Chapter 2: Brother

Chapter 2: Brother

The young man lounged lazily in the chair, his head tilted back...

Why is Xi Fumiao here?

Her eyes instinctively searched for Chunxin, but there was no sound around. She wasn’t sure if someone had stopped her or if Chunxin hadn’t returned.

The spacious bedroom was filled with a subtle fragrance—a blend of sandalwood and a unique floral scent that seemed to belong to this man.

Every time she caught this scent, she felt as if she too was enveloped in this complex, cold yet bold aura.

Meng Chanyin forced a smile, maintaining a gentle expression. "Brother, why have you come without notifying anyone in advance?"

In the past, he would at least send someone to inform her before coming, but today he arrived without a word.

Xi Fumiao raised an eyebrow slightly, smiling faintly. "I just entered the courtyard and saw no one inside. I thought Chan Er was avoiding me again. Seeing the window open, I decided to wait and see, but I didn’t expect to find Chan Er in the room."

This is no excuse for you to act so recklessly and intrude into a lady’s chamber!

Meng Chanyin almost blurted out, but reason made her suppress the words.

She changed the subject and asked instead, "When did you return, Brother? Why didn’t you inform Madam to prepare a welcoming feast?"

The mother she once had, she could now only refer to as Madam.

Hearing this, the young man coldly crossed his arms, leaning back lazily, and didn’t answer her question.

He glanced casually at the green dress hanging on her arm and asked indifferently, "Why aren’t you wearing the dresses I sent you?"

Meng Chanyin reached for the cloak on the wooden rack, tying it around herself, cursing him inwardly while maintaining a calm expression. "The things you send, Brother, are all extremely precious. I can’t bear to wear them, saving them for important occasions."

Her words weren’t sweet; even her perfunctory compliments were obviously insincere.

Xi Fumiao, however, didn’t mind. He lowered his eyelids and stood up with a calm expression. He stepped forward, his high-quality black robe fluttering like a breeze, tracing a misty arc.

As the man suddenly approached, Meng Chanyin tightly gripped the thin cloak, her clear eyes filled with wariness.

Just as she thought he was about to reach out to her, he suddenly turned and stood in front of the wardrobe, lowering his gaze, his expression unreadable as he examined the luxurious dresses inside.

Each one was perfectly suited for her, but she had never worn a single one.

Just like before, the things he sent were always secondary in her eyes—never the first choice.

Xi Fumiao extended his pale, slender hand, lightly touching a thin, pearly-white jacket.

This one most resembled the style and color she usually favored, matching the one on her wrist.

But she simply wouldn’t choose it.

His bony fingers tightened slightly, and the thin spring garment slid halfway off the rack, easily caught in his palm, the soft fabric like delicate petals.

He turned to look at the woman who had been as wary as a startled rabbit from the beginning, smiling faintly. "Chan Er, wear this set."

Meng Chanyin’s gaze slowly fell from his face, settling on the spring dress before her, her heart hesitating.

She didn’t want to wear the dress he had sent.

Meng Chanyin opened her mouth to refuse. "I..." "Chan Er," he interrupted in an unquestionable, cold tone.

Meng Chanyin was unhappy with his domineering manner, but she also knew that this man, who had become famous in four countries shortly after reaching adulthood, was not easy to talk to.

This was his true nature—unyielding and intolerant of refusal.

Reluctantly, she released her grip on the cloak, her slender, pale fingers had just reached out when a gaze fell upon them.

The tips of her fingers tingled under his intense gaze, her heart skipping a beat as she shrank back.

Xi Fumiao was faster, seizing her wrist in a reverse grip.

The woman's cool, smooth skin felt even softer in his palm than he had imagined, causing him to momentarily lose focus.

Meng Chanyin hadn't anticipated such boldness from him. Startled, she tried to pull away, forgetting that behind her was the orchid dressing screen. Her elbow accidentally hit the screen, making the lightweight, movable screen topple backward.

She stumbled and fell with it.

With a slight twist of his wrist, Xi Fumiao turned her backward fall into a forward lunge.

An overwhelming aura filled her nostrils, so intense it felt like a hidden undercurrent beneath a layer of fragrance, inexplicably making her feel terrified.

Her chest rose and fell rapidly, the sound of her heartbeat echoed wildly in her ears, indistinguishable from whose it was, so loud and chaotic.

