After a satisfying nap, Wen Ye instinctively reached out to touch the small warm body nestled in her arms. She slowly opened her eyes, let out a soft yawn, and then looked down.
Xu Yuxuan was staring up at her with big, round, watery eyes.
Seeing that she was awake, Xu Yuxuan began to pout and complain, "Mother is bad~ Father is bad too!"
Wen Ye raised an eyebrow at his words and said, "So it wasn’t my imagination. Your father really did come in earlier."
She had been half-asleep earlier and thought it might have been a dream.
Wen Ye couldn’t help but tease him, "What, didn’t your father help you?"
Xu Yuxuan pouted even more, "They’re both bad!"
Wen Ye ruffled his already messy hair and said, "Mhm, you’re absolutely right."
She didn’t argue with him.
There was a noise from the inner room, and Yun Zhi, who had been waiting outside for some time, pushed the door open and entered. Behind her was Nanny Ji.
Wen Ye hadn’t taken off Xu Yuxuan’s outer robe, so she simply scooped him up and tucked him into the bed. As a result, when he emerged from the covers, his little face was flushed, and his outer robe was crumpled and no longer suitable to wear. Nanny Ji helped him change into a fresh one.
After helping Wen Ye dress, Yun Zhi said, "The Eldest Aunt has sent someone over, saying she’d like to invite you to join her for lunch."
Wen Ye asked what time it was and then replied, "Go and let the Eldest Aunt’s people know that I’ll be there shortly."
Sleeping until almost noon—only she could do that.
Yun Zhi finished pinning up Wen Ye’s hair and said, "I’ll go now."
After Yun Zhi left, Wen Ye leaned closer to the mirror and began to carefully draw her eyebrows.
She occasionally enjoyed doing her own makeup, even though it never turned out quite as she hoped.
After finishing her eyebrows, she examined her reflection. The beauty in the mirror had gently curved brows—today’s effort wasn’t bad. She was quite pleased.
Once her eyebrows were done, Wen Ye took out a new box of lip color from a nearby drawer. She dabbed a bit onto her fingertip. The new lip color had a faint pear blossom fragrance, and its texture was smooth and moisturizing, far better than any she had used before.
A lip color favored by wealthy ladies—no wonder it was exceptional.
She made a mental note to ask Madam Lu which cosmetics shop she had bought it from. Tomorrow, when she returned to the Wen family, she could bring a box for Concubine Chang.
After applying the lip color, Wen Ye carefully examined her reflection again. Out of the corner of her eye, she noticed a little figure sneaking up on her. She turned her head and laughed, "Trying to scare me, huh?"
She had caught him.
Xu Yuxuan, who had been tiptoeing with his neck tucked in, froze for a moment. Then his little eyes darted around, clearly showing his guilt.
"Mother~" Xu Yuxuan dashed over and clung to Wen Ye’s waist, as if trying to charm his way out of trouble.
The clumsy attempt amused Wen Ye. She touched his cheek with the finger that still had a bit of lip color on it, leaving a faint red mark.
Xu Yuxuan noticed the red on her fingertip and looked curious.
Wen Ye saw his expression and asked, "Do you want to try some too?"
Xu Yuxuan didn’t know what it was, but his curiosity got the better of him, and he hesitantly nodded.
Wen Ye glanced at Nanny Ji, who was still in the inner room.
Nanny Ji: "...This old servant will take her leave now." She curtsied and quickly exited the room.
Once the door was closed again, Wen Ye sat Xu Yuxuan on her lap and took out more lip color than she had used on herself.
She started by applying a red dot to the center of his forehead, instantly making his little face look even more charming.
With Madam Lu not in the residence, no one could stop her from having a bit of fun with Xu Yuxuan.
Next, she dabbed the lip color on his chubby cheeks and even his earlobes, leaving uneven patches of red.
When she was done, Wen Ye held the mirror closer so Xu Yuxuan could see himself.
Xu Yuxuan leaned in, giggling uncontrollably. He seemed to love it.
Wen Ye was also quite satisfied with her handiwork.
If they shaved his head, he could easily pass as a little attendant of the Goddess of Mercy.
"Mother, I like it~" Xu Yuxuan wriggled in her lap, pointing at the red marks on his face and grinning. "Pretty!"
After this, Xu Yuxuan had mostly forgotten about being tucked into the bed earlier and was back to being affectionate with Wen Ye.
Wen Ye was also admiring something—her own beauty. "I look good too."
