Twin Brother

"You brothers and sisters needn't give one another gifts upon meeting. You'll be living together in the residence from now on, and there will be plenty of chances to exchange gifts. There's no need to rush," the old madam said.

Everyone understood.

Xu Xi had just returned from the countryside and had nothing on hand. Even if she wanted to give her younger brothers and sisters gifts upon meeting, she had no way to do so, and she would end up embarrassing herself. The old madam was sparing her that awkwardness.

Everyone felt all the more certain that the old madam valued this newly returned Fifth Miss.

Normally, with the separation between men and women, the young masters should have paid their respects separately, as the masters had. But Zhao Jingli, the eldest boy of their generation, had only just turned fourteen and had yet to marry. The women in the room were all the boys' mothers, aunts, sisters, or other blood relatives. There were no sisters-in-law of their own generation from whom they needed to keep their distance. That was why the old madam had ordered them all to come into the room and meet together.

And this, too, had not happened in her previous life.

"This is the heir of the household, your eldest male cousin, Zhao Jingli," Matron Ruan said, pointing to a youth.

Xu Xi smiled and nodded, then lowered her head and curtsied. "Eldest Brother."

Zhao Jingli was tall and slender, with delicate features and a refined manner. He smiled warmly at Xu Xi and cupped his hands in return. "Fifth Sister."

"This is the second young master, your brother born of the same mother, Zhao Jing'an. He's only a little less than half a shichen older than you," Matron Ruan said, introducing a boy seated right beside Zhao Jingli.

Hearing that this was her twin brother, Xu Xi couldn't help taking a careful look at him, only to meet Zhao Jing'an's curious gaze.

Unlike Zhao Jingli, who stood like a jade tree in the wind and looked every bit a graceful young gentleman, Zhao Jing'an probably hadn't begun his growth spurt yet. He was still a chubby boy, half a head shorter than Zhao Jingli and much shorter than even Xu Xi.

Whether his features were crowded together by all that fat or he had simply been born that way, his eyes looked small and his nose lacked height. At first glance, his looks were nothing remarkable. Fortunately, as a young gentleman raised in a marquis's household, he had a decent bearing.

"Second Brother." Xu Xi bowed.

"You're my twin sister?" Zhao Jing'an asked. "Why don't we look alike?" Then he looked at Xu Xi, who was half a head taller than him, his face full of despair.

It was bad enough that Zhao Jingli, who was the same age as him, was tall and slender, but what could he do when his eldest uncle was taller than his father? Now he had finally gotten his twin sister back, only for her to be tall and slender too, leaving him the only squat winter melon. How was he supposed to go on living?

"Brother An, don't talk nonsense. Everyone in the room is waiting to greet your sister," Lady Wei hurriedly said.

Zhao Jing'an looked up at the people in the room and scratched his head, a little embarrassed. He hurriedly cupped his hands and returned Xu Xi's greeting. "Fifth Sister."

As soon as he finished, he turned around and retorted to his mother, "How am I talking nonsense? Isn't there a pair of twins in the street up ahead? They look exactly alike. It was one thing that Miss Yu didn't look like me, but now my real twin sister has come back, and she still doesn't look like me?" Worst of all, she was actually taller than him. Hmph!

As he spoke, he glanced over at Zhao Ruyu. She was about the same height as him.

Lady Wei was furious at his words and snapped, "Shut up. You're the one who talks too much."

Only then did Zhao Jing'an pout and fall silent.

Lady Zhu had always been kind to children. Although Zhao Jing'an was Lady Wei's own son, his temperament was unlike his mother's. He was somewhat carefree and was a good, straightforward child. Besides, he had moved out of the inner courtyard when he was seven and spent all day with Zhao Jingli. The two boys were very close, having been born on the same day. Loving the house, Lady Zhu loved the crow on its roof as well, and felt a little more genuine affection for Zhao Jing'an.

Seeing this, she couldn't help smiling. "Brother An, you don't know this, but only twins of the same sex look alike. Twins of different sexes don't. You're a boy and your sister is a girl, so naturally you don't look alike."

Zhao Jing'an thought about his own appearance and touched the fine fuzz growing on his upper lip. Then he imagined his sister with a face just like his, short and plump, with little whiskers on her face... He shuddered and nodded repeatedly. "Eldest Aunt, you're right."

He cast Xu Xi a glance, still shaken. "Sister looks prettier this way. If she looked just like me, she wouldn't be pretty." What if she couldn't get married later? Men relied on talent, while women could only rely on their looks.

Everyone in the room laughed.

Lady Wei glared at her son. "Talking nonsense again."

Men and women were different, and there was a distinction between legitimate and shu-born children. After leading Xu Xi to meet Zhao Jingli and Zhao Jing'an, Matron Ruan brought her before Zhao Ruxin and Zhao Rurui and introduced them to one another.

Zhao Ruxin was gentle and approachable. Zhao Rurui, too, wore a radiant smile, but Xu Xi saw a trace of disdain and hostility in her eyes.

After she had met her older brothers and sisters, the younger ones came forward of their own accord to greet Xu Xi, one by one in order of age.

Thus, apart from her eldest uncle Zhao Yuanxun and third uncle Zhao Yuankun, Xu Xi had met almost all the masters of the marquis's residence.

"Almost," because she had yet to meet the concubines of the household. They were half-mistresses too.