Chapter 16

Yi Siling was taking a milk bath in the bathroom, and upon receiving this message, all hell broke loose—splashing water everywhere, staining the red wine, fruit, and tablet.

In response, he replied with a cryptic smirk. What does that mean?

She sat up in the bathtub, her black hair drenched, clinging to her back, and in the misty mirror reflected her enticing curves and the chest that rose and fell with anger.

He did it on purpose, intentionally; she was almost driven mad by this old fogey.

Yi Siling’s fingers, pink from the milk bath, gripped the wine glass. Ignoring the splashes of milk mixed with water inside, she drained the wine and set Xie Xunzhi chat to “Do Not Disturb,” then tossed her phone into the dirty laundry basket.

She did not want to see that cryptic smirk again.

After drying off, her body felt limp and feverish, naked, she crawled under the covers.

With a slight drunken haze, she quickly fell asleep. That night, she dreamed that Xie Xunzhi apologized to her, saying he didn’t know what that smile meant, thinking it was just a simple smile. She didn’t listen, covering her ears, but he kept coaxing her until he simply kissed her, silencing her mouth.

A deep, intense kiss, his tongue prying opens her teeth, lightly nibbling on her tongue.

She never imagined kissing him would feel like this.

“Sorry, I won’t make you upset again.”

His apology in the dream pressed against her earlobe.

Because of this dream, Yi Siling woke up at seven in the morning. Xiao Huahua slept on her pillow, licking her face, over and over.

She stared blankly at the ceiling, lips parted, her body uncomfortably damp.

Yi Mansion’s restaurant has a total of five. On weekdays, the family typically has morning tea at the open-air restaurant on the second-floor terrace, surrounded by large French windows on two sides. From there, one can enjoy views of rolling mountains and the azure sea, with neatly aligned white sails docked at the pier and people swimming and sunbathing on the beach.

Today’s weather is good, so Liang Yongwen arranged breakfast to be eaten outdoors.

Yi Qiong Ling is a day student and has to get up early in the morning. Yi Leling is a working adult and arrives punctually. Liang Yongwen and Yi Kunshan are accustomed to early rising throughout the year; sleeping in would make them uncomfortable. If Yi Xinling were at home, she would also exercise before having breakfast.

Only Yi Siling won’t come; she wants to sleep in, which everyone takes as normal.

Even the kitchen assumes that the wave of morning tea at seven o’clock does not need to prepare a portion for the young lady.

The atmosphere at the dining table was very harmonious.

Yi Leling was eating while responding to emails. Yi Kunshan, feeling sorry for his daughter, advised her not to work so hard. He then turned to Yi Siling, asking why she wasn’t listening to French while having breakfast.

Yi Qiong Ling stuck out her tongue, saying she simply didn’t want to. Yi Kunshan glared at her in exasperation, while Liang Yongwen chuckled and playfully tapped her youngest daughter’s leg.

Just then, Yi Siling entered the dining room, her flowing white silk dress startling Aunt Li.

“Miss, Miss?” Aunt Li’s first reaction was surprise, followed by checking the clock—it was now half-past seven. She felt deeply shaken and began to suspect that something was wrong.

Staring at Yi Siling, she didn’t notice anything unusual, just the usual lazy expression after waking up.

Yi Silingy awned, “Good morning, Aunt Li.” She glanced towards the terrace. “I’d like some purple sweet potato porridge with milk, and also some egg and beef sausages.”

Aunt Li rubbed her hands together, somewhat

“Speechless,” Aunt Li muttered to herself. “Okay, okay, I’ll go tell the kitchen!”

Yi Siling hadn’t fully awakened yet. Yawning, she pushed open the terrace door and approached the dining table where the family was having breakfast, startling everyone.

Liang Yongwen exclaimed in shock, “Oh my, darling, what’s happened?”

Yi Kunshan accidentally scalded his mouth with hot tea. He quickly looked up, scrutinizing Yi Siling from head to toe to confirm it was her. “Is it a ghost possessing you?”

Yi Siling replied, “Morning.”

“Anyone saying something about your daughter?”

She pulled out a chair and sat down, smiling at Leung Wing Man. “Nothing’s wrong, Mommy, I just felt like having morning tea.”

Yi Leling stared at Yi Siling for several seconds, seeming to contemplate something, then subtly raised an eyebrow. Yi caught her peculiar expression and preemptively said, “Second sis, no silently criticizing me. Is it that exaggerated to wake up early once?”

