Qin Yanan’s emotions had become increasingly difficult to bear. As a woman, after the age of twenty, she had basically accepted reality and understood that romantic love with a fairy-tale quality was unlikely to appear. She was even more disgusted by the clichés of idol dramas, and the routes taken by the male leads in those dramas. In fact, if someone were to use those routes, they would probably be warned by others, and Qin Yanan would want to keep a distance from them.
So, Qin Yanan had been mentally preparing herself, trying to figure out who her family would arrange for her to meet. Whenever her family members mentioned some outstanding young people, Qin Yanan would pay extra attention, remembering their names. Although she didn’t have any special feelings towards these people, at least she had an impression of them.
And then there was Liu Chang’an, who popped out like a monkey, pointing at Qin Yanan’s nose, and laughing: “No need to choose, your true partner is me!”
After that, he carried Qin Yanan on his shoulders, amidst the crackling sounds of firecrackers lit by her father and great-grandfather, and proudly took her to his small, cluttered room.
Qin Yanan thought to herself, “Do I need to comfort myself? This small room might actually have a more intimate atmosphere?”
“You should call me your cousin, then,” Qin Yanan forced a smile, trying to make herself seem younger in front of Liu Chang’an.
Liu Chang’an shook his head. “Consider me your younger cousin. I’m eighteen years old, a third-year high school student at Xiangnan University Attached Middle School, and I’ll be taking the college entrance exam next month.”
Eighteen years old! Qin Yanan’s casual stance suddenly straightened up.
Those elderly gentlemen in their forties and fifties on the streets of Junsha would often wear loose, comfortable clothes with large pockets that could fit a bottle of liquor, along with a pair of straw sandals that were only available at old markets. This was an eighteen-year-old?
When Qin Yanan first saw Liu Chang’an, she thought he was around the same age as her, but she hadn’t considered that he might be much younger. It was as if she had completely misjudged the situation! Her great-grandfather was not going to force her into an arranged marriage with someone so young, was he?
As she thought about this, Qin Yanan let out a sigh of relief, and the feeling of oppression in her heart finally dissipated. No one knew that earlier, she had been observing Liu Chang’an with the eyes of someone evaluating a potential partner, watching him play cards with a group of elderly men and women.
If her husband was really like that, Qin Yanan would rather become a nun.
He was only eighteen! And her cousin! Although Liu Chang’an was a distant relative, from her great-grandfather’s emotional state, it was clear that he valued this young cousin very much.
After her great-grandmother passed away, according to the customs and organizational arrangements at the time, a female soldier was assigned to care for the leaders, and it took her great-grandfather ten years to remarry.
However, everyone knew that her great-grandfather still cherished the memory of her great-grandmother, and kept a photo of the two of them on his desk, whether in the capital or at his hometown or in the hospital.
That photo had three people in it, not just her great-grandparents.
The photos from that era always had a sense of elegance, and the black-and-white tone couldn’t hide their spirit and ambition. Her great-grandfather was majestic, her great-grandmother was elegant and gentle, sitting in the middle, her hand slightly raised, her wrist white and slender, her fingers lightly gripping the hand of the man on the right side. The affection and dependence in their eyes was palpable.
The man in the photo, who was extremely close to her great-grandmother, was introduced by her great-grandfather as her great-grandmother’s brother, but there was no further information about him, and her great-grandfather was unwilling to reveal more.
In that era, there were countless people who had made great sacrifices, willingly becoming unknown revolutionaries, working selflessly to build a new country and nation.
That man was probably one of them.
Qin Yanan made this speculation based on reason and evidence. Her great-grandfather had believed that “only those who fought alongside him in the revolution were true friends,” and he looked down on those who were selfish or cowardly. When he was studying, some people retreated to the southwest, but her great-grandfather and great-grandmother had put down their pens and taken up guns.
It was impossible for her great-grandfather to leave behind a photo of three people simply because the man was her great-grandmother’s relative.
Now that the Qin family was in a prominent position, Liu Chang’an had fallen to this state, and her great-grandfather must have felt guilty about his former comrade-in-arms who had sacrificed himself. It was reasonable for him to ask Qin Yanan to take care of Liu Chang’an, and for her to show respect and courtesy towards him, considering Liu Chang’an’s heritage.
“That makes sense,” Qin Yanan’s tone softened. “It’s truly regretful that old friendships have been buried for over a hundred years, and now that we’re reunited, we can only hope that this bond and affection won’t be broken in the future.”
Liu Chang’an looked as if he had thought of something, seriously sizing up Qin Yanan, then shook his head.
