In the history of the country, as in any feudal dynasty, the status of a Xiucai was considerably higher than that of ordinary commoners like them, but even so, they might not necessarily have a say in the presence of the county magistrate.

Still, Yan Xiaoyu decided to go ask Yan Shaoxuan for advice. Yan Erlang was exceptionally intelligent; he didn’t expect him to intercede with the county magistrate, but he hoped he could at least offer some counsel.

Unexpectedly, before he could go to Yan Shaoxuan, he came to find him first.

“Erlang’s here—are you looking for Brother Yu?” Yan Xingmao asked with a smile as he pointed him in the right direction. “Brother Yu is in the study in the back courtyard.”

Yan Shaoxuan politely greeted him before heading to the backyard.

Yan Xingmao stood in the vegetable garden, watching Yan Shaoxuan’s retreating figure, and sighed silently to himself. Ah, every time he comes over, it’s to see his Yu-ger—how could they just be friends?

Since Yan Xiaoyu had shown him around after returning from the provincial capital, Yan Shaoxuan knew the layout of this new residence like the back of his hand and found his way there without a hitch.

It just took a bit of courage to go in.

The study door was open. From a distance, Yan Shaoxuan saw the young man inside holding a charcoal pencil, scribbling on a wooden board—he had no idea what he was doing. Yan Shaoxuan paused in his tracks. For the last few steps, he unconsciously lightened his footsteps, walking slower and slower.

Yan Xiaoyu was slumped over the desk, one hand propping up his cheek, the other holding a pen. The flesh on his cheek was pushed out by his palm, bathed in the slanting sunlight streaming through the window, looking like a soft, white little rice cake.

He held his pen a little too low, and his awkward posture had a certain charm to it. At that moment, he was quiet and focused, his face completely devoid of his usual fierce demeanor.

Yan Shaoxuan felt an inexplicable pang of sadness. He stared intently for a moment, his gaze deep and pensive.

He silently cursed his own weakness; the moment he saw this young man, his heart pounded like a drum, and he couldn’t help but want to draw closer. “Yan Erlang?” Yan Xiaoyu looked up and caught sight of him, his eyes crinkling in a smile. “You’re here. Is there something you need from me?” At his smile, Yan Shaoxuan’s heart skipped a beat. Snapping back to his senses, he grew even more annoyed.

Yan Shaoxuan averted his gaze, forcing himself to calm down. “What’s the latest on the case where Qian Hong sent men to cause trouble at the stall?” 

“I was just about to ask you about that. Have a seat first!”

Yan Xiaoyu frowned and gestured to the chair beside him. Only after Yan Shaoxuan had sat down did he continue, “The county magistrate’s officers have already uncovered evidence that Qian Hong’s old servant was in contact with the troublemakers. Although the old man is being stubborn and hasn’t implicated Qian Hong, where would a widowed gatekeeper like him get several dozen silver coins to pay off a bunch of rowdy men? I considered the evidence in this case to be irrefutable, but when I went to inquire today, the constables at the market told me the case had been taken over by the magistrate’s advisors, who said they needed to investigate further.”

At this point, he slammed his fist on the table in frustration. “That old man has done me no wrong. It’s obvious he’s taking the fall for his master. What’s there to investigate?” 

Yan Shaoxuan’s tone grew slightly somber. “I’m afraid this matter will likely be swept under the rug.”

Seeing Yan Xiaoyu’s puzzled expression, he explained gently, “I saw Yan Yonghe at the magistrate’s residence today. He’s become quite close to the magistrate’s advisors. The new magistrate isn’t the type to do practical work for the common people; to him, Weishi County is merely a stepping stone. He doesn’t care about people’s lives. When Magistrate Ji was in office, no one could buy their way out of a conviction with silver, but that might not be the case from now on.”

Sure enough, he’d taken bribes from the Qian family. Yan Xiaoyu clenched his jaw. “All right, I understand.”

Yan Shaoxuan knew he was the type who wouldn’t let himself be taken advantage of, so he was a bit uneasy: “What do you plan to do?”

“What else can I do?” Yan Xiaoyu suddenly slumped, resting his head dejectedly on the table. “They’ve even bribed the magistrate. How could I possibly stand a chance against him? I’ll just have to treat it like I got bitten by a dog.”

