Chapter 216: Whoa, the Silent Treatment

"Alright, alright, alright, you do this, come over, I'll tell you."

Seeing Gao Yang's determined attitude, looking as if "if you don't give me an explanation I'll go on forever," Chen Yan had no choice but to explain everything to her clearly.

"All mysterious, can't you just say it directly?" Gao Yang muttered, but still leaned in to hear what Chen Yan would say.

Then Chen Yan explained to Gao Yang, point by point, the golden age for women to bear children and the dangers of giving birth when too young or too old.

But after listening, Gao Yang still full of doubt said, "You're not trying to trick me, are you?"

"I think you just hate me and want to have children with Li Lizhi."

Chen Yan: "......"

"I'm really impressed, you're like a belly‑button fart, how are you even? Why does everything you say have to involve Li Lizhi?"

"Is my explanation still not clear enough? You still can't grasp my meaning?"

"I'm worried about you; I hope you wait until your body is fully developed, then having a child will be the least risky. Why don't you get it?"

Gao Yang paused for a moment, a smile tugged at her mouth before she suppressed it again, the phrase "I'm worried about you" echoing in her mind.

She seemed a few degrees brighter.

Then she steadied herself, kept Chen Yan's earlier saying in mind, and said, "Twenty‑five is already too late; by then I'll be an old girl and people will gossip."

"Also, how will you prove what you said?"

Chen Yan shrugged, "You can investigate. I'll give you the Imperial Token my Father Emperor gave me; you can mobilize the Jinwu Guard to look into it."

"Later, compare the mortality rates of women giving birth at different ages, and you'll see whether I'm right or not."

"Fine, I'll forgive you; you wouldn't dare lie to me." Gao Yang hummed lightly; she of course believed what Chen Yan said.

After all, Chen Yan has never lied or deceived anyone in serious matters.

"Say what you will." Chen Yan reclined onto the Taishi Chair, lazily saying, "Don't keep talking about kids; we're still young, we have plenty of time, no rush."

"Also, stop using Li Lizhi to test me; I have you in my heart, okay?"

"No need to keep confirming."

Having her little thoughts exposed so bluntly, even Gao Yang's expression turned a bit unnatural.

But soon she recalled something amusing, crouched beside the Taishi Chair, and said to Chen Yan with a grin, "So you don't want children, even putting lineage aside, all because you're worried about me?"

"Admit it, Chen Yan, you've already fallen for this Princess."

Chen Yan: "......"

Seeing him silent, Gao Yang's expression grew more smug; she was taking revenge for the last time Chen Yan had repeatedly toyed with her.

Now she finally seized an opportunity.

Chen Yan tilted his head slightly, looking at her with a caring‑yet‑simple gaze, and slowly uttered two words.

"Idiot!"

Gao Yang:???

"......"

In the afternoon, the sun was gradually hidden by clouds, and gusts of cool wind made the leaves rustle.

"It's going to rain."

Chen Yan, having slept a comfortable nap, muttered to the dark clouds above.

"Let it rain, it's perfect; the weather's scorching, a rain will cool things down." Gao Yang appeared from behind him at some point.

"What do you know?" Chen Yan withdrew his gaze from the sky, "My library is still under construction; if a heavy rain falls, work must stop."

"If it rains long enough, it could delay the library's building schedule and thus set back the plan."

Gao Yang said silently, "Then slow down, take a break; after all, the Father Emperor doesn't meddle in Weinan County affairs. I may not understand every plan, but I think you don't really need to be that urgent."

She paused, glanced at Chen Yan secretly, and whispered, "These past days I've seen you running around outside every day; you've gotten tanned."

"What did you say?" Chen Yan asked, puzzled.

Gao Yang's voice had been too soft, and he was thinking of other things, so he didn't catch it clearly.

"It's nothing." A hint of disappointment flashed in Gao Yang's eyes; actually she really wanted him to hear that.

Since arriving in Weinan County, Chen Yan has often been out running, returning each day looking exhausted.

She felt distressed but didn't know how to express it, so she watched his return each day with longing, hiding her concern behind sarcastic remarks.

"I'm going to the Xianlya; you stay home and look after Xiao Sizi." Chen Yan didn't notice Gao Yang's expression, left the remark, and left.

"Xianlya, Xianlya, you bastard only think of Xianlya." Gao Yang muttered angrily, "Am I any less fragrant than Xianlya?"

"Hmph."

Watching Chen Yan's departing figure, Gao Yang pondered briefly, then went straight to Xue Li, "Your Lord Bo is leaving; what are you still training here?"

"Aren't you going to protect him?"

"...... ah?" Xue Li was stunned for a moment, a bit confused.

"What the heck? It's about to rain, remember to bring him an umbrella!"

"Oh, okay, Princess, I'll go right away."

"......"

"Whoa, why is this rain acting like Gao Yang's temper, showing up the moment it's mentioned?"

"And it's damn huge!"

Inside the Xianlya, Chen Yan patted the water droplets off his clothes and complained.

Beside him, Xue Li, who had just folded his umbrella, twitched his mouth, thinking to himself what a pair of rivals they were.

Then Chen Yan found Du Gou inside the Xianlya and hurried, "Quick, Brother Du, the rain's pouring; send someone to check on the library. If it can't continue, halt the work and go home."

"...... oh, oh." Du Gou had just woken up in the Xianlya, still a bit dazed.

Hearing Chen Yan's words, he rushed out to take a look.

"What the hell, such heavy rain, I'll go call someone right away."

Saying that, Du Gou sprinted away.

Chen Yan just let out a sigh, then turned back to see Ma Zhou staring at him silently.

At that moment, Fang Yizhi suddenly came over holding a letter, "Brother Chen, here's a letter for you, take a look."

"My letter?" Chen Yan was slightly stunned, took the letter from Fang Yizhi's hand and tore it open; at a glance, a few big characters flashed before his eyes.

"Zi Anxiong, help me!"

Chen Yan:???

"What the heck is this?"

"What kind of thing is 'help me'?"

He read it from start to finish twice, then looked inside the envelope again, confirming there was nothing else, and asked Fang Yizhi in puzzlement, "Who sent this letter, whose life is being saved?"

"…It seems to have come from the Negotiation Office," Fang Yizhi said, somewhat uncertain.

At that time, Du Gou was talking with the junior clerk who delivered the letter; he hadn't paid much attention, so his memory was a bit fuzzy.

"Negotiation Office…" Chen Yan scratched his head, thinking he didn't seem to know anyone from the Negotiation Office.

No!

Chen Yan seemed to recall something, his eyes suddenly widened.

A letter from the Negotiation Office, and it even called him Zi Anxiong.

Remembering his conversation with Cheng Yaojin that day, Chen Yan let out a curse.

"What the hell, Chu Mo?!"

"......"