Chapter 478: Chapter 447, A Sense of Distance_1
“I originally thought your cousin Yan Wentao was already quite outstanding, but I didn’t expect Yan Wenkai to be equally remarkable. Energetic and cheerful, he truly is a rare good child,”
After dinner, on the way back to the guest quarters, Yan Siyu couldn’t help but praise her daughter.
Yang Xiujun was somewhat distracted and responded perfunctorily with a ‘hmm’.
Yan Siyu sensed her daughter was not in the right frame of mind and immediately asked, “What’s the matter, girl?”
Yang Xiujun hesitated for a moment, but still spoke her mind, “Mother, do you think Sister Yiyi doesn’t like me?”
Yan Siyu showed a look of surprise, “Why would you think that?”
Yang Xiujun: “…On the day we arrived, Grandmother intended for me to stay in Sister Yiyi’s courtyard, yet she deflected the idea. Today, when cousin Wenkai mentioned that girls from other families were coming, she was willing to let them stay in her courtyard.”
“Also, these past few days, although she has been very warm and friendly towards me, I can feel that she’s not doing so because she likes me, but merely out of courtesy as the host.”
Yan Siyu paused, reflected on Daohua’s attitude towards them for the past few days, and didn’t feel anything amiss. On the contrary, her unreserved speech and actions on certain occasions had warmed her heart, making her not feel like an outsider in this family.
Looking at her daughter’s despondent expression, Yan Siyu’s face showed a tinge of self-reproach.
It was all her own fault for being useless. In the previous years at the Yang Family, she hardly had any status, which also led to her daughter suffering countless grievances. Having grown up unsatisfied, her daughter’s mind had inevitably become sensitive, and she might overthink even an unintentional move by someone else.
Yan Siyu took Yang Xiujun’s hand, comforting her, “Don’t be over-sensitive. About the arrangement of the rooms, your aunt explained to me in particular, saying Yiyi is impulsive, and since you enjoy tranquility, she didn’t want you to feel uncomfortable.”
“When we left home, I had reported to your grandmother that we would spend the New Year here before returning to the capital. Such a long time naturally requires arranging an independent courtyard for us, that’s the proper way to treat guests.”
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“As for you saying Yiyi doesn’t like you, mother would ask you, you’ve only known Yiyi for a few days, would you be able to bare your heart to her and be close as anything? You couldn’t really say you like her that much now, mother wouldn’t believe it either.”
Yang Xiujun’s expression froze: “Cousin Yiyi is cheerful and straightforward, of course, I like her.” And at the same time, she felt envy, envying her for being loved by the whole family, for living freely and comfortably, for being only a few months older than herself yet already able to manage household affairs under aunt’s guidance.
Yan Siyu patted her daughter’s hand: “Relationships between people are built through interaction, and it is normal to have an appropriate distance with someone you do not know well. If Yiyi had been overly enthusiastic towards you, mother would find it disingenuous.”
Yang Xiujun fell silent for a moment: “Mother, I have overthought it, I will be more careful in the future.”
Yan Siyu smiled and nodded, not continuing on this subject but instead asked, “You met your third and fourth cousins today, what do you think of them?”
Thinking of the tall and robust cousins, Yang Xiujun smiled, “The third cousin is reserved and meticulous, while the fourth cousin is earnest and sincere; they are all very good people.”
Yan Siyu nodded, “Indeed, all good lads.” As she spoke, she smiled and glanced at her daughter, “After your eldest cousin has his marriage arranged, it won’t be long before it’s the turn of your second cousin and the others. Who knows which girl will have the good fortune to marry into the Yan Family.”
Yang Xiujun’s expression stiffened, but she didn’t think much of it, instead feeling envious of the harmonious atmosphere at the Yan family.
The next day, after breakfast, Daohua saw that Yan Wentao and Yan Wenkai were sitting there nonchalantly with no intention of leaving and couldn’t help asking, “Third Brother, Fourth Brother, aren’t you returning to the military camp?”
