Yan Xiaoyu and Nian-ger entered the room, where there were six people in total, including Yan Shaoxuan, three of whom were women.

The elderly woman beside Master Luo was likely Yan Shaoxuan’s mentor’s wife—Master Luo’s wife—while the middle-aged woman next to her was probably Master Luo’s daughter-in-law or daughter.

The young woman beside Yan Shaoxuan was the youngest of the group; judging by her features, she was likely Master Luo’s granddaughter.

She wasn’t exceptionally beautiful, but her features were delicate and refined, and she had an air of distinction—clearly a well-educated young lady from a distinguished family. Instead of sitting with the other two women, she sat next to Yan Shaoxuan, an outsider.

When Yan Xiaoyu came in and served rice to Yan Shaoxuan, he accepted it with ease, and the atmosphere between them was quite familiar.

It was well known that Yan Shaoxuan kept a safe distance from the village lads and lasses. Back when he’d mistakenly thought Yan Xiaoyu had a crush on him, he’d always chosen the spot farthest from his on the ox cart.

Yan Xiaoyu felt a vague sense of unease, though it wasn’t exactly anger.

Yan Shaoxuan asked if he was tired. After a brief pause, he replied, “I’m not tired. You eat. I have to go back to the kitchen to cook.”

Yan Xiaoyu nodded to the people in the room and left. Just as he stepped out, he heard Yan Shaoxuan introducing him to the crowd and unconsciously slowed his pace.

“Though Brother Yu has never attended school, he is self-taught and recognizes all the common characters. He has a particular aptitude for mathematics—his natural talent is on par with anyone’s. This restaurant was built bit by bit, earned through his own hard work…”

Yan Xiaoyu’s lips curled into a smile, and his steps grew a bit lighter.

On the other side, Nian-ger—who had been lingering at the table under the pretext of waiting for the food to be served—glared at Yan Shaoxuan with exasperation. Why was he still boasting so proudly now that the person in question was gone?

Nian-ger left, let out a heavy sigh, and gave Yan Shaoxuan a knowing wink.

Before long, Yan Shaoxuan came out to find him, and the two sought out a quiet corner to talk.

“What’s up?”

“What else could it be?” Nian-ger harped on his behavior, launching into a rapid-fire tirade, before finally adopting a world-weary expression.

“In short, now is the time for you to prove yourself. You must make sure everyone sees you praising Brother Xiaoyu and treating him well. Even though we have this formidable matchmaker on our side, and your marriage to Brother Xiaoyu is likely to succeed, you must not let your guard down. Matters of marriage are too unpredictable; even with such an excellent matchmaker, success is by no means guaranteed…”

Shaking his head and boasting to himself, Yan Shaoxuan had been listening intently at first, but soon grew impatient.

“Have you given any thought to what you promised? You’ve been at Yuye Pavilion for two days—you aren’t here just to run errands, are you?”

The suspicion in Yan Shaoxuan’s voice was unmistakable, and Nian-ger immediately took offense.

“Don’t look down on me—I’ve already thought of a plan for you!”

“Oh?” Yan Shaoxuan glanced at him doubtfully. “What move?”

Nian-ger crossed his arms, lifted his head haughtily, and shot him a sidelong glance: “An absolutely brilliant plan.” Since both he and Yan Shaoxuan had other business to attend to, he didn’t keep him in suspense.

“Xiaoyu now regards you as a close confidant. He doesn’t dare admit his true feelings himself; he needs an outside push. I’ve studied this thoroughly over the past few days. You, in this situation, can make Xiaoyu-ger realize how important you are to him, make him realize he can’t do without you, and the deadlock between you two will be broken.”

“In that book we were reading earlier, *The Passionate Hunter and the Charming Widower*, the widower was in love with the village hunter, but because he was afraid of what people might say, he never dared to accept the hunter’s proposal. Later, when he heard that the village matchmaker was going to set the hunter up with someone else, he mustered up the courage to confess his feelings to the hunter. Your situation is somewhat similar, so it seems you could learn a thing or two from that story.”

“Right now, there’s a perfect candidate right by your side who can lend you a hand. If she’s willing to play along with you, she’ll be able to bring out Xiaoyu’s true colors!”

At this point, Nian-ger looked at Yan Shaoxuan with a smug expression, as if begging for praise.

