Chapter 139: This Man Is So Improper

Ning Shuyue was ecstatic.

A son‑in‑law who dotes on his daughter naturally makes every mother happy.

Nan Gong Yu peeled a fresh orange, took a segment, and casually slipped it into Song Huan Yan's mouth.

Song Huan Yan snapped out of her daze and heard him ask, "Sweet?"

Song Huan Yan nodded, "Sweet. You try it too."

After speaking, she reached for the orange in his hand, peeled another segment, and placed it in his mouth.

Nan Gong Yu tasted it, curled his lips slightly, "Hmm, indeed very sweet."

His gaze fell on her face, deep and heavy, as if hinting at something.

It was unclear whether he meant the orange or was hinting at a person.

He's always like that—utterly aloof, exuding top‑tier boss aura, yet somehow covertly flirtatious.

Last night, after returning home from the set, they entered the master bedroom; before the lights were on, he pressed her against the wall…

Song Huan Yan's face flushed slightly; she quickly peeled another segment, shoved it into his mouth, and said, "If it's sweet, eat more."

Nan Gong Yu curled his lips, "Alright. Since it's the lady's wish, you must eat plenty."

Song Huan Yan's face reddened further; she kept thinking… this man… is so improper.

Song Huaiguo and Ning Shuyue were overjoyed; the couple's interaction gave an indescribable sense of comfort and delight.

It was so natural, without any forced affectation.

It seemed their relationship was truly good, so the elders felt reassured.

Probably, the only one feeling awkward was Song Qicheng.

He could only be forced to watch, unable to interject a word.

He returned home for dinner as a matter of etiquette, indispensable, but that didn't mean he could blend in.

Even if he were a close older brother, there'd be nothing to say now.

Moreover, he isn't even a close older brother.

He had never seen Song Huan Yan like this, nor Nan Gong Yu like this.

Both of them have a cool temperament; before they were together, each was very restrained and aloof.

Even at home, Song Huan Yan is proper and cool, always maintaining appropriate boundaries and distance.

Nan Gong Yu need not be mentioned; Song Qicheng only saw him while he was working.

Typical of dealing with matters when they arise, withdrawing when not, never idle talk, no emotional swings.

Who would have thought two people with such similar temperaments could... get along so harmoniously and warmly?

He had also assumed that a cold disposition needed a fiery counterpart.

Now it seems… that's not the case.

After finishing the orange, Ning Shuyue asked Song Huan Yan to take Nan Gong Yu to wash their hands.

The two went together to wash their hands.

Song Qicheng asked the servant, "How long until the Kitchen starts serving?"

Ning Shuyue looked at him, "Hungry?"

Song Qicheng gave a wry smile and said, "No mother. Afraid the guests will starve."

Ning Shuyue laughed, "What guests? He's your brother‑in‑law, now family."

The remark was fine, but to Song Qicheng it sounded like a thorn.

Nevertheless, he nodded, "Hmm."

After washing their hands, the two returned to the Main Hall and sat down.

Song Qicheng looked at Song Huan Yan, pondered for a while, then said, "Yan Yan, I have something to discuss with you alone."

Song Huan Yan, who had been listening intently to Nan Gong Yu and Song Huaiguo's conversation, froze for a moment and turned her gaze to Song Qicheng.

Nan Gong Yu also stopped chatting, looked at Song Qicheng, and, taking the opportunity, grasped Song Huan Yan's hand.

Song Qicheng said nothing, just sat there watching the two.

"Fine." In the end, Song Huan Yan nodded.

She didn't need to do that; her parents were present, she was married, and she was already deliberately avoiding Song Qicheng.

She also didn't want to make Song Qicheng overly embarrassed.

Song Huan Yan stood up; Nan Gong Yu's grip loosened, but he finally looked up at her and reminded, "Don't take too long."

His complexion looked a bit off.

After speaking, Nan Gong Yu looked at Song Qicheng, said nothing, but his eyes already conveyed displeasure.

He felt Song Qicheng's action was out of line.

Song Qicheng stood, his lips a straight line, "Shall we stroll in the garden?"

Song Huan Yan replied graciously, "Let's go."

The siblings walked forward and back, one after the other.

Nan Gong Yu glanced, said nothing.

He thought of suggesting to Song Huaiguo that perhaps Song Qicheng should just return to his parents' home.

After all, any parents' house for Song Qicheng would do.

He thought for two seconds, but didn't say it.

It wasn't… that appropriate.

It would stir unnecessary trouble.

Song Huan Yan and Song Qicheng walked into the garden, where a vast expanse of chrysanthemums were in full bloom.

Song Huan Yan wrapped herself in a down jacket, "Big brother, do you have something to say?"

She stood in front of the chrysanthemum and wouldn't go any further.

This place is not far from the Main Hall.

Song Qicheng looked at her and found that she seemed… more beautiful than before.

Song Qicheng's throat rolled, "I just want to ask you, are you happy?"

Song Huan Yan nodded, "Very happy, Lord Yu treats me well. You just saw that, didn't you?"

Those words seemed to imply that Song Qicheng was asking knowingly.

"Hmm." Song Qicheng said, "Seeing it is good. But Yan Yan… you… really want to keep avoiding me like this?"

Song Huan Yan was startled for a moment, then turned her gaze to him, "Big brother, I'm not avoiding you."

