Morning.
Nian Jiaojiao pushed open the window and looked outside. Lush trees stretched as far as the eye could see, their topmost branches bathed in the radiant morning light.
She squinted. Just then, a slightly weary voice came from behind her.
"Wife, today is the day the results are posted, isn't it?"
Upon hearing this, Nian Jiaojiao quickly turned and sat by the bedside, supporting the man's smooth arm. "Chuan'er, you should rest a bit longer today. I'll have Xingyun save you some food later. After all, you were quite exhausted last night."
The thought of last night made Yu Chuan's ears flush, and the air in the room grew heavy.
"Dong dong dong—"
Three rhythmic knocks interrupted the atmosphere between the two. Yu Chuan shrank back under the thin blanket.
Nian Jiaojiao smiled, got up, and went to open the door.
Creak—
The door opened.
Xingyun was squatting by the door.
Nian Jiaojiao looked at Xingyun, who resembled an abandoned kitten, and found it amusing.
He had only just knocked, and she had come to open the door. Yet, the way he looked, it was as if he had been waiting for her all night.
Nian Jiaojiao bent down and stroked his soft hair. Xingyun obligingly narrowed his eyes, seemingly enjoying it.
Nian Jiaojiao: ...
Fine.
He was even more like a kitten now!
Nian Jiaojiao gently closed the door, pulled Xingyun up, and said softly, "Come, let's go eat."
Xingyun glanced at the closed door, a flicker of emotion in his eyes. "Wife, won't Brother Yuchuan be joining us?"
Nian Jiaojiao shook her head. "Yu Chuan needs to sleep a bit longer. Please save him an extra portion of food later."
With that, she led Xingyun towards the dining area.
But after only a few steps, Xingyun stopped.
Nian Jiaojiao looked back in confusion. "Xingyun, what's wrong?"
Xingyun pursed his lips. "Wife, don't you like Xingyun?"
Nian Jiaojiao was a bit bewildered, not understanding why Xingyun would suddenly say such a thing.
Xingyun continued, "Wife only wants to have children with Big Brother and Brother Yu Chuan, and doesn't want Xingyun to have children with Wife."
Hearing this, Nian Jiaojiao understood instantly. However, in her heart, Xingyun had always been an underage child, appearing carefree most of the time. She hadn't expected him to be so precocious.
Nian Jiaojiao pressed her nose bridge with a headache, carefully choosing her words before saying, "Xingyun, you're still young... We'll talk about this when you're older."
She couldn't bear to harm a tender seedling!
Unexpectedly, upon hearing Nian Jiaojiao's words, Xingyun proudly puffed out his chest. "I'm not small! Really! I compared myself with Big Brother and Second Brother, and I'm really not small..."
As he spoke, Xingyun's confidence faltered. He then mustered up his courage and said, "I'm only a little smaller than Second Brother! Really, just a little bit!"
Nian Jiaojiao's expression cracked on the spot.
This information was quite overwhelming... From Xingyun's words, it could be inferred: Xuan Yi > Nan Qing > Xingyun?
Bah, bah, bah! What was she thinking!
Nian Jiaojiao frantically shook her head, secretly despising herself. She had been here for almost a year, and she had actually turned into an experienced driver? An old pervert?
Just as Xingyun finished speaking, Nan Qing's voice came from ahead.
"Third brother, come eat. Why are you dawdling?"
Though it was a plain statement, Nian Jiaojiao couldn't help but hear a hint of gritted teeth in it.
"Oh!"
Seeing his second brother approaching, Xingyun obediently ran over.
Nan Qing cast a casual glance at Nian Jiaojiao, then turned away, presenting her with a perfect view of his back.
Nian Jiaojiao: ...
...
After breakfast, Nian Jiaojiao greeted everyone and hurried out.
Xingyun cleaned up some of the dishes and headed to the kitchen, while Xuan Yi was still tidying up by the table. Just then, Nan Qing stood up and said to Xuan Yi, "Big Brother."
Xuan Yi, not hearing the rest, looked at Nan Qing with some confusion. Then he heard Nan Qing say casually, "Let's compare when you have time."
Xuan Yi: ???
Did his second brother have some kind of cat-like ailment?
Nan Qing didn't wait for Xuan Yi's reaction, stood up, and walked out. Arriving outside the courtyard, he saw the pageboy Tong Zi Yao standing by the entrance.
Nan Qing sneered inwardly. Since the incident last time, the other party had never dined with them and rarely appeared in front of everyone. But don't think he didn't know his intentions. It was just that this tactic of "retreating to advance" was completely useless on Nian Jiaojiao.
Therefore, the other party still didn't understand Nian Jiaojiao. Although Nian Jiaojiao currently appeared to be a refined scholar, she was still a tomboy at heart and would not notice Tong Zi Yao's subtle schemes. Otherwise, after such a long absence, she wouldn't have asked about Tong Zi Yao. Moreover, she was busy with the imperial examinations and cultivation. He thought that even her own men were already more than she could handle; how could she possibly pay attention to a "wild grass" like Tong Zi Yao?