Xu Yuxuan shook his head and retorted in his childish voice, "Xuan’er is the prettiest!"
How childish. Wen Ye lightly tapped his forehead but didn’t argue with him.
After a while, Wen Ye led her "masterpiece" out of the inner room. Yun Zhi had mentioned earlier that Xu Yuejia was still in the west wing, so she headed straight for the study there.
Xu Yuxuan trotted behind Wen Ye, and when he saw Xu Yuejia, he turned his head away and let out a loud "hmph!"
Xu Yuejia looked up at the sound and was momentarily stunned when he saw Xu Yuxuan’s face, which was now a mix of red and white.
Wen Ye smiled mischievously. When she met Xu Yuejia’s gaze, she said, "Your aunt has invited me over, so I won’t be joining you for lunch."
"Oh, and," Wen Ye pulled Xu Yuxuan in front of her and asked, "What do you think, my lord?"
Xu Yuxuan’s little ears perked up when he heard Wen Ye ask Xu Yuejia.
Wen Ye urged, "Xuan’er is waiting for your praise."
Xu Yuejia’s gaze shifted downward, and sure enough, Xu Yuxuan looked both expectant and still a little resentful.
Xu Yuejia’s mouth twitched almost imperceptibly before he finally said, "Not bad."
Xu Yuxuan might not have understood the deeper meaning behind those words, but his little face lit up with satisfaction. Wen Ye, however, could sense the difficulty Xu Yuejia had in uttering them.
Wen Ye decided not to push her luck and said, "Well then, my lord, I’ll take my leave."
Xu Yuejia responded indifferently, "Mhm."
Before leaving, Wen Ye patted Xu Yuxuan’s head and asked, "Little one, do you want to stay with your father or come with me?"
Xu Yuxuan looked back and forth between them, as if weighing which of the two was less "bad."
After a moment, he seemed to have made up his mind.
He took a step closer to Wen Ye, tilted his head up, and said, "I’ll go with Mother!"
Wen Ye wasn’t surprised. She pointed at his face and asked, "Should we wipe this off first?"
Xu Yuxuan immediately took a few steps back and shook his head. "No!"
Wen Ye raised an eyebrow and said, "Alright, as long as you like it." Then she called out, "Nanny Ji."
Soon, Nanny Ji appeared at the study door and bowed. "What does Second Madam require?"
Wen Ye gestured to the little figure in front of her. "Take Young Master Xu and come with me to the Eldest Aunt’s courtyard."
They arrived at the Eldest Aunt’s temporary residence just in time for noon.
The Eldest Aunt, having heard the servant’s report, came out to greet them, accompanied by Lady Yao.
She said without any formality, "I’ve been waiting for you. I’ve prepared a table full of delicious dishes."
Wen Ye quickened her pace and smiled. "I stayed up late last night, so I slept in a bit this morning."
The Eldest Aunt assumed it was because of the New Year’s Eve vigil and didn’t find it unusual. She even leaned in and whispered, "Actually, I didn’t get up until mid-morning either."
Lady Yao, who was standing nearby, overheard her mother-in-law’s words and couldn’t help but feel a little exasperated.
Her gaze shifted to Xu Yuxuan, who was being carried by Nanny Ji, and she was startled. She quickly asked, "What happened to Xuan’er’s face? Did he eat something that didn’t agree with him?"
Lady Yao had once seen a foreign merchant in Ling City who, after eating something spicy for the first time, broke out in red rashes shortly after.
After a doctor’s diagnosis, the merchant learned that he couldn’t tolerate spicy food.
The Eldest Aunt also noticed and asked with concern, "Should we call for a doctor?"
Wen Ye explained with a smile, "No need to worry, Aunt. I used some rouge on his face."
The Eldest Aunt looked at her in surprise. Now that she took a closer look at Xu Yuxuan’s red cheeks, she couldn’t help but laugh. "You really know how to have fun."
She regretted not thinking of such an amusing idea back in her younger days.
Lady Yao stood quietly to the side, watching her mother-in-law’s eager yet slightly regretful expression. She silently breathed a sigh of relief for her husband, who was far away in Ling City.
She thought to herself, Thank goodness Cousin Wen was born twenty years later than Mother-in-law.
The Eldest Aunt praised, "He looks like a New Year’s painting doll. So pretty."
Xu Yuxuan seemed to understand that he was being complimented. He pursed his little lips and smiled with a touch of shyness.
The Eldest Aunt was thoroughly charmed by his adorable expression.
The group entered the main hall, where servants were already setting the table with dishes.
