Warmth

"Ouch!" Xu Yongyi slapped his thigh, wincing in pain, but he didn't care about the pain.

"Xiaoxue, you're really something! You've put together such a well-reasoned explanation. I never imagined you'd become more and more like your sister. No wonder people say, 'One who stays near vermilion gets stained red, and one who stays near ink gets stained black,' what you're saying is so true."

He turned to Xu Chongwen: "What your sister just said is exactly what I wanted to say. Don't get any ideas now, like secretly writing stories because your sister makes money. Let me tell you, not just anyone can get into the Zhao Family Clan School. You finally have this opportunity, so just bury yourself in your studies and don't think about anything else. You can't fall too far behind in school, otherwise I won't have the face to let you stay there. You have to get good grades, at least above average. Otherwise, we'll lose face, you'll embarrass Xiaoxi, and you'll embarrass the Earl of Suiping and his wife who have been trying so hard to help us."

Xu Chongwen blushed and lowered his head, replying, "Yes."

He heard his sister was making money from storybooks, so he stayed up all night writing one. But I don't know if he's just slow-witted and lacks talent, or if he hasn't found the right method. He's fine when writing articles, but when it comes to storybooks, he's completely clueless and doesn't know where to begin.

This made him even more frustrated.

Is he not as smart as his sister? If so, why is he even bothering with the imperial examinations?

But now that his father said that, his fighting spirit was rekindled.

The Xu Family weren't unintelligent. In his previous private school, he memorized texts faster than others and always ranked at the top in exams.

He believed that as long as he worked hard, even if he went to the Zhao Family School, he would definitely be able to excel in the exams and not bring shame to Xiaoxi, the Earl of Suiping's Residence, or his parents. He was determined to pass the imperial examinations and become a Xiucai (a successful candidate in the lowest level of the imperial examinations) before he turned twenty.

Zhao Ruxi had actually arrived long ago. The Xu Family's courtyard gate was not closed, and she could faintly hear voices coming from the main room. Since this was also her home, she walked straight in, only to overhear Xu Yongyi praising his daughter and instructing his son.

Considering Xu Chongwen's fragile pride, she didn't come in immediately. Instead, she paused outside the door for a moment before pretending to have just entered, cheerfully calling out, "Uncle, Aunt, are you home?"

"Xiaoxi, you've arrived?" Madam Xie was Gao Xing to see Zhao Ruxi.

Xu Xue reacted even faster, rushing over to grab Zhao Ruxi's arm and sweetly calling out, "Sister."

Xu Yongyi hadn't seen Zhao Ruxi in a long time.

He looked Zhao Ruxi up and down, nodding with satisfaction. "You've grown taller and look more energetic."

As he spoke, his nose started to sting.

This was originally the only bloodline of my elder brother and sister-in-law, but unexpectedly it became someone else's child.

He still considers Zhao Ruxi as family from the bottom of his heart. As for Zhao Ruyu, the true bloodline of the Xu Family, he usually doesn't even remember her, and he has no impression of what Zhao Ruyu looks like.

The child never considered himself Xu Family and never visited them again.

"Uncle, I'm sorry to have worried you the other day." When Zhao Ruxi saw Xu Yongyi, she couldn't help but shed tears, remembering how he had searched all over the city for her.

"I'm so glad you're alright, I'm so glad you're alright." Xu Yongyi still Youyu when he recalled the anxiety he had felt a while ago.

Upon seeing this, Madam Xie quickly changed the subject. "Alright, since Xiaoxi has come to pick us up, let's hurry up and leave, lest they keep us waiting."

As she said she was leaving, she pulled Zhao Ruxi back, saying, "Xiaoxi, take another look. Do you think my clothes and those of your uncles are appropriate? Don't look too shabby and embarrass yourself."

Zhao Ruxi glanced at them a few times and thought the others were fine, but Madam Xie's clothes were too brightly colored and didn't suit her.

She was probably dressed like this by Xu Xue; it's coral red. Madam Xie is slightly plump, and this color makes her look even heavier, and it also gives the impression that she's trying to look younger.

She asked Madam Xie, "Auntie, do you have any other clothes besides this one?"

"Yes, yes. Xiaoxue dragged me to buy several outfits yesterday." Madam Xie awkwardly tugged at her dress. "Isn't the color too bright? I told her I didn't want it, but Xiaoxue insisted on buying it, and she even forced me to wear it today."

Xiaoxue chuckled sheepishly beside her, "Isn't this color pretty?"

"The color is nice, but it makes you look a bit chubby. Darker colors would make you look slimmer and more energetic." Zhao Ruxi pulled her into the room. "Let's go inside and take a look. I'll pick one out for you."

Xu Yongyi and Xu Chongwen exchanged a helpless glance.

Although there are only two women in the family, and they are quite frugal, since receiving the invitation and buying some clothes and jewelry, they have gained a lot of experience in women's dressing up.

It's called changing clothes, but actually it involves changing skirts. The colors and styles of the clothes and skirts need to be matched in various ways. If you feel that your hairstyle doesn't match your clothes, you have to comb your hair again. After combing your hair, you can't just use the same jewelry, right? So you have to pick out some jewelry and try on different pieces.

In short, they can't leave the house in less than fifteen minutes.

Xu Yongyi said, "Go back to your room and memorize a passage. I'll call you when your mother and the others come out."

Xu Chongwen nodded and obediently went back to his room to study.

Back inside, Zhao Ruxi went through all the procedures Xu Yongyi had anticipated, and even did things they hadn't imagined.

She shaped Madam Xie's eyebrows and did her makeup—yesterday, Zhao Ruxi had the household's purchasing agent buy her a set of cosmetics used by women in ancient times. Zhao Ruxi was currently young and full of collagen, so she didn't need cosmetics. This set of cosmetics was a gift she had specially prepared for Madam Xie.

Although there were fewer types of cosmetics in ancient times than in modern times, the quality was still good and the variety was quite complete because it was produced by Empress Shengyao.

After changing into the clothes Zhao Ruxi had chosen and putting on makeup, even Xu Xue stared blankly at her mother.

It wasn't that Madam Xie's beauty was so stunning that she couldn't take her breath away; she was completely amazed by the magical power of makeup.

Madam Xie can be described as "a completely different person". She was just an ordinary village woman with slightly better features, but now she has become a dignified woman with a lot of temperament. Moreover, she is much prettier than before, and her good features are fully highlighted while her flaws are covered up.

Zhao Ruxi looked at Madam Xie's jewelry again, and only chose a jade hairpin to put in her hair bun, and then put a light purple pearl flower next to it. She then took off her original earrings and put on a pair of purple Zhenzhu stud earrings that she had brought with her.

"Jewelry should be exquisite, not abundant. The worst thing you can do is wear jewelry all over your head; that's something only the most tasteless nouveau riche wives do," she told Xu Xue.

While she was working, she was also explaining some theories about dressing and grooming to Xu Xue, from Xu Xue learned a lot.

Hearing her words, she quickly nodded, "Sister, I understand."