Ordinary gifts aren’t presentable, so the gift must be chosen thoughtfully.
"You go to the storeroom and pick something, as long as it’s passable," Men Chao said, not too concerned about the matter. Thinking of something, he instructed Yin Li, "Also send something to her twins, the boy and girl twins. Put some thought into the twins’ gifts, and try to pick something that kids their age would like."
He was quite fond of the Gu Family’s Xiaobao, a little sticky rice ball, soft and tender, very adorable.
Yin Li was taken aback by Men Chao’s words.
Listening to Men Chao, it seemed like he had a special interest in Su Xiaofeng’s twins.
"Yes." Since the master had instructed, she would naturally put some thought into the gifts for Su Xiaofeng’s twins.
Because the wedding date was approaching, and the Quan Family was Xiaofeng’s parental home, according to the customs of the Imperial Capital, Xiaofeng had to stay at her parental home for the next few days and could not meet with the bridegroom.
With mom staying at the Quan Family, the twins naturally had to stay there too, making the Quan Family very lively for a time.
"Miss," the Quan Family’s butler approached Xiaofeng, "Captain Yin of the Xu Family says there are gifts for the two young masters and the young miss."
Xiaofeng raised an eyebrow, "For Da Bao and Xiao Bao?"
"They are your wedding gifts. Fearing too many guests tomorrow, they were sent to the Gu Family first. Hearing that the young master and young miss were with you, they specifically had them brought over, saying these are a token of our Family Head’s goodwill."
Yin Li entered with a dignified posture.
She was dressed in clothes as stylish as a man’s, with her short, neat hair tucked behind her ears, radiating a dashing and commanding air.
"Young Madam Gu, I have been ordered by our Family Head to deliver these small gifts to the Gu family’s young master and young miss," she said. She could have sent them directly to the Gu Family, but considering the master’s personal instruction, she thought it best to deliver them directly into the hands of the twins.
"The Men Family Head is thoughtful." Xiaofeng, of course, understood why Men Chao wanted to send gifts to the twins; she could see that Men Chao seemed to feel something different for Xiaobao.
"Our young master has sent a pair of Nine-Linked Rings for the young master and for the young miss, a small box of delicate children’s hairpins and head ornaments."
Su Peng and He Ximei, holding the twins, were walking in.
Seeing Yin Li standing in the living room, Su Peng suddenly stopped in his tracks.
Yin Li perhaps sensed the gaze behind her, her body suddenly stiffening.
He Ximei looked at the girl in front of her, furrowing her brows, "Lili?"
This Lili had often eaten at her house; He Ximei was, of course, extremely familiar with her.
Yin Li dared not look at Su Peng, responding to He Ximei, "Auntie, what a coincidence, I did not expect to meet you here again."
"You liar, you...?" He Ximei was about to say something else but was pulled to the side by Guaizi, "Forget it, let the kids sort it out themselves."
It had to be said that this girl, who had once visited their house, indeed seemed extraordinary.
"Young Madam, I have delivered the gifts, so I shall take my leave now. I wish you and Young Master Gu a harmonious and lasting union."
Yin Li left directly, and Su Peng followed her.
Seeing her son , He Ximei’s heart ached, but she felt helpless. Guaizi was right, the matters of the young should be resolved by the young themselves.
Outside the Quan Family’s gate, Su Peng called out to Yin Li, "Lili, stop right there."
Yin Li turned around, her gaze carrying a hint of mockery as she looked at the other party, "I was wondering who it was—it’s you, is there something you need?"
"When you first approached me and came to our home, was it all to inquire about my sister’s affairs?" He had been wanting to ask her this for a long time.
"Yes, why else would I bother traveling such a distance from the Imperial Capital for no reason?" Yin Li’s lips curved up faintly.
"I’ve seen you twice in Xijiang County, and I want to ask you: Was it you who started that fire at our home?" He hadn’t remembered before, but now that he thought about it, the day after he first met her, their house caught on fire, nearly claiming their entire family’s lives.
"Don’t let your imagination run too wild." Yin Li, of course, wouldn’t admit it unless there was evidence: "Don’t tell me you’ve actually taken a liking to me."
"Wrong, you’ve got it wrong. I’ve never been interested in you. The reason I chased after you is just to get a clear answer about this matter." If Yin Li were indeed an orphan, perhaps there could have been a possibility between them.
But she is from the Xu Family, and they were never on the same path.
"That’s good. I thought that our time together might have made you fall for me. Even if you did, it wouldn’t be surprising. I have never doubted my own charm. Is there anything else?"
"Even if there was a little before, there is none now." Su Peng said with a bitter smile, "I hope you will be happy in the future."
"Thank you." Yin Li turned and got into the car, without giving Su Peng another glance throughout.
Watching the car disappear at the entrance of the Quan Family, Su Peng’s thoughts were somewhat scattered.
This must be her true nature: cold as frost, with a sharp and aggressive tone, a character not to be provoked.
After getting into the car, Yin Li shielded her eyes with her hand.
There was an indescribable taste in her heart, perhaps it was heartache, or perhaps it was pain; at this moment, her chest felt stiflingly blocked.
Calling someone a fool doesn’t make them one; he was quick to think of that fire incident from before.
"Pengzi, could it be that you’re still thinking about that girl?" He Ximei was still worried and asked.
"Mom, what are you talking about? I just had something unclear that I wanted to ask her. I no longer have any feelings for her now," he said.
Su Peng shared his suspicion with Xiaofeng, and Xiaofeng’s brows furrowed, "Brother, are you saying that you saw Yin Li the day before our house caught fire?"
"Yes, I saw her." Su Peng nodded, "Back then, I didn’t know she came to target you. Now that I think about it, her appearing at our place at that time, and the next day our household had an accident, is very suspicious."
"Right, she wasn’t alone the first time she came." Su Peng didn’t see her companion at the time, but he was certain she wasn’t alone.
"I can probably guess who she was with." Other than the Miss Xu who is now bedridden, there was no one else.
"So that means, back then, they really did want you dead." If there had been an accident at that time, it would have been three lives lost with one body. The thought alone was horrifying.
"Back then, she was Miss Xu’s person, and it was certainly Xu Xuezi’s intent not to let you give birth safely. If you hadn’t brought up this matter, I would have never connected the cause of the fire to the Xu Family." Although he had suspected that people from the Imperial Capital were involved, without evidence, it wasn’t possible to confirm who had acted.
"Xiaofeng, the hearts of people in the Imperial Capital are terrifying. Living here in the future, you still need to be very careful." Small places have their advantages; at worst they might just argue with you, and otherwise simply not get along with you.
It’s not like in the Imperial Capital, where if someone dislikes you, they might harm you to the point of death. It’s too frightening.
"Big brother, rest assured, I’m now the Young Madam of the Gu Family at any rate. Even if someone dislikes me, they’ll have to weigh whether they can afford to offend the Gu Family." Before her relationship with Yecheng was made public, Xu Xuezi must have thought to eliminate her and her child.
Xu Xuezi plotted tirelessly, only to end up paralyzed in bed. It seems that the heavens still watch over her deeds.
There’s a saying that goes, it’s not that there’s no retribution, just that the time has not yet come.
Xu Xuezi probably never imagined that she would fall at the hands of her own personal maid and thereby hand over the Xu Family to Men Chao.