Aunt scolded Guang Ling, "You must have been slacking off. Your sister is frail, so cultivate diligently and protect her properly."
"I know," Guang Ling hurriedly grabbed her arm, stopping her from going on. "Aunt, I brought my classmates."
Aunt lowered her head and spotted Mo Ziqian first. She warmly patted his shoulder. "Ziqian is here too? Have you eaten? Aunt will take you to eat. Why are you still this skinny?"
Mo Ziqian answered each question in turn. "Not yet. I'm lean and muscular."
"Indeed," Aunt praised, "you're sturdier than this brat Guang Ling."
Guang Ling pursed his lips in dissatisfaction and pointed at Meng Anli. "There's an even more delicate one here."
The moment Aunt saw Anli, her eyes lit up. "What a beautiful little girl!"
She took one big step to Anli's side, reaching out as if to pat her before drawing her hand back and gently pinching her hair bun instead. A smile curved her lips, and even her voice softened.
"How old are you?"
Guang Ling: "..."
Meng Anli tilted up her face and answered honestly, "Eighteen."
"Oh my, eighteen already~ How wonderful."
Guang Ling: "?"
What was so wonderful about being eighteen?
Was this really his aunt?
Aunt asked gently, "You haven't eaten either, have you? Come in. Aunt will take you all to get something to eat."
"Thank you, Aunt."
"Oh~ Good, good, good." Aunt could not resist grabbing her hand, white as scallions.
Meng Anli felt that Aunt's palm was dry and rough, seemingly callused.
Aunt gently squeezed her fingers. "So this is what boneless softness feels like? So smooth~"
She laughed heartily, touching her with open frankness.
It did not make anyone uncomfortable in the slightest. Instead, Meng Anli could feel her warmth and praise.
Just as Meng Anli was about