Family Gathering 2

"Hello, Aunt Hong." Qing Yue embarrassedly greeted, baffled at the unexpected warmth of the other.

She hadn't even seen the woman once in the past five years, so where did the deep love and affection come from? Was she going through a phase?

"Little Qing Qing, you met your Aunt Hong. Aren't you going to meet your Aunt Si?"

"Why just Aunt Si? Aunt Mei is here as well."

"Your Aunt Gu..."

"Let Aunt Rui see..."

What's going on? Why are these Aunts more enthusiastic today than my previous birthdays?

Is the 18th birthday really that special?

Suddenly surrounded by a flock of fawning and over-affectionate aunts, Qing Yue felt her head spin from the mixture of perfumes and noisy chatter.

"Alright, alright. Stop crowding the kid, will you? Qing Qing, come to Uncle Wei. Otherwise, your Aunts will suffocate you to death." At this time, the gruff voice of a laughing middle-aged man resounded from the far end of the hall.

Qing Yue raised her head and saw the teasing look in her Uncle Yan Wei's eyes as he looked at her.

"Yes, Uncle Wei." A natural smile graced her lips and Qing Yue's eyes lightened as she looked at the man. Her mother's eldest brother, it could be said that her Uncle Wei was the only person that loved her purely without any hidden agendas.

"Aunts, please excuse me. I still haven't greeted the Uncles." Grateful for the timely rescue, Qing Yue turned to her frowning aunts and gently disengaged herself.

"But Qing Qing...!" Aunt Hong didn't want to let her go so quickly. She still hadn't brought up the matter she'd approached the girl.

"I'll see you after greeting the Uncles, okay?"

"Hmm...that works as well. Okay, Qing Qing, you go and greet your Uncles. We'll chat with you later, okay?"

"Yes, Aunt Hong. Please, excuse me." Excusing herself for the second time, Qing Yue slightly bowed her head and gracefully stepped out of the throng.

Her Uncle had rescued her at the perfect timing, otherwise, Qing Yue was certain that she would've fainted from the poignant perfumes.

"Uncle Wei, Uncle Bo." Qing Yue bowed to the Uncles from her mother's side and turned to her father's brothers.

"Uncle Wu, Uncle Fang, Uncle Wang."

"Haha...Qing Qing, don't be so formal with us. Come, sit next to Uncle Wei." Yan Wei patted on the couch beside him and Qing Yue shyly sat down next to him.

"Qing Qing, you've grown into a beautiful lady. Your Uncle Wu isn't ready to see you marry off." Uncle Wu, the fifth of the Li Family Young Masters and one of her father's close brothers, scrutinized her from head to toe before nodding in approval.

"When there are capable young men in the family, why do we need to marry Qing Qing off? Li Heng will..."

"Haha... the fifth brother is right. When there are capable young men in the family, there isn't any need to marry Qing Qing off. Just as it happens, Li Mu is about the same age as Qing Qing."

Qing Yue stiffened. Her Uncle Fang and Uncle Wang weren't beating around the bush. They made their intentions explicitly clear. They wanted Qing Yue to marry one of their sons.

It was only now Qing Yue saw the light and her confusion about their early arrival and her Aunts enthusiastic greeting cleared.

No wonder...

Qing Yue bowed her head, her gaze fixed on the floor as she let her mind wander and blocked herself from the discomfiting conversation.

"Uncle Wu, Uncle Fang, Uncle Wang! It's been so long since I last saw you. I missed you!" At this moment, Yei Yi entered the Main Hall and excitedly ran over. She bowed to Qing Yue's Uncles from her mother's side before sitting next to Li Wang, the second Li Family Young Master.

"Uncle Wang, how have you been?" Voice gentle, eyes warm, Yei Yi politely inquired after the middle-aged man's health.

"I'm well, thank you." Uncle Wang looked confusedly at Yei Yi, apparent from his expression that he didn't recognize the girl.

"Uncle Wang, you don't remember me? I am Yei Yi, your cousin Li Su's daughter."

"Ah! Yei Yi, right?...hahaha...you've grown as well." Li Wang carelessly remarked. He didn't remember the girl, so what was the point of acting familiar?

He doesn't even remember me? I just met him last year! The baffled expression in Uncle Wang's eyes made her heart twitch. A dark light flashed through Yei Yi's eyes and her gaze shifted to Qing Yue.

Similarly dressed in black, the girl's fair skin and ink-black hair made her look ethereal and noble as she peacefully sat with her head slightly lowered and a restrained smile on her lips.

Yei Yi clenched her fist and looked back at the middle-aged man with a soft smile. Her eyes were clean and clear, without a hint of the earlier gloom.

"Uncle Wang, you look just as handsome and charming as last year." She brightly said.

"Haha...what a sweet talker you are." The bafflement dispersed from the Second Li's eyes and he familiarly patted Yei Yi's head. At this moment, whether he remembered the girl or not, didn't matter. The fact that she considered him handsome and saw him last year proved that he should know her.

Thinking like this, Second Li amiably chatted with Yei Yi, whose clenched fist slightly relaxed.

At least the flattery still works.

Yei Yi relaxed visibly and started interacting with other uncles, her gentle demeanor, graceful manners, and soft smile soon won the hearts of the Li brothers.

'Truly a well-raised girl'

They all internally thought.

"Qing Qing is here already?"

The bright voice of a young girl resounded from the study entrance, and Qing Yue lifted her head to see Yan Bi, Li Wei, and the other cousins enter the Main Hall with her Dad.

Pushing to her feet, Qing Yue visibly hesitated before greeting her Dad.

"...Dad."