Flowers in full bloom

Hua Lei's mind moved slightly, and she calmed down, bowed and said slowly, "It's really Hua Lei and I who are rude. When we arrived in Shangjing City, we should have gone to the Marquis' Mansion to pay respect to Grandmother Pei, but..." Hua Lei paused and continued,

"Butler Pei has also seen that Hua Lei and I are both in mourning, so it is not appropriate for us to go directly to the Marquis' Mansion. That's why Hua Lei sent a visiting card to the Marquis' Mansion half a month ago. Maybe something went wrong, and Hua Lei didn't receive a reply from the Marquis' Mansion, so she didn't dare to go to pay a visit to Grandma Pei. I'm really sorry for causing Grandma Pei trouble."

"Miss Hua sent a letter to the Marquis' Mansion?" This time it was Butler Pei's turn to be surprised. "Yes, she sent it three times."

"I sent it three times, but the old lady never received it. Half a month ago, she even sent guards to Shangjing City to look for you two."

"Maybe something went wrong. Hualei is still young, and maybe she didn't realize that she did something wrong." Hualei's tone was calm, without a trace of dissatisfaction.

"Maybe the doorman was lazy. I will investigate thoroughly when I get back. Fortunately, Miss Hua and Young Master Hua are safe, otherwise..." Butler Pei stopped talking and turned to Hua Lei, "Miss Hua, do you want to pack anything? Or wait for Young Master Hua to come back from school? Then we can go back to the mansion together?"

"This..." Hua Lei hesitated, "Butler Pei, how about this? When Grandmother Pei is free, I will take you to the Marquis' Mansion to pay your respects. As for living there, I think it's better not to bother Grandmother Pei like this. After all, Hua Lei and I are still in mourning."

"This..." Butler Pei looked at Hua Lei and thought of the many relatives who lived in the Marquis' Mansion. He was a little speechless. When others heard that they could live in the Marquis' Mansion, they would have agreed without thinking twice. But this Miss Hua was different. The master and his wife came directly to pick her up, but she was still hesitating. This person is really special.

"How about I go back and ask the old lady what she thinks? See when the old lady is convenient?" Butler Pei said hesitantly.

"Okay, thank you for troubling Butler Pei. I'll wait for your news."

"Okay, then I'll go back first." Butler Pei stood up and said goodbye. Hua Lei and Ping An saw Butler Pei off to the carriage before turning back to the study.

Leaning on the small couch by the window in the study, Hua Lei closed her eyes and thought deeply. In the afternoon, Butler Pei came to the door again and made an appointment with Hua Lei to go to the Marquis' Mansion to meet the old lady on the third day. That day happened to be the day off for the young men and young ladies in the mansion, and Xiao Yuan was also on a day off. Nowadays, whether it is a government school or a private school, basically they have a day off every ten days, and the last day of each ten days is a day off. Hua Lei agreed and said that she would go to the Marquis' Mansion on time.

In the evening, after Xiaoyuan came back and had dinner, Hualei told everyone about this. Uncle Fu and Aunt Fu were all mixed up. They were happy that their daughter would have someone to rely on for the rest of her life, but they were worried that the daughter would meet a bad man and that they would have no one to support her. Aunt Fu was anxious and wanted to buy some fabric to make clothes for Hualei and Xiaoyuan. Hualei grabbed Aunt Fu and persuaded her to stop.

In a blink of an eye, it was the day to visit the Marquis' Mansion. Early in the morning, Aunt Fu did not go to the market to help collect money. Instead, she stood at the door of Hualei and Xiaoyuan's room, watching them get up and helping them pack their clothes. Even when Hualei was washing, Aunt Fu followed behind her, which made Hualei laugh.

Comfort Aunt Fu, don't be nervous. But while packing the things to take to the Marquis' Mansion, Aunt Fu said to Hua Lei with hope, "Miss, if the young master of the Pei family is a good person, you must hurry up. If you have a place to stay, the master can also rest assured in the underworld. The one the master is most worried about is you."

