"Si Yi, you sleep a little longer, I'm going to help in the main courtyard." Lü Qiao gathered a few items in her hands, then walked to the bedside, gave Si Yi, who hadn't gotten up yet, a word of advice, and was about to leave.
But then, an arm reached out from inside the tent and pulled her back.
Si Yi glanced at the sky outside and saw that it was still gray and early, so he asked wearily, "It's still early, let's sleep a little longer."
“No, I have to go back to the capital soon and help Miss pack her luggage,” said Lü Qiao. Then, looking at his thin face, she softened her tone, “You rarely have free time today, so sleep a little longer. I’ll come and wake you up for breakfast.”
Si Yi thought that there were plenty of servants in the main courtyard to help with packing, and that losing one wouldn't make a difference, but knowing her loyalty to Wen Nong Nong, he swallowed his words.
His gaze fell on her arms, and seeing that she was holding several items, he asked, "What are you holding in your hands?"
Lü Qiao didn't hide anything from him and said frankly, "These are all things that Si Luo and Si Lan gave me. I'm taking them back to return to them." She paused, then took out a pair of shoes and handed them to him. "These are shoes that Si Lan made for you herself, but it seems you don't like them. I'm taking them back to return to them as well."
Si Yi paused for a moment upon hearing this, his gaze falling on the shoes.
Seeing that he didn't show any rejection this time, Lü Qiao said, "Si Lan's craftsmanship is really good, and she really put her heart into it. The soles of these shoes are made of several layers, and they are very comfortable to wear."
"Give it to me," Si Yi suddenly said.
Green Fairy blinked, thinking she had misheard. Realizing what she had heard, she quickly handed him the shoes and urged, "Try them on quickly."
Si Yi took the shoes, glanced at them casually, then slowly put them on, got out of bed, and took a few steps on the floor.
Surprisingly, the shoes fit perfectly.
As Green Qiao said, they are very comfortable to wear and feel great on the feet.
A complex feeling welled up inside him.
From childhood to adulthood, all the shoes he wore were bought from outside. Later, after he got together with Lü Qiao, she would make shoes for him when she had free time. But this pair was made by hand by someone who was like a sister to him, besides Lü Qiao. It fit him so well, and you could tell that she had put a lot of thought into it.
"How are they? Are they comfortable?" Greenie said with a smile.
"It's barely wearable." Si Yi's expression was a little awkward. Finally, he couldn't help but add, "It's far inferior to what you made."
Upon hearing this, Lü Qiao couldn't help but chuckle.
She was self-aware; although her skills were not bad, they were still inferior to Si Lan's, because when Si Lan gave her the shoes, she had tried them on privately.
Both the workmanship and the comfort of wearing them are excellent.
She admitted that the shoes she made were still a bit lacking.
But how could she not understand Si Yi's awkward personality?
He's probably being sarcastic.
However, the fact that he was willing to wear it shows that he had accepted Si Lan's kindness.
She didn't necessarily want him to accept Si Lan's kindness, but she felt that if he could accept Si Lan's kindness, it meant that the past could no longer affect him, and he would no longer dwell on past hatred and suffer at his own expense.
"Since they're barely wearable, let's keep them. Making such a nice pair of shoes isn't easy, and this saves me the trouble," she said with a smile.
"Mm," Si Yi responded, picked up the outer robe from the side, and quietly put it on.
"Aren't you going to sleep?" Greenie asked.
"I'm not going to sleep." Si Yi said, then paused, glanced at the things she was holding, and said lightly, "Since they've already brought them, don't return them." After saying that, he met her smiling eyes and added somewhat awkwardly, "If it's offered to us, we shouldn't refuse it."
Green Fairy paused for a moment, then smiled gently and nodded emphatically, "That's true."
After they finished getting ready, the two of them went to the main courtyard together.
Since they were to depart for the capital the next day, the Prince's Mansion hosted a banquet that evening, inviting members of the Wen and Chen families to attend.
Before the banquet, Gu Linchao summoned Wen Shiqing and his two sons, as well as Chen Mubai, Si Yi and others, to his study to discuss important matters.
The guests did not emerge from the study until the banquet was about to begin.
When Gu Linchao led everyone to the waterside pavilion where the banquet was being held, he saw Wen Nongnong holding Gu Huaijin, with Si Luo and others sitting beside her.
Si Luo was closest to her and said something to her, and she smiled brightly. The people around her seemed to be used to it and didn't seem to care.
However, Gu Linchao felt inexplicably uncomfortable upon seeing this scene.
He had heard Nong Nong mention that Si Luo had saved her several times, and that his right arm was broken because of Nong Nong.
He was grateful for this and didn't hold a grudge about the past, but had Nong Nong gotten too close to him?
A look of displeasure crossed his brow.
As he approached, everyone in the pavilion rose and bowed.
"emperor."
Only Wen Nongnong was holding Gu Huaijin, sitting there nonchalantly.
Completely unaware that her husband was jealous, she said with a hint of complaint, "Why have you been hiding in the study discussing things for so long? I'm starving. If you don't come out soon, I'm going to start the banquet early."
Seeing her daughter like this, Madam Xu was worried sick for her.
This girl is different now. How can she be so disrespectful in front of the Emperor? What if she offends the Emperor?
Thinking of this, she nudged her secretly, signaling her to tone it down.
But to her surprise, her daughter seemed to have lost all her cleverness.
Not understanding her good intentions, he pouted and said, "Mom, why did you poke me?"
Xu: "..."
She was extremely embarrassed.
My daughter has always been clever. Could it be that all that cleverness went to the two little ones after she gave birth?
She coughed lightly and curtsied to Gu Linchao, "Your Majesty, please don't take offense. Nong Nong was just joking with you."
Upon hearing this, Gu Linchao paused for a moment, finally realizing that his current status was different, and everyone's fear of him was probably even greater.
Thinking of this, his expression softened, and the jealousy in his heart vanished.
He reached out and pulled Gu Huaijin from Wen Nongnong's arms, then gently patted Wen Nongnong's head and said in a spoiled tone, "Since you're hungry, why are you still sitting here? Your mother-in-law and grandmother must be hungry too. As the host, how can you be so neglectful? Fortunately, we're all family, so they won't hold it against you."
Wen Nongnong pouted, then stood up and instructed Butler Wang, who was waiting nearby, "Everyone is hungry, Butler Wang, please make arrangements quickly."
"Yes, this old servant will make the arrangements immediately." Steward Wang smiled and withdrew.
"Let's go." Gu Linchao carried Gu Huaijin with one arm and held Wen Nongnong's hand with the other, leading her to the banquet table.
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