Mistakenly Connected to the Jade Flower Branch

Chapter 150 Cherish

Nianyao looked at Luo An from a distance, then slowly walked behind him and wrapped her arms around his waist.

Luo An's body stiffened slightly as he looked down at her hands.

Nianyao rested her head on his shoulder, her voice tentative yet reassuring: "Luo An!"

Luo An suddenly pulled her hand away, turned around and pressed her against the plum tree, kissing her deeply and forcefully.

Nianyao reached out and clung to Luo An, her voice broken: "Luo An... go back to your room..."

Luo An carried her into the warm chamber, past two screens, through the curtains, and placed her on the bed. Luo An braced himself beside her, his eyes deep, but he made no further move.

Nianyao's voice was low and gentle: "What's wrong?"

Luo An, contrary to his usual composure, had a torrent of emotions churning in his eyes: "Nian Yao, promise me, never deceive me or take advantage of me... Otherwise, even if I die, I'll take you with me..."

Nianyao whispered, "I promise you, I won't deceive you or take advantage of you."

Luo An was not appeased; he acted like a spoiled and unreasonable child: "You swear..."

Nianyao sat up straight and pointed upwards: "I, Xue Nianyao, swear that I will never use or deceive Luo An. If I break this oath..."

Before Nianyao could finish speaking, Luo An silenced her. His lips lingered on hers: "Nianyao, tell me honestly about what's wrong, and I'll do everything I can to help you. Just tell me, as long as I can..."

Nianyao hugged Luo An, putting all her questions and everyone else behind her. No one could compare to the man in front of her: this was her dearest and most beloved... No matter how cold she appeared, her heart remained soft and warm.

Luo An seemed to see the shadows of his parents in Xue Yunting and Duan Mingzhu. He thought that deception and exploitation were the inherited vices of the Nan Yue people, and the former emperor of Nan Yue and the current young general of Nan Yue were exactly the same.

If Xue Yunting didn't encounter Duoyi, it could only prove that there was a traitor in the palace, which would affect the safety of An Liangchen and Dongyang.

Nianyao was a woman of deep affection and loyalty. Since Xue Yunting called her "sister," she treated him like a younger brother. Even when Consort Ning passed away, she wept until her eyes were red. If Xue Yunting were to die, wouldn't Nianyao be heartbroken? If Xue Yunting were to die at her hands, wouldn't Nianyao surely hate him?

For the first time in his life, Luo An felt a surge of restlessness. Once the storm had passed and Luo An calmed down, he noticed that Nian Yao's eyes were red and her voice was soft.

Luo An rolled over with her in his arms, letting her lie on top of him, gently stroking her back, cherishing her dearly.

Nianyao's voice was muffled: "Luckily, I'm physically strong and can withstand it..."

Luo An's voice was much more relaxed, with a slight smile: "Indeed..."

Nianyao only relaxed and fell asleep completely after hearing his voice return to normal.

As Luo An inhaled her fragrance, his thoughts began to wander: An Liangchen, Jing Chen, Duan Mingzhu, Xue Yunting…

Xue Yunting took out a handkerchief and wiped away Duan Mingzhu's tears, holding her cold little hand: "Wait inside from now on, it's cold outside, don't catch a cold."

Duan Mingzhu remained noncommittal, then led Xue Yunting to her room, her voice soft and gentle: "You look so tired, go to sleep."

Xue Yunting took off her hairpin and earrings and placed them on the cabinet, twirling a plum blossom between his fingers: "Who gave them to you?"

Duan Mingzhu thought for a moment: "It seems to be called Nanfei."

Xue Yunting hummed in agreement: "He's quite handsome?"

Duan Mingzhu remained expressionless: "You like him?"

Xue Yunting chuckled and shook his head. He helped her take off her cloak and coat, first letting her lie down on the bed and cover herself with the blanket, before he undressed and crawled under the covers.

Duan Mingzhu immediately leaned closer, resting her head on his arm, wrapping her arms around his neck, putting her feet on his legs, and resting her head on his chest.

