Since Yan Sanhe had known Xie Zhifei, she had never seen him like this.

This person was always smiling, speaking without a serious word, never knowing which sentence was true and which was false.

But these past few encounters, she had keenly sensed—this person seemed somewhat different from before.

“Sanhe, Yan Sanhe, come quickly and see what good things I’ve brought you… Eh, Xie the Fifteenth, you’re back?”

Pei Xiao quickly stopped in his tracks, “What have you been doing? How did you become such a ghost?”

Xie Zhifei glanced indifferently at what he was holding.

“Can I be as idle as you?”

Pei Xiao was taken aback, “Brother, who made you angry?”

Xie Zhifei ignored him and walked forward on his own.

“Hey—”

Pei Xiao chased after him two steps and grabbed him, looking him up and down, finally concluding, “Are you pent up again?”

“Piss off!”

Xie Zhifei pushed him aside.

Pei Xiao didn’t dare provoke him further and walked over to Yan Sanhe, handing her the box of mooncakes.

“Try these, five-nut flavor.”

Yan Sanhe accepted them, “Aren’t you going to chase after him and check?”

“No need!”

Young Master Pei sighed: “Him, he just needs to find someone to vent his fire. Vigorous blood and all.”

“What about you?”

“Me?”

Young Master Pei stole a glance at Yan Sanhe’s face, thinking to himself, don’t I have you?

“I’m a proper person. I can hold it in.”

You really have the nerve to say that?

“You should still go check on him. His complexion doesn’t look good.”

Hearing that Xie Zhifei’s complexion wasn’t good, Young Master Pei became anxious.

“Then let me go check first. Remember to eat the mooncakes.”

After running a few steps, he turned back to see Yan Sanhe still standing in place watching him. Young Master Pei was so angry he ground his teeth.

Xie the Fifteenth!

You’re the stumbling block on my path to marrying a wife, causing trouble every single time you come back!

“Yan, Miss Yan?”

The timid voice came from behind. Only then did Yan Sanhe remember that Xie Zhifei had brought Lanchuan with him.

Yan Sanhe walked over, “How did you end up with Lord Xie?”

“He, he came to Water Moon Nunnery to get me.”

From this statement, Yan Sanhe picked up two implications: one was that Xie Zhifei had made a special trip to Water Moon Nunnery, the other was—

“You don’t want to follow me?”

“No, no, no.”

Lanchuan quickly shook her head, “My master said following Miss Yan is better than staying at the nunnery. I’m listening to my master.”

“What do you think yourself?”

“I…”

Lanchuan’s two hands twisted together.

“I just feel a bit reluctant to leave my master. I don’t have any other thoughts. But these past two days I’ve also thought it through. I, I want to give it a try.”

“Then stay for now. If you really can’t get used to it, I’ll send you back.”

Yan Sanhe patted her head, “Three months as a trial period. What do you think?”

Lanchuan’s eyes immediately brightened, “I’ll listen to Miss Yan.”

Yan Sanhe picked up her bundle: “Follow me.”

Li Buyan had already heard the news and was waiting at the study door. Seeing them, she exclaimed first.

“Oh!”

“How did you come around, little Lanchuan?”

Lanchuan lowered her head.

“Why so shy!”

Li Buyan walked over and pinched her cheek: “Your good days are still ahead!”

Yan Sanhe reached out and poked Li Buyan’s waist, telling her not to speak carelessly.

“Tangyuan, this is Lanchuan, a young nun from Water Moon Nunnery who has temporarily returned to secular life. She’ll be staying in your courtyard. Take her later to make a few outfits.”

“Yes, Miss.”

Tangyuan took Lanchuan’s hand, “Lanchuan, you should call…”

“Tangyuan, you should address her as Miss.”

Tangyuan was startled, as was Lanchuan.

Wasn’t it agreed she would be a maid for Miss Yan? How did she become a young miss?

“The form of address is the form of address, but what you should learn and do, you can’t skip any of it. I don’t keep idle people around me. Whatever skills Tangyuan knows, you must learn them all.”

Yan Sanhe looked at Lanchuan, “Li Buyan will teach you some self-defense techniques. You’re not allowed to slack off. Learn well from her.”

Lanchuan listened in complete confusion, asking quietly: “Then… then… am I a maid or a young miss?”

