Chapter 12 Yaoyao, let go first, what does this look like...?
Chu Minglang took a step forward, his lips curving upward, his smile as warm as a spring breeze.
"Greetings, Sister Yu. You still cling to Brother He'an as much as you did when you were little. We've met before. I wonder if you still remember me? I visited Bianjing eight years ago and stayed at your residence for two months."
Eight years ago, two months ago, Yu Tan frowned.
It seems there was a child staying at her house. The child was even thinner than her, with a slender figure, red lips and white teeth, and an androgynous appearance.
She treated the child like a little sister, and when she couldn't find Yuhe'an to play with, she would drag the little sister along to fool around.
Yu Tan's gaze lingered between Chu Minglang and Yu He'an. Chu Minglang was almost as tall as Yu He'an, with clear features, broad shoulders and a narrow waist. When he looked at people, there was a hint of a smile in his eyes and the corners of his mouth turned up, making him seem very approachable.
Chu Minglang is a gentle and refined young man from a prestigious family, which doesn't match the image of the petite and beautiful little sister in my memory.
She honestly shook her head, "I don't remember."
"You really don't remember?" Chu Minglang took a step closer with a smile, shaking his sleeve. "Back then, you took me to the back mountain to roast rabbit, and you burned my sleeve while starting the fire. You were afraid of being scolded by Brother He'an, so we hid in a cave in the back mountain for an entire afternoon and didn't come out. You've forgotten all about it..."
Chu Minglang really is the same child he was back then; it turns out their entanglement started eight years ago.
Afraid of triggering the plot, Yu Tan took half a step back. Just as she missed her footing, the plot update notification sounded.
Yu Tan seemed too nervous when she saw Chu Minglang. She missed a step and fell straight down. Just now she kept saying that she didn't remember him or know him, but the moment she fell, her hand was very honest and grabbed Chu Minglang's sleeve.
Chu Minglang seized the opportunity and pulled the warm, soft body straight into his arms, her hands boldly wrapping around his waist.
Chu Minglang gently lifted her chin, caressing it intimately: "Yaoyao, do you really not remember me?"
Yu Tan stubbornly replied, "I don't remember."
Yu Tan paused as she tried to grab something. If she really wanted to grab Chu Minglang, she might as well just throw him to the ground.
Her body fell straight down, but an arm wrapped around her waist to stop her from falling, and the pleasant scent of cedar filled the air.
It is Yuhe An.
She took the opportunity to snuggle into Yu He'an's arms, wrapping her arms tightly around his waist, giving the plot no chance to unfold.
She tightened her grip, her mind shifting from avoiding the plot to thinking that her brother's waist was quite slender and it would be comfortable to hold him.
Chu Minglang's attempt to help Yu Tan back to her failed, and he watched as Yu Tan nestled into Yu He'an's arms.
Yu He'an, being tall and imposing, blocked most of the petite Yu Tan's view. His thick winter robes concealed their intertwined arms.
The students under the eaves were busy discussing their lessons and didn't spare a single glance for us.
Chu Minglang frowned deeply. Their intimate embrace was more intimate than that of normal siblings, and it seemed a bit strange.
But it seems that Yu Tan has been clinging to Yu He An ever since she was little.
The shackles around her waist loosened, and Yu He'an released her grip first. Her pleasant voice carried a hint of annoyance, "Yaoyao, let go first. What kind of behavior is this?"
She buried herself in Yu He'an's arms, pretending to be dead. If she let go now, who knows if she'll trip and fall again in the plot and end up rolling around with Chu Minglang? She doesn't want that. At worst, she'll just get scolded by Yu He'an when she gets back to the manor.
She didn't loosen her grip; instead, she hugged him even tighter, snuggling closer into Yu He'an's arms. The air was filled with the scent of cedarwood, making her feel safe.
Seeing Yu Tan's unusual behavior, Yu He'an patted her back reassuringly, "What happened? Were you frightened?"
"Mmm." She nodded in Yu He'an's arms.
Chu Minglang pressed on, unwilling to give up, "Yaoyao, do you really not remember me?"
Yu Tan replied in a muffled voice, "I don't remember."
Yu Tan lingered for a while longer, then heard the voice indicating that the plot had been completed. She let out a long sigh of relief, realizing that the plot was mostly correct and she could pass the test.
