"Good! Today, Older Sister will do her best for her dearest younger brother!" Yu Xiaocao rolled up her sleeves and put her hands on her hips, striking a very heroic pose.
Madam Liu held back a smile to glare at her youngest daughter and said, "What do you look like right now? You don't look like a girl at all. Careful, you won't be able to get married…"
Yu Hai wasn't happy at this and immediately said, "Do you have to say such a thing about your daughter? How can our daughter not get married when everyone loves her when they see her?"
Little Shitou came out reminding everyone he was still there, "Second Sister, it doesn't matter! I think you're very nice right now; you are true to yourself and have no pretenses! If someone doesn't like you because of this, he has no sense! Don't worry, if you can't get married. I'll support you!"
"Go, go, go!" Xiaolian gently pushed her younger brother. She looked at her younger sister playfully and snickered, "Our family's Xiaocao has been thought about by someone for a long time. They are just waiting for her to bloom and take her home! How could it ever be your turn to raise her?"
Madam Liu heard this and frowned slightly in worry, "Cao'er, after these years of observation, I know that Royal Prince Yang is sincere towards you. However, the prince’s status is too high, and marriage is about the right family. Our family's condition can still be counted on in Tanggu Town, but in the capital, we won't be able to know anything since it's so far. I'm afraid that you'll be wronged if you marry into the prince's estate…"
"Mother, you must tell Royal Prince Yang when you see him. See how he responds. If he can't guarantee happiness for Second Sister, then he shouldn't continue courting her! Humph, my second sister's food is so good. For her to be stolen by a lump of ice, I feel that it's a loss for her!"
Speaking of Zhu Junyang, Little Shitou, the protective maniac, would get angry thinking of him. In his opinion, his second sister should find someone who was gentle, considerate and could take care of her rather than a person who had a scowling face all day, as if someone owed him several hundred taels! How could he be worthy of his sweet, lovely, cute, smart, and capable Second Sister?
“Master, Madam, Second Miss, Royal Prince Yang is here…” Speak of the devil and he shall come. Zhu Junyang had come over in a hurry. Who was he kidding, this was the real father-in-law coming to the capital, how could he, the future son-in-law, not come over to give a good impression?
Before Yu Hai could open his mouth, Little Shitou took the lead and said, "Invite him to the study outside and serve him with good tea and water. I'll be over with my father in a bit."
Xiaolian covered her mouth and secretly enjoyed herself. She looked over at her younger sister, who was beside her as if nothing had happened. To Little Shitou, she said, "He didn't come over to see you. What are you going over for? To be annoying?"
Little Shitou raised his eyebrows and said with a face full of smiles, "Is my second sister a random person that he can see whenever he wants? Right now, Second Sister isn't alone. As brothers, shouldn't we make trouble for those who have evil designs on her?"
"Come on? You'll be afraid to say a word once you see the face of Royal Prince Yang!" Xiaolian was afraid of Zhu Junyang with his cold face. She didn't know how her little sister could always talk and laugh around him. Sometimes she even had a little temper. Her little sister was too brave to not be afraid of him at all.
"What is there to be afraid of? Can he eat me? If he dares to do anything to me, Second Sister will avenge me!" Although Little Shitou said it like that, he still lacked some confidence. To tell the truth, he was a little afraid of Royal Prince Yang!
"Who is it? Who dares to bully my future brother-in-law? Where did he get the bravery? Shitou, with me, your second brother-in-law as your backing, you can walk across the capital without any problems!" Zhu Junyang, who didn't treat himself as an outsider in this situation, had already arrived in the inner courtyard after the servant girl reported. He heard half of Little Shitou's words in a half trance and thought there was some blind son of a noble family who had offended his brother-in-law so he spoke up to support him. If he wanted to take the beauty home, then he must put in a great amount of effort!
"This is the inner courtyard of Yu Estate! How can an outsider come in and out at will? How did you guys become servants? How can we leave Second Sister in your care in the future!” Little Shitou heard Zhu Junyang's voice and felt a little guilty. However, his desire to be protective over his elder sister made him ready for war again.
Zhu Junyang was not stupid. Naturally, he heard that his brother-in-law’s words were aimed at himself. But he pretended to be an idiot and agreed, "Your second young master is right! The inner courtyard mustn’t allow outsiders to enter at will. Chunhua, Qiushi, you must protect your young miss. If there’s someone who doesn't have eyes, just beat them out. It doesn't matter if they become broken. I'll take care of it! "
Little Shitou frowned and looked at the shameless man entering the hall naturally to greet his parents. Where did he think the Yu Estate was? His backyard?
"I’m talking about you! You're the one who's going to get kicked out of here!" Little Shitou saw him smiling and walking toward his second sister. He hurriedly went over to his second sister and stopped in front of her, glaring at Zhu Junyang.