After a while, he said worriedly, "Miss, what if the young master of the Pei family is a bad guy? What if they force you to marry them? It seems that this housekeeper Pei is quite attentive. Could it be that their young master is not a good match?"

Hua Lei almost spit out her food when she heard this. Aunt Fu really thinks too much. She patted Aunt Fu's hand and comforted her, "Aunt Fu, please go and see today. But no matter what, I won't mention the engagement. It's good enough to be taken care of by the Marquis' Mansion. Don't expect too much. We must know ourselves." Aunt Fu hesitated to speak.

Before 9 o'clock, the carriage of the Marquis' Mansion had already stopped in front of the house in Qingyun Lane. Butler Pei and a carriage-driving servant were already standing respectfully beside the carriage, waiting.

Hualei put her things on the carriage, and took Xiaoyuan to the Dingbei Marquis's Mansion with Madam Fu, who was looking very nervous. The carriage drove smoothly for three quarters of an hour, and then stopped in front of the second gate of the Marquis's Mansion. Two maids were already standing in front of the second gate. When they saw the carriage stop, they came forward, carefully lifted the curtain, and helped Hualei and Xiaoyuan get off the carriage.

Hua Lei smiled at the maid who was supporting her and said, "Thank you, sister." She turned her head slightly and glanced at her younger brother behind her. "Thank you, sister, for supporting me." Xiao Yuan's innocent and soft voice sounded behind her at the right time. The two maids smiled at each other and felt more favorable towards Hua Lei and her brother.

At this time, another maid came over and bowed slightly to Hua Lei and Xiao Yuan, "Miss Hua, Young Master Hua, the old lady is waiting in the room, the ladies of several rooms are here too, and the young masters and young ladies are here too." Hua Lei smiled and nodded, then followed the maid through a small garden and arrived at the main house of Songhe Courtyard where the old lady lived.

Before entering the house, she heard a burst of laughter in the room. The maid lifted the curtain at the door, announced it, and let Hualei in. Hualei slightly adjusted her cuffs and walked slowly into the room with Xiaoyuan.

The room was full of people. Sitting at the top was an old lady in her fifties, wearing a crab-green brocade jacket with a silver-threaded pattern of good fortune and auspiciousness. Her hair was gray and her face was deeply wrinkled. She was smiling at the siblings who came in. Hua Lei took Xiao Yuan and walked a little faster, kneeling on the ground.

"Hua Lei (Hua Moyuan) meets Grandmother Pei"

"Get up, get up. There's no need for such a big ceremony. Come, come, come here and let me see you." He pulled Hualei and her brother one by one and brought them to his side.

"Oh, the sister is pretty, the brother is pretty too, both of them are pretty. You have suffered a lot, kid, why don't you just come over? Those lazy ones at the door have been beaten with boards." He touched Xiaoyuan's thin body and said with concern.

"We don't have any taboos about that. From now on, you can live in the mansion. The yard has been prepared for you." Grandmother Pei looked at the thinner Hualei siblings and said with joy and distress. While speaking, she asked Hualei siblings to greet everyone one by one.

Today Hua Lei wore a lotus-white long skirt with flowing cloud patterns. She had a thin tassel-like belt made of the same color fabric around her waist, which made her already slender waist look even slimmer. She wore a loose robe with wide sleeves over it.

Her whole figure was graceful, fresh and elegant. Her jet-black hair was tied into a bun. She used several pearl hairpins to pin it up, and a few pearls of different sizes were pinned irregularly in her hair. On her small earlobes, there was a pair of pearl earrings, which exuded a soft luster and echoed the pearls in her hair.

On a jade-white face, there was a pair of almond eyes, black and bright. At this moment, because she was about to greet everyone, she was smiling slightly, with the tails of her eyes slightly upturned, and two dimples like two epiphyllums blooming at the corners of her mouth. She was really bright and charming, with eyebrows and eyes as beautiful as a painting. Everyone couldn't help but praise her in their hearts, saying that she was as beautiful as a flower and the moon, and the most beautiful in the world.