Meng Chanyin didn't dare to breathe through her nose, opening her mouth to take shallow breaths, her fair face buried completely in the man's chest, her body stiff, too afraid to move even slightly, as if fearing to disturb something.

Though she had tried her best to make herself inconspicuous, the increasingly hot hand on her shoulder continued to tighten.

It seemed as if he wanted to meld her into his body, to become one before he would relent.

Breathing became too difficult, and a strong sense of suffocating dizziness overwhelmed her.

Meng Chanyin pressed her hands against the man's chest, pushing slightly as she spoke in the softest tone, her words a veiled threat.

"Brother, you can let go of me now; Chunxin will be back soon."

Xi Fumiao released her, moving the hand that had held her shoulder behind his back, his fingertips lightly rubbing. "Sister, forgive me; I saw you were about to fall, hence the offense."

As he spoke, he stepped back, restrained and polite, every bit the gentleman.

Meng Chanyin secretly bit her lip with her sharp teeth, her jaw slightly lowered, her gentle smile tinged with coolness. "It's alright, brother was just protecting me. Chan'er thanks you here."

The girl bowed in courtesy, her chin lowered, a strand of dark hair falling, revealing her reddened ear tips.

Xi Fumiao's gaze shifted away from her, placing the pear blossom dress hanging on his arm onto a nearby wooden rack, and walked a few steps away.

Just as he was about to step out the door, suddenly, he turned around.

The young man's jade-like face, reminiscent of a drunken mountain, showed a hidden light, a calm yet cold allure. "Chan'er, brother will wait for you outside. Remember to wear that dress."

"Mm," she replied with an unchanged expression, smiling.

The door was pulled open, the dark figure completely disappearing into the morning light.

Meng Chanyin's shoulders suddenly relaxed, her knees weak as she sat on the chair, staring at the dress hanging not far away, her red lips pursed in annoyance.

This former stepbrother had developed improper feelings for her, but whether in her past life or this one, she only had sibling affection for him.

She only wanted to marry her childhood sweetheart, and after sensing his feelings, she had hinted and stated clearly multiple times, even wanting to leave, all in an attempt to dispel his thoughts.

But on the day she planned to leave, he blocked all her paths with the words she cared about most, forcing her to stay.

He said that an elder brother is just an elder brother, and he would personally escort her to her wedding, but now he is increasingly crossing the line.

Fortunately, she has not yet broken off the engagement with Brother Zixu, and once the New Year passes, she can marry him.

Thinking of Lou Zixu, a faint smile graced her lips.

In her previous life, they were fated to be separated, and she died on the way to Qingzhou for her marriage. In this life, she has not broken off the engagement with Brother Zixu, so the events of the past life will not happen again.

Meng Chanyin quickly changed into the dress, her gaze casually catching a glimpse of the bronze mirror in front of her.

He indeed has a keen eye for fashion. The pear-white pleated skirt paired with the light green spring jacket were a perfect match, with a soft white shawl hanging from her arm, accentuating her graceful figure as she moved.

She liked it.

Yet she had no desire to wear it.

Meng Chanyin glanced at it, lowered her dark lashes, and turned to open the door.

She thought that after lingering for so long, he should have lost patience and left on his own.

When Meng Chanyin saw the young man sitting at the stone table under the grapevine trellis, sipping tea, her heart gave a strange flutter.

The fair-skinned, handsome young man sat lazily on the rattan chair, tilting his head back, idly spinning the teacup in his hand. The white ceramic surface of the cup and his cold, slender fingers were both equally mesmerizing in the light.

Few people knew that Meng Chanyin had a fondness for beautiful hands.

Xi Fumiao turned his head, noticing her gaze locked on him, his fingers paused slightly, then he casually placed the teacup on the tray.

"Chan Er, come here," he beckoned to her, apparently in high spirits.

Meng Chanyin broke free from her thoughts, hesitating as she stared at him.

The coldness in the young man's deep, handsome brows dissipated, replaced by a refreshing clarity, like green leaves. Even the plain black silk robe he wore appeared to gleam.

Chunxin was absent, and had not yet returned.

Meng Chanyin lowered her long lashes and made her way towards him slowly. When she got closer, she offered a gentle bow, "Elder Brother."

Xi Fumiao's fingers, resting on the stone table, curled slightly, and his eyes crinkled with a smile, "Lower your head."

Meng Chanyin shot him a puzzled glance, then obediently lowered her head under his gaze, revealing her slender, fair neck.

