I was chased by my sickly junior brother who had two lives

The afternoon sun shines through the carved windows of the teahouse, onto the wooden tables and chairs, creating patches of mottled light and shadow. The teahouse is filled with a faint scent of tea, and the whispers of the guests and the sound of the tea bowls hitting the tabletop are intertwined, creating a peaceful and cozy atmosphere.

After ordering her new clothes, Chen Jia wanted to go back home, but she met Wei Lang on the way. Wei Lang warmly invited her to the teahouse for a short visit. Chen Jia hesitated for a moment, but finally agreed. The two sat opposite each other by the window, with a pot of steaming Biluochun tea on the table, and tea smoke rising.

Wei Lang looked at Chen Jia, with a complex emotion in his eyes, including longing, emotion, and a subtle nervousness. He was the first to break the silence, "Miss Chen, long time no see. It is my honor to meet you today." His voice was low and gentle, as if he was afraid of disturbing the quiet atmosphere in the teahouse.

Chen Jia nodded slightly, a polite smile on her lips, "Mr. Wei, it's been a long time since we last met. How... have you been lately?" Her eyes were a little wandering, her hands unconsciously fiddling with the corners of her clothes, and she still felt a little uncomfortable about this encounter.

Wei Lang noticed Chen Jia's reserve, and he sighed softly, "I... am fine. It's just that I met some old friends in the capital recently, and I couldn't help feeling emotional." As he spoke, his eyes fell on Chen Jia's face, trying to catch a trace of emotional fluctuations from her expression.

"Oh? Did you meet someone special?" Chen Jia had an inexplicable premonition in her heart, but she still followed Wei Lang's question. She picked up the tea bowl in front of her and took a sip. The warm tea slid down her throat, but it couldn't relieve her inner tension.

Wei Lang was silent for a moment, his eyes became a little deep, "I met Yang Xiu. He...he looks very embarrassed now, completely different from the high-spirited man before." As he spoke, he observed Chen Jia's reaction. He saw that her hand holding the tea bowl trembled slightly, and a complicated look flashed in her eyes.

Chen Jia's heart suddenly tightened, and Yang Xiu's face involuntarily appeared in her mind. Although she tried to keep herself calm, her voice still trembled unconsciously, "He...what happened to him?"

Wei Lang looked at the concern in Chen Jia's eyes and felt a pang of pain in his heart, but he continued, "After the fall of King Jin, his life seemed to have become very difficult. When I saw him, he was in rags and looked dazed, completely lacking his former charm. I guess he must have endured a lot during this period."

Chen Jia lowered her head, a trace of pity flashed in her eyes, but it was quickly replaced by a trace of determination, "This is all his own choice. Since he chose to collude with King Jin, he should have expected such a result." Although her tone was cold, her slightly clenched fists revealed her inner unrest.

Wei Lang nodded slightly, "I understand, Miss Chen. I am not here to plead for him, but seeing his current appearance, I feel very emotional. The three of us have known each other for many years and have spent many wonderful times together, but I didn't expect that we would now embark on different paths." There was a hint of sadness in his eyes, as if he was recalling the past years.

Chen Jia raised her head and looked at Wei Lang, a hint of doubt flashed in her eyes, "Mr. Wei, why are you telling me all this? We... haven't talked like this for a long time." She didn't know what Wei Lang was up to, and she felt a little wary.

Wei Lang took a deep breath, as if he had mustered up a lot of courage, "Ms. Chen, actually I came to you today because I wanted to tell you that I hope we can start over. Not with an emotional entanglement like before, but just... being ordinary friends." His eyes were sincere and honest, and he stared at Chen Jia intently.

Chen Jia looked at Wei Lang in surprise. She didn't expect Wei Lang to make such a request. A complex emotion surged in her heart. She was touched, hesitant, and a little scared. "Master Wei, do you really think so? We have been through so much. Can we go back to the way we were before?"

Wei Lang smiled slightly, but there was a hint of bitterness in his smile, "I know this is difficult, Miss Chen. But I have figured it out. Some feelings don't have to be possessed. Being able to accompany you as a friend may also be a kind of happiness. Seeing Yang Xiu's current appearance, I understand more clearly that we cannot let those complicated emotions destroy the originally beautiful friendship between us."

Chen Jia fell into deep thought. She looked at Wei Lang, and her heart wavered. She knew that Wei Lang was a good man and had been sincere to her. But her past emotional experience made her a little afraid of being hurt again. "Master Wei, I... I don't know how to answer you. I'm afraid... I'm afraid that after we become friends again, we will fall into the same predicament as before."

Wei Lang stretched out his hand, wanting to hold Chen Jia's hand, but stopped in mid-air, then slowly let it go, "Miss Chen, I understand your concerns. But I promise you, this time I just want to be friends with you. We can take it slow and rebuild trust. I don't want to lose you, such an important person, because of past regrets." His eyes were full of anticipation, as if he was waiting for Chen Jia's decision.

