Yan Hechuan's body stiffened slightly, and he shifted away.
"Not bad."
He wasn't quite used to this kind of intimate closeness, though Tang Yinyao had always been a bit brash and impulsive by nature.
Although he and Tang Yinyao weren't in an arranged marriage, they had met through channels common in their social circle—a matchmaking scene of sorts, introduced by their respective elders.
Yan Hechuan was aware of his own issue: an inability to be in close contact with women.
The only person he didn't recoil from was Tang Yinyao. Perhaps it was because her personality was more like a boy's, making his subconscious feel he could interact with her as a buddy.
That's how they gradually progressed from boyfriend and girlfriend to an engaged couple.
But their interactions remained brotherly.
Beyond linking arms or a pat on the shoulder, there was no more intimate contact.
Today, Yinyao seemed a bit strange, as if she was being even more affectionate toward him?!
The thought had just popped into his head when Yan Hechuan reconsidered; perhaps because he was blind and couldn't see, his other senses had become overly sensitive.
Meng Xiang watched from the side, stunned.
But he also gained a new understanding of what his senior sister meant by 'Yan Hechuan is a very blunt speaker.'
Where else would you find an engaged couple where the fiancée coquettishly says, 'I'm here with you, are you happy?' and the fiancé replies, 'Not bad.'
That was way too straightforward.
It seemed more like how buddies would interact.
Xia Liuyue, however, didn't seem surprised. Seeing this, she let go of his hand.
"Alright, Hechuan, why don't you take my junior brother to see his room first."
"He can move his suitcase in at the same time."
Yan Hechuan stood up and raised his hand slightly, expecting his fiancée, Tang Yinyao, to come support him.
Unexpectedly, he grasped empty air.
He asked, "Why aren't you holding me?"
Xia Liuyue said, "Just now I asked if you were happy, and you said 'not bad.' So I'm in a bad mood now. Let my junior brother support you."
As she spoke, she pointed at Meng Xiang.
Meng Xiang, pushing his suitcase with one hand, stepped forward with the other to offer support.
But he saw Yan Hechuan pick up the white cane by the sofa and say,
"No need, let's go."
He was probably so familiar with the villa that even blind, he could navigate the first floor with ease.
Yan Hechuan lived in the master bedroom on the first floor; the guest room was right next door.
Even the guest rooms in this villa had their own ensuite bathroom, a small sitting area, a separate study, and a bedroom.
After seeing it, Meng Xiang just wanted to say, Damn you, capitalism!
With so many rich people out there, what would it hurt to have one more?
Just as he was thinking this, he met a pair of smiling, almond-shaped eyes.
Oh no! It's that annoying sister who coerced and bribed him.
Meng Xiang silently lowered his gaze.
Xia Liuyue spoke up, "Hechuan, let's step out first so junior brother can get his luggage sorted."
"Okay."
Just as Yan Hechuan was about to turn, Xia Liuyue inconspicuously tossed a cushion onto his path.
Meng Xiang's eyes widened. How wicked, he thought.
He was about to warn Yan Hechuan to be careful when he met her warning gaze. He instantly chickened out and obediently shut his mouth.
Yan Hechuan tapped his cane forward. When it landed, it met a soft object—not the sound of the floor.
He was about to stop.
But a force slammed into him from behind.
Followed by a light, cheerful female voice.
"Huh? Hechuan, what are you doing blocking the doorway?"
"Ah!"
Xia Liuyue shot forward like a little missile.
His balance faltered, and he pitched forward.
Instinctively, he threw out his arms, his elbows hitting the ground solidly.
That wasn't all; Xia Liuyue tumbled right onto his back.
Yan Hechuan hissed in pain.
"Hechuan, are you okay?"
"Ah, it's all my fault for always being so clumsy. Sorry!"
Even as she said this, Xia Liuyue put extra pressure on him as she got up.
Meng Xiang watched the scene from not far away.
Silently thinking: This sister holds a serious grudge.
She did this because Yan Hechuan didn't let her hold his arm earlier, and when asked if he was happy, he said 'not bad.' So she was paying him back in kind.
If she was unhappy, she had to make Yan Hechuan unhappy too.
A total witch.
When Xia Liuyue helped Yan Hechuan up, the corners of her lips curled in a smile as she asked,
"Hechuan, should I let go, or will you walk on your own?"
Remembering what just happened, Yan Hechuan shook his head firmly. "No, you support me."
The guest bedroom door slowly closed.
Meng Xiang saw a triumphant smile spread across Xia Liuyue's face. So bad, so evil! I'm done for!
She's got dirt on him! Does this mean he'll be at her mercy from now on?
Sitting in the room, Meng Xiang looked at the contact photo on his phone.
It was Tang Yinyao's. He was deep in thought when
his phone suddenly rang—an unknown number.
"Hello?"
"Hello there, junior brother. It's your senior sister. Remember to save my new number and add my WeChat. After all, we have a whole month to get along nicely."
The voice on the other end sounded like Tang Yinyao's, yet not quite.
So it was Xia Liuyue.
Gritting his teeth, he added her on WeChat. Her username was X., and her profile picture was a cute white short-legged cat.
Her first message: "Looking forward to working together."
Meng Xiang thought: What working together? This is pure coercion.
Second message: A transfer of 50,000, with a note: Hush money.
Meng Xiang counted the zeros again, making sure he hadn't missed one!
So!
It was fifty thousand! A rich sister!
Meng Xiang thought back to how Tang Yinyao had generously told him,
"Junior brother, if you need to work your way through school, I can help. Take care of my fiancé for a month, and I'll pay you market rate—eight thousand, how's that?"
He cringed at the memory of himself nodding eagerly.
He thought he'd met a good person.
Turns out Tang Yinyao was such a scammer.
As for this beautiful, wicked woman Xia Liuyue...
What 'wicked sister'? This was clearly a lovely, rich sister!
Anyway, he was used to scamming one place and moving on. This time, it felt like he might score big.
Meng Xiang's smile widened, the little dimple by his lips growing even brighter.
...
Outside the room.
Yan Hechuan, hearing his fiancée on the phone with Meng Xiang, asked curiously, "He's right in the room, why not just go in?"
Xia Liuyue answered without a hint of guilt:
"Because this is a new number. I wanted him to save it."
Yan Hechuan wasn't nosy and didn't ask why she needed a new number.
Even though they were engaged, they still needed personal space and boundaries.
Xia Liuyue helped him back to the sofa. This time, she looked up at him with a smile and said,
"Hechuan, did it hurt when you fell just now?"
Yan Hechuan nodded. "A little."
Xia Liuyue smiled softly and leaned in closer. Her hair brushed against his chest as she bent down, her warm breath grazing his ear.
"Let me blow on it for you."
"Was it your elbow? Or here..."
Her slender fingers trailed down his arm, about to slide onto his chest, when they were suddenly caught by Yan Hechuan's large hand.
He frowned slightly, a puzzled look on his face.
"Yinyao, I keep feeling like you're acting a bit strange today."
