Chapter 39: Personality

Yan Jiyue raised his head, his phoenix eyes red and filled with hateful tears as he glared fiercely at Xie Yi.

Hearing these words, Xiao Ping also deeply felt Xie Yi’s formidability. He had originally thought Yan Jiyue called him a ‘scoundrel’ simply out of hatred for stealing Su Mu, but he never expected this person to be such a vicious soft knife.

What business was it of his for a married couple to reminisce?

Su Mu was soft-hearted, and her status now was very different from before. If Yan Jiyue humbled himself, he might be able to persuade Su Mu to have a change of heart, and the two could mend their broken relationship. Even he, as a servant, could bask in some glory.

But Xie Yi’s light words tied this matter to Su Mu’s future prospects. The well-laid plan was nailed shut by Xie Yi’s single sentence. Now, forget about a change of heart, Su Mu might even drive them out.

Xiao Ping suddenly understood why Su Mu had been captivated by this little scoundrel. Someone like Yan Jiyue who only knew how to act like a young master was no match for him at all. Even if they hadn’t separated, and Yan Jiyue was still the official husband, the relationship between Su Mu and Yan Jiyue would have been stirred up by Xie Yi to the point where there was no marital affection to speak of, and might even lead to spoiling the husband to death.

As Xiao Ping was pondering, Xie Yi took the initiative to step forward, a gentle smile on his lips: “The ground is cold, and your body is delicate. Let me help you up.”

Yan Jiyue swatted his hand away, his eyes seeming to burn with fierce flames.

“Yan gege?” Xie Yi staggered, nearly losing his balance. Although he didn’t fall, one could sense how much force Yan Jiyue had used to push him away. Xie Yi’s eyes flickered with slight shock. He turned back to look at Su Mu, his gaze conveying a hint of grievance.

So annoying, these coquettish men, what an act. Xiao Ping rolled his eyes internally.

“I don’t need your help, I can get up on my own.” Yan Jiyue wiped the tears from his face, clenching his fists as he stood up with Xiao Ping’s support.

If it were still like before, he certainly wouldn’t have let Xie Yi off so easily. He would have used every method of torment he could think of to torment him. But now he didn’t dare. Su Mu’s attitude was already so clear; if he acted up or schemed again, she would surely despise him even more.

He didn’t dare gamble with what little affection remained between them. Those grievances he once couldn’t swallow, no matter how hard they were to swallow now, he could only force them down.

Yan Jiyue struggled to his feet, his thin frame so frail it seemed it would break if touched. Looking at Su Mu’s figure resolutely turned away from him, the bitterness and regret he had just managed to swallow surged out in an instant: “A Mu… I’m leaving.” His voice was choked with tears.

Su Mu’s back remained silent and motionless.

Yan Jiyue turned, tears wetting his lashes and blurring his vision. Fortunately, Xiao Ping was supporting him, otherwise he wouldn’t have been able to take a single step.

Su Mu just stood there quietly, not turning around even as he left.

It wasn’t until Xie Yi closed the door and said in her ear, “Sister Mu, Yan gege has left,” that Su Mu suddenly deflated.

Although she had her back to Yan Jiyue and couldn’t see his expression clearly, just seeing his shadow cast on the wall, when he said he was leaving and she didn’t react, she clearly saw Yan Jiyue’s ever-straight back hunch over in an instant.

“Ai—” She sighed.

Xie Yi paused for a moment, then asked, “Is Sister Mu sighing for Yan gege?”

“Mm.”

Xie Yi’s heart suddenly stopped for a moment, aching and bitter.

He forced himself to smile, his tone betraying no hint of jealousy: “Does Sister Mu still have feelings for him… If there are still feelings, why not bring him back? Yan gege would surely be overjoyed beyond measure.”

“Bring him back?” Su Mu turned around, looking at Xie Yi’s forced expression, cupped his face and gently kissed him, asking, “If I bring him back, what about you?”

Xie Yi’s lips pulled into a weak smile: “I don’t care about status, as long as I can stay by Sister Mu’s side… Besides, in terms of status, Yan gege is more suitable than me.”

Although Yan Jiyue was also unworthy of his position, at least he was a young master from a noble family, unlike himself, a mixed-race person who had only just been freed from slavery.

“Don’t think nonsense, Yan Jiyue and I are long over.” Su Mu laughed, pinching his cheek and whispering in his ear: “I’m going to take you as my official husband.”

The weak, bitter smile on Xie Yi’s lips instantly froze. She had just said the same words to Yan Jiyue, and he was shocked into a long daze. Finally, what convinced him to come to his senses was his guess that these words might just be Su Mu’s way of provoking Yan Jiyue, and only then did he put away the dream that shouldn’t belong to him.

But now, seeing Su Mu smiling and cupping his face, gently and solemnly repeating in his ear, his heart trembled uncontrollably.

“You don’t believe me?” Su Mu asked, seeing his dumbfounded expression.

Xie Yi was suddenly at a loss for words. The eloquence he had just displayed when facing Yan Jiyue suddenly became stiff and numb, unable to utter a single word. Only his green eyes were watery, his pupils trembling.

“Didn’t I say I like you? If I like you, of course I want to marry you.” Her hand gripped his chin for a light kiss, their soft lips pressing tightly together. Xie Yi’s thick, long lashes brushed against her skin, like butterfly wings sweeping across her fingers, full of tenderness.

