Blue Flower Lane
Song Yuan had just stepped through the courtyard gate when he caught the scent of alcohol in the air. He sniffed deeply. “Smells wonderful.”
The aroma of food drifted through the air, carrying the scent of grilled fish.
Song Yuan carried a large basket of items into the storage room and shouted, “Little sister, I’m back!”
Main Hall.
Song Liuhua was setting dishes on the dining table when she heard the commotion and immediately came out.
In the courtyard stood a sturdy young man with bronze skin, grinning foolishly at her. He wore dark black martial attire, his muscles bulging prominently—a veritable muscle-bound powerhouse. Upon closer inspection, his square face bore about thirty percent resemblance to her own features.
It was Song Yuan!
Her cheap elder brother had returned!
Song Liuhua froze for a moment.
Then, imitating the original host’s mannerisms, she obediently walked forward and called out with a smile, “Elder Brother.”
Song Yuan immediately extended his broad palm, patted his sister’s head affectionately, and pulled a packet of wild fruits from his chest. “These fruits taste quite good. Have some to sweeten your mouth.”
“Elder Brother is so kind.” Having inherited the original host’s memories, Song Liuhua felt a natural closeness to Song Yuan and naturally acted coquettishly toward him.
Song Yuan chattered about what he had seen and heard over the past few days as he walked toward the main hall, with Song Liuhua trailing behind him like a little tail.
The siblings chatted and laughed, their banter instantly filling the once cold and quiet small courtyard with vitality.
Song Liuhua fetched water for Song Yuan to wash his hands.
Song Yuan’s eyes fixed on the delicious food on the table, and he unconsciously swallowed. Just as he reached to snatch a piece of grilled Exotic Beast Meat, Song Liuhua promptly swatted his hand away. “Wait a moment, there’s still someone who hasn’t arrived!”
“Who?” Song Yuan asked, staring at his sister with grievance.
“My newlywed husband.” Song Liuhua dropped this bombshell unexpectedly.
“What!”
Song Yuan dug at his ear, suspecting he had misheard.
What was his little sister saying?
Before he could process it, Song Liuhua dropped another thunderbolt. “The Xie Family came to break off the engagement. The groom is someone else.”
“What’s going on!” Song Yuan nearly jumped up, his face darkening as he looked at his sister. “What do you mean the Xie Family broke off the engagement? And this… this newlywed husband… what’s all this about!”
He had only been away for a short while, and not only had his sister gotten married, but she had also changed grooms?!
Was that reasonable??
Song Liuhua glanced at the angry Song Yuan, cleared her throat, and recounted the incident from the morning when Xie Daren’s mother came to break off the engagement.
She played both roles, vividly imitating how Xie Liu Shi had arrived, how she had called off the engagement, how she herself had responded, and how she had seen the guest out.
She even mimicked how Xie Liu Shi, upon leaving, had blown her nose and flung it on the ground, then wiped her hands on her shoes.
“Three-legged toads are hard to find, but two-legged men are everywhere. What does Xie Huai Sheng amount to? Nothing!”
Song Yuan laughed in anger.
So, his sister had just randomly pulled someone in to marry?
He wasn’t foolish; he quickly grasped the situation regarding the Xie Family’s broken engagement. Gritting his teeth, he said, “What Miss Wang, Miss Li—I think it’s clearly an excuse. The Xie Family probably thinks that I, your elder brother, am useless now, and with Xie Huai Sheng and Xie Qing Qing both having advanced in rank, they look down on our family!”
“And to think I was afraid they might break off the engagement, so I specially bought a Spirit Sword to give to Xie Huai Sheng… That ungrateful wretch!”
Song Yuan angrily slammed the table. “That dog! I’m going to beat him to death!”
With that, he stood up to leave, but Song Liuhua hurriedly pulled him back. “Elder Brother, Xie Huai Sheng is now a third-rank Martial Spirit Master. Can you defeat him?”
Song Yuan stared in disbelief, his eyes wide. “Little sister, I’m standing up for you, and you’re still mocking me!”
“I’m just telling the truth.” If her elder brother could actually defeat Xie Huaisheng, Song Liuhua wouldn’t stop him at all. After all, she too wanted to teach that scoundrel a lesson to vent the original owner’s anger.
“As for breaking off the engagement, so be it. It’s not like I’m set on marrying Xie Huaisheng. Seeing the true nature of the Xie family early on isn’t necessarily a bad thing.”
After the siblings had jointly cursed Xie Daren’s entire family, Song Yuan inquired about the new brother-in-law. He was worried that his little sister, in her anger, might have chosen someone even more unreliable.
“His name is Feng…”
Suddenly, the courtyard gate was knocked.
The siblings exchanged a glance.
“He’s here!” Song Yuan hurried to open the door.
Outside, the sky had darkened completely. The entire Yangqing County was brightly lit under the glow of the Fluorescent Stones.
