Synopsis
Premise: Teacher, friend, and spouse; understanding each other, growing jealous of each other, and loving each other always
Heroine: Wei Xun, courtesy name Xunzhi, childhood nickname Yanyan
Hero: Cheng Xuan, courtesy name Boxuan
“Yanyan likes Brother Xuan best!”
“Brother Xuan is wonderful in every way!”
No one would take a child’s words seriously, except another child.
~~
Wei Xun of the Wei family was clever and perceptive from an early age, especially talented at painting. By the time she came of age, she already had the air of a great master.
The Duke of Jin treasured his daughter and wanted to find her a good match.
“Our families have been friends for generations, we are good neighbors, and his family is upright. Are you satisfied, my child?”
Wei Xun stared at the name card in her hand, stunned and unsure what to do.
Cheng Xuan was elegant, refined, gentle, and courteous. There was truly nothing wrong with him. She respected and admired him.
But how could the affection between siblings be confused with romantic love?
The young lady lay awake all night. In the end, with her eyes red from lack of sleep, she went in person to apologize.
The windows were wide open, and the room was bright with daylight. Everything was clearly aboveboard.
Yet Wei Xun felt that Cheng Xuan himself was shrouded in gloom. Only then did she realize that, when it came to a marriage between their families, no matter how much she trusted Cheng Xuan, she should not have spoken so bluntly without thinking.
The young lady lowered her eyes in dismay, only to see the hem of a robe, flowing like drifting clouds, come to a stop before her.
“I told you before that I wouldn’t be angry with Yanyan. I still mean it, but Yanyan mustn’t forget what I said before that.”
“Wei Xun, this is the third time.”
The man stopped before her and knelt on one knee, meeting her gaze without looking away for even a moment. “You shouldn’t call me elder brother. I have never thought of myself as your elder brother.”
~~
Cheng Xuan believed he had always treated everyone with equal kindness and respect.
His second younger brother’s constant complaints that he “favored Wei Xun” and “always took her side” were just childish remarks, not to be taken seriously.
Wei Xun came from a distinguished family and was a treasured guest of his mother’s. It was only right, and proper, that he treat her with special care.
Until he began to envy a plum tree.
The tree Wei Xun had spent all spring painting.
~~
Everyone in Yujing City knew that the newly appointed top candidate in the palace examinations embroidered plain plum blossoms on all his clothes. He preferred the lush plum to the delicate peach, loving it for its pure, flawless beauty.
Wei Xun felt the same, so she was genuinely curious. “Why isn’t there a single plum tree in this courtyard?”
“What occupies my heart? Why am I jealous of peaches and plums? Does my wife truly not know?”
[Please Note]
The heroine has an older brother of her own, and she is not related to the hero by blood. There is another reason she calls him “elder brother.”
A sweet-and-sour romance with a hint of plum, and two people healing each other.
[Reader’s Guide]
My take on childhood friends brought together by fate; the story opens with their reunion.
The setting is fictional. The Wei and Cheng families live next door to each other and are close.
Wei Xun left the capital with her father when she was seven, and returned after coming of age.
Theme: Two hearts in tune, childhood sweethearts.