叭哒漫画

Wei Yichen reached out and patted his brother, Wei Yilin’s head, “Don’t overthink, the root cause of this matter is not you.”

Wei Yilin thoughtfully responded, “Big brother, I believe Mother is right. Her actions do not conform with those of a well-educated lady, potentially tainting not only her own reputation but also bringing trouble to our second sister. Yet, what our eldest sister said, it feels….not wrong either…”

He was startled by what Wei Qingruo had just said.

Wei Yichen explained, “Your eldest sister lived separately from us for the past thirteen years, experiencing her own hardships. We should be more patient and forgiving. Admittedly, her past behaviors are indeed inappropriate viewed from our present perspective. However, we can’t expect her to change drastically and immediately, it’s a slow process. Thus, perhaps no one is in the wrong, but rather it signifies that thirteen years is just too long a break.” Wei Yilin nodded in hesitant understanding.

Listening to their conversation from behind, Wei Qingwan silently bowed her head.

If it weren’t for the presence of their big brother, a fierce quarrel was inevitable between Wei Qingruo and their mother this evening. This time, their mother might not easily let Qingruo off the hook…

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When Wei Ruo left the dining room, outside was completely covered in white snow.

The snowfall started just after Wei Ruo arrived. In less than two hours, the roads, tree branches, rooftops were all blanketed in thick silver layers.’ Upon returning to Tingsong Garden, Wei Ruo along with Xiumei started setting up tables and chairs in the courtyard, and then fetched the prepared food and wine.

Such heavy snow is common in the North, but rare in Taizhou prefecture. Having spent both her past and current life in the south, Wei Ruo had seldom seen heavy snowfalls. Thus, she made special arrangements to appreciate the snow in the courtyard.

Due to the cold weather, a small furnace was stationed nearby, serving both for warmth and for heating wine.

The combined light from the furnace, the lanterns hung on the trees, and the moonlight reflecting off the snow, brightly illuminated the courtyard.

By the time the two had finished arranging everything, the snowfall had lessened.

“This is perfect timing for the snow to stop,” Wei Ruo said.

“I think it could snow a little longer. The thicker the snow, the more beautiful it becomes,” Xiumei replied.

Xiumei hadn’t seen much snow, and hence, she was unaware of the risks of heavy snowfall.

“Benevolent snows are a good omen for a bumper year. The current depth of the snow is just right. Any more, and it may lead to a disaster,” Wei Ruo explained to Xiumei.

“Why is that? Whether it snows or not, it’s still cold, right? And this light, fluffy snow obviously can’t cause any harm,” Xiumei asked, not quite understanding.

“It may look light, but if it accumulates too much, the weight can collapse houses and trees. The buildings of Taizhou haven’t been designed to bear such excessive weight as snowstorms are uncommon, so if the snow piles up too much, the buildings may not hold up, especially for poorer households with older, unmaintained buildings.”

“Oh I see, hope snowfall stays as it is then, it already looks lovely as such,” Xiumei responded.

“Yes, now let’s drink! Here’s hoping this is a lucky snowfall,” said Wei Ruo. Although Wei Ruo knew, according to the natural course of things, the upcoming years won’t be stable, leaving the common people with a difficult life, she couldn’t help but privately hope that this snowfall will not foretell any major calamities.

The reason Wei Ruo had doubts about the probable outcome of the snowfall was because, in the original narrative, the Wei family and the previous main character were dealing with an even greater crisis at this time.

Upon the death of Wei Mingting, his wife Yun carried his coffin back to the capital with a team of people. They spent that New Year in the capital, but it was downright heartbreaking.

That year, it didn’t snow in Taizhou prefecture. Thus, the original main character didn’t know, so neither did Wei Ruo.

“Miss, although this warm yellow wine helps to ward off the cold, you should not drink too much!” Xiumei warned Wei Ruo.

“My dear Meimei, this is the eve of the lunar new year, why can’t you let me drink a bit more?” Wei Ruo pleaded.

“Nope. This year, ma’am Xu isn’t here. I need to look after you even more! Xiumei responded, resolute in her decision.

“Even when the nurse was here, she didn’t supervise me like this,” Wei Ruo protested, pouting and batting her pitiful eyes, attempting to make her Meimei go soft with tenderness.

“Well, now it’s under my supervision, not Nurse’s. Moreover, as you always say, Miss, ‘a little wine cheers one up, but too much impairs health.”‘ Xiumei said with a stern face.

“OK, OK. I’ll obey; I’ll only drink this small pot and not a drop more,” Wei Ruo reluctantly compromised.

Wei Ruo and Xiumei clinked their glasses. Just as they started to drink, Wei Ruo started feeling a little lonely.

In the past years, they had the nurse, Uncle Xu, and Brother Xiaoyong. This year, it was only the two of them.

Wei Ruo looked at the snow in the courtyard; it was beautiful, no doubt, but it also felt somewhat desolate.

Just then, something fell from above, landing on the untouched snow in front of Wei Ruo.

Looking over, she saw it was a beautifully decorated brocade box.

Xiumei went to pick up the box, noting that it looked quite new, and it definitely was not something Wei Ruo owned.

“Strange. You hear about pies falling from the sky, but a brocade box?” Xiumei enquired while scrutinizing the box suspiciously.

Wei Ruo was also puzzled and looked up.

At that moment, a head popped up over the wall, grinning broadly at Wei Ruo and Xiumei.

“Xiaobei?” Xiumei approached him, hands on her hips.

Xiaobei, smiling broadly, replied, “Lady Xiumei, the Brocade box was thrown by my young master. It’s a gift for Lady Ruo. As the door between the courtyards is closed, the young master could only throw the gift over from here.”

Wei Jinyi had always observed guidelines strictly and never stepped over the line, even when in Xingshan County he never set foot within Wei Ruo’s Tingsong garden.

Xiumei asked, “Is your Second Young Master also back?”

Xiaobei nodded, “Yes, he is.”

Wei Ruo asked, “When did you guys get back?”

Xiaobei responded, “We just got back not long ago, we just entered the courtyard. We even came to bring the gift before even lighting the fire in the room.”

Wei Ruo asked, “Where is your Young Master now?”

Xiaobei said, “Master has returned to his courtyard.”

Wei Ruo said, “Tell your Young Master, I want him to come over here.”

Since Wei Ruo can’t visit him, she could only ask Wei Jinyi to come over.

Wei Ruo and Wei Jinyi’s courtyards were previously separated by only a wall. But now, besides their individual courtyard walls, there’s also a high wall separating the Eastern and Western courtyards. This wall had only one door for passage and was attended by guards.

During nighttime, the door was locked. Therefore, Wei Ruo couldn’t visit Bamboo Garden either.

“Okay.” Xiaobei, after agreeing to it, disappeared from the wall.

After a while, Xiaobei came back, “Miss, my Young Master says it’s too late. He believes it will not look right for people to see him in your courtyard.”

Wei Ruo said, “Go back and tell him, if he doesn’t come over, I will get a ladder to climb over the wall into his courtyard.”

Xiaobei hesitated for a moment, “Alright, I will relay this to my Master.”

Having said that, he disappeared again.

After another while, Wei Jinyi, dressed in white, leaped over the wall and lightly landed in Wei Ruo’s courtyard..