Qin Yanan was puzzled by his reaction, as she didn’t have any familial affection towards this cousin, but she was trying to fulfill her great-grandfather’s wishes, and as his cousin, it wouldn’t hurt to be closer to him.
“I thought your great-grandfather sent you to see me because he wanted me to remember the old days and take care of you after he’s gone,” Liu Chang’an said with a smile. “But it seems he has other plans – he wants me to marry you.”
“What are you talking about?”
Qin Yanan’s emotions were in turmoil, like her vast and open heart, which was full of ups and downs.
“How could this be? You’re seven years younger than me, and he’s planning this?! Besides, why do you look down on me?”
“If a man who looks exactly like your great-grandfather came to pursue you, would he have a chance?” Liu Chang’an countered.
Qin Yanan shook her head. This feeling was too strange, and she definitely couldn’t accept it.
“Doesn’t this make it clear?”
“It’s not the same…” Qin Yanan felt that Liu Chang’an had no reason to look down on her just because she looked similar to her great-grandmother, but this was different from her inability to accept a man who looked like her great-grandfather.
“There’s no difference,” Liu Chang’an said. “Although I don’t have any blood relations with anyone, your appearance really makes me uncomfortable, and it would remind me of many memories. This is not what I want… for me, time will take away everything, and I should also let go of my emotions and memories.”
“You think I want that?” Qin Yanan was furious, and her anger was more endearing than her usual cold, proud demeanor.
Liu Chang’an nodded in satisfaction and walked into the room, fanning himself with a folding fan.
Qin Yanan returned to the Bao Long Center and saw Zhu Juntang walking a dog downstairs… Today, she finally learned that the name of the dog given to her by Zhu Juntang was Protoss High Templars, originally called “Sheng Tang Gao Ji Shi” in Chinese, which meant “Saint Hall High-Ranked Warrior”. However, this name was too ridiculous, so Zhu Juntang still called the dog “High-Ranked Warrior”.
But what kind of nonsense was this? Qin Yanan wasn’t interested in knowing the origin of the name, and asked Zhu Juntang where he was.
Zhu Juntang continued to walk the dog, and the security in Junsha was already good, and being in the city center, with a dog that looked like a fierce hunting hound, it was even safer.
Qin Yanan saw Zhu Juntang on the helipad of the Bao Long Center’s main building, wearing a beautiful, elaborate Ming-style official’s robe, holding a small folding fan, and looking around.
Qin Yanan really envied her carefree nature, although she knew that Zhu Juntang’s ambition was overflowing, and her heart was not in line with her intelligence.
“I’m afraid I’ll really jump off from here one day,” Zhu Juntang said, trying to provoke her, and then walked back, leaned against Qin Yanan, and said, “Ah… dear, I’m afraid of heights, so let me rest in your arms for a while.”
Qin Yanan pushed Zhu Juntang away and walked into the glass house filled with various flowers, except for the distant light from the mountain peak, the city view was dark and boundless, but the warmth in this small glass house formed a strong contrast, making people’s hearts settle down.
“You like to come up here because it’s like sitting on a cloud, and you become a little fairy, don’t you?” Qin Yanan didn’t doubt that Zhu Juntang would really jump off from here, who didn’t have crazy thoughts? It was just that reason could control them.
It was possible that the wind might blow Zhu Juntang away from the rooftop.
“I’m just a fairy, not bound by worldly things,” Zhu Juntang smiled, her face radiant.
“Fairies all marry mortal men,” Qin Yanan teased.
“That doesn’t matter,” Zhu Juntang didn’t care about that, “I’m still a fairy… but what about your investigation today?”
Zhu Juntang knew what Qin Yanan was most concerned about now, and today she went to ask her father about the news.
“My dad analyzed it and said that my great-grandfather always blocked the people who came to propose, citing the reason that he wanted me to make my own choice, but in reality, he was waiting for him to find his old friend and keep him as a son-in-law!” This analysis made Qin Yanan feel oppressed for the entire evening.
“Who is this person, what’s their name, let me help you investigate,” Zhu Juntang said, trying to get involved.
Qin Yanan shook her head immediately, not wanting Zhu Juntang to get involved in this. She knew Zhu Juntang’s character, and how she would interfere in everything, thinking she was doing the right thing, but ultimately causing trouble for others to deal with.
“Are we not sisters?” Zhu Juntang said angrily.
Qin Yanan looked at Zhu Juntang, sizing her up, and suddenly remembered the romantic escapades of Zhu Juntang’s elderly aunt when she was young.
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