Chapter 27. Chapter 27, didn't I say I'd use it at my wedding...?

"I am your sister." Yu Tan lowered her eyelashes, casting a shadow under her eyes, making her look extremely lonely. She bit her lower lip with her pearly teeth, causing her full lips to sink in, and helplessly repeated, "I am your sister."

The house was extremely quiet, with only the occasional sound of firecrackers. She deeply regretted her actions and felt so helpless that she wanted to disappear into the ground.

If only she were a turtle, she could curl up into her sturdy shell when she felt helpless, which would keep her safe.

Yu He'an stared at her face in silence for a long time, then chuckled softly and echoed, "You are my sister, I will always be good to you."

Fortunately, she didn't give herself away.

Then she became greedy again and was somewhat dissatisfied with the answer.

Only a younger sister would treat her well, but she isn't.

She'd rather be a turtle.

After a while, the fireworks stopped. She walked unsteadily from the window to the fireplace, and Yu He'an followed behind her, sitting down on the small futons one after the other.

She sat on the cushion and leaned back for a while, unsure whether she was becoming more awake or more confused.

But she still wanted to ask, Yu He'an was sitting right across from her, sitting upright and straight, the backbone of the Marquis's mansion, who would one day enter the cabinet and become someone everyone looked up to.

Unlike when she leaned against the wall without any backbone, she tried to straighten her posture, but ended up sitting even more crookedly.

"Brother, if there were a young lady who was about my age, more well-behaved and sensible than me, would you be willing to be her sworn brother?"

Yu He'an's gaze enveloped her, no longer concealing his emotions. His eyes surged with emotions like waves that would pull her into an abyss and swallow her whole.

She had nowhere to hide.

"One younger sister is enough."

These words extinguished all her remaining hope like a bucket of ice water. She knew that Yu He'an had long found her troublesome and wanted to get rid of her.

She felt a little uncomfortable, leaning against the wall, unable to find a sturdy shell, and could only curl up helplessly.

"Brother, I want to sleep for a while. Wake me up when the fireworks start later." Her soft tone made it sound like she was really sleepy.

His Adam's apple bobbed: "Go sleep on the couch."

Yu Tan kept her eyes tightly closed and muttered unhappily, "I'm not going, I want to stay up all night."

He reluctantly got up, took the futon to Yu Tan's side, and sat cross-legged next to her.

Yu Tan's sleep was not sound; her brows were furrowed, her lips were pursed in displeasure, and her head swayed back and forth, causing the butterfly hairpin in her hair to tremble.

Like snails struggling to poke their heads out, they were all startled and curled back up, only to tremble and extend their tentacles again when no one was watching.

He took a book and sat closer to Yu Tan, their shoulders almost touching.

In just a few dozen breaths, a furry head approached, the fragrance of epiphyllum mixed with the crisp aroma of wine.

She nuzzled his shoulder affectionately, wrinkled her nose, and sniffed hard. As if she smelled a familiar scent, her furrowed brows relaxed, and she found a comfortable spot to lie down.

He turned his head to the side, and Yu Tan slept peacefully on his shoulder. The dim candlelight illuminated her face, and her eyes were still misty.

That's good enough, that's sufficient.

Yu Tan only wanted to be his sister, but he had been her brother for sixteen years.

If the balance is truly broken, there will be three parts joy and seven parts pain.

He held Yu Tan's account book and looked at it. The handwriting was delicate, and the accounts were always checked twice.

After a while, his mind calmed down, and his shallow breaths fell beside him, like flames licking. He could always smell the intoxicating fragrance of the epiphyllum, like a pebble falling into a calm lake, creating ripples. He gave a bitter smile.

At midnight, the crackling sounds of fireworks and firecrackers rang out from all directions.

"Yaoyao, wake up." He shook Yu Tan's shoulder.

Yu Tan opened her eyes groggily, facing Yu He'an's handsome face so close to hers.

As she looked up, the tip of her nose brushed past Yu He'an's face. She jerked back and her head hit the wall.

"Ouch!" she cried out in pain, tears welling in her eyes. The pain from drinking and the impact were mixed together, and her voice became slurred, "Brother, how did I fall asleep?"

Yu He'an placed his hand on her head and gently rubbed it. "What do you remember?"

Yu Tan lowered her eyelashes and tried hard to recall, but her mind was a complete mess.

"I remember we were drinking. The liquor was really strong, unlike in previous years. I didn't want to drink anymore, but I didn't want to break the rules. What happened next? How did I end up sleeping? Did I drink my third glass of liquor?"

Yu He'an said without changing his expression, "You drank it. I tried to stop you, but you insisted on drinking it, and then you came here to take a nap."

