Chapter 269: The Gentle Eldest Brother
Chapter 269: The Gentle Eldest Brother
Sui Sui was curious about her eldest brother.
Feng Xuanze was equally intrigued by this new little sister of his.
He hadn't returned to the mansion this month, but he was well-informed about what was happening outside.
They had been sent away to study, not exiled, so news from the outside world often reached them.
Feng Xuanze was aware that his sixth brother had safely returned to the mansion and had even brought back a little sister with him.
Before long, this little girl had officially become a young lady of the Qi King's mansion.
Feng Xuanze had been teased by his classmates, and he, too, wondered what his new sister would be like.
At first, Feng Xuanze didn't have high expectations; he just hoped she wouldn't have the surname 'Che.'
After all, Lady Che's annoying behavior...
Feng Xuanze didn't feel like talking about it anymore.
Later, when he learned that she had no connection to the Che family and that the Ches had all been sent to the Dali Temple's prison for some offense, he breathed a sigh of relief.
Now that he knew his new sister had nothing to do with the Che family, Feng Xuanze's anticipation soared once more.
He hoped that this child...
Would be likable.
At the very least, he wanted her to bring joy to their mother.
Seeing her now, and those eyes, Feng Xuanze thought...
Just judging by how much the king and queen doted on Sui Sui, this little sister of theirs must be extremely endearing.
Not only were the king and queen fond of her, but Feng Xuanze also considered himself a young adult with a mature mindset. Yet, when he saw Sui Sui, he couldn't help but find himself drawn to her.
After checking in on his younger brothers' studies, he subconsciously turned his head to look at Sui Sui, meeting her round, curious gaze.
She had beautiful eyes.
They resembled his sixth brother's eyes when he was younger.
Looking at those familiar and lovely eyes, Feng Xuanze's heart softened.
He moved slightly closer and asked gently, "Sui Sui, is there anything else you'd like to eat? Big brother will get it for you."
Sui Sui had been well-fed by the king.
Today's Buddha Jumps Over the Wall soup was exceptionally fresh, and all the ingredients had been stewed to perfection.
Ingredients like abalone and sea cucumber, which she might never have seen in her entire life back in the village, were now readily available for her to enjoy whenever she wanted.
The king had fed her half a piece of sea cucumber, several pieces of abalone, and some conch and pork tripe, and she had also sipped some of the soup.
Children didn't have big appetites, so the queen had also fed her a small piece of spare rib and a small lamb chop.
Sui Sui felt full, but she didn't want to disappoint her eldest brother, so she thought for a moment and said softly, "I want some fruit."
There were fresh cherries, peaches, and melons on the table.
When Sui Sui said she wanted fruit, Feng Xuanze smiled and responded by taking some of each type and placing them in a clean small bowl. Then, holding the bowl in one hand and a new pair of chopsticks in the other, he gently picked up a cherry.
The round cherry was tricky to pick up, but Feng Xuanze's hand was steady, and he brought it up to Sui Sui's mouth.
Qi Wang had been turning his head to speak to the queen, but he felt Sui Sui move in his embrace and instinctively turned back to look at her. That was when he saw his eldest son feeding Sui Sui fruit.
Witnessing this scene, Qi Wang couldn't help but smile, his eyes narrowing happily.
Feng Xuanze sensed his father's gaze, lifted his head, and smiled back briefly. However, he soon averted his eyes and focused on Sui Sui again.
Sui Sui loved her gentle eldest brother, so she obediently opened her mouth. After popping the cherry into her mouth, she softly said, "Thank you, eldest brother. You're the best."
Feng Xuanrui had been focused on eating his meal but looked up when he heard the voice, his eyes landing on Sui Sui. He pouted pitifully and asked, "Sui Sui, am I not good to you?"
Sui Sui was caught red-handed by her brother, but she remained unfazed and eagerly nodded her head in agreement, her voice muffled as she replied, "Okay, you're the best, brother!"
