Chapter 679: Chapter 610: Zhou Jingwan’s Engagement_1 Chapter 679: Chapter 610: Zhou Jingwan’s Engagement_1 Yan Wenkai had mostly recovered from the wounds on his face before he returned to the Yan Family with Yan Wentao.

However, when Old Madam Yan and Madam Li saw his arm in a sling, they still asked in concern, “What happened to your arm?”

Yan Wenkai, unconcerned, replied, “I just bumped it a little, nothing serious, it will heal soon.” He then hurriedly changed the subject, smiling as he walked over to Yan Wenjie and patted him on the shoulder.

“Second Brother, I heard you’ve gotten engaged, congratulations!”

Yan Wentao also followed with, “Congratulations, Second Brother.”

Yan Wenjie responded with a smile, “Thank you.”

Sun Family took over the conversation, “Wentao, no need to rush. Now that your Second Brother’s engagement is settled, you’ll be next.”

At these words, everyone looked at Yan Wentao with a smile.

Embarrassed by their gaze, Yan Wentao gave a sheepish smile but said nothing.

Afterward, Old Madam Yan started discussing the engagement to the Zhu Family with everyone.

Watching his family cheerful about his Second Brother’s engagement, Yan Wentao’s gaze turned somewhat somber. In the midst of it all, while no one was paying attention, he quietly left the room.

Daohua had already noticed that something was off with her Third Brother. Seeing him leave, she pondered for a moment before swiftly following him, only to find, upon exiting the room, her Third Brother and Eldest Brother standing at the courtyard entrance.

“Eldest Brother… you’ve been in touch with Brother Zhou, have you heard anything about… Zhou Auntie’s situation since they arrived in Beijing?”

Yan Wenxiu looked at Yan Wentao, knowing he was still unable to let go of Zhou Jingwan, and he sighed, “Wentao, listen to your Eldest Brother, forget about Miss Zhou.”

Yan Wentao, unwilling to give up so easily, was silent for quite some time before finally taking out his identity token, “Eldest Brother, could you tell Brother Zhou for me that I am now a Fifth-rank Thousand Households, I can give Jingwan a good future.”

Yan Wenxiu looked at the identity token in Yan Wentao’s hand, his expression filled with emotion. In his and many others’ eyes, Yan Wentao, who became a Thousand Households before he even reached adulthood, was certainly outstanding, but in the eyes of the Zhou Family, a Thousand Households was nothing consequential.

Yan Wenxiu took the token and personally tied it back around Yan Wentao’s waist, “Miss Zhou is engaged, Wentao, forget her!”

With these words, not only did Yan Wentao stand stunned as if turned to stone, but even Daohua, who just walked over, wore an expression of disbelief.

Daohua quickly approached and asked Yan Wenxiu, “Eldest Brother, is Jingwan really engaged?”

Looking at his siblings who were reluctant to accept the truth, Yan Wenxiu nodded affirmatively, “Chengye wrote to me about it. If you don’t believe it, I still have Chengye’s handwritten letter.”

Daohua furrowed her brows, “How could it be so swift, Jingwan has only been in Beijing for a few months?”

Yan Wenxiu glanced at Yan Wentao and steeled his heart, “We can only say that the entire Zhou Family is very satisfied with the person Miss Zhou is to marry, otherwise they wouldn’t have arranged it so quickly.”

Daohua, whose thoughts were with her Third Brother, failed to grasp the implications in Yan Wenxiu’s words and immediately said, “Others might agree, but Jingwan would never consent.”

Seeing the light in Yan Wentao’s eyes suddenly brighten again, Yan Wenxiu could not help but shoot Daohua a stern look.

Realizing that she should not be giving her Third Brother false hope at this time, and seeing her Eldest Brother’s glare, Daohua hung her head and fell silent.

As the older sister who misspoke, Yan Wenxiu, in his role as the big brother, had to become the bad guy to sever his Third Brother’s emotional ties. He sighed, “Miss Zhou is probably willing as well, for with her character, if she didn’t agree, the engagement would likely not have been settled.”

