Oh. My. Fate?! (BL, Volume 8, Part 3)

The air in the Hua family's courtyard was thick with anticipation, though for Hua Lin Rong, it was simply thick with the quiet companionship he now shared with his younger brother, Hua Lin Yu, and the enigmatic Xin Lan.

He watched them from his seat, a subtle tension humming between the two as Xin Lan's arm rested casually around Hua Lin Yu's shoulders. They weren't speaking much, just existing in comfortable silence, a silence that made Hua Lin Rong feel both a little left out and strangely content. He had just returned from a conversation with their father and grandfather, a conversation that had taken a surprising turn towards discussions of marriage and future journeys to the Dragon Realm.

His own mind still reeled with the implications, the sudden acceleration of his brother's destiny. He couldn't help but wonder if something significant had transpired between Hua Lin Yu and Xin Lan in his brief absence. A question lingered on his tongue, a soft inquiry into the nature of their silent understanding.