In the third year after Yan Mingting married, he received a visiting letter from his uncle.

“Their family is coming to Beijing to celebrate the New Year,” Yan Mingting said to Zhao Yelan.

“Why do they want to come to the capital all of a sudden?” Zhao Yelan asked.

He had heard from Yan Mingting that he had several distant relatives, and he had the closest relationship with his uncle. The uncle’s son worked elsewhere, so he followed along with him. 

For such a big event as Yan Mingting’s marriage, his uncle had planned to come, but the marriage was rushed, and by the time he received the letter, it was too late to head out.

What’s more, his wife was seriously ill at the time, so she was unable to attend Yan Mingting’s big wedding ceremony and caused him to think about it all the time.

“His son was promoted to governor this year, and he will go to Beijing to report on his duties at the end of the year, so he’s coming to the capital to meet us with him,” Yan Mingting said.

“Us?”

“En, he has been asking about you in his letters. He’s wanted to meet you for a long time,” Yan Mingting said with a smile. “We should have gone to see them, but haven’t had time. It just so happens that my cousin is coming to the capital this time, so we can meet them. I haven’t seen them for a long time.”

“En.”

Yan Mingting saw that he had a calm attitude, dignified and free of panic, and thought that he was indeed a person who had seen the world!

According to the distance and the estimated time the letter was received, they would arrive in Beijing in just a few days. Yan Mingting asked Housekeeper Qin to tidy up a few rooms and prepare some of his uncle’s favorite food.

Housekeeper Qin quickly responded. In the past few years, it had only been the two masters on New Year’s Eve, so this year might be very lively.

However, not two days later, Yan Mingting found that Zhao Yelan hadn’t come home. When he went out to look for him, he found him sitting in Li Yucheng’s shop, chatting with him and Yin Pinglu.

Li Yucheng’s business was very prosperous now, and he wore gold and silver, for fear that others would not know that he had made a fortune. When he saw Yan Mingting, his waist stiffened and he said: “You go back and wait, he’s coming to my house for dinner tonight.”

“Ah?” Yan Mingting looked at Zhao Yelan suspiciously. “Really?”

“En.” Zhao Yelan nodded. “I have matters to discuss with his father, and I’ll return after dinner.”

“Okay then.” Yan Mingting went back half-believingly. The next day, he tied up Li Yucheng in the middle of the road and interrogated him. “What did he do at your house last night?”

“Just ate, ah.” Li Yucheng said, “Let me go, if you don’t let me go, I’ll call someone, ah. Someone help, I’m being assaulted!”

“It’s useless for you to shout, let’s see who dares to save you.” Yan Mingting had been displeased with Li Yucheng recently. When there was big business, he ran to the mansion and nattered on to Zhao Yelan for a long time, and even brought gold, silver, and jewels to make Zhao Yelan happy. It was truly punch-worthy. He ground his teeth, “What sort of food did he eat at your house? Hurry up and confess the truth.”

“What can I say, he really came to meet my dad for dinner!” Li Yucheng said.

“Your father is retired, what could he want with him? Were they discussing how to beat you, an unfilial son?” Yan Mingting asked fiercely.

“Hey, you’re just venting your personal anger, ah. I know you’re jealous of my money now, there’s no helping it, who am I……hey, hey, hey, don’t hit me! I was wrong, I was wrong!” Li Yucheng held his head and confessed, “In fact, I don’t know what he wanted with my dad. During the meal, he kept asking my dad what he likes to eat, what he plays, and what special preferences and customs people of his age have. I was confused.”

In the evening, after Zhao Yelan finished eating, he went to the study and rummaged through boxes.

Yan Mingting followed quietly, and suddenly appeared from behind him: “What are you doing?”

Zhao Yelan was startled, and the book his hand was thrown into the air, only to be caught by Yan Mingting. He turned it over to take a look, and it ended up being a picture book: “Cuju?”^[1]

“Give it back.” Zhao Yelan reached up to grab it.

Yan Mingting raised it above his head, then lowered his head to snatch a kiss, saying with a smile: “Don’t look at this, my uncle doesn’t like Cuju.”

Zhao Yelan paused, frowning slightly: “Then why is there such an old picture book in the study?”

“This was previously my mother’s hobby. She loved Cuju since she was a child, and it was on the Cuju field that she fell in love with my father, a big roughneck,” Yan Mingting said. 