Xue Yunting wrapped one arm around Duan Ming's shoulder and the other around her waist, holding her tightly in his arms. After being careful all the way, he could finally sleep peacefully without worry.

Nianyao knocked on the door but no one answered. Feeling uneasy, she pushed the door open and went in. Through the curtain, she saw two people inside who were not moving.

Nianyao hesitated slightly before standing in front of the bed. She lifted the curtain and saw Duan Mingzhu, who was small and nestled in Xue Yunting's arms like a child.

Nianyao checked their breathing and found nothing wrong, which relieved her anxiety. She turned and took a few steps, but then felt something was amiss.

Duan Mingzhu looked frail, so it's normal for her to sleep so soundly. How could Xue Yunting be sleeping so deeply?

Nianyao turned back and gently pulled Xue Yunting's ear.

Duan Mingzhu opened her eyes, moved Nian Yao's hand away, and remained facing away from her without moving. Xue Yunting raised his hand to cover his ears and continued to sleep.

Nianyao then pinched his cheek harder. Duan Mingzhu pushed her hand away, but Nianyao wouldn't let go: "Xue Yunting, stop pretending to be asleep?"

Xue Yunting opened his eyes, his voice still drowsy and sleepy from just waking up: "Sister...it hurts..."

Nianyao then let go, saying irritably, "It hurts so much! Get up, I'm leaving."

Xue Yunting, still half-asleep, pulled the blanket up to cover the two of them: "I'm not going."

Nianyao's temper flared, and she grabbed the blanket to throw it aside. Seeing Duan Mingzhu release the blanket, she said fiercely, "I'll count to ten outside the door..."

Nianyao slammed the door shut with a bang, then raised her voice slightly and began to count: "One, two, three..."

Xue Yunting jumped off the bed quickly and hurriedly put on his clothes and shoes. Nianyao counted to ten and then kicked open the door. Xue Yunting was just about to open the door when he couldn't dodge in time and fell backward, hitting the ground with a thud.

Duan Mingzhu jumped down and helped him up, looking very distressed: "Does it hurt a lot? Let me blow on it for you?"

Xue Yunxue touched her nose and then the back of her head: "It hurts..."

“What pain…” Nianyao said angrily, “Such a big man, and he still complains of pain after falling down.”

Xue Yunting grinned and said, "Mingzhu, my sister and I will keep watch over Grandma. You can continue sleeping. If you need anything, ask your brother-in-law and Qin Jiu. Qin Jiu is the one sitting with you by the door."

Duan Mingzhu was as obedient as a child in front of Xue Yunting, without being stubborn at all: "Okay."

Xue Yunting helped Duan Mingzhu lie down on the bed, tucked her in, added smokeless charcoal to the charcoal brazier, and stirred it a couple of times to make it burn brighter.

Nianyao glanced sideways. So considerate? No wonder the young girl was so captivated.

As the two stepped outside, Xue Yunting yawned incessantly and staggered. Nianyao, hearing this, became furious and stepped aside.

Xue Yunting thought Nianyao wanted him to go first, so he took a few steps forward. Unexpectedly, Nianyao raised her foot and slashed to the side. Xue Yunting couldn't dodge and fell flat on his face.

Xue Yunting lay on the ground for a while without getting up. Nianyao kicked him and said, "Hey, what are you pretending to be dead for?"

Xue Yunting had a bruised and swollen face, with a bump on the back of her head. Feeling unhappy, she said dejectedly, "Sister, you're disfigured."

Nianyao said, "What's the use of being good-looking if a man establishes himself in the world through his talent and virtue?"

Xue Yunting retorted, "Then why did you marry your brother-in-law? Why didn't you marry an ugly monster with a crooked neck, a grinning mouth, and slanted eyes..."

Nianyao's tone was full of threat: "Do you want to try tilting your head, grinning, and looking askance..."

Xue Yunting covered his mouth and remained silent, thinking to himself: Has he taken the wrong medicine? Such a bad temper, and so rude! You really can't pretend to be a good person for more than three days.