On the morning of the second day of the New Year, Su Li rose, finished her toilette, and, accompanied by her maid, proceeded to the main courtyard.
"Mother, we're visiting Grandfather and Grandmother today, so I've specially dressed in something more festive. How do I look?" She twirled once before Mother Su.
Mother Su smiled, "Truly beautiful. Your Grandfather and Grandmother will surely be delighted to see you."
Father Su also chuckled, "Quickly have your breakfast. The sooner we eat, the sooner we can depart."
After breakfast, the family departed, bringing two heavily laden carts of New Year's gifts, for the Duke Wei's Estate.
As Mother Su was pregnant, the carriage was lined with thick mattresses, and the charcoal brazier burned brightly, ensuring warmth.
There was no snow today, only a stretch of good weather.
Father Su lowered the carriage curtain, smiling as he said, "It seems the snow has ceased, and it's starting to warm up again."
Mother Su sighed, "At last, no more snow. This winter has truly dragged on."
"This is wonderful. When the little one is born, they won't have to fear the cold," Su Li murmured, gazing at Mother Su's abdomen.
The family chatted and laughed as the carriage proceeded at a leisurely pace. It took nearly two hours before they finally reached the Duke's Estate.
The moment Su Li alighted from the carriage, she saw a group of people waiting at the entrance.
Su Li's clear voice rang out, "Li'er offers her greetings to Uncle and Aunt."
Wei Xiyong laughed heartily, "Quickly, rise. Come inside; your Grandmother has been eagerly awaiting you since early morning."
At this point, Father Su assisted Mother Su forward. After they exchanged greetings, the entire party proceeded into the estate.
"Father, has Li'er arrived?"
From afar, Wei Yuanyao's voice reached them – her sound preceding her sight.
Wei Yuanyao, dressed in blue, joyfully darted towards them. Before she even got close, Madam Wang called out sharply, "Slow down! There's still snow underfoot!"
Wei Yuanyao ran closer, exclaiming, "Aunt! Uncle!"
Then, linking her arm with Su Li's, she said, "You're finally here! I've been waiting for you since dawn!"
Su Li sweetly called out, "Cousin."
"Come on! Grandfather and Grandmother are waiting for you! They've mentioned you several times – you haven't been here in ages!"
Su Li reflected; it was true, she hadn't visited in a long while. Ever since her appearance recovered, she seemed to be busy every day and hadn't found the time to come.
Wei Yuanyao quickly pulled her along, rushing inside, and Su Li had no choice but to follow her pace.
"Cousin, slow down a bit."
Madam Wang watched the retreating figures of the two girls, shaking her head with a resigned smile. "That child," she murmured, "she truly was born into the wrong body."
Mother Su chuckled, "Ya'er is perfectly fine as she is; she's very endearing."
Father Su concurred, "Indeed."
Before they even entered the room, Wei Yuanyao loudly announced, "Grandfather, Grandmother, Li'er is here!"
Su Li followed her in, observing the two elderly figures seated at the head of the room. Both had hair streaked with white, yet their spirits seemed remarkably robust.
Duke Wei appeared stern, but the affection in his eyes was undeniable.
The Duchess Wei chuckled, "Oh, my precious granddaughter is here! Li'er, come closer, let Grandmother have a look!"
Su Li approached, her voice clear as she greeted, "Grandfather, Grandmother."
The Duchess Wei took her hand, examining her from every angle.
"Your aunt said your face has healed, and you look exactly like your mother did as a child. But seeing you today, you're even more beautiful than your mother! This is wonderful! Truly wonderful!"
At this moment, a maid placed a kneeling cushion before the two elders. Su Li gracefully walked over and knelt.
"Li'er offers New Year's greetings to Grandfather and Grandmother. May Grandfather and Grandmother enjoy a life as long as the heavens and as enduring as the earth, with double stars of fortune and prosperity, bringing auspiciousness to the entire family."
The two elders produced red envelopes, smiling as they handed them to her.
The Duchess Wei chuckled, "Good, good, good, my good Li'er, quickly rise."
Su Li rose and accepted the red envelope.
The Duchess Wei then pulled her to sit beside her.
The Duchess Wei looked towards the doorway. "Wasn't Shu'er supposed to be here too? Why haven't I seen her?"
Su Li replied, "Mother is heavy with child, so she walks a bit slower."
No sooner had she spoken than several figures entered from beyond the doorway.
Mother Su entered and, calling out to her parents, prepared to make a deep bow.
The Old Duke Wei was certainly not willing to let his heavily pregnant daughter bow so deeply.
"Dispense with such formalities," Duke Wei instructed. "Come and sit."
Father Su helped his wife to a seat, then walked to the center of the room to properly offer his New Year's greetings before sitting down beside her.
After some conversation, Duke Wei took his son and son-in-law to the study.
The Duchess Wei turned to her daughter, asking with concern, "You must be nearly seven months along, aren't you?"
Mother Su nodded, smiling, "Yes, that's right. In another two months, the baby will be due."
The Duchess Wei then inquired, "Have you arranged for a midwife? And a wet nurse?"
Mother Su shook her head. "I haven't yet, there are still two months, after all."
The Duchess Wei advised, "You should start preparing. This child won't choose a convenient day; they'll arrive when they're ready. I'll find a good midwife here, and your sister-in-law can keep an eye out for a suitable wet nurse."
