Rest day.
The missed birthday celebration of Ye Zhi was to be made up for on the rest day, and a few familiar friends were specially invited to the Ye Mansion.
This time, Li Qian was among them and did not miss out.
He was still regretting that the last time he went to help the teacher, causing Ah Zhi to not find him, and missing the invitation.
He never thought that he was simply left out.
During the day, a few people played hide and seek, idiom games, and ate snacks at the Ye Mansion, having a great time.
Madam Ye displayed the enthusiasm and hospitality of a hostess, providing delicious food and fun to her youngest daughter’s classmates.
At dusk, she became busy, calling her eldest daughter back from Prince Jin Mansion, along with her son, and the son’s schoolmate whom he brought back, called Sun Xuan, saying it would be lively with more people.
The kitchen was bustling with activity.
The servants were coming and going, preparing snacks and tea.
The star of the day was taken back by her mother to bathe and freshen up, changed into a bright pink garment, and her raven-black hair was styled up into a cloud, with lip balm applied. In the bronze mirror, her delicate cheeks were like freshly bloomed lotus.
She persuaded her mother, "Mom, my birthday has passed, no need to dress up specially."
Madam Ye pinched the tender cheeks of her youngest daughter, "You child, now that you’re a year older, I just want your little friends and family to celebrate a bit."
They say preference for sons over daughters, yet Ye Zhi was lucky, as her family cherished her.
Her father and mother never behaved as if their daughter was insignificant.
Ah Tao praised beside her, "Miss is so pretty, she was just a little one before, I could carry her, but now I can’t."
Ye Zhi realized, yes, Ah Tao also is a year older, next year reaching marrying age: "Speaking of growing up, Ah Tao has also grown up. Mother, please look after Ah Tao so that after coming of age, she can marry well."
The book writes that Ah Tao hasn’t had a romance yet, in this life she should marry well and focus on family.
The round-faced girl blushed at these words, "Oh, I don’t want that." Her words carried eight parts of reluctance.
Ye Zhi teased her in a crisp voice, "That’s not up to you."
At this moment.
There was a "knock knock" sound at the door, someone was knocking.
"Mom, are you ready?" Ye Fu was outside unable to wait any longer, directly entering Qingyi Garden, for she hadn’t seen her little sister for quite some time.
In her hand was a small square brocade box made of paulownia wood.
It was unknown what was inside, sparking curiosity.
It was Ah Tao who opened the door, "Princess, please come in."
The room was a ladies’ boudoir, with pink drapes, soft quilts, inserted plum blossoms, and gold and silver jewelry on the dressing table...
Ye Fu had been close to Ah Zhi since childhood, and with no outsiders here, she joked, "Ah Zhi, have you been slacking off again? Why take so long to dress up? You should know elder sister has been waiting outside for a long time."
The complaint in her tone was typical of a close sister.
The little girl sitting in front of the bronze mirror had grown a year older, her eyebrows shed a bit of youthful innocence, her appearance was even more impressive than the last time.
She walked straight behind her younger sister and ruffled her head.
"You little girl, how come you’ve grown more beautiful than your sister?"
With a turn of her eyes, she said to Madam Ye, "Mom, Second Uncle’s family has already arrived, I’ll handle things here, you should attend to guests in the main hall."
The mentioned Second Uncle was the Third Grade Hanlin Imperial Tutor, Ye Yuan’s second brother, Ye Feng.
He had one legitimate wife, two concubines, and two sons and two daughters.
He was much more cunning than his brother, adept in navigating the officialdom, opportunistic, and known as a fair-weather friend, he was more popular than Lord Minister, though his rank was not as high as his brother’s, his connections were extensive, and his days were rich and fulfilling.