Chapter 273: Little Aunt

"Hmm, minds linked?"

"Hahaha, right — minds linked!"

Xu Weiran laughed heartily and gave Su Yu a red envelope, which Su Yu accepted happily.

"Thank you, Great-Grandpa!"

Su Yu opened it. 【Wuhu, it's cash! Too bad Wulongcha isn't here, otherwise it would be super happy!】

Su Yu was all smiles — clearly genuinely happy! Gu Yang affectionately patted Su Yu's head.

The people waiting in line saw this and were quite satisfied in their hearts. Their old master was as fair as ever — when receiving New Year greetings, no matter whose child it was, everyone got the same red envelope.

With Su Yu's gift, no one found Ji Yan's warm-jade pendant and jade-bone double-sided embroidery fan particularly novel anymore.

They reflected inwardly that Ji Yan and Su Yu had put real thought into it, and the Su Family's attitude was equally comforting! Such fine things, and they agreed to give two sets!

Xu Mo Bai, sharp-eyed, caught sight of the little pouch Su Yu was carrying — it looked like a gift. "Sweetie, does this sister have the honor of receiving your New Year gift too?"

"Happy New Year, Sister! Wishing you that all goes well!"

Su Yu held up a bag containing a ruyi scepter, presenting it with both hands to Xu Mo Bai.

Xu Mo Yan happened to lean in at just this moment. "Xiao Yu, is there a gift for me?"

"Happy New Year, Brother! Wishing you good things in the new year!"

Xu Mo Yan was very pleased with the blessing. He quickly took the bag Su Yu was holding and opened it for a look.

"It's so pretty — thank you, Xiao Yu!"

Xu Mo Bai, meanwhile, turned the ruyi scepter and bag over and over in her hands, examining them from every angle. After looking, she excitedly pulled Su Yu in and planted a big "mua" kiss on her.

"I love this gift so much — sweetie, I love you!"

Xu Mo Yan tried to snatch Su Yu back from Xu Mo Bai's grasp, grumbling, "Don't scare Xiao Yu!"

"No way — she's mine today!"

Xu Mo Bai dodged Xu Mo Yan's hand and turned to face Ji Yan and Xu Mingyue. "Little Aunt, Grand-Aunt, please do as you like — I'm taking her off to play!"

Seeing Xu Mo Bai trying to squeeze her way out, Su Yu quickly said, "Mama, remember to give everyone the gifts we prepared!"

Ji Yan smiled and nodded!

The people still in line to present gifts to Xu Weiran were rather expectant — would theirs be the same as Xu Mo Bai and the others'?

The answer was that they all did! And exactly the same as Xu Mo Bai's and Xu Mo Yan's!

After receiving the gifts from Su Yu and Ji Yan, the atmosphere at the Xu family banquet was unprecedentedly lively. Everyone showed the utmost enthusiasm and patience toward Su Yi and Ji Tianlin, who had come to socialize.

This banquet was thoroughly enjoyable for hosts and guests alike!

The banquet ended at two in the afternoon, and everyone left chatting and laughing. The children of Xu Weiran's branch stayed for dinner — a proper family gathering.

Ji Yan separately gave another gift to each of the adults and children.

Xu Mo Bai also received her own pearl bracelet. The charm on her pearl bracelet was a four-leaf clover she liked. The four-leaf clover wasn't a simple iron charm — it was also set with green gemstones, exquisite and lovely. Xu Mo Bai couldn't put it down!

Xu Mo Bai, who had been staying by Su Yu's side, placed the four-leaf clover charm right in front of Su Yu the moment she woke from her nap.

"Look — pretty?"

"Very pretty!"

"Little Aunt is truly wonderful! On the surface, the bracelets she gave us all look like pearl bracelets, but the charms are each one's favorite! Everyone's charm is different!"

Clearly, before preparing the gifts, Ji Yan had carefully learned their preferences and delivered the matching gift to each person. They cared not only about the gifts themselves but even more about the thoughtfulness behind them!

