Song Jianing didn't say a word to Guo Xiao for half a month. If she didn't live early, a step-brother who questioned her character, why did she accompany him to make a fool of himself? Since she entered the mansion, Guo Xiao has never given her a good face. He is always cold. Every time she is unlucky, the corners of her mouth are blistered or her nose is bumped, he will scold her for what she deserves.
In front of Tingfang's brothers and sisters, Song Jianing didn't show it. Anyway, Guo Xiao wouldn't take the initiative to talk to her when she wasn't completely deadlocked. Then, when they met alone in private, Song Jianing thought he couldn't see him and walked away. At the beginning, Song Jianing felt a little guilty. Seeing that Guo Xiao did not say anything, Song Jianing became more courageous.
On the 23rd day of the twelfth lunar month, on the day of the small year, a heavy snow fell in the capital, and the snow was a foot thick on both sides of the trail that people swept out. Everyone in the third room used the meal at Mrs. Tai's noon. After the dinner, Mrs. Tai said thoughtfully: "The snow is expected to fall tomorrow. You can eat it in your own courtyard at night, you don't need to come here."
The three people smiled and agreed.
Tingfang had something to tell her sister, and asked Song Jianing to leave later, Lin Shi and Guo Boyan went back first, and Guo Xiao stayed for some unknown reason. Tingfang glanced at her brother and pulled Song Jianing to her Yuchun Residence with a smile. The two sisters sat on the warm couch in the Dongci room and whispered, "An An, what gift are you going to give for my brother's birthday tomorrow?"
Song Jianing opened her mouth, and Jing Tingfang reminded her that she remembered it immediately. Guo Xiao's birthday is just one day after the new year, so it is very easy to remember. Every time the twelfth lunar month in the previous life, Guo Xiao arranged to take care of her and Li Ma would remind her to prepare Guo Xiao's birthday ceremony earlier. Song Jianing prepared it for seven years. It was delivered with the Guo family brothers and sisters. Song Jianing might not have forgotten if he hadn't gotten stuck with Guo Xiao this time.
"You forgot? Didn't I remind you?" Tingfang said with tears in her eyes.
Song Jianing pretended to be embarrassed and lowered his head.
Tingfang didn't blame her sister, and enthusiastically helped her out with ideas: "It's too late to embroider anything by myself. I embroidered a purse and made a jade pendant, my brother recognizes my stitches, you can take the jade pendant and say You sent it."
Song Jianing felt bad. If she didn't remember her previous life, it would be okay to send Guo Xiao as a step-sister, but Song Jianing remembered those days and nights when she couldn't give it away. With an excuse, he refused: "My elder sister is the elder sister. Gifts are more important to my heart. I will go back and look for it. Even if it is almost, my elder brother should not care."
That's the truth, Tingfang nodded with a smile, helped her sister tie a cloak, and sent her out.
The two sisters stepped out of the main room with their front and back feet. They saw Guo Xiao wearing a black cloak turning from the corner of the corridor. Song Jianing pursed his lips, and a bad thought suddenly appeared in his heart. Sure enough, when she got close, Guo Xiao looked at her and said, "Grandma has stopped, let me pick you up and go back directly, no need to say goodbye."
"Alright, then you can walk slowly on the road." Tingfang smiled at her sister, saw her brother holding an umbrella in his hand, and asked casually, "Brother hold on for An'an."
Song Jianing came with his parents before the meal, and did not bring his own maid.
Guo Xiao hummed lightly, told his sister to come back first, and he turned away.
Song Jianing followed behind him, Guo Xiao went down the corridor first, and stood under the steps with an umbrella, obviously waiting for her. Song Jianing tilted her head slightly. Seeing that Sister Tingfang was still looking at them, she had to walk to his side, a little far away, and then she felt Guo Xiao moved towards her, his arms raised, and the umbrella blocked all snowflakes.
When walking out, her steps are small, and his steps are not big. Just looking at the back, the two brothers and sisters seem to be very close.
After leaving Changxin Courtyard, Song Jianing lifted the cloak and hood behind her to cover her head, and whispered to the ground, "I'll go first."
He leaned forward and took a step forward. His left arm was suddenly grabbed by someone. The hold was too sudden and his strength was still so strong that Song Jianing, who couldn't run out and couldn't stand firm, slumped and fell directly into his arms. Guo Xiao raised an umbrella with one hand and held her shoulders with the other. When she stood firm, he immediately changed to clasping her arm. He grabbed her arm before Song Jianing said, "Are you not going to talk to me in this life?"
Song Jianing didn't expect him to ask such a question, so he forgot to struggle for a while.
Knowing that she wouldn't run away, Guo Xiao let go of her arm and his voice softened a bit: "Go back together."
Song Jianing pursed his lips and glanced at the jade pendant that was swaying lightly around the man's waist, acquiescing.
There was no wind today, only the rustling of snowflakes the size of goose feathers, and only the sound of two light and heavy footsteps. Song Jianing stared straight ahead, secretly guessing if Guo Xiao had something to say, Guo Xiao lowered his eyes and saw her blushing white cheeks under the brim of her hat.
She was about to grow a year older, and her temper was getting bigger and bigger. When she first entered the mansion, would she dare to show his face
However, daring to be angry just means that she was really wronged. Guo Xiao carefully thought about what he said that day. If she misunderstood what he mainly wanted to prevent was her deliberately approaching King Shou, the fat girl's character was questioned, and she did have anger and hatred. his reasons. Guo Xiao didn't want to be hated by his stepsister for no reason.
"In the study that day, in addition to giving you paint, did the Third Highness bully you?" Guo Xiao asked in a low voice as he walked.