Song Yuan opened the door and stared at the familiar young man before him, his eyes widening.
Feng Ci!
The new brother-in-law was actually Feng Ci!
Feng Ci was from the main branch of the Feng family. Before his Spirit Abode was injured, it was said he was close to breaking through to the sixth rank. If not for his injured Spirit Abode, who knew how outstanding he would have been.
Song Yuan held immense respect for him.
Feng Ci, already aware of the Song family’s situation, smiled and nodded at Song Yuan. “Elder Brother.”
Such an exceptional man had become his brother-in-law.
Song Yuan’s grin stretched from ear to ear.
He hastily invited him in. “Brother-in-law, please come in quickly.”
Hearing the commotion, Song Liuhua looked over and froze.
The elegant young man, whom she had only met once before, was no longer in the black martial attire he had worn during the day. Now, he was dressed in a light blue robe, his posture upright, his ink-black hair tied up with a green bamboo hairpin. His refined and handsome features seemed to shimmer under the light of the Fluorescent Stones.
As the saying goes, “Jade-like stones piled high, emerald pines in a row; a peerless beauty, unmatched in this world”—this was precisely it.
Sensing the girl’s admiring gaze, a flicker of amusement passed through Feng Ci’s eyes. He handed her a small woven vine basket. “A small token, for Elder Brother to nourish his health.”
His deep, mellow voice reached her ears, and before Song Liuhua could react, she felt the weight in her hands.
A quick glance revealed, to her astonishment, a bundle of second-grade Red Lingzhi!
Red Lingzhi was a rare ingredient, rumored to mend cracks in the dantian and warm the body. It was priceless and scarcely available on the market.
Once again, Song Liuhua was astounded by her cheap husband’s extravagance. Tilting her small face up, she thanked him sincerely. “Thank you.”
Under the lamplight, the girl stood gracefully in her long dress, her delicate face glowing with a jade-like sheen under the Fluorescent Stones. Her long eyelashes trembled like butterfly wings, half-veiling her earnest, watery eyes.
She resembled a soft, harmless little creature.
Feng Ci’s fingers twitched slightly, resisting the urge to pat the girl’s head. He smiled and said, “We’re family now. No need for formal thanks.”
Song Yuan observed the couple, his brother-in-law’s gaze growing more approving by the minute. He warmly urged Feng Ci to take a seat at the table. “Indeed, we’re family. There’s no need for such formalities. Let’s eat.”
As he spoke, he chatted with Feng Ci without any reserve. “To be honest, just looking at the two of you standing together, it’s clear you’re a perfect match. That Xie Daren was merely passable in looks, and his whole family is a bunch of misfits…”
Song Liuhua watched her brother, who seemed on the verge of spraying saliva, and felt a wave of exasperation.
Her elder brother was truly… a bit of a chatterbox.
Feng Ci merely smiled.
He had heard about the matter between the Song and Xie families upon his return. Noticing the complicated expression on the young girl’s face, his eyes flickered slightly.
With keen perception, he deftly changed the subject and casually poured a cup of fruit wine for Song Yuan.
Song Yuan was indeed distracted: “Drink… let’s drink! This was specially brewed by my sister. It smells wonderful. We brothers won’t stop until we’re drunk.”
Feng Ci glanced in surprise at the young girl sitting nearby picking fish bones, then lifted his cup and took a small sip.
As soon as the wine touched his throat, the elegant fruit aroma, mellow and refreshing, revealed its unique charm.
It was indeed excellent.
Amidst the clinking of cups, the two men drank one cup after another, and the atmosphere gradually grew more familiar.
By the end of the meal, Feng Ci had clearly gained the approval of the entire family.
Song Yuan’s smile was so wide it nearly split his face, utterly satisfied.
Song Liuhua rested her chin in her hands, her gaze wandering over Feng Ci’s handsome, jade-like face. She nodded inwardly—a man with good looks who was also willing to spend money on his wife deserved full marks from the start.
As for the wedding, Song Liuhua found it too troublesome. After discussing with Feng Ci, they decided not to hold one for the time being. This was common practice in the Ten Winds Continent and nothing unusual.
After the meal, Feng Ci stood up and smiled at Song Liuhua. “It’s getting late, let’s head back.”
Song Yuan was taken aback, his face full of reluctance.
Song Liuhua was also very reluctant.
Although this was her first time interacting with Song Yuan, she had genuinely come to accept him as her elder brother from the bottom of her heart.
In her previous modern life, her parents had divorced and remarried, leaving her, the unwanted burden, with her great-grandmother in the countryside. When she was seven, her great-grandmother passed away, and she was shuffled between her parents’ new families, enduring countless cold shoulders.
Now, having crossed into this different world, the precious familial affection she had finally obtained… she truly couldn’t bear to part with it.