Yi Qiong Ling, on the other hand, remained the most composed. “It’s okay, whatever you’re up to now, I’m okay with it.”

They all agreed to marry an older man, so what else couldn’t they accept?

She leaned close to Yi Siling’s ear and whispered softly, “Did you chat all night with the older man last night and didn’t sleep at all?”

Yi Siling pinched her thigh, causing her to scream in pain, immediately admitting guilt, “I’m sorry, I was wrong!”

Yi Kunshan urged, “Hurry up and eat, or you’ll be late for school. The driver’s been waiting for you for half an hour.”

Yi Qiong Ling huffed, venting her displeasure at Yi Kunshan, “Why aren’t you hurrying Second Sister? She’s taking her time too!”

Yi Kunshan replied, “She’s commuting to work with me by helicopter. Can you do the same? Now eat quickly!”

Yi Kunshan disliked spending time commuting, so he had a helipad built on the top floor of Yu Feng Group and purchased a helicopter. Yi Leling hitched rides on his helicopter to work, from Repulse Bay to Central, including takeoff and landing, the commute took no more than ten minutes.

Aunt Li quickly arranged Yi Siling’s dedicated tableware—a set of exquisite vintage porcelain with a wheat ear pattern, which she had picked up in a small town during her vacation in Florence.

She used different tableware every day—distinct sets for breakfast, lunch, dinner, midnight snacks, afternoon tea, and Chinese, Western, and Japanese meals. Her collection numbered over a hundred sets from around the world, including porcelain, ceramics, lacquerware, crystal, glass, and even wooden tableware.

She wasn’t exactly a collector; she simply enjoyed buying them, which eventually led to an overwhelming abundance.

Liang Yongwenrarely had breakfast with her eldest daughter, and her happiness was evident as she had the cakes and pastries brought over from Beijing by the maid. “Zhao Zhao, try this date paste cake. Mommy brought it back from Beijing.”

“When you were in Beijing, did Xie Xunzhi take you to try pastries from this place?”

“The Batonglou?” Yi Siling to a bite and found it familiar.

Liang Yongwen glanced at Yi Siling

Liang Yongwen casually remarked, “I heard this restaurant has quite a story. It nearly went bankrupt decades ago, but the Xie family waived their rent and helped them stay afloat. Now it’s thriving.”

Yi Siling paused in her eating, observing the two of them. Early in the morning and playing dumb about Xie Xunzhi, huh? Not mentioning him makes you uncomfortable.

Her mind wandered to the spring dream from last night.

Possessed.

Yi Kunshan, feeling his daughter’s unwavering gaze, inexplicably felt a twinge of guilt. Trying to mask his unease, he poured tea and asked, “How was your trip to Beijing?”

“Fine.”

“Just fine?”Mr. Yi who gave her a signal.

Yi Siling finished replying to her emails, sipped tea, and leisurely watched a show, not in a hurry to go to work. Yi Qiong Ling simply stayed put, enjoying her shrimp dumpling in three bites.

All eyes were on Yi Siling.

Yi Siling couldn’t eat anymore. Waking up early today was a mistake, so she decided to cut to the chase. “Alright, Dad, no need to beat around the bush. You’re not afraid to choke yourself.”

Yi Kunshan:

“The Xie family is coming next week to propose,” she said plainly.

Yi Kunshan accidentally knocked over his teacup, spilling tea on his hand, still processing, “What?”

Yi Qiong Ling chuckled at her dad’s reaction, noting she didn’t spill her soup when she heard the news. “My sister agreed to marry the old man. So, you and Mommy got your wish.”

Yi Kunshanl ooked at his eldest daughter, whom he held dear in his heart, and for a moment, his emotions were turbulent.

It was all so sudden and unexpected.

For so many years, he had never stopped talking about finding a good match for his daughter. Now that the dust had settled, he felt strangely empty. While he was happy that his daughter agreed, there was an indescribable melancholy, knowing she was getting married. There were more complex emotions he couldn’t express, weighing heavily on his heart.

Overwhelmed by a mix of emotions, a tear welled up in his eyes uncontrollably. Liang Yongwen gently patted his back.

“It’s okay.”

Yi Kunshan masked his emotional outburst by drinking tea.

Yi Siling’s heart softened. She stood up and walked between Yi Kunshan and Leung Wing Man, gently placing her hands on their backs. “In the future, when I’m not at home, think of me often.”

