Early the next morning, he went to pick up Yu Wanru.

At that moment, Yu Wanru was still in her room, being dressed up by her mother and Auntie An.

For her entire seventeen years, Yu Wanru had never worn makeup. Now, with her face newly adorned in cosmetics, she felt itchy wherever she applied the pearl powder and lipstick and couldn’t resist scratching.

Madam Yu repeatedly tapped her hand away, scolding, “Behave yourself.”

“But, Mom, it’s so itchy,” she replied.

“It’s all in your head,” Madam Yu said. “Just think about something else, and you won’t notice the powder on your face.”

Yu Wanru furrowed her brows and tried to endure it.

When her makeup was finally finished, Madam Yu had her stand there, while she and Auntie An observed, nodding and commenting.

One suggested that her eyebrows could be darker; another said the lipstick color looked good and added a healthy glow, making Yu Wanru feel deeply embarrassed.

Once the makeup was done, Madam Yu brought out a pair of high-heeled leather shoes she’d bought the day before.

After their shopping trip, they had passed by a shoe store, and Madam Yu had insisted on buying Yu Wanru a pair of fashionable high-heeled leather shoes, inspired by the stylish lady on the store’s poster.

Seeing the narrow and high heels, Yu Wanru quickly shook her head and said, “Mom, I can’t walk in those. Didn’t we try this yesterday?”

Madam Yu replied, “I saw you walk just fine yesterday, swaying gracefully like a willow. No wonder all the young girls love these shoes now. Look around, and see how few still wear embroidered cloth shoes. Going to someone else’s house requires a formal look. And this heel isn’t even that high, just over an inch—far from the truly high ones.”

Just then, Han Qing hurried over from the front yard and announced, “Madam, Miss, Young Master Xiao has arrived.”

Madam Yu asked, “Have you served him tea?”

“Yes, Master is entertaining him in the front room.”

Nodding, Madam Yu turned to Wanru and said, “Did you hear that? Anlan is here; don’t keep him waiting. Change into the shoes quickly.”

Yu Wanru had no choice but to take off her embroidered shoes and slip on the brand-new high heels.

Though the heel was, as her mother said, not very high—about two finger widths—she was used to wearing flat cloth shoes. With leather heels on for the first time, she felt she might topple forward at any moment and couldn’t stand stably.

Watching her, Madam Yu, Auntie An, and Han Qing all praised, “Very nice, really nice. With these shoes on, she looks just as stylish as the trendy young ladies outside.”

Han Qing clapped her hands excitedly, saying, “Miss looks beautiful! Young Master Xiao will surely be mesmerized.”

Embarrassed, Yu Wanru glanced at Auntie An, asking her for help, “Auntie please hold me; I feel like I’m going to fall.”

Auntie An supported her cheerfully, guiding her forward, “Miss, just lean on me; I’ll keep you steady.”

In the front hall, Xiao Anlan was having tea with Master Yu when he heard footsteps from the courtyard.

Both he and Master Yu looked over.

Madam Yu emerged from behind the screen first.

Xiao Anlan greeted, “Hello, Aunt.”

Madam Yu smiled and said, “Anlan, you’re here. Wanru, come out.”

He looked behind her and saw Auntie An helping Wanru walk out, dressed in bright yellow.

Yu Wanru was wearing a light yellow short jacket that accentuated her slender waist, making her average height appear a bit taller.

Her fair skin was even more radiant against the yellow, making her look delicate and translucent.

Without realizing it, Xiao Anlan stood up, his gaze traveling up.

Yu Wanru had an oval face, fair complexion, slightly rounded cheeks, thin long eyebrows, double eyelids, medium-sized almond-shaped eyes, a modest nose bridge, and a rosy, slightly plump mouth.

Madam Yu had only lightly powdered her face to hide a few freckles and applied some lipstick, without overdoing it in bold colors.

Even with minimal makeup, she was captivating.

