Chapter 396: Chapter 396: Can Get Married First
Living room.
Su He and Ye Jiuqing were the only two unaware of the situation.
They both noticed that Xiao Si’s expression seemed a bit off.
But Su He pretended not to know.
However, Ye Jiuqing wasn’t someone who could keep things to himself.
He glanced at Xiao Si, his tone teasing: “What’s the matter, Young Master Xiao? That resentful look of yours—could it be that you’ve been abandoned?”
Xiao Si shot him a look, “Even eating can’t shut your mouth, huh?”
Ye Jiuqing raised an eyebrow and replied, “But we haven’t started eating yet.”
“…”
Xiao Si narrowed his eyes slightly.
Soon after, he turned to Lan Yan and asked, “Xiao Yanyan, for tonight’s dinner, you didn’t invite him, did you?”
Ye Jiuqing showed a puzzled expression.
For a moment, Lan Yan didn’t know how to answer him appropriately.
The atmosphere grew inexplicably awkward.
Lan Yan didn’t want things to be too uncomfortable, but she was at a loss for words.
After all, this matter had only been shared with Xiao Si.
At this moment, Uncle Zhong happened to come out of the kitchen.
Uncle Zhong looked at the people in the living room and said, “Everyone, dinner is ready.”
And Uncle Zhong’s arrival was exactly what saved her.
Su He was the first to stand up, and Su Baobao naturally walked toward her.
Su He then took him to wash his hands.
Next, Jiang Yan also got up and headed toward the dining room, followed closely by Ye Jiuqing.
In an instant, only Xiao Si and Lan Yan were left in the living room.
Xiao Si looked at her with grievance in his eyes.
Lan Yan: “…”
She shifted her gaze and cleared her throat lightly: “Let’s eat.”
Xiao Si said, “I can’t eat.”
The promised two-person world had suddenly turned into a group feast.
If he could eat, it would truly be miraculous!
Lan Yan replied, “Then go hungry.”
Having said that, she was about to leave but was grabbed by him at the wrist.
She had to stop her steps.
The man tilted his head to look at her and said with pitiful grievance, “You’re really okay watching me starve? Besides, my right hand is injured, so eating isn’t exactly convenient for me.”
Lan Yan heard this and, lowering her eyes, looked into his and asked, “Do you want me to feed you or something?”
Quick to speak, Xiao Si instantly responded, “It’s not impossible.”
Lan Yan’s lips curved upward as she forced a smile, “Then, Doctor Xiao, you can stay hungry.”
She pried his hand off and walked straight toward the dining room.
Her back resolute, without a trace of hesitation.
Lan Yan knew that this man couldn’t be indulged—because the more she indulged him, the more he would take an inch and demand a mile.
Xiao Si: “…”
In the end, despite saying he wouldn’t eat, he cheerfully followed after her.
After dinner, a certain someone remained sulky.
As a result, he didn’t even want to stay in the main building. After eating, he simply left on his own.
Seeing him like this, Lan Yan began to reflect—was she being a bit too harsh?
Still, at the moment, she really couldn’t give him any kind of response.
Xiao Si hadn’t been gone from the main building for long before Lan Yan chose to leave too.
On her way back, as she passed the backyard garden, she saw a figure sitting in the pavilion.
Just by that silhouette, without approaching, she already knew who it was.
She looked at the man’s back and sighed lightly.
But somehow, her feet seemed to disobey her, carrying her forward regardless.
“Doctor Xiao.”
She walked up behind him and called out to him, but he didn’t respond.
So, she had no choice but to come around in front of him.
It was then that Xiao Si lifted his gaze to look at her.
“What are you sitting here for?” Lan Yan asked.
The man’s deep eyes swept over her, in the dark night, like a fuse ready to ignite.
His eyes were quite striking—those peach-blossom eyes carried an innate allure, as if weaving sparks or drawing someone in.