He couldn’t beat them in a fair fight, but he could still vent his frustration by stuffing a sack over their heads—though he couldn’t let Yan Erlang find out about this. Yan Xiaoyu stole a quick glance at Yan Shaoxuan, then quickly looked down, afraid Yan Shaoxuan would see through his little scheme.

Yan Shaoxuan was indeed watching him, his gaze intense and his tone firm: “Don’t worry. I’ll see to it that justice is served.”

“Yan Erlang, don’t do anything rash!” Yan Xiaoyu sat up abruptly and said anxiously, “Since Qian Hong and Yan Yonghe have already aligned themselves with the county magistrate, we can’t go head-to-head with them. The most important thing right now is to prepare for the provincial exams—we can’t let anyone trip us up at this critical moment!”

As he spoke, he looked at Yan Shaoxuan and met his gaze; both their eyes were filled with concern for one another.

Yan Xiaoyu paused for a moment, then shifted his gaze uneasily. “Well, ‘revenge is a dish best served cold.’ There will be plenty of opportunities in the future; we don’t need to rush into anything.”

“Good.” Yan Shaoxuan continued to look at him intently.

He had been oblivious before, but now that he looked again, the affection in Yan Erlang’s eyes was unmistakable. Yan Xiaoyu felt his cheeks grow warm. He thought back to yesterday’s events and wanted to clear up the misunderstanding, but when he met Yan Shaoxuan’s intense gaze, he found himself unable to speak.

Yan Erlang had a proud and sensitive nature; if he were to bring up the matter now, he feared even his friends might no longer wish to associate with him.

The Yan brothers were the first friends he’d made after his journey through time. Though his motives had been impure at first, they were now as close as brothers. Even if Yan Shaoxuan wasn’t a scholar and couldn’t serve as his patron, he didn’t want to distance himself from him over this.

He didn’t have many friends, and Yan Shaoxuan was the most important one.

But if I don’t say anything, wouldn’t I be letting Yan Erlang remain under this misunderstanding and deceive him? Judging by the way his parents spoke, Yan Erlang probably thought he was pursuing him, which is why he developed feelings for him.

Putting myself in his shoes, I certainly wouldn’t want to be misled like that.

After much deliberation, Yan Xiaoyu decided to be honest with him.

“Yan Erge—”

“Yu-ger—”

They spoke at the same time, staring at each other. Yan Xiaoyu scratched his head and said with a nervous laugh, “I’ll go first.”

Yan Shaoxuan had been agonizing over this for days and truly didn’t want to wait any longer. Whether it meant life or death, he wanted a definitive answer. His gaze was intense as he stared unblinkingly at Yan Xiaoyu. “In your eyes, is there any difference between my brother and me?”

He’d been so eager to ask the question, but once it was out, he didn’t feel the relief he’d imagined—instead, he felt even more nervous.

Yan Shaoxuan held his breath, waiting for Yan Xiaoyu’s answer.

His gaze was intense, brimming with anticipation, and for a moment, Yan Xiaoyu found himself reluctant to answer.

Yan Shaoxuan’s question was phrased delicately, but after yesterday’s incident and seeing his expression now, what else was there for Yan Xiaoyu not to understand?

To be honest, his feelings toward the Yan brothers were indeed different.

He had previously found Yan Shaoxuan’s temperament peculiar and admired Yan Shaocheng more; now, however, he had grown closer to Yan Shaoxuan—but that was only because Yan Shaocheng was too preoccupied with his elder sister to pay him any mind.

In any case, it certainly wasn’t the answer Yan Erlang wanted to hear.

“I—I…” Yan Xiaoyu clenched his teeth and steeled himself. “Both Yan Dage and you are friends I cherish deeply.”

As his words trailed off, an eerie silence fell over the room.

After a long moment, Yan Shaoxuan spoke again, enunciating each word with deliberate emphasis, his voice tinged with bitterness: “Just friends?!” 

Yan Xiaoyu averted his gaze, his face betraying his distress.

The light in Yan Shaoxuan’s eyes gradually dimmed. He stared at Yan Xiaoyu for a moment, then suddenly turned his face away after a long pause: “I understand.”

He lowered his head, his voice hoarse. “What were you going to ask just now?”

