Is it shameful for a man of marrying age to have someone in his heart?

Why does he refuse to admit his feelings for the Little Princess, insist on rejecting her, and make her look for another match!

How could her brother be so stubborn!

Getting more and more angry as she thought about it, Xie Wanqing clutched the arm of the person next to her, "I don’t care, you have to explain clearly to me why you refuse to face your own feelings, why you won’t marry..."

As she spoke, it was as if a bolt of lightning struck her mind, staring at her brother in front of her in a daze, "You... could it be..."

"Wanwan," Xie YanYu’s lips twitched fiercely, "If you dare to speak nonsense again, I’ll fetch the ruler."

Xie Wanqing: "..."

She quickly reined in her gaze, blinking stubbornly and questioning, "Then why?"

Why, when he evidently has some feelings for Pei Yuxuan, does he want to ruthlessly push her away?

Is it because she married Pei Yuqing? Because siblings cannot swap spouses?

But the families aren’t blood relatives of the same branch, so there’s absolutely no impact.

If anything, it would be a double happiness.

Capital City has precedents of this kind.

Xie YanYu thought for a while, lowered his eyes to look at his sister, "Why do you always think I have feelings for the Commandery Princess?"

Xie Wanqing frowned and retorted, "Don’t you?"

"I don’t know, maybe I do," Xie YanYu paused and said, "But those feelings aren’t strong enough to make me want to marry her."

"What do you mean?" Xie Wanqing was a little puzzled, "Since you have feelings, and you’re of the age to marry, why not bring her home?"

How can he like her but not enough to want to marry her?

In aristocratic families, meeting someone you mutually like is already a great blessing.

...Could he be looking for someone he would marry for true love, and no one else?

She hadn’t realized her brother valued romance so much.

"Is brother unwilling to accept the Commandery Princess because he’s seeking the one and only true love?"

"It’s not like that," Xie YanYu shook his head, "The Commandery Princess loves too deeply; I cannot give her the response she desires. If she marries me, her expectations will inevitably fall short."

This wasn’t the clearest explanation, but Xie Wanqing understood it.

Young love, pure and without any impurities, like Pei Yuxuan’s pursuit of Xie YanYu, was bravely and openly expressed, like a small sun.

Yet the greater the love, the greater the expectation of equal reciprocation.

And Xie YanYu, by nature calm and with rare emotional fluctuations, might have been touched by Pei Yuxuan’s affection, but as he said, that touch isn’t enough to want to marry, let alone reciprocate equally.

Therefore, even if Xie YanYu were willing to marry her, the fact of not being loved back would be openly present, and Pei Yuxuan would eventually be disappointed.

At that point, they’d become a pair of resentful lovers.

Rather than that, it’s better not to start at all.

Pei Yuxuan marrying someone who doesn’t love her as much, although inevitably regretful, doesn’t mean she can’t happily live out her life. 𝓯𝙧𝙚𝒆𝙬𝙚𝒃𝙣𝙤𝒗𝓮𝓵.𝙘𝙤𝙢

And Xie YanYu marrying a dignified lady as his wife, respecting and supporting each other, would not need to feel guilty for not being able to show equal love.

That would be the best path for their lives.

Xie Wanqing understood everything, marveling at how she could analyze her brother’s thoughts so thoroughly, yet astonished at his coldness.

At this moment, she completely trusted Xie YanYu’s words.

He truly doesn’t have any feelings for Pei Yuxuan.

How indifferent must he be to see through the potential future of their union without interference.

Even a hint of affection would prevent such a decision.

He hadn’t even considered how daily life after marriage might stir feelings toward his wife.

Xie Wanqing was somewhat dazed.

This must be the true face of a man towards a girl he doesn’t like.

Calm, indifferent, not even emotional fluctuations.

Her brother is kind-hearted, unwilling to let a girl filled with love for him feel sadness or disappointment, hence choosing to refuse.

If it were any other man, he might marry Pei Yuxuan, at least for her status.

After all, who wouldn’t marry?

The path ahead, the brother and sister fell into silence.

When they arrived at Mrs. Zheng’s courtyard, Xie Wanqing angrily said, "Brother, you’re really heartless."

Speaking, she stomped her foot and ran into the house, leaving Xie YanYu helplessly standing still, watching his sister’s fleeing figure.

The dinner table was already full, and seeing her daughter arrive, Mrs. Zheng, who had been talking with her husband, smiled and said, "You heartless girl, you returned home yet didn’t spend more time with your mother, only agreed to come back when your brother called."