After one glance, Xiao Si lowered his head and murmured, “I was wondering if you just really don’t like me.”
Lan Yan almost instinctively blurted out, “I don’t dislike you.”
“Oh, then it’s not dislike—it’s annoyance.”
“I don’t get annoyed either.”
Seeing him looking all melancholic, Lan Yan frowned slightly.
In all the time she’d known him, she’d never seen him like this.
What she didn’t notice, however, was the faint smile curling at the corners of his mouth as he lowered his head.
Lan Yan sighed inwardly and said, “Doctor Xiao, I really can’t give you any kind of response right now, so…”
Before she could finish, the man suddenly looked up and said, “So, you do like me, don’t you?”
Lan Yan: “…”
She hadn’t said that—how did he get there?
The next moment, the man stood up.
A tall shadow instantly loomed over her.
“You said you can’t respond right now—that’s okay, I can wait,” Xiao Si said earnestly, looking at her.
The sincerity in his gaze rendered her momentarily speechless.
To be honest, apart from persistently pursuing her, he hadn’t done anything excessive all this time, always keeping it measured.
This feeling—neither too close nor too far—he actually maintained it well.
She took a step back, creating a bit of distance.
She felt wrapped in his presence, that ineffable sensation hard to put into words.
Lan Yan lifted her gaze, meeting his directly, “If I never give you a response, no matter how long it takes, are you really okay waiting?”
Her clear eyes carried an unmistakable hint of skepticism.
She didn’t quite believe there’d be someone willing to wait for her indefinitely.
Without any hesitation, Xiao Si replied, “Sure, no matter how long.”
There was steel in his gaze.
At that moment, Lan Yan felt her heart tremble faintly, as if struck lightly by a small pebble.
But in the very next second, that faint stir within her quickly settled down.
Because someone added, “Actually, we could get married first—a love-after-marriage situation isn’t impossible either.”
Lan Yan’s lips twitched slightly. “You sure love daydreaming, don’t you?”
The man raised an eyebrow and said, “Either way, you’re mine eventually—whether it’s sooner or later, doesn’t make a difference.”
Lan Yan: “…”
It seemed her earlier worry was for nothing. With a personality like his, how could he possibly allow himself to remain gloomy?
This man had plenty of little schemes—you let your guard down for a second, and you might just fall into one of his traps.
“So, your mood’s much better now. I’ll head back to my room—you should rest early,” she said, turning to leave.
Seeing her move away, Xiao Si quickly caught up.
“Xiao Yanyan, couldn’t you at least consider my suggestion from earlier?”
“Nope!”
“Don’t worry, I wouldn’t do anything inappropriate. Without your consent, I wouldn’t dare touch you.”
“Just keep quiet for your own sake!”
“If I don’t talk to you, I’ll feel suffocated.”
“Then suffocate—I don’t want to hear it!”
“…”
The two of them walked toward the side courtyard, one speaking, the other replying, oddly harmonious in appearance.
Back at the side courtyard, Lan Yan went straight to her room.
Xiao Si followed her all the way to the door but stopped just in time.
“Xiao Yanyan, seriously, think it through. I…”
“Bang!”
The only response was the sound of the door slamming shut and the click of the lock inside.
“You don’t need to guard against me—even if you left the door open, I wouldn’t dare enter!” Xiao Si called out at the door.
Lan Yan didn’t respond.
Failing to hear a reply, he turned and left.
Xiao Si glanced at the tightly shut door and sighed, saying, “Well, get some rest early—we’ll see each other tomorrow.”
“…”
After that, he waited outside for a while but eventually left when it became clear she wouldn’t reply.
As soon as he turned around, he saw Ye Jiuqing standing in the hallway.
Xiao Si’s expression darkened as he glared at him, “What’s this? Tired of being human and thinking of becoming a ghost? Walking around with no sound at all?”
Ye Jiuqing sneered, his piercing blue eyes filled with mockery: “Young Master Xiao, your approach to chasing someone is really something I can’t agree with.”