Wen Ye glanced at the spread and was slightly surprised. The Eldest Aunt noticed and said, "I had a convoy bring some specialties from Ling City. They just arrived in the capital yesterday. I had a few dishes prepared from them, and they’re all here today."
The Eldest Aunt had set off from Ling City a little over a month before the New Year to return to the capital. To travel light and arrive quickly, she only brought along her personal belongings and necessary provisions for the journey. As for the local specialties prepared from Ling City, she had to hire a convoy to deliver them to Sheng Jing. However, the convoy had other clients along the way, so it was delayed by more than ten days.
Wen Ye said, "Then I’ll have to eat more later."
The Eldest Aunt laughed heartily and replied, "Eat as much as you want. This morning, I had two boxes packed with preserved foods and some secret sauces from Ling City. I’ll have your people carry them back later."
After sitting down, the Eldest Aunt pointed to a dish in the center of the dining table and introduced, "This braised pork trotter is made with a secret sauce from Ling City. It has a unique flavor compared to what the cooks in the mansion usually prepare."
Wen Ye glanced over at the dish. The pork trotter glistened with a rich, oily sheen.
Tao Zhi used a small knife to cut off a small piece and placed it on the porcelain plate in front of Wen Ye.
Wen Ye picked up her chopsticks and tasted it. Though it looked oily, it didn’t feel greasy when eaten. It was slightly spicy, but upon further tasting, there was also a hint of sweetness.
The Eldest Aunt said, "Actually, in Ling City, this dish can be made even spicier. I was afraid it might be too much for you since it’s your first time trying it, so I asked the cook to tone down the spiciness."
After finishing the piece on her plate, Wen Ye said, "I can handle quite a bit of spice."
The Eldest Aunt smiled. "That’s good to hear. I brought a lot of chili peppers from Ling City—they’re much spicier than the ones in Yingjing. I was worried you might not be able to handle them, so I didn’t pack too many for you. After the meal, I’ll give you an extra bag."
Children can’t always tell which dish tastes the best, but they can certainly tell which one looks the most appealing.
Xu Yuxuan glanced at the plain-looking meat in his bowl and then at the richly colored, tender, and glistening meat on his mother’s plate.
He wanted some too!
But the braised pork trotter was clearly spicy, and Nanny Ji wasn’t sure if it was suitable for him, so she had to ask Wen Ye for guidance.
Wen Ye, upon hearing this, said, "That’s simple."
She motioned for Nanny Ji to come closer and whispered something in her ear.
Nanny Ji’s mouth twitched slightly, but she followed Wen Ye’s instructions.
A moment later, a maid brought out another plate of pork trotter, which Wen Ye had placed directly in front of Xu Yuxuan, saying, "Go ahead and eat."
Xu Yuxuan immediately looked at Nanny Ji and urged in his childish voice, "Nanny~"
Nanny Ji cut off a small piece, then divided it into even smaller bites before feeding it to Xu Yuxuan.
Wen Ye asked him casually, "Is it good?"
Xu Yuxuan nodded vigorously. "It’s delicious!"
Wen Ye smiled. "Then eat more."
The pork trotter had been rinsed with hot water, leaving only a faint trace of its original flavor. It was amusing how much he enjoyed it.
After he had eaten enough, Wen Ye said to Nanny Ji, "I’ll take care of him now. You can leave."
Nanny Ji hesitated. "But..."
Xu Yuxuan mimicked Wen Ye’s tone. "Nanny, leave~"
Nanny Ji, thinking that the young master had eaten enough and assuming that Wen Ye wanted to have a private conversation with the Eldest Aunt, bowed and left.
Wen Ye gave Tao Zhi a look, and the latter, understanding her meaning, curtsied to everyone before also leaving.
The Eldest Aunt, seeing this, said nothing but gestured for the maids serving her and her daughter-in-law, Lady Yao, to leave as well.
When only the three of them and Xu Yuxuan were left in the room, the Eldest Aunt asked Wen Ye in a knowing tone, "Do you want to eat it with your hands?"
Wen Ye chuckled. "Aunt, you guessed right."
The Eldest Aunt waved her hand. "Of course, I understand you. Whether it’s today’s pork trotter or the roasted lamb ribs, eating with your hands is much more satisfying than eating pre-cut pieces."
Lady Yao, who had been listening quietly, suddenly recalled many memories. She couldn’t help but say, "So that’s why Mother often dismissed the servants—so you could..."
