Chapter 73 "Yan Yan, you've been very naughty, I'm very..."

Xiao Che raised an eyebrow, pulled her over, and made her sit on his lap. He took her hands in his large hand, casually playing with her fingers, and asked, "Have you had lunch? What did you eat, hmm?"

Sure enough, I heard her say, "I haven't eaten yet... I'm so bored by myself, I have no appetite, I want you to keep me company..."

He rested his chin on the crook of her neck and sighed softly, saying, "Yan Yan, have I not told you that I have important business to attend to here, not just for sightseeing? I can't stay with you all the time."

Yan Jiarou was a little flustered: "I didn't keep bothering you..."

"Then why aren't you eating your meal obediently? What are you waiting for me for?"

"I... but even if you're busy, you still need to eat, right? So eating with me won't bother you in any way..."

She turned to look at him, explaining somewhat anxiously, "I came over after they left. I thought you wouldn't be busy anymore after they left, and I didn't bother you..."

"If it takes me another half an hour to finish our discussion, are you going to wait for me the whole time?"

"So what? I'm not hungry!"

"So what?" Xiao Che said indifferently, "Yan Yan, you are very naughty, and I am very unhappy."

Yan Jiarou burst into tears immediately.

She felt so wronged. What had she done wrong? She always knew that national affairs were the most important. These days she had been feeling unwell, but she had been enduring it and not going to see him, for fear of delaying his important business. Now she just wanted to have a meal with him. Was that wrong?

Even Xiao Yan, who was standing to the side, couldn't stand it anymore and frowned, saying, "Third brother, what's wrong with you? How can you talk to your sister like that?"

He and Xiao Jue always coaxed Yan Jiarou.

I've pampered her since she was a baby, how could I bear to say a single harsh word to her?

As a result, Xiao Che made her cry without saying a word today.

Can he stand to watch this?

Speaking of his third brother, he always had a knack for dealing with women. Others might not know, but he had witnessed it firsthand. A few years ago, Emperor Wei Xi sent him to investigate a case of embezzlement by the two officials in Beiping. At first, he had no clues, but later he discovered that Li Quan, one of the officials, frequently visited a brothel. So he dragged Xiao Che there to investigate the clues.

Li Quan had a confidante named Su Wan, whom he had known for many years at the brothel. It was said that the two had a very deep relationship, but Li Quan was afraid of his wife, so he did not bring her into his household or keep her as a mistress.

Xiao Yan had many lovers in brothels. He learned that Li Quan had spent a lot of money on Su Wan over the years, and even the jewelry he usually gave her was said to be rare and valuable, something that his salary couldn't afford.

Hearing that Su Wan had a habit of keeping accounts, Xiao Yan pondered that the items Li Quan had given her over the years, which were priceless, must have all been kept in account. In order to avoid alerting her, he had tried to get close to Su Wan and subtly inquire, but he had never succeeded.

Su Wan was neither a naive young girl nor a foolish woman; on the contrary, she was shrewd and could not be easily deceived.

He originally thought there was no hope of getting anything from her, until one day Xiao Che handed him an account book. When he opened it, he saw that it contained the accounts that Su Wan had obtained from Li Quan over the years. This amount was enough to become strong evidence to convict Li Quan in the future.

No one knows how Xiao Che managed to get Su Wan to willingly hand over the account book.

But later Xiao Yan heard that Su Wan had handed over not only the account book, but also her heart.

He knew then that his third brother was indeed skilled at dealing with women.

He can achieve almost anything he sets his mind to.

This has left him completely baffled. He clearly likes Yan Jiarou, and with just a little effort, he could have gotten what he wanted. So how did they end up being such bitter enemies all these years?

It wasn't until I saw it with my own eyes today that I realized what was going on. No, he really talks to the woman he loves like that?

Can't you say something nicer?

Wasn't he the best at it? Why is he completely different when it comes to Yan Jiarou?

"Alright, stop crying," Xiao Che realized his tone had been a bit harsh, so he reached out and gently rubbed her cheek, softening his voice.

"I just want you to eat properly. Think about it yourself, since you left the palace, have you ever eaten on time every single day?"

“This place is not like the palace. In the palace, Yingxue and the others serve you meals, but outside, I can’t always be the one to coax you to eat. After all, I can’t always be with you. I have other things to do on this trip, so you have to learn to eat on time by yourself, understand?”

The little girl wasn't having any of it and turned her face away, saying, "Hmph, I don't want to talk to you."

She muttered softly, "I'm not a child, how could I not know about meals? I just... I just wanted you to eat something with me..."

She was still very depressed, her voice was tearful and slightly hoarse.

Having spent a lot of time with Yan Jiarou, Xiao Che had figured out her temperament. She was spoiled and demanding, not very smart, but kind. Although she held grudges, she didn't have any bad intentions. She wasn't unreasonable either, but she needed to be coaxed and reasoned with. She was more responsive to gentle persuasion than force.

In this situation, if you don't tease her or distract her, she can stay engrossed in something for a long time, whining and acting as if someone has wronged her.

He curled his lips into a smile, leaned close to her ear, and said in a voice only the two of them could hear, his tone ambiguous, "I didn't say I wouldn't have dinner with you, it's just that I want to eat something else right now..."

