Do You Want to See Jin'er?

The Qin Family's history of prosperity can be traced back to when Zhu Yuanzhang was still the Prince of Wu. The foundation of the Qin Family's garden was preserved from that time. Historically, it has won honorary titles such as one of the most famous gardens in Jiangnan, and has even hosted some emperors who inspected Jiangnan. As for other members of the royal family and chief ministers, they have received countless others. Among merchants, only the Ye Family can compare with such prestige.

Of course, since Ye Chenyu disappeared and Ye Sijin passed away, the Ye Family had long since split up. Their current public presence is naturally not comparable to what it used to be. However, one branch is developing quite well and is showing signs of surpassing the main family's former power.

Back then, wealthy families loved to build gardens, and the Qin Family's garden did not surpass the beauty of Suzhou gardens. The garden's architecture was exquisite and intricate, and its water features were particularly noteworthy.

Just like Qin Yanan and Liu Chang'an's current courtyard, next to it is a pond dotted with painted boats and pavilions, surrounded by flowers, trees and bamboo, with pavilions and towers standing in rows, and clear water reflecting the scenery. Every step reveals a new view, and around every corner is a new picture.

The orange light in the room illuminated the old-fashioned walls. The tall, straight log supporting the roof in the corner resembled his upright shadow. The shyness on Qin Yanan's cheeks was like intoxicating wine.

Liu Chang'an was somewhat surprised. This was clearly Qin Peng's arrangement at his behest. At his age, there weren't many things left for him to worry about. Seeing that some things from a hundred years ago were still unresolved, he took it upon himself to make a decision, as if this would bring about some good thing.

In the cold winter, under the orange lamplight, a beautiful woman with a full figure and watery eyes, Liu Chang'an smiled faintly as he faced Qin Yanan, who seemed slightly awkward and helpless.

Qin Yanan had obviously also realized that this was Qin Peng's arrangement, so the possibility of two standard single beds placed side by side in this room was basically zero.

Liu Chang'an went in first. A hundred years ago, he often brought Ye Sijin to visit the Qin Family, but it was impossible for him to know the layout of the courtyard and pavilions here. He looked at the layout of the three rooms, the long corridor and the courtyard with the sound of flowing water. The bedroom was located in the middle. The space was not large and the floor was not high, but it did not feel cramped.

Unlike the private room where we chatted and drank tea earlier, this room had been renovated with underfloor heating, making it quite warm. It might be a bit hot to wear winter clothes, but Liu Chang'an, who was used to wearing light clothing, felt quite comfortable.

Although many modern elements have inevitably been added to the rooms for the sake of comfort, the feeling of the old days is still very strong. Many people go to ancient towns in Jiangnan or guesthouses with traditional Chinese design in pursuit of this kind of atmosphere.

Liu Chang'an's feelings at this moment were not much different from others; he was simply immersed in the atmosphere of the past, and did not become indifferent to it just because it was his usual living environment... After all, living in such a Jiangnan courtyard for a long time was something that happened more than a hundred years ago.

The feeling was complex; it felt like yesterday, yet also like everything had changed and all was lost. In this moment, Liu Chang'an wanted to compose a poem:

Never mind.

These two short characters, seemingly poetic yet not quite, express untold emotions, and their place in modern poetry is arguably comparable to Du Fu's "Ascending the Heights".

"Brother, there are several rooms here, but only this one bedroom, and only one bed." Qin Yanan looked around. The layout of the room hadn't changed much, but the uses of each room had changed a lot. Before, the bedroom was upstairs, and the maids had a place to sleep downstairs while waiting. Now it's completely different.

Qin Yanan didn't expect to share a bed with Liu Chang'an tonight, but Qin Peng's hints made it clear to everyone that the two of them alone together were a little awkward.

Liu Chang'an leaned against the railing above the pool, glanced at the few scattered lights in the distance, returned to the bedroom, drew the curtains, and nodded to Qin Yanan, "I'll sleep on the bed tonight, you can sleep on the floor, it shouldn't be cold."

A man and a woman alone in a room are bound to create a romantic atmosphere, but Qin Yanan didn't think too much about it; she just felt there should be some ambiance.

Most people would only joke like that, but he might be. His words made Qin Yanan both amused and annoyed. "So, when you and An Nuan were in Lin'an, did you sleep on the floor, or did she?"

It was snowing that day.

