Looking forward to the spring breeze

Chapter 6

When You Tong heard the old lady call her Tenth Girl, she knew that this must be Cui Weiyuan's younger sister, Cui Wenyan, the tenth daughter of the second branch of the family. She was half a year younger than Wen Feng and had just come of age. Because of her lively and active nature, she was the old lady's favorite and usually spoke and acted without much restraint.

You Tong glanced at everyone in the hall again out of the corner of her eye. Apart from the old lady and the tenth young lady Wen Yan, there were three women in brocade clothes sitting at the head of the table. They all looked very young. One of them looked very similar to Wen Yan. She must be Wei Yuan and Wen Yan's mother, now the second wife.

The other two were a woman with a long face, narrow eyes, fair skin, and delicate features. She wore a royal blue embroidered jacket and a duck-egg blue pleated skirt with scattered flowers, looking dignified and elegant. The other woman had a baby face, wore a willow-yellow cotton coat with cloud and goose patterns, and a silver-embroidered skirt with butterflies and flowers. She always had a kind smile in her eyes and was very approachable.

You Tong recalled the portraits Cui Weiyuan had drawn and knew that the two women were the third wife, Wu, and the fourth wife, Liu. She then stepped forward to greet each of them. The Cui family also had the widowed first wife, Wang, who usually lived a secluded life and did not attend.

Following them were the elder brothers: second brother Cui Weifeng, third brother Cui Weiqing, and fourth brother Cui Weicheng. The second and fourth brothers were born out of wedlock to the second branch of the family, while the third brother was the legitimate son of the third branch. Also absent were the eldest son of the first branch, Wei Zhe, and the sixth son of the fourth branch, Wei Tai. The eldest son was an official in the capital, while the sixth son, whom You Tong had heard Cui Weiyuan mention once, was a complete wastrel, idle and good-for-nothing, rarely staying at home. The other younger brothers were all studying at the academy and did not come today.

There are five unmarried young ladies in the Cui family: the tenth young lady, Wen Yan; the eighth young lady, Wen Qing, born of a concubine from the third branch; and the eleventh young lady, Wen Xian, and the twelfth young lady, Wen Lan, born of concubines from the fourth branch. Because Wen Xian is in poor health, Wen Lan accompanied her to stay at the villa for a while. Therefore, today, besides Wen Yan, only the eighth young lady, Wen Qing, is in the hall.

Wen Qing was quite beautiful, with almond-shaped eyes, peach-blossom cheeks, and cherry-like lips—a true beauty. However, this beauty seemed to have no liking for You Tong. You Tong greeted her politely, and although she smiled, her eyes were filled with resentment. Taking advantage of the fact that no one was paying attention, she glared fiercely at You Tong.

You Tong was naturally not frightened by her glance. She returned with a smile and sat down to chat with the old lady.

Wenyan, who was standing to the side, was very interested in her and kept chattering away. Youtong didn't know much about her background, so she didn't say much and mostly just listened to her quietly with a smile.

Cui Weiyuan's brows twitched again as he watched his sister's carefree and open-hearted manner towards You Tong.

After meeting her relatives and friends, You Tong was escorted by her maids to the Moon Shadow Hall in the West Garden. This place was originally the residence of Wen Feng's parents. After the Fifth Master and Fifth Madam passed away, Wen Feng went to live at the Nanshan Temple for a long time, and the place was empty for a period of time. Later, Cui Weitai, the sixth son of the Fourth Branch, asked the old lady to let him move here temporarily, but the old lady refused. Later, the Shen family came to propose marriage again, and the old lady had the servants clean up the place again.

Fearing that You Tong's identity would be exposed, Wen Feng's original maids were all dismissed. You Tong only had two maids, Han Yu and Han Yan, sent by Cui Weiyuan. Seeing that she had no capable maids, the old lady sent over two second-class maids, Hui Ying and Hui Qiao. The second madam also joined in the fun, sending over two young maids. In this way, not counting the lower-class cleaning maids, You Tong had six maids serving her.

According to the rules of the Cui family, each legitimate daughter is always accompanied by two first-class maids, two second-class maids, and four third-class maids. As a result, Hanyu and Hanyan are the only ones who suffer, since Cui Weiyuan's influence is not as great as that of the old lady and the second madam.

Huiying and Huiqiao benefited from the old lady's influence and were promoted as soon as they entered Yueying Hall. They happily kowtowed to Youtong to express their gratitude. Youtong, of course, did not believe that they were truly devoted to her. In the entire Cui family, who was trustworthy? If it weren't for needing to use the name of the ninth young lady of the Cui family to seek revenge on Shen San, Youtong would not have stooped to this position and had to deal with these people.

