Besides Luo Sheng, there was another person who felt extremely disappointed seeing the two of them getting along so well.
As Zuo Qingzhi watched the two figures walk away and Chen Yuancheng's smiling profile, she couldn't quite describe the feeling in her heart.
Yuan Cheng had never smiled so happily in front of her before. Although he wasn't exactly cold-faced, he was never as gentle and warm as he was now when facing his older sister.
For a moment, she even felt a pang of jealousy.
Why is it that the older sister can easily receive everyone's care and love, while I am always the one who is ignored?
Chen Yuanyao noticed the change in her friend's mood and reached out to put her arm around her: "Lanzhi, what's wrong?"
Zuo Lanzhi suddenly snapped back to reality: "Huh? Nothing."
Chen Yuanyao followed her gaze to her older brother and paused for a moment: "When I was little, I often stayed here with my older brother. The vegetarian food here is quite delicious. After we finish eating, let's go to the back mountain to admire the flowers. I'll pick a few of the prettiest peach blossoms for you to put in a vase, okay?"
Zuo Qingzhi forced a smile: "Okay."
Chen Yuanyao pulled her along, quickening their pace: "Then let's hurry up, we're falling behind."
Zuo Qingzhi hurriedly followed, secretly biting the tip of her tongue.
How could she have thought that way? Her older sister had been so good to her; if she were to feel jealous over such things, she would be incredibly ungrateful.
Besides, even without this older sister, Brother Yuancheng didn't like me...
The two of them jogged after them side by side, and Chen Yuanyao pulled Zuo Lanzhi and squeezed between Chen Yuancheng and Xiao Yunying.
"Big brother, move over there a little, we want to talk to Sister Yunying."
Chen Yuancheng looked at his sister and, to avoid squeezing into Zuo Qingzhi next to him, reluctantly moved a few steps to the side, keeping a distance of half a person from her.
While Chen Yuanyao and Xiao Yunying were talking, Zuo Qingzhi secretly glanced at Chen Yuancheng, mustered her courage, and asked in a low voice, "Brother Yuancheng, what fortune did you draw just now?"
"It is auspicious."
"That's an excellent fortune slip! I wonder what Brother Yuancheng asked for?"
"It's generally considered auspicious, so I just picked one randomly. The fortune slips are all the same old auspicious phrases, so don't take them seriously."
Chen Yuancheng's voice was still warm, but it lacked the natural familiarity he showed when speaking to Xiao Yunying; it sounded more like a polite formality.
Zuo Qingzhi tried her best to pretend she hadn't noticed and replied, "You can't say that. Being able to draw a very auspicious lot at least shows that Brother Yuancheng is extremely lucky, unlike me, who drew a moderately auspicious lot."
"Praying to gods and Buddhas is a way for people to express and entrust all their thoughts and feelings. A fortune slip can't prove anything, so you don't need to take it to heart."
"I hope what Brother Yuancheng said is true. I don't want Yaoyao and me to encounter any danger, especially not a choice between two options with no solution."
Chen Yuancheng looked at the girl who had always been very close to his younger sister since childhood, and after a moment of silence, he said, "If that day ever comes, just take good care of yourself."
Zuo Qingzhi asked in surprise, "Brother Yuancheng... are you worried about me?"
Although she knew it was impossible, at that moment she couldn't help but wonder if the person in front of her still cared about her, even more than his sister Chen Yuanyao.
Those around them stopped talking as soon as they heard their conversation. Although they didn't all look over at the two of them, they all listened intently.
Only Chen Yuanyao ignored all that and turned to look at her brother with a curious expression, wanting to hear his answer.
Chen Yuancheng glanced at his sister, his gaze quickly sweeping over Xiao Yunying. Seeing that she wasn't looking at him, he couldn't tell whether he felt disappointed or relieved.
He slowly said, "Yuan Yao has a lot of tricks up her sleeve and knows how to protect herself. If that day ever comes, you should just focus on protecting yourself. There's no need to worry about choosing between the two. Maybe both of you can turn danger into safety instead of being tied down by a piece of paper and making the wrong decision that only makes things worse."
Zuo Qingzhi's smile froze instantly. Was Brother Yuancheng reminding her not to be too clever for her own good, lest she drag everyone down?
Chen Yuanyao glared at her elder brother: "How can you say that, elder brother? Qingzhi and I have known each other since childhood. If we were really in danger, her choice to protect me showed her courage and fearlessness, and also her sincerity towards me. It's one thing for you, as her elder brother, not to be grateful, but how can you say that it was a wrong decision and that she was a burden?"
Chen Yuancheng was speechless after hearing his sister's words: "That's not what I meant..."
Seeing her friend's face growing paler and paler, and ignoring her brother's explanation, Chen Yuanyao grabbed Zuo Qingzhi's hand and said, "Come on, let's not talk to him anymore. You'll stay in the same room with me tonight, and we'll go see what the room is like."
As he spoke, he pulled Zuo Lanzhi along and jogged into the villa.
Xiao Yunying looked at Chen Yuancheng with an indescribable expression, while the latter was eager to explain but didn't know how.
"That's really not what I meant..."
“I know.” Xiao Yunying could tell what he meant: “You want Qingzhi to protect herself and not let the choice between the two fortune slips trap her thoughts. But your words were too harsh. They sounded more like a warning and disdain. She is, after all, a young woman. It would have been better if you had used more tactful words and tone.”
Chen Yuancheng had nothing to say: "Alright, then I'll go apologize to Miss Zuo later."
Xiao Yunying smiled and said, "Qingzhi and Yuanyao have similar personalities and are easy to coax. Just explain and say a few kind words, and she won't be angry with you anymore."
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