My brother, long unappreciated by women, finally met someone who appreciated him—but it was a man. How unfair the heavens were. I didn’t dare ask more, fearing I might push him towards male love. However, my brother began to talk endlessly about their interactions.
According to him, Xue Yin was originally difficult to approach and insisted on being a loner at the Hanlin Academy. He only maintained a pleasant demeanor with his elder brother. After several instances of help from his elder brother, they agreed to drink together at the official residence, where the elder brother cooked side dishes. Xue Yin praised his culinary skills, expressing that “any girl who marries you would be incredibly fortunate.”
I guessed that Xue Yin appreciated his elder brother’s kindness and became immersed in imagining himself as the elder brother’s wife. This could be summarized as passion sparked by a few delicious meals.
After patiently listening to his ramblings, I cautiously asked a sharp question: If Xue Yin had feelings for him, what did he plan to do? The elder brother hesitated and finally responded, “I will help him return to the right path.”
So, I suggested that he tell Xue Yin he already has a fiancée and then ask if he has any girl he likes. The elder brother thought this plan was good and implemented it. A few days later, he returned dejected, saying Xue Yin had pressed him to reveal which family his fiancée was from. Unable to lie, the elder brother stammered and couldn’t continue. Xue Yin saw through this and didn’t expose him, but was clearly unhappy.
I then suggested the elder brother take Xue Yin to a courtesan house to see if he truly didn’t like women. After some internal struggle, the elder brother agreed, thinking he was helping Xue Yin return to the right path.
A few days later, the elder brother returned looking gray and dejected. He had indeed taken Xue Yin to the courtesan house, but from the moment they arrived, Xue Yin’s expression was poor. When several beautiful women entered, he erupted, shouting at the elder brother, “Xiao Wang, I never thought you were this kind of person!” After that, he angrily left, treating the elder brother as a stranger.
The elder brother was heartbroken. This rare friendship had ended inexplicably, and instead of blaming me for the bad idea, he locked himself in his room, sighing and looking miserable all day.
The elder brother had always been cheerful and optimistic, making his current situation unprecedented and drawing the family’s attention.
Unable to bear it, Mother knocked on the door, asking him to come out and talk. In his agitation, the elder brother grabbed some clothes and returned to his official residence.
The younger sister remarked, “Big brother must be heartbroken.”
I understood the weight of the situation and pulled Mother aside to ask her thoughts on “broken sleeves.”
Mother put her hands on her hips, eyes wide. “Wouldn’t that mean no descendants?! Are there really men who like men?”
“There are,” the younger sister interjected. “Good men either end up with women or with men. No wonder I still haven’t gotten married.”
I quietly asked Mother, “What if big brother…”
Mother clenched her teeth: “A Yao, you’re not suggesting your big brother likes a man?!”
“Of course not! Just hypothetically, if…”
“No ifs!” Mother was resolute. “If that were true, I’d jump into a well!”
The younger sister sneered, “Mother, with your current physique, you’d probably get stuck at the well’s mouth before falling in.”
Mother had recently quit gambling and, having gained some weight, was eating and sleeping well.
Embarrassed and angry, she started chasing her younger sister around the yard.
I felt hopeless about my mother’s attitude and pinned my hopes on my father.
Father was delighted to discuss history with me. When I brought up “dragon and broken sleeve,” he eagerly searched through historical records, detailing the origin of “dragon,” notable figures associated with it, and related stories.
I noticed that Father seemed open-minded, so I cautiously asked about the hypothetical scenario of an elder brother being a “broken sleeve.”
After a moment of thought, he said, “According to records, the founding emperor of the Great Ji Kingdom was a ‘broken sleeve’ who loved a man, ennobled him, and trusted him with kingdom secrets. The royal bloodline of Great Ji was still passed down. So ‘broken sleeves’ can continue the family line…”
I felt relieved, thinking that with my father’s support, the chances of success would be higher.
“But!” He shook his head, stroking his beard: “Since the beginning of heaven and earth, firmness represents yang, and softness represents yin. Harmony of yin and yang is essential. Men loving men goes against this fundamental principle and is unacceptable!”
I extinguished my hope and returned home dejectedly.
An Jin noticed my listlessness and suggested we return to the room to talk and relieve my frustration. I shook my head, indicating I wasn’t in the mood for it.
An Jin’s expression was a mix of laughter and embarrassment. After a moment, he placed his hand on my shoulder and said, “I meant talking about our feelings, just chatting, not what A Yao is thinking.”
I felt immediate embarrassment. Talking could imply many things, but our previous conversations often led to him pushing me down. I had instinctively associated our talks with intimacy, yet this time he meant it literally.
An Jin responded helplessly, “Since my lady insists, I’ll comply. We can talk like this first, then—how about it?”
I endured…and endured…until I could endure no more.
An Jin let out a pained cry, covering a sensitive area with both hands, his face turning slightly red. The sparrow girl peeked in, quickly withdrawing after a glance, faintly clicking her tongue.
“The master and madam are flirting inside; none of you are allowed to enter.”
I exchanged a glance with An Jin, and then a dog barked. The sparrow girl added, “Especially you, Yuan Xiao—you’re not allowed to disturb the master and madam as they work on making a little master…”
An Jin looked at me, and I looked back at him.
In the end, we entered the room and had a heart-to-heart talk.
I explained how my elder brother might be heading towards cut-sleeve love. He smiled faintly, “So it was because of this.”
“I feel guilty,” I sighed. “If not for my idea, my brother wouldn’t have lost such a friend, maybe even his first true love.”
“Have you met Xue Yin?”
I shook my head, looking at him suspiciously. “Have you met him? What kind of person is he?”
“Since he’s your brother’s friend, you should find an opportunity to meet him,” An Jin said with a mysterious smile. “Perhaps after meeting him, your questions will be resolved.”
Chapter Nineteen: Miao Yin’s Past
Because my father served in the Hanlin Academy for over ten years, I easily found Xue Yin through familiar uncles.
He looked young, with rosy lips, white teeth, and delicate features, but his demeanor was cold. Upon seeing me, he frowned, “What brings madam to seek Xue?” His voice was clear and soft—no wonder he would pursue male love.
I smiled at him. “Young Master Xue? I am Xiao Shishu’s second sister.”
“Oh, it’s Madam An.” His reaction was quick, his eyebrows relaxing slightly. “May I ask what brings you here?”
“It’s about my elder brother’s matter.”
He paused slightly, with a hint of something unusual in his expression.
With many ears around in the Hanlin Academy, we went to a tea house nearby. Xue Yin was somewhat guarded, subtly sizing me up and trying to guess my intentions. I mentioned my brother’s recent dejected state, and he lowered his head, saying, “What does this have to do with me?”
