Yixuan couldn’t help but think of his third, fourth, and fifth brothers. All his brothers seemed to be in good health: the fourth and fifth had become more robust, and the third was tall and slender. However, due to his delicate frame, any weight gained was scarcely noticeable—they were all stealthily gaining weight.
Yixuan’s lips twitched as he carried Dong Huiying into the eastern room. He had almost daily cleaned the room during these days, so although it was unoccupied, it was very clean.
He laid her on the kang bed and pulled a quilt over her, then watched her sleeping face intently, thinking to himself that he had assumed she must have suffered hardships after being away for so long. Who would have thought she’d actually gained a bit of weight? It seemed she had it quite good outside. But what about at home?
Yixuan touched his own cheek, and then he sighed silently.
In contrast, he had many worries. He was concerned for his third, fourth, and fifth brothers and also for her. Consequently, he had slimmed down a bit compared to before.
When Yixuan turned around, he saw his second brother standing at the door holding a guqin, seemingly lost in thought, his eyes quietly watching over here.
Today, except for his eldest brother, his third, fourth, fifth brothers had all returned, along with her.
The addition of so many people all at once returned vitality to their home, making it much livelier. But previously, when only he and his second brother were at home, because both of their temperaments were rather quiet, they would often not exchange more than a few words in a day, making their days lonesome.
"Aren’t you going to wake her?"
"No, let her sleep a bit more. After such a long journey, she must be utterly exhausted."
"To me, she seems to have gained weight."
"Come on, I’ve set the table. When fourth brother and the others return, we’ll start the meal."
Shu Yu laughed softly, "Yixuan."
"I..." His eyebrows furrowed slightly, and then he turned his head back to look at Dong Huiying, who was sleeping sweetly on the kang. "It’s not about liking, but I don’t dislike her anymore. I ask for nothing more; I would be content if our days could continue , with no more ups and downs."
Shu Yu remained indifferent as he caressed his worn guqin.
"Did you not also despise her? It’s only been a few months, and Shujun no longer holds a grudge, nor do Haoming, Yue Ning, nor you. I can’t help but wonder if she has cast some spell to bewitch all of you?"
Yixuan closed the door and then glanced at Shu Yu with a strange expression.
"Isn’t it good this way? Second Brother, I’m not quite sure what you’re thinking, but you have to understand, she is indeed a skilled doctor. Your hopes rest with her, and moreover, her temperament has changed. She won’t treat us like before; she’s even gentler and more dependable than most women in Dayuan. I, for one, am pleased to see the changes in third brother and the others."
"So it appears that I am the only one out of place in this family now. But haven’t any of you thought about this—while I have no complaints about her current behavior, and I can disregard the past, what if one day she changes back to her old self?"
Yixuan fell silent; after a long moment, he replied frankly. "Second Brother, you’re too worried. I admit there is this risk, and I do concern. But since we were young, our eldest brother has always told us that as people we cannot dwell solely on the past nor always think about the future. We should focus on the present. It is right to be prepared for danger in times of safety, but there must be a limit. Regardless, ultimately, it’s the present that matters most."
"In my view, you’re just resigning yourself to fate, taking each day as it comes."