Xu Fang, after the library session, attended his Elements class with his mother. Meanwhile, Shen Yin summoned her daughters into her room.
"Mother, have you called us?" Xu Ling asked Shen Yin with a smile.
"Yes, I called both of you. How is your practice going?" Shen Yin inquired with a serious expression.
"Everything is going well, Mother," Xu Ling replied with a smile, and Xu Jing nodded in agreement.
"Good. I called both of you because I want to talk to you about something important," Shen Yin explained with a serious demeanor.
"What is it, Mother?" Xu Jing asked, curious about the topic.
"Come over and sit on the bed first." Shen Yin gestured for them to join her.
They walked over and sat on the bed beside their mother.
"Now, promise me first that you'll tell me the truth and won't say anything to anyone else," Shen Yin requested, emphasizing the need for secrecy.
"Mother, we promise," they both assured her, though they were surprised by the seriousness of Shen Yin's request.
'Sigh… How do I ask them directly?' Shen Yin pondered in her mind.
"What do both of you think about Xu Fang?" Shen Yin asked with a hushed tone.
"Xu Fang?" Both of them expressed surprise at the unexpected question.
"Yes, what is your opinion of him?" Shen Yin reiterated.
"Xu Fang is a genius in everything," Xu Ling praised him.
"Yes, Mother. Xu Fang, even though he's younger than all of us, his knowledge and his cultivation approach are far superior," Xu Jing acknowledged that Xu Fang excelled in various aspects compared to them.
"That's all I already know. I'm asking both of you to tell me what you feel about him," Shen Yin clarified, seeking their emotional sentiments toward Xu Fang.
"Mother, what do we feel? Xu Fang is our brother," Xu Ling replied, her expression reflecting a hint of surprise at the unusual question.
"Then, imagine that Xu Fang is not your brother and tell me again how you two feel when he is with you," Shen Yin urged them to consider Xu Fang beyond the brotherly relationship.
"Mother, why are you asking that?" Xu Jing questioned her mother's intention with curiosity.
"I want to understand your feelings about Xu Fang now because I don't want to see either of you regretting a decision in the future. I've noticed both of you watching Xu Fang with complex gazes during our gatherings in the dining hall," Shen Yin explained, prompting her daughters to be honest about their emotions.
"Mother, when Xu Fang started helping us with our studies, we were happy to spend time with him. And during our cultivation, he said he'd help us whenever we needed it," Xu Ling shared with complex expressions.
"Yes, Mother, when we cultivate with Xu Fang, we feel safe and happy. These seven months of practice have been the best times we've had since birth," Xu Jing added her sentiments.
"So, you haven't told him?" Shen Yin brought the conversation to a direct point.
"Two months ago, he stopped helping us or spending time with us, and we all started to think that he broke the promise he made to us," Xu Jing revealed the reason behind their feelings.
"Indeed, Mother, if everything had continued as it did during those seven months, we would have already told him. But everything took a turn for the worse," Xu Ling expressed with a hint of sadness.
"Oh, my lovely daughters, Xu Fang didn't stop helping you by his own decision," Shen Yin reassured them with a comforting tone.
"Mother, we already know that Xu Fang is not at fault," Xu Ling affirmed.
"Who told you?" Shen Yin inquired with surprise.
"We devised a plan to ask him, and we asked elder sister Min to talk to him," Xu Jing explained.
"Mother, you know our plan succeeded, and we discovered the truth—that he wants to help us and spend time with us. But in his schedule, after three classes to learn elements, Xu Fang doesn't have time for us," Xu Ling elaborated on their findings.
"You both know that Xu Fang didn't want to learn from any teacher like you. We also didn't want to leave him by himself because he was the next Emperor of the Ledal Empire. We have high hopes for him and trust that he becomes better than everyone, even surpassing his father and ancestors, given better resources and training. That's why we all decided to provide him with elements training ourselves," Shen Yin revealed the reason behind their decision to give Xu Fang elements training.
"Mother, speaking the truth, with Xu Fang's personality, he will become better and stronger. However, we are still upset with you and Mother Yu for telling us the lie that Xu Fang didn't have time for us," Xu Ling expressed her frustration to her mother.
"Sister is right, Mother. If you had told us earlier, we wouldn't have misunderstood Xu Fang," Xu Jing added with a saddened expression.
"Mother, for this reason, we need to meet him and apologize to him for thinking wrongly about him," Xu Ling suggested, and Xu Jing nodded in agreement.
"Mother, I have a good idea. If you help us arrange a meeting with him, we can clear up the misunderstanding," Xu Jing said, expressing her approval.