Xiao Anlan’s eyes swept over her face several times, finally lingering on her rosy lips.

His mind drifted to the sweet taste of lychee he had savored yesterday.

He thought that his fiancée’s current look, with her mouth resembling a ripe cherry, seemed too tempting to resist, as if she might taste as sweet as one.

He was entranced, while Madam Yu and Auntie An chuckled quietly. Wanru stared shyly at the ground, too embarrassed to look up.

Finally, Master Yu’s cough brought Xiao Anlan back to his senses.

He smiled a bit awkwardly, eyes still on Wanru, saying, “Wanru, you look beautiful.”

Her cheeks reddened even more.

Madam Yu chuckled and said, “Anlan, stop, or Wanru might be too embarrassed to leave the house.”

Xiao Anlan laughed, “She won’t.”

He had an uncharacteristically goofy expression.

That day as well, Auntie An would accompany Wanru outside. Madam Yu saw them to the door and reminded her, “Do you remember everything I told you last night?”

Wanru nodded softly, “Yes, I remember.”

Madam Yu added, “At Anlan’s house, be mindful to speak up, greet people warmly, understood?”

Wanru nodded again. Madam Yu had already gone over this multiple times the night before—who to greet, what to say, and the table manners to observe in someone else’s home.

Still uneasy, Madam Yu wanted to add more, but Master Yu interjected, “Enough. Don’t keep Anlan waiting.”

Madam Yu stopped, reassured by Auntie An’s presence.

Wanru said farewell to her parents, and with Auntie An’s support, got into the car. Xiao Anlan also bid farewell to Madam and Master Yu.

The Yu and Xiao families lived on opposite sides of town, with the Yu family in the east and the Xiao family in the north. They’d cross half of Liucheng on their way.

The east side was an old district, filled with traditional wooden structures and ancient courtyards, where even the shopfronts along the streets seemed frozen in the previous century.

As they moved northward, a new scene unfolded. On Heping Road, Western-style villas lined both sides, alongside stores selling foreign goods, cosmetics, and Western-style pastries.

Xiao Anlan sat in the front passenger seat, constantly turning around to introduce the events in the northern part of the city to Yu Wanru and Aunt An.

Suddenly, Yu Wanru heard the sound of a bell. She turned her head to look out the car window and saw a girls’ school letting out. Many female students dressed in blue uniforms and black skirts were pouring out of the school.

Xiao Anlan said, “This is Liulin Girls’ School. It was established three years ago and is the first girls’ school in Liucheng. Anya and Anhui both attend there.”

Yu Wanru nodded gently. Since she was young, she had been studying literature and calligraphy at home with her brother, following her father’s teachings. When this girls’ school was established three years ago, her father had asked her if she wanted to go to school. 

At that time, she was thirteen years old and had finished studying the Four Books and Five Classics. She actually wanted to see the world, but first, the school was quite far from her home, and second, she rarely went out. She was hesitant and scared about how to take the first step, so she never agreed to go.

Xiao Anlan continued, “Anya and Anhui are a year older than you. They’re both lively and full of energy. When you meet them at home later, if they joke with you, don’t take it to heart.”

Yu Wanru nodded and asked, “Should we wait for them to come back together?”

Xiao Anlan smiled, “It’s only a few steps away. Let them walk on their own. The last time I came to pick them up, they talked about it for a long time. I’m not going again.”

He still remembered how the two girls had compared him to a male actor.

When the car reached the Xiao family home, Yu Wanru looked out of the window and saw a beautiful iron fence. The car drove through the main gate, and the wide road on both sides was lined with lush green lawns. In the lawn was a sculpture spraying water. She looked closely and realized the sculpture depicted a little boy urinating. She quickly turned her eyes away, embarrassed to look further.

Xiao Anlan saw her reaction and smiled, explaining the story behind the urinating boy statue.

When the story was finished, the car stopped in front of the Xiao family’s Western-style mansion.