Yan Wenkai smiled at Madam Yan and said, “Grandmother’s birthday is in just a few days, of course, we have to stay at home and accompany Grandmother.”
At these words, Madam Yan’s face burst into a happy smile, “Good, good, good, you two hardly stay at home much throughout the year, this time with your aunt bringing Hongrui and Xiujun back, it’s proper to spend more time together.”
Daohua cast a teasing glance at her two brothers, “I think the two of you just don’t want to go back for drills, right?”
As soon as she spoke, the expressions on Yan Wentao and Yan Wenkai’s faces stiffened simultaneously.
Isn’t it true that they didn’t want to return?
Who knew what possessed the Little Prince to have Lord Wu conduct their training? The thought of the hardships they had endured at the military camp recently sent shivers down their spines.
Yan Wenkai said with a smile that didn’t quite reach his eyes, “Big sister, what are you talking about? Third brother and I are simply trying to be filial. As for training, we can do it anywhere; there won’t be any delays while we’re at home these few days.”
Daohua laughed and didn’t call them out, with an expression that said, ‘whatever you say.’ This left Yan Wenkai quite frustrated.
Just then, Yan Wenxiu walked in, greeted the elders, and then turned to Madam Li to say, “Mother, Uncle Zhou and Chengye will be arriving soon; I should go welcome them.”
Madam Li looked hesitant and said, “If you leave, what about Han’s eldest son and Fang’s son…”
Yan Wentao immediately stood up and said, “Aunt, big brother needs to stay with the guests; let me go to the dock to receive them.”
Yan Wenkai glanced at Yan Wentao and then added, “Since that’s the case, I might as well go too. It’s been a while since I last saw Brother Zhou.” He said and looked at Madam Li.
“Mother, when is the Su Family coming?”
Madam Li glared at her youngest son, “How would I know? They’ll probably come close to your grandmother’s birthday.”
Yan Wenkai heaved a sigh, “What a pity.”
Daohua immediately asked with a smile, “Fourth brother, what’s such a pity?”
Yan Wenkai answered seriously, “I’m feeling sorry for you. If the Su Family arrived earlier, you could’ve played with Miss Su.”
Daohua snorted in disbelief at her brother’s insincerity, “Thanks a lot!”
Afterwards, Yan Wenkai and Yan Wentao left the house. Around noontime, they returned with the Zhou family.
“Jingwan!”
“Daohua!”
In front of Chuihua Gate, as soon as Daohua saw Zhou Jingwan, she quickly walked up to meet her. In just a moment, they embraced each other and started whispering intimate words, laughing together.
Madam Li, meanwhile, approached Madam Zhou with a smile and warmly escorted her to the old lady’s courtyard.
Daohua, pulling Zhou Jingwan along, chattered non-stop about various amusing incidents that had happened to each of them.
Songhe Courtyard.
When everyone saw Madam Li arriving with Madam Zhou, all but the Old Madam Yan stood up to greet them.
Yang Xiujun and Yan Yihuan were standing together with a few other ladies. They lowered their gaze slightly when they saw Daohua and Zhou Jingwan, hand in hand, whispering and laughing, not knowing what they were talking about behind them.
This must be how Sister Yiyi truly behaves when she likes someone!
After Zhou Jingwan had greeted the elders, Daohua introduced her to Yang Xiujun and Yan Yunxi and Yan Yunyan.
Not long after, Yan Zhigao personally arrived with Lord Zhou and Zhou Chengye to pay respects to Old Madam Yan.
Watching Daohua engage warmly and jovially with young Lord Zhou, Yang Xiujun’s eyes sparkled once again.
Previously, Sister Yiyi had been polite yet distant when facing her brothers, as well as Han’s eldest son and Fang’s eldest son. Yang Xiujun had thought this reservedness was the natural shyness and propriety of a young lady when meeting men from outside the family. But now she realized she had been mistaken.
Yang Xiujun exhaled softly; her mother was right—there really was a sense of distance when dealing with unfamiliar people.