The green leaves of the tall weeping willows fluttered and fell onto Bai Qingyu’s shoulder. She reached out to brush them away for Bai Qingyu, looking at her younger brother with a smile: “You’ve just returned, so during this time, don’t worry about other matters. Spend some quality time with your mother! Court affairs are complicated… now that you’ve all returned, you can also help elder sister share the burden.”

Bai Qingyu looked at his elder sister whose eyes sparkled with smiles, his gaze filled with heartache: “Elder sister has held on for so long, you must be very tired!”

“Now that you’ve returned, I’m no longer tired.” Bai Qingyan’s gaze fell on Bai Qingyu’s face, half covered with burn scars. “That you could all return safely makes my elder sister very happy! Happier than anything else!”

“Elder sister! Fifth brother!” Bai Jinzhi was leaning against the railing on the second floor of Shaohua Courtyard, waving at Bai Qingyan and Bai Qingyu with a bright smile. “Come quickly! Mother and fourth aunt, and fifth aunt personally cooked so many delicious things!”

With Bai Jinzhi’s call, Bai Jinzhao and Bai Jinhua also crowded at the railing with Bai Jinzhi, shouting for Bai Qingyan and Bai Qingyu to hurry up.

The multi-tiered eaves with upturned corners, the pavilion with red lacquer and azure tiles, stood amidst the layers of green foliage. The dazzling noon sunlight filtered through the gaps between the intertwining branches and leaves of the tall trees, casting dappled golden light on the railing, the azure tiles, and the cheerful little faces of Bai Jinzhi, Bai Jinzhao, and Bai Jinhua. This scene was both warm and heartwarming.

Listening to the gentle tinkling of the bronze bells hanging from the gilt bronze hooks under the corridor, the chirping of summer insects, and the laughter and conversation of her aunts and younger siblings from within the window lattice, Bai Qingyan suddenly felt as if she had returned to the times when grandfather and father were still alive.

Bai Qingyu looked up at the pure and innocent smiling faces of his three younger sisters, his expression also taking on a smile as he said to Bai Qingyan: “Elder sister, let’s go up…”

Bai Qingyan nodded, and just as she and Bai Qingyu were about to step into the main hall, she reminded her younger brother: “Regarding your matter of using deception and being captured in Xiliang, before you returned, mother had already told me many times that she wanted to discipline you! Today, mother hasn’t yet come to her senses, but when mother does come to her senses… you’d better be careful!”

Hearing Bai Qingyan say this, Bai Qingyu’s spine suddenly tensed. He hadn’t forgotten… that when he had gone along with the scheme at that time, he had ended up causing elder sister to give birth prematurely. Even now, Bai Qingyu still felt guilty about it. However, later when elder sister sent word that both children were fine, Bai Qingyu felt much more at ease, but he still worried about how to get past mother’s reproach.

Just as his elder sister had said, he had just returned, and mother was too busy feeling sorry for him to do anything else. But once mother regained her composure, he would probably have to endure a beating with the handboard. Mother never showed mercy when disciplining them siblings.

“Elder sister…” Bai Qingyu reached out to grab his elder sister’s sleeve, wanting to ask her to save him.

“Hmm?” Bai Qingyan turned her head with a smile, looking at Bai Qingyu’s expression of wanting her help. She pulled back her sleeve and said, “Don’t worry, I’ll have Mother stay at the Bai mansion for more days, and let Mother properly cure you of this habit of taking risks on your own.”

Seeing his elder sister heading upstairs, Bai Qingyu hurriedly caught up: “Elder sister, that was me adapting to circumstances! If it were my elder sister… my elder sister would certainly have done the same. Elder sister, you must speak up for me with Mother! When my elder sister took risks on the battlefield and angered my mother, it was always me who spoke up for my elder sister. Elder sister… reciprocating kindness, you can’t treat your own younger brother like this!”