She didn’t mention that she planned to come home to stay for three months every year—she wanted to surprise her parents.

Yi Qiong Ling picked up her phone, pressed the shutter button, capturing this moment. The clear blue sky added to the poignancy of the scene.

She said, “If my future brother-in-law ever mistreats me, I’ll run away from home and never talk to you two again.”

Yi Kunshan was both exasperated and amused, scolding her for causing trouble and telling her to hurry up and go to school.

Yi Leling also smiled, her usually cool demeanor unusually gentle.

The sea breeze from Repulse Bay blew gently.

Soon, news of the alliance between the Xie and Yi families spread like wildfire in their social circles, becoming the hottest gossip topic at almost every dinner and drinking gathering.

In recent years, Yi Kunshan has put a lot of effort into finding a suitable son-in-law for his beloved daughter. Everyone had been watching closely and some even tried to make connections, but no one expected that in the end, he would choose the Xie family from thousands of miles away.

The Xie family, known for their influence and status, ranked among the top three in the Beijing social circle. They had significant backgrounds, and everyone had their subtle thoughts about this alliance.

The marriage arrangement had been settled between Yi Kunshan and the Xie family a month ago, but he had kept it quiet, fearing it might fall through and subject the Yi family to public scrutiny. Only the news of the marriage had been released, making it clear to others not to introduce any more potential suitors.

Now that everything was settled, there was no need to keep it under wraps anymore.

Yi Kunshan and Liang Yongwen had has recently been incredibly busy, with stacks of invitations to social gatherings and dinners where they were congratulated profusely. People asked about the wedding date and hinted at bringing celebratory drinks. Even the other three Ling siblings were busier than usual, fielding many inquiries.

The Yi family’s prestige was already significant, and now with the addition of the Xie family, their alliance was seen as a formidable combination.

Yi Kunshan welcomed all visitors warmly, his face radiant with happiness. “Of course, on my daughter’s wedding day, I will invite you.”

Liang Yongwen had more concerns and privately advised Yi Kunshan to take it easy, suggesting not to send out invitations to everyone they met. She worried that having too many guests might lead to complaints from the Xie family—after all, the Xie family was known for their discretion and remained elusive in various rich lists, including Forbes, making their wealth and status hard to discern.

Yi Kunshan spoke of the matter with satisfaction. “Our future in-laws have said the wedding must be grand. One in Hong Kong and one in Beijing, both grand affairs.”

“Grand indeed, with all the trimmings, lively and bustling,” he repeated the Xie family’s words.

Liang Yongwen was overjoyed. “Really?”

Liang Yongwen had more concerns and privately advised Yi Kunshan to take it easy, suggesting not to send out invitations to everyone they met. She worried that having too many guests might lead to complaints from the Xie family—after all, the Xie family was known for their discretion and remained elusive in various rich lists, including Forbes, making their wealth and status hard to discern.

Yi Kunshan spoke of the matter with satisfaction. “Our future in-laws have said the wedding must be grand. One in Hong Kong and one in Beijing, both grand affairs.”

“Grand indeed, with all the trimmings, lively and bustling,” he repeated the Xie family’s words.

Liang Yongwen was overjoyed. “Really?”

From the looks of it, it seems the initial dowry preparations may not be quite sufficient. With marrying far away in Beijing where she’s unfamiliar with the surroundings, it’s even more important to make a strong showing.

At Yi Mansion, they were contemplating the dowry, while at Xie Garden, they were preparing the betrothal gifts. Both mothers were busy managing the wedding affairs with great enthusiasm, staying in constant communication every few days to update each other on progress.

Ever since Xie Wenning heard from Yi Xinling that Yi Siling likes jewelry, particularly rubies, and pearls, Yang Shuhua instructed people to monitor major auction houses. They were authorized to bid on anything good that came up, with a generous budget.

Wedding customs vary across regions, and Hong Kong has its own set of procedures. Uncle Mei and Aunt Li communicated over the phone to outline a list of necessities for the traditional betrothal gifts, such as gifts of money, gold items, cakes, fruit baskets, seafood baskets, coconut baskets, alcohol, tea leaves, and wedding candies. The specifics and quantities were flexible, adhering to the principle that the purpose of celebrating the joyous occasion was to bring good luck to the newlyweds.

