The Endless Promise

90. Shutting Doors

.

That night, Luoyin and Yin Xing returned home to find Weiyan outside, but upon sighting them, she hastily swivelled to a bed of flowers.

"A-Tong, let's take these ones for the room!" She awkwardly gestured to Tong, who nearly tripped.

'M- My Lady, these same flowers are growing in your courtyard!' Tong thought, resisting an urge to slap her own forehead. 'Might as well say you were waiting!'

Meanwhile Luoyin's thoughts were suddenly filled with the memory of Weiyan's arms going around him in this same place, the previous evening, and his ears reddened as the air grew a bit too warm!

Thankfully, Weiyan didn't notice, and after carelessly plucking a few flowers, she and Tong hurried back inside!

Yin Xing gave a light and amused cough.

"Ahem! Elder brother, how can you avoid something that follows you?!"

"You-!" Luoyin scowled, but simply flung his sleeves and stormed into the house.

Yin Xing merely shook his head.

.

.

Luoyin was determined to avoid Weiyan as much as possible, so the next day, he left the Yan house early intending to spend the entire day outside again.

But...

"Y- Yanyan! What are you doing here?!" Luoyin asked as the morning chill instantly vanished, and the sight of Weiyan put him in mind of the most beautiful flowers.

He had headed to the Xu Central Residence so early, only to see Weiyan there as well!

'Is Fei Yun toying with my fate?! What are the odds that she's also here this early?!'

"A-Yin!" Weiyan gave him a bright smile- the brightest he had ever seen on her face, and he felt his heart swell as an incredibly warm feeling wove around him.

"I came to discuss with father and see my sister..." She was saying, but her face fell slightly at the mention of her sister.

She hadn't seen Xu Linhua or Zhang Cheng since the Zhang Furen incident, and she had no idea how to face Linhua.

Knowing Linhua, she would likely blame her for everything, reminding her of her status as an orphan, and of all the good graces she had enjoyed for free in the Xu family...

But Weiyan gasped softly when Luoyin suddenly stepped closer and took her hand, gazing down at her.

'W- Why am I doing this?!' Luoyin wondered, but still found himself patting her hand.

"Yanyan, you have nothing to be ashamed of, so you must hold your head high at all times." Luoyin calmly told her. "The biggest thing we can't control is our own birth, if not..."

He leaned down conspiratorially. "Would I have picked Lord Zhang of all people?!"

Weiyan chuckled lightly, and Luoyin drew in a sharp breath.

He had never heard her laugh, and it teased his ears, tinkling lightly across his skin...

"Er-- Ahem!" He caught himself. "You must neither blame nor belittle yourself before anyone... Orphans are people. They didn't choose to live in this world without their birth parents, so why should they shoulder so much weight?

"Lord Xu shielded you through the years, and one must be grateful, especially to such a good father, so do your best to be filial to him, and maybe Xu Furen...

"Xu Haoyuan shouldn't bother you again, and Xu Linhua isn't even worth mentioning!

"With the best family and resources, Xu Linhua still couldn't achieve anything for herself! Even if you weren't there, she would still lose to almost every female disciple in the Sect, so she's just bitter.