RBNTW Ch 30

Chen Jiu looked at his eight-year-old brother, who seemed wise beyond his years, feeling a complex mix of emotions.

 

Chen Gui was always full of little schemes. Because he was a good student and close to Qian Yun and the Qian family from a young age, influenced by them, Lan Shi, and Chen Ling, he believed that Chen Jiu, being constantly ill, was destined to die soon and wasn’t good enough for Qian Yun. Thus, he kept trying to match Chen Ling with Qian Yun. However, he wasn’t as malicious as Chen Ling.

 

Or rather, he still had some conscience.

 

In his previous life, after being taken to the capital and imprisoned by Chen Ling and Qian Yun, Chen Gui often secretly brought him food and tried several times to help him escape.

 

Unfortunately, Qian Yun held high power, and the dungeon was heavily guarded. The capital and its surroundings were full of Qian Yun’s spies, leaving Chen Jiu with no way to escape.

 

Chen Gui also tried to persuade Chen Ling and Qian Yun to let him go, but Chen Ling hated him to the core after he had been with Qian Yun once. There was no way she would let him go.

 

Instead of showing mercy, they doubled their torture.

 

Eventually, Chen Gui found his sister’s actions horrifying, resulting in a fallout. He resigned and left the capital.

 

The dungeon guards, pitying Chen Jiu, gave him a hot meat bun, saying, “Master Chen has left the capital. The Marquis and his wife thought he had returned home and didn’t pay attention at first. They recently discovered he wasn’t home. Old Madam Chen is nearly mad with worry, and the Marquis and his wife have been searching for him without success. The lady and the old madam will probably take out their anger on you, so be careful.”

 

The guard knew all too well that being careful wouldn’t help much.

 

Chen Jiu, unable to speak, clasped his hands together and bowed to the guard before taking the bun with his dirty hands and starting to eat.

 

He was already numb to the guard’s warnings.

 

Halfway through the bun, he remembered that Chen Gui had visited the dungeon before leaving the capital.

 

Chen Gui had said, “Big brother, I’ll take you away. This time, they won’t find us.”

 

Chen Jiu shook his head. He didn’t believe it, was too scared, and no longer wanted to escape.

 

With his frail body, he wouldn’t survive anywhere.

 

Still, he had motioned at his neck, pleading for Chen Gui to kill him.

 

Chen Gui had been stunned, even borrowing a knife but ultimately couldn’t bring himself to do it.

 

The guard’s warning proved right. Chen Ling, Lan Shi, and even Qian Yun took out their anger on him, leaving him severely injured.

 

Three months later, Chen Ling finally killed him.

 

Whether by coincidence or design, she used the method he had asked Chen Gui to use on him.

 

…

 

“Big brother? What’s wrong? Are you still unwell?”

 

Chen Gui noticed Chen Jiu looking at him with a particularly complex expression that he couldn’t decipher, causing him to feel uneasy. He quickly spoke again.

 

Chen Jiu snapped back to reality, lowered his eyes to hide his emotions, and lightly coughed, saying, “I’m alright. I just went out yesterday evening and caught a chill.”

 

“You went out, big brother?” Chen Gui frowned. “You’re still sick. How could you go out? Why didn’t sister look after you?”

 

Chen Gui felt a bit guilty towards Chen Jiu.

 

After all, Qian Yun was originally Chen Jiu’s fiancé, yet he was trying to match Chen Ling with Qian Yun. According to the principles taught by his mentor, this wasn’t right.

 

But he admired Qian Yun greatly and always felt the adults were correct. His sickly older brother wasn’t a good match for Qian Yun. His sister, though not as good-looking or genuinely gentle as Chen Jiu, was healthier, and it kept things within the family.

 

However, facing Chen Jiu, who knew nothing, made him feel remorseful. That’s why he secretly saved good things for Chen Jiu and showed genuine concern for his health.

 

Chen Jiu saw the real concern and felt even more conflicted.

 

Yet, toward this child who had been an accomplice in his previous life, he couldn’t be kind and only said indifferently, “It was your sister who sent me. She said her embroidered pouch was taken by Zhao Silly and asked me to get it back for her.”

 

Chen Gui was taken aback, feeling dissatisfied with Chen Ling but also worried Qian Yun would get a bad impression of his sister and ruin the marriage plans between the Chen and Qian families.

 

As he tried to find an excuse for Chen Ling, Chen Jiu walked past him and looked toward Qian Yun, who had come out upon hearing the conversation. Unlike his usual shy and delighted demeanor, his expression was cold, his voice even colder, “What brings Scholar Qian here?”

 

Both were stunned by this reaction from Chen Jiu.

 

Chen Gui glanced between them and quickly smiled, “Big brother, what’s wrong? Weren’t you always eager to see Brother Yun?”

 

“That was before. Now I’ve thought it through.”

 

Looking at Qian Yun’s face, Chen Jiu felt as disgusted as he had once felt infatuated.

 

Suppressing his nausea, he spoke sadly, “If Scholar Qian doesn’t want to marry me, you can openly break off the engagement. I, Chen Jiu, am not one to cling. I will understand. Why keep using parental orders to delay, making me a laughingstock in Shui Lian Village?”

 

“Jiu-ge’er, you misunderstand! I’ve always wanted to marry you, but my parents…”

 

Qian Yun, feigning deep affection, took two steps forward, trying to hold Chen Jiu’s hand, but Chen Jiu evaded.

 

Chen Jiu lowered his eyes, drawing from the emotions of similar past scenarios, and sorrowfully asked, “What if your parents never allow you to marry me? Will you keep delaying?”

 

“Of course not!” Qian Yun quickly refuted. Although this was his true intention, he couldn’t admit it to Chen Jiu or anyone else.

 

“Jiu-ge’er, I’ve been trying to persuade my parents. They’ve already started to relent. In another two or three years, I’m sure I can marry you!”

 

Yes, in two or three years, you and Chen Ling would already have children!

 

Chen Jiu sneered internally but didn’t show it, only looking sadder, “Two or three years… Brother Qian, I’ll be twenty next February. In Shui Lian Village and within a hundred-mile radius, can you find any other boy who had a childhood engagement but still isn’t married by twenty?”

 

“Jiu-ge’er, don’t worry. You’re different from them,” Qian Yun comforted, not forgetting to add, “And I’m different from them too.”

 

His arrogance was evident in those words.

 

Chen Jiu clenched his fists slightly, still appearing very sorrowful, “Of course, Brother Qian is different. You passed the scholar exams early with a bright future, attracting many beautiful young ladies and boys wanting to marry you. But I…”

 

He didn’t want to demean himself, so he changed his words, “I know my condition. Marrying you would only burden you. It’s natural your parents object. I’m just sad…”

 

“Jiu-ge’er…”

 

Qian Yun seemed to want to comfort him, but Chen Jiu didn’t give him the chance, quickly saying what he came out to say—

 

“No need to comfort me, Brother Qian.”

 

Chen Jiu forced a bitter smile, “I know my health. I probably won’t live long enough for you to marry me. So, to not burden you, I’ve decided to ask Father to find a time to go to the Qian house and annul our engagement.”

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