Song Jianing frowned subconsciously: "Why did he bully me?"
Guo Xiao only said: "It's good that he didn't bully him. He has a bad temper and was humiliated by Duanhui because of you. I'm worried that you will be implicated."
Song Jianing stopped in surprise and looked at him in disbelief. The clear almond eyes became darker and brighter against the snow-white fox fur on the hood. Guo Xiao looked at this delicate little face without a trace, and reminded in the tone of a brother: "Although you are young, you are the most beautiful girl in our Guo family. As a brother, I have to think carefully. If I change it to another man with a foreign surname that day, I will also ask."
Song Jianing was shocked. It turned out that when Guo Xiao interrogated her, he didn't suspect that she was charming, but worried that King Shou was virtuous? That's true, then, Guo Xiao is actually kind. Thinking of this, Song Jianing, who was no longer angry, suddenly remembered how good Guo Xiao was to her. This person also defended Princess Duanhui when she bullied her.
"Why are you angry?" The misunderstanding was clarified, and Guo Xiao asked in turn.
Song Jianing blushed, unable to tell him the truth no matter what, and turned his head to the side in embarrassment.
She was reluctant to answer, and Guo Xiao did not ask any further questions, and kept sending Song Jianing back to Linyun Hall. Before entering the door, Guo Xiao suddenly stood in front of Song Jianing, looked into her eyes and asked, "Do you remember tomorrow, what day is it?"
Song Jianing nodded, feeling strange in her heart. In two lifetimes, this was the first time Guo Xiao took the initiative to ask her for a gift.
Back in his yard, Song Jianing sat on the bed holding the small copper stove, worrying silently. Now that she's reconciled, she can't be too perfunctory to give Guo Xiao's birthday present? Just, what to give
In the cold winter, Song Jianing hadn't touched needles and needles recently, and asked Liu'er to open the cage, which was almost filled with rarities for the girl's household. Song Jianing bent down and turned it over. She took out a small box of cedar wood and opened it carefully. Inside was the box of cherry red paint given to her by the King of Shou. Song Jianing had an idea and hid the future family heirlooms again. After a long rest, he went to his mother's place to ask for paint.
Lin is a talented girl, and the study naturally prepared these things, smiling and asking why her daughter suddenly wanted to learn painting. Song Jianing remained mysterious and left with a few boxes of paint in his hand. He stayed in the room for the second half of the day and didn't go anywhere.
The snow stopped the next day. Guo Fu and Guo Shu were in good spirits. They visited the Guogong Mansion early in the morning and came to discuss with the four younger sisters: "The plum blossoms are blooming in the back garden, and the snow is very beautiful. Clean up the pavilion over there, how about our brothers and sisters go to the pavilion to cook snow and make tea to celebrate the birthday of the eldest brother?"
Yunfang was the first to agree: "Okay!"
Song Jianing, Tingfang and Lanfang also agreed. The six brothers and sisters first went to the pavilion with their gifts, and when they were all together, they sent the servant to invite Guo Xiao.
After Guo Xiao learned about it, he went straight to the back garden without wearing the cloak. A tall and straight young man, wearing a black robe, walked slowly from the middle of the white snow on both sides, with a handsome face like jade. Song Jianing sat next to Tingfang holding the hand stove, watching Guo Xiao get closer and closer, and recalling the conversation with Guo Xiao yesterday, she felt that if Guo Xiao really wanted to be a good brother, she would also try to be true to him. 's siblings.
"Brother, this is the dagger I bought at a high price. It cuts iron like mud, and I give it to you." Guo Fu proudly took the lead in delivering the gift.
Guo Xiao took the dagger and took it out to take a look. The blade was sharp and cold, and it really was a good knife.
What Guo Shu gave was a "war book" that was said to have been lost. The book was handed over to his cousin, and he deliberately blocked it from his sisters. Guo Xiao looked at him suspiciously, flipped a page, and saw a man and a woman hugging each other inside, Guo Xiao didn't show any strangeness, closed the book and put it away, patted his cousin on the shoulder and said, "Come to me tomorrow. study."
Guo Shu couldn't laugh anymore.
It was the turn of the four younger sisters. Tingfang gave a hand-embroidered purse, Lanfang a belt, and Yunfang gave a pair of thick insoles. The last thing Song Jianing sent, he handed a scroll to Guo Xiao, and said with a smile, "I wish eldest brother better and better kung fu. In the future, he will become an official and go straight to the sky."
Guo Xiao glanced at her, and opened the scroll in public, revealing a picture of plum blossoms, which was obviously copied from a famous plum picture. The flowers are clustered together, and only the roundness of the person who painted them can be seen. Yun Fang laughed, and Guo Shu breathed a sigh of relief: "Okay, my gift is finally not the bottom."
Song Jianing was used to their jokes and didn't take it seriously.
"Practice well next time." Guo Xiao said solemnly while rolling up the autograph that his step sister gave him.
Song Jianing gave a perfunctory hum, since they are both older brothers, why do you care about beauty and ugliness
After the gifts were delivered, the four girls walked out of the pavilion to appreciate the plums. After a while, there were two whizzing winds behind them. Song Jianing's reaction was a step slower. The back of her head was hit by a snowball, and the snow fell into her neck, making her gasp. Yunfang was also smashed, and immediately after jumping, she saved snowballs to fight back. Song Jianing was afraid of the cold, so she grabbed Tingfang's arm and just hid around.
The provocative laughter of the twins and the crisp anger of the little girls crossed the wall and clearly spread to the Shouwang Mansion next door.
Zhao Heng, who also came out to enjoy the snow scene, slowly stopped on the road and listened.