Reborn of the Rightful

Extra Story - No Youth is Truly Lived Without Being Chuunibyou

In the year Xiao Yan turned fifteen, he first felt the stirrings of love and fell for a girl.

This girl was quite ordinary in appearance, and her family ran a noodle soup shop in a small alley on West Phoenix Street in Yunyang City. Logically, with Xiao Yan's status, it was impossible for him to have any connection with a commoner girl of such background.

But on that day, the tutor teaching Xiao Yan had lodged a complaint against him before his grandfather, saying that among the five essays Xiao Yan had submitted, there was actually a drawing titled "Eagle Teasing a Turtle." Normally, Xiao Yan dabbling in painting during his studies wouldn't have been a big deal, but he had the misfortune of writing the character "Zhao" on the turtle's forehead, and it just so happened that the tutor's surname was Zhao.

So the old tutor, acting as if his life depended on it, ran to the old prince to lodge a complaint and begged the old prince to uphold justice for him. Poor Tutor Zhao was nearly seventy years old, and as he wept, he nearly keeled over several times from breathlessness.

Xiao Yan's grandfather, Xiao Qishan, had been a formidable figure in his youth, with a fiery temper and a particular disdain for the melodramatic antics of scholars—crying, making a scene, or threatening suicide. However, as he grew older, he became more amiable. He comforted Tutor Zhao kindly, promising to discipline Xiao Yan, that little brat, and so on.

After placating Tutor Zhao, the old prince didn't summon his grandson. Instead, he called over his son—Xiao Yan's father, Xiao Xingjian—and gave him a sound thrashing before entrusting him with the task of disciplining Xiao Yan.

At that time, Xiao Xingjian had already begun managing the affairs of the Yanbei Prince's Mansion and was as busy as a dog every day. Unjustly scolded by his father, he felt both aggrieved and furious. He immediately ordered someone to tie up Xiao Yan and give him a beating.

The Xiao Family's punishment was different from the usual household discipline—it was a military-style beating, where a single strike could leave one bloody and mangled, half-dead if not completely. Upon learning that his father intended to beat him, Xiao Yan fled at the first sign of trouble.

In truth, Xiao Yan was also aggrieved. While he had drawn the turtle, the character "Zhao" was not meant to mock Tutor Zhao. He had no idea how it had ended up in Tutor Zhao's hands.

It was already late November, and outside, the cold was so severe that water would freeze instantly. After running away from home, Xiao Yan, fearing that his father would send people to capture him, dared only to wander through the small alleys of Yunyang City. As dusk fell, cold and hungry, he finally stopped in front of a shabby noodle soup shop.

The patrons of such humble eateries were usually peddlers and laborers, with tables, chairs, bowls, and chopsticks all missing limbs or broken. Xiao Yan hesitated for a long while but still didn't enter—not because he looked down on the place, but because he hadn't brought any money with him.

Just as Xiao Yan was considering whether to sneak back to the prince's mansion, a cheerful female voice beside him said, "Customer, would you like a bowl of noodle soup? Our broth is made from pork and chicken bones—it's delicious."

Xiao Yan turned and saw a girl of about fifteen or sixteen standing in front of the noodle shop. Inside the eatery, only a single kerosene lamp was lit, its flickering flame casting the girl's features in dim light. Still, it was clear that she had thick eyebrows, large eyes, and a bright, cheerful smile.

If it were any other young master, even if they hadn't brought money, they would have put on airs and refused to lose face in front of commoners. But Xiao Yan wasn't like other young masters. He grinned shamelessly at the girl and declared matter-of-factly, "I didn't bring any silver. If you're treating, I'll have a bowl to try."

The girl was clearly unprepared for such a situation. She stared blankly for a moment, then rolled her eyes at Xiao Yan before turning and walking back inside.Xiao Yan didn't know what had come over him. Just moments ago, he had found the girl's appearance rather unremarkable, but that one eye-roll seemed to have suddenly cleared his meridians. He now thought this girl looked quite lively, even spirited.

So while the girl busied herself in the eatery, he stood cheerfully outside, watching her without feeling the cold.

He had no idea how long he had been watching when the customers in the eatery gradually thinned out. Just as Xiao Yan's hands and feet were freezing from the cold, the girl came out again.

"Hey! There's one bowl of noodle soup left. Do you want it?"

