"I could call you annoying, but you're actually quite straightforward, always speaking your mind with me. I could also call you interesting, but what you say tends to be rather unreasonable," Wei Ruo remarked.
"Where was I unreasonable?" Wei Yilin disagreed.
"Think about it yourself."
Wei Ruo genuinely no longer wanted to argue with Wei Yilin at this point, and turned to walk towards her room after finishing her sentence.
Wei Yilin rushed to block Wei Ruo, "Explain what you meant!"
"Don't you dislike seeing me? But now, you're stopping me from leaving, could it be… You actually like your sister quite a bit? You just won't admit it? Silly boy, your words do not match your actions!" Wei Ruo's eyes crinkled as she chuckled charmingly.
"What are you saying! Don't make things up!" Wei Yilin grew frantic.
What did she mean by 'silly boy'? He felt goosebumps just hearing it!
"No? Then why are you stopping me from leaving? Do you want to have a good chat and improve our relationship?"
"No, no, no!" Wei Yilin quickly shook his head to deny it.
"If there's nothing, then obediently go find your beloved sister to play with. Otherwise, I might really think you are deliberately trying to act affectionate towards me!"
Wei Yilin froze.
Wei Ruo cheerfully turned and entered her room, leaving Wei Yilin to fume over her retreating figure.
After quite a while, Wei Yilin ran to Wangmei Garden to complain about Wei Ruo to Wei Qingwan.
"Sister, isn't Wei Ruo just like a country bumpkin? Which lady of a wealthy family would plant vegetables in their own yard, then climb up a ladder onto the wall?"
"Yilin, darling, she might be a bit lacking, but as family, we shouldn't speak ill of her," Wei Qingwan consoled.
"But she's so irritating!" Wei Yilin was reminded of Wei Ruo's audacious claims that he liked her and wanted to improve their relationship - those words that made his skin crawl. The more he thought about it, the angrier and more frustrated he became.
"Yilin, don't be angry, you know her type of person, there's no need to get mad at her. If it makes you ill, your sister would be heartbroken."
Wei Qingwan gently stroked Wei Yilin's head, her soft voice soothing his heart.
Wei Yilin instantly felt less angry: "Sister, you're so kind! Born around the same time, yet the two of you are worlds apart, the difference is too great!"
"You!" Wei Qingwan lightly tapped Wei Yilin's forehead, "From now on, don't be so rash and speak unsightly words. Your brother was right, such words cannot be said in front of outsiders. Once people hear, they will find fault with you. Your sister wouldn't want you to get punished for wrongdoing."
"Understood, sister, I'll be more restrained next time."
"Not just restrained, but don't go causing trouble for her either. Her wrongdoings will be corrected by our parents and older brother. You're her brother, you shouldn't speak to her like that, understand?" Wei Qingwan softly instructed.
"Wasn't it brother who sent me to deliver the osmanthus cake to her. She didn't show any appreciation, so I couldn't help it! I swear when I went, I really intended to have a good chat with her!"
"Mmm, I know Yilin is a good boy."
"I'm so glad mom and dad didn't let her be our family's eldest daughter. She's not nearly qualified enough to be our family's eldest daughter!" Wei Yilin rejoiced secretly.
"Actually, this position as eldest daughter should have been hers. The amount of love mom and dad gives us, I truly feel ashamed."
"Not at all, I think mom and dad's decision is the most clear, sister, you should be the eldest daughter! Our entire family acknowledges you!"
Wei Qingwan stroked Wei Yilin's head: "Thank you, Yilin, for having such faith in me."
"Of course, ever since I can remember, the person who has spent the most time with me, and taught me the most, is you, sister. If I don't trust you, who would I trust?"
Not long after Wei Yilin was born, Wei Mingting was assigned to Xingshan County. With his public duties keeping him busy, and his wife also occupied with managing various household affairs, while Wei Yichen was busy with his studies, Wei Qingwan turned out to be the one who spent the most time with Wei Yilin, so their bond was the deepest.
###
Wei Ruo's small courtyard renovation plan was going smoothly. Early this morning, she cut the sweet potato vine and planted it, along with the pumpkin, gourd, and loofah seedlings.
The sweet potato seeds came from her space. Planting them would earn her experience points. The pumpkin, gourd, and loofah were merely planted because it was their growing season and Wei Ruo liked the look of them growing all over the trellis with their fruits hanging down.
After a busy period, Wei Ruo had just sat down to have a sip of water.
Right at this moment, Cuiping, the maid of Wei's mother, came over. She said that her mistress wished to speak with Wei Ruo about something in her room.
Observing Cuiping's expression, Wei Ruo sensed that something was up.
Once she arrived in her mother's room, she saw that Wei Qingwan was already there.
Seeing her mother's grave expression, Wei Ruo was certain something had happened.
Upon Wei Ruo's arrival, her mother gestured for her to come closer.
Wei Ruo approached, but still kept a slight distance.
"Ruoruo, we received a letter from the capital. Your grandfather has added your name to the family lineage. From now on, your formal name is Wei Qingruo."
Her mother's furrowed brows and solemn expression suggested there was more than just this matter to discuss.
"Mother, are you alright? Is there something bothering you?" Wei Qingwan softly inquired.
Her mother glanced at Wei Ruo then at Wei Qingwan, before finally starting to speak after a long pause. "Wanwan, there's another thing I need to tell you, please don't take it too hard."
"Mother, you can tell me, I'm okay."
"Your grandfather wishes for Ruoruo to be the elder daughter, so your name will be written after hers."
Upon hearing this, Wei Ruo was a bit surprised. She thought her great-uncle might disagree with the arrangement, but did not expect him to make a decision so directly and without consulting her father and mother.
Wei Qingwan froze, her face visibly paled, and tears began to well up in her eyes.
"Wanwan..." Seeing her daughter like this, her mother's mood grew even heavier.
"Mother..." Wei Qingwan buried her face into her mother's embrace, tears rolling down her face like beads on a broken necklace.
Her mother's heart ached, she didn't know how to console her heartbroken daughter.
Wei Ruo took the initiative to speak up: "Actually, there's not much difference between being the eldest or the second daughter. Mom and dad love us just the same."
Her mother was taken aback for a moment before realizing that these were her own words to Wei Ruo a few days prior.
Wei Ruo continued: "Moreover, this is exactly what Qingwan herself asked for not too long ago. Now that it has come true, she should be happy."
These were Wei Qingwan's own words.
Wei Qingwan lifted her head from her mother's embrace, staring at Wei Ruo like a hurt little bunny.
"Is that not the case?" Wei Ruo asked in return.