Niannian?"
"Dad, you're a professor at Haicheng University, the most learned person in our family!"
Ye Nian'an nudged Leng Zhaodi forward: "Zhaodi is about to start her new university life and wants to change her name, but she hasn't thought of one yet. Could you please help her choose a name that has a good meaning and sounds nice?"
Ye Xiang's gaze fell on Leng Zhaodi. After thinking for a moment, he asked, "Child, what kind of future do you hope for?"
Leng Zhaodi was taken aback by Ye Xiang's sudden and philosophical question. She subconsciously clenched the hem of her clothes, thought seriously for a moment, and then spoke in an extremely firm voice.
"I hope... to live a clear-headed and conscious life, and to live for myself."
"Be clear-headed and aware, live for yourself..."
Ye Xiang chewed on these words, his eyes flashing with deep approval.
"The Tao Te Ching says: 'Stillness is the master of movement, and heaviness is the root of lightness.' There is also a poem that says: 'A lotus emerges from clear water, naturally beautiful without adornment.' You are resilient and pure in heart, and all you seek is a clear and self-disciplined mind."
"How about we name him 'Leng Siqing'?"
Leng Siqing...
Leng Siqing...
This name, like a clear spring, instantly washed away all the gloom in her heart.
She bowed deeply to Ye Xiang.
"Uncle Ye, thank you! I...I like this name! Thank you!"
"From this day forward, I...I am Leng Siqing!"
"Siqing, Leng Siqing."
Ye Nian'an twirled the name on his tongue, then clapped his hands in satisfaction, praising, "It sounds so beautiful! It's both elegant and refined, Dad, you're truly cultured!"
Ye Xiang felt completely pleased by her daughter's compliment and waved her hand with a smile: "As long as the child is happy, that's all that matters."
"I love it! I really love it!"
Leng Siqing nodded heavily.
Just then, a steady footstep sound came from outside the courtyard gate.
Immediately afterwards, a gentle and clear voice rang out.
"Dad, Niannian, I'm back."
It's Ye Yao!
He wore a clean white shirt with the cuffs rolled up to his elbows, revealing a section of his strong forearm. His refined and scholarly demeanor exuded a gentle warmth that was like a spring breeze.
As soon as he entered, he saw Leng Siqing standing in the courtyard, and the slightly agitated scene.
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