Yu Wanru got out of the car and looked at the tall, stylish house in front of her, feeling a bit nervous.

Xiao Anlan said, “Don’t worry, my parents are very kind people. Anqi is inside. She’s been looking forward to seeing you again since last night.”

Yu Wanru took a deep breath and carefully stepped up the stairs.

The Xiao family’s living room was very spacious, with a large sofa. At the moment, three or four beautiful women were sitting on the sofa.

Before Yu Wanru could see clearly, she heard the voice of a child shouting, “Jie!” A chubby little body rushed toward her. She instinctively crouched down and opened her arms to catch her.

Xiao Anqi hugged her neck warmly, overjoyed, “Big Sister-in-law, you finally came! I have missed you so much!”

Yu Wanru wanted to pick her up, but her shoes didn’t fit well, and she didn’t have enough strength. After trying once, she almost lost her balance.

Xiao Anlan quickly stepped forward and took Xiao Anqi from her.

Yu Wanru blushed, feeling a little embarrassed.

Madam Xiao smiled and stood up, saying, “Wanru, come here and let me take a look.”

Xiao Anlan introduced her, “This is my mother, and these are my second, third, and fourth mothers.”

Yu Wanru politely greeted each of them. She addressed Madam Xiao as “Aunt” and the other concubines as second, third, and fourth aunts.

Madam Xiao took her hand and looked her up and down, beaming, “I first saw you at someone else’s house last year, and I thought to myself, what a wonderful girl. If only she could come to our house and become my daughter-in-law. Now, it seems that wish has come true. I’m so happy I could laugh in my sleep!”

She turned to the concubines and said, “Look, this is what a well-educated young lady from Liucheng looks like.”

The third concubine laughed and said, “Compared to Miss Yu, our girls are like country bumpkins.”

Yu Wanru quickly replied, “Aunt and third aunt, you flatter me. I’m not worthy of such praise.”

Xiao Anlan said, “Mom, let Wanru sit down. She wore new shoes today and can’t stand for too long.”

When Madam Xiao heard this, she quickly took Yu Wanru’s hand and led her to the sofa, turning to give Xiao Anlan a glare and saying, “I was just having a chat with your future wife, and now you’re worried?”

Xiao Anlan, holding Xiao Anqi, sat down and smiled, “Didn’t you tell me to treat Wanru well?”

“You!” Madam Xiao shook her head and laughed.

Aunt An stepped forward and handed over a box, saying, “Madam Xiao, and all the other aunts, this is a small gift from our family’s master and his wife.”

Madam Xiao quickly accepted the box, smiling, “The Yu family is too kind. Jie, please sit down, and let’s bring some more chairs.”

Aunt An hesitated for a moment before sitting down.

Madam Xiao kept holding Yu Wanru’s hand, admiring her more and more, and continuously asking what she did at home, what books she read, what hobbies she had, and so on.

Yu Wanru answered all her questions.

Madam Xiao nodded repeatedly.

The concubines noticed how pleased Madam Xiao was with her future daughter-in-law, and they began to speak well of her. Soon, the living room was filled with a warm and cheerful atmosphere.

Just then, some noise came from outside the door.

Yu Wanru looked up and saw two beautiful young female students entering the room. One was lively and playful, the other was smiling gracefully. She guessed they must be Anhui and Anya.

Before coming to the Xiao family, Xiao Anlan had already told her about the family members, so she knew that the three young ladies of the Xiao family—Miss Anya, was the daughter of the third concubine; Miss Anhui and Miss Anqi were the daughters of the fourth concubine.

Xiao Anhui spotted the people on the sofa and her eyes brightened. She happily exclaimed, “Big Sister-in-law is here!”

Xiao Anhui wasn’t the first to call Wanrui “Big Sister-in-law,” as Anqi had called her that before. She had thought about asking them to call her something else but never found the opportunity. Since Anqi was younger, she let it slide. However, now Xiao Anhui, who was older than her, also called her “big sister-in-law,” and she suddenly blushed, not knowing how to respond.