Xiao Yan didn't feel slighted at all. He looked at the girl with a bright smile and said, "Are you treating me?"

The girl rolled her eyes at him again, turned around, and went inside. A moment later, she came out from the kitchen carrying a large bowl of noodle soup. Seeing Xiao Yan still standing outside, she said impatiently, "Hey! Come in quickly! We're closing up after you finish!"

Xiao Yan happily went inside.

Although, given Xiao Yan's status, if he wanted a free meal, plenty of people in Yunyang City would beg him to eat, today no one knew who he was, and he was dressed plainly. So this bowl of noodle soup was earned through his personal charm.

To be honest, the noodle soup wasn't particularly tasty. Though the portion was generous, the flavor was average. But Xiao Yan was truly starving, so he still ate it with relish. Besides, the girl was sitting not far away under the kerosene lamp, doing her accounts. The silhouette of her profile was warm and lovely.

After finishing the bowl of noodle soup, Xiao Yan felt warm both physically and emotionally. He quietly got up and walked behind the girl, craning his neck to look at her ledger.

The girl frowned and glanced back at him.

Xiao Yan tried his best to make his smile look handsome and charming. Unfortunately, he was only fifteen at the time, still quite green, and there was a piece of scallion stuck to the corner of his mouth, making him look utterly foolish. "You can read?" he asked.

Only after asking did he realize that what the girl was writing in the ledger wasn't words but symbols he couldn't understand.

Unsurprisingly, he earned another eye-roll from the girl. "What if I can't read? I can still give you a meal!"

Xiao Yan quickly nodded. "You're right, miss. I usually can't stand bookworms who've gone stupid from reading. They're always crying, making a fuss, or threatening to hang themselves—no manly spirit at all."

The girl sneered. "That's what all the blockheads say."

Just as Xiao Yan was about to argue, someone from the inner room called out, "A-Lian!" The girl responded, "Coming!"

Xiao Yan said cheekily, "So your name is A-Lian. Nice name."

The girl gave him a sidelong glance and casually asked, "What's your name?"

Xiao Yan replied, "My name is A-Yan."

The girl looked at him, stood up, and headed toward the inner room, saying, "We're closing up. You should leave now."

Sure enough, not long after A-Lian went inside, a middle-aged couple came out to clean up the tables and chairs. Xiao Yan waited a little longer, but when it seemed A-Lian wouldn't come out again, he rubbed his nose and left.

After leaving West Phoenix Street, Xiao Yan figured his father might have forgotten about punishing him by now, so he sneaked back to the Yanbei Prince's Mansion.

Unexpectedly, his father was in a bad mood that day and had been thinking about him. By the time Xiao Yan finally made it to his own courtyard, four of his father's guards were waiting for him in the pitch-dark yard.

This time, it wasn't so easy for Xiao Yan to escape. In the end, he howled like a ghost and took fifty military lashes.Xiao Yan had originally planned to go to Ah Lian's noodle shop the next day, but unfortunately, his buttocks were so badly bruised that even if he were made of copper and iron, he wouldn't have been able to get up.

By the third day of lying face down on his bed, his cousin came to visit him.

Upon hearing this, Xiao Yan curled his lips and said to the servants around him, "Tell her I'm asleep and unavailable."

Xiao Yan had two cousins, both nieces of his birth mother, Consort Yun. However, the one who came today was named Yun Chuxue—Chuxue, as in "first snow." Xiao Yan disliked her name, finding it unpleasant, and today, upon hearing it, he felt a sharp pain in his buttocks.

Since childhood, Xiao Yan had disliked both his cousins, especially this Yun Chuxue, whom he found boring and rather cunning.

When he was young, Xiao Yan would pull her braids, but the little girl never cried. Instead, she would stare at him with her dark, gleaming eyes until Xiao Yan felt guilty and let go. Strangely, every time he bullied Yun Chuxue, he would end up in trouble—either being inexplicably punished to write calligraphy or sent to the military camp for training. Xiao Yan suspected that Yun Chuxue secretly reported him, though he had never found any solid evidence over the years.

Last month, Xiao Yan accidentally overheard his father and mother discussing arranging a marriage between him and Yun Chuxue. For Xiao Yan, this news was nothing short of a bolt from the blue.