The brief kiss was like a dragonfly skimming the water. Just as she was about to pull away, the previously dazed Xie Yi suddenly changed, his arms actively encircling her waist, turning passive into active, prying into her mouth and slowly deepening the kiss, slow yet passionate, as if being drawn into an abyss.

The sultry summer wind rustled the treetops, the dazzling sunlight and noisy cicadas suddenly seemed distant, as if the world had become illusory.

After what seemed like an eternity, Xie Yi finally released her. As they parted, an ambiguous thread stretched between their mouths.

Faced with Xie Yi’s sudden passion, Su Mu was very pleased. She recalled their first kiss when he nearly suffocated because he didn’t know how to breathe. Now he had already mastered the skill.

“You’re a quick learner,” Su Mu said with a slight squint of her eyes.

Xie Yi understood the meaning behind her words, and his face instantly turned red, even hotter than the summer day.

Su Mu didn’t want to tease him anymore. Seeing his face so red, she felt that if she teased him any further, he might get heatstroke.

Men in a matriarchal society were all very thin-skinned. Some women in matriarchal countries were even harder to please than modern men. If you were a bit passionate, they’d call you wanton; if you were reserved, they’d complain you lacked charm. So, except for the male courtesans in brothels, no one dared to be too forward, fearing being labeled as licentious.

For Xie Yi to take the initiative already required great courage.

“Come sit for a while, don’t stand in the sun.” Su Mu took his hand, pressing him to sit down, and gently wiped the thin layer of sweat from his forehead with a handkerchief.

“Sister Mu, I can wipe it myself.” Xie Yi took out his own handkerchief.

Su Mu pressed down his hand: “Don’t move, let me do it.”

Xie Yi pursed his lips and smiled slightly. Because she was standing and he was sitting, he had been looking up at Su Mu the whole time. His green eyes were as clear and refreshing as a jade-green pool, staring at her without blinking, filled with undisguised bright admiration, which made Su Mu feel a bit embarrassed.

After wiping off the sweat, Su Mu sat down beside Xie Yi. On the table was a plate of fruit that had been chilled with well water, all common summer fruits like pears and loquats. The chilled loquats, in particular, were sour and sweet, especially delicious.

Su Mu’s gaze flicked to the loquats. Today’s loquats looked quite large. After Xie Yi had washed their skins and put them in the well water, they had just been taken out. Water droplets still clung to the orange-yellow skin of the loquats, looking extremely tempting.

She withdrew her gaze, planning to eat some in a moment.

“Just now when I sighed, although it was for Yan Jiyue, it wasn’t what you thought. I was lamenting his misfortune.”

“What’s there to lament?” Xie Yi quietly picked up a loquat and began peeling it.

Su Mu said, “Yan Jiyue’s family background and looks are top-tier in Juancheng. If only Yan Zhujun had paid more attention to him from the beginning, truly cared about him a bit, he wouldn’t have spoiled him into this temperament.”

Xie Yi asked in confusion, “But I heard that Yan Zhujun dotes on Yan gege very much. His food, clothing, and daily necessities are always the best, and even the servants’ clothes and monthly wages are much higher than average. Perhaps Yan Zhujun just spoils his child.”

Su Mu smiled and said, “That’s because you haven’t seen Yan Ting. I was a servant in the Yan family for half a year before, and occasionally saw Yan Ting a few times. Unlike Yan Jiyue’s arrogance and coldness, Yan Ting is much more approachable. Although she hasn’t made a name for herself in studies, she never gives the servants cold looks and is always gentle and courteous. At twelve or thirteen, she was already learning to manage the household and accounts. The servants in the Yan family are also sincerely convinced by her.”

“The eldest young miss Yan will inherit the Yan family business in the future, so strict education is understandable. But since Yan Zhujun could raise a daughter like the eldest young miss, how come Yan gege is…” Xie Yi said.

“It’s because Yan Zhujun gave all his energy to Yan Ting, his daughter. He wanted to impart all the worldly wisdom he had experienced over the years to her. But he rarely spent time teaching Yan Jiyue. He himself is a man and should understand that if a man’s temperament remains aggressive and aloof, he will certainly suffer losses in the future. Yet he still put all his energy into Yan Ting. As for Yan Jiyue, although he was materially well-off, he lacked a father’s guidance on how to conduct himself in the world.”

“I see. Although my father and mother also love me and my brother very much, they wouldn’t spoil us like this. To outsiders like us, Yan gege’s temperament seems to be the result of spoiling, but essentially, Yan Zhujun was also belittling him.” Xie Yi pursed his lips, feeling grateful towards Yan Zhujun in his heart.

If he had really educated Yan Jiyue to be virtuous and kind, Su Mu might be in harmony with Yan Jiyue now. How could he have the chance to stand by her side?

While Xie Yi lamented Yan Jiyue’s misfortune, he couldn’t help but selfishly rejoice.

“Sister Mu, have some loquat.” He handed over the peeled loquat flesh.

Su Mu was slightly surprised to see the fruit delivered to her mouth, and smiled, “How did you know I wanted to eat loquat?”

“I noticed Sister Mu’s gaze lingered on the loquats for a moment longer, so I thought you might want to eat some.” Xie Yi’s eyes curved slightly, the light in his eyes bright as water under the cover of his thick lashes, truly intoxicating.