"Is that so?" Song Qicheng said.

"Yes." Song Huan Yan nodded, "It's just… I also have nothing to ask of you; we can't, you know, look for trouble when there's none."

Is her having nothing to do with Song Qicheng, in Song Qicheng's view, considered avoidance?

"Then that's good." Song Qicheng said, "I hope that if you have anything, you can think of big brother first. Yan Yan, I am your big brother; the Song Family raised me, and I am responsible for you, I have a duty to take good care of you. I hope… we can be like when we were young, you treat big brother as your only reliance and protective umbrella, okay?"

Hearing this, Song Huan Yan felt a pang of melancholy.

When they were young, indeed, the sibling bond was quite good.

But perhaps because of that, Song Qicheng developed thoughts and feelings that shouldn't have arisen.

In fact, she never didn't wish for a big brother to rely on, did she?

Yet things have come to this, and perhaps the feelings are not something Song Qicheng can control.

She has been avoiding suspicion for several years, and now she's married….

Reflecting on this, Song Huan Yan nodded and said a single word, "Okay."

There were no more words left.

This made Song Qicheng stare dumbfounded, his heart couldn't help but throb sharply.

How did he and she end up… at a point where there is nothing to say?

Song Qicheng nodded.

Song Huan Yan said, "Is it over? If it's over, let's go back."

After speaking, she lifted her foot as if to leave.

Song Qicheng, unable to control his anxiety, hurried, "Not yet!"

Song Huan Yan halted, "Hmm? You… still have something to tell me?"

Actually… Song Qicheng also had nothing more to say.

Between them, it seemed only greetings and small talk remained.

Yet Song Qicheng was still unwilling.

He hadn't seen her for two months.

She might be immersed in happiness.

And he… thought of her every moment, missed her.

It tormented him painfully.

He originally thought… after moving out of the Song Residence, she would also have married, and he would certainly—or should—gradually let go, then release, and finally smile it away.

But he didn't expect that.

How could the girl he had engraved into his bones since childhood possibly, in just two months, forget and let go as if it were that easy?

She is so beautiful, so wonderful, so balanced, so pure and immaculate, that the most beautiful words in the world are insufficient to describe her.

She is still Kyoto's Top Beauty.

Beautiful from childhood to adulthood.

After coming of age, she is even more privately praised in the circle as Kyoto's Top Cold Goddess.

Not a beauty.

She is a goddess.

A beauty… anyone can play with, can fantasize about.

A goddess… not everyone dares, not everyone has the nerve to imagine.

If it weren't for Song Huan Yan's utterly cold nature, the men surrounding her could be lined up from Kyoto to overseas…

Song Huan Yan always remains aloof, never glancing sideways, focusing only on herself, rarely giving attention to anyone else.

Between men and women, she masters the sense of proportion even better, never having any private dealings with unfamiliar opposite sex, not even a glance.

So… few people dare to pursue her.

Even her lofty, cold aura alone has turned away many "ordinary mortals" in the circle.

But he still remembers deeply that in his youth, he guarded her like a steadfast knight, and no blondy dared to covet her.

He could shout at those teenage stinky boys, "Song Huan Yan is my… sister!"

But now, he can barely say a few more words…

She was the girl whose first love he had etched on his heart.

By chance, she is his sister.

That's fine.

That's not fine.

The good thing is, he and she have been together for over twenty years, something other men wouldn't even dare imagine.

The bad thing is, the brother‑sister relationship is a forbidden line.

If she also has intentions, stepping onto this thunder pool is no trouble.

Unfortunately… Prince Xiang is interested, the divine maiden is not.

But it's also hard for him to gracefully step back; he can't just say he doesn't like it.

On the contrary, the more he restrains, the more… the gnawing, bone‑eroding longing.

No one… can understand, can feel how painful it is for him!

He watches that lofty man pamper her so, and he feels even more pain.

Because he also wants to cherish Song Huan Yan in that way.

If he were the lucky one who could be with Song Huan Yan, those repeated "brother" calls would completely melt him!

Song Qicheng, in order to talk to her a bit more and spend some time alone with her, forced himself to say, "I have something else I want to tell you."

"You speak." Song Huan Yan, however, was poised and candid, addressing the matter directly.

Song Qicheng, being a secret admirer with a one‑sided crush, seemed very uneasy.

"It's… like this," Song Qicheng said, "The company now has several projects I'm in charge of, all in cooperation with the Imperial Emperor. Since… after you got married, they've been… constantly held back, unable to move forward."

Hearing this, Song Huan Yan slowly raised an eyebrow, then frowned, and said, "Sir, what does that mean? Hasn't the Song Clan already merged into the Imperial Emperor? Why is it still being held back?"

The last time Nan Gong Yu sent the Betrothal Gifts, after Song Huaiguo signed, the contract moved forward directly.

In just two months, the Song Clan's strength and profits grew substantially, a thirty‑percent leap compared to before.

That's an astonishing figure.

But why does Song Qicheng still say such things?

Song Qicheng said, "It's… it's merged, everything else is fine, the projects run smoothly without obstruction, very successful. The only thing is… these few projects I'm handling have been constantly held back. These projects were actually finalized before you and… the Imperial Emperor's matchmaking."

Song Huan Yan knit her brows, "Do you mean… the Imperial Emperor is deliberately holding them back?"