She released her arms from Yu He'an and stepped back to his side.
Chu Minglang pursed his lips and withdrew his hand.
But I really can't figure out what's strange about it, as carriages kept coming to pick up the students who had stopped under the eaves and take them back to their residences.
"My lord, this servant will escort you back to your residence." The Chu family's carriage had arrived, and a servant carrying rain gear came to the corridor to greet him.
"Brother He'an, Sister Yu, I'll head back now. I'll visit you another day." Chu Minglang said goodbye, leading his servants toward the carriage. As he closed his umbrella and turned back...
Yu He'an held up the green bamboo umbrella, tilting it towards Yu Tan to block the wind and snow coming from the side. Occasionally, the umbrella would be raised to reveal the faces of the two of them.
When Yu Tan looked at Yu He'an, she always had a slight smile on her face, and there was no timidity in her eyes when she saw him, only peace of mind and a smile.
Yu He'an still had that indifferent look, no different from when he saw them as a child.
Chu Minglang shook his head, thinking he was overthinking things. They had only fallen and then hugged each other. He then turned and got into the carriage.
*
Having successfully navigated the plot, after boarding the carriage, Yu Tan consciously kept her distance from Yu He'an because Yu He'an disliked interacting with people and had always maintained this aloof demeanor since childhood.
Since the incident, the oil lamp on the carriage has been put away, and only a luminous pearl has been placed in its place, but the luminous pearl is not very bright.
Yu He'an propped his head up in thought. Yu Tan's appearance just now didn't seem like she was frightened by the fall. Something else must have happened today. He had previously instructed Changming to investigate Ji Yushang.
He ran into trouble in his business and was in a panic for a while. He then clung to the Li family and finally caught his breath. He is now secretly trying to seduce Yu Tan and has put pressure on Ji Yushang.
She turned to look at Yu He'an, wondering if he would settle scores with her so soon, since she had held her before when she was little.
Yu Tan lowered her head, pretending to be obedient, "Brother."
Yu He'an straightened his robes: "It's rare to see you leave the mansion in winter."
"I had something to take care of, so I came out..."
Yu He'an turned his head, his gaze falling on her, the redness in the corners of his eyes still lingering. "Who did you run into?"
Those glassy eyes seemed to see right through her. She hurriedly looked away. She couldn't say anything now; if her identity was exposed, she would be finished.
Yu Tan lowered her head even further: "There's hardly anyone here."
Yu Tan looked as if she had been wronged and bullied outside, but couldn't speak up when she got home.
Ji Yushang was a dissolute and frivolous man, but he was a master at charming people, and many noble ladies became entangled with him.
Originally intending to let Yu Tan handle the matter herself, he now only wanted to cut the Gordian knot and sever the entanglement between Yu Tan and Ji Yushang, so that he would never appear in front of Yu Tan again. Yu He'an could only sigh and regret his decision for the first time.
"Yaoyao, aristocratic families place great importance on lineage and social standing, do you understand?"
Yu Tan raised her eyes, stared into Yu He'an's eyes, and nodded, not understanding.
After thinking for a while, she suddenly realized.
She could probably understand Chu Minglang now. Rather than saying he liked her, it would be more accurate to say he liked her status as the legitimate daughter of a marquis. Yu He'an was a rising star in the court, and the Yu family had a bright future. The Chu family was in decline, and he urgently needed to support the Chu family. Marrying the legitimate daughter of a marquis would be the greatest help to him.
After her identity was exposed, everything Chu Minglang had done to her became an obstacle to his pursuit of the real heiress.
She didn't care about any of these things.
No wonder...
Chu Minglang will treat her that way later.
Once she completes these storylines and saves enough money, she will leave.
"I went to Doctor Xue today and got some ointment to remove scars. Would you like to try it, brother?"
Yu He'an looked down and saw that Yu Tan's eyes seemed even redder. He just hummed in response and let Yu Tan pull her sleeve over, twist open the ointment, and apply it lightly to his wound.
The wound had long since healed, leaving only a red scar. Since it didn't affect his reading or writing, he ignored it.
Yu Tan never left the mansion during the winter. It turned out that... all of this was for him. A corner of his heart softened.
Yu He'an frowned: "You left the manor today just for this?"
