Chapter 14: More haste, less speed

Xue Fengrong gently rubbed his little sister’s thick, dark hair, comforting her.

Xie Yan said, “So this is Daidai. I’m Xie Yan.”

He didn’t have any experience with romantic matters. The only relationship example he had was his father, Xie Songshan, whose greatest advice had been to be shameless when it came to love—a principle passed down personally. Compared to other couples in the alley, his parents had a genuinely loving relationship. Because of this, Xie Yan’s views on marriage had always been a little different from others’.

Xue Qingdai was tucked protectively at her second brother’s side. In a soft, sweet voice, she said, “I’m Xue Qingdai.”

She didn’t want the male lead, Xie Yan, calling her “Daidai.” That was a name only family could use.

Xie Yan stepped closer to her, drawn by her soft and familiar tone—the voice he’d heard in his dreams. His arm didn’t stay at his side as protocol required; instead, he raised it slightly, his hand hovering midair.

“Mm, Daidai,” he said, his phoenix eyes intensely focused on her slightly babyish face.

“How about this, Second Brother, Third Brother? Let me take you to Quanjude for some roast duck. We can eat and chat.”

“Who are you calling Second Brother?”
“Who are you calling Third Brother?”

Xue Fengrong and Xue Yongkang said in perfect unison—rarely had they been so synchronized.

Peeking out from her second brother’s embrace, Xue Qingdai felt relieved seeing both of her brothers hostile toward Xie Yan.

“We won’t trouble you, Xie Yan,” she said coolly and politely. Her clear eyes now recognized him as the cold officer from the train, and a flicker of wariness passed through her gaze.

Xie Yan seemed like someone emotionally distant. If she brought up breaking off the engagement, would he lash out? Hopefully not. Luckily, her second and third brothers were right by her side.

He had kept his word on the train and protected her and Third Brother. If he agreed to break off the engagement, things would likely go smoothly.

Xie Yan could see they were a united front—three against one. He lowered his hand.

“My mom insisted she has to meet Daidai,” he said softly. “She wants to bring her home.”

“Fengrong, you know how warm and enthusiastic my mom can be.”

Xue Fengrong remembered Zhang Shuying’s “enthusiasm” all too well. Back when he was in university in the capital, Xie Yan had invited him to dinner. The food had been warm and hearty, and by the end of the meal, she had asked every single person at the table for their names. Whether such a warm-hearted woman made a good mother-in-law was still up for debate.

The younger generation could always play dumb if elders made a fuss, but once Zhang Shuying got involved, things would speed up—exactly what Xue Fengrong didn’t want. He wanted Qingdai to stay carefree at home for a few more years. The six of them were working hard together to give her a solid, dependable family backing.

He made the call to delay. He was still saving up to buy her something nice.

“Then the day after tomorrow,” he said reluctantly. “I’ve been busy lately, just like you.”

Even while agreeing, he made sure to throw in a backhanded jab.

“Second Brother!” Xue Yongkang cried. Their grandfather had strictly forbidden letting Qingdai and Xie Yan be alone together. It was over—he was dead meat now…

Xue Qingdai bit her lip so hard that a sheen of moisture glistened on it. Her soulful eyes looked at Xie Yan with a hint of resentment. This man is threatening my brothers. How can the male lead be this terrible?

“I’m not going. I don’t feel well,” she said as she started packing up her things. She had no intention of staying anywhere near Xie Yan.

“Daidai, what’s wrong?” Xue Yongkang quickly pushed past Xie Yan to stand in the best spot beside her.

“She’s exhausted from coming all this way just to see Second Brother. Next time, I’ll make sure to go home myself—she won’t have to travel this far again,” he added.

Xue Fengrong stood protectively on her other side. The two brothers effectively formed a human wall around Xue Qingdai.

All Xie Yan saw was that single look of resentment from his fiancée. A shadow passed over his heart. While he was still frozen, they had already pushed him out of the picture.

These two sister-obsessed brothers had given him a lesson: miss one step, and you lose even the chance to comfort her.

Helpless, Xie Yan raked a hand through his cropped hair. So she’s the hardest one to handle… I was right. Daidai had clearly been raised with care and was a bit pampered.

“If you’re not feeling well, I’ll drive you to the hospital,” he said, trying to minimize any missteps.

The Xue brothers weren’t to be trifled with—they had long harbored grievances against Xie Yan and never bothered reasoning when it came to their little sister.

“No need, Xie Yan,” Xue Fengrong said coldly. “And by the way, our sister’s name is Xue Qingdai.”

Calling her “Daidai” like that after just meeting her? Such sweet-talking nonsense, acting all innocent and respectable—disgusting.

Xue Fengrong didn’t have the vocabulary for insults, but he was seething inside.

“In your dreams!” Xue Yongkang added, smug to find someone with a lower family standing than him. But one look at Xie Yan’s muscular arms compared to his own average ones… and he suddenly chickened out a little.

“Second Brother, Third Brother,” Xue Qingdai called sweetly, afraid her family would get into a full-blown confrontation with the male lead—it could be dangerous.

Her brothers were so good to her she couldn’t stay angry. All her frustration was aimed at Xie Yan—no one was allowed to bully her family.