The fourth concubine smiled and scolded her daughter, “Look at you, making such a fuss. There’s no manners. Miss Yu hasn’t married your brother yet, and you’re calling her that. How should she respond? I think from now on, you should just call each other by your names. Madam, what do you think?”

Madam Xiao nodded and said, “That’s right, just call each other by names. When Wanru is married, you can change how you address her.”

Xiao Anhui said, “I’m Anhui, and this is my sister Anya.”

Xiao Anya nodded and smiled at Yu Wanru.

Yu Wanru quickly stood up, softly saying, “Hello, I’m Wanru.”

Xiao Anhui looked her up and down, clapped her hands and said, “Wanru, you’re so beautiful! No wonder my brother talks about you every day!”

Everyone in the room laughed, except Yu Wanru, who blushed, and Xiao Anlan, who awkwardly scratched his nose.

Seeing Wanrui embarrassed, Xiao Anlan glared at Xiao Anhui and said, “You talk too much.”

Xiao Anhui immediately disagreed, “Auntie, look at my brother. He’s forgotten all about me, his sister, now that Wanrui is here!”

Yu Wanru felt a bit uneasy, worried that her presence might cause trouble between them, but then saw Xiao Anhui stomp her feet and pull her hand, saying, “Wanru, Wanru, my brother is so annoying, let’s not pay attention to him, okay? You and I can be good friends, right?”

She then turned to Madam Xiao and said, “Auntie, I want to take Wanru to my room to chat.”

It wasn’t yet time for dinner, and Master Xiao and Xiao Anze hadn’t returned, so Madam Xiao nodded, letting them go.

Xiao Anhui took Yu Wanru’s hand with one hand, and with the other, she grabbed Xiao Anya’s hand. She gave Xiao Anlan a huff and then led the way upstairs with her head held high.

Xiao Anqi squirmed in Xiao Anlan’s arms, slipped down, and scampered after them, shouting, “Jie, wait for me!”

Xiao Anlan looked at the group of women and helplessly shook his head.

Xiao Anhui led Yu Wanru into her room.

Yu Wanru looked around the room, which was decorated entirely in pink tones, with a round bed, pink curtains, and cute dolls scattered throughout the room. It was a stark contrast to her own room.

Seeing Yu Wanru examine her room, Xiao Anhui puffed out her chest proudly and said, “Isn’t it beautiful?”

Yu Wanru gently nodded, “It’s very pretty.”

Xiao Anhui said, “Your and Ge’s new room is on the third floor. I saw Mother have a big bed carried up there the other day, so your room will probably be even better than mine.”

When Yu Wanru heard her mention the new room, she didn’t know how to respond.

Xiao Anqi came over and clung to Xiao Anhui’s leg, saying, “Jie, you said you would bring me candy this morning.”

Xiao Anhui pinched her nose and replied, “Don’t worry, I won’t forget you.”

She reached into her cloth bag where she kept her books, but didn’t find any candy. So, she grabbed the bottom of her bag and emptied everything out onto the floor: books, pens, crackers, candies—everything was there.

Yu Wanru, seeing the books, couldn’t take her eyes off them and couldn’t help but glance at them a few times.

There was a book titled Family Affairs Textbook, another on Geography, one on Physiology and Hygiene, and even one she had never heard of called Single and Double Bar Games and Competitions.

She really wanted to pick them up and read, but since they weren’t her things, she didn’t want to touch them, reluctantly turning her gaze away.

Xiao Anhui was busy rummaging for candy and didn’t notice Yu Wanru’s gaze. Xiao Anya, seeing this, smiled and asked, “Do you read books at home too, Wanru? What kind of books do you read?”

Yu Wanru shyly smiled, “I just read some travelogues, poetry collections, mostly random books.”