But she still had to maintain appearances, so she spoke to the maids again, her words a mix of gentle persuasion and firmness, warm yet with a hint of sharpness, effectively giving them a good talking-to. Who said this Ninth Miss was introverted and weak? The maids exchanged glances, each with their own plans.

The author has something to say: As everyone has said, Cui Weiyuan's good days are over. From now on, you'll be cleaning up after Miss Youtong's funeral.

Also, didn't I say that Shi Tou isn't the male lead? Why would he so easily marry You Tong off to him?

Turning the tables

twelve

With the New Year approaching, the Cui family is already busy.

The relatives who were officials working away from home also sent New Year's gifts, which were transported home by the cartload.

You Tong also received quite a few good things. The fabrics and beaded flowers were first sent to Yueying Hall for her to choose from before being distributed to the other young ladies. Wen Yan, being easygoing, didn't care about these things, but the Eighth Miss, Wen Qing, was furious, smashing several cups in anger. When the Third Madam found out, she summoned Wen Qing and gave her a severe scolding…

These were all inquired about by Hongye and Hongyun from outside. These two were sent by the Second Madam to serve her. Unlike Huiying and Huiqiao, who were mature and composed, and unlike Hanyu and Hanyan, who were taciturn, these two girls were very lively. They loved to inquire about the trivial matters of the household, and would tell Youtong about them vividly.

You Tong naturally didn't take Wen Qing seriously, treating it as a joke. She even rewarded the two of them with a sachet, only instructing them to be careful in gathering information, but never to interrupt or gossip.

Afterwards, she gradually learned about some things in the mansion. For example, although the Eighth Miss was born out of wedlock, her mother, Madam Jiang, was a noble concubine. She was a distant cousin of Third Master Cui and had lived in the Cui mansion since childhood. She and Third Master Cui were childhood sweethearts, so even Third Madam Cui could not easily manipulate her.

Miss Wenyan is also engaged to the young grandson of an old Hanlin scholar in the capital. While his family isn't particularly prominent, the young man is a kind and honest man. Because of this, the Third and Fourth Madams often teased the Second Madam's family behind their backs. The Old Madam, however, was overjoyed. She then remarked that the groom's family was poor and personally contributed three thousand taels of silver to Wenyan's dowry, much to the chagrin of the Third and Fourth Madams.

Then there's Cui Weitai, the sixth son of the fourth branch. You Tong had vaguely guessed from what others said that he wasn't well-liked, and after hearing Hongye and Hongyun recount his glorious deeds, You Tong felt even more disgusted. Ignorant, troublesome, oppressive to the people, and abducting women, relying on the power of the Cui family, there was nothing this sixth son wouldn't do. He didn't even spare the maids in the mansion; at such a young age, he had already taken four or five women into his household.

Opposite to the sixth son was Cui Weiyuan. Throughout the Cui household, no one spoke ill of him; he was described as humble, friendly, kind, quick-witted, and gentle. Even the maids blushed when he was mentioned. You Tong couldn't help but laugh as she listened. However, he was still unmarried. It was said that years ago, the Second Master Cui had consulted a fortune teller who advised against early marriage, thus delaying it. Now, the Second Madam was looking at various daughters of prominent families, but no one had yet been chosen.

Life at the Cui family was relatively good. Last year, the Shen family expressed their desire to get married soon. Although the wedding date had not been set, it was expected to be no later than February or March of next year. Therefore, You Tong only needed to stay at the Cui family and wait for her marriage.

Although the Shen family is a noble family, Shen San is not the eldest son. After Wen Feng enters the family, she only needs to be filial to her parents-in-law and manage her own household affairs. Therefore, the old lady only found a nanny to teach her some household management matters and let her do some needlework in her spare time. In the future, after she enters the family, she can reward others and also be filial to her parents-in-law and uncles.

You Tong agreed to everything, but after returning to her room, she pushed all these matters onto Han Yu and Han Yan. The next evening, Cui Weiyuan came in a huff, dismissed all the servants, and gave her a good scolding, mainly about how she shouldn't be so perfunctory since it was the old lady's instruction.

