The Bai family's small western-style house.
"Mother, I really missed you."
Bai Liuyue snuggled coquettishly against a gentle and elegant woman.
The nagging words Wei Min had originally planned to say instantly vanished, leaving her to helplessly stroke her daughter's head.
"You're already a big girl, why do you still love acting like a spoiled child so much?"
"I don't care, I don't care. I am the youngest of my generation in the Bai family, so I'm still a child."
Bai Liuyue narrowed her eyes, feeling her mother's gentle hand stroking the top of her head.
At this moment, someone came from outside the door to report.
"Madam, Young Marshal Pei is visiting."
Wei Min was startled. Although she was a noble lady from the previous dynasty, she also knew that the current political situation was unstable.
The Pei family was the top military and political authority in Jinzhong.
And this Young Marshal Pei was a highly sought-after bachelor in the eyes of countless unmarried young women.
They had never had any interactions before, so what was this about...?
Bai Liuyue sat up from her mother's embrace and lazily narrowed her eyes.
"Mother, he is here for me."
Wei Min waved her hand at the servant and said, "Invite Young Marshal Pei in."
When only the mother and daughter were left in the room, she spoke:
"Your father and your two older brothers are still out of town and haven't returned. We all know clearly what your grandfather is scheming."
"Yueyue, you must be careful."
Bai Liuyue patted her palm soothingly and said gently:
"Rest assured, Mother. At most, Grandfather saw that Bai Baozhu couldn't fetch a good price, so he turned his ideas onto me."
"I know what I'm doing. If they want to sell me out, it depends on whether they can offer equal benefits."
As soon as she finished speaking, the sound of Pei Yu's military boots hitting the ground came from outside the hall.
"Greetings, Second Madam Bai! Greetings, Sister Liuyue!"
Pei Yu's eyes and brows were raised in joy, though his walking posture looked a bit limping.
Wei Min nodded and asked with concern, "What happened here?"
"Hehe, it's nothing. I just lost my footing on the way and fell." Pei Yu scratched his head.
Fall, my foot.
He was clearly beaten up by his father after returning to the Marshal's mansion!
After all, the two Bai siblings almost had an accident. If something unexpected had really happened, Marshal Pei wouldn't have been able to explain it to that old fox Bai Wenshan.
Bai Liuyue had the servants serve some tea.
"Does Young Marshal Pei have any business coming over today?"
"When we were in the Northwest, Sister Liuyue took care of me a lot. I thought I'd come over to visit you, Auntie, and thank Sister Liuyue while I'm at it."
After Pei Yu finished speaking, a servant standing by said, "Young Marshal Pei has brought a lot of gifts."
A faint smile appeared on Wei Min's lips as she said, "Young Marshal is too polite."
"Hey, hey, hey, it's only right. Auntie, please don't stand on ceremony with me. Sister Liuyue and I, we are just like family."
Pei Yu still wore a silly, naive smile.
They had only exchanged a few words.
The doorman came to report again.
"Madam, Young Marshal Xie and Miss Xie from the Northwest are visiting."
The smile on Pei Yu's face froze.
He thought he had come fast enough.
He didn't expect his cousin to be like a dog, catching the scent and rushing over so quickly.
He had already escorted Bai Baozhu and Bai Baocheng back, so why didn't he hurry back to the Northwest? What was he doing staying here?
What an eyesore.
Pei Yu couldn't help but mutter softly.
Wei Min glanced at her daughter and saw Bai Liuyue smiling and raising her eyebrows.
Oh well.
Then let's see what kind of person this Young Marshal Xie is, who was originally Bai Baozhu's husband and later almost became her own son-in-law.
"Please invite them in."
Unlike Pei Yu's excited footsteps just now, the footsteps of the Xie siblings were much steadier.
Xie Chengxiao was tall; men from the Northwest were naturally tall anyway.
His facial features were sharp and handsome, and wearing a light blue military uniform made him look even more heroic.
His every movement revealed a steady temperament, and his handsome face still bore a calm and unruffled expression.
It wasn't until his gaze fell on Bai Liuyue that it softened slightly.
"Forgive the presumptuous visit. Greetings, Second Madam Bai, I am Xie Chengxiao."
Behind him, Xie Manyu was much more lively and also bowed in greeting.
"Hello, Auntie, I am Xie Manyu. When we were in the Northwest, Liuyue and I had a... pretty good relationship."
After speaking, she excitedly raised her small hand and waved.
Bai Liuyue curled her lips and gave her a shallow smile.
Xie Manyu then trotted forward, linked her arm, and whispered in an intimate posture:
"Liuyue, my brother and I stayed at your grandfather's house last night."
"That old mansion looks so gloomy. I was too scared to sleep in the middle of the night, so as soon as dawn broke, I urged my brother to come find you."
Bai Liuyue's gaze fell on the hand holding her arm.
She said slowly:
"Our relationship is... pretty good?"
A blush quickly flashed across Xie Manyu's face, and she felt a bit embarrassed and shy, but she didn't let go of her arm.
She said loudly:
"Y-yes, look, you even gave me a sachet."
"I think our relationship is pretty good."
"Look, I'm still wearing this sachet."
She pointed to the sachet tied to the hem of her skirt.
Pei Yu saw it too.
He felt both sour and sweet.
An identical sachet! Gu Qinghuai had one, Xie Chengxiao had one, and even this little girl Xie Manyu had one!
Forget it, forget it. No matter what.
This was the first sachet Sister Liuyue had given him. Yes, exactly! The meaning was different.
He brainwashed himself.
Pei Yu suddenly felt that his cousin beside him was somewhat silent. Following his gaze, he noticed that from the corner of his eye, he was secretly glancing at Bai Liuyue.
He couldn't help but bump his arm.
He said viciously:
"Why are you looking at my Sister Liuyue?"
Look at that, this was what they called the pot calling the kettle black.
Xie Chengxiao cast a sidelong glance at him, his eyes cold.
"Say that again. Yours?" His voice was like ice.
If Pei Yu dared to say it again, these two cousins would probably go outside and start a gunfight in a moment.
Pei Yu guiltily lowered his volume a bit.
He whispered, "O-ours, alright..."
Xie Chengxiao raised an eyebrow.
What did he mean by ours?
Liuyue was clearly his.
His little cousin was truly indulging in wishful thinking!
Silent gunpowder smoke filled the air.
Wei Min invited these young people to sit down and drink tea together. She sat upright in the center, elegantly brewing tea, and pushed the teacups to them one by one.
"Come, since you are here, you are all guests of our Bai family."
"Yueyue has been taken care of by you both during her time in the Northwest and on the journey."
"I will use tea in place of wine to toast you."
Xie Chengxiao and Pei Yu hurriedly perked up. This was their future mother-in-law; they absolutely had to leave the best impression on her.
Each of them straightened their backs, and after taking the teacups, they maintained a humble posture.
"Not at all, Auntie, you are too polite. It was what I ought to do."
"Yes, Sister Liuyue's business is my business!"
Just as the atmosphere seemed both harmonious and somewhat delicate.
The doorman came to report again.
"Madam, the Second Young Master of the Northern Presidential Palace is visiting."