Once she’d vented her anger, a touch of regret crept in. She’d offended the male lead. Would that make breaking off the engagement harder?

In a softer tone, she said, “No need. Thank you.”

Seeing her slightly improved attitude made Xie Yan beam inside. His gaze lingered a little too long on her delicate, fair neck, and he had to consciously hold himself back.

“Let me drive you back to the guesthouse. It’ll be dark soon,” he offered.

Liu Zhihong came jogging over, finally managing to gulp down a sip of hot water. Proudly, he said, “Captain Xie, I told you, didn’t I?”

“That pretty little girl is definitely Commander Xue’s sister.”

“You said you didn’t want to see her, but here you are, practically wagging your tail and running over.”

Suddenly, Liu Zhihong felt three scorching glares directed at him. Whoa, so popular! Commander Xue, his fellow brother, and Captain Xie—all staring daggers.

I’m doomed. Goodbye.

“Captain Xie, I’m heading to the cafeteria now—won’t wait for you,” Liu Zhihong muttered as he sprinted away, those death stares practically burning a hole in his back.

Xie Yan: “…”

What do you mean wagging my tail?!

Xue Fengrong saw things had reached this point. Daidai clearly didn’t like Xie Yan or his slick talk. But he had to admit—letting Xie Yan drive them was safer.

“Third Brother, you guys take Xie Yan’s car back to the guesthouse. It’s easier.”

“Daidai, don’t be mad. If anyone ever bullies you, your Second Brother will make it right.”

Xue Fengrong patted Xie Yan’s shoulder—entrusting his sister to him. It was a silent agreement born of their long acquaintance.

Xie Yan nodded solemnly.

He watched as the three siblings lingered a little longer, reluctant to part, chatting as they walked. A pang of envy struck him. The Xue siblings were truly bound by blood and affection. His own so-called “big brother” was always scheming against him, even trying to set him up.

Xie Yan safely delivered them to the guesthouse and even bought a bunch of supplies for them. He kept a polite distance from Xue Qingdai the entire time, and only then did Xue Yongkang’s glare ease up.

Back home, Xie Yan was drenched in sweat. It took two rounds of cold showers before he felt alive again.

Winning that girl’s heart was going to be a long, tough road. He still needed to schedule a doctor’s visit, but somehow, everything felt full of hope.

Meanwhile, Zhang Shuying had just finished washing a silk nightgown. As she brought it out to hang, she saw a whole row of sheets already on the bamboo pole.

“Songshan, look at your son!” she shouted, throwing the gown to her husband. “You hang it—he’s the one who dirtied it anyway.”

Xie Songshan cradled his beloved wife’s hand tenderly and asked expectantly, “Okay—but when is our son leaving?”

He had seriously been cramping their romantic life.

Zhang Shuying tugged on his collar and smiled seductively. Her phoenix eyes glinted with charm. “Soon…”

Xie Songshan stared at her with adoration and followed her into the house, remembering to lock the wooden door behind them.

Xie Yan stuffed some cotton into his ears.

At the guesthouse, Xue Qingdai and her brothers each had their own room. This gave her plenty of freedom to move around without worrying about anyone noticing if she disappeared. Every night, she was still busy in her personal space—tending to medicinal soil, processing herbs, and rolling herbal pills. Fortunately, time flowed differently in her space, allowing her to get a full eight hours of sleep each day.

Before leaving home, she had hurriedly prepared a batch of ointment to activate blood circulation and reduce bruising in the joints. She purposely made it look like cow dung—dark, sticky, and with a grassy scent. She had to cry and fuss to get her grandfather, Xue Deming, to apply it on his knees. She planned to check the results when she got home.

For her mother, she prepared a gentle rose flower pill that combined a calming formula for the nerves. It hardly tasted like medicine, though it didn’t look good—resembling little pellets of goat droppings. She hadn’t thrown a tantrum for that one, but Yang Xiaomin cherished her daughter’s effort and treated the pills like treasures.

Xue Qingdai came to the capital fully prepared—she was ready for a long, drawn-out battle.

Lately, she had been crafting a herbal formula to reduce facial dullness. A weak constitution not only slowed metabolism but also showed up on the face—yellowish skin tones that, if not treated quickly, could deepen into hyperpigmentation under sunlight. Although her fair skin stood out in the village, she knew this wasn’t her limit.

She believed that every small effort brought results—something she had learned from years of practicing medicine.

Waking up naturally, Xue Qingdai began her day by massaging her Taichong acupoint to detox, drank a warm glass of honey water, and took three customized health pills suited to her body’s condition. Because her body was still weak, she could only absorb about half of the medicine’s effects—these were precious herbs worth their weight in gold.

Thankfully, she was getting less winded when walking. Her health was gradually improving, but her constitution needed careful, steady nourishment. She was an expert in the art of recuperation, and she knew—haste makes waste.

After spending a couple of days shopping with her second and third brothers, the agreed time arrived, and Xie Yan came to call.

Xue Fengrong sat in the car, skipping any polite small talk.

“What exactly are your intentions toward my sister?” he asked bluntly. “Everyone in the military district knows about your health condition. My sister must not suffer even the slightest grievance.”