Eldest Senior Brother, Drink With Me

Watching the two of them so close and intimate.

Lu Xueqi's footsteps came to an abrupt halt.

She stood there, watching the two of them in silence.

The night breeze blew from behind her, sweeping her long hair and robes forward, casting a long shadow in the firelight.

She watched the way Jin Ping'er tilted her head as she spoke, the way she leaned in with casual ease, and she watched that smile on the face of Lu Jiuyuan—a smile she knew all too well.

That smile had been for her by the shores of Yueya Lake, for her in the cave dwelling at dawn, and for her in every moment that belonged only to the two of them.

Now, he was smiling like that at another woman.

Lu Xueqi's fingers curled slightly, her nails digging into her palms.

Her expression grew increasingly somber, and within those cold, clear eyes, an emotion she had never felt before began to churn. She could not name it.

Anger? Grievance? Or something else entirely?

She only knew that, at this moment, she did not want to stand there and watch.

She walked over slowly.

Her footsteps were heavier than usual, and her white robes snapped in the night air.

Lu Jiuyuan sensed the movement and turned his head. The moment he saw her, a flash of surprise crossed his face, which immediately melted into a gentle smile: "Xueqi? Why aren't you asleep yet?"

Lu Xueqi did not answer.

She walked straight to his side and sat down in the half-arm's length of space between Jin Ping'er and Lu Jiuyuan.

The movement was natural, as if she had done it a thousand times before.

Then, she rested her head on his shoulder.

Her long hair slid down, covering half her face, but it could not hide the tips of her ears, which were tinged with a faint red.

Her hands wrapped around his arm, holding on tight, her entire body pressed almost flush against him.

That body, usually as cold as frost, was now as soft as a pool of spring water.

"Husband, I couldn't sleep."

Her voice was not loud, but in the stillness of the night, it was exceptionally clear.

It was soft, sweet, and carried a hint of a spoiled tone, all while masking a thick layer of jealousy.

Jin Ping'er's smile stiffened on her face.

Lu Jiuyuan looked down at the head resting on his shoulder, then at the arm being held so tightly, and finally at the eyes looking up at him.

Those eyes, usually as cold as ice, were now shimmering with moisture, carrying a touch of grievance, a touch of stubbornness, and a touch of a threat that said, "Just try pushing me away."

He understood instantly.

This wasn't about not being able to sleep; this was clearly a declaration of territory.

The corners of his mouth lifted slightly.

He raised his other hand and gently stroked her hair, his voice so gentle it could drip with water: "Can't sleep? Is it because you're not used to the new place?"

Lu Xueqi rubbed her face against his shoulder and gave a muffled "Mn."

"Then would you like me to walk with you for a while?"

She shook her head and held him even tighter: "No, I just want to stay like this."

Lu Jiuyuan suppressed a laugh and patted the back of her hand gently: "Alright, then we'll stay like this."

Jin Ping'er sat to the side, watching this scene. Her smile was still hanging on her face, but something in her fox-like eyes was quietly changing.

She did not speak, merely watching the two of them in silence—watching Lu Xueqi hold his arm tightly, watching Lu Jiuyuan gently stroke her hair, and watching the kind of intimacy between them that no one else could wedge into.

A few moments of silence passed.

She suddenly let out a soft laugh and stood up.

"Young Master Lu."

Lu Jiuyuan looked up at her.

Jin Ping'er stood in the firelight, backlit, making her expression difficult to discern. But her voice carried a smile, still in that lazy, nonchalant tone.

"I won't disturb you two any longer."

After she finished speaking, she turned to leave.

Jin Ping'er walked a few steps, then stopped and glanced back.

The firelight shone on half her face, casting an arc that looked like a smile, yet not quite.

"Oh, right, Young Master Lu."

"Yes?"

"Keeping watch is one thing, but don't get so caught up in coddling someone that you forget to keep guard."

Jin Ping'er's gaze shifted from his face to Lu Xueqi, lingering for a brief moment.

Lu Xueqi happened to look up at the same time.

Two gazes met in the night.

One was cold as frost, carrying a blatant sense of possessiveness.

The other was full of smiles, concealing an invisible edge.

Jin Ping'er curled the corners of her lips, turned, and walked into the night.

