“Outside the wind is strong. Let’s go inside first.”
Lin Shengyu watched her senior brother suddenly quicken his pace. She caught the slight dryness and tension in his voice. The young girl pressed her cherry lips together slightly, a flicker of delight and shyness crossing her face, along with a deeper thread of quiet happiness.
(It worked!)
Over the past two years she had grown not only in body but in mind as well. While spending her days with Senior Brother, Lin Shengyu had carefully noted his “weak spots.” He responded to gentleness far more than force.
When she acted a little fragile, Senior Brother would always pamper her. Sometimes she even used a maiden’s clever little tricks, choosing the right moments to draw his attention—just like the expression she had shown a moment ago.
It wasn’t her true nature, but she was willing to use small, harmless means for the sake of happiness. Because Senior Brother was like a block of wood. Even though they were already betrothed, he refused to cross even the smallest line.
Two whole years—if he were a real stone, she should have worn him down by now, yet Senior Brother remained stubbornly proper.
Thinking of this, a trace of bitterness still lingered deep in Lin Shengyu’s heart. She knew the reason: Senior Brother still carried Luo Shuiling in his heart, which was why he had never developed romantic feelings for her and continued to treat her only as a younger sister.
(I wonder when I’ll finally get that elusive chance to win Senior Brother back.)
A question she had pondered hundreds of times surfaced in the young girl’s mind, but she chased it away after only a few breaths.
She could think about those problems later. Right now Senior Brother was here, and she wanted to enjoy the best part of her day.
She patted her cheeks lightly and hurried after him. In moments she was walking beside the youth.
Swallowing her shyness, Lin Shengyu quietly reached out with her lotus-root-white hand and gently clasped Senior Brother’s palm.
The instant their fingers touched, she clearly felt his body tense for a split second before relaxing again, allowing her to do as she pleased.
His silent acceptance made her heart flutter with secret joy. Senior Brother hadn’t refused her.
“Hmm-hmm~”
Lin Shengyu hummed a little tune, clearly in excellent spirits. Whenever she was beside the youth, she always felt cheerful.
Yun Hao looked at the delightful girl humming beside him and smiled with fond indulgence, though a trace of distraction soon entered his eyes.
When had his junior sister started to change? He wasn’t entirely sure. But he knew the yellow-skirted maiden who now reached his shoulder had begun to harbor her own thoughts.
The peach blossom hairpin in her hair caught the light. Ever since Elder Lin had passed away, she had worn it every day. He had felt one wasn’t enough and suggested buying her another, but she had blushed and gently shaken her head, saying one was enough and that she liked it. In the end he had let the matter drop.
“Hmm-hmm-hmm~ Mm-hmm~”
Lin Shengyu’s cheerful melody pulled Yun Hao back to the present. He smiled and remembered something.
He gently squeezed the hand she was holding. With a flicker of spiritual power, a small box appeared in his palm. He called out to the girl.
“Junior Sister, look what this is.”
“Hm?”
Lin Shengyu turned her head and saw Senior Brother holding a mysterious little box. Curiosity sparkled in her eyes.
“What is it, Senior Brother?”
“Guess.”
Yun Hao rarely felt like teasing her.
Seeing that he refused to tell her, Lin Shengyu furrowed her brows in mock frustration. She studied the box’s size and Senior Brother’s expression, then ventured a guess.
“Could it be rouge?”
“Nope.”
The youth shook his head with a smile.
“Mm… then it must be a scented sachet, right!”
“Hehe, wrong again.”
Lin Shengyu guessed several more things, but Yun Hao smilingly denied each one. Seeing the playful look on his face, a wave of embarrassed frustration washed over her. With a burst of courage, she grabbed his arm and shook it.
“Mmm, Senior Brother, just tell me! I can’t guess.”
Her sudden coquettish plea caught Yun Hao off guard. This girl was becoming harder and harder to handle. He freed the arm she was hugging and gently pinched the tip of her nose.
“Little glutton, open it and see for yourself.”
He handed her the small box. Lin Shengyu eagerly opened it, then let out a delighted cry.
“Cake!”
She held the small white pastry with sparkling eyes and looked up at Yun Hao.
“You mentioned a few days ago that you wanted to eat cake, so I brought some this time.”
There was a note of satisfaction in the youth’s voice. He could tell his junior sister was genuinely happy, and that was the best reward he could ask for.
Lin Shengyu took a quick bite, but the joy in her eyes dimmed instantly.
(It’s not the kind Senior Brother makes…)
She liked eating cake, but only the kind Senior Brother made. Other cakes never measured up.
She had once gently hinted that she wanted to taste one he made himself, only to see sudden dejection and pain flood his eyes. It had been unstoppable. She had worried she had said something she shouldn’t have.
After that she never mentioned wanting Senior Brother to make cake again, yet he still brought her pastries every so often. So she simply pretended to love them.
“Junior Sister, does the cake taste good?”
Lin Shengyu hid the disappointment in her eyes and smiled sweetly.
“It’s delicious.”