The words "secretly eat with your hands" lingered on her lips, but she couldn’t bring herself to say them out loud.
The Eldest Aunt feigned seriousness. "What? I didn’t have the chance to enjoy such things when I was young. Am I not allowed to eat with my hands now that I’m old?"
In Wen Ye’s opinion, the Eldest Aunt was well-maintained and couldn’t be considered old. She was more like a noblewoman.
Lady Yao quickly denied, "That’s not what I meant, Mother. You can eat however you like."
Her mother-in-law had been widowed for many years and had worked hard for the family for most of her life. As a junior, how could she object to such a trivial matter?
She just felt like she had stumbled upon a rather amusing secret.
And so, the Eldest Aunt openly ate the pork trotter with her hands in front of her daughter-in-law.
Wen Ye did the same.
Xu Yuxuan, who could now use a small wooden spoon to eat rice, albeit unsteadily, saw the Eldest Aunt and Wen Ye eating with their hands and thought it looked fun. He was eager to try it too.
Wen Ye noticed his interest. As an adult, she had self-control, but Xu Yuxuan was still too young and hadn’t yet developed the ability to manage himself. She didn’t want him picking up such habits.
After some thought, Wen Ye picked up her chopsticks, dipped them into the oily sauce on the pork trotter, and gestured for him to taste it.
Xu Yuxuan leaned forward and curiously licked the chopsticks with his little tongue. Instantly, he was overwhelmed by the spiciness and started puffing out his breath.
His eyes turned red, and he began to whimper, "Mother~"
Wen Ye poured him a cup of warm water with her other hand and asked, "Do you want to eat with your hands or continue eating the meat Nanny Ji prepared for you?"
Tears welled up in Xu Yuxuan’s eyes as he shook his head frantically. "No hands! I want Nanny’s meat~"
Wen Ye’s mouth twitched, wondering how Nanny Ji would feel if she heard Xu Yuxuan asking for her "meat."
Lady Yao, sitting across from them, looked astonished. Her sister-in-law’s methods were truly unconventional.
The Eldest Aunt watched silently, thinking to herself that her niece-in-law had a unique way of raising children.
She herself had no chance with her own son, but fortunately, she was in good health and would likely live to see her grandchildren grow as big as Xu Yuxuan.
Wen Ye cut a few more small pieces of the "rinsed" pork trotter and placed them in Xu Yuxuan’s bowl, letting him scoop them up with his spoon.
Though it took several attempts to get a single bite, Xu Yuxuan, who was already mostly full and had been scared off by the spiciness, didn’t mind the effort.
The small taste from the chopsticks wasn’t actually that spicy, but for someone like Xu Yuxuan, who had never tasted spice before, even that little bit was overwhelming.
After lunch, Nanny Ji and the others returned to clear the table and serve tea.
Wen Ye rinsed her mouth and instructed Nanny Ji to wipe Xu Yuxuan’s mouth, along with the rouge on his forehead, cheeks, and earlobes.
Madam Lu would be returning to the mansion soon, so they needed to erase all traces quickly.
On the second day of the New Year, Wen Ye returned to her natal home with the gifts prepared by Madam Lu. Xu Yuejia brought Xu Yuxuan along, and the family of three set off in a carriage toward the Wen family residence.
In addition to the New Year gifts from the Duke’s mansion, Wen Ye had also prepared some of her own.
These were for Concubine Chang and Wen Ran.
This visit to the Wen family wasn’t as grand as the one during the wedding, as the Wen family had more than one married daughter.
Xu Yuxuan was still carried by Nanny Ji and followed behind Wen Ye to Madam Shen’s courtyard.
Xu Yuejia, meanwhile, was led by a servant to the front courtyard to join Wen Ye’s father, her two brothers, and other brothers-in-law.
The Duke’s mansion was the farthest from the Wen family residence, so Wen Ye naturally arrived last.
Xu Yuxuan wasn’t as timid as he had been during his first visit. His eyes now shone with curiosity about the unfamiliar environment and people.
Even Madam Yang noticed and whispered to her sister-in-law, Madam Liu, "Fourth Sister has raised Xu Yuxuan so well."
Madam Liu, whose belly had grown noticeably larger, perhaps due to her pregnancy, couldn’t help but look at children with a newfound tenderness.
She nodded in agreement. "Xu Yuxuan looks very well-behaved."
It was a good thing that Wen Ye got along well with her stepson. It benefited everyone.
Wen Ye sat beside her younger sister, Wen Ran. After two or three months apart, Wen Ran seemed to have grown taller and slimmer.
