"This is my sister! Meet Heather, and this is her husband, Li Sinian."
"Hello, maāam," Heather greeted politely.
"Hello, maāam," Li Sinian echoed.
"Why are you calling me maāam!" Mum greeted them warmly, "Why be so distant? Youāre about the same age as Liancheng and Qianxun, just call me Aunt based on seniority!"
"Aunt," Heather quickly corrected herself.
After saying it, she noticed Li Sinian hadnāt responded, so she nudged him with a smile, prompting him to greet her.
"Aunt," Li Sinian said, expressionless but compliant.
Qianxun gave a dry laugh.
It was indeed difficult for Li Sinian. Unlike Gu Liancheng, at least he has a mother, while both Li Sinian and Heather are orphans. They grew up in those organizations, having only a godfather, who was their previous leader but passed away over a decade ago. Before meeting Heather, he was always alone.
He has no relatives, so suddenly calling someone āAuntā really puts him in a tough spot, doesnāt it?
Thinking of this, Qianxun silently sighed.
She, too, is an orphan, but she had nuns at the orphanage who treated her well, met Feiāer when she grew up, and later met Gu Liancheng, so her life wasnāt that tragic. She could say sheās fared quite well, finally seeing the light after the storm.
But what about Li Sinian and Heather?
Perhaps they never knew familial love from a young age, growing up in harsh environments, experiencing the cold and warmth of lifeāmostly cold, I imagine.
Heatherās background she knows a bit about, but Li Sinianās, she can guess it canāt be any better.
"Aunt, Iām really sorry," Heather said, "We just got off the plane, came in a hurry, and didnāt bring any gifts. Weāll make up for it next time we come."
"What are you saying, what gifts? Qianxunās sister isnāt an outsider! Just consider this your home! However... why do I feel like Iāve seen you before?" Mum looked at Heather, puzzled, "Have you been here before? My memory... Iām getting old, canāt remember."
"Oh, Mom..." Qianxun quickly went over and introduced them, "My sister here looks a lot like a celebrity, has a celebrity face, she finds it quite troublesome, always getting mistaken for someone else on the street."
"Oh... no wonder."
Mum doesnāt follow celebrities, so she didnāt recognize her, but seeing her a lot on TV left some impression.
After Qianxunās explanation, she stopped wracking her brain.
"You all sit for a bit, Iāll go make some tea," Mum invited them to sit, and waved at Gu Liancheng, "Son, hurry to the kitchen, wash some fruit and bring it out, donāt just sit there, have some sense of hospitality!"
Mum only directed Gu Liancheng.
Actually, Gu Liancheng was exhausted from travel too; he had just sat down and was called to get up again. It was unavoidable, so he grumbled, "Ever since Qianxun married in, Iāve lost my status at home. Now that she has Little Treasure, my status has plummeted further."
"Pfft..." Heather found it amusing, "Come on Fourth Master, youāre complaining after getting so much! You have a wife, a healthy mother above, a smart and lively child below, youāre the happiest one, what are you still nagging about? Even if itās hard, itās the sweet kind of hard. Go wash the fruit, or are you going to make the pregnant Empress Qianxun do it?"