Guanshan Muyu

chapter 18

Sixteen-year-old Xia Xun was a prickly teenager, always wary about others and refusing to get close easily.

But when he met Qi Yan, he felt Qi Yan was so kind and friendly that in a few days Xia Xun started trusting him, just like a small animal showing its soft belly.

He liked Qi Yan very much. He didn’t mind that the house he lived in was dilapidated. As long as he had free time, he went over the wall to Qi Yan’s courtyard, sometimes with Shaobo and sometimes with Yuzhu.

When he brought them both, Qi Yan’s yard would be extremely lively.

Qi Yan never found him noisy; he prepared snacks every time and entertained him gently.

The only thing you could get at Qi Yan’s house was a coarse meal, no match for the delicacies of Xia Mansion, but Xia Xun did not care at all and ate happily every time.

At that time, he had been far more lively than he was now. As soon as he saw Qi Yan, he would chatter non-stop, telling him all the trivial things he encountered during the day.

Soon Qi Yan knew that Xia Xun was studying in the academy and the teachers and the students there ignored him. There was only one guy called He Cong, who was his good friend.

Xia Xun didn’t like reading. His attempts to memorise the texts written by the sages always ended up in a mess, the first sentence not followed by the next sentence, so he was often punished by the teacher.

He liked to carve things out of wood the most. He told Qi Yan that the small animals he made were the most life-like.

He made one for Yuzhu, and when Qi Yan celebrated his birthday, he would also make one for him.

Qi Yan thanked him with a smile.

One day, Xia Xun came after dinner. As always, he talked a lot with Qi Yan. He was in the same state as usual, with a smile on his face.

But Qi Yan keenly noticed that he didn’t seem very happy.

Since Xia Xun didn’t say anything, he didn’t ask, patiently talking with him.

Only late at night, when Qi Hui yawned accidentally, did Xia Xun realise that he was staying for too long.

He shut up abruptly, looked at Qi Yan cautiously, and said shyly:

“Are you tired? I’m really sorry, I can never stop talking!”

Qi Yan comforted him, saying:  “I don’t mind at all, but I’m afraid that if you go back too late, your family will be worried.”

Xia Xun muttered in a low voice:“…they won’t worry about me.”

Qi Yan didn’t hear him clearly and asked him what he was talking about.

Xia Xun shook his head and said：

“If you really don’t mind… Can you talk with me for a while?”

Qi Yan went along with him and accompanied him in his rambling small talk.

After some more time, the sound of the watchman knocking on the clapper came from outside the wall, and Xia Xun stopped again. He had already forced Qi Yan to chat late into the night, and he shouldn’t continue anymore.

Looking at Qi Yan, who couldn’t hide his tiredness, he understood that it was time to leave.

Xia Xun reluctantly got off the couch and put on his shoes dejectedly.

Even when he stood up, he didn’t go out immediately.

After lingering in place for a while, he cheekily walked to the side of the antique shelf and looked curiously at the objects placed on it.