Wen Ye gently touched her face and said, "I’ve brought you New Year gifts."
Wen Ran’s eyes lit up with visible joy.
She was happy that her fourth sister still remembered her and Concubine Chang. As for the New Year gifts, she and Concubine Chang had also prepared some.
After sitting in Madam Shen’s courtyard for a little over half an hour, Madam Shen casually found an excuse to dismiss the other daughters.
Madam Shen only had one daughter, Wen Yuwan, and since it was rare for her to return home on the second day of the New Year, she wanted to spend some quality time alone with her daughter and share some private words.
Wen Lan had also brought her son this time, intending to show him to Concubine Gui, who had yet to meet her grandson. As a result, she was the first to leave.
Wen Hui was accompanied by her eldest and second sons, while the youngest, still too small, stayed at home under the care of her mother-in-law.
As she led her two sons past Wen Ye, she deliberately let out a loud, exaggerated huff.
Wen Ye: "..." How childish.
Wen Ran was still waiting outside for her, so Wen Ye had no interest in arguing with Wen Hui. She lowered her head and said to Xu Yuxuan, "I’ll give you two choices. Either let Nanny Ji carry you to your father, or have Nanny Ji step back, and you can come with me to Xicui Courtyard."
After just a few months of interaction, Wen Ye had gained some understanding of the people serving Xu Yuxuan. They were tight-lipped and knew their place. Within the bounds of propriety, they strictly followed orders, never overstepping or acting on their own initiative.
"Mother will give you half a moment to think about it," Wen Ye said.
It didn’t even take half a moment. Xu Yuxuan blinked twice before turning to the nanny who had served him the longest and said, "Nanny, step back~ step back~"
Nanny Ji: "..." Not surprised.
Wen Ran had been waiting in the courtyard for a while. When she saw Wen Ye followed by Xu Yuxuan, she asked curiously, "Is... is my little nephew coming with us too?"
Since Nanny Ji wasn’t accompanying them, the task of carrying Xu Yuxuan from the main courtyard to Xicui Courtyard fell to Yun Zhi and Tao Zhi.
At the moment, Xu Yuxuan sat quietly in Yun Zhi’s arms, looking obedient and well-behaved.
Wen Ran had only seen him twice before, but her impression of him was quite good.
She sincerely hoped that this nephew, who wasn’t related by blood, would grow up still fond of her fourth sister, Wen Ye. At the very least, they should be able to coexist peacefully, and not end up in the kind of hostile or antagonistic relationship described in some books.
Concubine Chang had been waiting at the courtyard gate for some time now.
From a distance, she spotted them and rushed forward with tears in her eyes. After carefully examining Wen Ye’s still tall and now slightly more curvaceous figure, she swallowed back the words "You seem thinner" that had been on the tip of her tongue.
Concubine Chang paused for a moment before saying, "Come inside, it’s cold out here."
Wen Ye caught the meaning behind Concubine Chang’s gaze and smiled, instructing the servants to bring in the New Year gifts she had prepared from the Duke’s residence and herself.
Madam Lu would never prepare New Year gifts for a concubine. The gift box sent to Xicui Courtyard was intended for Wen Ran. However, Madam Lu didn’t know Wen Ran well, and among the items in the box, one or two things weren’t quite suitable for Wen Ran but happened to be perfect for Concubine Chang.
Wen Ye noticed this and her eyes flickered with understanding.
Concubine Chang, however, didn’t mind. She genuinely thought it was a coincidence and instructed Jinju to put the items away. Then she brought out the New Year gifts she had prepared for Wen Ye.
As she spoke, she displayed the items one by one.
There was a cloak she had embroidered stitch by stitch, along with shoes, socks, and a sachet. They weren’t particularly rare items, but they were the best she could offer within her means.
The fabric was high-quality material she had slowly saved up for. The cloak was a light green color, adorned with a few simple flowers, perfect for wearing during early spring outings.
Compared to Concubine Chang’s thoughtful gifts, Wen Ran’s were much more straightforward—a box of storybooks and a pouch of silver.
When Concubine Chang saw the box of storybooks, her temple twitched. She recalled the shock she had experienced on the day of her eldest daughter’s wedding and quickly intervened, "Ye’er, you shouldn’t take these storybooks."
Wen Ran was puzzled. "Why not? Fourth Sister clearly loves reading them."
Concubine Chang didn’t know when her younger daughter had secretly prepared this box of books, and she couldn’t explain too much. She could only say, "Your fourth sister is married now. She shouldn’t read too many storybooks."
