If he were to call it “liking,” then what he liked was her acting spoiled and coy around him.

“Are you sure?” Yan Shiyao frowned.

If he didn’t like her Ningning, why was he so indulgent toward her?

“Don’t you find that when she’s around, life becomes far more interesting? She is a bit pampered, though — not willing to put herself through any hardship whatsoever.” Xuan Yanyu’s lips curved in an amused smile.

She had walked barely two steps along the mountain road before crying that she was exhausted.

Was she tired? She simply did not want to walk up the mountain.

“Pampered?”

Speaking of Yan Yunning, Xuan Yanyu’s smile carried a note of fond exasperation, and his voice became very gentle. “Quite pampered, yes.”

She had come to borrow his guest room, found the daybed uncomfortable to sleep on, and promptly made him sleep on it himself — truly unwilling to let herself endure even the smallest bit of hardship.

If this were anyone else, who would have put up with her?

Outside the door, Yan Yunning was wearing an utterly bewildered expression. What kind of question was her sister asking?

How could Xuan Yanyu like her!

He was dead set on marrying you!!!

And was she really that pampered?

Not willing to let herself endure any hardship — she admitted that.

But pampered? That she would not accept!!!

Yan Yunning didn’t bother going to find Xuan Yanyu anymore. She ran off to Chuyu Pavilion.

Inside Chuyu Pavilion.

Xie Yan was standing behind Wen Wanyu, massaging her shoulders. Mu Shiqing had his legs crossed and draped over the wooden chair, leisurely munching on a piece of fruit.

“Come over here, Ningning.” Mu Shiqing spotted Yan Yunning and tossed a piece of fruit to her.

Yan Yunning caught it and sat down beside Wen Wanyu.

“Ningning, what is your relationship with Master Xuan?” Wen Wanyu asked, curiosity getting the better of her.

She had heard from the brothers that it was Master Xuan who had carried Ningning up the mountain that day — and the mountain road was already difficult enough to traverse on its own, let alone while carrying someone on your back.

Mu Shiqing curled his lip and tossed the fruit core into the bamboo basket.

Yan Yunning rubbed her chin and answered vaguely, “No particular relationship.”

If there was a relationship to speak of, he was her future brother-in-law.

Or rather, the deranged man who was set on destroying her future.

“Sister-in-law, hold on a moment before you ask Ningning that.” Xie Yan inched closer with a flattering grin. “First, tell me — what kinds of things do women generally enjoy?”

In the past, everything he had given Chu had ended up in the bamboo basket.

It was probably because the things he chose didn’t suit her taste — this time, he would ask first and then go buy.

“Second Brother, if you’ve got silver burning a hole in your pocket, hand it over to your elder brother,” Mu Shiqing said, narrowing his eyes slightly.

Every single thing he bought ended up thrown into the basket — what a waste of money.

“Your elder brother is right.” Wen Wanyu said placidly.

Xie Yan was a little put out. “Elder Brother, Sister-in-Law, you don’t understand — Chu even made soup for me.”

At the mention of Nanchu, Xie Yan broke into a wide, beaming grin.

Mu Shiqing looked plainly unconvinced.

Wen Wanyu was not particularly surprised. “Second Brother, since when did you start telling tall tales?”

Yan Yunning quietly cut in, “The Second-in-Command is telling the truth.”

Mu Shiqing shot to his feet in an instant. Yan Yunning was so startled that she lost her grip on the fruit in her hand — it rolled across the floor and stopped at Xie Yan’s foot.

Xie Yan bent down to pick it up, wiped it on his sleeve, and said with a grin, “Little sister, do you still want to eat it? Your brother wiped it clean for you.”

Yan Yunning: “…”

Wen Wanyu: “…”

Mu Shiqing gave him a thwack on the back, clearly exasperated. “Does Qingyu Stronghold lack for a single piece of fruit?”

Xie Yan’s expression changed abruptly, and he suddenly spat out a mouthful of blood.

“Second Brother.” Mu Shiqing exclaimed in alarm.

Had the thwack on the back made his second brother cough up blood? He hadn’t even hit him that hard!

“Second Brother.” Wen Wanyu’s voice shifted in pitch.

Xie Yan wiped the blood from the corner of his mouth. “It’s nothing, nothing.”

Since drinking Chu’s soup, he had been feeling off.

Chu had suddenly made soup for him. Suddenly become so warm and tender with him.