Yun Hao’s face lit up with a smile as well. The two of them walked on and soon reached the bamboo house where Elder Lin Xian had once lived.
Lin Shengyu first settled Senior Brother down, then quickly finished the pastry and hurried toward her bedroom.
Yun Hao was still a little puzzled about what she was doing, but he soon found out.
Lin Shengyu returned with light steps, cradling a garment in her arms. Her small face glowed with irrepressible joy and pride. She walked quickly to Yun Hao and spoke with shy delight.
“Senior Brother, try on the new clothes I made for you!”
Yun Hao looked at the new robe. In his mind he pictured his junior sister staying up late, sewing by lamplight. A wave of warmth and gratitude washed over him. Seeing how proud and happy she looked, he asked gently,
“When did you make this?”
Lin Shengyu’s expression was full of joy, but her voice was small.
“Didn’t I take your measurements before? I secretly remembered them then and started working on it little by little.”
Halfway through, she felt too embarrassed to continue. She pushed the new robe into his arms a little forcefully.
“Senior Brother, don’t worry about that. Just try it on.”
Seeing her like this, Yun Hao felt a warm current flow through his heart. He smiled softly and agreed.
Lin Shengyu watched Senior Brother fumble a little and grew impatient. She simply moved his hands aside and took over.
“Senior Brother, you’re so slow. Let me do it.”
With that she knelt down and carefully fastened the youth’s belt. Yun Hao watched her nimble hands and could only chuckle helplessly. It wasn’t that he was slow—she was simply too eager.
A light purple color entered Lin Shengyu’s sight. Sweet warmth filled her heart. Senior Brother wore the brocade pouch she had given him every single day.
Soon she had removed his outer robe and unfolded the new one, helping him slip it on. Before long, a white garment adorned Yun Hao’s body.
She examined him carefully, refusing to miss a single detail. Only when she was completely satisfied did she nod. She liked it very much. Her beloved looked noble and refined in the white robe trimmed with faint gold threads. Paired with his nearly fully matured handsome features, the sight left her a little dazed.
Still, to be safe, Lin Shengyu composed herself and asked,
“Senior Brother, does it fit?”
Yun Hao felt the robe carefully. It was comfortable, neither too loose nor too tight—perfect. He smiled, deeply moved. For it to fit this well, his junior sister must have put in a great deal of painstaking effort.
“It fits perfectly. You worked so hard on it. Thank you.”
“Hehe, as long as it fits.”
Hearing Senior Brother’s praise, Lin Shengyu couldn’t stop the silly grin spreading across her small face. All the hard work of the past days had been worth it.
Afterward Yun Hao carefully put the new robe away. The two of them sat close together and chatted leisurely.
………..
Suddenly Lin Shengyu seemed to remember something. She lowered her head and stole glances at Yun Hao from the corner of her eye. For a moment she grew fidgety and stopped answering him.
Seeing her like this, the youth was puzzled. They had been chatting so well just a moment ago—why had she suddenly gone quiet? He asked with a trace of confusion,
“What’s wrong, Junior Sister? Why aren’t you saying anything?”
Yun Hao had no idea that his question only made her more bashful. She squirmed uneasily and answered in a tiny voice,
“…It’s just that…”
“…? That what?”
Seeing that Senior Brother truly hadn’t realized, Lin Shengyu felt a small pang of resentment. She lowered her head even further and shrank back a little.
A pink evening glow spread across her entire small face, as if it could be squeezed for water. Her originally fair ears turned so red they looked ready to bleed. Her voice was tiny, filled with boundless nervousness and shyness.
“…In a few more months… I’ll be… turning eighteen…”
She lowered her head completely, not daring to meet his eyes.
Yun Hao’s body stiffened. For a long moment he couldn’t speak. Of course he understood exactly what his junior sister meant.
Only after a while did he manage to hide the turmoil in his heart and reply gently,
“Mm, I know.”
After those words, neither of them spoke again. Though Lin Shengyu kept her head down, she still quietly placed her hand over his.
Much later, the youth’s slight movement drew her attention. A trace of unconcealable disappointment appeared in her voice.
“…You have to go back now?”
“Mm… it’s been an hour and a half. Time to return and cultivate.”
His hesitant tone struck her heart. She gathered her spirits, summoned her courage, and looked up at him with a smile.
“Then I’ll walk you out.”
“…Alright.”
…………..
Lin Shengyu gazed痴痴 at the direction Senior Brother had left. This had long become one of her habits. It was as if the longer she watched, the sooner he would return to accompany her next time.
(I finally said it…)
The shyness and nervousness in her heart had yet to settle. They still clamored inside her chest.
She faced the direction he had gone, opening her mouth several times but unable to make a sound. Still, she refused to give up.
A long moment later, the young girl’s lovely face flushed scarlet. Her jade-like hand clutched her handkerchief tightly. Carrying deep, unwavering adoration, her voice as soft as a mosquito yet filled with firm resolve, she finally spoke the title she had longed for day and night.
“…Husband…”