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The guests were the biological sisters of Mrs. Yang, who had married into Xiaoxi Village, distant from Xinhe Village. Despite the inconvenience of traveling, the affection between the sisters ensured they were frequently in touch through letters. It was unexpected that they suddenly arrived in Xinhe

Village, bringing along a delicate little cousin, who affectionately called Han Yu ‘Cousin Yu’ time and again, to Su Wenyue’s chagrin. Su Wenyue sneered; nothing was more annoying than those cousins. In her time at the mansion,

she had often been irritated by the guests’ cousins, and even the sinister and duplicitous Mistress would lose her composure when mentioning certain cousins, struggling to maintain her usual pretense of kindness—a testament to the destructive power of cousins.

Moreover, Mrs. Yang was exceedingly warm to her long-unseen sister and niece, treating the little cousin as affectionately as a daughter. Su Wenyue felt somewhat irritated inside, but seeing that Han Yu paid little attention to the little cousin, not even offering her a friendly expression, she felt much more at ease.

“Juxiang, why did you suddenly come over without sending a message in advance? Look at me, I haven’t prepared anything,” Mrs. Yang said, holding her sister’s hand. Mrs. Yang’s full name was Yang Guixiang, and her sister was Yang Juxiang.

“I was tied up when Yuer got married and couldn’t make it; it’s not busy this season, so I came to visit. Besides, it has been more than a year since we last saw each other, and I really missed you,” Yang Juxiang said with a smile. In truth, she was worn down by her daughter’s insistence on visiting their aunt’s home. Considering her family’s difficult situation, Yang Juxiang was looking for some help from her sister, but she felt it wasn’t the right time to mention these things as soon as they met.

“The journey is not easy and if you could visit me, that alone would make me happy.”

“Though I say that, I still feel somewhat guilty. Yuer has always been a promising child, and originally I thought of having Chunlan marry him to strengthen our family ties. However, Old Man Han decided Yuer’s marriage without saying a word, and although I was a little disappointed, I am happy for him in my heart.”

Yang Juxiang’s words left Mrs. Yang feeling somewhat embarrassed. She had also thought Chunlan was a good match and liked the idea proposed by her sister. It would have been nice if the two families could be united through marriage, but back then, both children were young, so there was no rush to settle the matter. She never expected that Old Man Han would arrange her son’s marriage without even a heads-up, which made her very angry at the time and led to quite a dispute with Old Man Han. Still, ultimately, she couldn’t go against her father-in-law’s wishes.

However, ever since she had brought her daughter-in-law home, Mrs. Yang found that her displeasure and resentment had dissipated, feeling somewhat relieved that her father-in-law had the foresight. Otherwise, where could her son find such an excellent daughter-in-law? With a background, appearance, and character beyond reproach, there was no comparison with Chunlan, who grew up in a peasant family. Although Chunlan was her niece, a niece could not compare to a son. Mrs. Yang was clear about this.

“Juxiang, that’s all in the past. Now that Yuer’s wife is married and Chunlan will surely be engaged to a good family, let’s not bring up these old stories and save the children from embarrassment.”

When Yang Juxiang heard Yang Guixiang say this, she maintained her smile, but her expression wavered slightly: “That’s true, it’s just something I wanted to say in front of you, my big sister. Deep down, I really do like Yuer.”

As she spoke, Yang Juxiang took out a piece of floral cloth and a pair of silver earrings of modest quality from the bundle she had brought. These were her last treasures, but Yang Juxiang was a smart person. She knew well the adage of not being able to catch a wolf if she did not part with her child. Her big sister had always been tender-hearted towards her and knew her family’s situation; she wouldn’t simply accept her gifts without compensation. She would surely make up for it in other ways and would not let her lose out. With this gesture, she appeared both generous and affectionate, while also profiting. If she had taken them to the pawnshop, they wouldn’t have fetched much silver.

Mrs. Yang, though shrewd, let her guard down around her own sister and had no inkling of the calculations Yang Juxiang was making. She knew all too well the state of her sister’s family affairs, and that these items were indeed her sister’s last reserves. Yet, despite the long distance, her sister had brought them as a wedding gift for the Fourth Son. It truly showed she cared.

Mrs. Yang initially wanted to refuse because her daughter-in-law, the Fourth Daughter-in-law, did not lack such things; even her everyday possessions were much finer than these. But considering her sister’s intentions, it seemed inappropriate not to accept them. Later, she planned to give her sister some food and silver to take home, which could help her family live a bit more comfortably.

“Speaking of which, I haven’t met the Fourth Daughter-in-law yet. I’ve heard she’s quite clever and a good match for our Yuer; she must be quite exceptional,” Yang Juxiang said, smiling. Su Wenyue had seen the situation outside through the window earlier; Yang Juxiang had not seen Su Wenyue, who, annoyed by that pesky cousin constantly calling ‘Cousin Yu,’ had not deliberately approached them. Instead, she stayed indoors, embroidering, and went to the Main House only when called by Mrs. Li.

Su Wenyue had her own thoughts but maintained a radiant smile as she greeted Yang Juxiang with elegance and grace, exuding the aura of a young lady from a Wealthy Family, impressing both Yang Juxiang and Jiang Chunlan.

Yang Juxiang was taken aback upon seeing Su Wenyue. This daughter-in-law of Yuer’s was exceedingly beautiful, and her dress and accessories were meticulously chosen. Her clothes were made of high-quality cotton, and she wore a silver hairpin with jade in her hair, as well as jade earrings. The outfit alone was worth over ten silver coins, and that was just Yang Juxiang’s conservative estimate; unable to discern the quality of the jade, she would have been even more astonished had she known better.

It seemed that Yuer’s wife indeed came from a Wealthy Family; otherwise, where would she get such refinement? She looked nothing like a farmer’s daughter-in-law, more like the young mistress of an affluent household.

On the way, Yang Juxiang had heard some rumors that Han Family’s Fourth Son had married a wealthy young lady from a Wealthy Family. She had scorned those rumors, considering them the superficial views of those with limited knowledge. She thought no one could mistake anyone from a slightly comfortable family for the young lady from a Wealthy Family. The Han Family was only slightly better off than her own Jiang Family; how could they possibly marry into a Wealthy Family? Yet, it appeared it was indeed the case.

Yang Juxiang had two sons, both of whom were married to unremarkable village girls, none of whom were up to scratch—not even Mrs. Liu and Mrs. Wang. Previously, Yang Juxiang felt discomfort in her heart, and now her jealousy intensified. Why should her sons be any less than those of the Han Family? They were born of the same mother, the sisters; her big sister’s life was so comfortable, and her sons were all dutiful and successful, while her own home was full of vexations.

“Fourth Daughter-in-law, when you and the Fourth Child got married, your aunt couldn’t make it. This time I’ve come especially to prepare a gift for you two. It’s a token of your aunt’s affection; you must remember your aunt’s kindness in the future..”