Chapter 21

Tang Yajun quickly tried to smooth things over:
“You know, he was bitten by that venomous snake before, and he hasn’t fully recovered yet.”

Then she immediately shifted the topic:
“Second Sister, why’s the courtyard so quiet? Haven’t seen Second Uncle for days.”

Lu Zhongyun was still lost in thought and answered absentmindedly:
“He went out of town to handle something, won’t be back for a while.”

A smile tugged at Tang Yajun’s lips—seems the real show was still a few days away.

“Do you think your elder brother has feelings for me? Do I still have a chance?” Lu Zhongyun asked.

“Of course! I think as long as you’re brave enough to take one small step, Big Brother will come running straight to you!” Tang Yajun said with utmost seriousness.

Then she gave a meaningful smile:
“Second Sister, you heard him yesterday too—he wants his own housing. Without a house, he can’t settle down properly in the city. This matter’s urgent.”

Lu Zhongyun understood exactly what she was hinting at. The sooner, the better.

She made up her mind—while she was off work today, she’d find Tang Yashan and get things clear once and for all.

Back at the courtyard, Tang Yajun found Lu Chongjin practicing walking.

His tall frame, broad shoulders, narrow waist, and the veins standing out on his forearms from exertion…
Sweat slid from his neck down along taut skin, disappearing into his collar, stirring thoughts one shouldn’t dwell on.

Leaning lazily against the doorframe, Tang Yajun enjoyed the view, secretly thinking: Such a man should only exist in the heavens—how could mortals be so blessed to see him?

The moment their eyes met, she snapped out of her daze and went over to wipe his sweat.

“I need to run over to the Academy of Agricultural Sciences. Second Sister just went to find Big Brother—I don’t know how that’s going, so I’d better follow and check.”

Lu Chongjin nodded. Tang Yajun helped him sit back into his wheelchair, handed him a damp towel, then hurried out.

Tang Yashan was with his new colleagues fiddling with some experimental equipment when someone called him out—said there was a visitor downstairs.

It happened to be lunchtime, so everyone grabbed their lunch boxes and headed to the cafeteria.

Stepping out of the lab building, he saw Lu Zhongyun standing under the shade of a tree, holding a net bag.

“What brings you here?” Tang Yashan grinned, completely forgetting she’d slapped him just yesterday.

That was just who he was—born cheerful, never holding grudges, living as freely as the wind.

“I brought you lunch.” Lu Zhongyun handed the bag to him.

Without ceremony, Tang Yashan took it and plopped down by a flower bed. Lu Zhongyun sat beside him.

Smoothing back a loose strand of hair, she said softly:
“Yesterday I was too worked up. I want to apologize.”

Opening the aluminum lunch box, he found half filled with rice, half with fragrant braised pork.

Scooping up a big bite, he said around a full mouth:
“Eh, no big deal. Just a slap. But since you brought me lunch today, from now on we’ll be good brothers.”

The words she had been about to confess stuck in her throat.

Flustered, she snapped:
“Who wants to be your brother?”

Tang Yashan swallowed, turned to her with a puzzled face:
“Then what? Sisters? That works too.”

Dropping the line like a bomb, he bent his head again to eat, completely oblivious to her eyes brimming with tears.

She glared at him for a long moment, but seeing he was utterly engrossed in food and spared her not a glance, she suddenly rose and walked away.

He looked up when he felt her absence, only to see her retreating figure.

“Hey! Take the lunch box back with you!” he called through a mouth full of food.

When she didn’t turn, he shrugged and finished off the rice and pork himself, letting out a satisfied burp.

Tilting his head back to the sky, he thought: Now if only I had an ice-cold fizzy Happy Water (Coke)… what a life that’d be.

He was still savoring the thought when he heard a car engine cut off. Tang Yajun stepped out.

“You saw Second Sister? How’d it go?”

“Yeah, the food was great!” He burped again.

Tang Yajun could only roll her eyes, scanning around.
“Where is she?”

“Suddenly left—must’ve had something urgent.”

Then he leaned closer with a mischievous grin:
“Got any Happy Water for me?”

By then, people who had finished lunch were already streaming back from the cafeteria.

“No. Didn’t you tell me to bring over those experimental seedlings today? Where should I put them?”

“Just stash them in your space’s trial field for now,” Tang Yashan waved dismissively.
“I’m busy with equipment these couple days. Once my request for a field is approved, we can move them.”

“Alright. After work I’ll come pick you up—we’ll head home together. And don’t forget, you need to hurry with the marriage certificate.”

She turned to leave, and he quickly shoved the empty lunch box at her:
“Take this back to Second Sister for me.”

“Wash it yourself and return it!” she glared, then climbed back into the car.

Scratching his head, Tang Yashan muttered: What’s going on with these people?

That afternoon, as promised, Tang Yajun came to pick him up and take him home.

Tang Linong saw his son had grown thinner but seemed healthy. Tears welled in his eyes as he said emotionally:
“My son, you’ve suffered out there.”

On that point, Tang Yashan couldn’t agree more.

Though he’d only stayed in that remote mountain valley for a short while, the hardship he endured there outweighed both his lifetimes combined.

Liu Yane chipped in:
“Thank goodness it’s over. From now on, it’s only good days ahead.”

“Of course,” said Tang Yashan, who honestly felt nothing much toward the original host’s parents.

But hearing from Tang Yajun about how this stepmother had harmed her, he couldn’t help disliking the woman and her daughter.

The family sat down to dinner.

At the center of the table was a large bowl holding a whole braised chicken, the broth glistening with oil, mouthwatering in its aroma.

Tang Linong placed a drumstick into Tang Yashan’s bowl, urging him to eat.

Just as he lifted it, Tang Yajun cleared her throat lightly.

Catching her cue, he immediately smiled and moved the drumstick into her bowl instead.

Liu Yane hurried to pick up the other drumstick for Tang Yaning, but Tang Yashan snatched it first.

Brother and sister shared a knowing look, both pleased with their spoils.

Tang Yaning nearly flung her bowl in fury, but Liu Yane pressed her hand under the table to keep her seated.

Tang Linong pretended not to notice the undercurrents between the siblings and kept eating.

Through the meal, Tang Yashan devoured like a whirlwind.

Back at the research institute he used to be quite picky, but after his time in the mountains, all those habits had been beaten out of him.

Tang Yajun, having already eaten earlier with Lu Chongjin, only nibbled a little before setting down her chopsticks and wiping her mouth.

That was when Tang Linong brought up the real matter:

“Since Yashan is back, of course he should live at home. Your old room has been filled with odds and ends your mother put there. You can stay in your sister’s room.”

Tang Yashan beamed:
“If that’s what you say, I’ll do it. Tonight, I’ll sleep in Yaning’s room then.”

Seeing he misunderstood, Liu Yane hastily explained:
“Your father meant Yajun’s room. She’s already married, hardly ever comes home—her room suits you.”

At those words, Tang Yashan felt his blood ignite.

His scumbag radar started blaring—beep beep beep.
Time for action!