DaBao nodded and went out. Lin He sat down, smiling as she watched Chen'er and Xiao Bao bicker. With so many siblings in the family, and their ages not far apart, aside from the two youngest who were still too young to understand things, Chen'er and Xiao Bao were the type who could start a fight over the smallest thing, sometimes even resorting to blows when they got truly annoyed.

Lin He knew that their relationship was actually the strongest between them. They would always hide away to discuss anything important. If Xiao Bao had something he didn't want the others to know, asking Chen'er would surely yield an answer, and if Chen'er was upset about something, Xiao Bao would be the first person he confided in.

Lin He had always envied this way of interacting—whether with family or friends, being able to speak your mind about anything, fighting when you felt like it, even throwing a punch when moods soured, only to be just as close afterward. Having lived two lifetimes, Lin He felt she had never encountered such friends or family.

The previous life went without saying; she had no relatives and no close friends. In this life, starting with the family's poor circumstances, she was the eldest daughter, always bearing the weight of responsibility, always sensible and obedient. Her younger siblings treated her like a strict elder sister. Although DaBao had a good relationship with her, he was often away and never argued or fussed with her.

As for friends, she had Wen Ningmo. In the beginning, they often traded barbs, but as they spent more time together, Lin He began treating Xiao Mo like a child, yielding to him in most matters. Lin He had never truly experienced that dynamic, and now, watching Chen'er and Xiao Bao, she felt a genuine pang of envy.

Lin He thought of Xiao Mo, a slight melancholy touching her heart. She wondered how he was doing. Many guests were expected today; the Wen family was now considered in-laws. She wasn't sure which members of the Wen family would attend.

Lin He sighed softly as she thought this. Seeing their eldest sister sigh, Xiao Bao and Chen'er assumed she was unhappy and stopped their antics, carefully settling down beside Lin He. Chen'er asked, "Eldest Sister, are you unhappy?"

"Your big sister isn't unhappy, just feeling a bit reflective. Look, Eldest Brother is getting married today. In a few years, you all will marry too and have your own homes. I won't be able to watch over you every day," Lin He said with a smile.

"Then let's all not get married, Eldest Sister. Can we stay with you our whole lives?" Xiao Bao asked cheerfully.

Lin He smiled, patted Xiao Bao’s head, and said, "When you have a wife someday, how could you still remember your Eldest Sister?"

"Never, if I have a wife someday, Eldest Sister will still be my dearest person. I will definitely remember you, Eldest Sister," Xiao Bao declared with great seriousness.

Lin He burst out laughing at Xiao Bao's earnest expression and said, "Mm, Eldest Sister believes you. Stop fooling around. Let's tidy this up a bit. Xiao Bao, take Da Xiong and the others out; look what a mess you've made in Big Brother's room."

By the time Lin He led Chen'er and the others out, quite a few relatives had already arrived in the courtyard, filling all the seats. When they saw Lin He emerge, several people immediately came over to speak with her. Truthfully, Lin He didn't recognize most of them, but since they approached her and insisted on talking, she could only offer polite smiles and engage in superficial conversation. Lin He hadn't realized before how many relatives her family actually had.

Just as Lin He was surrounded by these so-called relatives asking questions, she spotted her maternal grandmother and her maternal uncle's family entering the yard. Lin He hadn't seen her grandmother's family in a long time. She excused herself briefly from the other relatives and went to greet them.

Lin He's maternal grandparents were still quite vigorous. Seeing her, they smiled with genuine joy, asking about things back home. Her maternal aunt-in-law wasn't present today, but both the elder and younger maternal uncles were there. The elder uncle remained the same—honest and simple—and seeing his sister and brother-in-law busy, he joined in to help.

It was Lin He's younger maternal uncle, Hu Zi, now fourteen, who looked much less mischievous than he had as a child, having grown into a sturdy youth. From a distance, he saw Xiao Bao and the others and headed straight for them. Lin He accompanied her grandparents into the courtyard, and then DaBao and the others joined them. The group gathered around the elders, laughing and talking, and the two old people were clearly delighted.

While everyone was enjoying a lighthearted conversation with the elders, Zi Yu approached Lin He and reported, "Miss, the Second Young Master and the Third Young Master have arrived."

Lin He looked up just as Wen Ningxuan and his brother walked in through the courtyard gate. As the two brothers entered, the previously lively courtyard fell suddenly silent, as if even the sound of breathing had ceased. Lin He observed that Wen Ningxuan today was wearing a blue-gray brocade jacket embroidered with auspicious clouds, overlaid with a gauze robe of the same color; he was devastatingly handsome, possessing a beauty that defied description. Beside him, Xiao Mo wore a moon-white padded jacket topped with a small fur vest, presenting the image of a dashing young nobleman. When had this rural place ever seen such exceptional figures? It was no wonder these people had forgotten how to speak.

Lin He rolled her eyes internally. Did these two brothers really need to make such a high-profile entrance? Seeing Huang Shi and Er Niu leading people to meet them, Lin He turned and headed toward the house. With so many people present today, discretion was necessary. Although the engagement was set, gossip could still arise.

The moment Wen Ningxuan entered the yard, he spotted Lin He. A slight smile curved his lips, and he guided Xiao Mo toward where Er Niu and the others stood. Er Niu greeted them happily, "Ningxuan and Xiao Mo have arrived! Quick, come inside and sit."

"Yes, Uncle and Aunt. My father is occupied today and couldn't come, so he sent us with these items—just a small token; we hope you won't find them lacking," Wen Ningxuan said, signaling his attendant to bring the gifts forward.

"Yes, Uncle Lin, my father had some matters to attend to today, but I insisted on coming because it's DaBao's wedding day. I came with my second brother. Where is DaBao?" Little Mo, today, seemed to have returned to his carefree former self.

Just as he asked, DaBao approached from the other side, smiling as he said, "Xiao Mo, Ningxuan, why are you so late? Chen'er and Xiao Bao were just remarking that it's been a long time since they saw Brother Xiao Mo." DaBao then led Xiao Mo and Ningxuan inside.

A good while after Wen Ningxuan and the others had gone in, the courtyard crowd finally came back to its senses. Someone remarked, "Did you see that? That eldest young master they were talking about is supposedly Er Niu's future son-in-law. How can someone be that handsome?" Another person chimed in, "Yes, young masters from wealthy families all look this good, it seems. Er Niu's family is truly lucky; not only are their future in-laws rich and powerful, but the young man himself is gorgeous." Immediately, the courtyard buzzed with all sorts of comments, mostly flattering pleasantries, as no one foolish enough would speak ill of guests on a celebratory day.

Er Niu and Huang Shi, naturally, beamed with pleasure; who doesn't enjoy hearing nice things?