Yao Yue walked beside her sister, wearing a silver-white ruqun embroidered with delicate camellia patterns. She seemed to be clutching a brocade sachet embroidered with flame motifs in her hand.
Ya Fei was still dressed in her signature red gown, its hem embroidered with dark golden trailing vine patterns. Her smile was radiant yet dignified as the three of them approached side by side.
"Great-Grandfather." Yao Yue coquettishly tugged at Jia Xing Tian's arm and held the sachet out toward Xiao Yan. Her cheeks carried a young girl's bashfulness. "Brother Xiao Yan, I heard you're going to Jia Nan Academy, so I specially embroidered this protective charm. I hope you have a safe journey."
Xiao Yan looked at the lifelike flame pattern on the sachet—it even somewhat resembled the form of his Heavenly Flames. She had clearly put a great deal of thought into it.
He hurriedly accepted it with both hands. Feeling the hard object inside the sachet against his palm, his heart warmed. "Thank you, Little Princess Yao Yue. I'll accept this gift and keep it close at all times."
Xiao Yao watched the interaction between the two, a knowing smile curling at his lips, while his eyes held the understanding unique to an elder brother.
He raised a hand and patted Xiao Yan's shoulder, then turned to Yao Yue with perfectly measured teasing in his voice. "Little Princess Yao Yue's gift is far more precious than the cultivation resources we prepared—Little Flame, make sure you keep it safe. Don't let the princess's feelings go to waste."
Xiao Yan's ears reddened slightly at those words. He quickly raised his wine cup and took a sip as if to conceal it, making everyone present burst into laughter.
Jia Xing Tian laughed the heartiest. Then, looking at Xiao Zhan, he