Her silhouette was quickly swallowed by the darkness, with only the sound of her footsteps fading away, as light as a cat's.

Lu Jiuyuan watched the direction she disappeared in, raising an eyebrow slightly.

Jin Ping'er returned to her spot, sat down against a tree trunk, and pulled a thin blanket over herself.

She stared at the pitch-black sky above and licked her lips.

"There will be an opportunity sooner or later."

She whispered to herself in her heart, her voice so soft it was as if she were speaking only to herself.

She closed her eyes, yet the corners of her mouth curved upward.

By the campfire, Lu Xueqi was still resting her head on Lu Jiuyuan's shoulder, clutching his arm and refusing to let go.

Lu Jiuyuan looked down at her: "She's gone, aren't you going to let go?"

Lu Xueqi did not move.

"No."

"Planning to hold on all night?"

"Mm."

Lu Jiuyuan chuckled, pulled his outer robe up, and covered her shoulders.

"Fine, then we'll hold on all night."

"Fine, then we'll hold on all night."

Lu Xueqi buried her face in the crook of his shoulder, her voice muffled: "Senior Brother."

"Hm?"

"You are not allowed to get too close to her."

Lu Jiuyuan was taken aback and looked down at her.

She refused to lift her head, the tips of her ears red enough to bleed.

He laughed softly and pressed a kiss to the top of her head: "That depends on how you behave!"

Lu Xueqi's fingers brushed lightly against his cuff, and she said nothing more.

A moment later, Lu Xueqi lifted her head from his shoulder, her cold, clear eyes shining brilliantly in the moonlight: "Senior Brother, have a drink with me."

Lu Jiuyuan was stunned as she produced a small wine pot and two white jade cups from her sleeve as if by magic. The pot was celadon, and the cups were mutton-fat jade, glowing with a warm luster under the moon.

"Where did you get the wine?"

"I took it from the Xiaozhu Peak cellar before coming down the mountain." Lu Xueqi placed the two cups on the bluestone between them and pulled out the stopper; the crisp fragrance of wine immediately filled the air. "It's the Osmanthus Wine Master brewed, she said we should wait until we returned to drink it. I thought... I'd taste a little early."

As she spoke, she lifted the pot and poured a drink into each cup. The liquid was clear and slightly yellow, swaying gently in the cups and reflecting the crescent moon above.

Lu Jiuyuan watched her pour the wine and suddenly smiled.

"If Master finds out you stole her wine so early, she'll likely be angry."

"If you don't tell her, she won't know." Lu Xueqi picked up a cup and handed it to him, took one for herself, and lowered her eyes: "Senior Brother, drink."

The two white jade cups clinked together, emitting a crisp sound.

The two white jade cups clinked together, emitting a crisp sound.

Lu Jiuyuan took a sip. The wine was mellow and soft, the sweetness of the osmanthus spreading across his tongue, yet it carried a gentle warmth as it went down his throat, warming him all the way to his stomach.

The wine brewed by Master Shuiyue was indeed excellent.

Lu Xueqi also took a sip, frowning slightly as if hit by the strength of the alcohol, but she soon smoothed her brow and took another small sip.

The two of them drank cup after cup in silence, with only the crisp sound of the wine cups clinking echoing in the night.

After a few cups, a faint flush stained Lu Xueqi's cheeks, like peach blossoms just blooming on a branch in March.

Those eyes, usually cold as frost, were gradually veiled in a mist, becoming hazy and soft.

"Senior Brother." Lu Xueqi set down her cup, her voice lower than usual, carrying a hint of hoarseness.

"Hm?"

"Do you think... Jin Ping'er is pretty?"

Lu Jiuyuan nearly choked on his wine. He coughed and turned to look at her.

In the moonlight, Lu Xueqi was tilting her head to look at him, her gaze fluid; there was intoxication in her eyes, along with curiosity and a trace of deeply hidden nervousness.

"Why ask that all of a sudden?"

"I want to hear your answer."

Lu Jiuyuan was silent for a moment, then looked at her earnestly: "Not as pretty as you."

Lu Xueqi's eyelashes trembled, and the corners of her mouth curved into a faint arc.

She lowered her head, poured herself another cup of wine, and drank it all in one gulp.