“I’ve had three drinks every year, so of course I’ll have to do the same this year.” Yu Tan twisted her sleeves, wondering if she had given herself away. She hadn’t just blurted it out in front of Yu He’an, had she? “I didn’t say anything strange when I was drunk, did I?”

Yu He'an said calmly, then rubbed her head, "No."

My head finally stopped hurting so much. "Really?"

"He can't hold his liquor well, but he's a good drinker; he falls asleep after drinking."

"That's fine then." She glanced at Yu He'an's unmoving face, as long as he didn't give anything away, and then she got back to business.

Yu He'an was born at midnight on the first day of the Lunar New Year, a time when families reunite at the beginning of the new year.

She propped herself up, her feet feeling light on the ground, as if she were walking on cotton. She floated to the small table, opened the makeup box, and took out the brocade box.

She carried the box in both hands and drifted back to Yu He'an's side, but did not hand the box to him.

Yu He'an's gaze fell on the brocade box, an item from Ruyi Pavilion, probably a piece of jewelry.

"What's this?"

Yu Tan's fingers moved across the brocade box a few times, but she didn't open it. "Brother, close your eyes."

Why?

"Close your eyes first." Yu Tan stood in front of him holding the box. Seeing that Yu He'an did not close his eyes for a long time, she waved her hand in front of his eyes, as if to say that if he did not close his eyes, she would cover them with her hands. "Brother, close your eyes quickly."

"Mmm," Yu He'an responded softly, obediently closing her eyes.

Yu He'an's cold and aloof demeanor mostly stemmed from his eyes.

His pupils were light in color, he was very tall, and he always lowered his eyelashes when looking at people. He was mature beyond his years, and his lips were always pursed, making him appear indifferent.

His eyes were closed, his expression relaxed, and the dim candlelight added a warm hue to his face, making him appear both handsome and gentle.

It would be even better if the corners of her mouth could turn up slightly. If she were a child, she would definitely have done it herself, but now she could only go around to Yu He'an's back. She removed Yu He'an's jade crown, and her long hair fell down, soft and smooth.

Her fingers moved swiftly through her dark hair, combing it neatly and tucking it into the golden crown before fastening the headband.

Like a busy bee, she circled around to the front of the Jade Crane Table, leaned forward, and adjusted the position of the golden crown and hair ribbon. The golden and red hair ribbon added a few splashes of color to the Jade Crane Table, like a koi carp stirring up a lake of spring water in clear water, adding vitality.

"Brother, it's alright, you can open your eyes now."

When Yu He'an opened her eyes, her glassy eyes, as white as frost and snow, suppressed the dazzling color of the golden crown, and she remained the noble and elegant Yu He'an.

Yu Tan smiled and said, "Happy birthday, brother."

"So that's why you've been hiding." Yu He'an tilted his head, his face turning away from hers. The pleasant scent of cedar wafted by, and Yu Tan took a big step back and sat back down on her futon.

A crimson ribbon hung down, and Yu He'an grasped the end of it, the crimson color winding around his slender fingers as his fingertips caressed the lone crane.

A sense of coolness and sensuality intertwined.

"It's quite unique. Was this also ordered by Ruyi Pavilion?"

Yu Tan lowered her head and whispered, "When I was buying hairpins, I saw one that I thought would suit my brother, so I bought it."

"Yaoyao is so thoughtful."

She looked up, her eyes sparkling: "Brother, do you like it?"

Yu He'an played with the hairband, saying, "It's too formal for everyday use, and too flamboyant for a coming-of-age ceremony."

This is what dissatisfaction means.

She wanted to give Yu He'an a heavy and gorgeous hair crown so that he would remember her, but she overlooked his preferences. Yu He'an's clothes and accessories were mostly light-colored, but she chose a gold crown with a red hairband for him.

There's absolutely no place where it can be used.

Yu He'an teased, "It would be suitable for use at a wedding."

As the eldest son of the Marquis of Yuhe'an, he will surely inherit the title in the future, have a smooth career, and be matched with a noble lady. His wedding ceremony will definitely be extremely grand, and everything from the headdress to the wedding dress will be custom-made.

The exceptionally skilled embroiderer will be refining the patterns, and it won't be a lone crane, but rather mandarin ducks playing in the water, or some other design. In any case, she certainly won't be using her hair ornament; Yu He'an is just deceiving her.

Yu Tan said dejectedly, "Brother, you don't like it? Give it back to me, and I'll give you another one."

Yu He'an lowered his head: "Can a gift that has been given be taken back?"

"Brother, if you don't like it, you won't need it in the future." It's better to leave it with her.

"I don't dislike it. Didn't I say I'd use it for my wedding?"