Xiao Anya said, “How lucky! I was just looking for some travelogues, but I didn’t know which ones were interesting. How about we exchange books?”

Yu Wanru’s heart leaped with joy, and she quickly said, “Sure, I’ll have some books sent over tomorrow.”

Xiao Anya said, “I won’t wait until tomorrow. Let’s go to my room now and pick out a few books.”

Seeing the two of them talk endlessly about books, Xiao Anhui suddenly lost interest and picked up Xiao Anqi. “Anqi, let’s play with dolls.”

Xiao Anqi clapped her hands in approval.

…..

Soon, Master Xiao, and Xiao Anze returned one after the other. Madam Xiao asked someone to call the girls downstairs for dinner.

Yu Wanru, thrilled with the new books she got, was smiling without realizing it as she went downstairs.

Xiao Anlan saw her and immediately walked over, smiling while asking, “What were you doing upstairs with my sisters? You’re so happy, it’s like you have honey on your lips.”

Yu Wanru subconsciously touched her lips and shyly said, “Anya Jie lent me a few books.”

When Xiao Anlan heard her call Anya “Jie,” the corners of his eyes twitched. 

Now his fiancée was calling his younger sister “Jie,” and when she officially married into the family, his sister would have to call her “Sister-in-law.” He hoped they wouldn’t get mixed up.

When they arrived at the dinner table, Xiao Anlan introduced Yu Wanru to Master Xiao and Xiao Anze.

Master Xiao wasn’t very expressive and just nodded slightly.

Seeing this, Yu Wanru felt even more nervous.

Madam Xiao gave her husband a disapproving glance, saying, “Why are you putting on a serious face? You’ve scared Wanru.”

Yu Wanru quickly reassured her, saying it was fine.

Master Xiao muttered quietly, “Why don’t you leave me some face in front of our daughter-in-law?”

Madam Xiao, with a wry smile, looked at him and wondered if his serious face was just to save face for himself.

Xiao Anlan then introduced Yu Wanru to Xiao Anze.

He suddenly remembered that if he hadn’t intervened earlier, his fiancée would have ended up with his second brother instead.

Now, as he watched them stand together, greeting each other politely with smiles, he couldn’t help but feel wary. Once Yu Wanru finished greeting Xiao Anze, he quickly guided her to sit down, not giving them any chance to talk too much.

At the Xiao family’s dining table, the younger generation sat to the right of Master Xiao, arranged by age from oldest to youngest.

Xiao Anlan should have been followed by Xiao Anze, but with Wanru present, Madam Xiao asked them to shift a seat so Yu Wanru could sit next to Xiao Anlan.

This meant that Yu Wanru sat next to Xiao Anlan, and Xiao Anze sat next to her.

Xiao Anlan, looking at his second brother’s gentle face across from him, couldn’t help but feel more and more uncomfortable.

Luckily, neither Yu Wanru nor Xiao Anze were talkative. After a meal, the two barely exchanged a word, which made Xiao Anlan feel a bit more at ease. He, on the other hand, kept talking to Yu Wanru and frequently served her food, making her feel embarrassed.

Madam Xiao watched her son and laughed inwardly. With how much he was doting on his future wife, she thought to herself that if anyone else were to act so fussy in front of Yu Wanru, she would have snapped back by now.

After the meal, everyone seemed to have a good understanding of the situation.

It appeared that both Madam Xiao and Xiao Anlan were very satisfied with this Yu Wanru, and as long as they were happy, Master Xiao wouldn’t have any objections.

The three main people in the family had shown their approval, and the rest of the family also became more enthusiastic and attentive toward Yu Wanru.

After the meal, Master Xiao and Xiao Anze left for the company. Normally, they had lunch outside, but they returned that day because they had a guest.

Xiao Anhui and Xiao Anya also left soon after lunch to head back to school.

