Chapter 19 A Mystery Over a Brothel? No, it's a case of jealousy overturning!
After recovering from his illness, Yun Zhan felt as if he were trapped in a spiderweb woven with Yan Linye's gentle touch, unable and unwilling to break free. Just when he was almost ready to give up treatment and lie down to enjoy this "courtship treatment from the enemy leader," a bombshell announcement left him completely stunned—
Yan Linye went to visit a brothel!
The news came from Chen Feng, that big mouth, who came to the villa to discuss improving the saddle with Yun Zhan (Yun Zhan was bored and wanted to earn some points).
"Young Master Yun, what's wrong with your brain? You can even come up with so many ingenious ideas for a saddle!" Chen Feng patted the newly made sample, praising it highly, then sighed, "It's a pity the Prince won't be able to come and see it tonight. He has to go to 'Drunken Spring Breeze' for a social engagement. I heard that a stunningly beautiful woman has recently arrived there, proficient in all the arts, tsk..."
Yun Zhan didn't hear a word Chen Feng said after that. His mind was buzzing, as if a thunderbolt had exploded.
"Drunken Spring Breeze"? That doesn't sound like a respectable place at all! "National Beauty and Heavenly Fragrance"? And she's proficient in all the arts, including music, chess, calligraphy, and painting?
Yan Linye... wasn't he... you know... you know? How come he turned around and went to a brothel... oh no, I mean, to admire some talent?!
A sudden, indescribable bittersweet feeling welled up inside him, making his throat tighten. All that careful care, those tender glances, those ambiguous words… had he just been imagining things?
"System! Detect! Immediately detect Yan Linye's sexual orientation! Is he gay or not?!" Yun Zhan roared angrily in his mind.
[This system reiterates that it cannot accurately detect human sexual orientation. The target's behavior could be categorized in several ways: 1. Bisexual; 2. Showing special treatment to the host but still interested in women; 3. Simply socializing; 4. The host is overthinking it.] System Xiaoqi provided its usual "reliable" analysis.
"Do you really need to go to a brothel for social engagements?! And you specifically choose a time when there's a new top courtesan?!" Yun Zhan was so jealous he was practically bubbling with sarcasm. "Men's words are truly deceitful! They say they'll keep me by their side, but then they go find pretty girls to listen to music!"
He felt like a fool who had been emotionally deceived by a scumbag, feeling angry, wronged, and defeated by his own shortcomings. That courtesan must be very handsome, and could play the piano and chess. And what about him? Besides some random "inventions" and a lot of rambling, it seemed... he really didn't have much of a competitive edge?
In the time that followed, Yun Zhan completely wilted. When Chen Feng spoke to him, he absentmindedly hummed and hawed; he barely ate a couple of bites of the dinner that was brought to him before losing his appetite; he sat alone in his room, sighing deeply by the candlelight, looking like a heartbroken, abandoned wife.
"System, I feel terrible." Yun Zhan clutched his chest, his expression melancholy.
Based on the physiological scan, the host's heart rate is normal, but gastric acid secretion is slightly increased; appropriate food intake is recommended. Psychologically, the preliminary assessment is 'one-sided emotional distress and suspected jealousy symptoms.'
"Who's jealous?!" Yun Zhan jumped up like a cat whose tail had been stepped on. "I'm... I'm just heartbroken as a business partner for his depraved behavior! How can he achieve anything great if he's so obsessed with sensual pleasures? How... how can I find an opportunity to assassinate him?!"
[The logic is weak and will not be accepted.] The system ruthlessly exposed this.
While Yun Zhan was putting on a show of inner turmoil, Yan Linye was also having a hard time.
He went to "Drunken Spring Breeze" tonight, indeed for a social occasion. The new top courtesan was his mole in the capital, and she was there to gather intelligence on the city's affairs. However, he was distracted throughout the entire visit, his mind preoccupied with Yun Zhan.
The little guy just recovered from his illness; I wonder how his appetite is? I discussed saddles with Chen Feng today; I wonder if he's tired? I didn't go over tonight; will he feel neglected?
The thought of Yun Zhan possibly looking listless and dejected made Yan Linye feel a pang in his heart, making him restless. He didn't hear a single word of the piece the new courtesan was playing, something he used to enjoy.
Having finally managed to handle the situation, Yan Linye immediately headed home, his steps even more hurried than usual.
Upon returning to the villa, his first thought was to see Yun Zhan. Reaching Yun Zhan's room, he was delighted to find the light still on and gently knocked on the door.
"Yun Zhan, are you asleep?"
There was a few seconds of silence inside before Yun Zhan's muffled voice came through, slightly nasal, as if he had just been crying? Actually, his nose was still a little stuffy: "Sleep!"
Yan Linye's heart sank. That voice... something was wrong. Was he really angry?
"Am I coming in?" he asked tentatively, pushing the door open.
Yun Zhan was sitting on the bed with his knees drawn up to his chest. Hearing the noise, he looked up at him. His expression was so complex that it made Yan Linye's heart tighten—there was grievance, resentment, and a bit of... a sour feeling that he couldn't understand.
"Didn't Brother Yan go... to listen to music? Why are you back so early?" Yun Zhan lowered his eyes, his tone laced with sarcasm, without even realizing it himself.
Looking at his obviously sulky expression, Yan Linye felt not annoyed at all, but rather a soft, ticklish feeling, as if a feather had gently tickled his heart. Was the little guy... bothered?
He walked to the bedside and explained in a natural tone, "It was just a social engagement; I didn't stay long. And that top courtesan's piano skills weren't as outstanding as rumored."
His intention was to clarify that he was not addicted to sensual pleasures, but Yun Zhan interpreted it as, "I went to see her, but the top courtesan wasn't pretty enough, so I came back."
This made me even angrier! So, if the top courtesan were prettier and played the piano better, he wouldn't have come back?!
"Oh." Yun Zhan responded dryly, turned over, turned his back to Yan Linye, wrapped himself tightly in the quilt, and his whole body seemed to say, "I'm not happy, come and coax me, but even if you do, I might not pay attention to you."
Yan Linye looked at the sullen figure's back, feeling both helpless and inexplicably pleased. He stood by the bed, remained silent for a moment, and said softly, "You've only just recovered from your illness, don't stay up too late, get some rest."
After saying that, he took a deep look at the quilt before turning around and leaving, carefully closing the door behind him.
Hearing the door close, Yun Zhan sat up abruptly and waved his fist in the direction of the door!
He just left like that?! Without even a proper explanation?! What a clueless straight man! No wonder you're single! ...Wait, he's not actually single, he went to a brothel!
Yun Zhan angrily punched his pillow, feeling both sour and depressed, and couldn't sleep at all.
Back in his room, Yan Linye stood by the window, looking at the moonlight outside, his brows furrowed slightly.
Yun Zhan's reaction tonight... is very strange. Is it because I didn't have dinner with him? Or... is it because I went to "Drunken Spring Breeze"?
If it's the latter...
Yan Linye's eyes deepened, and a faint joy, which even he himself was not fully aware of, quietly swept across his heart.
The little guy, it seems, wasn't entirely indifferent to him either.
This discovery instantly dispelled the slight frustration he felt because Yun Zhan ignored him, replacing it with an even stronger determination to succeed.
It seems his "boiling the frog slowly" strategy is starting to work. However, the little frog in the pot seems a bit agitated now; he needs to think of a way to calm it down.
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