"Hmm." Yu Tan finished applying the ointment, screwed the medicine box shut, and put it into Yu He'an's sleeve pocket. "They say this has miraculous effects and can definitely remove scars."
"It's okay if it doesn't go away."
“Brother, you’ve been to so many places, do you know of any doctors more skilled than Doctor Xue?” Yu Tan recalled Wu Niang’s illness, where Doctor Xue had given her a death sentence, stating that no one in Bianjing could save her.
It's just a scar, why would I need a miracle doctor? But seeing Yu Tan's expectant eyes, he swallowed his words of refusal.
"have."
Yu Tan looked up: "Where?"
"In Miao territory, it is said that even the living dead can have their lives extended by three years."
This answer pleased Yu Tan greatly, as if there was hope for everything.
The Imperial Academy was located more than halfway across Bianjing City from the Jade Palace. The sound of the carriage wheels rolling over small stones on the official road was extremely soothing, and sleepiness immediately crept in.
They sat on opposite sides of the bench. Yu He'an moved towards Yu Tan, using the back of his hand to block the spot where she would bump into something. If Yu Tan nodded again, she wouldn't bump into the hard carriage wall.
Yu Tan seemed to smell a familiar scent. She turned around, grabbed his collar with one hand, and sniffed him gently. She seemed to smell a reassuring scent, her furrowed brows relaxed, and she even affectionately rubbed against his chest.
Her hand, which had been gripping his collar, slid down and loosely wrapped around his waist. After a while, feeling awkward, she let go and found a comfortable position to lie down.
Yu He'an froze. Just how sleepy was Yu Tan?
*
Yu Tan slept soundly for a long time, and when she turned to one side, she was wearing a moon-white brocade robe.
"Ah, brother."
She nearly tumbled off the bench, but a hand caught her on the back of the neck, saving her from a fall.
A warm palm was placed on the back of her neck, and the heat of the palm seemed to travel up her neck, making her cheeks flush.
Why was she sleeping on Yu He'an's lap? She quickly got up and moved away.
"Brother, I...I...I didn't mean to..."
Yu He'an rubbed his temples, his eyes still not clear, having just woken up from his sleep.
No wonder, if Yu He'an were truly awake, how could she possibly be allowed to sleep here?
She must have taken advantage of Yu He'an's sleep and slept on his lap; that damned sleeping instinct.
"It's alright, let's get off the carriage." The voice carried a languid quality, as if the person had just fallen asleep.
Yu Tan stood up nimbly, while Yu He remained seated on the bench for a long while without moving. "Brother?"
"Don't come any closer." Yu He'an's lips twitched slightly.
She hurried back to Yu He'an's side and saw that he couldn't move his legs and his brows were furrowed. She asked with concern, "Brother, are your legs numb? Let me rub them for you."
"Hmm, you'll be fine after a rest." Yu He'an rubbed his legs to relieve the soreness and numbness. "You can get off the carriage first."
She took Yu He'an's arm and said, "Brother, let me help you."
Yu He'an refused again: "It's alright, I'll be fine after a rest."
Yu Tan whispered, "I like to sleep close to something warm, brother. Next time, just push me away."
Yu He'an calmed down, a smile playing on her lips. "I'll remember next time. I'll make you bang your head against the wall. When you wake up, you'll have a bump on your head, and Grandmother will blame me again."
"How is that possible?"
Yu He'an glanced at her sideways: "When we took you out to play as children, and something happened to you, wasn't it always my fault?"
Yu Tan thought about it carefully, and it was indeed true.
In Yu He'an's mind, wouldn't she have always been a troublesome person since childhood?
Yu Tan said angrily, "Brother."
Yu He'an said, "Go back to your courtyard. Don't come to the study in the afternoons for the next few days."
"Huh?" Yu Tan was startled; everything had been fine just now.
Why can't she go to Fengxu Academy anymore? How can she still get some sleep?
After much deliberation, Yu He'an finally refused.
Yu He'an doesn't like being close to people. Could it be that she's been too clingy to him lately, making him annoyed?
"Brother, I...I..."
A note from the author:
Thanks for the nutrient solution from someone passing by and being a lazy bum! [kissing emoji]
Yu Tan: Oh no, I need to find a way to keep my sleeping pillow. Why is my brother so nosy? [rolls eyes]
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