Knowing that having too many people around might make Yu Wanru feel uncomfortable, Madam Xiao said to Xiao Anlan, “Take Wanru around the house. Don’t just sit here with us old folks.”

Xiao Anlan smiled and said, “You and the other aunties are all beauties. How could beauties ever be old?” This made the other aunts laugh.

Madam Xiao playfully smacked him and said, “Stop joking around. Take Wanru out for a walk.”

Auntie An had initially planned to follow, but upon realizing that they were at the future son-in-law’s house, she thought it might look strange if she stayed too close. Plus, Madam Xiao had already invited her to sit down, so she didn’t follow them.

Xiao Anlan and Yu Wanru strolled through the rough lawn, with an umbrella in his hand, mostly shading her.

Because of the new shoes Yu Wanru was wearing, her walking posture was a bit awkward.

Seeing this, Xiao Anlan said, “Let’s go sit in the pavilion ahead.”

Yu Wanru naturally nodded.

Once seated, Xiao Anlan asked, “Are your shoes hurting your feet?”

Yu Wanru nodded slightly, embarrassed, “A little bit.”

Xiao Anlan said, “Take them off and let me see if there’s any skin broken.”

Yu Wanru refused and quickly tucked her feet under her skirt, shaking her head, “No, no need. There’s no injury.”

Xiao Anlan recalled her walking posture earlier and was sure she had some blisters. He stood up and said, “Stay here for a bit. I’ll go get the medicine kit.”

Before Yu Wanru could stop him, he quickly walked back to the house.

Yu Wanru sat there, nervously wringing her handkerchief. How could she show her feet to Xiao Anlan?

She considered slipping away back to Auntie An, but just as she stood, Xiao Anlan came running back with the medicine kit, so she had to sit back down.

Xiao Anlan set out the gauze and alcohol and said, “Take off your shoes.”

Yu Wanru blushed and said, “It really isn’t necessary, there’s no injury. No need for medicine.”

Xiao Anlan paused, then crouched down in front of her, asking, “Are you embarrassed?”

A woman’s feet have always been considered a private part, and now You Wanru was expected to expose her feet in broad daylight in front of someone. How could she feel at ease?

When Xiao Anlan saw she hadn’t said anything, he tentatively reached out and took her feet out from under her skirt.

Yu Wanru’s whole body stiffened, but she didn’t strongly resist.

Xiao Anlan said, “Don’t be afraid, we’re about to get married. A husband and wife are the closest relationship in this world. You don’t have to feel embarrassed or awkward in front of me. It’s okay.”

Yu Wanru knew this in her heart, but she still felt shy and couldn’t relax.

Xiao Anlan continued, “Let me show you, I’ll put some medicine on it. We won’t tell anyone, and no one will know.”

While reassuring her, he took off her shoes, revealing a pair of white socks, which he removed as well.

Yu Wanru’s feet were exposed for the first time in front of someone. She instinctively tried to pull them back, but Xiao Anlan tightly gripped her ankles, not letting her withdraw.

Her skin was fair, and her feet had never seen the light of day, making them appear translucent and delicate.

Her ten toes, like the rest of her, were small and elegant, closely pressed together.

Her originally flawless foot was now marred by two blisters on her little toes. The skin around them was slightly red and swollen, making it look painful.

Xiao Anlan squatted in front of her and looked at her feet for a while before placing them on his knee. He took out a needle from the medical kit and cleaned it with alcohol, then said to Wanru, “I’ll first pop the blisters and squeeze out the fluid, then apply some medicine. It will be fine.”

Yu Wanru bit her lip and nodded lightly. She was a bit afraid of the pain, and when she saw the thin silver needle in Xiao Anlan’s hand, she unconsciously shrank back.

Xiao Anlan noticed and asked, “Does it hurt?”

Yu Wanru shook her head, “No, it doesn’t.”

Xiao Anlan smiled, “Little liar.”

Yu Wanru suddenly felt a bit hot, her face turning red, and she couldn’t look at his teasing eyes.