“So that’s how it is.” Zhao Yelan sighed, then looked at him suddenly. “How did you know what I was looking for?”

“Aren’t you just looking for what my uncle likes? Why don’t you just ask me?” Yan Mingting smiled meaningfully.

Zhao Yelan glanced at him, then turned around and continued to look through the old books.

There was naturally no reason not to ask. He had never met his family, so suddenly being asked to meet Yan Mingting’s uncle, he was inevitably at a loss, afraid to not do well and make the old man hate him.

The main reason was that his previous reputation was so bad, and he was also a man. After getting married, the Yan family line was ended, and he wouldn’t allow Yan Mingting to take concubines. This had already received criticism from others, not to mention that the other party was an old uncle in the clan and would probably hate him to death.

“My uncle likes to eat steamed cakes,” Yan Mingting whispered in his ear.

“Steamed cakes?” Zhao Yelan asked in a daze.

“En, he never tires of eating them.”

“That’s odd.”

On the second day, Yan Mingting heard that Zhao Yelan had gone to buy all the steamed cakes in the capital, having everyone try them in order to choose the best ones. The servants must have thought they were eating New Year’s steamed cakes, and almost cried.

A few days later, the General’s Mansion welcomed guests.

Zhao Yelan was still at the Imperial Academy when he received the news from Xiao Gao. He quickly took a leave of absence and hurried back to the mansion, opening the curtain to ask Xiao Gao: “How many people are there in total?”

“Several, including the General’s uncle, aunt, and cousins, a total of five people.” 

“What does that uncle look like?”

“He looks quite proud, and also fierce, with a big sword in his hand. Even the General is humble and flattering,” Xiao Gao said.

Zhao Yelan looked at the gate of the General’s Mansion with a heavy heart. He had no choice but to get out of the sedan chair, and before he reached the gate, he heard laughter coming from the front hall.

He got his expression under control and was about to go in, when he took a few steps back suddenly and took off the precious hairpin on his head, as well as the jade pendant and sachet around his waist, and stuffed them all into Xiao Gao’s hands: “Take these back to the room quickly, don’t let them see them.”

“Yes.”

He checked himself again and felt that he was simple and neat from head to foot, so he walked through the main entrance without a change of expression. It was unknown who noticed him first as the other people looked over one after another, all eyes focused on him.

“You got back so early.” Yan Mingting stepped forward and held his hand.

He subconsciously looked up at the old man sitting in the main seat. The other party was not angry, but had an intense aura, and there was no joy or anger to be seen on his face, which was more troublesome.

He was about to hold his arms behind his back, but Yan Mingting led him to the old man and said with a smile: “Uncle, let me introduce you, this is Zhao Mengting. Mengting, quickly greet Uncle.”

Zhao Yelan glanced at him nervously, and said with some awkwardness: “Uncle.”

“En.” Uncle was in pretty good spirits, stroking his beard as he looked at him from head to toe. He gave a sudden “Huh” and said, “You’re really Zhao Yelan?”

“Could there be a fake?” Yan Mingting laughed, and led the other person to pay respects to his younger uncle and aunt.

The younger uncle and aunt still looked very young. According to his official position, he was now a first-rank official, and these people had to respectfully call him Zhao-daren.

Yan Mingting said that this was their home, so they could just follow the family rules, and Zhao Yelan called them Uncle and Aunt.

Finally, there were the cousins who were a few years younger than them. These two young people were easy-going, and greeted them with smiles.

The meal was ready, and Yan Mingting welcomed them home. The old man loved to recall the past at the dinner table, and went straight to mentioning the events of Yan Mingting’s childhood. Then he also mentioned his father and grandfather and burst into tears while talking about them, and everyone coaxed and persuaded him to stop crying.

Zhao Yelan sat to the side, at a loss and feeling that he was a bit out of place. He didn’t know any of the things they mentioned about the Yan family’s past, but he listened so seriously that he seemed aloof. 

When the old uncle was crying, he had no way to coax the other person. He just watched these family members work together to comfort the uncle without any use for him, and could only sit on the side in embarrassment.

At this time, Yan Mingting called: “Mengting, why aren’t those steamed cakes you bought for Uncle on the table? Did the people in the kitchen not prepare them?”

“I’ll go take a look.” Zhao Yelan immediately took the opportunity to go to the kitchen and unwind, then returned with a plate of steamed cakes.

“Uncle, Mengting specially bought these for you, why don’t you try them? Are they the same as back then?” Yan Mingting took a piece of cake and handed it to his uncle.

