Lan Yan raised her umbrella, shielding Jun Ye Lan's head, and stood before him on tiptoe.
She smiled, "Jun Ye Lan, it's good you didn't get wet. I meant to come earlier, but the carriage broke down halfway."
Jun Ye Lan remained still, his eyes fixed on Lan Yan, listening to her words. For some reason, his dormant heart stirred with a feeling entirely different from before.
He reached out and grasped the umbrella handle, all his words condensing into this one sentence, "I'll hold the umbrella."
Lan Yan, who had been chattering away, reacted to Jun Ye Lan's words and nodded with a smile, "Okay." She released her grip and stood beside him.
Jun Ye Lan took half a step forward and began to walk. His peripheral vision remained on Lan Yan.
Lan Yan's skirt hem was already completely soaked, so she gave up. She directly lifted her foot, stepping into the rain in front of her, walking with Jun Ye Lan. kuAiδugg
The rain fell in torrents, striking the umbrella with a sound.
Jun Ye Lan subtly shifted the umbrella outwards, covering the space above Lan Yan's shoulder, while his own right shoulder was entirely drenched. He turned his head, seeing raindrops on Lan Yan's cheeks and hair, and took out a handkerchief from his sleeve.
However, seeing that Lan Yan had already taken one out, he silently put his back.
Lan Yan, holding the handkerchief, wiped her eyes. Raindrops had dripped into her eyes. She looked at Jun Ye Lan and asked, "Jun Ye Lan, have you been waiting here long?"
As she spoke, she twirled the handkerchief in her hand.
Jun Ye Lan's attention was drawn to the handkerchief. He noticed Lan Yan's hands were small, but they bore many scars. He suddenly became curious about how she got them, about Lan Yan's past.
"Jun Ye Lan?"
Jun Ye Lan snapped back to attention and looked at the road ahead. "Only a quarter of an hour."
Lan Yan breathed a sigh of relief and smiled, "That's good. I was worried about you all the way on the road. Don't worry, I'll come earlier next time."
Jun Ye Lan looked at the smile on Lan Yan's lips and nodded unconsciously. In fact, he had arrived an hour ago, and his guards had wanted to escort him back.
He had refused, somehow feeling that Lan Yan would come.
Lan Yan, having received a response, had a smile blooming in her eyes, and her steps quickened unconsciously.
Upon returning to their respective residences, both were half-drenched and went to their rooms to change.
Lan Yan changed into a blue dress and walked out, seeing Jun Ye Lan in a green robe next door. She curved her lips into a smile.
The patterns embroidered on their clothes were similar. Looking at them like this, it truly seemed as if they were related.
Jun Ye Lan didn't understand why Lan Yan was smiling. He looked at Lan Yan's still damp hair. He walked up to her, placed the handkerchief on her head, and gently wiped it.
"If you don't dry it properly, you'll easily fall ill." Seeing Lan Yan staring at him, he averted his gaze and said, "I read this in a book."
Lan Yan smiled faintly and stood still, looking at the thoughtful Jun Ye Lan before her. "Jun Ye Lan, I find you've changed so much, for the better."
"But you were good before too." She feared Jun Ye Lan might misunderstand, as he had been looked down upon by others before.
Jun Ye Lan's hand, which was drying her hair, paused. His pupils trembled slightly, and he did not respond.
In this world, only Lan Yan cared about these things, only Lan Yan would say such things.
Lan Yan thought Jun Ye Lan had misinterpreted and added, "Before, you lived a hard life because of others and kept hurting yourself. But now you treat yourself well. Keep it up."
She stood on tiptoe and touched the top of Jun Ye Lan's head, unexpectedly meeting his deep eyes.
Something silently permeated the space between them, and with each breath, it gradually filled with unspoken intimacy.
Lan Yan's cheeks flushed. She had only intended to comfort Jun Ye Lan, but instead, she found herself drawn to him. She quickly withdrew her hand, but Jun Ye Lan caught it, her gaze drawn back to his eyes.
She blinked, wondering what Jun Ye Lan intended to do. However, at that moment, her nose tickled, "Achoo!"
Jun Ye Lan released Lan Yan, leaving the handkerchief on her head. "Go back and rest," he said, then turned and pushed open the door to the room next door.
Lan Yan was still wondering when she sneezed again. "I should go back quickly." She entered her room, lay down under the covers, and rested well.
Next door, Jun Ye Lan sat on the edge of the bed, raised his hand to touch his hair, then lowered it. His eyes were filled with many emotions. He, who was disliked by everyone, had received kindness from Lan Yan.
Could he possess this forever? Thinking this, he clenched his fist.
The next morning, Lan Yan was unfortunately ill, sneezing and with a runny nose.
She lay in bed, looking at the bed curtains above, with only one thought in her mind: why was she so unlucky!
The door was pushed open, and Jun Ye Lan entered with a bowl of ginger soup, placing it by Lan Yan's bedside. "Drink this first. The kitchen is stewing some porridge."
"Okay." Lan Yan felt groggy. After drinking the ginger soup, she lay down again. "Jun Ye Lan, I'll sleep for a while longer. If anything comes up, wake me."
Jun Ye Lan nodded, pulled the quilt up to Lan Yan's neck, and took the bowl out. He stood in the corridor, a hint of self-reproach appearing in his eyes. It was because of him that Lan Yan had fallen ill.
His eyes dimmed slightly as he returned to the kitchen and stared at the porridge being cooked.
"General?" Ruan Yuan entered from the main gate. Not seeing anyone, she walked directly towards Lan Yan's room. She saw Lan Yan sneezing and said anxiously, "General, what's wrong?"
Lan Yan waved her hand, "It's nothing, just a common cold. Ruan Yuan, did you come for something?"
Ruan Yuan was greatly relieved and sat by Lan Yan's bed, sighing, "General, your body isn't made of iron. You must take good care of yourself."
"I came today because I heard that Ning Zhongcheng is engaged. It seems the Emperor has abandoned the idea of your marriage alliance."
"The Emperor will not allow the two families to form a marriage alliance," Lan Yan said. She had known this for a long time.
Ruan Yuan didn't understand, but it was good that her general wasn't marrying into the Ning family. She smiled, "General, what about your own marriage? Since the Emperor had this idea, he probably won't stop."
This was the troublesome part, and Lan Yan was also helpless. "The war has not yet ended, and I don't want to think about these things. The Emperor won't pressure me too much either." After all, she still had value to the Emperor.
"Oh." Ruan Yuan narrowed her eyes and teased, "Or is it because the General already has someone in her heart?" She had been watching for a long time; the General treated someone very differently.
Lan Yan froze, meeting Ruan Yuan's gossip-seeking gaze, and slowly nodded, "Perhaps." Jun Ye Lan was her mission target, so naturally, he was in her thoughts.
Outside the door, Jun Ye Lan, holding the porridge, gripped the bottom of the bowl tightly. The light in his eyes dimmed a little. So, she already had someone in her heart.
He suddenly envied that person, to have won Lan Yan's affection, because Lan Yan was so wonderful. He turned and silently walked away.