The young man raised his hand, and the wide sleeve dropped into her line of sight. The freshly tied lily bun was disturbed by something hard, as though something had pierced it.

She instinctively reached up to touch it, but her fingertips grazed the back of his cool hand.

Meng Chanyin's heart skipped a beat, but she maintained her composure, feigning nonchalance. She raised her watery almond eyes and asked with a soft smile, "Elder Brother, what did you put in my hair?"

Xi Fumiao also withdrew his hand, but the look in his eyes as they fell on her face had changed—dark and deep.

The tingling sensation on the back of his hand where she had touched him remained vivid, with no intention of fading. Instead, it seemed to spread across that patch of skin.

He just stared without speaking. Meng Chanyin's fingers, hanging by her side, curled into fists, her nails digging into her palms, using the sharp sting to quell the rising panic in her heart.

The spring sunlight was bright, and the walls on either side of the courtyard were covered with small, soft yellow flowers. The two of them sat and stood, staring at each other for a long while.

It was Xi Fumiao who finally broke the strange atmosphere.

He glanced casually at the young lady before him, his face bright but his smile stiff, almost twitching.

He withdrew his gaze and said in a calm tone, "I've been busy in Kunshan these past few days and haven’t sent anyone to bring gifts to my sister. This is a jade-white orchid hairpin I made myself. Just now, seeing your outfit, I felt it matched perfectly, so I put it on you."

"Ah, did brother make this himself?" Meng Chanyin exclaimed in surprise, her bright eyes sparkling with joy as she reached up to feel the hairpin on her head.

The cool, fine texture was excellent, as usual. Even without touching it, she knew his gifts were always of the finest quality.

Meng Chanyin's eyes curved like crescent moons, smiling softly as she said, "I didn't expect brother to have such skill. In the future, when brother marries and brings a wife into the family, she might not even need to send anyone to outside shops to have things made. Brother alone would be enough."

After speaking, she shyly lowered her hands, gracefully folding them over her abdomen, revealing the charm of a young maiden. "I can't bear to wear this jade orchid hairpin brother gave me. Such a precious jade hairpin, I wonder if it could be kept as part of my dowry in the future?"

Having taken on someone else's identity for over a decade, she naturally didn't expect the Xi family to prepare a dowry for her future marriage. She was just speaking casually to please him.

At the same time, she was subtly reminding him that although she was no longer the young lady of the Xi family, she had still been his 'dear sister' for over a decade. Some boundaries shouldn't be crossed.

Upon hearing this, the man raised an eyebrow slightly, his thin lips curving into a smile as he nodded, "Hmm, if my sister likes it, I can also make a wedding headpiece for you. How about that?"

A flash of annoyance passed through Meng Chanyin's eyes. She absolutely didn't believe he couldn't understand the meaning behind her words. Now, he was deflecting her words with ease, which was truly infuriating.

Yet, if she wanted to marry safely now, she couldn't afford to offend him.

Meng Chanyin's eyes curved into a smile, her expression troubled as she said, "I should thank brother, but Brother Zixu told me the other day that he has already prepared the wedding headpiece. I'm afraid Chan Er is not fortunate enough to enjoy brother's gift."

After speaking, she added with a teasing tone, "But brother should also prepare a set for your future sister-in-law in advance. That way, when she enters the family, she can be pleased."

As her words completely fell, it was unclear which sentence had struck a nerve in the man before her, as the last trace of warmth in his eyes vanished completely.

He leaned back lazily, a half-smile playing on his lips, listening to her speak, his expression half-lowered and half-glancing, exuding coldness.

Meng Chanyin blinked her clear, black-and-white eyes, looking at him with a well-behaved, gentle smile.

He casually rested his fingers on the armrest, making a dull tapping sound, his tone revealing no joy or anger, "Have you forgotten, Chan Er? Your Brother Zixu will soon be unable to give you a wedding headpiece."

Although she hadn't broken off the engagement with Lou Zixu as in her previous life, this marriage was now hanging by a thread.

She just hadn't expected that, unable to refute, he would use this sentence to remind her.

Truly a man who moves among high officials and nobles, every word he spoke carried an unintentional pressure.

The over ten years in her previous life, plus the over ten years in this life, Meng Chanyin knew him too well to know that he must be displeased at this moment.

Seeing his obvious displeasure, the resentment in her heart also eased considerably.