The uncle looked at them hesitantly, then took a bite and couldn’t help bursting into tears: “This is the taste, this is the taste from when I was young. My big brother, your grandfather, always took me to eat this, and I wuwuwuwu……”

Zhao Yelan hastily stood aside.

After finally calming down, the uncle ate a few more mouthfuls and tears began to fall again. “My teeth seem to be broken……”

Everyone: “…….”

After finishing the tumultuous meal, Yan Mingting took everyone to their wing to rest.

For the next two days, Zhao Yelan would meet these people from time to time, greeting them politely. It looked very harmonious, but he became increasingly restrained, and could only run to the kitchen to catch his breath, asking: “Is the meal ready for the evening? Don’t make anything that is too difficult to chew.”

“It’s ready, everything is soft and light,” Housekeeper Qin said.

“En……Uncle seems to like that tofu quite a lot, so prepare more tomorrow.”

“All right.”

“And that cousin, her clothes got dirty in the snow, you go to Jinxuan to buy her a new set and send it over.”

“Yes.”

Zhao Yelan gave instructions for a long time, and when he turned his head, he saw Yan Mingting leaning against the door and looking at him with a smile. 

“Why did you come here?” Zhao Yelan walked to the door and asked, “Aren’t you going to talk to your uncle?”

“He said he wanted to rest, so he asked me to go out.” Yan Mingting led him back to their room, rubbing his hands to keep warm. “I’ve been talking to them for two days, and they feel a little cold toward you.”

“That’s the problem, you haven’t seen each other for many years, and you must have a lot to talk about, but it’s hard to talk when I’m there,” Zhao Yelan said considerately.

“Aiya, you’re so sweet.” The two walked to the room, and Yan Mingting brought him another brightly colored outfit to put on. “It’s snowing again, wear more.”

“Change to another one.” Zhao Yelan glanced down and then went to choose a pure white one, which made him look clean and elegant. Yan Mingting was a little unused to it, and stared at him for a long time.

After eating, Yan Mingting was called to the wing room by his uncle’s family to talk again.

Zhao Yelan waited in the room for a long time, but the other person never came back. Just as he was about to rest, he saw Housekeeper Qin passing by with snacks and asked, “What are you doing?”

“Oh, my lord, you’re here. Can I trouble you to bring this to the wing room first? I forgot there is still soup in the pot, so I must go back and check on it,” Housekeeper Qin said.

“Bring it here.” Zhao Yelan had no choice but to carry the plate and walk to the wing room, his footsteps subconsciously lighter. He approached slowly and stood at the door, took a deep breath, and was about to knock when he heard his name mentioned.

“Is he really Zhao Yelan? Why do I feel that he is completely different from what you said in your letters?” Uncle asked.

“Where is the difference?” Yan Mingting said proudly, “Isn’t he good-looking?”

“Didn’t you say that he’s glamorous? Why have I seen him dressed in terrifying mourning white?”

Zhao Yelan: “…….?”

Yan Mingting laughed and said: “Isn’t it that he’s afraid you won’t like it if he dresses too brightly?”

“What does it matter if I like it or not? It isn’t as if he’s living with me. Whatever he likes is fine,” Uncle said with displeasure. “It’s just a pity, I wanted in vain to see how much gold and silver a big man can wear, but in the end? Boring, very boring.”

“Father, please restrain yourself, don’t let Zhao-daren hear your jokes.” The cousin smiled helplessly.

“Why do you still call him Zhao-daren? Didn’t Fangli say that family customs should be followed in the house?” Uncle snorted. “Even if Zhao Yelan becomes the heavenly king, he has to obediently call you Uncle.”

The younger uncle squinted at him. “If you are so capable, why don’t you dare reprimand him to his face? Don’t you just shrink back and not dare to make a sound?”

Yan Mingting said with a smile: “That’s right, if you don’t like him, Uncle, just tell him directly. Don’t look at him from the corner of your eye all day long and make him feel awkward.”

“Did I say I dislike him? Of course, I don’t like him very much either.” Uncle stroked his beard and said, “Besides, he doesn’t really like this old man.”

“Why is that?”

“We’ve been living here for a few days, and he doesn’t even have a smile on his face. He hides when he sees us. Doesn’t this mean he hates us, ah?” Uncle pointed to the younger uncle and cousins. “Ask them if they dare approach your darling? All day long, you look like you’re protecting yourselves. It’s embarrassing, you’ve completely embarrassed your old Yan family! Your grandfather and your father, which one was not an awe-inspiring man outside?”

