Linque

When Chu Xin heard the news and arrived, Chu Yan had already visited Zhong Pinghou and his aunt Ye Shi, and was chatting with several brothers and sisters.

She walked quickly all the way, and only slowed down when she reached the gate of the main courtyard. She stopped to straighten her temple hair and dress, and walked in with a light breath.

The atmosphere in the room was quite peaceful, the person above was talking, the young man was full of smiles, holding a cup of tea and listening attentively, as if he was very interested.When he heard the rattling of the curtain outside the door, the young man raised his downcast eyes, lifted the tureen and sipped his tea, and put the porcelain cup on the desk calmly.

Chu Xin walked in without looking sideways, and first saluted Zhong Pinghou and Ye Shi.It was just before dinner time, Chu Xin lived in the courtyard where her biological mother used to live, it was quiet and far away from the main courtyard, but now she was the last of the siblings to arrive.

The boy stood up, walked in front of her, and cupped his hands as he did when meeting other brothers and sisters: "Second Sister."

Looking up, Chu Xin saw the corners of his lips slightly raised and the smile in his eyes.

"Fourth brother," Chu Xin said, looking at the boy who was already half a head taller than himself, "Is the journey going well?"

"Second Sister Lao is concerned, everything is fine." Chu Yan said, "I brought some gifts when I came, and everyone is sharing them. Just now, the eldest sister has already picked out, and the third sister is choosing what she likes. Second sister should also choose. "

Chu Xin nodded and walked towards the table.

Chu Yan turned sideways and glanced out the door without showing any signs of expression.

Zhong Ping Hou Chuhong sat at the top, watching the scene where his sons, daughters and nephews gathered together to talk and laugh at Yan Yan, the whole family enjoyed themselves happily, and suddenly felt that the boredom in their hearts had dissipated a lot.

Gifts were bought according to the number of people, and at the end of the selection, there was still one left on the table. Chu Xin pursed her lips slightly and turned her head away.The boys and girls looked at each other a few times, and they all knew in their hearts that Chu Yansuri's popularity among brothers and sisters is not bad. Everyone has not seen him for a long time and now they accept his gift. It is not easy to mention this for a while. After a while, he knew it, talked and laughed, and was about to turn the page, but the fifth son, Chu Kun, didn't think so.

If he had known that Chu Yan would be home at this time, even if he was late for today's dinner, Chu Kun would never have come so early again.

What a nuisance!He came early to talk to his aunt, and heard his father's voice as soon as he arrived at the main courtyard, and he was overjoyed, but as soon as he entered the room, he saw Chu Yan who was saluting—obviously he had just arrived home.

Chu Kun pinched the finger wrench that he picked up casually from the table just now, feeling very disgusted in his heart, this Chu Yan would also use these gadgets to please people's hearts.A box of Jade Girl Peach Blossom Rouge coaxed the elder sister to smile, and his own sister, Chu Xin, just threw away any hairpin.

Chu Kun rolled his eyes, saw the last remaining fan on the table, and couldn't help laughing a few times in his heart.He quietly looked at the faces of his father and his aunt, and asked knowingly: "Why is there one more thing left? Did the fourth brother buy too much? Or is there anyone who didn't get it?"

The voice fell to the ground, and the chatter and laughter in the room stopped immediately.

How can you buy more?In Zhongli, Chu Yan must have also heard the news that his brother Chu Heng left his teacher and returned home, but...boys and girls, look at me and I look at you. Ye's face mentioned Chu Heng again.

When Chu Yan entered the house, he felt that the atmosphere in the Hou Mansion was not right. It was almost time for dinner but he never saw the figure of the "brother". Seeing the silence in the hall, he immediately had a bad feeling.

Sure enough, the inconspicuous smile on Zhong Pinghou's face faded even more after hearing the words. He glanced at Chu Kun, looked at the fan on the table, and said lightly: "Since we have all been allocated, how much is it?" I bought it, Yan’er, you take it back yourself. That’s enough—”

Zhong Pinghou stood up as he spoke, and glanced across the hall, "Everyone is here, let's set the meal."

Everyone is not surprised, and they should be in unison.Chu Yan frowned slightly, and looked outside the door again, but no one came in the dark night.Chu Xin stepped forward to put away the fan, handed it over, and shook her head slightly at him.

