I suppose the empress discovered the affection between her and my elder brother and did not want her to have any further entanglement with our family, so she placed her under house arrest. My elder brother, unaware of her identity and the recent difficulties, thought she had left abruptly due to some urgent family matter.
I felt somewhat sympathetic. Rationally, I should have taken this opportunity to advise my elder brother to forget about Miao Yin and avoid any further connection with the royal family. But—I have never been particularly rational.
After learning Miao Yin’s identity, my elder brother remained silent for a while. I knew what he was thinking. He was merely a small scribe, while Miao Yin was the empress’s niece. The difference in status made it extremely difficult for him to marry her.
In fact, it was not originally so difficult, but with the grudge we had formed with the royal family, it became as challenging as ascending to heaven.
“Perhaps…” I tentatively asked him. “Perhaps we should look for another young lady—”
“I understand, I know,” my elder brother said, looking somewhat dazed.
Removed the part about cooking as it did not contribute to the plot or main theme.
“But—”
“I know,” my brother laughed, his eyes beneath his thick eyebrows looking like they were covered in a layer of gray. “What would you like to eat? Four Happiness Meatballs, Eight Treasures tofu, or silver fish egg stew?”
“I—” I was stunned. My brother was not acting normally.
“I know,” he stood up, stumbling slightly as he walked out. “Going to cook.”
“Elder brother!” I finally called out loudly. “This is An’s home.”
He suddenly realized, embarrassedly laughing, “Look at my memory, I actually forgot this isn’t our home. Little sister, remember to visit home often. Elder brother is leaving now!”
I worriedly saw him off and watched him enter our parents’ home before feeling slightly relieved. Soon after, my younger sister came running to An’s home, saying that our elder brother was causing a commotion in the kitchen and had already prepared eighteen dishes.
