"A lifetime is long, and a lifetime is short, but as long as you are by my side, that is happiness." Gu Xingchen and Wen Hongye touched foreheads and said the most touching words of love.
Time will tell.
Chapter 1 Side Story: Dust and Smoke (Part 1)
Xuanyuan Pavilion.
"Su Yan, this is the new guy named Xie Chen. You have the best personality among us, so the sect leader asked you to take care of him."
Su Yan, who was flipping through the ledger, looked up at Xie Chen, who was as thin as a bean sprout, put down the ledger, and nodded: "Okay, I understand."
After that person left, Su Yan got up and walked over to Xie Chen: "Look at you, haven't you been eating for days? Otherwise, how come you've gotten so thin?"
Xie Chen didn't speak, but stared at Su Yan with his big eyes, a hint of wariness in them.
Su Yan laughed and patted his thin shoulder: "Don't worry, I'm not fierce. From now on, I'll be your older brother. You'll follow me, and I'll teach you to read and to do martial arts."
Xie Chen remained silent.
Seeing this, Su Yan walked back to the table, took out the snacks he had "hidden" and shared them with Xie Chen: "Here, these are all my favorites. I usually can't bear to share them with others. If it weren't for how thin and pitiful you look, I wouldn't have given them to you."
Xie Chen looked at the snacks in his hand, hesitated for a moment, and then began to eat them in large bites.
"Eat slowly, don't choke. I have more. If you can finish it, eat it all. I'll stock up on some more later." With that, Su Yan turned around and poured Xie Chen a cup of hot water. "But don't tell anyone I'm secretly hiding food, or they'll definitely laugh at me for being a glutton."
After speaking, Su Yan handed the water glass to Xie Chen. Xie Chen was stunned for a moment, then looked up and stared at him for a while before reaching out to take the water glass.
"Well, now that you've come to Xuanyuan Pavilion, we're all on the same side from now on. Xuanyuan Pavilion is mainly..." Su Yan began to speak.
Xie Chen ate and drank while watching Su Yan, who kept walking back and forth in front of him and chattering away.
Su Yan watched as Xie Chen devoured all of his hidden snacks, and his heart bled. He secretly lamented that this brat could eat so much that he actually finished all his snacks!
These are all snacks he secretly bought with his own money!
Fortunately, he doesn't have to pay out of his own pocket to feed this brat; otherwise, with that appetite, who could afford to feed him!
Although he himself has a large appetite.
But don't worry, their leader can afford to support them.
"Are you full?" Su Yan asked.
Xie Chen nodded.
"It's good that you're full. Now I'll take you to take a shower and change into clean clothes." After feeling sorry for Xie Chen's snacks, Su Yan led him back to his room to take a shower.
“Here, these are my clothes. They’re probably a bit too big for you now. I’ll buy you two sets that fit you better tomorrow. Just wear these for today.” Su Yan handed Xie Chen a set of his own clothes.
After Xie Chen took the clothes, he turned around and went behind the screen.
Su Yan looked through the screen and then asked, "Do you want me to help you wash?"
But Xie Chen did not reply.
Su Yan pursed his lips. This little bean sprout hasn't said a word since it arrived. Could it be mute?
So he walked around the screen and looked at Xie Chen, who was soaking in the water, and said, "I asked you a question, why aren't you answering me? Are you scared, or... can't you speak?"
Xie Chen lowered his eyes, seemingly lost in thought.
Seeing him like this, Su Yan shook his head and sighed softly. Then he walked over, took a handkerchief in one hand, and pressed his head down with the other: "Keep your head down, brother will wash your hair for you."
Chapter 2 Side Story: Dust and Smoke (Part Two)
Su Yan took a handkerchief, wet it with water, and then used a soap to rub it on Xie Chen's head.
While washing him, Su Yan said, "How many days has it been since you had a bath, little guy?"
After saying that, he picked up the ladle next to him, scooped water and poured it on Xie Chen's head. After he was clean, he wrung out a cloth to dry Xie Chen's hair and then washed his face.
"You'll look much better after washing. You looked like you'd been rolling around in the mud. Don't worry, from now on, you'll be clean every day with your brother."
Xie Chen remained silent, but his large, dark eyes were fixed on Su Yan. He listened to Su Yan's incessant chatter without finding it annoying.
"Tsk, look at this, you've turned the water black." Su Yan pouted. What a little lump of coal. But once it's cleaned up, it's actually quite good-looking. It'll definitely grow up to be a handsome man.
He pulled Xie Chen out of the water, and Xie Chen immediately covered a certain area with both hands, revealing a suspicious red color on his fair face after washing.
Su Yan laughed heartily, then took a handkerchief to wipe the water off his body, and pulled away his hand that was covering his body, saying, "What's there to cover up? You have it and so do I."
Xie Chen stood there stiffly, his hands clenched into fists.
After Su Yan dried him off, he changed him into clean clothes. Seeing that Su Yan's clothes were loose and baggy, he couldn't help but laugh again: "You little rascal, you're underdeveloped. But it's okay, with your brother here, I'll make sure you grow up tall and strong."
As he spoke, Su Yan rolled up the sleeves a few times, then found some scissors and reluctantly cut off half of the hem of the perfectly good clothes to prevent them from dragging on the ground and making it inconvenient to walk.
After everything was settled, Su Yan led Xie Chen over to sit down and used a dry towel to wipe his wet hair.
After nightfall, Su Yan asked Xie Chen, "I'm going to have dinner now. Do you want to come with me, or wait for me to bring the food back before you eat?"