“Everyone is timid at home,” Yan Mingting murmured. “The same goes for you.”

“What did you say? I’ll beat you to death!” 

Uncle raised his hand to beat him, but his son stopped him and apologized directly to Yan Mingting. 

“It’s okay. Uncle adores me, it’s been this way since I was a child.” Yan Mingting laughed out loud, adding, “Mengting, ba, he has no elders. Seeing you all nervous, he definitely doesn’t mean to ignore you on purpose, but is being kind.”

“You are the first to tell me that he is kind.” Uncle said angrily, “Don’t you know how far the things he did before have spread?”

Yan Mingting: “Those are all rumors, rumors! Don’t believe them, otherwise, I won’t let you get away with it.”

“Such a big person is still acting shamefully.” Uncle said this, but there was a smile on his face. “Are you going to roll around on the ground again?”

Everyone laughed again, and the younger uncle on the side patted Yan Mingting on the shoulder: “We understand what you mean, don’t worry. In fact, we just felt that he didn’t seem to welcome us, so we were very reserved and polite.”

Yan Mingting said: “Then you have misunderstood. A few days ago, he began preparing your basic necessities, food, housing, and transportation, and today’s dinner was specially arranged by him. Even I didn’t notice that you like tofu, Uncle, but he did. This shows that he really likes you.”

“Okay, okay, we know, don’t talk about him endlessly. Fangli, you stay in my room tonight.”

“Ah?”

“Ah, what ah? Have you forgotten that you loved sleeping with me when you were a child? Brat, do you really despise this old man? Weren’t you, a big baby, unable to live without me for a day, ah?”

“You must let me speak to him.”

As soon as he finished speaking, there was a knock on the door. When it opened, everyone saw Zhao Yelan standing outside.

“Snacks were prepared in the kitchen. Eat some if you are hungry.” Zhao Yelan walked in, put down the plate, and looked around. Everyone went quiet, and even Uncle looked at him timidly. He smiled suddenly. “Fangli, you can rest with Uncle tonight. I’ll go back first.”

“Okay, walk slowly in the dark.”

Yan Mingting watched him leave before turning around. His Uncle looked to be in shock, and asked him, “Did he hear everything?”

Yan Mingting thought for a moment: “Probably?”

“Where is my old face? I still wanted to frighten him with my impressiveness!” Uncle said dejectedly.

Yan Mingting was exceedingly pleased.

“But he actually smiled at me just now, did you see that?”

Yan Mingting’s younger uncle and cousins exchanged glances and shook their heads together.

“How could you not see it? He really smiled, just stood there and smiled at me. A big man gave such a strangely good-looking smile, and you didn’t see it?!”

Everyone still shook their heads, and Uncle said angrily, “You guys wait and see tomorrow!”

The next day happened to be the day before New Year’s Eve, and the palace rested for five days.

Early in the morning, Yan Mingting and his uncle were exercising in the courtyard. Uncle was practicing Tai Chi, and when he was pushing forward, he suddenly saw a man in a vermillion robe and a golden headpiece passing by in the corridor. He could only stop and stare straight at him. “That, that is……”

“Uncle.” Zhao Yelan turned his head and greeted him.

“Hey,” Uncle responded, forgetting the next move. He stood up straight and pretended to act natural, putting his hands behind his back and muttering to Yan Mingting, “Why is he not wearing mourning clothes today?”

“Perhaps there are no more white clothes,” Yan Mingting said with a smile. “There are only one or two white robes in total, and they have all been worn.”

Not to mention Uncle, even the others were drawn in by him. While eating, they glanced at him from the corners of their eyes. Even though he was glamorously dressed, it was inexplicably harmonious. Those cold facial features overlapped with a sense of worldliness, like a person in a painting.

Especially the aunt and cousins, the more they looked, the more excited they became, and couldn’t help but ask about the clothes, such as where he bought the sachet and jade pendant.

Zhao Yelan answered them one by one, and promised to take them to the streets together, which made them very happy.

After eating, the group of them went to tour the capital. Zhao Yelan had a wealth of experience in matters of pleasure, and took them to Jinxuan and Li Yucheng’s shop, strolling around for half a day without a problem. He also arranged for the young uncle and cousins to go to Huichun Tower to drink tea and listen to operas, and finally took the older uncle to buy steamed cakes.