Zhu Junyang looked down at youth, who was a head shorter than himself and had a childish looking face. Despite that, the young man was clearly resolute in shielding his elder sister's body from him. Zhu Junyang smiled at him and rubbed his head, "Shitou, I'm your second sister's future husband, your future second brother-in-Law. How can you regard me as a stranger?
"Don't ruin my second sister's reputation! Without a matchmaker and without an engagement, who would admit that you are my second brother-in-law? " Little Shitou didn't like his confident appearance and deliberately challenged him.
Zhu Junyang didn't want to get on the same level as him, the little guy who was in the middle school phase. He looked at his future father-in-law and his mother-in-law with a smile and said, "I'm here today. Besides treating Uncle Yu and Aunt Yu for dinner on arriving, I also want to discuss with you about the marriage proposal after the new year…"
"Marriage proposal? I don't agree! Don't think you can steal my second sister away!" Yu Fan, who was normally polite and courteous to schoolmates and people outside, currently turned into a middle school student. He jumped out and glared at Zhu Junyang with hatred. If he didn't know he couldn't beat him in a fight, he would've jumped and bit him already.
Zhu Junyang gently frowned and looked down at his future brother-in-law. He couldn’t help but silently curse the younger man, 'Are all youths this annoying? If this was my son or younger brother, I would have slammed him off to one side already. However…if he was a son who looked like Xiaocao, I'm not sure I could do that, seeing a small face that is similar to hers…’
"Did you ask for your second sister's opinion? If your second sister is in love with me, the way you are acting would destroy your sister's marriage. She would've loved you for nothing!" Zhu Junyang reminded himself to remain calm as he did not need to get on the same level as a child that was half the size of an adult.
Little Shitou was still glaring at him, biting his teeth, "My second sister wouldn't be so blind!"
"Alright! Then let's talk. What kind of man, do you think, is worthy of your second sister?" Zhu Junyang asked.
"My second sister is worthy of the best person!" Little Shitou felt that his second sister, who loved him and saved him from poverty and hunger, was going to leave him, and the bitterness and pain in his heart gushed out.
Zhu Junyang positively said, "Can you name someone more suitable for your second sister than me? With your sister's talent, what kind of consequences will it bring if there is no one to protect her? You've been reading books for so many years, so you can tell by using your brain! And my identity, ability, and methods are enough to protect your sister's safety and let her do what she wants to do without worry! "
At this point, he paused. He saw the young boy's hands gradually clench, and he knew that he had understood. Then, he lowered his voice into a gentle voice and softly said, "Can you guarantee that other people can tolerate her capriciousness and will not interfere with what she is doing now and in the future like me?"
No, he couldn’t! Over the past two years, Yu Fan had followed his teacher to and from and had seen many different situations. He had a very clear idea of what men were like. They looked down on women and couldn’t stand to see women be better than them. In their eyes, the meek and obedient women who followed the three injunctions and four virtues were the best candidates for wives. He couldn't even stand the sight of men like them, let alone his second sister! He didn't want his second sister to be like a bird with its wings clipped, forever trapped in the small space of the inner courtyard…
However… "Can you promise to treat my second sister like what you just said forever though?" Little Shitou's tone loosened. If Royal Prince Yang could do it, then he was willing to give some consideration.
"Of course!" Zhu Junyang looked at the lass who had been smiling at her younger brother, who was putting him in a difficult position. The guarantee of those two words was not only for his future brother in law but also for her to hear the words from his heart.
"Humph! If you break your promise in the future, I will take my second sister back and support her!" Little Shitou finally let it go. He knew very clearly in his heart that Royal Prince Yang was correct in what he said. If Second Sister didn't have anyone to back her up and met someone inhumane, she would end up very miserable…
These few years, Second SIster was alone in the capital and ran her few shops smoothly. Without Royal Prince Yang looking after her, it wouldn't have been as easy. He hated that he was too young and grew too slowly to be a powerful support for his second sister. Well, after waiting for Second Sister for so long, Royal Prince Yang, at present, could be considered a qualified choice. As long as he was good to her, then he wouldn't have that many opinions!
Seeing that his little brother-in-law was finally not so against him, Zhu Junyang felt relieved. He steadfastly said, "Don't worry! I won't let you have that chance! So…can we sit down and talk about the marriage proposal and engagement?"
"My second sister just had her hairpin ceremony. Isn't proposing right now too early?" Little Shitou always thought that once his second sister got married, she would be someone else's family, so he still opposed it.
"Not early! Once the New Years is over, the lass will be sixteen! If she goes through the three letters and six rites, another year and a half would have gone by. Are you going to keep your sister until she's an old lady before you let her marry?" Zhu Junyang was speechless at this child. Who was the master of the Yu Family? No one else has come out to say a word about this little guy's actions.
"Alright!" Yu Hai, who was silent for a long time, finally said something. "Marriage is a matter of two families. What does your family think of this situation? Would they think our family is marrying to climb into a higher position? After all, our family's door is much lower than your family's…"
