However, the fact that the Eastern Palace she had been infatuated with would engage in such divisive tactics had clearly left a painful wound on her heart. Having experienced two heartbreaks in such a short time, she felt disheartened, complaining that all the good men in the world belonged to someone else – like her brother-in-law and her father – while the rest were either useless hypocrites or true villains.
To comfort her, with An Jin’s agreement, I brought out my treasured possession: a meticulously compiled album of beautiful people from Yan Feng City, collected over years of painting.
Among these beauties, almost every one of them has had an unpleasant memory, including the gloomy Eastern Palace. My younger sister listened very carefully. The people in this album all possessed extraordinary beauty, yet no one could have a smooth life.
I hugged my sister’s shoulders, our heads touching. “What Second Sister wants to say is that pursuing the one you love is not wrong in itself. But you must first determine if he is worth it. Once you decide, don’t regret it. Even if you’re truly wrong, you must be able to pick up and let go.”
My younger sister said nothing, seeming to be thinking. She flipped through the album and softly exclaimed, “Is this my brother-in-law?”
I leaned over to look, and saw written under An Jin’s name: A single glance from An Lang captivates souls. This was the evaluation by people of Yan Feng. He was not the most beautiful, but he always had a unique charm that made one unable to look away, wanting to look more and more, gradually etching into one’s heart. I used to disagree with this, but now—
I raised my head and looked at An Jin in the distance. He was half-leaning on a bamboo chair drinking tea, holding a historical scroll. Wearing a light blue straight-cut long robe, the fabric flowing and loosely cut, subtly outlining his tall, slender figure, adding a touch of elegant demeanor.
Probably feeling my gaze, he looked up and smiled gently at me, like a piece of jade soaking in a clear pond, pure and clean.
My sister leaned close to my ear and whispered, “Second Sister, your face is red.”
I quickly lowered my head and glared at her without good humor. “You little brat.”