“You are yourself.”

Yan Sanhe pushed the mooncakes into Lanchuan’s arms and pulled Li Buyan into the study.

“Come with me to the Xie residence tonight.”

The Xie residence?

Forget it, I’d like to live a few more years.

“Not going.”

Yan Sanhe looked at her pitifully: “Buyan?”

“Not going.”

“Buyan?”

“Not going.”

“Li Buyan!”

“Let’s agree first—if anyone says nasty things to you again, don’t blame me for turning hostile. I’ll flip the whole table.”

Yan Sanhe smiled, wrapping her arms around her, “Feel free to flip it. Flip it hard.”

Li Buyan pointed at her forehead, “You’re just too soft-hearted. You’ve been bewitched by that Xie fellow!”

“Could he bewitch me?”

Yan Sanhe snorted coldly: “I just feel sorry for him.”

You can keep deceiving yourself!

Li Buyan rolled her eyes.

…

“Xie the Fifteenth, stop right there.”

Xie Zhifei’s footsteps paused.

Pei Xiao quickly walked over, tilting his head to examine this person’s complexion, then sighed.

“Tell me, what happened?”

“Just tired.”

Xie Zhifei rubbed his face, “Five days, only slept one night. The rest of the time was spent traveling.”

“Really nothing’s wrong?”

“What could possibly be wrong with me? Alright, stop with your wild guesses. Go back and enjoy your festival properly. After the reunion dinner, if you have time, come admire the moon. Yan Sanhe will be at our house tonight.”

Xie Zhifei mounted his horse.

“By the way, she doesn’t like five-nut mooncakes. She prefers red bean paste.”

“Damn it, why didn’t you say so earlier, you bastard.”

Pei Xiao tried to kick him, but it was too late—man and horse were already galloping away.

“My lord!”

Huang Qi walked over, “We should head back too. It’s a festival today, and the family is waiting!”

Pei Xiao had originally wanted to linger longer in Yan Sanhe’s presence, but thinking of the Pei family matters, “Let’s go, head back.”

After eating the reunion dinner, he’d go to the Xie residence to admire the moon with his wife!

…

Xie Residence, side gate.

Xie Erliu, who had one foot already across the threshold, heard movement behind him and turned around.

Just then, Xie Zhifei had dismounted and looked up.

Their eyes met, and both brothers froze.

Xie Zhifei walked quickly forward: “Eldest Brother, is something at the ministry troubling you? Why have you lost so much weight?”

Xie Erliu shook his head, “The Zhu family matter.”

“Did you have Uncle Pei look at it?”

“Not just Uncle Pei—we’ve requested people from the Imperial Medical Bureau too.”

“What did they say?”

“At most another month or two.”

So soon?

Xie Zhifei could only offer bland comfort: “Life and death are determined by fate, wealth and honor by heaven. You and Sister-in-law must try to accept it.”

Xie Erliu looked at his third brother, “What about you? How did you end up like this?”

“Went out on business, rushed back for the festival.”

“When is Miss Yan coming?”

“Before evening, she’ll come.”

Xie Zhifei now feared hearing those three words “Miss Yan.” He quickly changed the subject.

“Did Father say anything about today’s festival?”

“Naturally, the whole family should happily eat a reunion dinner together.”

“Did he lift Mother’s house confinement?”

Xie Erliu nodded.

“What about Aunt Liu?”

“For a reunion dinner, we can’t do without her.”

A bowl of water held perfectly level.

Xie Zhifei had nothing more to say, “Brother, I’m heading back to my courtyard first.”

“It’s still early. Get some good sleep. Tonight, show some spirit so Old Ancestor doesn’t worry.”

Whose little brother, whose heartache.

Third Brother looked like this—who knew why, but Xie Erliu somehow missed when this kid used to cling to him as a child, whimpering and whining.

He was weaker then, but you could see and touch him. It was reassuring.

Now grown up, always away from home, who knew what he was busy with. You couldn’t ask too many questions either.

When a younger brother grows up, the older brother has no say!

After his sigh, Xie Erliu looked back to see this kid wasn’t heading to his own courtyard at all, but clearly going straight to the guest courtyard.

What exactly was the relationship between the young couple in the guest courtyard and Third Brother? Why was he so attentive?