Standing on the wooden staircase, Bai Qingyan turned back to look at her younger brother’s anxious expression. Remembering what her youngest brother looked like as a child, she couldn’t help but reach out and pat Bai Qingyu’s head…

“Ah Yu, both you and I taking risks… have broken mother’s heart. Apologize properly to your mother. With father gone… the two of us must protect mother and not let her be heartbroken again!”

Bai Qingyu moved away his elder sister’s hand that was resting on the top of his head, gripping it tightly in his palm: “I understand, elder sister!”

“Elder sister, fifth brother…” Bai Jinzhi hurriedly ran down the stairs. “Why haven’t you come up for so long? We’ve all been waiting anxiously!”

Bai Jinzhi ran down and took Bai Qingyan’s hand: “Third brother and second sister have all arrived, we’re just waiting for elder sister and fifth brother!”

“Alright…” Bai Qingyan smiled in response, lifting the hem of her dress and following Bai Jinzhi upstairs. “Slow down a bit!”

“Elder sister is something, why didn’t you have someone bring Xiao Ba, little Wang, and Kangle and Xile!” While pulling Bai Qingyan upstairs, Bai Jinzhi said, “I’ve prepared gifts for all four children!”

It was fine for little Wang, Kangle and Xile, but Bai Jinzhi calling Xiao Ba a child… was somewhat amusing.

Bai Qingyan looked at Bai Jinzhi’s back as she led her upstairs, saying gently: “I’ve already sent someone to notify Nanny Tong to bring all four children. They should arrive soon.”

Her younger siblings had all seen Xiao Ba and little Wang, but they hadn’t yet met Kangle and Xile. These uncles and aunts had long been eagerly anticipating seeing what this auspicious pair of dragon and phoenix twins that their elder sister had given birth to looked like, whether they resembled their elder sister. Everyone was extremely curious.

Especially hearing nothing but praise for the two children from their mothers or aunts, saying that Xile appeared to have a steady personality and resembled their uncle, they were very curious… how their aunts could tell that such tiny little ones had steady personalities, and they all said this so unanimously.

Bai Jinxiu stood at the top of the stairs, and seeing Bai Qingyan coming up, smiled and said: “We’re just waiting for elder sister and Ah Yu!”

Bai Qingyun sat in a chair with a thin blanket over his legs, holding a teacup in his hands, not knowing what he was saying to Bai Jinzhao that made Bai Jinzhao turn around angrily and tug at Bai Qingqi’s sleeve to complain.

Bai Qingqi nearly spilled the tea from his teacup when Bai Jinzhao shook him, sighing helplessly and turning to look at Bai Qingyun: “Why are you provoking him?”

“How did Ah Yun provoke Jinzhao again?” Bai Qingyan’s voice carried light laughter.

As she spoke, Bai Qingyan and Bai Qingyu bowed to their mother and the various aunts who were smiling so widely their mouths couldn’t close.

“Elder sister!”

“Elder sister!”

The younger siblings all stood up and bowed to Bai Qingyan.

“Elder sister…” Bai Jinzhao hurriedly squeezed over to complain to Bai Qingyan.

Bai Qingyu stood with his hands clasped behind his back, following behind Bai Qingyan. Looking at the scene of their mother and aunts, as well as brothers and sisters, all sitting in this pavilion, it was as if big brother, second brother, fourth brother, sixth younger brother… all seventeen sons of the Bai family were present.

Outside the window, the dense layers of dark and light green foliage swayed, and fine golden light filtered through the window lattice, falling on everyone’s clothing… on the carpets, on his elder sister’s extremely long eyelashes that were full of tender affection. Watching his elder sister pat Bai Jinzhao’s head and speak in measured, comforting tones, Bai Qingyu inexplicably felt at peace.

Bai Qingyu truly loved such moments, only hoping… that such beauty could last longer and longer.

“Fifth brother… come judge this matter!” Bai Jinzhao turned around, wanting to get Bai Qingyu’s support.