Chapter 155: An Annoying Older Brother
Si Xu felt that Si Er’s rambling was just an excuse to cover up the fact that he wanted to be alone with Yu Beixuan.
He lightly tapped Si Er on the forehead. “If you want some alone time with Yu Beixuan, just say so. I’m not that kind of annoying older brother. I won’t stop you.”
Since the tap wasn’t hard, Si Er didn’t dodge.
Instead, he asked curiously, “Who is that kind of annoying older brother?”
From what he had seen, Xuanxuan’s brothers were quite open-minded. Eldest Brother Yu constantly tried to create opportunities for him and Xuanxuan to be alone, while Second Brother Yu had kept an eye on Bai Lianrou and Third Young Master Si for Xuanxuan’s sake.
Now that his great revenge had been achieved, it was largely thanks to Second Brother Yu.
Si Er had never believed revenge had to be carried out personally. As long as his enemies received retribution and could no longer jump around in front of him, that was enough.
So he was genuinely grateful to Second Brother Yu and City Lord Yu. Without their help, Bai Lianrou and Third Young Master Si would never have died so quickly.
Meanwhile, Si Xu pondered what kind of older brother could be considered annoying. Yu Beixuan’s brothers treated him very well. Jun Bai devoted himself wholeheartedly to both his biological younger brother and his adopted sister. Quan Shaofeng did his best for his full-blooded younger brother…
His own eldest brother did try to block Yu Beixuan at times, but since he didn’t do it very forcefully—and his way of thinking was rather peculiar—Er’er probably found him cute instead.
So where was there an annoying older brother?
After thinking for a long time, Si Xu finally came up with one.
“Oh right—Quan Shaohua!”
“Quan Shaohua?” Si Er thought for a moment. “City Lord Quan’s first son with that younger cousin of his?”
“That’s the one!” Si Xu nodded. “Quan Shaohua has a twin sister named Quan Fanghua. As her name suggests, she’s stunningly beautiful.”
“She inherited all the best looks from City Lord Quan and that concubine. Even at a young age, she was breathtaking. By sixteen, her beauty was incomparable.”
“And then she fell for a poor boy from the countryside—though he had exceptional talent.”
Si Er was puzzled. “Does the Continent of Ten Thousand Beasts care about matching family status?”
It feels like a broken cultivation world, he thought. Even though the cultivation systems differ, strength is still supreme.
In that case, background shouldn’t matter much. As long as someone is talented enough, they can eventually build their own foundation.
Add a bit of luck, and they might even become a Long Aotian-type protagonist.
Si Xu smiled. “When it comes to political marriages, of course status matters.”
“But those with high talent and low birth are often treated as promising investments and recruited early.”
“Quan Shaohua doesn’t like potential investments. He prefers tangible benefits.”
“When he learned that Jun Qingliu had feelings for Quan Fanghua, he wanted to marry her off to Jun Qingliu. To that end, he even arranged for someone to cripple that poor—”
He paused. “Calling him ‘poor boy’ sounds impolite. His name is Ye Qian. He was the most talented student of that year at Azure Dragon Academy, but Quan Shaohua had one of his arms crippled.”
Si Er clicked his tongue. “That ruthless?”
Si Xu nodded. “Exactly. So he’s not only an annoying older brother—he’s an awful person.”
Si Er asked curiously, “That Jun Qingliu—he’s from the Jun family of Nanli City?”
“That’s right,” Si Xu replied. “Jun Qingliu is Jun Bai’s distant cousin and the grandson of the former City Lord of Nanli.”
“With Quan Shaohua’s brain, he can’t understand how the four border cities select their city lords. He thinks the position should be hereditary.”
Si Er rolled his eyes. “He just thinks it should be hereditary for him. As long as he gets the position, he couldn’t care less how the other three cities choose theirs.”
“Exactly.” Si Xu ruffled Si Er’s soft hair again. “He knew Jun Qingliu liked Quan Fanghua, but before even asking Jun Qingliu’s opinion, he crippled Ye Qian’s arm and drugged Quan Fanghua to restrict her movements.”
“Then he excitedly went to claim credit with Jun Qingliu, saying something like, ‘You must be dissatisfied that your city lord position was taken, right?’”
“He proposed that if their two families formed a marriage alliance, they could help each other in the future. He’d help Jun Qingliu become the City Lord of Nanli, and Jun Qingliu would help him become City Lord of Westwind City.”
“He even said that if necessary, he could go back and deal with Jun Bai.”
“But the Jun brothers have an excellent relationship. That very night, Jun Qingliu went home and told Jun Bai he’d met a complete idiot.”
“Pfft—”
Si Er burst out laughing.
I thought someone named Jun Qingliu would be refined and gentle. Who knew…
The surname Jun is really deceptive. As long as the given name isn’t outrageous, it always sounds like a graceful young master.
Si Xu smiled. “In the end, Quan Fanghua was able to elope with Ye Qian thanks to Jun Qingliu and Jun Bai working together.”
Si Er’s eyes widened. “They eloped?”
“For Quan Shaohua and that concubine, yes,” Si Xu said. “They lost contact with her.”
“But to City Lord Quan, his daughter was simply married far away. She doesn’t return home, but she keeps in touch with him regularly. He even often sends Second Master Quan to deliver things to her.”
“Pfft—” Si Er laughed again. “Second Master Quan really is an unfortunate soul. It feels like every bit of City Lord Quan’s family drama drags him in.”
Si Xu chuckled. “Who told him to be City Lord Quan’s most trusted younger brother?”
“In a way, City Lord Quan could also be considered an annoying older brother.”
“True.” Si Er nodded in agreement. “He treats his brother decently, but he has way too much nonsense going on.”
Their dynamic feels like a domineering CEO and his unlucky assistant.
One word from the CEO, and the assistant runs his legs off. The CEO stops working to flirt and juggle between two women.
The assistant should be off work, but keeps getting assigned random errands. Yet because the CEO pays well, he can’t bear to refuse.
City Lord Quan might often scheme against his brother, but he also gives him plenty!
Listening to Si Er’s inner commentary, Si Xu looked bewildered. He subconsciously glanced at Yu Beixuan, who was sitting on the ground waiting eagerly, as though hoping Si Er would remember him at some point.
Si Xu suddenly felt that perhaps Yu Beixuan’s greatest romantic rival was gossip itself.
After all, Si Er often thought about Yu Beixuan for no reason—but when he was engrossed in juicy gossip, he didn’t, unless the gossip was about Yu Beixuan.
Thinking of this, Si Xu couldn’t help curling his lips in amusement.
So next time he found Yu Beixuan displeasing, he could just tell Er’er a few juicy secrets about City Lord Quan’s family.
Once Si Er got lost in gossip and forgot about Yu Beixuan, Yu Beixuan would surely feel so frustrated it would itch at his heart.
