Peaches and Plums Don’t Speak – Chapter 145
by Little PandaFamily Meeting (Part Three)
On his way back, the more Yan Yinan thought about it, the more he wanted to laugh. So many things from the past suddenly made perfect sense.
“Wow, those two really kept it well hidden,” he muttered with a chuckle, unable to resist calling Yu Shengnan to share the news.
“Honey, guess what? I just found out a massive secret.”
Yu Shengnan was still working overtime at the hospital. “What secret?”
“Hehehe, I can’t tell you…” Yan Yinan wanted to keep her in suspense.
To his surprise, Yu Shengnan spoke nonchalantly on the other end of the line. “Isn’t it just that Anzhi and Xiao Wu are together?”
Yan Yinan gasped. “…How did you know?”
Then he asked in sheer shock, “Did you plant a wire on me?!”
Yu Shengnan: “?”
She burst out laughing. “You’re so cute.”
Yan Yinan loved being teased by her, but he still pretended to be embarrassed. “Don’t try to fool me. Did you know all along?”
Yu Shengnan smiled but said nothing.
When Yan Yixi returned home, he quietly went to sit in his study without showing any emotion.
It was Liu Yiyi who couldn’t hold back first.
She had already learned what had happened from Xiao Yutong. She stared at Yan Yixi curiously, wanting to see what he looked like when surprised, but she hadn’t expected him to show no reaction at all upon his return.
“Hey, what did Eldest Brother call you over for?” Liu Yiyi poked his arm.
Yan Yixi glanced at her and smiled. “Did you know all along?”
LIu Yiyi put on an innocent look. “Know what?”
Yan Yixi’s smile widened as he pinched her ear. “Still playing dumb.”
He was a quiet man who usually maintained a very serious, scholarly air, but when he flirted, he was incredibly charming—charming enough to be the death of Liu Yiyi, at least. She gave a lovely smile, leaning down to sit on his lap and wrapping her arms around his neck. Her eyes were filled with liquid allure as she said, “Oh my, nothing can escape my darling’s eyes.”
Yan Yixi gave a soft laugh.
Liu Yiyi winked at him. “I’m just a little monkey in the palm of your hand.”
Amused by her, Yan Yixi’s eyes curved. He pulled her close and kissed her.
After they finished cuddling, Liu Yiyi leaned against his chest, lost in thought.
Speaking of the Yan siblings, she suddenly felt that Yan Yixi and Yan Xi were the most alike. Both had fair skin, and both were mensao1—usually appearing proper and serious on the outside.
She wondered if Yan Xi’s flirting skills were just as formidable as Yan Yixi’s.
I’ll have to pry some gossip out of Xiao Anzhi when I get the chance.
Liu Yiyi smirked mischievously.
Compared to the gentle breeze and light rain of those two households, the situation at the old residence was far more grim.
Xiao Yutong had gone straight into a cold war with Yan Yidong.
To make matters worse, it was Sunday, so Yan Yidong didn’t even have an excuse to escape to his work unit. If she’d only talk to him, it’d be fine, but the longer she stayed silent, the angrier she proved to be, leaving Yan Yidong increasingly anxious.
By evening, he finally couldn’t take it anymore. He went into the bedroom and said to her, “I didn’t mean anything by what I said earlier. It’s just—sigh, let me be completely frank with you. Xiao Wu and Anzhi are together!”
It was extremely difficult for him to say. On one hand, he felt this was his sister’s private matter—and not exactly respectable at that—so he wanted to keep it a secret for now. On the other hand, he felt that Xiao Yutong was his wife, and he shouldn’t hide things from her.
Ultimately, he’d made this difficult decision to confess everything to her.
He hoped she’d appreciate his good intentions.
Xiao Yutong looked at him as if he were a fool. “If that’s what you wanted to say, I’ve known about it for ages.”
Yan Yidong froze for a moment. Once he processed her words, he flew into a rage. “You knew all along?! Why didn’t you tell me?”
Xiao Yutong replied coldly, “Isn’t this a matter for you members of the Yan family? Why should I meddle?”