While speaking, Xiao Anlan never stopped moving his hands, quickly finishing the treatment. He then took out a band-aid from the medical kit and carefully applied it to her foot.

Yu Wanru looked at the small item in his hand curiously and asked, “What is this?”

“This is a band-aid. It was invented by a man named Dickson in America for his newlywed wife. It’s essentially a piece of gauze with medicine and adhesive applied to it, made into a quick bandage to cover wounds.”

He handed her an extra band-aid.

Yu Wanru looked at it curiously, then said, “You really know a lot.”

Xiao Anlan smiled, “I’ve just been to a few more places. If someone else had the same experiences I’ve had, they’d probably know more than I do.”

Yu Wanru shook her head and said firmly, “You’re serious, and you’re amazing.”

There’s a saying that goes, “Reading ten thousand books, traveling ten thousand miles.”

Books and experiences can teach a person a lot, but if one doesn’t put in the effort, no knowledge will come to the mind by itself.

Xiao Anlan’s breadth of knowledge was due to his greater effort than others, or even more than he let on.

Xiao Anlan looked up at her determined little eyes, feeling a warm current flow through him.

So many people had dismissed his efforts because of his background, but his fiancée’s praise made him feel honored.

Yu Wanru felt uneasy under his gaze, retracting her foot that had been resting on his knee, lowering her head and using the act of putting on her socks to avoid his eyes.

Xiao Anlan placed her leather shoes in front of her and said, “New shoes may rub your feet. When you get home, you can soak them in vinegar or alcohol. Actually, Wanru, I think the embroidered shoes you wore before were quite nice.”

Yu Wanru said softly, “My mother said that when visiting someone, leather shoes look nicer.”

Xiao Anlan immediately said, “You look good in anything, what’s most important is that you feel comfortable wearing it.”

Yu Wanru blushed at his compliment.

Xiao Anlan stared at her without blinking.

Earlier, when he went to pick her up, most of his attention had been drawn to her red, pouty lips.

At dinner, she had eaten with such care and grace that her lip gloss was still intact, though it had faded slightly.

The thin red color on her soft lips was especially tempting.

Yu Wanru avoided his gaze. After waiting for a while, she peeked back, only to find that he was still staring at her. Unable to resist, she shyly asked, “Why are you looking at me?”

Xiao Anlan honestly said, “I want to taste the flavor of the lip gloss on your lips.”

Yu Wanru immediately covered her mouth, “No.”

Last time, he said he wanted to eat the lychee in her mouth, and while she wasn’t paying attention, he kissed her. Now, he was saying he wanted to taste the lip gloss on her lips.

Xiao Anlan packed up the medical kit and bargained with her, “Just one small taste, okay?”

Yu Wanru shook her head repeatedly, her face red. Did he want to taste it several times?

But Xiao Anlan wouldn’t give up so easily, “Why not? Didn’t we kiss last time? Let me kiss you once more.”

Yu Wanru whispered, “Last time, you kissed me without permission.”

Xiao Anlan said, “If you don’t let me kiss you, I’ll steal a kiss again, and this time, I’ll kiss you in front of my mother and the others.”

Yu Wanru looked at him in disbelief, “How can you be so shameless?”

Xiao Anlan, after threatening, softened his tone and coaxed, “I’ll just kiss you lightly, one quick touch, and then leave. I promise I won’t be bold in front of my mother, okay?”

Yu Wanru’s heart was torn. In fact, she didn’t dislike Xiao Anlan, and she didn’t mind his closeness, but she was shy and not used to people being too close, so she couldn’t easily agree.

But now, if she didn’t agree, she feared that Xiao Anlan would kiss her in front of Madam Xiao. With so many elders watching, how could she face them later?

She secretly hoped Xiao Anlan was just trying to scare her and wouldn’t actually do it, but she didn’t dare to take the risk. After all, last time, he kissed her just as Auntie An was about to enter, nearly getting caught.

