Chapter 49

The corridor leading to the attic was so narrow that only one person could pass through. The wooden planks creaked, making people worry that they would collapse at any moment. The only light source was the old candlestick in Zhao Fanghua's hand, and the dim light cast a swaying shadow on the wall.

She carefully protected the candle flame with one hand and leaned against the wall with the other, muttering to herself, "I really can't understand why someone would have to squeeze into this shabby attic when they could have stayed in the spacious and soft bed at the inn..."

Zhao Qinglan took a half-step behind her. The candlelight softened his features, and a harmless smile played on his lips. "Of course I want to be closer to my elder sister. Besides—" he deliberately dragged out his words, "it was my elder sister who invited me to sleep on her bed first."

Zhao Fanghua rolled his eyes and thought to himself, at that time I thought you were my real brother!

The two of them moved up to the attic, one in front and one behind. Zhao Fanghua bent down and used the candle to light the older oil lamp on the small table next to the bed. The two flames danced, finally illuminating the small attic more clearly.

Zhao Qinglan looked around the room, his brows furrowed tighter and tighter.

There was a narrow couch by the window, a small table in front of the couch with peeling paint, and a tattered wardrobe at the foot of the couch, along with some miscellaneous items.

Apparently, the attic was not originally intended to be used as a bedroom.

Even the lowest-ranking maids in the palace live in better quarters than this.

The needle-like pain in his heart came back, and he was about to ask her why she would rather live in such a place than return to Beijing, but he saw Zhao Fanghua swiftly took out an old quilt from the closet and spread it out on the floor.

"Sister, what are you doing?" he couldn't help but ask.

Zhao Fanghua patted the quilt without looking up: "Sleep on the floor! The weather is getting colder now. What if I catch a cold if I don't put on some thicker blankets?"

In this world with underdeveloped medical conditions, a cold can be fatal. She has experienced life and death several times in her life. She finally got this life back, so she wants to live a few more years.

Zhao Qinglan looked at her busy back and said in a deep voice, "Sister, why don't you sleep on the couch with me?"

Zhao Fanghua paused, turned around and gave him a look that said, "Are you okay?" "Are you really planning to share a bed with me? Is that appropriate?"

Besides, did that couch look like it could sleep two people? Not to mention Zhao Qinglan's shoulders, broad enough for a marathon, would fit perfectly on the couch.

but……

Zhao Fanghua glanced at him stealthily and sighed again: It's only been a year since we last met, how come he has changed so much?

"Why not?" Zhao Qinglan took a half step forward, the candlelight flickering in his eyes. "Didn't we sleep on the couch at Penglai Villa?"

"Brother!" Zhao Fanghua plopped down on the floor, glaring up at him. "Back then, I thought we were siblings from the same father! Now that I know we're not, do you understand that physical contact between men and women is forbidden?"

As soon as the words came out, the attic fell into silence, and the secret window paper between the two was easily broken by Zhao Fanghua.

Since they are no longer siblings, there is no need to pretend to be affectionate with each other.

Zhao Fanghua fell asleep, curled up several times, and wrapped himself tightly in the quilt, looking like he was going to sleep and didn't want anyone to disturb him.

"Is that so..." Zhao Qinglan muttered to himself, but the corners of his mouth couldn't help but curl up. He slowly tugged at his collar and untied his hairband.

Zhao Fanghua closed her eyes for a long time and only heard some rustling sounds, but she didn't hear the sound of him sleeping on the couch. She couldn't help but turned her head to ask him if he was still asleep, but this glance almost made her bite her tongue.

Moonlight shone through the window lattice, illuminating the figure reclining on the edge of a couch. Her clothes were half-open to her waist, revealing a large expanse of snow-white skin. One long leg was bent, the other casually draped over the edge. Her long, dark hair flowed like a waterfall, and a lazy smile played on her lips.

Zhao Fanghua swallowed and told herself not to look at anything inappropriate, but her eyes were honestly glued to the exposed collarbone and couldn't move away.

"Sister." Zhao Qinglan suddenly spoke, her voice like honey. "My hairband is loose. Can you help me tie it?"

As he spoke, his fingertips casually curled a strand of black hair. When the corners of his eyes were slightly raised, the small mole was particularly attractive in the moonlight.

At this moment, he no longer looked like a majestic emperor, but rather like a vixen who specialized in seducing decent women at night.

"oh……"

Zhao Fanghua slowly stood up. If she had been asked to get out of bed before, it would have been absolutely impossible. But now...

She looked at Zhao Qinglan who was posing coquettishly, and bah, she admitted that she was seduced.

As the saying goes, beauty can mislead people.

Zhao Fanghua stood behind Zhao Qinglan, slowly and methodically combing his hair. This scene seemed familiar. Wasn't it when she was combing his hair during the day...

She vaguely remembered that when she pushed the door open during the day, Zhao Qinglan's belt was not yet tied tightly, and when she pulled up his outer robe, she seemed to catch a glimpse of his tight waist and abdomen.

As if possessed by some strange force, she stood on tiptoe and peeked at his slightly open collar. In the moonlight, she could just see a large expanse of spring light running down his chest. If it weren't so dim, she could have...

"What are you looking at, sister?"