Yang Shushua made a trip to Nanin Temple. Before going, she used auspicious red paper to inscribe the birthdates and horoscopes of Xie Xunzhi and Yi Siling. She rolled it up, tied it with a red string, and placed it in a sealed brocade box. She delivered it to Master Huixing, requesting him to choose auspicious names for the two children and select an auspicious date. She also made offerings to the Buddha, lighting eighty-eight thousand blessing lamps.

Choosing names based on horoscopes is a ritual known as ” matching astrological charts ” (he ba zi), one of the ceremonies in ancient Chinese customs.

Three days later, the box was returned intact to Xie Garden. The messenger who delivered it received a generous travel allowance and conveyed a series of heartfelt blessings.

Yang Shuhua placed the box on the table, first devoutly bowing to the Bodhisattva and silently reciting “Namo Amitabha Buddha.” Then she opened it and saw the Master’s endorsement on the back of the red paper:

【A match made in heaven, a union of gold and jade】.

“Ningning, quickly go and call your brother!” Yang Shushua was so excited she couldn’t contain herself, shouting for Xie Wenning while simultaneously telling her mother-in-law the good news. She knew her judgment had been spot on.

“From the beginning of discussing this marriage, Yi Kunshan was worried that the two children’s personalities might not be compatible, that they might not get along. But now, Master Huixing has said they are a match made in heaven!

Xie Wenning went to the study to find Xie Shu, and saw him practicing calligraphy at his desk.”

The room in Xie Xunzhi is located in the most tranquil southern courtyard, with maple and bamboo forests on the left, and adjacent to the largest water body in Xie Xunzhi— the Lotus Pond.

September is the most beautiful time for the Lotus Pond, with lotus flowers in full bloom, fragrant scents wafting around, and mandarin ducks playing joyfully. During the rain, sipping a cup of tea by the window while listening to the raindrops on the lotus leaves is quite a serene experience. But now, approaching winter, the Lotus Pond is left with only remnants of lotus flowers.

Xie Wenning walked softly across the carpet, and Xie Shu did not notice immediately. She walked to the desk and saw several large red papers spread out on the table, each with the character “Double Happiness” written on them.

Xie Wenning: “Let big brother be happy. I heard that the sister-in-law is exceptionally beautiful. I followed her on social media and even liked her posts.”

But talking about this made her feel a bit disappointed. Everyone in Xie Garden has seen the sister-in-law except for her. Both elder sister and younger brother have met her in person.

Unfortunately, due to her poor health, she can’t endure long journeys, and she needs to avoid going out on rainy days with cooler temperatures.

Xie Xunzhi’s mind was filled with the image of Yi Siling’s face. His eyes darkened slightly as he softly remarked, “Yes, she’s very good-looking.”

“But appearance isn’t the most important thing.” He set down the pen, looking at his younger sister with a calm demeanor. “Mutual respect and hospitality aren’t based on appearance.”

It’s about cultivation and tolerance. Even if Yi Siling isn’t pretty or attractive, he could still achieve this.

But unfortunately, Yi Siling is too beautiful, too attractive. This makes things a bit complicated.

Xie Wenning: “Marriage isn’t just about mutual respect and hospitality. There are many other models, like being inseparable and deeply in love till old age. Big brother, why do you have to choose the most boring one? You’re just being lazy.”

Her sister’s words hit the nail on the head, and Xie Xunzhi’s eyes darkened.

For him, mutual respect and hospitality were indeed the laziest approaches to marriage.

But inseparable and deeply in love? Probably not possible. He had been independent since childhood, valued personal space, and wasn’t the type to cling to anyone. Presumably, Yi Siling was the same, otherwise she wouldn’t have ignored him for three days straight.

He thought about this matter again.

He didn’t know what had happened to her these past few days; she had almost vanished without a trace. Did she not see his messages, or did she see them but choose not to reply?

Xie Xunzhi furrowed his brow.

Seeing his elder brother’s unfavorable expression, Xie Wenning understood he had h thoughts. She knew many things couldn’t be forced, so she could only silently offer her blessings. As for this “blind marriage, dumb union,” she didn’t know what it would be like in the future. She hoped it would turn out like what Master Huixing said—a match made in heaven.

“By the way, I came to tell you that Mom wants you to come over. She’s in the flower hall.”

Xie Xunzhi tidied up his desk quickly, put on his coat, and walked to the flower hall with Xie Wenning. Along the way, he suddenly asked, “Ningning, I have something to ask you.”