This scene was captured by Chu Kun, who was waiting to see the joke. Seeing that Chu Yan had a strange expression on his face, he was about to say something when the eldest son Chu Chen happened to pass by him.Chu Chen had the usual gentle smile on his face, and turned his head to look at Chu Kun, with disapproval clearly written in his eyes.

Chu Kun opened his mouth, but swallowed the ridicule that came to his lips.

Chu Yan glanced at him, ignored him, and followed everyone to the flower hall.

Zhong Pinghou and Ye Shi were not in high spirits, no one dared to take the initiative to speak during the dinner, and the meal was finished in silence.After the meal, Zhong Pinghou went to the front yard to invite the clansmen to discuss the ancestral hall. Mrs. Ye said a few words casually and waved them away.

Chu Yan had just returned home, and the suitcases and luggage still needed to be packed, so Chu Xin followed him to his yard to have a look.

It was already dark, and lanterns were hung everywhere in the Hou Mansion. The bright red lights in the mansion were auspicious and festive, and the New Year was coming.

After seeing off the leading maid in the main courtyard, Chu Yan ordered the servant to pack up the luggage, and holding the "extra" fan, she went into the study with Chu Xin.

As soon as the door was closed, he took out a small round wooden box from his purse and pushed it in front of Chu Xin: "Sister, a New Year's gift."

Chu Xin bent her eyes, unscrewed the box and smelled it, and said, "The jade girl's peach blossoms are already very good."

"Huh?" Chu Yan was lying on the table and fiddling with the teapot, hearing the words, "But the makeup lady from Shaodu's Fenlou said that the pistil is better."

"Xiangxiangrui." Chu Xin looked at the box in her hand, and didn't know what to say to him for a while, "Why did you buy this? This rouge used to be only offered as a tribute, but now His Majesty's harem is vacant, and the palace is only for people to use." Not so much, you can only see it occasionally outside, but that is also rare.”

Chu Yan straightened up and touched two porcelain cups, "No wonder I only bought such a small box."

"It's too little?" Chu Xin stretched out her hand to pat him, "You're wasting money on this small box."

Chu Yan shook his head, handed over the poured scented tea, looked at the lightly scented expensive rouge on the table, and said, "I remember, the elder sister had it before, and the third younger sister too."

Chu Xin's heart trembled, and her heart was both warm and astringent.

"Sister," Chu Yan continued, "When I arrived at the main courtyard just now, I happened to hear my mother and elder sister talking about their marriage."

"...Huh?" Chu Xin's reaction was a bit slow. She picked up the scented tea in her hand, took a sip as if nothing had happened, and said, "Of course I have to choose carefully about the elder sister's marriage."

Chu Yan didn't notice the momentary unnaturalness on her face, nodded and said, "I listened twice, and most of the candidates are direct descendants of the sixteenth family, or the eldest son of the right age, anyway, Zhongli is the eldest daughter of the Chu family. Put it there, it depends on which one the eldest sister likes, and she doesn't like those whose family background is not high enough. Sister, I don't care about her affairs, I just want to ask, have you been in the imperial capital for so long, have you..." Chu Yan tilted his head to look at her.

Chu Xin lowered her eyes slightly, her slender eyelashes drooping down to block the real emotion in her eyes, she pretended to be angry, dropped the cup in her hand, reached out and patted Chu Yan: "What nonsense!"

Chu Yan continued to stare at her. Seeing her frowning and stretching out her hand again, she quickly got up and dodged it, admitting defeat, and said, "It's just that there is no one I like. Anyway, there is no rush. My sister is so good. I don't think she is worthy of ordinary people." up."

Chu Xin glanced at him and said nothing, but her hand holding the handkerchief under her sleeve tightened tightly.

Chu Yan sat back to the original place, was about to take the pot to refill tea, inadvertently stretched out his hand, but touched the fan placed by the table, and the smile on his face froze.

Chu Xin followed his gaze and saw his complex expression, fearing that he would be lost and sad, she hurriedly said, "Brother...he will come, Ah Yan, you don't know..."

"Sister," Chu Yan interrupted Chu Xin, and said in a deep voice, "I have heard that as soon as he came back, father let him go to the Hall of Martial Arts?"

……

When Chu Yan saw Chu Heng, it was already early in the morning of the next New Year's Eve.

At that time, Chu Yan was going to the ancestral hall, and just passed through the vertical flower gate, he saw a figure as bright as a jade tree standing at the intersection of the flower path in the distance.The brothers and sisters at home, Chu Yan, all know each other, but the strange-looking figure in front of him... Chu Yan's heart skipped a beat, and the complex emotions that had been circling in his heart all night, when it came time to really meet, all turned into "" Feeling timid near the hometown", he stopped involuntarily.