"As long as Sister likes it!"

【Giving a gift that lands right in someone's heart is a huge victory!】

"I super love it!"

Xu Mo Bai was thrilled! She carefully placed the pearl bracelet into a box she had specially found, then took Su Yu's little hand.

"Come on, let's go down and play with the other kids!"

Xu Mo Bai led Su Yu downstairs.

"Tonight we'll all eat together in the living room!"

"Okay!"

Xu Mingyue, worried that someone might jostle Su Yu, had originally planned at noon to take Su Yu to her own room to eat. Xu Mo Bai intercepted them midway and whisked Su Yu off to her own room to eat and nap.

Xu Mingyue needed to introduce Ji Yan to the family, and once busy genuinely couldn't keep an eye on Su Yu, so she tacitly approved of Xu Mo Bai's arrangement and told her to take good care of Su Yu.

Coming downstairs and seeing the children building with blocks, Su Yu naturally joined the block-building crew.

When the blocks were finished, little Xu Ruyi in the very middle finally noticed Xu Mo Bai's presence. "Auntie, look — this is the four of us. Huh, how come there's one extra?"

"Hello everyone, I'm Su Yu!"

Xu Ruyi tilted his head, looking at the extra little girl. "Do your mom and dad really love eating fish? Why did they name you Su Yu?"

Xu Ruyi quite loved eating crispy fried fish!

Xu Mo Bai laughed heartily. "Ruyi, are you itching to go running again?"

Xu Ruyi was the first child of the newest generation in the Xu family. The Xu family doted on girls, and at the time Ruyi's mother's pregnancy symptoms strongly resembled those of a girl, so Xu Weiran named the unborn child Xu Ruyi.

The entire Xu family was very satisfied with this name. Everyone eagerly anticipated Ruyi's arrival. Xu Mo Bai used her saved pocket money to prepare a gift for her future little niece.

But when the baby was born — it was a boy.

At that time, Ruyi's mother fell into depression. Though everyone was disappointed, they were even more afraid something might happen to Ruyi's mother. To keep her from overthinking, the whole family tacitly agreed: the child would be called "Ruyi."

Little Ruyi was a foodie — he loved eating from childhood onward. Ruyi's mother got pregnant with a second child a year later and didn't fall into depression, because all her attention was focused on her son, who could now walk and sneak food!

When he was little, Ruyi's mother's main rule was not letting him eat too much. Now that he was bigger, she allowed Ruyi to eat, but he had to control his weight. If he ate too much, he had to follow the family doctor's advice and do scientific training.

Ruyi was a bit lazy. Under his mother's forceful suppression, he was made to eat normal portions, but that didn't stop him from craving food every single day!

Su Yu shook her head. "It's not the fish you eat — it's a different character."

Ruyi, already a five-year-old schoolboy, went "Oh." "It's a homophone!"

"Yes, you're great!"

"Hehe, little sister, whose daughter are you? How come I've never seen you before?"

Xu Ruyi is very sociable and can talk with peers. They recall that they had never seen such a cute little sister before!

Younger brother Xu Rushan tugged at his older brother's clothes, but Xu Ruyi didn't catch the younger brother's hint.

Xu Mo Bai cackled, "She is your little aunt!"

Xu Ruyi looked to the other three brothers for confirmation, one his own younger brother, two his cousins.

The three children nodded gravely; this tiny one, even smaller than Xu Rushan, is their little aunt!

Last time Xu Ruyi was studying abroad and missed the banquet. The three of them attended, but stayed silent the whole time. Calling a child younger than them "little aunt" in front of the other kids was somewhat embarrassing.

Xu Ruyi opened his mouth hesitantly, "Little …"

He couldn't say it!

Xu Ruyi became withdrawn. They didn't want to be an impolite child, but the one in front should be called "little sister," so why was it "little aunt"?

Su Yu didn't care about the title, "You can call me Xiao Yu!"

Xu Rushan responded quickly, "Hello, Xiao Yu!"