Yan Yidong choked on her words, momentarily at a loss for a response.
“Forget it, forget it. Stay out of this. I’ll handle it and talk to Xiao Wu myself,” Yan Yidong sighed.
Xiao Yutong pursed her lips and fell silent again.
The atmosphere in the room instantly grew heavy.
After a moment, Yan Yidong realized his tone was too harsh and wanted to explain himself.
Xiao Yutong suddenly waved her hand, her face etched with weariness. “There’s no need to say anything.”
She turned, intending to walk out.
“Xiao Tong,” Yan Yidong called out to stop her, looking rather embarrassed.
This was a name he hadn’t used in a very long time, and it instantly swept them back to the days when they were passionately in love.
Xiao Yutong spun around to glare at him. “Yan Yidong, you’re a bastard!”
Yan Yidong: “…”
Xiao Yutong’s eyes reddened. “Tell me yourself, what did you promise me when we got married?”
Yan Yidong muttered, “…It’s been so many years. Why bring this up now?”
Her eyes grew even redder as she choked back a sob. “You don’t remember, but I do! How happy we were when we were newly married! We rented a tiny apartment; I went to work during the day and waited for you to come home at night. Even though you were busy, too, we could still catch a movie once in a while. Back then, you only had eyes for me.”
“But after barely two years, you were transferred to another city. You wouldn’t let me go with you, and you told me to stop working and stay at home.”
Yan Yidong softened his tone. “I know I owe you a lot. Your job was great back then, but you knew Grandfather and Grandmother were elderly, and my brothers and sister were still so young. They needed someone to look after them…”
Xiao Yutong continued to sob. “You knew you owed me! My parents were both abroad. My qualifications were far better than yours, and I was working for a Fortune 500 company…”
“I let you down…” Yan Yidong said with guilt.
“You knew you made me suffer! Out of all the men who pursued me back then, your prospects weren’t even the best. But I thought that since you had so many younger siblings, you would surely know how to cherish a person. And you didn’t look very bright, so I figured you’d listen to me in the future. That’s the only reason I agreed to be with you.”
Yan Yidong protested, “…Haven’t I always listened to you?”
“If that’s the case, then why didn’t you agree when I wanted to return to work after giving birth?”
“We had two children, and Grandfather and Grandmother needed someone around. Besides, wasn’t Xiao Wu still so small?”
“Yes, so I listened to you and stayed home yet again.”
Yan Yidong had no way to refute this. He could only say, “Why are you dragging up these old grievances again…”
“Because of your attitude! I’ve done nothing to wrong you since we married. I took care of Grandfather and Grandmother, raised our children, and loved your siblings as if they were my own. But the moment something happens, you tell me I’m not a member of the Yan family and that I should stay out of it? Are you being reasonable at all?!”
With that, she buried her face in her hands and wept aloud.
“Hey, hey, look at you… why are you crying?” Yan Yidong went over to wrap his arm around her shoulder, but she twisted her body away, brushing his hand off as her sobs grew louder.
“Come on now… the kids are still downstairs.”
Xiao Yutong sat on the sofa, ignoring him and weeping to herself. She shook off his hand whenever he tried to place it on her shoulder, turning her back to him completely.
Seeing her cry made Yan Yidong feel miserable as well. He sat down beside her and sighed. “You know that when our parents passed away, Xiao Wu was still very small. She barely had any memory of them. I’ve always wanted to spoil her a bit more, but I don’t understand a woman’s mind…”
“She’s almost thirty-eight years old and still hasn’t settled down to start a family. If our parents were still alive, they’d be so worried. I’ve been such an irresponsible Eldest Brother. And now, look at this. She actually told me she wants to be with Xiao Anzhi… How is that acceptable?”
“And what’s more, Second Brother and Third Brother don’t even have any objections! Now even you’re keeping me in the dark. Do I have any say left in this family? Do I have any status at all?”
Xiao Yutong knew that Yan Yidong was genuinely heartbroken. He was just a chauvinistic, rough-edged man accustomed to being a leader, and the current situation truly exceeded his comprehension.