“Lan Yan ignoring you—she’s absolutely in the right.”
Xiao Si let out a cold laugh too, “At least I’m chasing her—you, on the other hand, can’t even chase anyone to begin with. You have the audacity to criticize me.”
Ye Jiuqing: “…”
Seeing Ye Jiuqing’s expression instantly crash, Xiao Si added, “My Xiao Yanyan might ignore me, but I still get to see her while you, on the other hand, don’t even know where your wife went—it’s actually kind of embarrassing if you ask me.”
Walking past Ye Jiuqing, he patted him on the shoulder, seemingly to comfort him, but it was clear he was showing off.
“Listen, brother, let me give you a piece of advice—when chasing women, you have to be willing to set aside your ego. Keeping up appearances will only push her further away. Besides, can appearances fill your stomach?” Xiao Si preached earnestly to him, “Take it from me—don’t hold onto your pride at the expense of happiness.”
Having said his piece, he left with swagger.
Ye Jiuqing: “…”
Helan Lingshuang! This woman was clearly the nemesis of his entire life!
She was the one who’d sought out their marriage, yet now she was missing without a trace.
And without leaving a single word behind, she simply disappeared completely!
When he found her, if he didn’t give her a piece of his mind, he’d stop calling himself Ye!
Meanwhile, the woman leisurely vacationing on a distant island suddenly sneezed several times in a row.
Ella pulled her shawl tighter—it was a bit chilly on the island at night.
Lying back in a rocking chair, she looked up at the bright moon hanging in the sky.
She wondered if Ye Jiuqing, that lunatic, would be scouring the earth for her; but on second thought, it was impossible.
Without her around, he’d probably be enjoying his life to the fullest.
So she figured she’d let him enjoy himself a little longer.
When she returned—those happy times would end.
This sudden disappearance of hers, she hadn’t informed anyone, not even Su He.
She needed a quiet place to cleanse herself.
——
The family reunion banquet was scheduled for half a month later.
That would be the day before New Year’s Day.
That noon, Hu Yunqin invited Lan Yan out again.
Dong Xiaoxiao was present too.
Hu Yunqin looked at Lan Yan across the table and said, “Yanyan, your Uncle Dong will arrive in Yue City the day after tomorrow. By then, I’ll arrange for the two of you to meet.”
Lan Yan responded flatly with an “Mm.”
When it came to Hu Yunqin’s arrangements, Lan Yan mostly cooperated.
Her compliance spared Hu Yunqin a lot of trouble.
Suddenly, Lan Yan asked, “Didn’t you say I have a younger brother? Why haven’t you introduced us yet?”
Hu Yunqin hadn’t expected her to bring up Dong Junhao now.
Could it be that she’d learned something?
But it was impossible! She had kept the matter tightly under wraps; apart from the Dong Family and medical staff, no one knew about Dong Junhao’s illness.
Moreover, she’d already informed the hospital to ensure secrecy—there was no way this news could leak out.
“Oh, your brother is currently studying abroad and can’t make it back just yet. You’ll meet him during the New Year,” Hu Yunqin said.
Lan Yan replied casually with an “Oh.”
Then, Dong Xiaoxiao suddenly turned to her and asked, “Sister, are you close with the Jiang Family?”
Lan Yan lifted her eyes slightly to glance at her, “Why do you ask?”
“No reason, just curious.”
“If there’s no reason, I’m not interested in answering your question.”
Dong Xiaoxiao: “…”
Lan Yan always had an uncanny ability to stir her emotions effortlessly.
Dong Xiaoxiao scoffed and said, “Sister’s reluctance to elaborate wouldn’t be because it’s a shameful relationship, would it?”
As soon as her words fell, a chill seemed to settle on her.
Lan Yan’s expression remained composed, but her eyes appeared to be veiled with frost.
“Little sister’s imagination is so vivid—it’s a shame you’re not pursuing a career as a screenwriter.”