Xie Wenning was surprised, “Big brother, you have something to ask me?”

Xie Xunzhi opened his phone, opened the chat with Xie Wenning, and sent a small yellow smiling face emoji. “If someone sends you this emoji alone, what does it mean?”

Xie Wenning chuckled softly, “It means being sarcastic, bro. It’s when you don’t want to engage with someone but still have to respond, or when you’re annoyed with someone. Once you send it, the other person will understand your meaning right away. It kills the conversation.”

Xie Xunzhi furrowed his brows slightly, fingers gripping his phone delicately. He stared at the smiling emoji intently. Indeed, the more he looked at it, the more sarcastic it seemed.

“Why didn’t I see it that night? Even if I didn’t see it, why did I respond kindly?”

“Bro, what’s up with you?” Xie Wenning glanced at him, noticing he had been staring absentmindedly at the screen.

Xie Xunzhi regained his focus and said, “Got it.”

He understood why Yi Siling hadn’t replied to his messages for three days.

She was throwing a tantrum.

And it was quite serious.

Xie Xunzhi calmly pocketed his phone.

In the reception hall, Yang Shuhua handed Xie Xunzhi the red paper and asked him to take a look himself.

Xie Xunzhi first looked at their astrological charts with Yi Siling, then turned the paper over to see eight characters:” (A match made in heaven, a perfect union).

“What’s this?”

“Master Huixing did your astrological charts together. It’s extremely auspicious, saying that you and Yi Siling are a match made in heaven, a perfect union!”

Xie Xunzhi stared at the red paper for a few seconds, then smiled faintly. “Mom, do you believe this?” He wondered if she believed he and Yi Siling were a perfect match.

Because no matter how he looked at it, it didn’t seem like it.

Yang Shuhua argued with him, “Why wouldn’t it be? You and Siling match in appearance, and family background, and your personalities complement each other. Isn’t that a match made in heaven?”

Xie Xunzhi thought to himself that their complementarity seemed too intense.

He chuckled, pocketing the red paper. “All these astrological charts are just to please people.”

Yang Shuhua immediately playfully hit him, saying, “If you don’t speak, everyone will think you’re mute.”

“Every time something big happens, they consult Master Huixing upstairs. He’s respected and revered, a living Buddha. What do you, a little kid, know to talk nonsense?”

Xie Xunzhi raised an eyebrow, his mind elsewhere as he stood quietly, gaze fixed on a plum blossom outside the window.

Yang Shushua continued, “Come home for dinner tomorrow night. Come back early. I’ve invited your second uncle and aunt, along with your Aunt Yan, to discuss your marriage. We need their help with the proposal on Hong Kong Island. Your third uncle’s family is in London with, but they’ll be back a week before the wedding.”

In the groom’s proposal ceremony, besides the parents, there must be a matchmaker and respected elders from the family, adding solemnity and dignity to the occasion.

The Xie family is prominent in both size and influence, considered aristocrats in the capital city. Xie Xunzhi’s father, Xie Qiao’an, is the eldest son of the family, with two younger brothers, Xie Jinghua and Xie Chunhua, and a younger sister, Xie Yiwan. In Xie Xunzhi’s generation, there are around twenty cousins and second cousins.

As the eldest son of the main branch, Xie Xunzhi is the designated heir, a position of exceptional status within the family. His marriage is currently the most significant matter for the Xie family, prompting full mobilization of all family members.

Xie Xunzhi responded to the impending festivities with indifference, simply nodding in agreement.

“The Three Letters and Six Etiquettes, a proper marriage arranged by a matchmaker.”

Every step was indispensable.

He had never imagined that his marriage would involve such intricate rituals, escalating beyond his expectations. He wondered if this was what she desired, whether it would be grand and joyous as planned.

After exchanging a few more words, Xie Xunzhi used work as an excuse to excuse himself. Stepping out from the warmly lit reception hall, he was met with the biting chill of deep autumn.

Standing in the garden, his tall and slender figure resembled a solitary fir tree. After a moment of silence, he reached into the inner pocket of his suit and pulled out the red paper.

He took photos of both sides of the red paper and sent them to Yi Siling.

“Mother went to Nanyin Temple to have our astrological charts done.”

“The master said, you and I are a match made in heaven, a perfect union of gold and jade.”

“He needs to take the initiative more; he can’t let her sulk!”