Chapter 698: Chapter 626, Third Maternal Uncle_1 Chapter 698: Chapter 626, Third Maternal Uncle_1 “Why did it take you so long?”

Looking at Daohua and Xiao Yeyang coming back, Yan Wentao’s face bore a trace of reproach.

Daohua smiled sheepishly, “Sorry, Third Brother, I made you wait.”

Yan Wentao glanced subtly at Xiao Yeyang before turning to Daohua, “I don’t mind waiting, but it’s not good to make the family elders wait for you to come back for lunch.”

Daohua quickly admitted her fault, “It’s my fault for not watching the time. Let’s hurry then.” After speaking, she took the lead to walk down the mountain.

After walking a distance, Xiao Yeyang looked toward Yan Wentao and shrugged, “It really wasn’t me purposely delaying things, it’s just that Yixiantian is too difficult to walk.”

Yan Wentao grunted, “You need to remember to watch your limits.”

Xiao Yeyang was in a good mood today and nodded graciously, “Got it, my Third Uncle.”

Yan Wentao was startled by this address of ‘Third Uncle,’ his eyes wide as he stared at Xiao Yeyang.

Xiao Yeyang smiled, said nothing more, and hurried after Daohua.

A while later, Yan Wentao snapped out of it, by which time, Daohua and Xiao Yeyang had already gone far.

As they started descending the stairs, Xiao Yeyang said to Daohua, “Aren’t your feet hurting? Come on, I’ll carry you down.” Saying this, he squatted down in front of Daohua.

Seeing Yan Wentao approaching, Daohua was embarrassed to let Xiao Yeyang carry her at this moment. She quickly sidestepped him and walked straight down.

Seeing this, Xiao Yeyang quickly pulled her back, “Do you want to end up with blisters on your feet or what?”

Daohua moved her stinging feet, “… I shouldn’t, right?”

Xiao Yeyang squatted down in front of Daohua again, “There are no outsiders around, what do you have to worry about?” he said, then turned his head toward Yan Wentao, “Wentao, right?”

Yan Wentao glanced at Xiao Yeyang then looked to Daohua, “Your feet hurt?”

Daohua quickly shook her head, “It’s not that bad.”

Yan Wentao was silent for a moment, “Let Yeyang carry you. The weather is still very hot and you have been climbing up and down all morning. You must be worn out. Don’t get heatstroke like your Third Sister.”

Seeing Yan Wentao’s agreement, Xiao Yeyang grabbed Daohua’s hand and hoisted her onto his back straight away. “Alright, down the mountain we go.”

Looking at the sprightly, smiling Xiao Yeyang, Yan Wentao’s expression became somewhat distant.

In front of others, Yeyang always held an imposing presence and kept a serious countenance, but it seemed that only in front of Daohua would he reveal a young man’s bright and hearty smile.

“Third Master Yan, let’s go.”

Seeing Yan Wentao standing still, De Fu reminded him with a smile.

Yan Wentao came to his senses and began walking down.

Up ahead, Daohua kept turning her head to look back at Yan Wentao from atop Xiao Yeyang’s back. Being watched by her own Third Brother, she couldn’t shake off an awkward feeling, as if she’d been caught puppy-loving.

“Xiao Yeyang, you should put me down later.”

Xiao Yeyang asked with a smile, “Are you afraid Wentao will tattle when we get back?”

Daohua, “Third Brother isn’t like that.”

Xiao Yeyang, “Then what else are you worried about?”

Daohua, “…”

Xiao Yeyang, “Come on, I know about us, and so does your Third Brother. There’s nothing to hide.”

Daohua glared, “What’s there between you and me, anyhow?”

Xiao Yeyang, “You tell me.”

Daohua sighed inwardly, annoyed, closed her eyes, and then bumped her head lightly against Xiao Yeyang’s back.

Xiao Yeyang felt it and couldn’t help but chuckle softly.

Hearing this, Daohua patted Xiao Yeyang on the shoulder, then once more sneakily looked back at her Third Brother walking behind. Seeing him glance her way with his hands crossed behind his back and an expressionless face, Daohua quickly turned her gaze away.

After that, Daohua gave up struggling about whether to walk by herself.

On the descent, a section of the staircase was completely exposed to the sun, and it being close to noon, the sun was at its fiercest. Seeing the sweat falling down Xiao Yeyang’s forehead and cheeks, Daohua occasionally dabbed at his face with a handkerchief.

“Tired? You should put me down and I’ll walk by myself.”

“How much do you even weigh? Don’t worry, I’m not tired, it’s just the sweat dripping into my eyes, they sting a bit.”

“Then let me wipe it for you.”