Well, even though this man had plenty of flaws, since he was her husband, she would set him straight.
Xiao Yutong choked out a reply between her sniffling, “This has nothing to do with your status. As long as Xiao Wu likes her, that’s all that matters. It’s not like I completely approve of this either, but do we have a choice?”
“Sigh… How can two women be together? Can they really get by without a man in the house?” Yan Yidong’s thick brows were knitted in a tight knot.
Xiao Yutong turned around and asked him, “Why not?”
Yan Yidong was apparently so consumed by his distress that he didn’t even notice her face was completely dry, without a single tear on it.
He muttered, “How would they even get married?”
Xiao Yutong said, “Xiao Wu told me that Anzhi is exceptionally brilliant. She might apply for a postdoc, and there’s a very high chance she’ll stay to teach at Harvard.”
“A postdoc? How old is she?” Yan Yidong was shocked.
“And postdocs make more money, which makes immigration much easier. They can register their marriage over there.”
Yan Yidong was still in disbelief. “That child is simply too smart.”
“Of course she is. And having kids abroad is easy, too. Or they don’t even have to have kids. Look at Yiyi and Yixi—how wonderful they are!” When Xiao Yutong thought about how the two of them often went on trips and dates, and even did volunteer work together without any worries about children, she felt incredibly envious.
Liu Yiyi’s figure had remained unchanged for so many years, still incredibly sexy and hot. Unlike her, who had given birth to three children and had a lower belly that would never shrink back, forcing her to comfort herself with the word “plump.”
Yan Yidong thought to himself that Xiao Anzhi was outstanding, lovely, obedient, and sweet-natured—a truly excellent child. Aside from her gender, she had no other flaws.
He had to admit that she was far better than his own children.
Both husband and wife fell into a silent reverie at the same time.
Simultaneously, they let out a soft sigh.
Snapping back to reality, Xiao Yutong focused her efforts on persuading Yan Yidong. She patted his shoulder. “Lao Yan, I have to remind you that opposing this on your own is completely useless. It’ll only make your sister resent you, cause Anzhi to dislike you, and turn the atmosphere at home incredibly awkward…”
Yan Yidong: “…”
Irritated, he stood up and began pacing back and forth. He stopped abruptly and asked her in confusion, “How can you accept this so easily? Don’t you think that two women living together…”
“…is missing something?”
Xiao Yutong gave him a look that was hard to put into words and let out a scoff.
She then swept her gaze up and down over him, pointedly letting her eyes linger below his waistline as she teased with a half-mocking grin, “Men always think that thing on their body is so spectacular. In reality, it’s really not as amazing as you think.”
Yan Yidong: “…”
“And how would you know? Have you ever been with a woman?” he snapped in annoyance.
“I don’t need to eat pork to know what a pig looks like. There are plenty of them abroad, and they’re only kept secret here in China. Xiao Wu is your only sister, and wasn’t her happiness the one thing you constantly wished for? Now you’re going to stand in the way of her happiness? That makes no sense, does it?”
Yan Yidong was speechless. He opened his mouth to say something but shut it again, sinking onto the other side of the sofa.
Xiao Yutong stood up and sat down beside him, appealing to both his logic and his emotions. “You mustn’t think that no one in the family is on your side. We are all family here; why would we take sides? Everything we do is for Xiao Wu. Look, Grandfather and Grandmother are gone, and your parents passed away so early. As her eldest brother, you’re like a father to her. How heartbroken would she be if she knew you didn’t support her?”
Hearing this, Yan Yidong fell even deeper into silence. Towering and robust, he was now curled up on the sofa like a large dog, his expression carrying a hint of sorrow.
Xiao Yutong knew when to stop. Speaking too much might have the opposite effect, and she didn’t expect him to come around right away.
She stood up and gave his shoulder a gentle rub. “I’ll go draw a bath for you. Come and take a hot soak in a bit.”
Yan Yidong let out a muffled, “Mn,” his stubborn attitude completely gone.
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