Chapter 14 Lion Dance
Zephyr casually twirled a branch of peach blossoms in his hand.
His face was very handsome, and surrounded by the peach blossoms, he looked like a painting. His kin was smooth, and his cheeks were rosy. He flashed a gentle sinile, adding to his captivating charm.
“I didn’t realize you were so interested in our family matters, Miss Daisy
Hearing this, Daisy froze in surprise.
He called Sadie’s matter a family matter….
Is he indirectly admitting that Sadie is his sister?
But in my previous life, he never spoke a kind word to me.
How could this be?
“Daisy,” Adonis said, his heart aching as he gently took her hand. “The banquet is about to start. Let’s go inside.
Daisy, eyes red, looked down and quietly followed him.
Once Zephyr and his group had left, Oliver burst out laughing. “I’ve said all along that this clever little fox knows how to play her cards. Look, she’s already trapped the Gates family. Still, lies don’t last forever. Over time, people will see who she really is.”
Neville agreed, saying, “You’re right. Only a girl like Daisy can be considered a truly good girl! Daisy is the only one I’ll ever acknowledge as my sister!”
Adonis sighed. “I don’t know when it began, but Sadie has been getting worse and worse. Except for Zephyr, who has real talent, the rest the Duke’s sons are all just show. They’re nothing compared to what we three brothers can do. I think Sadie will regret many things in the future.”
Daisy dabbed the corners of her moist eyes with a handkerchief.
Adonis is right. In our previous life, our family was very powerful
I don’t need to be jealous of Sadie being protected by the Gates family.
If everything is the same as before, my biological father and brothers are bound to succeed. I might even become the crown princess.
The crown princess holds a higher status than the wife of the Duke’s heir.
In the hallway, Alexander and the others had already gone to the front courtyard. Only Sadie and Zephyr
remained.
Sadie bowed and sincerely said, “Thank you, Lord Zephyr, for standing up for me.”
Zephyr calmly replied, “Miss Francis, you misunderstood, was only protecting the Gates family.”
Sadie knew her place in the Gates family, and of course, she knew Zephyr wasn’t really helping her.
But indirectly, she had still received his support.
Chapter 14 Lion Dance
She was about to leave when Zephyr suddenly spoke again. “Miss Francis, I used to think that you were drawn to wealth and power. But after meeting your sister today, I’ve realized she’s even more obsessed wir those things.
Sadie let her arms hang at her sides, playing with the red tassel at her waist,
She felt that Zephyr’s words had deeper meanings.
Zephyr moved closer and tucked a peach blossom into her hair.
It seemed like a sweet gesture, but his words were far from kind. “With your sister’s skills and the respect she gets from your family, it would’ve been easy for her to join you at the Gates Estate. I’m sure she’s very drawn to its wealth and prestige. So tell me, Miss Francis, why is it that you’re the one who ended up here?”
The spring breeze gently brushed their faces. Nightingales sang sweetly, and peach blossoms bloomed everywhere.
Despite the warmth of the spring day, Sadie felt a slight chill.
She lifted her gaze to meet Zephyr’s eyes.
“His laugh was charming, but the coldness in his eyes could freeze anyone.
He was always good at digging deep and finding the truth.
But she couldn’t possibly say that her sister had traveled back in time and was trying to avoid her past
mistakes.
If she did, people would think both she and Daisy were witches and deal with them accordingly.
So she said, “Lord Zephyr, you have made a name for yourself on the battlefield, earning rewards from the imperial government and taking on the role of commander of the Southwestern Army. You hold great power. However, ever since I arrived at the Gates Estate, you seem to enjoy making life hard for me. Why? Am I just a woman, scarier than the armies you’ve fought? Am I such a threat that you need to be on guard?“.
Her voice was calm but carried a trace of mockery.
Zephyr furrowed his brows.
In the distance, firecrackers crackled.
The feast was about to begin.
Zephyr slowly wiped his fingers with a handkerchief and said gently, “I was just curious.”
Sadic bowed politely, didn’t say anything more, and walked to the front courtyard.
The courtyard was packed with distinguished guests. Every seat was taken.
Talulla sat in the center, with Nicolas and Zephyr beside her. Madison, the second son of the Gates family. had returned and sat next to Zephyr. But Garrett, the third son of the Gates family, was missing.
Maids moved around, serving delicious food and fine wine. The air was filled with laughter and lively chatter.
aana asked, “Why are Alexander and Sadie not here yet?”
Just as she finished speaking, the Francis siblings stepped forward and respectfully greeted her.
“Who are these people?” Talulla asked in confusion.
Nicolas stood up with a smile and said, “Mother, these are Eleanor’s children from the Francis family. They’re good and respectful kids. They heard today’s your birthday, so they came especially to celebrate it with you.”
Talulla nodded. “Thank you.”
Daisy said gently, “Lady Talulla, my brothers and I have brought a special birthday gift for you. It’s a screen.
Everyone turned their eyes just in time to see Neville present the gift.
The screen, carved from mahogany, looked stunning. At the center was a piece of white jade, carved with the words “Blessing of Longevity. It looked expensive and beautiful.
The Francis siblings had spent all their money the night before to buy this gift.
Hearing the compliments from the people around her, Daisy gave a small smile.
Sadie had also prepared a screen, but Daisy’s gift appeared much more graceful and impressive.
She made sure to present it first so that when Talulla saw Sadie’s version later, she would think Sadie didn’t take her sixtieth birthday seriously.
Talulla loved children. Despite knowing that the Francis siblings were Eleanor’s kids from a previous marriage, she held no grudge against them.
She said softly, “You’re all such good kids. You shouldn’t have spent so much.”
As she spoke, she hinted at Agnes to reward them.
When the Francis siblings received the monetary gifts and felt the silver certificates, they felt a sense of relief and satisfaction. Smiles spread across their faces, and their tone became even more respectful
Then Daisy said, “Hmm, why isn’t Sadie here yet? On such an important day, could she have sneaked off to play again?”
father’s
Neville quickly added, “You might not know, Lady Talulla, but Sadie is very playful! On my birthday, we all agreed to have a grand meal at an inn, but she didn’t show up. We were all worried! Later, we found out she’d gone to play with a neighbor’s kid! She’s really immature!”
Talulla’s eyes shifted slightly. There was a change in her affectionate gazes toward them.
She replied with a smile, “Really? She seems very well–mannered to me.”
“Well–mannered? She-”
Neville was about to make another comment, but suddenly drums and gongs sounded loudly.
Six bright and colorful lion dancers marched in, full of energy and pride. The crowd watched in
amazement.
Chapter 14 Lion Dance
Talulla asked curiously, What is this?”
She was still unaware of the surprise Alexander had prepared for her.
Zephyr explained softly. “Alexander prepared this lion dance for you, Grandmother.
As he spoke, his gaze drifted off into the distance.
Behind a peach blossom tree, a small pink lion was curiously peering around, holding a big wine jug.
Where did this extra lion dancer come from?
Madison took a sip of his wine, glanced around, and asked, “Zephyr, where’s Sarlie?”
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