I Became the Older Brother of the Heroine in an Abusive Novel - Chapter 17

Jun Huailang paused, inexplicably thinking of Xue Yan’s cold and indifferent appearance just then.

The day Xue Yan had been drenched from head to toe, he had been the same. When Jun Huailang led him to change clothes, he didn’t say a single word and his expression didn’t change, like an unmelting block of ice.

Xue Yan seemed used to being bullied and had long become numb to it. No matter how many insults and humiliation were heaped on him, he didn’t seem to feel it. And when someone extended a hand to him, he also did not respond.

For some reason, Jun Huailang’s sour heart couldn’t harden against Xue Yan.

He smiled at Jun Linghuan and said, “Of course he’s your gege. There are some lychees on the table, you should take them to him.”

At his side, Xue Yunhuan wondered, “Why are you so kind to him? That evil star is a white-eyed wolf,[1] treating him well is useless. Who knows, he might bring you bad luck too.”

Jun Huailang comforted himself by thinking, It’s not because I’m softhearted, it’s because I told Linghuan before that Xue Yan was her real brother. I can’t go back on my word and lead my little sister astray.

Jun Huailang also told Jun Linghuan, “When you bring the lychee, don’t say I told you to go. Don’t talk too much, just call him gege a few more times.”

This was the most important thing. Surely if Xue Yan had Jun Linghuan calling him gege since childhood, he would be influenced and not develop any improper thoughts.

Thinking of this, he  felt relieved and let Jun Linghuan go with the maid.

Xue Yan was sitting alone in a corner. There was no one around and no one noticed him.

Someone approached Xue Yan from behind. He didn’t bat an eye and just continued drinking tea. When the person came closer, Xue Yan turned around, as if he’d only just realized someone had come.

“What is it?” he said, and frowned, showing the perfect amount of distrust on his face.

The person dressed as a eunuch bowed from chest. He didn’t salute at the question, only smiled and asked, “Your Highness, are you[2] resigned to these circumstances?”

Xue Yan replied with a gloomy and indifferent expression, “There’s nothing to resign myself to, I’m just trying to stay alive.”

The person continued to ask, “But the Second Prince has bullied you time and time again, clearly trying to drive you to your grave. If it weren’t for your outstanding martial arts skills, you would have been injured or killed today. This is a serious matter.”

Xue Yan frowned and asked, “How do you know it was Second Brother?”

The man smiled. “We servants have our ways.”

Xue Yan was silent for a moment. The corner of his mouth twitched and he self-deprecatingly said, “It’s not just Second Brother, is it? From my Imperial Father to everyone in the palace, who doesn’t want to take my life? Even if I hate it, I’m alone. What can I do?

A meaningful smile appeared on the person’s face. “Your Highness, you are not alone,” he said.

“There is someone who has cared about you since you were born. Unfortunately, due to his identity, he was never able to meet you. If you are willing, he and his subordinates will be your backing.” Throughout the spiel, although the eunuch’s head was lowered, he watched Xue Yan’s reaction out of the corner of his eyes.

Xue Yan became a bit emotional and his face showed a hint of confusion, but also cautious yearning. After the eunuch finished speaking, Xue Yan asked, “Who is that person?”

The eunuch gazed at him for a moment, then slowly knelt and formally saluted him under the cover of the trees.

“A manager of the Eastern Depot, Wu Shunhai. He was once your mother’s chief eunuch,” he said. “It has been fifteen years since Eunuch Wu and Consort Rong separated as master and servant. Now that Your Highness has grown up, it is time for Eunuch Wu to be of use.”

“You mean…” Xue Yan asked calmly.

“Eunuch Wu has already submitted a petition to Chief Duan, the leader of the Eastern Depot. Chief Duan was moved by the deep master and servant bond between Consort Rong and Eunuch Wu. He is willing to devote the Eastern Depot’s power to protect and assist Your Highness. We only hope that Your Highness will not shun the Eastern Depot, for our bad reputation may tarnish Your Highness’s name.”

Xue Yan did not speak. The eunuch knelt on the ground, also quite calm, and the two of them remained silent for a long time before Xue Yan’s soft footsteps were heard.

He stepped forward, bowed, and helped the eunuch up with his own hands.

“I didn’t expect…… I never knew.” It took a while for Xue Yan to choke out these words, his voice low and hoarse. “I always thought that no one would…”

Then he regained his composure and asked, “Is Eunuch Wu in good health? Considering how he served my mother back then, he must be quite advanced in age now.”

The eunuch replied, “Eunuch Wu has always been in good health, Your Highness does not need to worry.”

At this point, he tentatively asked, “Then, regarding what this servant said…”

Xue Yan smiled and said, “I’ve gotten used to it over the years. Eunuch Wu’s kindness is appreciated, but if I were to seek revenge, I wouldn’t even know how to go about it…… Only, I’ve never had any close relatives. I am indebted to Eunuch Wu for thinking about me for so long. I want to reminisce with him, if only we could meet.”

The eunuch did not reveal his own opinions, only agreed. “Eunuch Wu’s rank is inconvenient, but if there is an opportunity he will definitely meet Your Highness.”

Xue Yan thanked him and watched him leave.

