Chapter 424: Chapter 408 Angry
Xie Jue raises children exactly the way the Marquis Zhenbei Mansion raised him; he simply follows suit. Ruyi originally had two wet nurses, but now only one remains, whom the mansion calls Lady Zhang. Additionally, there are three teenage maids who attend to Ruyi. He plans to have Ruyi move to the front courtyard and live independently after turning three, no longer needing the service of wet nurses and maids.
The children in the Marquis Zhenbei Mansion also started living independently at the age of three—learning to eat and dress themselves. Since Ruyi is still young, Xie Jue doesn’t hold the same strict expectations for him. For day-to-day care, including what the child eats, he follows the wet nurse’s guidance. After all, he’s inexperienced in raising children, and since they’re so fragile, he naturally relies on her advice. When the wet nurse said Ruyi shouldn’t eat sugar, he obediently refrained from letting Ruyi have any.
Now, Ruyi was licking a piece of sugar, utterly delighted. Xie Jue turned to glance at the wet nurse, who remarked, "Eating a little occasionally is fine, as long as it’s not too much."
Xie Xun didn’t mind at all; after all, little Ruyi looked so happy and enjoyed it so much.
Fengyu came over to hold Ruyi as well. Though Ruyi still couldn’t fully recognize people yet, he wasn’t at all shy—he could be held by anyone. Fengyu kissed him softly, and Ruyi laughed joyfully, his giggles brimming with happiness.
Fengyu’s City Lord Mansion had recently undergone expansion, with two surrounding courtyards incorporated into the design. She remodeled the estate in the style of Jiangnan gardens, a style Fengyu had always loved.
Xie Jue’s last visit to West State had been six months ago, and it seemed to him like the place changed every month; he almost didn’t recognize it. Fengyu had truly developed West State remarkably well.
Little Ruyi stayed in the same courtyard as Xie Jue, which was all arranged according to Xie Jue’s preferences. The child’s food, clothing, and other necessities were meticulously prepared without any shortcomings.
Ruyi’s arrival brought joy and laughter to the mansion. A household with a child is always filled with liveliness. Fengyu had been eagerly looking forward to Ruyi and Xie Jue’s visit since October, preparing diligently to welcome them.
Watching the soft and chubby little Ruyi, Xiaoqi felt a bit downhearted. This little one had occupied their elder sister’s thoughts entirely, becoming the center of her attention. If it weren’t for West State’s busy affairs, Fengyu might have visited Jiaozhou every few days just to check on Ruyi. Xiaoqi thought about how his sister had such close kin and now a lover as well, and it seemed his place in her heart had grown lighter.
Yet, he had to admit, he really liked Ruyi.
Who wouldn’t love a soft and cuddly child!
During dinner, Xiaoqi hadn’t wanted to intrude on their family reunion and stayed in the courtyard, practicing his swordsmanship. However, Fengyu dragged him over, saying, "Why are you hiding here?"
"I don’t want to disturb your family reunion."
"Silly, you’re part of the family too!" Fengyu chuckled. "When Zhixu was here, you ate with us every day. Why are you suddenly so reserved just because Second Brother is here?"
Xiaoqi didn’t quite know how to explain it to Fengyu. It wasn’t like he feared Xie Xun; in fact, he often teased him. No matter how angry Xie Xun got, he’d always restrain himself, never taking things too far. Even if he didn’t trust Xiaoqi, he wouldn’t act rashly.
But Xie Jue was different. Fengyu and Xie Xun were entirely obedient to Xie Jue, never defying him. Essentially, Xie Jue held all decision-making authority and possessed a sharp eye that could seemingly see through people’s souls. When Xie Jue came to West State, Xiaoqi avoided him as much as he could.
Yet Fengyu’s words warmed his heart.
Xie Jue didn’t mind Xiaoqi joining them at the dining table. He was well aware of Xiaoqi’s significance to Fengyu and showed Xiaoqi great respect, without the slightest air of dominance—this gave Xiaoqi a small sense of relief.
All of Xie Jue and Xie Xun’s attention was on Ruyi; in fact, the wet nurse and maids weren’t even present during the meal, as the two competed to feed the child themselves.
Little Ruyi’s cheeks puffed as he ate, almost overwhelmed. When Xie Xun tried feeding him another piece of meat, Ruyi turned his head away. Xie Xun’s face fell with grievance, "Why is it that you never refuse Second Brother but always reject me?"
Could he really grasp social cues already at such a young age?
Fengyu couldn’t help but laugh, though she didn’t intervene. Xie Jue casually asked while feeding Ruyi, "Did you two have an argument?"
Xie Xun: "..."
Fengyu: "..."
Xiaoqi chimed in gleefully, "He forced Sister to wake up every day for running, training, and mountain climbing—four hours a day—more intense than the training regimen of the Ningzhou Iron Cavalry."