Chapter 72 The Xi Family

Qin Miaoyu looked at Liang Siyuan devouring his meal with a trace of resentment, while all she had before her was a bowl of plain rice porridge.

“Don’t glare at me. Remember this lesson. You’re not a child anymore—don’t get caught in the rain next time.”

“Okay…”

Feeling guilty, Qin Miaoyu picked up her spoon and began eating the porridge in small sips.

“It really has no flavor, Brother. Can I just have a tiny bit of something to go with it?” Her gaze drifted longingly toward the dishes not far away.

Hearing this, Liang Siyuan used the chopsticks resting on a side dish to pick up a small piece for her.

“Just this much.”

“Thank you, Second Brother!”

After the meal, Liang Siyuan spoke to her about his plans. “Why don’t you stay here for a while? You can go back to the Liang family or the Qin family if you need anything.”

Qin Miaoyu declined. “I’ll stay here for a couple of days and then head back to the Liang family. They mentioned wanting to take me to visit my maternal relatives.”

“To the Xi family? I hadn’t heard about that. Did they say which day?”

Qin Miaoyu recalled that it was supposed to be the day after tomorrow.

“All right, I’ll try to make some time to go as well. Grandfather, grandmother, and the cousins are all wonderful people—much better than those in the Liang or Qin families.”

Hearing her second brother speak so highly of them, Qin Miaoyu grew curious. She had assumed the Xi family would be much the same as the Liang family.

“I went abroad for my studies thanks to our maternal family’s support. Everything I’ve achieved since then is inseparable from the help and encouragement they’ve given me over the years.”

With nothing pressing to do, Qin Miaoyu asked him more about the Xi family members.

Liang Siyuan introduced them one by one, and then added, “There’s also a young woman you can call ‘sister.’ She’s just recently returned from abroad—a daughter of one of the Xi family’s closest friends, and she grew up with them.”

Qin Miaoyu ended up staying with Liang Siyuan for two days before returning to the Liang household, leaving her belongings from the Qin family at her second brother’s place.

Upon her return, the one who missed her most was Liang Qibin, followed closely by her enthusiastic eldest sister-in-law. Madam Liang, Xi Ruofen, merely asked where she had been, and was quickly distracted by Liang Sixuan, paying no attention to Qin Miaoyu’s reply.

Liang Qibin pulled her over to the other end of the sofa and quietly complained about having been pressured to study during her absence. Seeing his gloomy expression, Qin Miaoyu offered a few words of comfort.

The next day, Qin Miaoyu went with the Liang family to the Xi residence.

As her second brother had said, everyone in the Xi family seemed easy to get along with. Qin Miaoyu also met the Su Ning her brother had mentioned, who had grown up in the Xi household.

Su Ning’s full name was Zheng Suning, but her status was more than just a child of the Xi family’s longtime friends; she was Liang Siyuan’s fiancée, and their wedding date had already been set.

When the families brought up the engagement, Zheng Suning simply smiled without comment, and after the introductions, everyone gathered with those they felt closest to.

Qin Miaoyu sat on the sofa waiting for her second brother, but to her surprise, Zheng Suning came over and took a seat beside her.

“Sister Suning.”

“Mm. Your second brother will be a while. Let me keep you company. I was worried you might feel out of place here.”

Qin Miaoyu hurried to say, “Sister Suning, you go ahead if you have things to do. I’ll be fine sitting here for a bit.”

“It’s all right, I’m off work these days—no rush,” Zheng Suning replied.

“Off work? I heard Grandmother mention you started working at the Second City Hospital recently?”

“That’s right.”

Qin Miaoyu couldn’t help but be impressed. “That’s amazing! I heard it’s extremely difficult to get in there—the bar is set so high!”

Zheng Suning smiled modestly. “It’s not as grand as it sounds—outsiders just think the name is impressive. There’s still plenty of hard work ahead.”

Zheng Suning was only a few years older than Qin Miaoyu, and they shared similar interests, so their conversation quickly grew lively and congenial.

Not far away, Liang Sixuan watched them chatting happily, feeling a surge of irritation. She had tried to befriend Zheng Suning in the past, but Suning always turned her down with excuses about studying. Now, as adults, Zheng Suning remained distant toward her, but was making an effort to talk with Qin Miaoyu, who had only recently joined the family? Whether it was Zheng Suning’s own idea or prompted by her second brother, it was infuriating to Liang Sixuan.

Unable to help herself, she walked over.

“Sister Suning, long time no see.”

Hearing her voice, Zheng Suning looked up. “Long time no see,” she replied, then returned to her conversation with Qin Miaoyu.

Zheng Suning felt she had little connection to Liang Sixuan, so a brief greeting was sufficient.

But Liang Sixuan had no intention of leaving it at that. Hearing them discussing an upcoming art exhibition, she immediately interjected.

Qin Miaoyu regarded her with a half-smile, but refrained from starting an argument in front of Zheng Suning.

“Miss Liang Sixuan, may I ask if the etiquette you learned as a child included so freely interrupting other people’s conversation?” Zheng Suning’s words left Liang Sixuan speechless.

Suddenly, she recalled that in her younger, more naïve days, she had once mocked Zheng Suning in much the same way—insulting her as a nobody, only to be sternly reprimanded by their maternal elders.

She took a sip of water to ease her embarrassment.

Seeing her quiet down, Zheng Suning exchanged a quick glance with Qin Miaoyu.

Qin Miaoyu realized then that Zheng Suning’s words had been deliberate, and a smile flickered in her eyes.

Before long, Liang Siyuan arrived. He greeted Zheng Suning and Qin Miaoyu, then headed straight upstairs.

“Grandfather Xi isn’t feeling well, so you didn’t see him earlier,” Zheng Suning explained.

About ten minutes later, Liang Siyuan came down from the second floor. Qin Miaoyu could sense that her second brother was in a somber mood.

“Everyone, please come to the main bedroom upstairs. Grandfather has something to say.”

At these words, everyone grew tense. Zheng Suning took Qin Miaoyu by the hand and led her up first.

“Grandfather Xi, this is Liang Siyuan’s younger sister. Please have a look,” Zheng Suning said to the elderly man lying in bed.

When Qin Miaoyu entered, she saw a white-haired old man resting on the bed. Though his complexion was poor, his spirit was still intact.

“Oh, so you’re called Miaoyu? Come, let your grandfather have a look.”

Qin Miaoyu came to his bedside.

“She looks just like your grandmother when she was young!”

Once everyone had gathered, Grandfather Xi had Liang Siyuan and Zheng Suning stand by the bed and expressed his wish to see them married soon.

Neither Liang Siyuan nor Zheng Suning objected, and the group began discussing a suitable wedding date.

They quickly settled on a day two weeks later.

“That’s just right. Siyuan and Suning’s wedding preparations are already underway. In half a month, everything should be more or less ready,” said Aunt Xi, the eldest uncle’s wife.