Xiao Yeyang immediately tilted his head to let Daohua wipe his sweat.

Watching the affectionate interactions between Daohua and Xiao Yeyang, Yan Wentao felt a tightness in his chest. To avoid further irritation, he quickly walked up to the pair and, as he passed by, he let out a pointed ‘hmmph’.

Daohua paused in the midst of wiping sweat at the sound.

Xiao Yeyang hurriedly said, “Ignore him, he’s obviously just jealous of me. Remember when we all used to hang out together? The Zhou Family girls used to wipe his sweat too. What’s he got to ‘hmmph’ about?”

Daohua’s interest was piqued, “Really? How come I never noticed before?”

Xiao Yeyang smiled, “There’s a lot you haven’t noticed. Your third brother isn’t as honest as he seems. The Zhou Family girls like to eat, and your brother would rack his brains to scrounge up good things for them. Compared to him, your fourth brother is a bit more simple.”

Daohua laughed, “How is my fourth brother simple? Otherwise, why would Sister Su be so taken with him?”

Xiao Yeyang couldn’t help but chuckle, “Yes, yes, both your brothers are impressive. Now that we’re on the subject, your eldest brother is the truly honest one.”

Daohua’s expression stiffened a bit; her eldest brother didn’t seem that honest to her either. She remembered how she had once caught him in Xingzhou secretly meeting a daughter of a revered scholar.

Soon, the trio arrived at the foot of the mountain.

Xiao Yeyang crouched down to let Daohua off his back onto the ground.

Once Daohua was steady, she hastened to wipe his sweat and straighten out his wrinkled clothes.

Xiao Yeyang stood quietly, watching with a smile as Daohua fussed over him.

In front of the carriage, Yan Wentao turned his head away with a wooden face, as he observed the sweet atmosphere enveloping the pair.

After Daohua had finished tidying Xiao Yeyang, noticing his lips were dry, she said to Wang Manman, “There’s iced tea in the carriage, hurry and bring some.”

Wang Manman nodded and soon returned with a pot of iced tea.

Daohua swiftly poured a cup for Xiao Yeyang, “You’ve sweated so much; have some iced tea to quench your thirst.”

Xiao Yeyang took the cup and then offered it to Daohua, “You must be thirsty too. You drink first.”

Daohua smiled, “I’ll drink on the carriage later.”

Unmoved, Xiao Yeyang continued to hold the cup up, insisting on feeding her the iced tea.

Seeing this, Daohua reluctantly lowered her head and drank from the cup.

After she finished a cup, Xiao Yeyang passed the cup back to Wang Manman to refill, then looked at Daohua again, “Want more?”

Daohua shook her head, “No, I’m good.”

Xiao Yeyang then drank several cups of iced tea one after another.

Yan Wentao, unable to bear watching them share the same cup any longer, spoke up, “Let’s go, it’s time to move on. Daohua, get in the carriage.”

Daohua replied, “Okay.”

Although she agreed promptly, she didn’t turn to board the carriage until Xiao Yeyang had stopped drinking.

Seeing this, Yan Wentao looked up to the sky.

After Daohua got on the carriage, Yan Wentao asked Xiao Yeyang as he was about to join them, “Aren’t you riding your horse?”

Xiao Yeyang pointed to the scorching sun in the sky, “In this heat, ride what horse?”

At this moment, Daohua also lifted the carriage curtain and said to Yan Wentao, “Yeah, third brother, you should come sit in the carriage too.”

Seeing Xiao Yeyang deftly climb into the carriage, Yan Wentao held back and, dismounting his horse, he too settled inside the carriage.

Once everyone was aboard, Daohua said with a smile, “Alright, we can head back now.”

…

On the way back, the carriage was unusually quiet. Daohua watched her third brother and Xiao Yeyang staring at each other the whole way and couldn’t help shifting into a corner, trying to make herself as small as possible.

As they neared the city gates, Xiao Yeyang spoke up first, “I won’t come over for dinner today,” he said to Daohua.

Daohua was puzzled, “Why? It’s already noon.”

Xiao Yeyang replied, “I have some urgent matters to take care of back home.”

Daohua fell silent for a moment, “Alright then. But remember to have lunch and don’t go hungry like you did the other day.”

Xiao Yeyang nodded with a smile.

Before entering the city gates, Xiao Yeyang got off the carriage.

As he disembarked, Daohua quickly lifted the carriage curtain to remind him, “Remember, the day after tomorrow make some time to go to Taohua Village with third brother and fourth brother.”

Xiao Yeyang came up to the carriage window and asked, “What’s this surprise you keep talking about?”

Daohua smiled, “You’ll know when you get there.”