“One of my teeth is broken, so I dare not eat too many,” Uncle said.

“ I asked the shopkeeper to make some softer ones, will you try one?”

Uncle took it and tasted it. It was not as hard as the last one, and he was satisfied.

When passing a pawn shop, Uncle said he would go in and pawn something. Zhao Yelan also accompanied him and made the shopkeeper raise the price, and in the end, Uncle departed happily with money in hand.

On New Year’s Eve, the General’s Mansion was very lively. Because there were relatives there, guests were not allowed to visit this year, and there was only the family sitting around eating together.

In the afternoon, Zhao Yelan played chess with Uncle. After winning a few rounds, Uncle became unhappy: “Fangli said that when you play chess, you won’t even concede to the Emperor, so why are you conceding to me? Are you looking down on me?”

These words hit his heart, and Zhao Yelan didn’t throw the games anymore. After half an hour, Uncle begged: “Just let me win once, just once, Mengting, just once!”

Zhao Yelan: “…….”

After dinner, everyone went to a tall building in the city to drink and watch fireworks. 

In this sort of festive atmosphere, it was unreasonable to not drink at least two cups. Even the aunt and cousins raised their cups and drank together, and Zhao Yelan naturally couldn’t avoid it. He toasted each of the elders with a cup of wine and then sat quietly to the side.

Uncle asked Yan Mingting curiously: “Why is he so quiet?”

“He’s really drunk,” Yan Mingting said.

Everyone: “ ? ”

Yan Mingting set down his cup and was about to go help him, when he saw the other’s head resting on Uncle’s shoulder next to him.

Everyone: “ ? ”

Uncle turned to look at him. “You’re drunk? Are you treating me as Fangli?”

Zhao Yelan blinked slowly, looking up at him: “Uncle……”

Yan Mingting hurriedly covered his mouth, for fear that he would habitually ask to be hugged.

“Wu…..” Zhao Yelan tried to push his hand away.

“He acts like this whenever he drinks, don’t mind him, I’ll send him back first.” Yan Mingting gave an embarrassed smile and picked him up.

Zhao Yelan picked up his sleeves and looked at the people around the table, saying: “Uncles, I like you, ah, you should be promoted to the capital quickly. Aunt and little cousins, you are very pretty……”

Everyone stared at him, dumbfounded.

Yan Mingting smiled: “What about me?”

Zhao Yelan looked up at him: “Hug.”

When he woke up the next day, Zhao Yelan sat on the edge of the bed and emptied his mind. He rubbed his head, not wanting to step outside the door at all.

“You’re awake.” Yan Mingting smiled. “Get up and come eat, you are missed.”

“I won’t eat.” Zhao Yelan lay down and closed his eyes, not wanting to face this terrible world.

“If you don’t eat, they might think you’re sick and come to visit you.”

Zhao Yelan climbed up with an ugly expression and walked to the front hall. He glanced at them awkwardly, but saw that they were acting normal and talking about everyday things, so he sat down in silence to eat.

They were leaving in the afternoon, and Zhao Yelan had prepared a lot of luggage for them, along with carriages, big and small.

The group of people said their farewells by the gate. Uncle got into the carriage first, but called Zhao Yelan in alone, and took a golden lock out of his sleeve with the word ‘Zhao’ engraved on it.

“It is the custom of our Yan family to give a jade bracelet to the new daughter-in-law, but that wasn’t suitable for you, so I pawned that bracelet and exchanged it for this, which can count as a gift for a grandson-in-law.”

Zhao Yelan accepted it, flattered. He recalled when he went to the pawn shop with him, wondering why he pawned such a good bracelet.

“My brother and nephew were unlucky in that they couldn’t see you marry Fangli with their own eyes. I came to see on their behalf, and they can rest assured, they don’t have to worry about it in the underworld. Fangli married a remarkable man.”

“Thank you.”

“Why are you being polite?” Uncle said, “You can also see that our Yan family is weak, especially this branch. Both his grandfather and father only had one wife each, and he…..To be honest, the year you first got married, I kept writing letters urging him to take some concubines. Now the world is peaceful, he doesn’t have to shed his blood and sacrifice himself, and can spread his branches and leaves peacefully. Isn’t that also good?”

Zhao Yelan said nothing.