Yan Xiaoyu looked flustered: “Nothing. It’s nothing.”

With his last shred of hope dashed, Yan Shaoxuan tugged at the corner of his mouth. “I won’t bother you anymore.” With that, he stood up and walked away.

“Yan Erlang—” Yan Xiaoyu darted out from behind the desk, clutching his sleeves tightly and asking urgently, “You said you’d take me up the mountain to fish and teach me archery. Does that still stand?”

Yan Shaoxuan froze, then turned back hesitantly.

The boy with the baby face tilted his head back, looking up at him with wide, hopeful eyes, filled with nervousness and longing. Facing that face, Yan Shaoxuan simply couldn’t bring himself to say no.

“It’s a deal.”

After he left, Yan Xiaoyu slumped listlessly into a chair, looking thoroughly exasperated.

He’d just cleared things up, and now he was asking someone to take him fishing and archery—he really has no shame.

But just a moment ago, for some reason, I just couldn’t bear to watch Yan Shaoxuan leave. A few words slipped out without thinking, and I even tugged at his sleeve. I wonder if Yan Erlang will get the wrong idea again?

━━ 🐈‍⬛ ━━

Yan Shaoxuan had come ready to face death, but as he left, his face was filled with confusion.

His mind was in a jumble; he didn’t even hear Yan Xingmao and his wife speaking to him.

Back at the Yan residence, Yan Shaocheng looked at him with concern. “Did you clear things up with Yu-ger?”

Yan Shaoxuan nodded, said nothing, and walked straight to his room.

Yan Shaocheng scratched his head. His younger brother seemed surprisingly resilient—was he not as heartbroken as he’d imagined?

Yan Shaoxuan reached the doorway but turned to look at Yan Shaocheng. His tone was hesitant, and his expression still held a trace of embarrassment: “Brother, Yu-ger cares deeply for me. Perhaps he just hasn’t realized it, but he has feelings for me?”

Yan Shaocheng’s pupils dilated in shock, his face contorting as if it might split open. It’s over! Where on earth is his brother going to get treatment for this delusion?!

The next day, the Yan family hosted a banquet for their neighbors to celebrate Yan Shaoxuan’s success in the imperial examinations, and the village buzzed with excitement all day long.

A day later, the Yan brothers and Nian-ger arrived with betrothal gifts to propose marriage. Yan Xingmao and his wife beamed with joy, so overjoyed they didn’t know what to do with themselves.

Yan Xiaoyu, however, still felt a bit awkward; whenever he met Yan Shaoxuan’s gaze, he would look away uneasily.

Yan Shaocheng noticed the two of them stealing glances at each other from time to time, and his confusion only deepened. Could it be that his younger brother wasn’t suffering from hysteria after all, and that Yu-ger was simply in love without realizing it?

That would be for the best. Shaoxuan was stubborn to a fault. He’d previously worried that once things came out in the open, his younger brother would cling to him relentlessly, refusing to give up, while Yu-ger, with a heart of stone, remained unmoved. Their entanglement would strain relations between the two families and put Sister Yue in a difficult position.

Although the situation was still unclear, at least he didn’t have to worry about these two delaying his marriage to Sister Yue. Yan Shaocheng quietly let out a sigh of relief and earnestly served Yan Xiaoyue a chicken drumstick: “Eat up, you’ve lost some weight lately.” Upon hearing this, Yan Xiaoyu slowly turned his head and looked at Yan Shaocheng with a look of disbelief.

People shouldn’t—or at least shouldn’t—lie so blatantly…

Since the New Year, his elder sister’s muscles had only grown firmer; she could now kill Yan Xiaobao with a single punch. How could there be even the slightest hint of “losing weight”?

Yan Shaoxuan had been watching him surreptitiously. Seeing his gaze darting back and forth between Yan Shaocheng and Yan Xiaoyue, he assumed the boy was just eyeing their chicken drumstick.

“There’s more here.” Yan Shaoxuan nonchalantly picked up another chicken drumstick from the table and handed it to him. Yan Xiaoyu blushed and mumbled, “Thanks.”

Nian-ger’s heart leapt with joy; he was so excited he nearly snapped his chopsticks in two. It’s here, it’s here! Business is coming!

━━ 🐈‍⬛ ━━

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