You Tong sipped her tea slowly, watching him calmly until he finished speaking. Then, she gently blew on the Longjing tea leaves floating in the white porcelain cup and said with a slow smile, "Fifth Young Master, you're really funny. I came to the Cui family with you to enjoy life, so I have no patience for doing needlework. It's only because I have a good temper that I'm respectful in front of the Old Madam. If someone angered me one day, I wouldn't hold back my anger no matter who it was. Anyway, those two maids have nothing to do, so why not let them help out? Could it be that you, Fifth Young Master, are taking pity on them and feel sorry for them working so hard?"

Upon hearing this, Cui Weiyuan's already dark face turned ashen. He stared at her intently for a long while before finally resignedly asking, "What do you want?"

You Tong laughed and said, "Fifth Brother, what are you saying? How could I possibly do anything to you? You just used a drug to kidnap me, and you made me come to the Cui family, and I came. You made me marry in your place, and I married in your place. It's all just a matter of your word. However, I, Ninth Sister, am narrow-minded and vindictive. If anyone offends me, I will hold a grudge and always think about how I can get revenge one day."

"So, you're deliberately trying to make me unhappy," Cui Weiyuan said with a wry smile.

You Tong just smiled and didn't say anything.

"Fine, fine, do whatever you want." Cui Weiyuan waved his hand dismissively. "In any case, this is the Cui residence, and everyone in this courtyard is my man. You can't pull any tricks you want. Although I don't know why you want to marry into the Shen family, if you want to enter the Shen family, don't go too far, or even I can't protect you."

You Tong smiled sweetly at him, "Wen Feng thanks Fifth Brother for his teachings. I will remember every word you said." As she spoke, she picked up the teacup in her hand but did not drink it, clearly indicating that she wanted to see him out.

A faint, enigmatic smile appeared on Cui Weiyuan's dark face, but he then turned and walked away helplessly.

The servants of Yueying Hall looked at each other in bewilderment when they saw Cui Weiyuan leave in a huff again. They couldn't understand how the usually good-tempered Ninth Miss could have angered the Fifth Young Master.

News travels fastest in this big courtyard. The very next morning, Wenyan came over for a visit. As soon as she entered the house, she leaned close to Youtong's ear and asked mysteriously, "Ninth Sister, I heard you made Fifth Brother angry yesterday. You're really something. Teach me how to do that so that next time Fifth Brother bullies me, I can bully him back."

You Tong said with a look of fear, "How could I dare to bully Fifth Brother? Yesterday, Grandmother asked me to do some needlework and embroidery. You know, I've been living in the temple all these years, spending my days chanting scriptures and praying to Buddha. I can manage some mending, but the things I make are really not presentable. After thinking it over, I decided to find someone to teach me needlework. But I just returned to the manor, how could I trouble Second Aunt for such a small matter? I heard that Han Yu and Han Yan are good at needlework, so I asked them to teach me. It was my carelessness that the other night, on a whim, I made them work until midnight. As a result, as you saw, Fifth Brother came to my door the next day to demand an explanation. He said that it was agreed that the two maids would be treated as first-class maids, but I deliberately relegated them to third-class. He also said how harsh I was, forcing the two maids to work without even letting them eat. He gave me a good scolding before leaving in a huff."

At this point, Youtong burst into tears, sobbing as she continued, "If they weren't made third-class maids, how could they possibly wrong the people around the old lady and my second aunt? He didn't even tell me beforehand, how was I supposed to know that those two maids were the ones he had his eye on? If they couldn't be maids, he could have taken them and treated them well, why send them here to suffer, and ruin my reputation in the process..." As she spoke, she was already out of breath, her face turned pale, and she collapsed to the ground.

Wen Yan had no idea that she would faint so suddenly, and she turned pale with fright. She quickly shouted for a doctor to come over. The maids who were serving her rushed over to support You Tong and hurriedly helped her to bed.

You Tong took a couple of breaths, and after a while, she slowly opened her eyes, reached out and tightly grasped Wen Yan's hand, and said weakly, "It's all my fault, I scared you."

Seeing her pale face, yet still trying to hold back her tears, with her eyes brimming as if they were about to fall at any moment, Wen Yan felt both pity and anger. She patted her chest and said, "Ninth Sister, don't cry. I'll help you get revenge later. I never thought Fifth Brother was this kind of person. He always acted so convincingly; I thought he was a gentleman. Don't worry, when I get back, I'll definitely go to my mother and complain. I'll ask her to judge for you. Don't worry, my mother is the most fair; she will never protect him."