The warmth and emotional smile he displayed slid off his face like a mask, and he returned to his original mocking indifference.

Second Prince? The Second Prince didn’t have the power to send an expert martial artist to fight him, especially not to just give him a small injury. The one with such an ostentatious style could only be the Eastern Depot.

He had been flanked on the battlefield before, and it had become instinctive to keep his eyes and ears open in all directions. Even if several more people had attacked him today, he could have handled it with ease. But they had taken great pains to set up this trap. Xue Yan couldn’t disappoint them, so he made a display of ignorance to fit their wishes in order for them to take the bait.

Sure enough, the big fish took the bait and confirmed his suspicions.

That old servant had abandoned his mother, Consort Rong, like a monkey fleeing a falling tree[3] for the larger tree in the east. In these years, he had climbed up to a high position, and became the second-in-command at the Eastern Depot. But the Eastern Depot was also declining — they had lost the emperor’s trust and become detested by all.

So Wu Shunhai thought to find a prince and make him their puppet. After all, the Eastern Depot were full of hidden talent[4] and definitely would not lack skilled people. They only lacked a chess piece that would allow them to run errands in the open, someone who would allow them to use their skills to their fullest capabilities.

Someday when they pushed their prince onto the throne, they could once again hoodwink the masses.[5]

This is why they chose Xue Yan. After all, he had suffered all kinds of humiliation in the palace, and by chance, had a connection to someone within the Eastern Depot. He would be easy to control.

As for that Polis fate?[6] There were no vile and shameful things that the Eastern Depot had not already done, and they would never have descendants either. They did not fear any destiny or heavenly wrath.

At long last, the net that Xue Yan had cast for so long had caught this large crafty fish.

Declining their offer just now was actually a retreat to advance further. An emotional coward who harbored grudges but did not dare avenge himself was the perfect temperment for a chess piece. He just lit a match under Wu Shunhai so he would become impatient.

The expression on Xue Yan’s face was like a smile yet not a smile. It was chilling. He sat back and picked up his teacup again.

At this moment, the sound of footsteps came again.

Xue Yan looked up and saw a little girl carved out of pink jade, bundled in a furry cloak. She scurried towards him on short legs, followed by a maid holding lychees.

This was…… Jun Huailang’s younger sister?

Xue Yan recalled the cold stare he had given Jun Huailang earlier. At that time, Xue Yan was aware that Eastern Depot people were secretly watching him. Thus, he deliberately distanced himself from Jun Huailang.

Looking at Jun Huailang’s reaction, he seemed to resent it. But Xue Yan had to advance and solidify every step, not a single error could be made. So why was this little girl here?

Xue Yan continued sitting and watched helplessly as the little girl came forward. Her eyes and brows were crooked with a smile, and she looked a bit like her brother.

Xue Yan’s heart couldn’t help but soften. Then he heard the little girl crisply say, “Gege! Are you thirsty? I brought you lychee!”

Xue Yan was taken aback. He wondered, so that little peacock is called “gege” everyday just like this?

The peacock was so soft-hearted and easy to bully, no wonder he gave this little girl anything she asked for and spoiled her endlessly.

Jun Linghuan had kept her brother’s words in mind to call this older boy “gege” more. She was young and a sweet talker, this task was too easy for her. Seeing that this gege didn’t speak, she wasn’t angry at all. Instead, she picked up a lychee and put it in Xue Yan’s hand.

“Gege, eat this quickly! Even my brother, who doesn’t like sweets, said this lychee is delicious!”

Xue Yan heard Jun Linghuan mention her brother and lowered his eyes to look at the innocent child. “Did your brother ask you to come?” he asked.

Jun Linghuan jumped and became embarrassed. “Aiya…” she whispered. “He didn’t let me say it, how did you guess?”

Xue Yan looked up at the training grounds. At a glance, he could see an outstanding figure in the distance.

The corner of Xue Yan’s eyes couldn’t help but crinkle with a smile.

“Foolish,” he said aloud.

Not far from them, the Second Prince had been watching Jun Linghuan since she arrived.

His mother’s palace had only been sent a dozen lychees. His mother felt it was too precious to eat, and left it all for him, but it was all gone after merely tasting the fruit.

But Jun Linghuan was able to magnanimously bring several plates of lychee as snacks for Jun Huailang and Xue Yunhuan. There was so much lychee that it was enough to share a few with every single prince, but Jun Linghuan only gave it to those two. After that, she even brought a big plate to Xue Yan.

The Second Prince was so jealous his teeth ached.

Beside him, the Fourth Prince smiled and said breezily, “Consort Shu’s whole family is so kind to Fifth Brother. Even the siblings treat him like he is their flesh and blood.”

The Second Prince snorted coldly but said nothing. Then the Fourth Prince turned to Jun Enze as if he had thought of something.

“Enze, isn’t the heir your cousin? You’ve grown up together with him, but it seems the heir has a better relationship with Old Five, whom he just met.” The Fourth Prince laughed. “So many lychees, and he never thought to share some with you.”

Hearing this, Jun Enze was embarrassed and did not speak for a long time. Fuming with rage, he finally gritted out, “Jun Huailang has always been this selfish.”

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