Although Xiao Yan was the legitimate eldest grandson of the Yanbei Prince's Mansion and held a noble status, by the age of fifteen, he still didn’t have a single concubine or maid. Although his elders had arranged for two slightly older, beautiful maids to serve in his room—implying their intentions—he had never acted on it.

It wasn’t that Xiao Yan was particularly innocent or chaste. On quiet nights, the young boy would fantasize about soft, gentle girls under his blanket. However, Xiao Yan had a secret he was too embarrassed to mention.

On that part of his body that all men have, he had a large mole...

Well, it didn’t affect its function, but it did somewhat affect its appearance.

Although Xiao Yan was usually carefree, when it came to matters of manhood, he still cared about his dignity. Of course, in a few years or decades, someone as thick-skinned as Xiao Yan would likely no longer care about such a minor detail that didn’t affect functionality. But for the fifteen-year-old Xiao Yan, who had yet to experience matters of intimacy, he still felt a bit shy.

Originally, Xiao Yan thought that once he married, it wouldn’t matter if his wife saw it—after all, his wife wouldn’t laugh at him for it. But the premise was that his wife couldn’t be Yun Chuxue!

Although Xiao Yan didn’t want to admit it, he was somewhat wary of his cousin Yun Chuxue. The fact that all the boys and girls around his age had cried at his hands, except for Yun Chuxue, instinctively made him feel that she was not to be trifled with.

Xiao Yan couldn’t even imagine the dire consequences if Yun Chuxue were to discover his secret.

Since then, Xiao Yan had made it a point to avoid Yun Chuxue whenever he saw her.

As Xiao Yan lay there lost in thought, he suddenly heard a gentle female voice nearby: "Has Cousin recovered a bit?"

Startled by the voice, Xiao Yan nearly jumped out of bed, only to strain the muscles in his buttocks, causing such sharp pain that tears welled up in his eyes.

"Damn it! Didn’t I say I was asleep? Who let her in!" Xiao Yan roared in frustration.

As soon as his words fell, a cold voice replied, "What nonsense are you spouting? It seems your beating wasn’t severe enough."Xiao Yan turned his head and saw his birth mother, Consort Yun, standing nearby with a cold expression, while a beautiful young girl stood obediently beside her.

Xiao Yan suddenly felt a pang of irritation. Before his mother noticed, he shot Yun Chuxue a fierce glare.

Yun Chuxue responded with a gentle smile, which sent a chill down Xiao Yan’s spine.

While Consort Yun stepped aside to examine the prescription the physician had written for Xiao Yan, Yun Chuxue remained standing not far from his bedside.

“Would you like some water, Cousin?”

Xiao Yan rolled his eyes at her, putting on an arrogant air. “No need to trouble yourself.”

Yun Chuxue smiled patiently and said nothing.

Seeing that Consort Yun wasn’t paying attention, Xiao Yan tilted his head and scrutinized Yun Chuxue with a critical gaze before warning her in a low voice, “I won’t marry you, so don’t even dream about it!”

Yun Chuxue didn’t blush or change her expression. Instead, she replied calmly, as if discussing everyday matters, “Why not?”

Xiao Yan was momentarily speechless. Then, suddenly recalling the eye-roll A’Lian had given him that day, he declared with righteous indignation, “I’ve got someone I like. I don’t like you.”

Yun Chuxue fell silent.

Her silence made Xiao Yan feel both uneasy and secretly pleased. Pretending not to care, he turned his head away, only to meet a pair of dark, serene eyes. He held her gaze for a moment before reluctantly turning back.

Not long after, Yun Chuxue’s calm and gentle voice broke the silence. “It’s fine if you don’t like me.”

For some reason, her words infuriated Xiao Yan. No matter how he interpreted it, he felt there was an unspoken implication: It’s fine if you don’t like me, because I don’t like you either. As long as you’re surnamed Xiao, that’s enough.

Fuming, Xiao Yan hissed under his breath, “It might be fine for you, but it’s not fine for me! I don’t want to marry someone I don’t like. I’ll only marry the person I love in this lifetime!”

Yun Chuxue studied Xiao Yan thoughtfully for a moment before giving him an ambiguous and dismissive reply: “Oh.”

Xiao Yan felt his injuries had worsened—this time, it was internal damage.