You Tong lowered her head and wiped away her tears, saying softly, "I know that Tenth Sister loves to stand up for the weak, but let's just let this matter go. I... I just returned to the manor, and if I cause such a big commotion as soon as I get back, who knows what people will think of me. Anyway, I haven't been staying in the manor for long, and I have Huiying and the others taking care of me, so it won't matter if two people are missing." As she spoke, her eyes reddened again.

Wen Yan said angrily, "Ninth Sister, how can you be so timid? If you continue like this after marrying into the Shen family, you're bound to be bullied."

You Tong sobbed as she replied, "Actually, Fifth Brother treated me very well. I was sick several times while I was staying at the temple, and he was the one who found doctors everywhere and gave me soup and medicine. Otherwise, how could I have recovered so quickly? I guess it was my fault. If I were smarter, I could have done the embroidery myself and wouldn't have had to trouble... those two older sisters."

"Ninth Sister, what nonsense are you spouting!" Wen Yan snorted coldly and said angrily, "What sister? Those are just two lowly maids who dare to gossip and complain to Fifth Brother. Do they really think they're some kind of aunt? Don't worry, I'll get rid of them in a bit. I want to see what Fifth Brother can do to his own sister."

"Tenth Sister—" Wen Yan, her eyes red, tugged at her, wanting to say something but not daring to, looking very pitiful.

"Ninth Sister, don't worry about it." Wen Yan held her hand and said sincerely, "Since you want to give Fifth Brother face, then I won't make a scene with Mother. But I'm not done with him yet. If he bullies you again in the future, just tell me, and I will definitely stand up for you."

Tears welled up in You Tong's eyes, and she seemed so moved that she was about to cry again.

The two talked for a while, then Huiying came in to announce that Doctor Lin had arrived. Wenyan quickly asked her to invite him in.

This Doctor Lin was originally a royal physician, but he resigned from his post to observe mourning at home after his father's death and never returned to the capital. It was for this reason that the Cui family invited him to practice medicine at their residence year after year, and even specially set aside a courtyard for him to live in in the East Garden.

After taking Youtong's pulse, Doctor Lin's brow remained furrowed. Wenyan, watching from the side, was alarmed and cautiously asked, "Doctor Lin, is there something wrong with my ninth sister's health?"

Doctor Lin stroked his graying beard, glanced at You Tong, a hint of doubt still lingering in his eyes. After a moment's hesitation, he said, "Miss Jiu seems to be experiencing some heart palpitations. It's not a serious illness, but it shouldn't be taken lightly. She should take good care of herself and keep her mind calm. I'll prescribe two doses of medicine today for Miss Jiu to try. In the coming days, avoid any further stimulation, or it may recur at any time."

Wen Yan noticed that You Tong's condition was caused by Cui Weiyuan, and after comforting You Tong, she angrily went to cause trouble for Cui Weiyuan.

Author's Note: Cui Laowu's miserable days have begun...

be terribly upset

Thirteen

However, no one knew exactly how Wen Yan had argued with Cui Weiyuan. That afternoon, Han Yu and Han Yan were kicked out.

That evening, Cui Weiyuan even sent someone to deliver a small basket of fruit as an apology. This surprised Youtong slightly. She had originally thought that Cui Weiyuan, having suffered such a loss, would surely come looking for trouble, but she hadn't expected him to be so calm and collected. Putting aside everything else, his patience alone was not to be underestimated.

Despite the weather in December, he somehow managed to find fresh fruit, each one fresh and juicy. You Tong picked up a bright red apple and took a bite. The sweet juice slowly seeped into her throat. Imagining Cui Weiyuan's expression at that moment, You Tong felt extremely happy.

Since that incident, Wen Yan has frequently visited Yueying Hall. She is a simple-minded girl, lively and always ready to stand up for the underdog. She seems to get along with everyone in the Cui family, except for Cui Wenqing. Wen Yan dislikes the Eighth Miss, and she makes no secret of this. Whenever You Tong inadvertently mentions Wenqing, she impatiently says, "Ninth Sister, can't we just not talk about her?"

You Tong smiled and tactfully changed the subject.

Wen Yan was a wonderful person; she spoke very frankly and directly, without beating around the bush. You Tong liked her personality very much, and within a few days, the two were very close, looking like real sisters.

Cui Weiyuan had warned Wen Yan to stay away from You Tong before, but Wen Yan always retorted with a scolding. He couldn't explain why, and could only feel frustrated. What worried him more was that You Tong would corrupt Wen Yan. Wen Yan was the girl he valued most; she was simple-minded and easily trusting, while You Tong, despite her seemingly delicate and weak appearance, was actually a cunning and treacherous person.

