"Xirui?" Xia Qingtian looked at Lei Xirui, who was holding a rather disheveled bouquet of flowers, with surprise. "Are you alright?"
Lei Xirui wasn't much better off than the wilting flowers she held.
She looked like a drowned duck, her mouth turned down, her face as long as a duck's.
It seemed to be the first time she had shown such an expression to Xia Qingtian.
In Xia Qingtian's memory, Lei Xirui had always been a well-behaved, polite, and intellectually charming young lady.
"Sister Qingtian, I'm sorry..." Lei Xirui's voice was tearful. "I, I accidentally ruined the bouquet..."
"Come in first," Xia Qingtian pulled Lei Xirui inside. "Would you like some tea? I was just making some milk tea. Do you prefer it sweeter or with a richer milk flavor?"
"I... I'm fine with anything," Lei Xirui said nervously, unsure how to face Xia Qingtian.
She had volunteered for this, and she had been excited about it.
But she couldn't even do this small task properly.
What should she do?
The sweetness of the honey paired well with the delicate fragrance of Earl Grey, and the rich milk aroma was the perfect finishing touch.
After a cup of rich and fragrant hot milk tea, Lei Xirui's emotions stabilized considerably. She cradled the bone china teacup and murmured, "This is delicious..."
"Our Xirui is so considerate," Xia Qingtian chuckled. "That brat Shi Xingwu actually said we should drink iced drinks in the summer. First, he was clamoring for milk caps, then he said there were no pearls. I didn't let him have a single sip and told him to cry about it."
"Heh heh." Lei Xirui could imagine Shi Xingwu's expression and actions as he said this, and she couldn't help but let out a light laugh.
Shi Xingwu was a sunny boy with a very expressive face and funny body language.
Every time Lei Xirui saw Shi Xingwu, her mood would improve.
Seeing that Lei Xirui's expression had relaxed considerably, Xia Qingtian shifted the topic to the tattered bouquet. "Did Qingyu ask you to give this to me?"
"Yes." Lei Xirui's previously upturned lips drooped again. "I'm sorry, Sister Qingtian, I couldn't even do this little thing right..."
"It doesn't matter. You've delivered what Qingyu wanted to say, and that's enough," Xia Qingtian said, reaching out to stroke the flowers. "It's our sisterly bond that has caused you trouble."
"No, no," Lei Xirui quickly waved her hands. "It's no trouble at all. I'm happy I could help. I... I'm so useless..."
Remembering what Lei Sanshao had said to her, Lei Xirui's eyes welled up with tears again.
"Who says that?" Xia Qingtian cupped Lei Xirui's face and said gently, "Xirui, you're the most adorable, gentle, and well-behaved girl I've ever met. If Qingyu were half as sensible and well-behaved as you, I'd be dreaming and laughing."
Her sister was good at everything, except being too tsundere.
Although, from a certain perspective, being tsundere was also a cute point.
Oh dear... Qingyu was her little angel.
There was nothing she could do about it.
"Really?" Lei Xirui blinked her large, watery eyes, looking at Xia Qingtian with complete trust. It was as if even if Xia Qingtian said the sun was square, she would blink her eyes and softly ask, "Really?"
Oh!
Xia Qingtian felt a pang in her heart.
This kind of sister was also very good! Wonderful!
"Sister Qingtian?" Seeing Xia Qingtian's strange expression, Lei Xirui asked with concern, "Are you feeling unwell?"
"Not at all," Xia Qingtian immediately replied. "I was just preparing to answer your question seriously, so I was thinking for a moment."
Xia Qingtian reached out and stroked Lei Xirui's head, looking at her with gentle and sincere eyes. "Xirui, you are the most gentle, well-behaved, kind, and considerate girl I've ever met. However, when it comes to being the most adorable, I've thought about it, and you can only rank second. First is Qingyu, sorry! Although my sister is tsundere, sharp-tongued, and has a bit of a temper, in my eyes, she is the most adorable one."
Hearing Xia Qingtian say this, Lei Xirui first smiled, and then tears began to fall.
Why could Xia Qingtian so openly show her favoritism towards Xia Qingyu, while she, with three brothers, still felt so lonely and helpless?
Why did her third brother humiliate her like that?
The more Lei Xirui thought about it, the more upset she became, and she threw herself into Xia Qingtian's arms, crying.
"Huh?" Xia Qingtian was also stunned.
No way, did Lei Xirui care so much about the ranking of "most adorable"?
Could she still change it now?
After a moment of panic, Xia Qingtian still reached out to hug Lei Xirui, then gently patted her back.
Girls would feel better after crying.
Go ahead and cry.
After Lei Xirui finished crying, she would coax her.
At worst, she would give the title of "most adorable" to Lei Xirui. Qingyu wouldn't mind.
Yes, that was it.
When Lei Xirui had truly finished crying, Xia Qingtian realized that Lei Xirui wasn't crying because of the ranking, but because of Lei Sanshao's impulsive decision.
"You're letting her marry Tarik? And get engaged by the end of next year?" Xia Qingtian's mouth twitched. "It's unbelievable that Lei Sanshao would arrange a marriage like that! The Qing Dynasty has long fallen, what is he trying to do?"
Lei Xirui didn't know what her third brother was thinking. At this moment, she could only sob with red eyes, her heart full of grievances.
"Honestly, how old are you? Why the rush?" Xia Qingtian crossed her arms and looked at Lei Xirui. Knowing that saying more would only make the young girl more upset and wouldn't help her at all, she sighed and asked, "What do you think?"
"I don't want to marry Tarik. I don't like him, and he doesn't like me. He and Qingyu are meant to be together. I don't want to get involved," Lei Xirui said, pursing her lips.
"Wait a minute? What?" Xia Qingtian was taken aback. "Qingyu? Tarik? Stop! I don't agree with this marriage!"
Tarik was Xue Xiangyuan's adopted son. If Xia Qingyu really got involved with Tarik, things would become even more troublesome later on.
"Ah?" Lei Xirui blinked at Xia Qingtian and after a long thought, asked, "Sister Qingtian, what if Qingyu insists on being with Tarik?"
Just like she absolutely refused to be with Tarik, her third brother's attitude was also very firm.
"Does she have to? Can't she choose someone else? I think Li Xiaozhong is also very good..." Xia Qingtian crossed her arms and thought carefully, but finally sighed. "She's my sister, I can only spoil her. What else can I do? Let her be. Fate is unpredictable."
Hearing Xia Qingtian say this, Lei Xirui's eyes once again filled with tears, and her nose felt a pang, causing her to cry again.
As expected, her sister was still better...
Brothers, she hated them the most!