Chapter 45 Connecting the Dowry
Ye Xunqin tried to focus on his conversation with Lou Jin, but Anar's presence was too strong.
She didn't interrupt, but sat quietly on the stool next to Ye Xunqin, her hands supporting her chin, her gaze almost glued to his face, as if she couldn't get enough of looking at him.
When Ye Xunqin frowned slightly when talking about a certain treacherous terrain, she would reach out and gently tug at his sleeve, her eyes revealing worry.
Ye Xunqin felt the pressure on her sleeve, paused slightly, and turned her head to meet her pure and concerned gaze.
He said somewhat awkwardly in a low voice, "It's okay, it's all in the past."
This scene naturally did not escape Ye Xunyang's eyes.
Ye Xunyang sighed. It seemed that his second brother was bound to get into trouble sooner or later.
Lou Jin was erudite and had considerable insight into the customs and culture of Southwest China. He had a very pleasant conversation with Ye Xunqin.
Although Anar couldn't understand the complicated place names and strategies, she could sense the gleam in Ye Xunqin's eyes as he talked about them.
She liked seeing him so radiant, more composed and confident than he was in the village.
While Ye Xunqin was searching for an old map on the bookshelf, Anar suddenly turned to Ye Xunyang and said earnestly in her accented Mandarin, "Third brother, Aqin... is very happy here."
Ye Xunyang was taken aback, not expecting her to speak to him first, then smiled and said, "Yes, this is his home."
Anar shook her head, her gaze following Ye Xunqin's retreating figure, her tone resolute.
“It’s not just home. Here, he can talk a lot, do a lot, and have many people who respect him and listen to him.”
“He was very good in the village, but I always felt… different.”
With a limited vocabulary, she tried her best to express her feelings.
"But I like seeing him like this now."
Ye Xunyang looked at the pure joy in her eyes and felt a slight stirring in his heart.
This girl is simple and straightforward, but her feelings for her second brother are extremely sincere.
Ye Xunqin returned with the map and saw Anar and Ye Xunyang talking. He asked with some confusion, "What are you talking about?"
Anar immediately turned around and flashed him a bright smile: "I'm saying that Aqin is very capable!"
Ye Xunqin was embarrassed by her sudden praise. He cleared his throat, spread the map on the table, and tried to hide his embarrassment.
The next morning, Ye Xunqin was summoned by General Ye to inquire about the specific situation of the southwestern border defense. Anar wanted to go with him, but Ye Xunqin insisted on keeping her in the courtyard under the pretext of important business.
Although Anar was somewhat disappointed, she did not linger. She simply sat obediently on the stone bench in the courtyard, fiddling with the bag of candied fruit that Ye Xunyang had just given her, while her gaze occasionally drifted toward the direction of General Ye's study.
Ye Xunyang was pushing Lou Jin for a walk nearby when he saw this scene and couldn't help but sigh to Lou Jin, "Your Highness, look, she's really just sitting here waiting."
Lou Jin glanced at Anar's quiet, waiting figure and said calmly, "It's rare to find someone with such a pure heart."
He paused, then looked at Ye Xunyang: "Much more honest than your second brother."
Ye Xunyang nodded in deep agreement: "My second brother is the kind of person who, even if he has something on his mind, will keep it to himself. If it weren't for Miss Anar being so proactive, I don't think they would ever have a chance together."
Suddenly, an idea struck him, and he tugged at Lou Jin's sleeve: "Your Highness, what do you think... should we lend them a hand?"
"I think my second brother isn't completely indifferent to her, he's just awkward! Someone needs to give him a push!"
Lou Jin did not object. In his opinion, it would indeed be a wonderful thing if Ye Xunqin could find such a good match.
When Ye Xunqin came out, he used the excuse of taking Lou Jin to admire the weapons collected in the Ye family mansion to send Ye Xunqin and Anar to take a walk in the garden, so that he could show Anar the surroundings.
The courtyard was a bit chilly on this winter night, but the sunlight was still bright, shining on the branches covered with a thin layer of snow, creating a unique scene.
Anar followed closely beside Ye Xunqin, her breath condensing into white mist.
"Aqin, the capital is so big, the weather is so cold, and the buildings are so tall." Anar looked up at the eaves overhead and sighed softly.
"It's very different from the bamboo houses we live in."
"Hmm." Ye Xunqin responded, his gaze falling on her thin clothes, his brows furrowing slightly.
"It's chilly outside, you're not dressed warmly enough." As she spoke, she subconsciously reached for her outer robe.
He realized halfway through the action that it seemed too intimate, and his hand froze in mid-air, feeling somewhat embarrassed.
Anar's eyes lit up. Instead of feeling uncomfortable, she took a step closer and looked up at him, asking, "Ah Qin, are you worried that I'm cold?"
Ye Xunqin looked at her smiling face so close to his own, his heart skipped a beat, and he hurriedly looked away, retying his untied sash, his tone deliberately stiff.
"...Go back and put on some more clothes."
Anar blinked, not disappointed at all, but as if she had discovered something interesting, and her smile deepened.
She stopped dwelling on the issue of clothes and instead asked, "Aqin, will you go back to the Southwest in the future?"
Ye Xunqin paused for a moment, gazing into the distance with a hint of longing that was barely perceptible in his eyes: "Perhaps. The world is vast, and there are still many places I have not yet set foot in."
"Can you take me with you?"
"I can show you the way. I know many hidden paths that outsiders don't know about, and I can also identify herbs. I won't cause you any trouble!"
Looking into her hopeful eyes, Ye Xunqin hesitated for a moment before finally letting out the habitual refusal.
He recalled that when they were in the southwest, it was indeed Anar who led him away from many poisonous insects and miasma, and it was she who taught him to identify edible wild fruits.
"...We'll talk about it later," he replied vaguely, which was the biggest concession he could make.
Anar, however, seemed to have received some great promise and laughed happily, her clear laughter echoing in the quiet courtyard.
"Great! I knew Ah Qin was the best!"
On the other side, Ye Xunyang leaned against the window, trying hard to see the two people in the garden, but unfortunately the distance was too far and he could only see their blurry figures.
"Your Highness, what do you think they're talking about? My second brother, that taciturn fellow, is he going to kill the conversation again?"
He turned around somewhat anxiously and asked Lou Jin, who was sitting under the lamp reading a book.
Lou Jin didn't even raise his head, turned a page of his book, and said calmly, "Fate is predetermined, and there's no use in forcing it. You can rest assured."
Ye Xunyang leaned back against the window and muttered to himself, "I was just in a hurry..."
After lunch, Shanlan came to report that someone from the estate had come to pay New Year's respects and wanted to see the prince.
It was customary for the head of the estate to come and pay his respects during the New Year holidays. In previous years, the head of the estate would simply hand over New Year's gifts and account books. If he specifically requested a visit, it was likely that something had happened on the estate.
Lou Jin and Ye Xunyang explained in detail, and then the two bid farewell to the Ye family and returned home.
As soon as the two arrived at the Prince's residence, Wang Quan stepped forward to report that the head steward was waiting in the side hall.
Lou Jin looked at Ye Xunyang: "Xunyang, come with me to meet him."
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