Jiang Huairou immediately understood and quickly stood up.
The maid beside him reacted quickly and handed him an exquisitely crafted brocade box with both hands.
Jiang Huairou held the brocade box in both hands and walked to a distance from Lin Xihe, where she stopped.
Upon opening the brocade box, a jade Guanyin statue lay inside. The Guanyin's texture was delicate and smooth, its color a vibrant green, and the carving craftsmanship was exquisite, clearly indicating its priceless value.
"Sister Lin, this is a small token of my appreciation. I hope you will accept it." Jiang Huairou said, her eyes full of expectation. She looked at Lin Xihe expectantly, as if Lin Xihe accepting this gift would be the greatest recognition for her.
“Miss Jiang, as the matriarch of the Gu family, I do not accept any gifts from Madam Gu, so you need not spend any more money.”
“After Sister Lin marries my cousin, we’ll be family, and I’ll have to call her sister-in-law. This is just me, as her younger sister, expressing my feelings for my future sister-in-law; I don’t mean anything else. Sister, please accept it,” Jiang Huairou hurriedly explained, her tone pleading.
"No need. Thank you for your kindness, Miss Jiang, but I really can't accept this gift."
Lin Xihe remained resolute, her tone leaving no room for negotiation, directly rejecting her and giving Jiang Huairou no room for illusion.
Upon hearing this, a hint of disappointment flashed across Jiang Huairou's face, and the light in her eyes dimmed.
She could only awkwardly withdraw her hand. The brocade box, which had been light in her hand, now seemed incredibly heavy, making her arm ache.
She remained silent for a moment, struggling and hesitating inside, but finally mustered her courage and asked cautiously, "Sister Lin, can I come over and keep you company occasionally? I'm so bored at home by myself. Besides embroidering and reading, there's nothing interesting to do every day."
Lin Xihe naturally couldn't miss Gu Zhou's little tricks behind the scenes.
At this moment, she was too lazy to beat around the bush anymore and went straight to the point: "We're not familiar with each other. What can you do by coming to keep me company? We may not even have the same interests. Forcing us together will only make things awkward for both of us."
Upon hearing this, Jiang Huairou subconsciously bit her lower lip: "I just feel that Sister Lin is especially kind, and I sincerely want to get closer to her. We'll be family eventually, so isn't it good to cultivate our relationship now?"
“It’s not very convenient, Miss Jiang. I always travel alone. Besides, if you hadn’t come with Madam Gu today, I probably wouldn’t have been able to get into my house.”
Jiang Huairou's face instantly turned bright red, the color spreading from her cheeks to her ears. She was so ashamed that she wished she could disappear into a crack in the ground.
“Madam Gu, Miss Jiang, it’s time for me to have my meal. I’m so sorry that I’ve only prepared food for one person. I won’t keep you two any longer.” Lin Xihe said, standing up.
She gave a slight bow, performed a standard greeting, and then turned and left the main hall at a leisurely pace.
Only Gu Zhoushi and Jiang Huairou were left sitting there awkwardly, looking at each other in bewilderment.
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