Otherworldly Companions: Every Handsome Man is Extraordinary

It wasn't until the third day that Lin Yi returned to his former sunny and handsome appearance, and Jiang Yu's heart, which had been hanging in suspense, finally settled down.

We quickly started arranging the activities that had been planned before.

Jiang Yu put aside all her work and spent the entire week-long vacation with Lin Yi, eating, drinking, and having fun.

When Lin Yi left after his vacation, he still looked reluctant to leave, showing no signs of being a general and not at all afraid of losing face in front of his subordinates.

"These are dishes presented by Lady Vanessa." Ador rushed over with a box before Lin Yi left.

"What dishes?" Jiang Yu asked curiously.

"They said it was for General Lin Yi to take with him on his journey, which is quite an unusual practice," A'duo said in a low voice.

“Hmm, Lady Vanessa is so thoughtful. Then please give it to the General to take on his journey.” Jiang Yu opened the lid and glanced at it, finding it indeed to be rare. “Don’t forget to thank Lady Vanessa for me.”

"Yes." Ado instructed someone to pack the box, bowed, and withdrew.

"Mrs. Vanessa?" Lin Yi felt the name sounded familiar, but couldn't quite place who she was. It was only after Fan Qingyin explained it to him that he remembered she was the lady from the Wilman family, whom Jiang Yu had specifically introduced to him at the banquet that evening. Apparently, it was the Caizhu family, which had been a great help to Jiang Yu.

"Xiao Yu, your sound-sensing ability is very strong, you don't need to do everything yourself." Lin Yi said with concern, and before leaving, he added, "Don't let me see you looking thinner next time you come back."

After seeing Lin Yi off, Jiang Yu finally breathed a sigh of relief. She had stayed with Lin Yi for the past few days, and although Lin Yi had not shown the same passionate aggression as that night, she was still constantly on edge.

She really didn't know what kind of emotions and consequences refusing again would cause Lin Yi. She felt like someone who owed a debt and wouldn't pay it back, dragging it out as long as possible, which was truly pathetic.

Lady Vanessa's delivery of groceries just now reminded her of the strong support she had received from the Wilman family during this time. Their support had helped to somewhat consolidate the Caizhu family within the county, laying a solid foundation for the implementation of her new laws. She needed to find a time to properly express her gratitude.

Mrs. Vanessa sat at the table, a string of seashells on her wrist, and a plate beside her filled with evenly sized, shimmering pearls. This was a family heirloom weaving method, producing a beautiful and captivating string of seashell beads.

"Mother, did you call me?" Lanny had just returned from outside when he was told that his mother was waiting for him.

When he saw his mother, he found her weaving a very complicated string of seashell beads. This was a family heirloom weaving method, which was very time-consuming and laborious, and his mother had not woven it for many years.

"How did you start knitting this?"

“Lanny, you’re back. Look at these pearls, what do you think?” Lady Vanessa continued working with her hands, gesturing with her eyes for Lanny to look at the plate containing the pearls.

Lanny then took a closer look and discovered that every single pearl in this small dish was a rare gem. The tribe had been collecting fewer and fewer rare pearls over the years, and this dish contained most of the top-quality pearls they had gathered in recent years.

He looked closer and saw that the seashells his mother used were also a rare and precious variety. He was puzzled, wondering why his mother would suddenly think of weaving such a string of beads. Was it to be given away as a gift? So Lanny looked up at his mother.

"Who do you think I'm giving this beaded string to?" Mrs. Vanessa picked up a blue seashell, examined its texture closely, and then put it down, replacing it with a pink one.

"Mother wouldn't be thinking of keeping it for herself, would she?" Lanny joked with a smile, then added, "With her family's craftsmanship and such high-quality materials, it would be fitting to present it to the Emperor."

“I don’t have such grand ambitions,” Mrs. Vanessa smiled. “This beaded string suits your sweetheart, doesn’t it?” As she spoke, she handed over the beaded string that she had only partially woven.

Lanny didn't take it. She pursed her lips awkwardly, her heart trembling slightly, realizing that her mother had seen through something.

He didn't deny it, but looked at his mother seriously and asked, "Mother, when did you find out?"

"When I found out is not important. You concealed it very well. If I didn't know my own son well, I probably wouldn't have seen through it so quickly. But Lenny, I want to ask you, has your mind changed?"

“My mind will not change,” Lanny replied firmly, but soon became somewhat discouraged. “It’s just that the lord… her status… I am too different from her, and perhaps I will never succeed.”

“You’re a proud child, ever since you were little. You’re the most adventurous among your peers, just like your father.” Lady Vanessa looked at her son. In her eyes, while the Divine Envoy Fan Qingyin and General Lin Yi were undoubtedly the chosen ones, her son wasn’t without his merits either.

“But I don’t value you just because you’re brave. Lanny, you should know what your greatest strength is. Coming from a family like ours, if you want to reach for the moon, courage alone isn’t enough.”

“Mother, I understand what you mean. What I’m worried about is… our family is considered quite well-off in the county, but compared to her status in the capital, I’m practically from humble beginnings. I’m just worried that she might think I’m not upright enough.”

Lanny shook his head. His mother was a shrewd strategist, and in addition to inheriting his father's bravery, he had also learned a lot from his mother.

He understood that it was virtually impossible to gain the lord's favor openly and honestly through sheer charm. But he genuinely loved the lord and didn't want to use any underhanded schemes against the one he loved.

“But Lanny, what good is your uprightness if she doesn’t look at you?” Mrs. Vanessa placed the string of seashell beads on the table, looking at it tenderly, her tone gentle as well.

“Like these pearls and shells, they are very good in themselves, but with ordinary processing methods, the accessories they make are only fit to be worn in the hair of nobles. But if there is a pair of skillful hands, willing to spend time weaving, they can become the most precious accessories of royal family members.”

"Once they appear in the most magnificent palaces and attend the grandest banquets, dressed in the most expensive clothes, who would know which sea or trench they come from?"

She looked at her son and sighed, “Look at my hands. Lanny, don’t let your background limit you. You’re not a child who can be content with the status quo. The most magnificent jewels can also come from rough hands weathered by the sun and wind. As long as they eventually catch the eye of someone with a beautiful neck, that is the greatest success.”

Lanny looked deeply at his mother, as if he were seeing her all over again. His mother's soft voice, without even a change in tone, easily comforted him and finally stopped his wavering in making a decision that he had been unable to make for a long time.

"I understand, thank you, Mother."