Chapter Twenty-Three: Yan Er

  The bell rang, and Xiaoyan hadn't even had time to ask a question when Ye Chen hurried over, but this time he wasn't looking for Xiaoyan, instead he was angrily questioning Xianxue:

  "Zhang Xianqi, aren't you abroad? What's going on! Not a word from you!" From Ye Chen's tone, it wasn't hard to tell that he and this Xianqi were more than just acquaintances.

  Xiao Yan's heart became even more puzzled, and she inexplicably felt a hint of jealousy. It was clear that Ye Chen and she were very close, with an intimacy that couldn't be achieved in just a few years. And although Xian Hui called her "sister-in-law", one had the surname Ye and the other Zhang, so they must not be biological siblings. Thinking this, Xiao Yan deliberately turned her head to the side, but her ears perked up straight, carefully listening to their conversation.

  "What's wrong! Don't I have to get your approval before coming back? Didn't I come find you as soon as I got back? Hmph, is this how you treat your sister?" Xian Qi said with feigned grievance, humming and turning her head away from Ye Chen.

  Ye Chen helplessly shook his head, looking at this younger sister with whom he had grown up playing together since childhood, truly not knowing how to deal with her now.

  "Okay okay okay, I was wrong I was wrong."

  Xian Qi saw Ye Chen surrender and acknowledge defeat, so she reluctantly made a cold "hmm" sound. She turned around to glance at Xiao Yan, whose eyes darted back and forth, sometimes pretending to read a book. Xian Qi sensed a hint of jealousy with her woman's intuition, chuckled lightly, and leaned in to hold Xiao Yan's hand, wearing a mischievous grin as she said:

  "Sister-in-law, I haven't formally introduced myself yet. My name is Zhang Xianqiu, my brother's name is Zhang Xianhuan, and we've been good friends with Morning Brother since childhood. Because I'm younger than Morning Brother, so I call him brother, and you're his girlfriend, so I call you sister-in-law. Don't get me wrong, sister-in-law? Don't be jealous!"

  Ye Chen's face turned red as he spoke in a low voice:

  "That's enough! How did you know Xiaoyan is your sister-in-law?"

  "You mentioned what I look like before, and I'm so smart that I guessed it right. Right, sister-in-law?" As she spoke, Xianxue shook Xiaoyan's arm with a mischievous grin again.

  Xiao Yan's face grew redder and redder as she was called "sister-in-law" repeatedly, and she whispered to Xian Qi, who was holding her arm:

  "Don't call me sister-in-law anymore, just call me Xiaoyan."

  Xian Qishuang thought for a moment, then smiled and called out:

  "Little Girl"

  Xiao Yan smiled slightly and took it as a default title.

  Three people were laughing and joking, while Yan Xi watched from the side with a look of intense jealousy. What was Tong Xiao Yan anyway? A new transfer student who had just arrived was already surrounding her, and Ye Chen, who usually didn't even give her a glance, was smiling so brightly at her. Was she really that inferior? Thinking to herself as she bit her lip, she suddenly let out a scornful laugh.

  During lunchtime, Xian Qi also followed Xiao Yan and Ye Chen together. The normally quiet atmosphere suddenly became lively and noisy. Xian Qi was chewing on a lollipop while talking non-stop to Xiao Yan about Ye Chen's embarrassing childhood stories. Even the usually cold and calm Xiao Yan couldn't help but smile slightly. Ye Chen, on the other hand, was both angry and happy, watching the two girls chatting and laughing together, admiring Xiao Yan's rare genuine smile.

  "Yan'er, and also, you know? Chen Ge was still wetting the bed in 2nd grade! His mom chased him to hit him, he ran to my house to hide, it's so hilarious!" Xian Qi said excitedly, just finished saying, suddenly seemed to remember something, speechless.

  Ye Chen's smile froze on his face, awkwardly hooking up the corners of his mouth.

  "Morning brother...... sorry...... I, I didn't mean to......" Xian Qi's excited smile suddenly changed, and she said anxiously and fearfully. She really didn't mean to...... didn't mean to mention that person who had already passed away.

  "It's nothing, it's nothing, what's up with you guys? You all keep chatting." Ye Chen forced a smile again to indicate that he was fine.

  Ye Chen saw the awkward atmosphere, walked a little further and leaned against the railing to blow some wind. The remaining Xian Hui and Xiao Yan sat alone, looking terrified and puzzled respectively. Xiao Yan pulled Xian Hui's sleeve and asked what was going on. Xian Hui sighed and whispered:

  "Chen Ge's mother passed away a few years ago... Chen Ge and Ye Bo Fu were both very sad... From then on, Chen Ge became a different person, no longer smiling or playing. As soon as we mentioned his mother, he would immediately change his expression. I just mentioned it again with excitement, oh, how stupid of me." Xian Qi couldn't help but blame herself, complaining about her own thoughtlessness.

  Xiao Yan patted Xian Qi's back, comforting this simple and careless girl. Xiao Yan believed she didn't do it on purpose, and Ye Chen wouldn't blame her either.

  In an instant, Xiaoyan suddenly realized that she had never paid attention to Ye Chen's past or his likes and dislikes. She didn't know what he liked or disliked, what he hated or detested... As she looked at Ye Chen's lonely back, a wave of guilt surged up in her heart, realizing that she had never tried to embrace the inner world of this man who had always protected her.

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