Qin Yanan was a little confused. What did this have to do with the snow? Did it mean that because it was snowing and the weather was cold, one of them wouldn't have a bed and the other would have to sleep on the floor?

Liu Chang'an and An Nuan's trip to Lin'an has been over for a long time, but those who have been paying attention have not forgotten it and have collected more related gossip here and there.

An Nuan only released some of the photos she took in Lin'an little by little after returning to Junsha.

Why release it little by little, intermittently? Because this way, it can occasionally stimulate those who are paying attention to her.

Of course, perhaps she simply enjoys reminiscing like this. Qin Yanan didn't necessarily think An Nuan harbored ill intentions; she was just making a casual guess.

Qin Yanan didn't directly follow An Nuan's social media updates; An Nuan was only mentioned incidentally when Zhu Juntang and Qin Yanan were chatting.

As for how Zhu Juntang knew about An Nuan's activities, it was naturally from Bai Hui, a mutual friend of An Nuan and Zhu Juntang.

Among An Nuan's photos, some were clearly taken in a hotel. Qin Yanan glanced at them casually and knew that a hotel couldn't possibly be without heating, so sleeping on the floor... wouldn't it be cold?

But neither Liu Chang'an nor An Nuan slept on the floor... yet today Qin Yanan is sleeping on the floor. What a good brother he is, making people feel warm as spring in their hearts.

"Nowadays, when people see snowy days, they easily associate them with snowy scenery. Whenever it snows in a city like Lin'an, it always evokes many longing sighs on social media." Liu Chang'an said calmly, looking at Qin Yanan seriously.

That's true, but what does that have to do with making me sleep on the floor?

"At this time, few people think that snowy days mean the cold winter, and the cold winter has always been one of the most difficult periods in human history. Being able to enjoy the winter snow scene has been the privilege of a few for most of the time since the birth of mankind..." Liu Chang'an asked, "Human beings fear the cold as a physiological instinct, but how can we resist the cold?"

"So you rubbed wood together to make fire, teaching humans how to warm themselves by making fire?" Qin Yanan calmly played along with his rambling.

"Fat."

"Ah?"

"Whether it's using fire for warmth or the development of various group heating devices nowadays, it all relies on external conditions. When humans didn't have so many external ways to resist the cold, they could only rely on their own fat. When humans encounter cold, the desire and need for fat is rooted in our genes." Liu Chang'an's gaze shifted from Qin Yanan's fat deposits. "Do you understand what I mean?"

Qin Yanan finally understood what he meant by rambling on, and laughed in exasperation, "You mean, because it snowed that day, you felt cold, and the craving for fat rooted in your genes was activated, so you slept with An Nuan? Today it didn't snow, so you didn't feel cold, and even though I'm also a lump of fat, you were able to get rid of me and make me sleep on the floor?"

"That's roughly the idea." Liu Chang'an laughed heartily. "You understand me quite well!"

"There's an obvious flaw in what you're saying. How much fat could An Nuan possibly have? Her fat content is enough to activate you?" Qin Yanan snorted, circled around Liu Chang'an, and without saying anything more, went to rummage through the cabinet.

She simply twirled in front of him; as for showing off, that was too vulgar.

"There's also a quilt and a mattress."

Qin Yanan breathed a sigh of relief. This solved the problem. The two of them couldn't possibly sleep in the same bed, but sleeping in the same room shouldn't be a problem.

Qin Yanan spread a cushion on the carpet, took pillows and a quilt to make a sleeping bed, and said to Liu Chang'an, "It's so late, let's not make a fuss, shall we? Just make do. You're the master, you sleep in the bed. I'm just a little sister who no one cares about, it's okay for me to sleep on the floor."

Liu Chang'an actually had no problem with sleeping on the bed or on the floor, but seeing her resentful expression, he lay down and took over the floor mat that Qin Yanan had just prepared.

"He's starting to look more like an older brother now." Qin Yanan smiled, pursing her lips. She noticed the luggage in the corner, turned around, and looked at Liu Chang'an with some hesitation.

"What's wrong?" Liu Chang'an was lying on the floor with his hands behind his head, looking at Qin Yanan.

"I... I brought clothes and cheongsams in the style of the Republic of China era... Since Su Nanxiu can revert to Su Mei's appearance, why don't I try to revert to Ye Sijin's appearance? Would you like to see Jin'er?"