He turned to the side, completely enveloping her body to ensure their actions wouldn't be noticed. His large hand then slowly cupped her breasts, his voice still low and hoarse as he said, "Baby, do you want to eat this..."

"Ah, Xiao Che, you..." Yan Jiarou couldn't help but exclaim softly, her face immediately flushing red. For a moment, she even forgot to cry, lowering her head and whispering, "Xiao Wenqi, no, Second Brother is here..."

Xiao Che smiled and said, "If you won't give it to me, then forget it." He then quickly lowered his hand.

He then patted her bottom and said, "Sweetie, get up. I have to go out for a bit. Have your second brother have dinner with you."

Xiao Yan, who was drinking tea with his head down, suddenly looked up upon hearing this and almost choked: "Wait, where are you going? Are you leaving your sister with me? Third brother, that's not very kind of you."

He does like pretty women, but he doesn't like pretty younger sisters. He only sees Yan Jiarou as a younger sister. Younger sisters are so annoying, they cry all the time, what's the difference between them and children? He doesn't want to help Xiao Che take care of children.

Xiao Che glanced at him and said casually, "That's strange. Isn't she your sister?"

Xiao Yan choked, unable to think of a rebuttal, and could only lower his head and drink his tea.

Yan Jiarou, still somewhat dazed, was helped to her feet by Xiao Che. Seeing that he was about to leave, she quickly grabbed his sleeve and said hesitantly, "I...I didn't say I wouldn't give it to you..."

Xiao Che raised an eyebrow, looking at her with a meaningful smile, watching as the little rabbit's earlobes slowly turned blood-red under his gaze.

It is indeed tempting.

Unfortunately, he really doesn't have much free time right now.

He pinched her cheek: "Good girl, I'll do it next time." He then turned to Xiao Yan and instructed: "Second brother, make sure she eats first. Don't let her eat sweets right away. She can only eat one of those sweet pastries at most, otherwise she'll have a toothache again."

Xiao Yan rolled his eyes, thinking to himself that children were really hard to handle; this guy was treating him like a maid. He waved his hand dismissively and said, "Okay, okay..."

After giving his instructions, Xiao Che left.

Xiao Yan and Yan Jiarou were left staring at each other.

Xiao Yan: "…………"

He always felt that his younger sister had been very resentful towards him ever since Xiao Che left. She looked at him with a resentful expression, as if to say why he didn't go and let Xiao Che do everything, which was why he was so busy and didn't even have time to eat, and that he was exhausted.

Xiao Yan opened his mouth, then quickly explained, "No, he's just busy doing nothing. There are so many things that we don't need to handle ourselves. What are the people below doing? He's busy with who knows what all day long."

Yan Jiarou rested her chin on her hands, seemingly lost in thought, and said, "But he looks so busy. I want to go and help him, as a small contribution to the disaster victims. Second brother, do you think it would be alright if I went to the soup kitchen to help third brother distribute soup?"

"No way! You're such a fair-skinned, soft, and fragrant little princess. Why would you go and join in with those smelly refugees? Be good, we're not going. If you eat your food obediently, you'll be doing your third brother a huge favor."

Yan Jiarou frowned and glanced at him. She didn't agree with Xiao Yan's words at all. There was no point in talking to him anymore, so she didn't bother to say anything more.

Xiao Yan coaxed her to eat, but without Xiao Che by her side, she had little appetite. Xiao Yan asked her why she hadn't started eating, and she casually pointed to a plate of shrimp in front of her, saying in a coquettish tone, "Second Brother, then I'll eat this."

Xiao Yan: "?"

He looked at her with a puzzled expression, thinking to himself, "Then why don't you just eat it? What are you talking to him about?"

Yan Jiarou kindly reminded him, "Second brother, you have to peel shrimp for me."

Xiao Yan: "…………?"

"No way, Xiao Che actually peeled the shrimp for you himself?"

Yan Jiarou tilted her head and looked at him, blinking in confusion, and said matter-of-factly, "Isn't this the most basic thing?"

Yan Jiarou said innocently, "Brother is supposed to take care of his sister. Anyway, you're quite free, aren't you? If you have important business to attend to, then you won't have to peel shrimp for me."

Xiao Yan couldn't help but curse Xiao Che eight hundred times in his heart, while resignedly peeling shrimp for her.

This was the first time in his life he had ever peeled shrimp for a woman. Tsk, women are such a hassle. But what could he do? She was his sister. Xiao Che was right about one thing: Yan Jiarou was also his sister.

What Xiao Che could do, he should naturally do for her as well; there was nothing wrong with that. But the more he thought about it, the more something seemed off… Oh no, could he be the same as Xiao Che?!

Yan Jiarou was not only his sister in name, but also his bedmate! Only he treated her as his own sister!

Can a biological sister and a romantic sister be the same?

Having lured her into bed, she must have done far more than her naive older brother. How can they be compared? What do you mean, "Isn't she also your sister?" How can they be the same?

Looking at the table full of shrimp shells, he couldn't help but feel dizzy. How did he end up being tricked into peeling shrimp for his little darling?

This isn't his ancestor!

Hey, I've fallen for that brat Xiao Che's trick again!