In the end, Yun Chuxue left with Consort Yun, but Xiao Yan’s mood remained sour for the next few days, until his injuries had mostly healed and he could move around freely again.

Once his backside had recovered, Xiao Yan’s first order of business was to visit A’Lian’s noodle shop. This time, he again brought no money—and it was intentional.

A’Lian was surprised to see him. After rolling her eyes at him, she went back to work.

Xiao Yan cheerfully took a seat in the shop, watching A’Lian bustle about.

The more he watched, the more he felt A’Lian was a good match—unlike Yun Chuxue, who kept her emotions hidden behind a mask-like expression all day. Xiao Yan thought that if he married Yun Chuxue, they’d probably never argue even once in their entire lives. What fun would that be?

A’Lian was different. In front of her, he was just an ordinary man. If A’Lian liked him, it would be for who he was, not his status. Deep down, the young Xiao Yan harbored a hidden, somewhat sentimental heart—proud and finicky—though he would never admit it.

Xiao Yan stayed until the shop closed. Once again, A’Lian brought him a bowl of noodle soup from the kitchen and set it down heavily in front of him. “Here, eat up.”Xiao Yan happily ate the bowl of noodle soup, which he still believed he had earned through his own charm.

From then on, Xiao Yan visited A-Lian's noodle shop every day, deliberately leaving his money behind each time. He would wait until A-Lian closed her stall and enjoy a free bowl of noodle soup.

Day by day, Xiao Yan grew fonder of A-Lian, increasingly convinced that marrying a woman like her would make his life truly meaningful and complete.

However, Xiao Yan knew his elders would never allow him to marry a woman of A-Lian's status, so he spent this period in a bittersweet mix of joy and pain.

Eventually, Xiao Yan made up his mind: if his grandfather and father refused to let him marry the woman he loved, he would take A-Lian and leave. After all, he had no interest in inheriting the Yanbei Prince's Mansion. His father worked himself to the bone like a dog, constantly having to appease the imperial court—being the Prince of Yanbei wasn't all that great anyway.

He would take his woman and spend a lifetime guarding Jiajing Pass, raising a brood of children. Wouldn't that be a life of freedom?

Once he had settled on this plan, Xiao Yan felt elated. The sky seemed bluer, the water clearer, and even Old Master Zhao, who taught him to read, appeared more handsome.

But Xiao Yan's good mood didn't last long. On his grandfather's birthday, the old man suddenly announced a "joyful news": Xiao Yan was now engaged to Yun Chuxue.

Watching Yun Chuxue calmly accept the hairpin his mother gave her, Xiao Yan seethed with anger, though he refrained from causing a scene.

That day, Xiao Yan went to see A-Lian later than usual, but she didn't ask why. When she closed her stall and brought him a steaming bowl of noodle soup as usual, Xiao Yan picked up his chopsticks but didn't eat.

A-Lian glared at him. "Not eating? If you're not, I'll take it away."

Xiao Yan looked at A-Lian's lively face and suddenly found himself at a loss for words.

A-Lian frowned. "What's wrong?"

After staring at her for a long moment, Xiao Yan suddenly said, "Would you be willing to come away with me?"

A-Lian was taken aback.

Xiao Yan said earnestly, "As my wife. I promise I'll treat you well—for the rest of my life."

A-Lian remained silent for a long time before asking, "You want to leave? Where to? Isn't Yunyang City good enough?"

Xiao Yan smiled bitterly. "There's been some trouble at home. I plan to go to Ningxia and seek refuge with a friend. But don't worry, I have some savings and skills. I won't let you suffer with me."

This time, A-Lian fell silent even longer. Xiao Yan grew anxious. After what felt like an eternity, she finally said, "I need to think about it."

Seeing that A-Lian hadn't outright refused, Xiao Yan felt a surge of joy, followed by a sweet warmth. He immediately pulled a jade pendant from his pocket and pressed it into A-Lian's hand. "Take this. Think it over carefully."

A-Lian looked down at the jade pendant in her hand but said nothing.

Three days after Xiao Yan's confession, A-Lian finally gave him her answer.

"When are we leaving?"

Hearing this, Xiao Yan's eyes lit up. "On the fifth of next month. I need to make some arrangements first."