Chu Yan didn't know how to face his brother who had hardly met him.He learned about this elder brother from his sister last night, and also understood that Chu Heng had many embarrassing difficulties.

Chu Yan knew that he wanted to see him. When Zhongli’s family heard the news of Chu Heng leaving his teacher and returning home, he began to think about his brother’s appearance and what his brother likes. , Chu Yan thought that he would see his brother as soon as he got home, but he didn't hear any news until before going to bed.

This might be a bit unreasonable and self-willed - don't you want to come and see yourself after Chinese New Year in the imperial capital, don't you think so?He also brought a gift alone——Chu Yan was disappointed and a little discouraged, and couldn't help but suspect that his younger brother, who was connected by blood, might not be very important to his elder brother.

After all, Chenfeng Lingyu has been separated for a long time, and he should keep a little distance... Chu Yan stood there thinking about it, hesitating how to say hello first, and suddenly saw someone blocking the way in front of Chu Heng. Man, his complexion instantly darkened.

On New Year's Eve, when the ancestral hall worships the ancestors, all the children of the Chu family in the imperial capital are coming, and Chu Kun happened to meet Chu Heng on the road.He had never looked directly at this second elder brother, but yesterday he heard that Chu Heng entered the Taimiao Temple to offer sacrifices, and now seeing the rightful master, he immediately found an outlet for his grievances.

"Why are you here? You don't think you still have a part to worship the ancestors in the ancestral hall, do you?"

Chu Heng frowned slightly, looked at him indifferently, and asked quietly: "Is Zhongli Chu's ancestral hall more noble than Taimiao?"

Chu Kun choked, and could not utter a word. He was hating this matter in his heart, gritted his teeth secretly, thinking of the faces of his father and aunt when they came back from the palace yesterday, he immediately found the backbone, and continued to say with a sarcasm: "It's okay to mention the matter of virtue's unworthiness, and I'm not afraid of embarrassing the Hou Mansion."

Chu Heng suddenly felt that his last kick was still too light, and he was too lazy to talk nonsense with him, and said bluntly: "Dongyue [-], in Mingzheng Martial Arts Hall, what did Dong Jun say to you, and you forgot it so quickly?"

Before the words fell, Chu Kun's body shook violently. He knew that Ji Wuyue had already left the imperial capital, and Chu Heng's backer was beyond his reach, but hearing this name, the fear engraved in his bone marrow still made his face change a few times, and finally freeze into pale.

He pretended to be calm, avoided Chu Heng's sight, forced himself to say a few more words, and walked quickly towards the ancestral hall as if fleeing.

Chu Heng didn't pay any attention to it, and when he noticed that someone was coming behind him, he turned his head sideways, and caught off guard the hesitant gaze of the young man behind him.

Chu Yan didn't expect that Chu Heng would turn around suddenly, his feet froze for a moment, and the gloomy face that was facing Chu Kun turned into astonishment. Where should I put it.

Chu Heng was slightly startled, and looked at the person in front of him. The young man's body was like a pine and cypress, but his complexion was not as rosy as those of his age, with a faint paleness of insufficient foundation. The shadow of Zhong Pinghou could be vaguely seen in his facial features. But she is very similar to Chu Xin, the second young lady of the Hou Mansion, shining brightly and looking very good.

Chu Heng instantly had an answer in his heart: "Are you... Ah Yan?"

When Chu Yan heard Chu Heng calling his name, his heart moved, and he replied with some awkwardness: "Uh, um... I am."

Chu Heng bent his eyes and waved: "Brother, come here."

Hearing the word "brother" in his mouth, Chu Yan slowed his breathing for half a beat, and a smile flew all over his cheeks. He ran to Chu Heng in a few steps, cleared his throat and called out "brother".

"En." Chu Heng responded, smiling and patted his head.

Chu Yan secretly looked at the elder brother in front of him. He had thought about it a lot on the way from Zhongli. Now that he saw the real person, all the closeness to the country, cowardice and long-time separation were all thrown away, and only the intimacy remained.

Chu Yan felt elated in his heart—as expected of my elder brother, he knew it was my own elder brother just by looking at his beautiful face and appearance, and his skillful gesture of dismissing Chu Kun with a few words.