“But that kid is so annoying, I write him a letter and he writes ten back. When I was packing my luggage this time, I accidentally brought a few of them with me.” Uncle took out a stack of letters and handed them to him, patting his shoulder heavily. “From now on, Fangli will be entrusted to you.”

“En, you take care.”

Zhao Yelan and Yan Mingting stood beside the carriage. They waved goodbye and watched them leave until they completely disappeared from sight. He turned his head and found the Yan Mingting’s eyes were red, and couldn’t help but smile.

Yan Minting turned his face away and quickly ran back to the bedroom.

Zhao Yelan didn’t bother him, but went to the study and opened the letters to read them.

The beginning of each letter was an exchange of pleasantries, and after the current situation was explained in detail, Zhao Yelan would be mentioned.

— Thank you for your concern, Uncle. After two months of marriage, I don’t think that Zhao Yelan is a person who is as wicked and unforgiving as the rumors say, and I hope Uncle will not believe those rumors.

— Uncle, what you say is a bit biased. Zhao Yelan is a man, but I am also a man, ah. He can’t spread branches and leaves for my Yan family, and I also can’t bear children for him. 

I call him ‘wife’ just for fun between marriage partners, but I don’t expect him to take on the duties of a wife. Aren’t your words putting too much pressure on others?

— Uncle, I’m going to secretly say something outrageous to you. You should sit down first.

I think, I might, I possibly……really fell in love with Zhao Yelan.

My god, I can’t believe it myself!

— I’m in Jiangnan now, and I originally thought I would visit you once I finished my business, but I didn’t expect to encounter a drought. Mengting is trying his best to salvage the situation. I hope it will rain soon, Mengting’s body can hardly bear it anymore.

When natural disasters come, should we save others or ourselves?

Uncle, I’m ashamed to say this, but I’ve developed some selfishness in the past few days, and I hope Mengting can choose the latter.

— Uncle, I got the Chisha Sword! Where do you think it came from? That’s right, it’s the reward that Mengting got from the Emperor for me! He loves me so much! 

Because of Mengting, I am now the most promising person in our Yan family! Don’t be jealous!

— As for the question of heirs that you mentioned again, I have thought about it carefully. Let my uncles and cousins work harder. Wait for me and Mengting for a hundred years, and then take the Yan family property back. If you don’t want it, I will donate it all to the common people. Anyway, you don’t bring anything into life when you’re born, and you don’t take anything away when you die. I just need Mengting to accompany me for a hundred years.

— Mengting looks very good today, no, he looks very good every day! 

When the time comes that you come to the capital to see him, Uncle, don’t hold prejudice against him. He likes fragrances because he has suffered from bitter smells, and the bright and beautiful clothes he wears are definitely not vanity. It is because his mother was an embroiderer, and he wants to wear all the clothes in the world to show his parents. Because he was poor, he likes expensive things, just like I still like eating tanghulu at my age.

Uncle, if you meet him, you will definitely like him!

— Sorry, I forgot to say something else. Uncle, if you see him hit me or beat me, don’t be angry. He can’t hurt me with his flowery and impractical skills. This is our way of showing love, don’t worry too much!

— You haven’t left yet, have you? I will add one last thing.

I also know that nobody can be liked by everyone. If, if…..if you really don’t like him, please try your best to treat him kindly. 

I still have you all as family far away, but he only has me. So I implore you to treat him like me, okay?

The candle was about to burn out. Zhao Yelan lit another one and carefully folded the letters. When he heard footsteps outside the door, he hastily stuffed them into his pocket.

“It’s so late, aren’t you going to rest?” Yan Mingting asked as he walked in. “What has you so busy?”

“It’s nothing,” Zhao Yelan said, lowering his head.

“What’s wrong with you?” Yan Mingting raised his head to find that his eyes were slightly red and the tails of his eyes were wet. He asked in surprise, “Are you also reluctant to part with them?”

Zhao Yelan suddenly smiled: “Yes, ah, let’s visit them someday.”

“Okay, ah.” Yan Mingting readily agreed. He touched his cheek and said in a low voice, “You like my family members?”

“I like them.” Zhao Yelan stood on tiptoe and kissed his lips. “Because they are your family, I also like them very much.”

There were thousands of words of letters smushed between their two chests, and the endless feelings in those words finally became one simple sentence.

“Fangli, I’m glad to have met you, I love you.”

“I love you too.”

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[1] Cuju (蹴鞠) is Chinese football. ⮐

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Extra 1: Birthday <<Table of Contents >> Extra 3: Afterwards