Chapter 214: Why did you come?

Zhu Yuan watched the bowl of unfinished noodles on the table in silence.

Her brother had always been stubborn, yet he had doted on her immensely since they were children; aside from strictly forbidding her from dating while she was in school, there was nothing he wouldn't accommodate her on.

But when it came to Sheng Yu, he would not yield even an inch.

This made her feel a splitting headache.

She touched her face; she had been a bit thinner lately.

Yet she had clearly been eating plenty. Even when she went to the theater for rehearsals, Sheng Yu would have someone specifically deliver meals to her at every mealtime, all delicious dishes she loved; she had thought she would be fattened up.

Who knew she hadn't gained a single ounce.

Could it be that the density of the recent rehearsals was too high?

She was just about to turn back to tidy up the kitchen when Zhu Jingyao came down from upstairs.

Seeing him come down, Zhu Yuan's face lit up, "Brother..."

However, Zhu Jingyao acted as if he didn't see her, passing by her without a word, picking up the bowl of noodles on the table, finishing it in a few bites with a cold face, and turning into the kitchen.

Before long, the sound of dishwashing came from inside.

The kitchen light went out, and Zhu Jingyao walked out from inside; seeing Zhu Yuan still standing there, his brows furrowed slightly.

He walked over while wiping his hands with a paper towel.

Suddenly, Zhu Yuan grabbed his sleeve and called to him in a soft voice, "Brother."

"Go to sleep." Zhu Jingyao brushed her hand away and went upstairs.

Zhu Yuan sighed; she had made her brother angry on his very first day out of prison.

It seemed that persuading her brother to accept Sheng Yu would be a long and arduous journey.

The next day, Zhu Yuan got up early, intending to buy some things to pay respects to her parents at the cemetery; she hadn't expected Zhu Jingyao to be up even earlier than her, and by the time she went downstairs, he had already bought the items and returned.

The two met, and Zhu Yuan saw Zhu Jingyao still wearing that deadpan look, so she angrily rushed over and gave him a punch, "Brother, can you be normal for once!"

"Where am I not normal?"

He put the items down and handed her another packed parcel, "Eat breakfast before we set off."

Zhu Yuan took it indignantly and opened it to see a serving of wontons and a flatbread.

Seeing the food, the corners of her mouth couldn't help but lift, and she hummed, sitting down on the dining chair.

Zhu Jingyao glanced at her, the corners of his mouth curling slightly.

Zhu Qi was resting at home, so the siblings set off for the cemetery.

After Zhu Jingyao went to prison, he hadn't had the chance to pay respects to their parents, and since he had returned to Yucheng too late last night, they could only head to the cemetery today.

It was eight o'clock; the cemetery was halfway up the mountain, and the mist hadn't fully dispersed yet, the swirling white water vapor making the air feel damp and cold.

Two black sedans with local license plates were parked where they got out of the car.

Zhu Yuan hadn't expected that even though they were early enough, someone was actually there earlier than them.

"Are you cold?" Zhu Jingyao looked at Zhu Yuan, intending to take off his coat.

Zhu Yuan waved her hand, "I'm not cold, you keep it on, Brother."

The siblings walked up the granite steps and were soon about to reach their parents' gravesite, but before they could get close, they saw several tall figures standing in front of their parents' tombstone.

The mist was hazy.

The man standing at the very front was tall and upright, his steady temperament revealing a contrasting streak of rebelliousness; hearing footsteps, he turned his head to look, and those cold, picturesque brows and eyes—who else could it be but Sheng Yu?

Zhu Yuan's eyes brightened, and she almost trotted over; Sheng Yu had already strode forward to pull her into his arms, "Are you cold?"

Before she could even speak, he took off his overcoat and draped it over her shoulders.

He adjusted the collar of the coat for her; the slender body, which seemed delicate to him, was wrapped in his coat, and a sense of possessive satisfaction filled his chest.

"Why did you come?" Zhu Yuan's small face looked even more exquisite and beautiful framed by the stiff, crisp collar of his coat.

Sheng Yu used a handkerchief to wipe the light moisture that had gathered on her hair, "Didn't you say you were coming to pay respects to your parents today? I happened to have never been, and there's no time like the present, so I'll join you."

Zhu Yuan couldn't help but doubt in her heart, is that really the case?

Wasn't it just to catch her brother off guard?

Given her understanding of Sheng Yu's scheming nature, it was highly likely.

"What's with that look?" Sheng Yu lowered his head, leaning close to her ear, and asked her in the intimate tone of two people alone.

Zhu Yuan thought about how her brother was still there, so she hurriedly pushed him away, though she felt sweet inside, "Not saying what I see is my good virtue."

But it was fine; she had been wondering how to arrange for the two to meet, and Sheng Yu had appeared on his own.

Sheng Yu released Zhu Yuan, looked at the man standing behind her, and extended a hand, "Sheng Yu."

Zhu Jingyao narrowed his eyes slightly, looking at the man who was a head taller than him and possessed an extraordinarily handsome appearance.

He also extended his hand and shook it.

"Zhu Jingyao."

Sheng Yu smiled without warmth, "I know, Yuanyuan often mentions you to me; she holds you, her brother, in great respect and trust. That Electric Baton you modified protected her many times; one time when the Electric Baton broke, fearing she would be in a bad mood, I took it apart to repair it myself, and that was when I realized how much care you, as a brother, put into her."

"Yuanyuan is someone I watched grow up; of course I put care into her." A flash of coldness crossed Zhu Jingyao's eyes.

So that Electric Baton had been taken apart by him.

Having taken off his overcoat, Sheng Yu was wearing fewer layers; as he shook hands with Zhu Jingyao, he inadvertently revealed the small Hair Tie on his wrist.

It would have been hard for Zhu Jingyao not to see it.

His gaze swept past the light blue Hair Tie on Sheng Yu's wrist.

Afterward, he stopped looking at Sheng Yu and instead called out to Zhu Yuan, "Yuanyuan, come over and help."

Zhu Yuan glanced at Sheng Yu and hurriedly walked forward.

Before they arrived, Sheng Yu had already paid his respects to their parents; the fresh flowers in front of the tombstone were the ones he had brought.

The two of them set out the offerings for the memorial.

Suddenly, Zhu Yuan felt someone beside her; just as she looked up, Sheng Yu wrapped his arms around her waist and pulled her into his embrace, saying to her, "Your brother probably has a lot to say to your parents, so let's give him some space."

Zhu Yuan was surprised at when Sheng Yu had become so understanding.

This was completely unlike his usual style of doing things.

But only Zhu Jingyao understood the emphasis in his words.

Your brother.

Your parents.

He was constantly reminding him that he was only Zhu Yuan's brother; even if they had no blood relation, they were still family, and Zhu Yuan only saw him as an older brother, so he should not harbor any other delusions.