Upon hearing that voice that had been absent for decades, Ye Nian'an's body stiffened abruptly, and her heart clenched instantly.
Then, she turned her head away impatiently.
The man was as dazzling as the sun, with a tall and straight figure and an exceptionally handsome face. His features bore a resemblance to Ye Nian'an.
At that moment, he was waving his hands, his face full of surprise, and running towards them.
It was still the same as she remembered, something Ye Nian'an could only recall countless times through photographs. It was as if a dull knife was cutting into her heart, causing her immense pain and tearing her apart.
Ye Hui ran up to Chu Yan and Ye Nian'an in a few steps, first with a burst of joy, then a hint of surprise flashed in his eyes.
“Last night I went to the back mountain to see if I had caught any prey, and I saw the mark left by Brother Yan, which gave me quite a fright. I never expected that you guys would also be in this area…”
As he spoke, his gaze slowly fell on Ye Nian'an.
Looking at my precious little sister whom I hadn't seen for several months, who I had cherished since she was a baby, it seemed that she had changed a bit.
Ye Hui felt a surge of indescribable emotion.
But it's hard to pinpoint exactly what's changed.
But no matter what, she is still the precious little sister that Ye Hui cherishes in his heart and vows to protect for the rest of his life.
Ye Hui's voice trembled slightly as he asked, "Niannian, why... are you here?"
Didn't she marry Zhang Weiguo and stay in Haicheng?
How come I'm here with Chu Yan right now?
Countless question marks swirled in Ye Hui's mind.
Ye Nian'an opened her mouth, but her throat felt like it was choked by something. She wanted to say something, but no sound came out.
Only in her reddened eyes did tears uncontrollably gush out, giving her the first release of the surging emotions that had been building up inside her for decades.
Seeing Ye Nian'an crying like this, Ye Hui panicked instantly: "Niannian, what's wrong with you? Don't cry... If you cry, your second brother won't know what to do."
"Second Brother!"
Ye Nian'an finally uttered this address that was decades overdue.
Immediately afterwards, she threw herself into Ye Hui's arms, sobbing uncontrollably.
"Second brother, I missed you so much! I really missed you so much! I finally saw you! Waaaaah..."
From that moment on, she was no longer that pitiful, lonely creature who was bullied by everyone.
She still has her family, those dearest relatives who cherished her like a treasure and held her in the palm of their hand, and now they are truly standing before her.
It is alive and warm, no longer a phantom separated by death and only to be remembered in memories.
"Alright, alright, Niannian, don't cry anymore, your second brother is here."
Ye Hui raised his hand and gently patted Ye Nian'an's back, comforting her as he had when she was a child: "With your second brother here, no one can bully or hurt you!"
Although Ye Hui didn't know why Ye Nian'an and Chu Yan had suddenly appeared here, he was even more confused as to why his precious little sister was so emotionally out of control.
But instinct compelled him to hold Ye Nian'an tightly in his arms and gently comfort her, just as he had done countless times before, when she fell, got hurt, or was sad.
Hearing Ye Hui's comforting words, which were all too familiar, Ye Nian'an hugged him even tighter.
Tears flowed freely like a burst dam.
Only by holding him tightly could she truly feel her second brother's warm body temperature and the powerful beating of his heart in her chest!
Upon seeing this, Chu Yan lowered his eyes and silently protected Ye Nian'an.
He was acutely aware of the kinship ties within the Ye family, which were exactly the same as those within the Chu family.
Therefore, he saw Ye Nian'an's intense emotions and felt a pang of heartache.
I'm genuinely happy for Ye Nian'an...
At least, she finally saw her family whom she had been longing to see.
After a while, Ye Nian'an's emotions calmed down a bit, and she slowly withdrew from Ye Hui's embrace.
With a hint of apology, he said, "I'm sorry, Second Brother, I just... couldn't help myself."
"Niannian, you seem to have grown a little taller."
Ye Hui raised his hand and patted Ye Nian'an's head, his eyes full of affection: "Moreover, you've changed... you've become more beautiful and more composed."
"However, your habit of hiding in your brother's arms and crying hasn't changed at all. Look at you now, crying like a little kitten."
Seeing Ye Hui's smile, as bright as ever, Ye Nian'an took a deep breath and tried to force a smile.
"I'm the youngest sister in the family, and you've spoiled me since I was little. I'm crying because I have someone to rely on."
"Even if I cry like a little kitten, I'm willing. Anyway, you all have to protect me for the rest of your lives, you can't abandon me, and you have to revolve around me in everything you do."
Ye Hui reached out and gently flicked Ye Nian'an's nose with his finger, his tone full of indulgence: "Alright, alright, our Ye family's little princess is still so willful."
"But since I'm your brother, I have to be responsible for you for the rest of my life."
After the siblings poured out their hearts to each other, Ye Nian'an finally had the opportunity to tell Ye Hui the reason why she went to the countryside.
When the Zhang family's affairs were mentioned, she only touched on them lightly.
In her heart, ever since she emptied the Zhang family's house, dissolved her engagement with Zhang Weiguo, and registered her marriage with Chu Yan, those people with the surname Zhang had become insignificant passersby.
From now on, no matter how the Zhang family lives, it will have nothing to do with her anymore.
Now, Ye Nian'an's heart and eyes are filled only with the Ye family and the Chu family.
Her only wish was to protect both families and lead them safely back to Haicheng to make up for the regrets left over from her previous life.
However, Ye Hui was furious when he heard this.
"Damn it! Zhang Weiguo actually brought back a widow and her child from the army without even consulting you? Has he lost his mind?!"
"What promises did he make to us? How dare he forget them all! And he's supposed to be a soldier!"
"Our Ye family has been incredibly kind to him, even subsidizing so much for this marriage. This is how he repays his savior!"
Ye Hui vowed that if that bastard appeared in front of him, he would definitely catch him and beat him up to avenge himself and Nian Nian!
This is outrageous!
"Second brother, it's alright, it's all over now."
“Now, Yan Ge and I have registered our marriage, and we are husband and wife. I went to the countryside with the Chu family and am now in Hongxing Brigade, Liangtian Township.”
"It's perfect timing. It's not far from Hongqi Brigade in Houpu Township. Meeting up might be a bit inconvenient, but at least we won't be separated!"
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