Chen Jia looked into Wei Lang's eyes. The sincerity in his eyes softened her heart. "Mr. Wei, I don't want us to become strangers. It's just that I need time to adjust myself. I don't want to experience those painful feelings again."

Wei Lang nodded quickly, "I know, Miss Chen. I will give you time and will not put any pressure on you. We can start with some small things, such as drinking tea together occasionally and talking about interesting things in the capital." His tone was full of excitement, as if he had already seen the beautiful picture after they became friends.

Chen Jia smiled slightly, "Well, that sounds good. But, Master Wei, we can't let past feelings affect our current relationship. I hope we can both let go of the past and start over."

"Of course, Miss Chen. Let the past be the past, and we should look forward." Wei Lang picked up the teapot and filled Chen Jia's tea bowl with tea. "Just like this tea, each brew has a different taste. Our relationship can also have a new beginning."

Chen Jia picked up the tea bowl and sniffed the tea. "Master Wei, you are right. I hope that our new beginning this time will be as fresh and lasting as the fragrance of this tea."

The two smiled at each other, as if at this moment, the gap between them gradually dissipated. The sunlight shone through the window, shining on them, warm and bright.

"By the way, Miss Chen, why did you go to order clothes today? Is there any special occasion?" Wei Lang changed the subject, trying to make the atmosphere more relaxed and cheerful.

Chen Jia smiled and shook her head. "There's no special occasion. I just saw a piece of silk that I liked and wanted to make a new dress. Women always like beautiful clothes."

Wei Lang looked at Chen Jia, with a hint of admiration in his eyes. "Miss Chen, you are naturally beautiful. No matter what you wear, you will look beautiful. But what kind of silk did you choose? Can you tell me about it?"

Chen Jia's eyes sparkled as she described it with great interest, "It's a piece of lavender silk cloth with faint patterns on it, as delicate as dewdrops on flower petals in the morning. I plan to have the tailor embroider some crabapple flowers on the cuffs and neckline, and make the hem of the skirt into gradient pleats. It will definitely be very beautiful."

Wei Lang listened carefully, imagining how Chen Jia would look in her new dress. "It sounds really beautiful. Miss Chen, when your new dress is ready, you must let me see it."

"Okay, Master Wei. If you have the chance, you will naturally see it." Chen Jia replied with a smile.

The two chatted about some topics about clothing and fashion, from the popular styles in the capital to the characteristics of various fabrics, and the atmosphere became more and more harmonious.

"Actually, I have done some research on these recently. I found that today's clothing pays more and more attention to details and artistic conception, and is not as monotonous as before," said Wei Lang.

"Yes, today's tailors have more and more sophisticated skills, and they can always incorporate various beautiful elements into clothes. This also gives those of us who love beauty more choices." Chen Jia echoed.

Unconsciously, time passed quietly in their conversation. The number of customers in the teahouse gradually decreased, and the sunlight became softer, tinged with a light orange-red color.

"Miss Chen, it's getting late. Let me take you back home." Wei Lang looked at the sky outside the window and stood up.

Chen Jia also stood up and nodded slightly, "Then I'll trouble you, Master Wei."

The two walked out of the teahouse, and pedestrians were still coming and going on the street. Wei Lang and Chen Jia walked side by side, their figures were stretched out in the afterglow of the setting sun, like a warm painting. Along the way, they did not mention the complicated feelings in the past, but occasionally shared some interesting things they saw on the road, and their laughter echoed on the street.

When they reached the gate of the Duke's Mansion, Chen Jia stopped, turned around and said to Wei Lang: "Master Wei, thank you very much today. It's a pleasure to chat with you. I hope we can always maintain this friendship."

Wei Lang looked at Chen Jia with a smile, "Miss Chen, I am very happy too. Go back and have a good rest, we will talk again another day."

Chen Jia nodded and walked into the Duke's Mansion. Wei Lang stood outside the mansion, watching the door of the Duke's Mansion slowly close, with a smile on his face. He knew that this was a new beginning, the beginning of their friendship. He turned and left, his heart full of expectations for the future.

Back home, Wei Lang sat in his study, recalling his conversation with Chen Jia, feeling relieved. He knew it would not be easy to win back Chen Jia's trust, but he was willing to work hard for it. He picked up a pen and wrote down some poems about friendship and cherishing on paper, hoping to share them with Chen Jia the next time they met.

After Chen Jia returned to her house, she also fell into deep thought. Her mood was somewhat complicated, with both expectations for new friendships and the release of past feelings. She knew that this was an important turning point in her life, and she had to face it bravely and cherish this hard-won new beginning. She walked into her room, sat in front of the window, and looked at the garden outside the window. A smile appeared on the corner of her mouth, as if she saw a hopeful life in the future.

In the following days, Wei Lang and Chen Jia abided by their agreement and got along as friends.