Xu Ruchu and Xu Ruyun, the brothers, also replied, "Hello, Xiao Yu!"

Having studied under Xu Weiran since childhood, Xu Ruyi thought this was inappropriate, but the three words "little aunt" he still couldn't utter.

"Time to eat!"

Xu Mo Yan came over shouting, Xu Mo Bai led Su Yu toward the living‑room, and the other four children whooshed past in an instant!

"Sweetie, let's wash our hands first."

Su Yu and Xu Mo Bai washed their hands, and on the way to their seats they saw the four children just mentioned being tugged by the ears of two somewhat fierce uncles toward the restroom.

"Hahaha, those four just won't learn; they heard there's food and rushed over without even washing their hands!"

Xu Mo Bai was initially a bit regretful when she learned that the sister‑in‑law and the elder sister‑in‑law didn't want to have more children. She figured she could only hope for a little niece through Xu Mo Yan. Later, when the four nephews grew up, Xu Mo Bai felt the joy of playing with nephews, and the nephews gradually became sensible, so she stopped nagging Xu Mo Yan to be sure to have a daughter in the future—she wanted to cherish the nephews' young hearts and not let them think she disliked them!

According to Xu family customs, Xu Weiran and Gu Yang sit at the main seat, followed in order by Xu Mingyue's elder brother and sister‑in‑law, Xu Mingyue's couple, Xu Mingyue's two nephews and their wives, Ji Yan's couple, Xu Mingyue's two great‑nephews and their wives, Xu Mo Bai, Xu Mo Yan, Su Yu and the four children.

The family banquet has few rules; seating is by order, and children may move around freely.

Before Xu Weiran and Gu Yang spoke, Xu Mo Bai and Xu Mo Yan first placed Su Yu in the middle of them.

"Sweetie, I'll take care of you!"

Ji Yan looked and saw that Su Yu was very well‑behaved, eating meat and vegetables alike. She felt at ease chatting with the people around her.

The women chatted happily, while the men each had their own worries. Ji Tianlin had to deal with his father‑in‑law and elder brother‑in‑law's questioning, and Xu Mingyue's two nephews had to care for their grandson together with their son.

At the whole dining table, everyone was busy, yet it still seemed very relaxed, making Su Yi feel out of place while eating.

Su Yi: Sometimes a daughter being too obedient is also a trouble!

Su Yi, who isn't busy, is actually the most anxious! He fears that some man in the Xu family will look at him unfavorably and bring about a test from Yan Yan's natal family!

A typical example is his father‑in‑law Ji Tianlin, who was scolded by Xu Weiran as a dog. He bows his head, and Su Yi can see his own future in a glance!

Fortunately, several great‑grandchildren are rather mischievous, so most of the Xu men spend most of their time caring for those four children and have no time to pick a quarrel with him.

………

On the way home, Su Yi felt a sourness in his heart. This visit made Su Yu the biggest winner!

She had lunch under Xu Mo Bai's care, took a beautiful nap in Xu Mo Bai's room, and that evening Xu Mo Bai and Xu Mo Yan jointly looked after her; whether it was dinner or a midnight snack, she was the most carefree. Among all the children, she was the only one who didn't get hit! All in all, her New‑Year visit to the Xu family was truly a VIP treatment!

"Xiao Yu, can dad see the gifts you received?"

Thanks for the votes, dear fans~

This chapter is three thousand words~

Xu family relationships, brief version: Xu family patriarch Xu Weiran has an eldest daughter, eldest son and youngest daughter (Xu Mingyue). The eldest son had two sons. The eldest grandson had Xu Mo Bai (unmarried) and Xu Moan (Xu Moan is the older brother, who had two sons, Xu Ruyi and Xu Rushan).

The next generation had Xu Moseng (who had two sons, Xu Ruchu and Xu Ruyun) and Xu Mo Yan (unmarried).

The eldest daughter is deceased; she married Qin Zhenzhong, who is Qin Yuanjun's father.