Although Lan Yan’s tone was light, Dong Xiaoxiao still felt an inexplicable chill down her back.
Sometimes, she found the aura around Lan Yan a little intimidating.
Nonetheless, Dong Xiaoxiao couldn’t suppress her desire to knock Lan Yan down a peg; whenever a chance presented itself, she would seize it without hesitation.
“If you aren’t hiding anything, Sister, then why not share it? Unless you’re actually hiding something and scared to admit it.” Dong Xiaoxiao said.
Lan Yan curled her lips ever so slightly into a smile that carried an enigmatic edge: “If that’s what you call hiding something, then I’d reckon little sister has done your fair share of questionable things as well, haven’t you?”
Dong Xiaoxiao’s face immediately hardened as she retorted, “What do you mean?”
Lan Yan smiled again, this time with a hint of mystery: “What I mean, you should already know. Or do you need me to spell it out?”
Dong Xiaoxiao clenched her fists tightly in silence.
Hu Yunqin quickly intervened, saying, “Alright, alright, Xiaoxiao, calm down. Don’t keep bothering your sister with so many questions. She has her own privacy too.”
“But, Mom, I…”
“Enough, look—here’s your favorite mango mousse cake. Enjoy.”
Hu Yunqin swiftly shifted the topic.
Then she handed the strawberry-flavored one to Lan Yan.
“Yanyan, here, strawberry’s your favorite, isn’t it?”
Lan Yan merely responded with an indifferent “Mm.”
Dong Xiaoxiao stomped her foot in frustration but held back her temper.
She’d recently noticed Hu Yunqin seemed to favor Lan Yan more.
Even knowing that Hu Yunqin had ulterior motives for doing so, the imbalance still upset her.
Yet she forced herself to bear it and remain composed.
One day, when she succeeded in winning Xiao Si over, she swore she’d make Lan Yan regret everything.
Even if Xiao Si was hard to deal with, she refused to believe he couldn’t be swayed by a woman’s charm.
Just thinking about her plan made her mood instantly lift.
At that moment, Dong Xiaoxiao turned to Hu Yunqin and said, “Mom, I don’t think Sister’s ever been invited home for a meal, right? Why don’t we invite her over next time? It’d be nice for her to enjoy home-cooked food—it carries the taste of home, doesn’t it?”
Hu Yunqin looked at Lan Yan and asked, “Yanyan, Xiaoxiao has a point. Next time, why don’t we eat at home instead? What do you think?”
Just as Hu Yunqin finished speaking, Lan Yan hadn’t had the chance to reply when Dong Xiaoxiao interjected.
“Sister already has a boyfriend, doesn’t she? Next time, bring him along—it’d be nice to get to know each other since we’ll all be family eventually. It’s better than feeling like strangers all the time.”
Lan Yan cast her a deep glance and said, “Little sister makes a good point.”
Dong Xiaoxiao smirked, saying, “Then we’ll be waiting for you to bring my future brother-in-law home!”
Lan Yan picked up the knife and fork next to her and focused on eating the cake in front of her, without responding to her words.
Dong Xiaoxiao’s intentions regarding Xiao Si were blatantly obvious—anyone with eyes and a brain could see it.
…
And that day soon arrived.
That afternoon, Lan Yan received a call from Hu Yunqin.
“Yanyan, your Uncle Dong arrived in Yue City today. He wants to meet you, so why don’t you join us at Lake Heart Villa for dinner tonight? Sound good?” Hu Yunqin asked.
Lan Yan replied, “Sure, no problem.”
Immediately after, Hu Yunqin added, “Why don’t you invite Xiao Xiao too? Your Uncle Dong would like to meet him.”
Lan Yan didn’t outright reject her, “Alright, I’ll try but can’t guarantee his attendance.”
While she agreed verbally, she made no promise of actually inviting Xiao Si.
Besides, whether she invited him or not, they wouldn’t know.