Table sister

  "Is it Lan'er who has come?" The old lady knew that Yang Lan had always been the first to pay her respects since she returned to the mansion.

  "Grandma, Lan'er is paying her respects to you! Oh! Who's this big sister? She looks so pretty!" Yang Lan tilted her head with an innocent and lovely expression.

  The old lady smiled warmly, obviously in a good mood today, pulling the girl beside her with a face full of affection. The girl looked about ten years old, with a small face and delicate features like a painting, a pair of autumn water drooping eyes shining with a weak beauty like a pear flower, pink lips glowing with a light luster, skin smooth and clean; she wore a crimson satin jacket embroidered with shallow yellow orchids, a pale pink standing collar cloak, and a pale pink eight-piece silk skirt, on her head was only a single green Begonia hairpin, and on her ears were a pair of golden calabaza small earrings.

  The old lady smiled and said, "This is your cousin, Li Qianxue. She's the only daughter of your aunt. How about I take her with us to school?" As she looked at Li Qianxue, who resembled her own daughter, she felt a mix of nostalgia, heartache, and comfort.

  Yang Lan finally understood that this was her aunt's child, Yang Guan's daughter. Yang Guan was the only girl in the Yang family back then and received all the love and care. What was rare was that she had a very gentle and soft personality, knowing that her older brothers didn't get their mother's attention, she made every effort to mediate and improve the relationship between her mother and sons.

  After marrying into the Li family, the first few years were not bad, but unfortunately, good times did not last long. The man of the Li family died from a cold, and Yang Guan's sky collapsed. Less than a year later, she followed her husband to the afterlife. Li Qianxue was their only legitimate daughter from the main room. Pitifully, at a young age, both her parents passed away. Now that she has finally completed her filial piety for her parents, Old Lady Yang pitied her and feared that the Li family would bully her. As soon as the mourning period ended, she immediately went to fetch Qianxue, making it clear that the Yang family valued this granddaughter and wanted to dote on her a bit.

  Yang Lan immediately nodded with a smile, her face full of joy, "Great! Just in time, I've got more playmates now! From now on, older cousin can stay here at ease!"

  Li Qianxue was as beautiful as a pear flower, with a delicate beauty that made her think of Lin Daiyu from the Dream of Red Mansions. Both had lost their parents and had a few more points of pity in their hearts. The Yang family was Li Qianxue's maternal grandparents' home, where she could learn for a few years and understand some rules. In the future, when she went out, she would say that she was taught by the female officials of the Long Palace, and no one would dare to say that she was uneducated.

  It wasn't until ancient times that people realized how difficult it was for women, like Li Qianxue who had lost both parents. In terms of upbringing, this was a huge disadvantage, and in the future, it would be very hard to get married, belonging to the "five not to marry". Not to mention high-ranking families, even ordinary households would pick on her upbringing because she didn't have parents to guide her! How could she hold up the family's gate in the future? How could she raise her children and grandchildren?

  The old lady was also the only flesh and blood left to the poor girl, couldn't bear to see the child ruined like this. Although there were still people in the Li family, after all, they were only a fourth-grade official, and their door was not hard enough. If she could stay here for a few years, she could be taught by the wet nurse beside Princess Chang for a few years, and it would be easier to go out.

  Yang Lan's attitude made the old lady feel much more at ease, originally thought Yang Lan would be unhappy! Now she feels much more comfortable in her heart.

  Li Qianxue also walked out and bowed to Yang Lan, "To pay respects to the quiet and peaceful princess, I've long heard my grandmother talk about the princess. I've always wanted to come see for myself, but being at home mourning made it inconvenient to meet people. Now that we can finally meet! This is a self-portrait I drew myself, please accept it as a gift, sister!"

  She said, letting a small maid beside her present a red lacquer wooden carved flower box. Opening it to take a look, inside was a pair of hairpins, each with a different style, all gold-inlaid jade. One piece was a lotus-shaped inlaid white jade, quite elegant and beautiful; the other piece was a cumulus cloud patterned gold-inlaid ruby, looking rich and luxurious.

  Yang Lan gave a hint to Biyue to take over, then said with a smile: "It should be me who presents the gift of meeting, but I was busy today and didn't have time to prepare it. I'll make up for it another day. Sister's thoughtful idea is something I like very much! Another day when cousin gets settled down, I'll invite cousin to come play at my place!"

  "What can make my sister spend money! The days are still long, and it's not just today!" Li Qianshuang smiled warmly, her smile gentle and kind, making her small face even more like white jade, shining with a soft light.

  "Alright! You girls should get along well with each other!" The old lady smiled and nodded.

  "Where does my aunt live? Is there a separate room for rent, the one that my aunt used to live in is elegant and refined, if we can rent it in advance, it would be perfect! My aunt's house is clean and suitable for a girl like me." Yang Lan was also happy to see her relatives and have more friends to play with.

  The old lady smiled even more satisfactorily, this is the real intention of keeping her granddaughter! So she said with a smile: "A few days ago, I had someone clean up your aunt's room. That house has never been lived in before, and the furnishings inside are all left over from before. I think they're still pretty good, no need to change new ones. She can move in and it's also a comfort!"

  Yang Lan also nodded, "That's right, but the bedding and quilts should be new. My cousin has been in mourning for several years, so I'm afraid her clothes are mostly plain white. Now that she's out of mourning, it's time to dress up properly! The mansion is making new clothes anyway, let's tell the needlework room to make some for my cousin too. What kind of pattern and color does my cousin like? Just have someone tell Permitted Mother, it's just like being at home here!"

  Looking at her sister's very kind appearance, besides a girl does not hinder her in any way, the basic courtesy is still to be done well, so Yang Lan's performance is still good.

  The old lady nodded and said, "Lan'er is right, I forgot that Qianxue had been in mourning before, and her clothes are not very fitting. This dress was given to you by your aunt after you finished mourning, wasn't it? It's also time to make two new dresses and a set of hair accessories for going out."

  Mrs. Xu smiled and nodded on the side, "Old lady, by the time you remember, it will be too late, don't worry, I have already told the needlework room in advance, tomorrow your clothes will be ready to wear, and the accessories are also chosen, just rest assured!"

  The old lady chuckled and nodded, "Look at me, I'm getting older, my brain is not working well anymore, always losing things!"

  Li Qianxue immediately smiled and said, "How can grandma get old?! Grandma is getting more energetic with age! We still have to learn from grandma!"

  "Good, good, good! All of you are good kids!"

  It's clear that Li Qianxue is more to the old lady's liking, a few words can make the old lady so doting, I wonder what Eldest Sister will think if she sees this? Yang Lan couldn't help but start guessing.

  "Grandma, I want to go to school with my sisters. It's so boring at home and now that I see so many clever and pretty sisters, I won't be worried about having no one to talk to!" Li Qianshu leaned against the old lady's side, acting cute and spoiled, this move was extremely familiar, it seemed like she had done it before.

  Yang Lan thought that Li Qianxue was not a child who would be bullied at home, and she seemed to have some cleverness in her eyes. This is good, otherwise she would be bullied by the overbearing third sister.

  Just thinking that the second and third daughters would come to pay their respects to the old lady, the third sister came in and immediately looked for Li Qianxue, seemingly having already received the news.