Xiao Anlan saw her hesitation and felt happy. In his mind, her hesitation meant consent, and his chance had come.

He slowly moved closer to her and squatted down.

Yu Wanru sat on a stone bench, and by slightly lowering her head, she could meet his eyes.

“Is it okay?” Xiao Anlan asked again.

Yu Wanru turned her eyes away, biting her lip as she confirmed, “Just a quick touch?”

Xiao Anlan quickly nodded. Whether he could keep his word didn’t matter; for now, he just wanted to get the kiss.

Yu Wanru pursed her lips. After a long pause, she said, “Here? What if someone sees us?”

Xiao Anlan hurriedly said, “It’s fine, look at all these wisteria flowers. They cover the whole pavilion, no one can see us.”

“…Then, you have to be quick.”

Xiao Anlan felt like a wolf howling in his heart, but he managed to control himself and remained calm.

He slowly moved closer to Yu Wanru, his eyes fixed on her lips.

Yu Wanru suppressed the urge to flee, sitting stiffly.

The two of them drew closer, their breaths mingling.

She unconsciously stretched out her hand and placed it on Xiao Anlan’s chest.

Xiao Anlan took her hand with one of his, and the other hand went behind her neck.

Yu Wanru realized she couldn’t move. She felt a little flustered. “Young Master Xiao…”

Xiao Anlan’s breath was slightly heavier. “What did I tell you to call me last time?”

“…An, Anlan.”

“It’s okay,” Xiao Anlan said. “Don’t be afraid, I’ll just kiss you once.”

He looked at those two red lips that had been on his mind all day, slowly leaned in, and gently kissed them. Then, he extended his tongue and slowly traced her lips.

Yu Wanru was stunned by his tongue. When Xiao Anlan tried to enter her mouth, she snapped out of it and began to struggle.

Xiao Anlan felt her panic and reluctance and didn’t continue, instead gently kissing her lips again to soothe her, then slowly pulled away.

Yu Wanru looked at him, her face red: “You… how could you…”

Xiao Anlan said, “This is called kissing. Only the closest people do this.”

Yu Wanru forgot what she wanted to say, lowering her head and staring at her feet, not daring to look at him.

Xiao Anlan gently touched her soft cheek with his finger, tucking a stray lock of hair behind her ear. “Wanru, you look really beautiful today. I really wish we could get married tomorrow so I could see you every day.”

Yu Wanru was flustered by his touch and words, hurriedly saying, “I… I want to go home.”

Xiao Anlan smiled softly. “Wait a moment. You lost your lip balm when I kissed you. I’ll go get some from my mother and reapply it. Otherwise, Aunt An will find out.”

Yu Wanru had no choice but to awkwardly wait where she was.

Xiao Anlan jogged back, sneaking into his mother’s room, and took a tube of lip balm from her dressing table. He was going to apply it to Yu Wanru, but when she refused, he gave up and let her do it herself.

The two returned to the living room, talked with Madam Xiao and the others, and after having afternoon tea, Yu Wanru and Auntie An finally left to go home.

Once Yu Wanru got home, she eagerly took off her shoes.

Madam Yu followed her into the room and asked, “How was it today? Everything went smoothly?”

Yu Wanru replied, “I think it went well, but the shoes were a bit tight.”

“New shoes often do that. I’ll have someone soften them for you. Did you meet all the Xiao family members? How were they? Easy to get along with?”

Yu Wanru nodded. “I met everyone. Uncle was at work, but he came back at noon especially for me. Uncle and Aunt are very kind, and everyone was polite.”

“That’s good.” Madam Yu nodded lightly, but since she planned to ask Auntie An for some more details later, she didn’t ask further.

She looked at her daughter and felt something wasn’t quite right, frowning. After a pause, she asked, “Wanru, isn’t the color of your lip balm different from this morning?”