A vague suspicion had begun to form — but he could not bring himself to believe it.

Yan Yunning’s brow creased.

“Elder Brother, Sister-in-Law, it’s probably just because I’ve been overheated lately. There’s nothing to worry about. I’ll head back for now.” Xie Yan smiled as though without a care in the world.

Wen Wanyu watched his retreating figure, unease growing deeper in her heart.

“A’Yu, it’s alright. Second Brother is tough — nothing can take him down. I’ll have the physician go have a look in a moment.” Mu Shiqing settled her shawl more snugly around her shoulders. “You, on the other hand, mustn’t get worked up again. Be careful for the sake of our child.”

Wen Wanyu said nothing, but her eyelid gave an uncontrollable twitch.

Chuyue Pavilion.

Xie Yan drew a deep breath and pushed open the door to his room.

“Husband.” Nanchu smiled and rushed into his arms.

Xie Yan let out a muffled grunt and hastily wiped the blood from the corner of his mouth.

“Chu.”

Nanchu looked up at him. He was broad-shouldered and long-limbed, his complexion not particularly fair, but every time he looked at her, his eyes were warm with a tender smile. She could not deny it — he truly had been very good to her.

If only he had never torn her and Brother Jing apart.

“Husband, I made some porridge for you today — try it and see if it suits your taste.” Nanchu took his hand and sat him down in the wooden chair.

She picked up the bowl of porridge from the table — long since gone cold — and placed it in Xie Yan’s hands.

Xie Yan’s lashes lowered, and he spoke in a subdued voice. “Chu.”

Perhaps he ought to let her leave.

“Husband, won’t you eat? Chu woke up at the crack of dawn to make this. Had I known you wouldn’t want it, Chu wouldn’t have bothered.” Nanchu pouted, her expression brimming with grievance.

“I’ll eat, I’ll eat.” Xie Yan smiled and lifted the bowl, spooning the long-cold porridge into his mouth bit by bit.

Nanchu watched Xie Yan eating the thoroughly cold porridge with tears shimmering at the corners of his eyes and a strained smile on his face, and something inside her became deeply, deeply unsettled.

Did he know something?

Xie Yan set down the empty bowl. His fingers tightened around the armrest of the wooden chair. He lowered his head and spoke, his voice laced with bitter sorrow. “Chu, leave.”

Nanchu’s breath faltered. “Do you mean that?”

Xie Yan forced a single “Mm” up from his throat.

Nanchu threw her head back and laughed — and then her tears fell, one drop at a time, landing on the floor at her feet. “Xie Yan, three years. I have waited three years for these words.”

Xie Yan’s breathing came with great difficulty.

“Xie Yan, I hope we never meet again after this.”

“Chu.” Xie Yan grabbed her arm, his fingertips trembling uncontrollably. “Chu, if there is a next life, will you love me first?”

“Never. I hope I never encounter you in the next life either.” Nanchu pried his fingers apart, one by one, her voice like ice.

Xie Yan smiled, a wretched, desolate smile, as tears spilled from the corners of his eyes.

Enough. This was truly enough…

Nanchu watched his smile and raised her hand to press it against her chest. Why did it ache?

Xie Yan covered his mouth, clenching his jaw with all his strength. He did not want her to see him brought low — coughing up blood in such a sorry state.

“Go.” His voice came out in a pained, low roar.

Nanchu turned and left without a moment’s hesitation.

Xie Yan could hold on no longer. He slid from the wooden chair and onto the cold floor, his eyes burning red as he cried out, “Nanchu, come back.”

“Chu…”

“Chu… don’t… don’t go…”

“Come back… look at me…” He suddenly spat out a great mouthful of blood and collapsed, unconscious, on the floor.

…

[Fafa!]

[Fafa! Fafa!]

[Fafa???] Yan Yunning frowned. How could it have gone missing again?

She hadn’t been able to reach it for days now.

She couldn’t even ask about what was coming in the plot.

Nanchu’s sudden change in behavior — could it have something to do with her sister?

Yan Yunning narrowed her eyes and ran to Yan Shiyao’s guest room, but found no one there. She searched the places her sister usually frequented nearby and still could not find her.

She was just about to return to her room when, out of the corner of her eye, she spotted Xuan Yanyu carrying a gift box and walking side by side with Yan Shiyao — the two speaking quietly about something.

She wasn’t sure what her sister had said, but Xuan Yanyu seemed to be suppressing a smile.