The clothes were chosen by Han Shi, a white dress with blue floral patterns. The lining was roughly the same color but looked thicker in texture. Wearing it at night wouldn’t make one feel cold. The sleeves and the dress had an increasing density of floral patterns from top to bottom, and due to the varying layers, the colors also gradually deepened. Han Shi had also added a light purple shawl, which was draped over her arms. However, this meant she had to keep her arms bent, or else the shawl would drop to the ground.

After getting dressed, she started working on her hair, adorning it with typical girly accessories. There weren’t many ornaments on her head, but each one was exquisite and well-placed. Her face was also properly made up. Xiao Cao stood in front of the high-clarity glass mirror, doubting if the reflection was really her. She exuded a strong sense of youthful charm and looked delicate from every angle. However, due to her natural disposition and the attire, she appeared graceful and modest.

“Mother, does this outfit make me look too young? I feel like I’ve taken it too far with the youthful look.”

“Nonsense, my child is in the prime of youth. This look suits you perfectly. Let me tell you, this outfit is rather subdued, but it complements your demeanor quite well. If it were all pink and frilly, it would seem out of place.”

Xiao Cao pondered her own girly attire and couldn’t help but shudder at the thought. Not to mention being eighteen like Qichao, she had already outgrown the frilly age. After all, at this age, most were considered women. As for Xiao Cao herself, no matter how youthful her appearance, her mindset had long moved past that stage.

Those eight years with her foster father were dreary, and half of her clothes during the seven years with Tingyu were shades of green, blue, and yellow, while the other half were deeper colors. Needless to say, her few years in Kaiping were no different.

Compared to before, her attire now was quite nice. The attendants by the side also praised Xiao Cao, complimenting her and, by extension, Han Shi. Seeing her daughter looking much more outstanding than expected, Han Shi felt delighted in her heart, as befitting her daughter. Han Shi asked Xiao Cao to link arms with her, and they went out.

“Let’s go have our evening meal now, and then we’ll go see your grandmother. Your grandmother’s health isn’t very good, especially after your grandfather passed away a few years ago when she fell seriously ill. The old lady usually prefers quietness, except during festivals. Generally, she rarely dines together with others. Apart from me visiting her every day, your father also goes to see her when he has time. As for others, they usually ask after her well-being every five days or so.”

Xiao Cao hesitated for a moment, “What about Second Uncle and Fifth Uncle? They are her own sons, after all.”

“Some things are hard to explain fully. It’s not that your grandmother doesn’t like them, nor that they are being unfilial. But whenever your grandmother sees them, she feels upset, so she chooses to keep them out of sight and out of mind.”

Xiao Cao nodded without asking further questions. Over time, she would naturally find out everything. Everyone from the main house was present, except for fourth uncle and her twin brother who was not at home.

When Wenren Ying saw Han Shi and Xiao Cao, she immediately greeted them cheerfully, circling around Xiao Cao twice and praising her profusely. She appeared genuinely innocent and guileless, seemingly delighted with this half-sister who had unexpectedly appeared and would undoubtedly share the affection she had enjoyed. Despite meeting for the first time that day, she showed no trace of unfamiliarity, as if they had grown up together.

Naturally, Han Shi was overjoyed by this scene. As a mother, she naturally hoped for a harmonious family and affection between her children.

“Ying’er, where is your father? Has he not returned from your grandmother’s yet?”

“Yes, he’s probably having dinner with grandmother,” Wenren Ying nodded in response.

“Then let’s have our meal. After we’re done, I’ll take you to pay respects to our grandmother,” he said. Being from the same household, there was no need to separate. They were the closest of families, so there was no need for formalities. Occasionally, there was some conversation, but with the presence of an “outsider,” the two young ones remained silent as they ate, occasionally glancing at Xiao Cao out of curiosity.

Initially, the Han family intended to look after Xiao Cao, as they knew the vast difference in their backgrounds and were concerned that she might find it difficult to adapt and cause an awkward situation. However, their concerns proved unfounded. Xiao Cao’s manners were no different from theirs. Despite being accustomed to simple fare, she now handled the delicacies on the table with ease, drinking soup and handling the slippery morsels as naturally as if she had grown up in a wealthy household.

It was unavoidable that everyone felt a sense of surprise and some confusion. Han Shi’s eyes flickered slightly. Before, her entire focus had been on how much suffering her daughter had endured, which pained her greatly, but she had not paid attention to anything else. Now that her rationality and emotions had returned, she naturally had more thoughts. The first thing that came to mind was the unseen son-in-law. She thought about it in a similar way to how Wenren Taibo had, realizing that this person’s identity was likely not ordinary; otherwise, her daughter would not have developed such a demeanor. Once they became closer, she would have to ask her daughter carefully.

Seeing that Xiao Cao still had a good appetite, Han Shi smiled and served her more dishes.

“Xuan’er, eat more. Don’t be like your younger sister, eating like a cat and always complaining about being fat. Look at her, there’s hardly any meat on her bones. How could that be attractive?”

Wenren Ying was innocently scolded by her mother. She seemed unsatisfied and pouted, “If you want to talk about Sister, just talk about her. Why drag me into it?” Then she smiled mischievously at Xiao Cao, “Sister has a natural beauty. Even with plain food, she would still be stunningly beautiful. After you take care of her for a while, the number one beauty of Kaiping would still have to stand beside Sister. As for me, I can’t do it. I’ll get fat just from drinking water, so I have to watch my mouth. Otherwise, I’ll become a chubby girl, and my future husband might dislike me.”

“You little girl, what nonsense are you spouting? You truly have no shame.”

Wenren Ying blinked her bright eyes mischievously, “But this is my own home, isn’t it? I wouldn’t say such things outside.”

Han Shi waved her hand at her playfully. “You, you, I don’t know what to say about you.” She was exasperated yet filled with boundless indulgence.

Wenren Ying’s smile grew even more radiant, tinged with a hint of smugness. She winked at Xiao Cao, “Sister’s return is perfectly timed. Mother won’t be nagging me all the time now. You should know how vexing it is to have a fussy mother. Why couldn’t you have returned sooner? If you’d come back earlier, you could have taken some of the burden from me. But it’s not too late, now that you’re back.”

“You little girl, you’re getting more and more unruly, even making up stories about your mother. Close your mouth now.”

Although Han Shi was scolding her, her eyes were smiling, and she seemed to be in a good mood.

The eldest son, Wenren Xu, also joined in the “scolding” of his little sister, but he too was smiling, and then he exchanged a few words with Xiao Cao. The eldest daughter-in-law, You, also chimed in with a smiling face. Whether their reactions were genuine or pretended, they all seemed to accept Xiao Cao warmly and wholeheartedly.

Xiao Cao, without the discerning eye, couldn’t tell their real thoughts, but she was not the kind of person to feel sorry for herself. She didn’t act timidly as a newcomer but instead maintained a calm and gentle demeanor.

The atmosphere at the dining table became increasingly harmonious.