But unfortunately, both Hanyu and Hanyan had been tricked and driven away by Youtong. Now, the people serving her were those from the old lady and her mother's side. It wasn't that he couldn't order them around, but he was afraid that this matter would reach the ears of the two elders, and then he would have to find a way to cover it up. After thinking for a while, he decided to start with the maids around Wenyan. He secretly instructed them and told them not to tell Wenyan.

By the 22nd day of the twelfth lunar month, with the Little New Year fast approaching, everyone in the mansion, young and old, was busy. Since the head of the Cui family was not in the mansion, Cui Weiyuan was busy entertaining guests everywhere. The young ladies, on the other hand, were led by the second madam to visit various prominent families in the county.

Because Wen Feng was betrothed to the Shen family and Wen Yan was also engaged, the marriage of Wen Qing, who was slightly older than the two of them, attracted much attention. She was beautiful and inevitably had a high opinion of herself, so she looked down on ordinary people. However, she was born out of wedlock, so families of slightly higher social standing looked down on her. As a result, she was stuck in a limbo, not only unable to find a suitable match, but also attracting a lot of rumors, saying that this eighth young lady was too self-important and probably wanted to enter the palace to become a concubine. This made the third madam very unhappy, and she told Master Cui directly that she would no longer interfere in the eighth young lady's marriage.

When the news reached Yueying Hall, before Youtong could say anything, Wenyan couldn't help but sneer. She snorted and said, "She's really overestimating herself. Does she really think she's a fairy descended from heaven? She's just ruining the reputation of our Cui family for no reason. With her pretentious personality, she still wants to marry into the Xu family. Not to mention that Brother Xu doesn't even give her a second glance, how could Auntie possibly look at such a petty and stingy daughter-in-law? She's always acting all coquettish and can't stand anyone being better than her, and she looks down on anyone being worse than her. She's even more arrogant than our family's real young lady."

You Tong recalled the look in Wen Qing's eyes when they first met, and she felt displeased. However, since she had only met her once, she didn't want to add fuel to the fire. She simply smiled and listened quietly.

Seeing that she didn't speak, Wen Yan thought she was confused, so she slapped her forehead and suddenly realized, "I forgot to mention it to you. That Brother Xu is my fifth brother's friend. His name is Xu Wei. He's from a branch of the Xu family in Shannan, and our Cui family has been friends for generations. He's currently an official in the capital, a General of the Cavalry or something. He's famous for his literary and military talents and is highly regarded by the current emperor. The old lady often praises him for being gentle, polite, and well-mannered."

She seemed to suddenly remember something, her face flushed, and after thinking for a moment, she whispered mysteriously, "Years ago, she even joked about betrothing me to him." Then, she straightened her face and pouted, "That's when Eighth Sister started holding a grudge against me. She often plotted against me in secret and would find opportunities to speak ill of me to Brother Xu. At the beginning of last year, she even pestered Third Uncle to propose marriage to the Xu family. Little did she know that Brother Xu was already engaged. Not only was that sister his ideal, but even if they weren't engaged, he would definitely not look at her."

Upon hearing Xu Wei's name, You Tong was truly stunned for a long time until Wen Yan patted her shoulder in confusion, which snapped her out of it. She managed a weak smile, but her mind was a complete mess.

Once Wen Yan started, she couldn't stop. She sighed mournfully and continued, "Brother Xu was a pitiful man. Ninth Sister, you don't know, the young lady he was engaged to was from Jiangnan. I heard she was extremely beautiful and had a good temperament. Brother Xu even went to Jiangnan to see her once and fell in love with her. He kept saying he wanted to marry her as soon as possible. Unfortunately, heaven is jealous of beauty. Just when the two were about to get married, that lady drowned in Qiantang Lake."

At this point, Wen Yan's eyes reddened, as if she were about to cry. She rubbed her eyes before continuing, "Brother Xu was recovering from serious injuries at our residence when he heard the news. He was stunned and remained unconscious for two days and two nights before waking up. He wouldn't eat or drink, and in the end, he insisted on taking Fifth Brother with him to Jiangnan to attend the funeral. He was originally as strong as my Fifth Brother, but along the way, he lost over twenty pounds, becoming emaciated and losing all trace of the imposing presence of a great general..."

You Tong only saw Wen Yan's mouth opening and closing, and heard her babbling voice beside her, but she had no idea what she was saying. All she could think about was what Wen Yan had just said, "He used to be as strong as my fifth brother..." That day, she saw him from afar in Huzhou City. He was thin and frail, with a haggard face, looking like a scholar who couldn't even kill a chicken. She didn't know that he should have been a tall and imposing figure, and she didn't know that she was the culprit.

