Volume One, Chapter Thirteen: Nan Fei, You’ve Returned…

The boy’s eyes widened in shock as he looked at Yan Nanfei.

“Sister-in-law? Third Brother, are you finally bringing a sister-in-law home for me? Which young lady has caught your eye? Could she be a celestial fairy descended to earth?”

The girl named Zhaozhao suddenly seemed to realize something. She patted the boy’s arm and said, “I know! Is it Sister Ruolan?”

Lady Yan, who had been smiling moments before, hurriedly pushed the girl aside and said sternly, “Zhaozhao, don’t talk nonsense!”

But Zhaozhao ignored her, continuing, “How is that nonsense? Sister Ruolan has been childhood friends with Third Brother and has waited for him for so many years. She’s already eighteen; if she doesn’t marry soon, she’ll become an old maid. All these years, have you ever seen Third Brother get close to anyone else? Even the princess from the royal family doesn’t catch his eye. If it’s not Sister Ruolan, then who else could it be?”

Both the matriarch and Lady Yan’s faces darkened.

Again, Ruolan. This time, Shen Xingdu became even more curious. So General Yan had someone he liked.

Shen Xingdu felt a strange, elusive sensation in her heart, an irritation she couldn’t shake.

Everyone at the table looked over, and Yan Nanfei spoke calmly, “The one I intend to marry is the legitimate daughter of Grand Tutor Shen, Shen Xingdu.”

As his words fell, a graceful young girl entered, supporting a middle-aged woman with a pale, waxen complexion.

Shen Xingdu was surprised to notice that this girl bore a striking resemblance to herself—same almond-shaped eyes, cherubic face, willow-leaf eyebrows, even a similar demeanor.

Could such a coincidence really exist?

Shen Xingdu was stunned by the discovery, and an uneasy suspicion began to take root in her heart.

“Nanfei, you’re back...”

The girl wore a violet long robe over a pearl-white jacket. Her eyes held a shy, slightly melancholic gaze as she looked deeply at Yan Nanfei, clearly having heard his earlier words.

Her brow furrowed slightly, her chest rising and falling with effort, as if struggling to suppress her emotions. After a long moment, she softly explained, “Grandmother, Auntie, I was late because I went to invite the madam over. Please forgive me, Grandmother.”

Madam?

Shen Xingdu looked again at the woman by the door and realized this was Lady Yan.

The lively woman from before was Yan Nanfei’s aunt.

Lady Yan’s face was waxen, her eyes dull, her features gaunt—as if long plagued by illness. From her delicate contours, one could guess she must have been a beauty in her youth.

Yan Nanfei inherited his handsome features from her.

Yet Lady Yan’s gaze toward Yan Nanfei was blank, showing no trace of maternal affection.

More than that, as Lady Yan stepped into the room, the atmosphere seemed to chill instantly.

Everyone fell silent, as if the warmth that had just filled the room had never existed.

It was the aunt who rose with a smile, inviting Lady Yan to sit beside the matriarch, while she herself took a lower seat.

“My sister is ill, so I didn’t call for her when I came. Had I known she would be feeling better today, I should have fetched her myself instead of troubling young Miss Ruolan.”

The aunt’s words carried the air of the true lady of the Yan household; not having personally invited Lady Yan seemed like a slight on her part.

No wonder Shen Xingdu had mistaken her for “Lady Yan” before.

“Auntie jokes. Ruolan just lives nearby and knew Nanfei was back, so she stopped by to invite. It’s no trouble at all,” Shen Xingdu replied, looking at the girl.

So this was Ruolan!

Ruolan had always lived in the Yan household!

Zhaozhao said Ruolan had been waiting for Yan Nanfei all these years—did Yan Nanfei also have feelings for Ruolan?

Was it because of Ruolan in his heart that he abandoned marrying a princess and insisted on wedding the disgraced Grand Tutor’s daughter?

Just because she resembled Ruolan?

But Ruolan was right there, waiting for him all these years. Why didn’t he just be with Ruolan directly?

Tonight, she must ask Yan Nanfei clearly!

She couldn’t be like Shen Yue’e, who deliberately stole others’ matches—that was despicable, and she wouldn’t do that.

No matter how good Yan Nanfei was, she wouldn’t do that!

Shen Xingdu didn’t realize her fox-like face had drawn long and her brow was furrowed angrily.

She felt like a storm raged inside her heart with no outlet.

Seeing the maids and servants bringing a stream of various dishes to the table, she had no appetite.

Even if she did, it wasn’t her place at the table—she was just a fox, after all.

Ruolan rose to serve the matriarch, Lady Yan, and the aunt.

She casually picked up a piece of wine-steamed lamb and placed it onto Yan Nanfei’s plate.

“Nanfei, this wine-steamed lamb is your favorite. The kitchen made it especially tender today. Try some.”

But Yan Nanfei reached out and fed a piece of honey-sweet peach directly into Shen Xingdu’s mouth.

She was caught off guard by the sudden sweetness.

And that honey peach really was her favorite treat.

Yan Nanfei truly had a knack for picking.

The peach’s fragrant sweetness filled her mouth, making it hard to stay angry.

Yan Nanfei then said coldly, “Miss Du is a guest in the Yan household, not a servant. There’s no need for her to serve like this. Please sit and eat with us.”

His words were flawless on the surface but full of barbs underneath.

Ruolan’s movements faltered, and she silently returned to her seat in embarrassment.

Lady Yan put down her chopsticks. “I do not agree to you marrying the Grand Tutor’s legitimate daughter.”

Ruolan immediately reached out to take Lady Yan’s arm, meeting her mother’s pained gaze and shaking her head.

Finally, the matriarch spoke: “Let us eat first. No talking while eating or before sleeping. Whatever matters there are, we will discuss later.”

The meal was eaten quietly.

Shen Xingdu was stuffed with various lamb dishes and preserved fruits in Yan Nanfei’s arms, her belly round and full, her fox-like lips shining with oil.

Several times, the youth called Nan Xun tried to sneakily carry Shen Xingdu away when Yan Nanfei wasn’t paying attention, but Yan Nanfei always caught him first and tapped his hand with chopsticks.

Shen Xingdu hid in Yan Nanfei’s arms, chewing lamb fearlessly and shot Nan Xun a defiant glance, which he noticed.

Raising his eyebrows, he pointed at Shen Xingdu and told everyone, “Third Brother’s fox just rolled her eyes at me! She just rolled her eyes!”

No one believed him, thinking he was just upset over being unable to win the fox’s favor and was making baseless accusations out of shame.

After the meal, Shen Xingdu leaned on Yan Nanfei’s shoulder as he carried her back to their quarters.

The Yan residence was vast, with pavilions, towers, water terraces, and gardens layered one after another—luxury that even the Grand Tutor’s mansion couldn’t compare to.

Every building reflected Lord Yan’s low-key, refined taste and the legacy of the Yan family’s three generations of prime ministers.

Suddenly, Shen Xingdu saw a flash of blue skirt sweeping past the corridor behind Yan Nanfei.

It was Du Ruolan.

“Don’t you know how to groom yourself?” Yan Nanfei suddenly said while stroking Shen Xingdu’s back.

Shen Xingdu quickly pressed a claw to his mouth, silencing him with a gesture.

“Shh, don’t speak. Your Ruolan girl is following us.”

“Mine? How can you say she’s mine? In this Yan household, only you are mine. The rest have nothing to do with me.”