That day, Xiao Yan didn't stay to eat at A-Lian's place. He had to go back and plan carefully for their future. A-Lian stood at the entrance of her food stall, watching him leave, and remained there for a long, long time.The following days were busy yet uneventful for Xiao Yan. He planned to first take A Lian to Ningxia for a while. Wu Xiaohe in Ningxia was on good terms with him, and after establishing himself with the help of the Wu family, he intended to move on to Jiajing Pass. At fifteen, Xiao Yan was wholeheartedly determined to live the life he wanted.

On the third day of the lunar month, just two days before his departure from Yunyang City, Xiao Yan once again encountered Yun Chuxue at the Yanbei Prince's Mansion.

Yun Chuxue gazed quietly at Xiao Yan.

Under her gaze, Xiao Yan suddenly felt a pang of guilt and a sense of having wronged Yun Chuxue. After all, Yun Chuxue hadn’t done anything wrong.

Thus, Xiao Yan, unusually gentle, showed concern for Yun Chuxue: "The weather is still chilly. Why didn’t you wear an extra layer when going out, cousin?"

Yun Chuxue looked at Xiao Yan for a moment before suddenly asking, "Have you been very busy lately, cousin?"

Xiao Yan was startled by the question, wondering if Yun Chuxue had noticed something. But upon second thought, he found it unlikely and replied impatiently, "Yes, Father has assigned me some tasks, but it’s not something you should ask about."

Yun Chuxue pressed on, "Are you going on a long journey?"

Xiao Yan: "..."

Yun Chuxue looked at him, seemingly waiting for an answer. Xiao Yan initially intended to ignore her but couldn’t help retorting irritably, "I’m not going anywhere!"

Yun Chuxue nodded gently and said, "That’s good. Earlier, at Aunt’s place, I saw Nanny Li consulting the almanac. She said this month is a rare inauspicious month, unsuitable for long journeys. If you have any plans to travel, please postpone them for a few days."

After saying this, Yun Chuxue gracefully walked away.

Xiao Yan watched her retreating figure, suddenly feeling a wave of restlessness in his heart.

On the night of the fifth day, Xiao Yan went to the eatery to pick up A Lian. She had packed a bundle and was waiting there. Xiao Yan knew A Lian had no parents; she lived with her uncle and aunt, who didn’t care much for her. He wasn’t sure how she had explained things to them. Earlier, Xiao Yan had given A Lian two hundred taels of silver to give to her family as a betrothal gift.

Xiao Yan stepped forward and took A Lian’s hand—the first physical contact between them. Her hand felt cold, so he warmed it with his breath.

"Let’s go. The carriage is just ahead."

But A Lian didn’t move, only looking at Xiao Yan.

Xiao Yan grinned, though he was actually nervous. "What’s wrong? Don’t tell me you’ve changed your mind. It’s too late for regrets now."

A Lian shook her head and let Xiao Yan lead her away.

The carriage left Yunyang City and took to the official road under the cover of night. Inside, neither Xiao Yan nor A Lian spoke. Xiao Yan was pondering Yun Chuxue’s words from that day, while A Lian, perhaps never having traveled far, seemed uneasy.

So when the carriage suddenly jerked to a halt and arrows struck its walls, Xiao Yan was almost caught off guard. However, he was no ordinary frail youth. He quickly realized they had been ambushed and immediately pulled A Lian down inside the carriage to avoid the hidden arrows.

Xiao Yan was eloping, so he had only brought eight personal guards who had always followed him. He hadn’t expected his whereabouts to be exposed, as he had handled all the preparations for the journey himself without involving anyone else. Now, Xiao Yan didn’t want to dwell on why assassins were waiting here to ambush him.Xiao Yan lifted the curtain and glanced outside. Under the moonlight, about twenty men in black were locked in combat with his eight guards. His guards were skilled, but the opponents were no weaklings either. Moreover, they were already quite far from Yunyang City, in a desolate and remote area. Aside from his own party, no one else passed by, leaving them with no means to call for help.

The Xiao Family does not have cowards. Xiao Yan merely glanced outside before calmly drawing his sword to face the enemy. Just as he was about to step out of the carriage, his sleeve was tugged.

Xiao Yan turned to look at A-Lian, who was holding onto his sleeve, and pressed his lips together. "Stay hidden in the carriage."

But A-Lian shook her head, gripping him tightly as tears streamed uncontrollably down her face.