“I just told Brother Xiaoyu that you treat that girl by your side quite differently—it might be time. Later, take her to show off in front of Brother Xiaoyu and act affectionate. Once he gets flustered, won’t he realize he actually cares about you?”

“……” Yan Shaoxuan was at a loss for words. “Deliberately creating a misunderstanding to make him worry—what kind of brilliant idea is that? Besides, a young lady’s reputation is so important; using Miss Luo for a show—it’s just not right.”

No sooner had the words left his mouth than he sensed someone approaching.

“That sounds like a good idea.” Luo Qingxian walked over gracefully, her demeanor poised and confident. “I don’t mind it—it all depends on whether my junior brother is willing to go all out.”

Yan Shaoxuan froze for a moment.

Nian-ger slapped his thigh excitedly. “See? I told you it was a good idea. Miss Luo really has a keen eye! Yan Erlang, you’re listening, right?”

Yan Shaoxuan remained unmoved, even as two pairs of eyes fixed on him.

“Stop fooling around. You’ve said enough.”

His tone was flat; after speaking, he turned and headed toward the kitchen.

No wonder Yu-ger’s mood was off—he must have misunderstood the situation between him and Luo Qingxian. It was also his own fault for being desperate and turning to anyone for help; he’d gone to Nian-ger, and as expected, Nian-ger was unreliable.

As soon as He Qiuhua saw Yan Shaoxuan approaching, she excitedly pulled Yan Xiaoyue out of the room.

With only the two of them left in the kitchen, Yan Shaoxuan hesitated for a long while, still unsure how to explain.

He crept over to Yan Xiaoyu’s side, eagerly serving his plates and bowls. Without saying a word, he just kept working—until finally, Yan Xiaoyu spoke first.

“Miss Luo—”

Yan Shaoxuan jolted, straightening up abruptly. “It’s not what you think with Miss Luo—we’re completely innocent, and we’re both proper people! You know who I—you know very well who I’m in love with!”

After Yan Shaoxuan finished his frantic explanation, Yan Xiaoyu stared at him for a moment, then suddenly doubled over with laughter: “I was actually asking if Miss Luo can’t handle spicy food?”

“……” Yan Shaoxuan looked bewildered. “Can’t handle spicy food? I’m not sure.”

He felt so ashamed and humiliated that he wanted to die; he wished the ground would swallow him whole, yet he also felt a bit wronged. He had come all this way specifically to explain, but Yan Xiaoyu didn’t seem to care at all—he was more concerned about whether Luo Qingxian could handle spicy food.

“I just went in and saw them rinsing their vegetables in tea—I suppose they’re afraid of the spice. After all, they’re your master’s family, and it wouldn’t do to treat them poorly. I’ve prepared a separate bowl of chicken cubes without chili. Please take it over to them.”

“Oh.” Yan Shaoxuan lowered his gaze to hide his emotions.

Even Nian-ger had remarked that he treated Luo Qingxian differently. Now Yan Xiaoyu was even going out of his way to cook according to her preferences. Could it be that he really didn’t care?

Yan Shaoxuan carried the tray, his face expressionless, his steps heavy. Just as he reached the door, Yan Xiaoyu called out to him: “Yan Erlang!”

Before Yan Shaoxuan could turn around, he heard his say, “You said last time that if I took the initiative to pursue you, you’d cross the line. Does that still stand?”

A flush spread from Yan Shaoxuan’s earlobes down to his neck, his eyes filled with disbelief.

Did he mean what he was thinking? He turned around urgently, only to see Yan Xiaoyu smiling, his expression tinged with a hint of teasing.

“Yan Xiaoyu.” Yan Shaoxuan’s gaze was deep, his expression serious, his voice slightly hoarse. “You know the answer. Don’t treat this as a joke.” Yan Xiaoyu paused, his smile fading as he rubbed his nose. “I just wanted to tell you that I’m going to pursue you. Be prepared to cross the line.”

Like fireworks bursting during the New Year festivities, Yan Shaoxuan’s pent-up joy suddenly exploded, leaving him dizzy and momentarily at a loss for words.

His first thought was: If I’d known it would turn out like this, I wouldn’t have been so harsh back then. Why would I need this guy to chase after me?

“Ahem.” Yan Shaoxuan couldn’t hide the joy in his eyes, though he put on a calm front. “I’ve always been broad-minded and never nitpicky over trivial matters. Since you… since you genuinely admire me, I’ll reluctantly agree to your pursuit.”