Just as Zhao Fanghua was about to bend her head to take a closer look, Zhao Qinglan's voice interrupted her unexpectedly.

She hurriedly lowered her head to fiddle with her hairband, her ears burning. "No, no, I didn't see anything."

Zhao Qinglan chuckled.

"If you want to see it, go ahead. I promised you before." He suddenly turned around, his warm breath brushing her hair. "As long as I have it, as long as you want it..."

Zhao Fanghua felt a little dazed for a moment. The scene of asking Zhao Qinglan to sign a document at Penglai Villa a year ago suddenly came to his mind. It was clearly just a year ago, why did it seem like a lifetime ago?

"So, sister..." Zhao Qinglan gently hooked a strand of her hair with his fingertips, "Why don't you want to come back?"

Zhao Fanghua stammered, "Didn't I say that during the day..."

Zhao Qinglan fell silent.

After a while, he laughed at himself: "You forgot that you asked me to write the red seal with my own hands, how could I hurt you in the slightest..."

Zhao Fanghua retorted softly, "But then I remembered that in history, no one who held the imperial seal of approval had a good ending..."

…

silence.

After a while, a burst of laughter sounded in the silent attic. People really laugh out loud when they are speechless.

Zhao Qinglan turned around and reached out to pinch her cheek, pulling it. "Are they worthy of being compared to me?"

After saying this, he sighed. His sister was sometimes so dull that it distressed him, and sometimes so clever that it made him laugh and cry.

Zhao Qinglan stared at Zhao Fanghua's face quietly, his gaze finally resting on the scar on her forehead.

Zhao Fanghua noticed his gaze and tilted her head as if trying to cover up her ears and steal the bell.

But she was thinking, if she had known this would happen, she should not have left the rejuvenating cream her elder brother gave her in the cupboard gathering dust. Maybe the cream is really effective, so effective that the scars would have disappeared by now.

Zhao Qinglan sensed her resistance and pulled her into his arms.

Zhao Fanghua struggled a little, but due to the huge difference in physical size and strength, he ultimately failed.

Zhao Qinglan reached out and stroked her forehead: "It's okay, sister, it will be fine."

Zhao Fanghua pouted: "See, men really care most about women's appearance."

…

Zhao Qinglan chuckled. "Sister, why is your mouth so full of poison today? Isn't it afraid of poisoning yourself?"

Zhao Fanghua stuck out his tongue and licked the corner of his mouth exaggeratedly, "He's not dead, which means he didn't apply poison."

…

Zhao Qinglan still had a slightly smiling expression, but compared to the fake smile mask he usually wore on his face, he now looked a little more real.

"Are you happy here, sister?"

Although it is a question, it is indeed in an affirmative tone.

"Of course!" Zhao Fanghua said without a doubt, "Everyone in the Chai family is particularly nice to me!"

She emphasized the word "very good" and rambled on, "Although Dad is sullen and doesn't like to talk, he always makes me some Chinese herbal dregs to apply on my knees when it rains. Mom sews my clothes herself and even embroiders them when she has time. And my eldest brother is even better. Every time he comes to Beijing, he brings me all sorts of little gadgets..."

Zhao Qinglan, who was originally listening to Zhao Fanghua's narration with a smile, the smile on her face disappeared instantly when she mentioned Chai Xingyuan.

"So, this is why you don't want to come back."

Zhao Fanghua immediately shut up.

An unfortunate childhood requires a lifetime to heal. She has been desperately seeking the love of her family. Whether it is the sisterly relationship she desires with Zhao Qinglan in Penglai Villa, or the relationship with everyone in Chai's Pharmacy, they were all once out of her reach.

Now that she already has parents who love her and an older brother who cares for her, why should she go back to Beijing?

Zhao Fanghua looked at Zhao Qinglan intently, her eyes filled with longing, and said in a serious tone, "So, A'lan, can you please not let me go back?"

You are the emperor, the supreme ruler. The whole world belongs to you. No matter what kind of sister or woman you want, you can choose as your choice.

So, can you let me go?

Zhao Qinglan still smiled slightly. He pinched Zhao Fanghua's waist with one hand and gently brushed the hair on her forehead with the other hand. He said the most annoying words in a gentle tone: "No~"

Zhao Fanghua's expression changed instantly.

"The Chai family is very important to my sister, but my sister is also very important to Lan. My sister is reluctant to leave the Chai family, and Lan is reluctant to leave my sister..."

"Then what do you want?" Zhao Fanghua had completely lost his patience and interrupted him loudly.

"Shh—" Zhao Qinglan raised her index finger to make a hushed gesture. "It's so late, it's not nice to disturb the old man and his wife's sleep."

He stroked Zhao Fanghua's lips and said slowly, "Sister has indeed had a good time in the Chai family this year. Even her personality has changed a lot..."

Zhao Fanghua looked at Zhao Qinglan's deep eyes, straightened his back, and the hairs on his body stood up instantly.

She had grown up in the Chai family's doting for the past year, forgetting that the man in front of her was never her good friend, let alone a kind person.

With just a snap of his fingers, he could indeed destroy her and the Chai family.

Zhao Fanghua lowered his eyes, made up his mind, and finally said that sentence:

“Actually, the reason I don’t want to go back is…”