Watching Sui Sui's earnest attempt to fetch water, Qi Wang couldn't help but feel amused.
However, he made an effort to control his laughter, not wanting to scare the child.
Seated across from Feng Xuanrui was Feng XuanYu, who witnessed his sixth brother's pouting expression and struggled to contain his laughter. Just as he was about to burst out laughing, Consort Ren ruthlessly pinched him.
Feng XuanYu was perplexed and tilted his head, his expression a mix of bewilderment and hurt as he asked, "Mother, why did you pinch me?"
Consort Ren: You're asking for trouble, do you hear me?
Consort Ren wanted to scold him with her eyes, but fearing that her slow-witted son wouldn't understand, she whispered, "Just focus on eating your meal."
Feng XuanYu, interrupted in his train of thought, also forgot what he had intended to do earlier.
Moreover, today's lamb chops were truly delicious. They were cooked to perfection, fragrant, and tender. He could easily finish another bowl of rice with this dish!
Feng XuanYu quickly lowered his head and continued eating.
Feng XuanZe leisurely fed fruits to Sui Sui.
Sui Sui was already quite full, so she couldn't eat much fruit.
After feeding her a bite of each kind, Feng XuanZe stopped, not wanting to overfeed the child.
However, Sui Sui's greedy appetite kicked in, and before long, Feng XuanZe gently asked, "Has sister started her basic education? Have you made any friends recently?"
Earlier, while checking on his younger brothers' studies, Feng XuanZe had already gleaned some key information from their conversation.
Sui Sui had recently begun joining them in the small classroom, and she had already made two good friends.
Unbeknownst to Sui Sui, her eldest brother was already fairly well-informed about her life in the mansion.
Hearing her eldest brother's question, she nodded obediently and replied, "Yes, eldest brother, I've been attending the small classroom. Sometimes, I don't understand the lessons, but I've made friends with Sister Mengmeng and Sister Tangtang."
Feng XuanZe simply wanted to engage in casual conversation to distract his sister from focusing too much on food.
So, he quickly steered the topic in the direction Sui Sui had introduced, asking, "Which family is Sister Mengmeng from? And who is Sister Tangtang?"
......
Feng XuanZe exuded a gentle aura, and his voice was soft and mellow. When speaking with Sui Sui, he would lower his head, trying his best to accommodate her height.
Sui Sui loved chatting with her eldest brother. She didn't have to worry about him not understanding her, nor did she feel the need to censor herself for being too childish or incoherent.
All she needed to do was speak her mind, and her eldest brother would always respond.
This encouraged Sui Sui to express herself more freely.
By the time they finished their meal and prepared to leave the table, Feng XuanZe had skillfully scooped Sui Sui into his arms, whispering softly to her.
After finishing his meal, Feng XuanYu turned his attention back to his sister, only to discover...
Hey? Eldest brother is already holding her? But I haven't had my turn yet.
Witnessing this, Feng XuanYu felt a pang of dejection and quickly took large strides forward, not needing to squeeze through as his other brothers automatically made way for him.
It would be foolish to try and squeeze past Second Brother with his bulky build. Who would dare risk their lives like that? So, move aside, everyone!
Feng XuanYu effortlessly made his way over and stood there like a giant human-shaped puppy, his round eyes widening in a pitiful expression as he said, "Sister, I want a hug."
Sui Sui was listening intently to her eldest brother's account of the less-than-appetizing food at the Guozijian's canteen. Sometimes, the dishes were even prepared without salt, leaving them no choice but to eat it as it was.
Sui Sui's standards for food had been steadily rising, and upon hearing about the lack of salt, she couldn't help but be astonished, her mouth agape in surprise: How could they serve food like that?
As she listened, Second Brother's loud voice suddenly rang out in her ear.
In that moment, Sui Sui felt her ears buzzing.
Second Watch
(End of Chapter)
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