Yan Xiaoyu: “……” What ‘pursuit’? He agreed right away?

After speaking, Yan Shaoxuan stole several glances at Yan Xiaoyu. He’d expected the young man to say something to flatter him, but Yan Xiaoyu remained silent. After a moment’s thought, he added, “If you’re in a hurry, just tell your elder brother to have He Nian go to your family’s house to ask for your hand as soon as possible.”

“……” Yan Xiaoyu was stunned. Just as he was about to speak, the sound of He Qiuhua speaking with someone else drifted in from outside. “Is Shaoxuan in there?” It was a man’s voice.

He Qiuhua’s voice was a little strained: “Y-yes, he’s inside. Please wait a moment, I’ll bring him out.”

Yan Xiaoyu hurriedly nudged Yan Shaoxuan: “Your teacher has come looking for you. You’d better go back. We’ll talk about our business another day.” 

“Alright.” Yan Shaoxuan nodded and left, glancing back every few steps.

The person outside said as soon as he saw him, “Why did it take so long? What about Shaocheng? Did you see him?”

Yan Shaoxuan replied as he walked away.

Yan Xiaoyu stood in the kitchen, grinning to himself for a moment, then slapped his cheeks in an attempt to cool down. Although he acted all tough in front of Yan Shaoxuan, deep down, he actually felt a little uneasy.

Yan Xiaoyu had been hesitating for a long time about how to deal with Yan Shaoxuan’s feelings. When Yan Shaoxuan unexpectedly confessed his feelings that day, he was actually quite at a loss.

Back in the modern world, his only goal had been to earn enough money to leave the orphanage as soon as possible; he had absolutely no interest in romantic entanglements. Even his fondness for that senior who raised the flag stemmed solely from his good looks—she simply wanted to be friends with him; there were absolutely no other intentions.

After being transported to this era, he grew increasingly familiar with Yan Shaoxuan, developing an admiration and care for him unlike anything he’d ever felt before. Unfortunately, he didn’t realize it at the time; even after Yan Shaoxuan revealed his feelings, he still believed he was just a good friend to him.

But gradually, he began to doubt whether his “friendship” was truly pure.

For those few days, the awkwardness between them after the incident meant they barely spoke. He was torn between hope and fear, feeling uneasy all over, terrified of losing his most important “friend.”

Later, when Yan Shaoxuan suggested they return to their previous dynamic as just friends, he felt a sense of relief, yet also a faint pang of disappointment. Fortunately, Yan Shaoxuan didn’t practice what he preached; while his words were resolute, his actions told a different story.

He took Yan Xiaoyu archery and fishing, took every word he said to heart, put his heart into everything, stood up for him, and accompanied him on adventures… Yan Xiaoyu saw all this, and his resolve began to waver more and more.

His status as a time traveler and the peculiar nature of his relationship with being a ger both made Yan Xiaoyu hesitate, but in the end, none of that could outweigh his feelings for Yan Shaoxuan.

No matter what, he wanted to give it a try.

He had originally planned to ask Shaocheng whether his strange behavior was at Yan Shaoxuan’s behest before deciding how to approach Yan Shaoxuan, but today, he suddenly didn’t want to wait any longer.

Once the words were out, the surge of excitement reaffirmed his resolve. He did like Yan Erlang.

Yan Xiaoyu covered his flushed cheeks and tiptoed over to the stove.

He had to finish cooking the meal quickly; Yan Erlang was so impatient—who knew if he’d come over again in a moment…

On the other side, Nian-ger wore an expression of both surprise and delight: “Miss Luo, are you serious? You really want to entrust your marriage to me?!”

Luo Qingxian nodded. “Didn’t you say you’re the best matchmaker in your village? Then I’ll leave this matter in your hands. Just like you helped my junior brother, please help me out too. Once it’s settled, I won’t skimp on your matchmaker’s fee.”

Nian-ger felt both flattered and delighted.

It was true that he was the best matchmaker in Xiling Village—but that was only because Xiling Village had exactly one matchmaker… Never mind, never mind. When business comes knocking, how could he possibly turn it down?

Fearing he was dreaming, Nian-ger pinched himself hard. It was actually true! Oh my, this was his chance to make it in the county seat!