Chapter 69: Giving You a Chance to Be My Close Friend

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“It really is my brother!” Xie Ying confirmed the identity of the so-called “lecher.”

Xiumei immediately let go.

Xie Ying stepped forward and helped Xie Jue up. His refined face and clear features were now streaked with grass and muddy smudges, losing its usual air of nobility and replaced with a rather disheveled look.

“Brother, you… why are you here?” Xie Ying asked.

“Didn’t Mother tell you I would be coming these days?” Xie Jue replied.

“She did, but she didn’t say it would be today. And why didn’t you go home first when you arrived, why did you follow us instead?” Xie Ying pressed on.

Xie Jue looked utterly aggrieved. “I did go home. Mother said you’d gone out, and when I heard you didn’t bring many people with you, I got worried and wanted to check on you.”

“If you came to check on me, why didn’t you take the proper mountain path and instead come down from the mountain?” Xie Ying asked.

“I knew you were coming to the villa, so I came earlier. I arrived before you and saw a beautiful yellow flower on the mountain, so I thought I’d pick it for you. On my way back, I—well, I didn’t expect…”

He hadn’t expected that his sister’s maid would be so skilled, delivering him a decisive blow.

Wei Ruo noticed a few yellow lily-shaped flowers scattered on the ground in front of Xie Jue—no doubt the ones he’d just picked for his sister. They looked like daylilies.

If there were enough of them, one could pick out the stamens and dry them in the sun; they’d be perfect for stir-frying or making soup!

Xie Jue’s gaze fell on Wei Ruo. Although it was her maid who had acted, it was she who had given the order.

Sensing Xie Jue’s look, Wei Ruo explained, “Young Master Xie, my apologies. I didn’t know you were Xie Ying’s brother and thought you were some lecher out to harm us.”

“You must be that very special Miss Wei my sister often mentions in her letters?” Although this was their first meeting, Xie Jue had long heard of Wei Ruo’s reputation thanks to his sister.

From his sister’s descriptions, Xie Jue had always been curious about the Wei family’s young lady who had managed to impress her. Now that he’d met her, he hadn’t noticed anything especially unusual—except for the rather memorable beating he’d just received.

“Brother, you brought this on yourself. You can’t blame anyone else,” Xie Ying interjected, thinking her brother was about to vent his anger on Wei Ruo, and hurried to stand up for her.

“What kind of person do you take your brother for? Do you think I’d quibble with young ladies over such a trivial matter?” Xie Jue said.

“What’s wrong with us being young ladies? It was your fault to begin with, why bring up the fact that we’re girls?” Xie Ying retorted indignantly.

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“It’s my fault. I spoke out of turn. Don’t be angry,” Xie Jue quickly apologized.

“Hmph, that’s more like it.” Xie Ying forgave him, then turned and pulled Wei Ruo with her toward the villa, leaving Xie Jue far behind.

“Sister, why won’t you wait for me?”

“Men and women should keep their distance. I have a beauty by my side to protect, and I mustn’t let you ruin her reputation.”

By the time Xie Ying replied, she and Wei Ruo were already some distance away.

Xie Jue could only sigh helplessly—his standing in his sister’s heart had dropped yet again!

Xie Ying and Wei Ruo held their Qiqiao ritual under the moon in the villa’s courtyard.

The moon was full, the sky high and scattered with wisps of cloud.

After completing the festival ceremony, they sat beneath the moon and enjoyed the special Qiqiao pastries Wei Ruo had brought.

“These pastries are delicious,” Xie Ying remarked.

She then thought of the dried sweet potatoes and sweet potato chips Wei Ruo had given her the first time they met.

“You seem to be quite skilled at making snacks,” Xie Ying observed.

“It isn’t just snacks. My maid Meimei is very clever—she can make all kinds of delicious things,” Wei Ruo replied.

“Next time, bring more. I want my brother to try them as well,” Xie Ying said.

“No problem,” Wei Ruo agreed easily. “By the way, where’s your brother?”

“He’s definitely outside. He wouldn’t dare barge in again after his earlier blunder. If he did, even I, as his sister, wouldn’t be able to stand it,” Xie Ying replied.

“Then why not have someone bring him some pastries? Consider it my apology for hitting him earlier,” Wei Ruo suggested.

“All right, getting beaten and still ending up with so many treats—he’s really got it easy.” Xie Ying said as she handed the bag of pastries Wei Ruo had given her to a maid.

“You and your brother have a wonderful relationship,” Wei Ruo observed. Only those who were close could tease each other so freely.

“What can I do? He’s my brother, after all. I’ve always wanted a sister, but my mother never gave me one. Of course, I wouldn’t want a sister like yours. She’d just annoy me,” Xie Ying added, recalling something.

Wei Ruo smiled.

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Xie Ying studied Wei Ruo and continued, “If she were as clever as you, I might reconsider.”

“I might consider it, too. After all, you’re straightforward, you say what you mean, and I don’t have to guess your thoughts,” Wei Ruo replied, not hiding her fondness for Xie Ying.

“Of course! I never play those phony games. If I like someone, I like them. If I don’t, I don’t. There’s no need to pretend!” Xie Ying said proudly.

After that, she turned to Wei Ruo and asked, “Besides growing vegetables and flowers, what else do you enjoy?”

“Making money—lots and lots of silver,” Wei Ruo answered.

“What do you need so much silver for?” Xie Ying wondered.

“I’m not sure. But who would complain about having too much silver? The same goes for grain—the more, the better. If, and I mean if, there’s ever a famine, only with enough grain can you be sure you won’t starve,” Wei Ruo explained.

“You’re right. My mother said the harvest in Xingshan County will probably be poor this year. Many families are already trying to buy grain from other places,” Xie Ying said helplessly.

“Buying grain from elsewhere will surely be expensive. Ordinary families can’t afford it,” Wei Ruo commented.

Ordinary people worked all year, hoping for a good autumn harvest to store enough grain for the next year, and maybe have a bit left over to exchange for silver and buy other necessities.

If there wasn’t enough grain, how could they have any silver left to buy things?

“Ruor, it’s a good thing you opened up that wasteland south of the city. If that batch of rice grows well, it’ll help a lot,” Xie Ying said with feeling.

“Even if the land is ready, it’s too late for this year’s late rice. We can only plant some seasonal crops like rapeseed or broad beans. It’s still far from enough. Remind your mother to try to bring in more grain to Xingshan County if she can,” Wei Ruo suggested.

“All right, I’ll tell my mother when I get home,” Xie Ying agreed readily.

Wei Ruo noticed Xie Ying still watching her and asked, “Why are you looking at me like that?”

“Tell me, Wei Ruo, would you say we’re good friends now?” Xie Ying asked.

“I suppose we are.”

“What do you mean, ‘suppose’? Yes or no—hurry up, I’m giving you a chance to become my sworn sister. Do you accept or not?” Xie Ying said with a serious expression and a commanding tone.