Xie Chen, who had been completely transformed, was only thirteen years old at the time. Although his face was handsome, it still had a childish quality.
Seeing that he didn't speak, Su Yan said helplessly, "Then, you can wait in the room. I'll bring you food later."
He thought Xie Chen had just arrived and was too shy to eat with everyone.
As soon as he started walking, he found he couldn't move.
Looking back, he saw Xie Chen tugging at his clothes, staring at him with her big, dark eyes.
"What's this? Are you saying I can't leave, or are you going to come with me?" Su Yan asked.
Xie Chen remained silent, only quietly extending her small hand.
Su Yan paused for a moment, then chuckled, took his hand, and led him to the restaurant, where everyone had already started eating.
Those who were quiet sat there eating peacefully, while the more boisterous ones started talking as soon as Su Yan and Xie Chen arrived: "Su Yan, has the Pavilion Master found you a little follower?"
"This isn't a little follower, he's a little tagalong." Su Yan looked at Xie Chen, who was always sticking to his side. Although Xie Chen hadn't said a word yet, he followed him closely.
"Only Su Yan has a good temper. If I had to take care of such a young child, I couldn't manage it."
“This isn’t a baby anymore, he’s already a teenager, what can’t we handle?” Su Yan replied. “Besides, this child is quite well-behaved, he just doesn’t like to talk.”
Chapter 3 Side Story: Dust and Smoke (Part 3)
"Haha, alright, it seems you're quite willing. The Pavilion Master really knows you."
Su Yan also laughed and said, "Of course, I am the Pavilion Master's confidant! I understand the Pavilion Master, and the Pavilion Master certainly understands me as well."
"Yes, yes, of course you are the Pavilion Master's confidant, because you have the biggest heart and can withstand the Pavilion Master's volatile temper."
Su Yan pouted: "Are you praising me or insulting me?"
As he spoke, he led Xie Chen over to sit down.
After dinner, Su Yan took Xie Chen back with him.
Once in the room, he said to Xie Chen, "Alright, it's time to sleep. You should go to sleep early. I'm leaving."
As soon as Xie Chen saw him about to leave, he reached out and tightly grabbed the hem of his clothes.
Su Yan looked at the hem of his clothes that was being pulled and asked helplessly, "You don't still want me to sleep with you, do you? Don't be afraid, it's safe here, everyone is nice, no one will hurt you, just sleep peacefully."
As he spoke, he reached out to pry Xie Chen's hand off.
But as soon as he broke it off, Xie Chen immediately grabbed another part of the hem, as if he didn't want Su Yan to leave.
"Hey, you..." Su Yan looked at the little hand that was tightly gripping his clothes. "How can a real man be so timid, needing someone to accompany him to sleep? Xie Chen, be good, let go, go to sleep by yourself."
As Su Yan spoke, he reached out to pry Xie Chen's hand away again.
But Xie Chen held on tightly, refusing to let go.
“Xie Chen, you…” Su Yan looked at him, about to continue to comfort him, but then saw tears welling up in his big, dark eyes, but he stubbornly refused to let the tears fall.
Seeing this, Su Yan immediately softened and coaxed, "Okay, okay, brother will sleep with you, don't cry."
As he spoke, he took Xie Chen's hand and led him back to his room.
Upon arriving at Su Yan's room, Xie Chen immediately released Su Yan's clothes and began taking them off as he ran. Before Su Yan could react, he had already slipped into Su Yan's bed.
It was as if they were afraid that if they didn't get into bed a moment later, Su Yan would throw them out.
Su Yan smiled helplessly, then took off his clothes and lay down on the bed: "Alright, go to sleep. Children should go to bed early so they can grow tall."
Although Su Yan was only eighteen or nineteen years old, he coaxed Xie Chen like an old father.
Xie Chen glanced at Su Yan twice, then closed his eyes and fell asleep peacefully.
The next day, Su Yan woke up to find Xie Chen sleeping in his arms, and couldn't help but chuckle. He then reached out and patted Xie Chen's head.
The movement was very light, but it still woke Xie Chen up. He subconsciously grabbed Su Yan's clothes and stared wide-eyed, but when he saw that it was Su Yan, the fear in his eyes gradually faded.
"Don't be afraid, it's me. Now that you're awake, get up. Today we'll start learning to read and martial arts," Su Yan said as he sat up.
Seeing that Su Yan had gotten up, Xie Chen immediately sat up as well.
Su Yan got out of bed to get dressed, and he immediately followed suit.
"Oh right, I also need to make two sets of clothes for you today. After breakfast, come with me to the tailor shop and let the tailor take your measurements. Then you can pick out two bolts of fabric that you like and have the tailor make new clothes for you."
As Su Yan spoke, he wrung out a handkerchief and began washing Xie Chen's face: "Today your brother will wash your face for you, but starting tomorrow you'll have to wash it yourself, understand?"
Chapter 4 Side Story: Dust and Smoke (Part 4)
Xie Chen shook his head.
Su Yan was taken aback: "What do you mean by shaking your head? You're so old already, do you still need your brother to wash your face and bathe you every day?"
Xie Chen nodded.
"Hey, you little brat, you sure know how to enjoy yourself!" Su Yan looked at him with a wry smile, then sighed softly, "Fine, considering you're new here and still young, I'll wash you for you this year. Next year you have to wash yourself, and don't be lazy, understand?"
Xie Chen immediately nodded.
"Hmm, that's more like it." Su Yan nodded as well.
After washing up, Su Yan took Xie Chen to have breakfast.