Yu He'an tricked her again, and she couldn't see Yu He'an's wedding. She felt even more upset and stopped mentioning the return of the hair ornament.

She floated back to the small table to unpack the New Year's gift that Yu He'an had given her.

The brocade box was opened, revealing a book about the Gu worms of Miao territory, unlike Chu Minglang's fragmented scroll.

This book neatly lists the types of Gu worms, and some common Gu worms are even illustrated. Yu He'an even added some annotations to make it easier for her to understand. At the end, there is also a story about Miao territory.

She was overjoyed to receive it, her fingertips tracing the book's faded yellow cover.

This headdress was really poorly chosen. Yu He'an dislikes ostentatious and extravagant things, yet she does things entirely according to her own preferences.

She probably won't have another chance, and she wants to try her best to make amends.

After thinking for a long time, he still couldn't figure out what Yu He'an really wanted.

It's all Yu He'an's fault. She asked her half a month ago, but she didn't tell her.

She returned to Yu He'an's side and sat down beside him. "Brother, what gift do you want to receive? What do you most want to receive?"

Yu He'an opened his thin lips, but no sound came out.

Yu Tan quickly said, "Just don't say that. There's nothing I like."

Yu He'an propped his head up with his hand, somewhat amused: "Does it really have to be a gift? We can give it to you next year."

Because there is no next year. She will be driven away next year, and given her reputation, the Marquis's mansion will no longer be willing to have anything to do with her.

The best ending would be if, after the story is completed, she could escape and go find Wu Niang.

Yu Tan insisted: "I want to make it up this year."

Yu He'an's gaze fell on the top of her head, and after a moment, she said, "Give me another hairband, just not too bright. This embroiderer does a very good job, I like it very much, please ask her to embroider it again."

Her pent-up emotions had dissipated somewhat. Her embroidery had been praised by the elders of Yuyang, so Yuhe'an was indeed discerning.

Yu Tan nodded: "Yes, it's very difficult to hire embroiderers. It took me a lot of effort."

Yu Tan sat leaning against the wall to keep watch over the New Year. Occasionally, firecrackers could be heard outside. Yu He'an, who didn't talk much, sat quietly to the side reading a book.

She sat for a while and then started to feel sleepy. She leaned on Yu He'an's shoulder and drifted off to sleep until dawn.

*

With the Lunar New Year over, there was only a little over a month left before the scientific expedition, and Yu He'an needed to focus on preparing for it.

Yu Tan, who used to go to the study every day, started going every other day, then every two days, and tried her best not to make any noise to disturb him.

The caravan made another round trip, earning her a considerable amount of money. Her purse was bulging, and she began to plan to find some new avenues for business, hoping to settle down in Huizhou first.

Wu Niang has recovered and plans to leave Bianjing in the next few days.

She opened an account at the bank in Wu Niang's name and deposited all her recent profits, after deducting daily expenses, into it, totaling three thousand taels.

The silver-clad shopkeeper was a middle-aged man in his forties, who sighed with emotion.

"Young lady, is that your name too?"

Yu Tan responded softly and began to chat: "Yes, the shopkeeper knows other people with the same name."

The shopkeeper shook his head, stroking his beard as he drifted into memories: "When I was young, I met a girl with the same name. She saved me when I encountered bandits. I went to look for her, intending to repay her life-saving grace, but unfortunately, I couldn't find her."

"That young woman sounds like a female knight-errant."

The shopkeeper shook his head: "She is a clever and gentle young woman, and she and her husband are very much in love, living freely in the martial world."

"That's a happy ending." That definitely isn't Wu Niang anymore. Just by looking at Wu Niang, you can tell she's had a hard life all these years.

Lost in her memories, the shopkeeper moved very slowly, and it took her a long time to hand over the receipt. She put the receipt away and planned to see Wu Niang off.

Wearing a veil, she planned to leave, wanting to see Wu Niang as soon as possible.

Ask about Wu Niang's background, ask about her father.

She still had many questions she wanted to ask her.

She took a few steps, but her wrist was grabbed, and when she looked up, she saw those glassy eyes.

"Ah, brother." Like a child caught doing something wrong, she hurriedly raised her hand to cover the gauze curtain that was being blown up by the wind, hiding her guilty face.

Where are you going?

A note from the author:

Thank you, Yuanyuan Zhimeng and Ziyourou, for the thunder [droopy-eared rabbit head].

Thank you to Yuanyuan Zhimeng Mi Mao uksophie, Xiha Yeze Yu Yan Youzi, and Xie Xiaoxie for the nutrient solution [lop-eared rabbit head].

I'm so happy to see an old friend from the last book again! [fireworks emoji]

Thank you so much for your comments, I saw them all! [Lop-eared rabbit head][Lop-eared rabbit head]