“Chen Ge?” Yueyue’s face was blank, then she quickly reacted, “But you are younger than me! Why should I call you brother?”
“I already said that we’re basically the same age. Plus, if you call me Chen Ge when someone bullies you in the future, I can help you. If you meet an unruly person like Xuan Ge’er again, you don’t have to be afraid. I will protect you.”
Seeing Yueyue still hesitating, Xiaobao continued, “Aren’t you scared of bad people like Xuan Ge’er? You’ll encounter more people like him in the future, people who’ll shove you and pull on your hair. I’ll ask you again, are you scared?”
Of course, Yueyue was afraid. Her large eyes turned red. Not only was she afraid of the bad people, but she was also afraid of her grandmother. Every time she got in trouble, no matter whether she was in the right or the wrong, her grandmother would scold her.
“Then you’ll really protect me?”
Xiaobao nodded and patted himself on the chest. “Of course. Right now, I’m an imperial grandson, my father is a prince, and my grandfather is an emperor. In the future, I’ll also be a prince. With me to protect you, no one will dare to bully you. After all, older brothers protect their younger sisters. Since you call me Chen Ge, I will always protect you.”
“Alright then.”
Standing at the side, both Qiao-shi’s maids were dumbfounded. They couldn’t help but wonder if all the descendants of the imperial family were so smart. How could an infant who wasn’t even two yet explain the truth so clearly, and even successfully persuade their little miss like that?
The problem was that they couldn’t even find a reason to refute his logic at all. What the young master of Jin Wang Manor said wasn’t wrong. This child was simply too smart. Or maybe he had always been this smart and it was them making a big fuss out of nothing.
As for Yu Chan, this matter didn’t shock her at all. She’s always known that the young master was a smart child. He could even coax His Majesty to smile, what more a little girl?
“Call me Chen Ge. I want to hear you say it.”
Yueyue was only a little girl and didn’t feel any unease. Since Xiaobao had already persuaded her, she no longer felt that it was such a big deal.
“Chen Ge…” She paused for a moment, then changed her words, “Chen Gege¹.”
Actually, Xiaobao preferred Yueyue to call him Chen Ge². This was what he wanted to be called even in his past life but he felt too embarrassed to bring it up. By then, she was already no longer the little girl that is so easy to fool.
But Chen Gege is also fine. Xiaobao took a deep look at Yueyue’s chubby face. Once they were all grown up, he’d ask her to call him Chen Ge.
When Yaoniang and Qiao-shi came over to drink tea with smiles all over their faces, they noticed a big change between the two little ones. The one who was originally the elder sister became the younger sister. As for the one who was originally the younger brother, he became the elder brother.
“Chen Gege said that if I call him gege, he’ll protect me whenever someone tries to bully me in the future.” Yueyue was an honest and obedient child, so she took the initiative to tell the story.
Xiaobao looked at the two adults with big innocent eyes. The two mothers couldn’t help but burst into laughter as they looked at the two little ones in front of them.
Yaoniang said, “Naughty brat, you actually coaxed your older sister to call you gege.”
Qiao-shi said indifferently, “It’s no big deal. Children are all like this, they all want to be the older one. When meeting other children, even if they’re older than her, my Yueyue still doesn’t want to refer to them as older brother or sister.”
The two talked and laughed. They dismissed this matter and didn’t take it seriously.
They didn’t expect that the name, Chen Gege, would last for over ten years. One day in the future, Xiaobao would even be called Chen Ge as he wished, but there was still a long way to go.
A young maid came in and said, “Madam, the sixth young miss is here.”
Qiao-shi paused with surprise. “Why is she here? Have her come in.” Then she explained to Yaoniang, “She’s a younger sister of my maternal family. She followed her brother here to the capital and is temporarily living in the ducal manor. Her brother is here to prepare for the imperial examination next spring.”
As she was talking, a woman wearing an ivory white robe and a plain pleated skirt walked into the room. She had a beautiful face. Her long black hair was combed into a cloud-style bun, and she was dressed very plainly, with only a white magnolia hairpin on her head.
Seeing Yaoniang sitting on the Kang, she seemed a little surprised but didn’t make it too obvious. With a reserved expression, she offered her greetings.
It could be seen that she was an elegant, generous, and calm woman.
“This is a cousin from my maternal family’s side. Her surname is Qiao and her given name is Xiuli,” introduced Qiao-shi. Then she introduced Yaoniang to Qiao Xiuli.
“Your Highness Side Consort, it’s my pleasure to meet you.”
Yaoniang nodded. With a smile on her face, her attitude was neither affectionate nor indifferent.
During this period, Mama Gong had taught her quite a bit. Combined with the visits she made to other households, she gradually learned how to behave like the other noble ladies of the capital. She beckoned Qiao Xiuli to come to her, took off a jade bracelet from her wrist, and put it in the other’s hand.
“This is my first time here, and I didn’t prepare anything special. Just take this little thing and wear it for fun.”
Even at first glance, one could tell that this jade bracelet was no ordinary object.
“Since Her Highness Side Consort gave it to you, you can take it.”
Qiao Xiuli thanked Yaoniang and then backed away with the bracelet. A young maid next to her brought over an embroidered stool. She sat down at the side and started to listen to Qiao-shi and Yaoniang chat.
“You’re too polite.”
“One mustn’t abandon etiquette,” said Yaoniang with a smile.
Actually, in the beginning, she couldn’t understand what it meant to give someone a bracelet from their own wrist as a greeting gift. It was only later that she realized that this gesture signified closeness and satisfaction.