I felt a mix of emotions—guilt, bitterness, and other indescribable feelings.

Wen Yan was chatting and laughing beside her, and now she suddenly grabbed You Tong's hand and laughed. You Tong laughed along, but a bitter taste filled her mouth.

Wen Yan was tired from talking, so the two had some tea and snacks. As dusk approached, Wen Yan was about to take her leave when her maidservant rushed into the room, excitedly saying, "Miss, Young Master Sun asked Young Master Xu to send something over. Please go and take a look."

"Really!" Wen Yan was overjoyed and immediately jumped up. Just as she was about to leave, she suddenly turned around and grabbed You Tong's hand, saying, "Ninth Sister, come with me. Brother Xu is here too. You've never met him before, have you?" Without waiting for a reply, she pulled her away.

You Tong was terrified and hadn't quite reacted yet, and she couldn't struggle too much, so she had no choice but to be dragged to the front yard.

Just as she reached the front gate, Wenqing rushed over. It was clear that she had dressed up carefully, wearing a light green gauze dress with a long, silver satin embroidered cloak over it. Her face was made up, with a touch of rouge on her lips, making her look exceptionally radiant.

When Wenya saw her, a hint of mockery flashed across her face, and she laughed loudly, "Eighth Sister, you're so fast! Anyone who didn't know better would think that Brother Sun brought you here."

Wenqing ignored her, tilting her head back and not even glancing at them, before entering the door on her own.

Seeing this, Wenya laughed instead of getting angry, and whispered in Youtong's ear, "Look how smug she is now. Doesn't she think she can get involved just because Brother Xu's wife drowned? Just wait and see her cry when we go inside. Brother Xu won't pay any attention to her." After saying that, she became smug again.

You Tong forced a smile, lowered her head, and followed Wen Ya without saying a word.

Upon entering the room, one sees the table piled high with boxes and gift sets. Cui Weiyuan is talking to someone inside; the person is tall and thin with a youthful, childlike face, but it is not Xu Wei. Wen Qing is also sitting on a round stool against the east wall, her expression quite unpleasant.

Seeing them come in, Cui Weiyuan turned around and said with a smile, "My sisters have come too. It just so happens that the Second Young Master has also just arrived. Since we're all family here, why don't you keep him company and have a chat?"

Wen Yan covered her mouth, almost bursting out laughing. She glanced at Wen Qing, then said to the young man, "So it's Brother Xu Er. Oh, you've come at a really bad time today. Some people are probably going to be driven crazy by you." After saying that, she looked meaningfully at Wen Qing, whose face was ashen.

The Second Young Master Xu was a clever man. As if he hadn't heard Wen Yan's words, he smiled and said, "Yuan Cheng asked me to bring you some things. You should check them yourself quickly, otherwise I won't take responsibility if you find anything missing later." After saying that, he paused and pointed to a particularly eye-catching mahogany carved box on the table, and said mischievously, "Especially this one, you must check it yourself. It must not be handled by anyone else."

His manner clearly suggested that the box contained some private item that was not meant to be shared with outsiders. Wen Yan, however, was very easygoing and cheerfully hugged the box to her chest, thanking him, "Thank you, Brother Xu. I'll treat you to taro cake later." But she wasn't in a hurry to open the box. Instead, she turned and took You Tong's hand, introducing her, "This is my Ninth Sister. You haven't met her yet, Brother Xu, have you?"

Only then did the Second Young Master Xu turn his gaze to You Tong, who had been keeping her head down, and greeted her softly, saying, "So it's Ninth Sister. I haven't been to the Cui residence often, this is the first time I've seen you."

You Tong nodded slightly to him, responded softly, and then greeted him with "Greetings, Second Young Master" before falling silent.

Seeing her suddenly so meek and submissive, Cui Weiyuan was quite surprised and glanced at her subtly. The Second Young Master Xu, assuming she was just introverted, didn't think much of it and continued to laugh and talk loudly with Wen Yan. When it was time to leave, You Tong said goodbye to him. As they looked up, their eyes met. A thought flashed through the Second Young Master Xu's mind, and something stirred within him.

Author's Note: My computer couldn't connect to the internet again, so I'm using my roommate's computer to update this. ~~~~(>_<)~~~~

Actually, not being able to access the internet is good, it can motivate me to write.

We will meet again eventually.