Rebirth: The Journey of an Heiress novel Chapter 697

Chapter 697: Chapter 694: Request to See the Eldest Miss_1

"I know that you, Cousin, are the eldest daughter of the Bai family and the Princess of Zhen. You lack nothing. But this is my heartfelt gift. Please do not refuse it!" Dong Tingzhen said with a smile.

Bai Qingyan looked at the box and thought of the pair of bracelets Xiao Rongyan had given her yesterday, causing her ears to turn a bit red.

She thanked Dong Tingzhen and accepted the wooden box. Inside was a pair of hairpins sculpted with warm jade into a smiling flower. The petals were intricately layered with thin pieces of jade connected by gold threads. The center of the flower was carved from a piece of jade, surrounded by gold-beaded stamens bent into various shapes, looking lifelike. If placed in the sunlight, it would surely attract bees and butterflies.

If Bai Qingyan was not mistaken, this should be a treasured item of Dong Tingzhen’s.

"Our Tingzhen is quite generous," Bai Qingyan teased Dong Tingzhen.

Knowing it was Dong Tingzhen’s heartfelt gift, Bai Qingyan did not refuse and accepted it, thinking she would reciprocate with an equally valuable gift when Dong Tingzhen got married.

Dong Tingzhen smiled, covering her lips with a handkerchief. "Of course. During my time here in the Bai family, I’ve gathered quite a few treasures from my aunt. For this year’s birthday, it’s only fitting to give my cousin a precious keepsake from my own collection."

Mrs. Dong playfully poked Dong Tingzhen’s forehead.

Before long, Bai Jinzhi, Bai Jinzhao, and Bai Jinhua also came to celebrate Bai Qingyan’s birthday.

Perhaps due to being twins, both Bai Jinzhao and Bai Jinhua secretly prepared gifts for Bai Qingyan without informing each other. When they opened their gifts, it turned out both had brought the ruby headgear that Consort Yu had gifted them when they entered the palace the year before, leaving Bai Qingyan both amused and exasperated.

Soon, various ladies also sent birthday gifts for Bai Qingyan.

Seeing the sisters joyfully laughing together, Mrs. Dong instructed Nanny Qin to prepare a feast in the small kitchen before excusing herself.

With the elder gone, the children could truly relax and play.

As soon as Mrs. Dong left, Bai Jinzhi reverted to her usual lively self, lounging on a chair without decorum and animatedly recounting to her two younger sisters how she had pretended to have a sore hand the previous day, earning her mother’s sympathy and avoiding punishment for having to transcribe books.

Bai Jinzhao and Bai Jinhua listened eagerly, while Dong Tingzhen, smiling, admonished Bai Jinzhi not to lead the younger sisters astray.

Bai Qingyan, with a light wool blanket draped over her legs, watched her sisters laughing and playing. She then turned to the window, where the sky was high and clear with no clouds, feeling a sense of peace and warmth at the rare tranquility of the day.

For some reason, she recalled the pair of bracelets Xiao Rongyan had given her, wanting to try them on. Yet, worried her sisters might ask about their origin, she kept the thought to herself, her eyes and brows softening into a smile.

Chun Tao entered with a basket, smiling and greeting Bai Qingyan. "Eldest Young Lady, these are treats personally made by the mute nanny. There’s also a charm she prayed over for forty-nine days, hoping it will bring you peace."

Hearing it was from the mute nanny, Bai Qingyan smiled warmly. "Let me see!"

"Is this a birthday gift from the mute nanny?" Bai Jinzhi asked, coming over.