"Second brother, let go. Just let go and I'll pretend you're still drunk from last night and haven't woken up yet! Did you hear me?" Qin Miao struggled to block Qin Lang's approaching face with her hands, shouting as she squirmed.

  Qin Lang seemed to have lost his heart, enchanted by the devil, and his painful eyes were tinged with unrequited love. So he wanted to be selfish and willful once, regardless of the consequences.

  Two lines of clear tears rolled down Qin Miao's eyes, and a hint of disappointment appeared in her angry red eyes, accompanied by a sigh.

  Qin Miao calmly closed her eyes and said, "If you insist on this, then our friendship and righteousness will be severed from now on."

  She gave up struggling, gave up dissuading, and collapsed on the table as if she had abandoned everything. Like a withered water lily without roots, she let him toy with her at will.

  In an instant, she recalled her childhood self under the pear blossom tree, her silk skirt dancing lightly, blooming brightly. And by the tree, a young boy, as handsome as jade, applauded for her with enthusiasm.

  How many more days of osmanthus fragrance, Xiao Qin Miao and Xiao Qin Lang wandered around the streets and alleys of Hangzhou City, delighted to find a flaw in a certain shopkeeper and tread on flowers with pride.

  Second brother, after all, can't go back...

  After a long time, Qin Lang let out a deep sigh and looked up at the sky with tears streaming down his face.

  Ah Nuan, in the end I still couldn't bring myself to do it...

  The evening glow outside the house had faded away, and a few moonlit shadows crept onto the treetops. Qin Lang stood at the entrance of the alley in his simple attire, gazing back at the warm light inside the house before reluctantly disappearing into the darkness.

  When Xie found Qin Miao in the darkness of night, she was still sitting on the stool with a blank expression. Her eyes were red and swollen beyond recognition.

  Xie Yun didn't understand what was going on, so he hugged her into his arms, patting her back while trying to ask, "What's wrong, why are you crying like this?"

  Wow...

  Qin Miao pulled up his collar and let out all the grievances that had been pent up for a long time, crying until her face was covered in tears and her clothes were soaked.

  He left, leaving without any attachment. Her second brother, Lang brother, ultimately still left...

  She wanted to talk to someone, but she couldn't confide in Xie Yan. The brotherly and sisterly love that had accumulated over a decade collapsed overnight, like a great building crumbling to the ground, leaving nothing but ruins. How could it not be heartbreaking...

  "An Na, what's wrong?"

  The little person in her arms was crying so hard, just like the night when it was raining heavily, she was under the eaves of the corridor in Chao Lu Yuan. He couldn't help but worry if he had offended her again and caused such a big reaction.

  "Did I hurt you or did something make you unhappy? Tell me, I'll definitely change." Ever since going through it once, Xie Yun had been afraid of it happening again, so he really didn't dare to take the risk.

  He carefully lifted her face up, quietly gazing at her, wanting to see clearly the threads of tears in her eyes.

  Upon hearing this, Qin Miao's heart felt slightly comforted from the bitterness. However, she still shook her head at him, looking pitiful like a abandoned small animal.

  Seeing her shake her head, it was clear that it wasn't his fault. This reassured Xie Lin somewhat, but he still asked anxiously, "What's wrong? What happened?"

  Qin Miao choked back a sob, grasping the hands that covered her face, and said with a stifled voice: "It's nothing, I just thought of some sad things and couldn't help but express them."

  "Good grief... You really scared me. I thought you were mad at me again..."

  Xie Xuan finished the matters at the manor and hurried to the Qin's residence to pick up Qin Miao. The steward of the Xie Manor had already packed everything and was waiting outside the door.

  "Azhen, I still can't put my mind at ease about Big Brother and the others." Now that Qin Lang was also gone, there were even fewer people in the household who could take care of things. She couldn't help but reconsider her decision to return to the manor.

  Xie Xuan's face turned anxious, and she grasped her hand, rubbing it repeatedly. "Don't worry about it. I've already thought it through. You come back to the manor with me first. In a few days, we'll send for your brother and his family, and they can move into the manor as well. And as for the shop's affairs, you can still manage them as usual. The manor also has many servants who can be ordered around, so business won't be neglected."

  He stubbornly turned her face around and pitifully begged her: "I want to sleep with you in my arms every day."

  "Are you taking them all in?" Qin Miao looked at Xie Yan with some surprise, this meant that he was going to support the entire Qin family.

  "Yes, your elder brother needs medical treatment. I'll arrange for famous doctors from all over to come and treat him, and if that doesn't work, we can even get the imperial physician from the palace. And as for our young nephew, he's also due to start his education soon. I'll find a renowned teacher for him. As for martial arts, you don't have to worry at all - with so many skilled fighters under me, and even if all else fails, there's still me, your aunt. In short, we'll definitely make sure he becomes accomplished in both literature and martial arts. What do you think?"