Wen Ran was shocked and, thinking of herself, asked with a hint of fear, "So once you’re married, you can’t read storybooks anymore? Does that mean you can’t read books at all?"
Concubine Chang: "...Of course you can still read books."
Wen Ran immediately breathed a sigh of relief but couldn’t resist asking further, "Then why can’t I read storybooks?"
A few days ago, the family tutor had recommended a few travelogues and miscellaneous books. Wen Ran had bought two from the bookstore. She had already mastered all the characters, and the travelogues recommended by the tutor were not only interesting but also broadened her horizons.
Concubine Chang wasn’t particularly clever herself. She had once believed that her eldest daughter’s poor academic performance in her youth was inherited from her, and she had carried that guilt for many years.
At this point, Wen Ye broke the stalemate. "Alright, I’ll take the storybooks, but you keep the silver. I have enough money."
Wen Ran insisted, "Fourth Sister, Concubine Chang and I don’t lack silver either. These are for you."
Wen Ye smiled sincerely and patted Xu Yuxuan, who was sitting beside her. "His aunt, Madam Lu, treats me quite well."
She was the type to casually gift jewels and hand out silver notes.
Concubine Chang asked with concern, "And his father?"
Wen Ye paused. She had slipped up—she had forgotten about Xu Yuejia.
After a moment of thought, she replied seriously, "He’s also quite accommodating."
In bed.
Concubine Chang, seeing that she didn’t seem to be lying, felt slightly reassured. It was good that her daughter and son-in-law got along well.
Wen Ye then brought out the gifts she had prepared. For Concubine Chang, it was a box of high-quality rouge and powder.
No woman, regardless of age, could resist the allure of beauty.
But Concubine Chang had divided her heart in two, giving all her love to her two daughters, Wen Ye and Wen Ran, leaving no corner for herself.
Wen Ye couldn’t change her mindset, so as her daughter, she had to take matters into her own hands.
The rouge and powder Concubine Chang usually used had always been prepared by Wen Ye. With one sniff, she could tell that these were more expensive than what she had used before.
However, Wen Ye had brainwashed her years ago—if she didn’t accept her daughters’ filial gifts, it meant she didn’t love them.
So, even though Concubine Chang was heartbroken over how much money Wen Ye must have spent, she didn’t dare say a word as she accepted the box of rouge and powder.
For Wen Ran, aside from a full set of writing brushes, ink, paper, and inkstones, there was also a small box of golden monkeys. Each one was tiny, even smaller than the ones Madam Lu had given to Xu Yuxuan.
But Wen Ye hadn’t prepared too many. Wen Ran was born in the Year of the Monkey, and in a couple of months, she would be turning seven. The box contained exactly seven little golden monkeys.
When Xu Yuxuan saw the golden monkeys, his eyes lit up, probably reminded of his own large golden pig.
Wen Ye stopped him in advance. "These aren’t for you. You already have a big golden pig. You should learn to be content."
With that, she closed the lid, blocking Xu Yuxuan’s view of the little wooden box.
Xu Yuxuan, who had already owned a large golden pig, quickly lost interest in the ordinary little box.
Wen Ye had Jinju take the box of golden monkeys away, giving Concubine Chang and Wen Ran no chance to refuse.
Wen Ran still felt uneasy. Although she loved the little golden monkeys, they were too valuable.
After some thought, she turned and ran back to her room.
Wen Ye didn’t know what she was up to until she saw her come back carrying a stack of books.
"These are all the books I used when I was first learning to read. I’ve made notes in them," Wen Ran said, pushing the stack of books toward Xu Yuxuan. "I’m giving them to you!"
The silver she had saved up couldn’t compare to the box of golden monkeys, so Wen Ran had racked her brains and decided that these annotated beginner’s books were the best she could offer.
She had overheard her fourth sister and Concubine Chang mentioning that this little nephew of hers would start learning to read in the spring.
These books would soon come in handy for him.
A small gift, but filled with deep sentiment.
Wen Ran truly couldn’t think of a better return gift.
Xu Yuxuan stared at the stack of books that nearly reached his chin, his gaze momentarily blank.
Wen Ran asked nervously, "Don’t you like them?"
Wen Ye couldn’t help but laugh and spoke on Xu Yuxuan’s behalf. "He does. He’s just so happy he’s about to lose his mind!"
Wen Ran finally relaxed and sighed in relief. "I’m glad he likes them."
