HCB Chapter 1418 Perfection
Chapter 1418 Perfection
Mo Ziyu caressed the bow and crossbow with obvious delight, his eyes even brightening slightly. However, he still remembered his manners and turned to bow respectfully to Lin Yiwan and Princess Youyi, who were not far away. Only then did he carry the bow and crossbow to an open space to the side and carefully begin to tinker with it.
A banquet had already been set up in the front courtyard of the Marquis's mansion, with guests arriving in an endless stream. They were all well-dressed scions of noble families and ladies of high rank, their laughter and chatter mingling with the sounds of string and wind instruments, creating a lively scene.
Lin Yiwan, dressed in a bright red brocade dress with gold embroidery, her hair styled in an elaborate updo and adorned with a red gold and kingfisher feather hairpin, stood gracefully and dignified in front of the mansion gate to greet guests. Princess Youyi accompanied her, dressed in a lake-blue palace gown, exuding a gentle and elegant temperament. The moment the two appeared, they attracted the attention and praise of many guests.
Just as they were exchanging pleasantries, a burst of cheerful laughter came from outside the mansion. Then, a charming figure in a pink ruqun (a type of traditional Chinese dress) led a slender lady into the mansion.
The lady had gentle features and bore a resemblance to Lin Yiwan; she was her younger sister, Lin Xiaoruan. The little girl beside her, with her hair in two buns, a round face, and bright, lively eyes, was Lin Xiaoruan's daughter, Tang Xueyi.
"Sister!" Lin Xiaoruan stepped forward, smiling and curtsying. "Today is Ziyu's birthday, and I brought Xue'er to share in the joy."
Lin Yiwan quickly reached out to help her up, smiling broadly: "Come in quickly, the sun is strong outside, be careful not to get too hot."
Her gaze fell on Tang Xueyi, and seeing the little girl curiously looking at the furnishings of the Marquis's mansion with her eyes full of joy, she said softly, "It's been a few days, and our Xue'er has become even more beautiful."
Tang Xueyi blushed slightly at the praise and quickly stepped forward, calling out in a clear voice, "Hello, Aunt Wan! Hello, Princess Youyi!"
As she spoke, she took out an exquisite wooden box from behind her back, held it out to Mo Ziyu with both hands, and smiled, "Happy birthday, Brother Ziyu! This is a gift I made for you myself. See if you like it."
Mo Ziyu was standing not far away, holding a crossbow, when he heard Tang Xueyi's voice, his eyes lit up instantly.
He met Tang Xueyi during a time of crisis. The two were about the same age and often thought of each other.
Just a few days ago, he was wondering if Xueyi would come to his birthday banquet. Now that he saw her, and that she had brought a handmade gift, his joy was overflowing. The excitement he had been suppressing earlier could no longer be hidden.
He quickly stepped forward, carefully took the wooden box, his fingertips trembling slightly.
He could feel that the wooden box was very light. When he opened it, he found a complete set of exquisite wooden carvings inside, including a soaring eagle, a galloping horse, and an adorable little rabbit. Each one was carved with lifelike detail and vividness.
What's most remarkable is that the wings of the wooden eagle are inscribed with the six small characters "Happy Birthday, Ziyu." The handwriting is childish yet neat, showing that a lot of thought and effort had been put into it.
"Sister Xueyi, did you carve this?" Mo Ziyu held the wooden box, her eyes wide with surprise.
He had always liked these little trinkets, but this was the first time he had received such an exquisite wood carving, especially one made by Tang Xueyi herself.
Tang Xueyi nodded vigorously, her little face full of anticipation: "Yes, I've been learning wood carving from the teacher for a long time, and I practiced many times before I could carve these. Do you like them, Brother Ziyu?"
"I love it! I love it so much!" Mo Ziyu quickly interrupted her, afraid that she would misunderstand. He held the wooden box as if it were a rare treasure, and his voice was filled with excitement. "This is the best gift I have ever received. Thank you, Xueyi!"
Lin Yiwan watched the two children huddled together, chattering away, her eyes full of smiles. She turned to Lin Xiaoruan and said softly, "Thank you for your hard work, you even had Xue'er make such a thoughtful gift."
Lin Xiaoruan smiled and said, "This child insisted on making the birthday gift for Ziyu herself when she heard that she was going to give him a gift. She said that only a gift made by hand would be sincere. She has been hiding in her room carving wood every day for the past few days and has not even had time to eat."
Princess Youyi smiled and chimed in, "Xue'er is so thoughtful, Ziyu will definitely like it. Look at the two of them, they can't be separated now."
Following her gaze, everyone saw Mo Ziyu holding Tang Xueyi's hand, excitedly leading her to see his crossbow, and carefully demonstrating it to her, looking serious and focused.
Tang Xueyi stood to the side, watching with great interest, occasionally letting out a gasp of surprise. Her clear laughter echoed in the courtyard, sounding exceptionally pleasant.
The banquet soon began, and Lin Yiwan accompanied the guests to their seats. After several rounds of drinks, the atmosphere became increasingly lively. Many scions of prominent families stepped forward to present Mo Ziyu with congratulatory gifts, including gold, silver, jade, ancient books, and calligraphy and paintings, which filled an entire table.
But Mo Ziyu kept holding the wooden box that Tang Xueyi had given him, and no matter how valuable the gifts from others were, they couldn't make him look away.
When the banquet was halfway over, Mo Ziyu suddenly grabbed Tang Xueyi's hand and ran to the center of the courtyard. He raised the crossbow in his hand high, shook the wooden box in his arms, and shouted to the guests in the courtyard, "Today is my birthday, and I have received many gifts, but my favorite is the wooden carving that Sister Xueyi carved herself!"
As soon as he finished speaking, the courtyard was filled with good-natured laughter.
Tang Xueyi's face instantly turned bright red. She quickly tugged at Mo Ziyu's sleeve and whispered, "Brother Ziyu, please stop talking, I'm shy!"
Mo Ziyu looked at her seriously and said earnestly, "I'm telling the truth, Xueyi's gift is the best!"
Lin Yiwan couldn't help but laugh when she saw the Mo family boy's appearance.
She turned to look at Lin Xiaoruan, and the two smiled at each other, their eyes understanding each other perfectly. Such pure friendship was truly precious in the treacherous capital city.
Princess Youyi was also delighted. She said softly, "Ziyu is a very loyal and affectionate child."
Lin Yiwan nodded, her gaze gently falling on the two children.
The setting sun cast its golden rays into the courtyard, bathing the two figures in a warm and beautiful glow. She thought to herself, if only life could continue to be this peaceful and smooth.
She just didn't know how long this tranquility could last in the turbulent capital.
As the banquet ended, it was already getting dark. Mo Ziyu was still clutching the wooden box, reluctant to let go, and even kept it by his bedside when he slept.
Before leaving, Tang Xueyi specifically told him that if the wood carving was damaged, he must tell her and she would carve a new one for him.
Mo Ziyu nodded vigorously, watching Tang Xueyi's carriage gradually disappear into the distance, before reluctantly returning to his room.
Princess Youyi stood by the window, looking at her son's figure with tenderness in her eyes.
She turned to look at Lin Yiwan beside her and said softly, "Thank you, Aunt Wan. Ziyu's birthday banquet today was a complete success."