"What if I help you guys arrange a meeting with him after lunch?" Shen Yin proposed, offering her assistance with a smile.
"That would be great if Mother helped us arrange a meeting with him," Xu Jing responded happily.
"But before that, you two have to tell me clearly about your feelings toward Xu Fang now," Shen Yin requested with a smile.
"Mother, we've already shared our feelings about Xu Fang," Xu Ling replied.
"No, no, not like that. Now, tell me one by one. First, you, Ling Er. If I told you to become Xu Fang's wife in the future, would you be happy with that?" Shen Yin asked Xu Ling to answer her question first.
"Mother, what are you saying?" Xu Ling asked, her expression filled with shock, and Xu Jing mirrored the same astonishment after hearing Shen Yin's words.
"Ling Er, tell me truthfully. Don't think of Xu Fang as your brother; consider him as your friend, there are a lot of cases where brother and sister married." Shen Yin instructed Xu Ling with a serious tone.
"Mother, even if I were willing to become Xu Fang's wife, would he accept me? What about Mother Yu, Xu Min, and others? Would they approve?" Xu Ling was perplexed by her mother's words and raised these questions to seek clarification.
"Ling Er, firstly, if you confess your feelings sincerely to Xu Fang, he won't reject you. Secondly, don't concern yourself with others; focus on your happiness. If I were in your place, I wouldn't think twice and would make him my husband, even if I'm his stepmother," Shen Yin reassured Xu Ling, causing both sisters to gape in shock.
"Mother, are you serious about this?" Xu Ling asked, her eyes wide with disbelief.
"Well, why not? I'm not married, and if Xu Fang ever confesses his feelings to me, I'd gladly be his wife. Life's too short to keep our emotions hidden. So, my dears, don't be shy if you have feelings for him. Confess before it's too late," Shen Yin advised, a cheerful smile on her face.
"Mother..." Xu Ling began, but her sister, Xu Jing, jumped in.
"Mother, I'm ready to be Xu Fang's... um, wife," Xu Jing stammered, a hint of blush on her cheeks.
"Jing Er, my sweet daughter, I'm delighted you're following your heart," Shen Yin exclaimed, hugging Xu Jing happily.
"Sister, why are you speaking? Mom asked me, not you," Xu Ling protested, a touch of annoyance in her voice.
"Well, Sister, Mom did ask you several times, and you never really gave a clear answer. I just thought I'd help out," Xu Jing replied, offering a placating smile.
"This time, I was about to say I'm ready to be Xu Fang's wife, but you jumped in," Xu Ling said, a mix of anger and sadness in her tone.
"Sister, I'm sorry if I interpreted you, but I didn't want you to miss this opportunity because you were hesitating. Mother is right; we should follow our hearts and be true to ourselves," Xu Jing apologized with a sincere expression.
"Ling Er, are you ready to become Xu Fang's wife too?" Shen Yin asked Xu Ling when she heard that she was also prepared to take that step.
Shen Yin hugged Xu Ling with a happy expression. Xu Ling blushed, realizing the impact of her words uttered in anger.
"Sister, I spoke first, so I'm officially Xu Fang's wife," Xu Jing declared with a serious tone.
"No, I want to be Xu Fang's wife," Xu Ling replied with equal seriousness.
"I want to."
"No, I want to."
"Both of you, stop fighting. Ling Er, you tell me first. Do you want to become Xu Fang's wife?" Shen Yin asked Xu Ling with a smile.
"I do," Xu Ling admitted with a slight blush.
"Jing Er, now it's your turn. Do you want to become Xu Fang's wife?" Shen Yin asked Xu Jing with a smile.
"I do," Xu Jing confessed, also blushing.
"Great, then what's the problem? Both of you confess to him and become his wives," Shen Yin suggested with a smile to her daughters.
"Mother, did Xu Fang accept both of us?" Xu Ling asked, and Xu Jing nodded her head.
"Why hasn't he? You know your father also has four wives, including me," Shen Yin pointed, but with a smile, to her daughters.
"Mother, if that's the case, we are ready to become his wives. Right, Sister?" Xu Jing asked Xu Ling with a serious expression.
"Right," Xu Ling replied to Xu Jing with a serious tone.
"Good, now both of you confess to him and then do as he says. Just don't tell anyone about this talk or your relationship with Xu Fang," Shen Yin instructed her daughters with a serious tone.
"We understand, Mother," both of them said simultaneously.
"Excellent. Now, both of you go back to your cultivation and come back to my room tomorrow after lunch," Shen Yin said to her daughters with a smile. Xu Ling and Xu Jing nodded their heads and left.