Yan Wentao’s body swayed, thinking of the little girl who used to chase after him calling ‘Third Brother’, and his heart twisted in pain. He exerted great effort to suppress the suffering in his heart, managing not to lose his composure in front of Yan Wenxiu and Daohua.

“Eldest Brother, Daohua, I have things to do, I’ll be going back first.” Having said this, he hastily left.

Watching Yan Wentao’s retreating figure, Daohua expressed her concern with a worried face, “Third Brother looks so unwell, could something go wrong?”

Yan Wenxiu: “Wentao is already an adult, he can withstand this.” Despite saying this, he still motioned for the servant to follow and keep an eye on him.

Daohua looked at Yan Wenxiu with a reproachful glance, “Eldest brother, couldn’t you have spoken a bit more tactfully just now?”

Yan Wenxiu shook his head: “No, it’s not about being tactful. Only by completely severing Wentao’s thoughts about the Zhou family’s younger sister can he move on.”

Daohua understood this reasoning, but looking toward the direction in which Yan Wentao had left, she couldn’t help but sigh deeply.

After separating from Yan Wenxiu, Daohua returned to her own courtyard. Thinking about Zhou Jingwan’s marriage, she pondered for a moment before going to the study to write a letter to Zhou Jingwan.

She didn’t write much, nor did she mention Yan Wentao. She simply asked how Zhou Jingwan was doing in Beijing and whether she would return to Zhongzhou, along with other everyday trivial matters.

After the letter was sent, Daohua sat in front of the desk, lost in thought.

No matter whether they wish it, when girls come of age, talk of marriage is an inevitability they cannot escape.

There are families like the Su family, who adore their daughters and, for the sake of their happiness, are willing to lower the requirements for a prospective husband’s status slightly;
Then there are families like the Zhou family, who only consider the balance of interests.

Daohua knew Zhou Jingwan’s personality all too well; despite being raised to appear delicate and naive, it was not easy for others to enter her heart, especially when she clearly had a fondness for the third brother.

The Zhou family had arranged Zhou Jingwan’s marriage so quickly–they definitely hadn’t solicited her opinion enough.

With Zhou Jingwan’s engagement, Yan Wentao was thoroughly heartbroken. Already introverted and reticent, he became noticeably more frigid. Previously, encountering acquaintances, he would initiate a few words of conversation, but now, aside from greetings, he was without an extra word to say.

Moreover, after being promoted to head of a thousand households, he managed more people and dealt with an increasing number of cases. His fierce aura seemed to grow thicker each day.

Every time Yan Wentao went to pay his respects to the old Madam Yan, the Yan family members would involuntarily step back when they saw him.

It couldn’t be helped; wherever he appeared, the temperature around him would drop a degree or two.

To soothe Yan Wentao’s heartache from his unrequited love, Daohua found ways to make him delicious food.

Jinling Guard Office.

Seeing Yan Wentao enjoying the fragrant stewed chicken, Xiao Yeyang and Yan Wenkai both looked on with evident envy.

This time, to prove that all her thoughts were for her own third brother, Daohua did not even make a single extra portion for Xiao Yeyang and Yan Wenkai.

Seeing the two drooling over his meal, Yan Wentao felt even more satisfied with his food, his melancholy eased somewhat by their restrained expressions, and he was also touched by Daohua putting him first at this time.

After catering exclusively to Yan Wentao for seven days, Xiao Yeyang and Yan Wenkai couldn’t bear it anymore.

Xiao Yeyang said to Yan Wenkai, “Go back and tell your sister that my birthday is the day after tomorrow, and I want her to make a meal just for me, too, only for me, and I want it for half a month.”

Yan Wenkai glared, “What about me?”

Xiao Yeyang knew if he didn’t throw this guy a bone, he would definitely mess things up, so he placatingly said, “I’ll share with you when it’s delivered.” How much he would share, of course, was his decision.

Yan Wenkai then nodded in satisfaction.

Who knew that when he relayed this to Daohua, she would respond with, “On the first day of June, I’m going to Taohua Village and won’t have time to cook.”

Yan Wenkai thought Xiao Yeyang would be disappointed after hearing that, but instead, the man didn’t say anything, his lips even curling upward slightly.