Madam Wang immediately said, "Very well. I'll see to hiring one tomorrow. A wet nurse must be chosen carefully; she must be clean and pure of heart."
Mother Su smiled, thanking her. "Then I'll trouble you, Sister-in-law."
Madam Wang chuckled, "Among family, there's no need for such thanks."
Mother Su looked at the two young women seated on either side of her mother, smiling. "These two girls," she remarked, "have grown so big in the blink of an eye. How are things progressing with Ya'er's engagement?"
Madam Wang glanced at her own daughter, who, for once silent, truly had the demeanor of a noble young lady.
"It's been settled with the Ji family. Once the fifteenth day of the New Year passes, they will come to formally set the engagement."
Su Li cast a glance at the blushing Wei Yuanyao, then, smiling, circled around her Grandmother to playfully pinch her cousin's arm.
Mother Su smiled, "That's wonderful news! The young master of the Ji family is an outstanding match. Sister-in-law, congratulations are in order!"
Noticing the two young women sitting quietly, unable to join the conversation, the Duchess Wei chuckled, "We mothers need to have some private talk. You two young ladies, go amuse yourselves for a while."
Wei Yuanyao and Su Li rose, bowed, and exited the room.
Wei Yuanyao led Su Li back to her own courtyard.
"Congratulations, Cousin!" Su Li said with a smile.
Noticing the playful glint in Su Li's eyes, Wei Yuanyao, unwilling to be outdone, retorted, "I haven't even gotten to you yet! I hear Prince Jing reports to Minister Su's Residence every single day. What's this? Is Uncle preparing to take on a live-in son-in-law?"
"He's seeing my father for official business. But seriously, Cousin, why did you suddenly agree?" Su Li asked curiously.
Wei Yuanyao flopped onto the bed, then suddenly sat upright, biting her lip, looking somewhat flustered.
Seeing her reaction, Su Li walked over and sat beside her, gently asking, "What's wrong?"
Wei Yuanyao leaned closer, whispering, "He... he's nothing but a scoundrel!"
Su Li grew even more curious. Had Third Master Ji done something to her cousin?
Wei Yuanyao bit her lip again, then whispered, "He climbed my window in the middle of the night... and my brother caught him."
Su Li froze instantly.
"Birds of a feather, indeed!"
She now suspected Third Master Ji had learned this trick from Jun Mo.
"And then?"
Wei Yuanyao continued, "My brother dragged him out of the estate and gave him a good beating."
Su Li let out a snort of laughter, and Wei Yuanyao shot her a glare.
Su Li quickly composed herself. "I'm sorry, I'm sorry," she apologized. "Please, continue."
Wei Yuanyao finally resumed. "I thought he'd finally learned his lesson, but to my surprise, he showed up again the very next morning, a face full of bruises, yet still grinning at me."
Su Li could perfectly imagine it: Third Master Ji, bruised all over, still fanning himself, believing he cut a dashing figure as he smiled at the beauty.
She silently admired Third Master Ji's sheer audacity; to dare to climb a window in the Duke Wei's Estate!
This was the Duke Wei's Estate, not some scholar-official's residence!
"He stopped coming at night, though. Instead, he started showing up every day during the day, always bringing a string of tanghulu."
...
Tanghulu? Was he treating her cousin like a child?
Su Li asked, "So, you were swayed by just a string of tanghulu?"
Wei Yuanyao declared loudly, "Of course not!"
"After that, he kept coming for a whole month, I nearly got cavities from all the tanghulu."
"Then, one day, he suddenly asked me if I remembered a promise from our childhood. How could I possibly remember? And besides, who takes things said as a child seriously as a promise?"
"He claimed that when I was little, I used to chase him for tanghulu, and I said that as long as he gave me tanghulu, I'd marry him when I grew up."
"He asked me why I still hadn't agreed to marry him, despite all the tanghulu he'd given me."
The moment he said it that day, the memory flooded back to her.
Su Li: !!!
So, she essentially sold herself for a string of tanghulu?
After a long moment, Su Li found her voice. "Cousin," she asked, "do you... like him?"
Wei Yuanyao looked somewhat puzzled. "What is 'liking'?"
Su Li explained, "Liking someone means you want to be with them. When they're not around, your heart feels empty, and you constantly think of them. When it rains, you worry if they're cold or if they remembered their umbrella. You remember every single word they've ever said. And wherever they are, you'll instinctively find yourself looking for them."
Wei Yuanyao buried her face in her hands. "Oh, no," she moaned. "It's highly likely I do like him, then."
Su Li chuckled. "Well, that settles it then. This counts as childhood sweethearts, and lovers finally becoming family. A truly beautiful outcome."
Gazing at her cousin's blush-tinged face, Su Li's thoughts drifted to her previous life.
She wondered if it was also Third Master Ji who had been engaged to her cousin in her past life. In that life, her cousin's betrothed had had to observe three years of mourning, which was why her cousin had...
So, that means Marquis Wuyang will soon...
Yet, on Marquis Wuyang's recent birthday, he had still been hale and hearty, walking with the swiftness of a gust of wind and speaking with a voice like a resonant bell. How could he possibly pass away?
Could he have some hidden ailment?
It seemed she would need to find an opportunity to investigate.
🚨 Note : Consider to Support this Story on Patreon.com/Flokixy to access +300 advance Chapters & 2 Chapters Daily and To Support The Daily Update