  "Y...". Qin Miao was somewhat stunned, and didn't know that Xie Yan had thought so much for her. Even the matter of Xun Ge's enlightenment was considered. To say she wasn't moved would be hypocritical. "How did you... become so... good."

  She really couldn't think of any words to describe it, and in the end she simply used a very plain word - "good".

  The little man in front of him was full of gratitude, although his eyes were still swollen, but such an expression was very enjoyable for him.

  "For your sake, I must consider carefully, madam..."

  A gentle kiss fell on her forehead, and then she was tightly hugged into his arms. "Anuan, from now on, your affairs are my affairs. We will never be separated again."

  Qin Miao didn't dawdle with Xie Yan for too long before going to find Qin Yu and Cui Feng, telling them about her plans with Xie Yan. Nowadays, Qin Yu can only lie in bed and can't get out of it at all. Daily life requires someone to take care of him. Cui Feng is even more hardworking, having to take care of not just Qin Yu but also Xun Ge'er. A person who was clearly only in their early twenties, a person who used to be so lively and spirited, has been worn down by the days until they've lost all color.

  The two of them felt relieved after hearing Qin Miao's arrangement. However, they were worried that Xie Yan was only doing this because of Qin Miao's face and that living under someone else's roof wasn't as comfortable as having their own place. Fortunately, Qin Miao repeatedly explained that it was Xie Yan's idea to take care of them on his own initiative. Qin Miao's words were convincing, and in the end, Qin Yu and Cui Feng agreed.

  It's just Qin Lang... Alas, the eldest brother of the Qin family is helpless. Since childhood, he has been entangled in a complicated fate, thinking that as years go by, it would subside. But still, they had a falling out... The palm and back of his hand are both flesh, neither can be put at ease. What can he do now, with half his body disabled?

  Three days later, the Qin family moved into the General's mansion. In order to make Qin Yu and his family more comfortable, Xie Yun specially ordered someone to clean up the West Garden and gave it to Qin Yu's family to live in. The West Garden was a separate small courtyard, separated from the main courtyard by a garden and a pool. The housekeeper of the mansion also provided enough staff for the West Garden, and there were no fewer servants than when the Qin family was in Hangzhou.

  The happiest one is Xun Ge, who not only has his own independent small room, but also a small study room prepared by his uncle. Although there aren't many books in it yet, it's equipped with a small wooden horse and bow and arrow, which are typical boys' toys. He was overjoyed. As a result, whenever Qin Miao and Xie Yan came over, he would be extremely affectionate, looking at Uncle Xie with a sweet smile, and following him around all the time.

  With such thoughtful arrangements, Qin Miao couldn't help but appreciate Xie Yan's efforts this time. One evening, she suddenly remembered something and leaned over to ask Xie Yan.

  "Uh... Are you still reading that book?"

  Xie Xun caught her slightly restless small hand, lightly pecked it once, and smiled with a hint of teasing: "What are you doing?"

  Qin Miao swallowed hard and after a while, her face red, said: "Are we going to have to go through the three matchmakers and six gifts again?"

  "It's not needed here. Don't bother." He waved his hand, pretending to be nonchalant, turned around, patted the pillow and pretended to fall asleep.

  Qin Miao was a bit hurt this time. What does this person mean? Is it that he looks down on himself, thinking that he is not good enough and has to cling to others.

  He immediately sank his face, turned over and got out of bed, put on his clothes and wanted to go out. But before he could take two steps, he was hugged from behind and rolled back onto the bed.

  "Let me go!" She had both arms pinned down by Xie Yun, and could only wildly kick her two legs. But in an instant, she was flipped over by Xie Yun and pressed underneath.

  Xie Xuan looked at her with tears in her eyes, extremely wronged, and thought she was lovely. He pinched her small nose and kissed her pouting mouth, a playful tease.

  "Are you angry?" Xie Yun pressed her down, raising her hands above her head. Sticking to those adorable earlobes, she giggled.

  "If you haven't thought about it, just assume I've been bitten by a dog these past few days. We'll move out tomorrow, so as to avoid humiliating ourselves."

  Xie Xuan could hear the resentment in her words and was afraid that if she didn't tell the truth, she would really turn against him and not recognize him, and in the end, he would be the one to suffer.

  "Alright, just teasing you." He gently held onto that small earlobe, licking it until Qin Miao was about to get emotional and tremble, before he stopped.

  "You're still talking about that and leaving. You don't know, when I got it, I was so angry that I tore it up early on. Anyway, wherever you escape to, you are always Xie Zhu's person, forever."