Is that so?
If she liked and respected her brother, she should prioritize his preferences.
Instead of acting according to her own wishes?
Xie Manyu stood blankly on the spot, lost in thought.
She remembered that she and her brother had a great relationship at first. Although the two siblings bickered sometimes, they would always share their thoughts with each other.
When did it change?
It seemed to be when her brother was about to get married.
At the time, she was a little unhappy and asked, "Brother, if you have a sister-in-law in the future, will you ignore me?"
Xie Chengxiao replied, "How could I? It just means there will be one more person to dote on you."
Her brother was right.
So Xie Manyu took it for granted that her sister-in-law was also one of their own, her family.
Especially when she heard that her future sister-in-law, Bai Baozhu, was a talented woman of the new Republic, with many articles published in the New Nation Newspaper.
In order to understand her sister-in-law better, Xie Manyu specifically bought these newspapers and read the articles on them one by one.
Bai Baozhu was truly talented, and her words were very inspiring.
Xie Manyu immediately became her little fangirl.
Later, when she officially met her in person, although her sister-in-law's attitude towards her brother was indifferent, she was very good to her and doted on her.
She would tell her about the outside world, about her experience studying abroad, and about how she started a poetry society in Jinzhong and met a group of like-minded good friends.
Xie Manyu was extremely envious hearing all this.
That was the life she yearned for.
Bai Baozhu was also the kind of person she yearned to become.
So gradually, her relationship with her sister-in-law got better and better.
She even fought with her brother several times for her sister-in-law's sake.
The first time Bai Baozhu ran away and returned, it was Xie Manyu who pleaded for her in front of the Marshal and the Second Concubine. Fortunately, nothing bad happened.
As for the second time, it was much more serious.
Xie Manyu actually helped Bai Baozhu escape, and was punished by the Marshal to kneel in the ancestral hall for several days afterwards.
"It seems so... I seem to have always stood on my sister-in-law's side..."
Xie Manyu stood there and muttered softly, "I never thought about whether my brother was happy or not."
She went downstairs in a daze and returned to the living room.
Seeing her listless mood, Bai Baozhu quickly stepped forward to comfort her:
"What's wrong? Did Xiaoyue say something unpleasant?"
"Don't take it to heart. She just has a straightforward personality. She doesn't actually have any bad intentions."
Xie Manyu slowly shook her head, dejected, and said, "Sister-in-law, actually, I think she is right."
Bai Baozhu was stunned for a moment, but immediately regained her smile.
"What did she say?"
Xie Manyu hesitated for a moment and shook her head.
"Nothing. She is indeed very straightforward."
This was the first time she had not completely opened up to Bai Baozhu without reservation.
Bai Baozhu also sensed that something was wrong, but didn't dare to act rashly.
Right now, Xie Chengxiao's attitude towards her was extremely cold. If her relationship with Xie Manyu also turned sour at this time, the loss would outweigh the gain.
So she said gently, "You've been tired taking care of me these past two days. Go back to your room and rest early."
Xie Manyu nodded: "Okay."
Watching her retreating back.
The uncontrollable feeling deep in Bai Baozhu's heart grew stronger and stronger.
What was going on?
Why was it that after being reborn, nothing was developing as she had imagined?
...
In the early morning, the honking of a car horn came from the entrance of the Marshal's mansion.
The doorman poked his head out, and seeing the arrival, his face immediately broke into a smile.
"The Cousin Master is here."
The car door opened, and a man in a standard blue military uniform bent down and stepped out of the car. He was tall, and the crisp military uniform wrapped around his muscular body.
With broad shoulders and a narrow waist, his body proportions were excellent.
Moving the gaze to his face, his features were peerlessly handsome, with sword-like eyebrows slanting up to his temples, and a pair of peach blossom eyes gleaming with shrewdness.
"Hey, wait," Pei Yu waved his hand.
Another man jumped out of the car behind him. He was wearing a grey Zhongshan suit, with neat and handsome features and a refined, elegant temperament.
"This is..." The doorman looked hesitant.
Pei Yu introduced, "This is Young Master Bai of the Bai family in Jinzhong, and also the brother of your Young Marshal's wife. Hurry in and announce our arrival."
"Ah, yes!" The doorman slipped into the mansion like a wisp of smoke.
At that time, the Marshal and the others were having breakfast. Hearing the message from the doorman,
Bai Baozhu at the dining table showed a trace of astonishment.
Xie Zhenning ordered:
"Invite them in."
Before long, the two tall men entered the inner room.
Bai Liuyue was minding her own business drinking rice porridge. Today, she had specially worn a moon-white satin qipao with red piped edges that she had just bought at the department store yesterday.
It made her skin look bright and white, adding to her elegant aura.
Even the Second Concubine, who rarely interacted with her, couldn't help but praise, "This qipao is really beautiful."
Bai Liuyue replied, "My brother-in-law bought it for me."
Xie Zhenning gave Xie Chengxiao a satisfied look.
It seemed that his son had taken his words to heart. Yesterday, he accompanied the Second Miss of the Bai family shopping and even bought her clothes. It looked like they were getting along well.
This couldn't be better.
Meanwhile, Bai Baozhu's lips maintained a stiff smile, unable to suppress the jealousy in her heart.
"Uncle! Cousin!"
Before the person arrived, his voice had already carried over.
Xie Chengxiao looked up and saw his younger cousin, Pei Yu, who was one year younger than him.
His biological mother's younger sister had married into the Pei family in Jinzhong. They were also local warlords there, occupying a considerable amount of territory.
Despite this cousin's frivolous and casual appearance, he dared to hold a gun at the age of thirteen, and at fourteen, he sneaked onto the battlefield when his father wasn't paying attention, ultimately retreating unscathed.
When others saw him, they all respectfully addressed him as 'Young Marshal Pei'.
Just as he was about to respond, he noticed that his cousin's gaze seemed somewhat off.
Following his gaze, he found that his alluring peach blossom eyes were staring fixedly at the young girl of the Bai family, who was keeping her head down and sipping her rice porridge.
That look was like a hungry wolf or a fierce tiger, as if he had spotted his prey, filled with excitement and anticipation.
For some reason, Xie Chengxiao felt a bit displeased in his heart.
He cleared his throat and replied:
"How do you have the free time to visit?"
Hearing this, Pei Yu pouted unhappily and complained to Xie Zhenning:
"Uncle, look at this! My cousin is shunning me. I finally manage to come over for a visit, and it's truly heartbreaking..."
"If only Aunt were here. Every time, she would hug me and call me Xiaoyu, Xiaoyu."
Watching his total drama queen behavior, even the usually serious and stern Xie Zhenning couldn't help but chuckle, a bit more of a smile appearing on his face.
Pei Yu's face bore some resemblance to his deceased first wife.
Because of this, his attitude became even more amiable.
"Your cousin has always had this temperament. It's fine. It's rare for you to come to the Northwest, so enjoy yourself and have a good time. Your uncle is happy to have you!"
Pei Yu shot Xie Chengxiao a smug look.
Only then did he remember the main business. He hurriedly pulled the man following behind him forward and said:
"I came on an official errand this time. Look, this is Young Master Bai from the Bai family, Bai Baocheng."
"The Bai family entrusted me to bring him to the Northwest. With battles breaking out frequently along the way, a frail scholar like him would probably have been robbed halfway if I hadn't been with him."
