54 Chapter Fifty-Four

"When is my cousin leaving? I'd like to go with him to the Northwest."

Chapter 54

Seeing is believing.

The next moment, Xie Lang saw the refined and elegant General Ying nod to him, then turn around and say something to the girl beside him, at which point the man suddenly turned around.

I knew it, it was his wife...

Even from this distance, he could see her surprise.

Xie Lang suddenly felt displeased. Why was he so surprised? What was so surprising about him coming here?

He dismounted nimbly, handed the reins to Xie Wu, and walked straight toward them.

Seeing him approach, Liu Qingqing quickly turned away and finished her sentence, encouraging them to work hard. She added that if things went well, the money would increase.

Before Xie Lang arrived, Liu Qingqing hurriedly chased everyone away.

The crowd dispersed, and Ying Yucheng looked thoughtfully at his cousin's tense face.

Before they could think it through, Xie Lang was already in front of them.

Ying Yucheng bowed to Xie Lang, saying, "Lord Xie."

Xie Lang returned the greeting, "Young General Ying."

The two then fell silent.

The three stood silently under the tree, and for a moment no one spoke, and an eerie silence fell over them.

Ying Yucheng discreetly observed Xie Lang, noting the emerging air of a powerful minister, truly imposing and extraordinary. He thought of his cousin, who had endured hardship growing up in the Liu family; to marry such a man and be protected under his wings was a sweet reward after all her suffering.

I wonder if Lord Xie is aware of my cousin's recent actions. He was quite surprised when he first learned of them, never expecting that such a frail woman could possess such magnanimity. He thought to himself that he wanted to praise my cousin to Lord Xie, so that Lord Xie would know that my cousin wasn't without family support.

"Does Lord Xie know about Qingqing's recent situation...?"

Before he could finish speaking, two pairs of eyes were cast at him.

One was like a sharp, cold blade; the other was a look of bewilderment followed by haste.

Before he could finish speaking, Liu Qingqing hurriedly interrupted her cousin, "It's getting late, cousin, you should go back and rest early."

She glanced at the silent Xie Lang, then forced herself to curtsy to her cousin, saying, "My husband has just returned and will likely need to rest at home, so we will take our leave now."

Xie Lang glanced at her indifferently upon hearing this, taking in her flustered gaze and trembling eyelashes.

Since she said that, it seemed she was worried about him, Xie Lang didn't expose her or pursue the matter further. Instead, he bowed to Ying Yucheng again, saying, "Young General Ying."

He should sincerely return the greeting.

Ying Yucheng stared blankly at their receding figures, lost in thought.

It's clearly a good thing, so why doesn't my cousin want Lord Xie to know?

There seemed to be something unusual between the couple.

Unexpectedly, on the return trip, Xie Lang did not ride a horse, but instead followed Liu Qingqing into her carriage.

Hearing the sound behind her, Liu Qingqing turned around and blinked in surprise when she saw Xie Lang following her. Xie Lang's eyes flickered. "I've been traveling a lot and I'm a little tired."

Liu Qingqing nodded, then quickly pulled the cushion to the corner of the carriage, sat down against the wall, and gave most of the space to Xie Lang.

She forced a smile. "Is my husband tired? Please get some rest."

She huddled in a corner of the large carriage, leaving enough space for Xie Lang to lie down!

Xie Lang glanced at her but did not comply with her wishes. He sat down next to her steadily, with one long leg flat and the other bent, and leaned back against the carriage to rest his eyes.

"Thank you, Madam."

After a while, hearing his steady breathing, Liu Qingqing looked him up and down. His handsome face was full of weariness, and he seemed to have darkened a bit, with a bluish-gray patch under his eyes.

Even powerful ministers, who hold great authority, still have to endure the elements outside.

These days, nothing is easy.

I've let go of him in my heart, and my resentment towards him has faded, almost disappeared.

Liu Qingqing lifted the carriage curtain and looked up at the azure sky. Thinking of how Xie Lang would be stunned to see the divorce papers after she had preemptively proposed it, she felt a surge of satisfaction. She then began to dream about the future; she already had a premonition that she would soon be leaving.

Like a sparrow suddenly discovering it has wings, it can't help but feel overjoyed.

Unbeknownst to her, Xie Lang had been secretly glancing at her several times, but he was still preoccupied with what had just happened—why Lord Ying had called her Qingqing.

He had never called her that outside before.

This discovery made him uncomfortable.

Also, she quickly changed the subject when General Ying was speaking, as if she didn't want him to know something.

He felt unwell for some reason, so he remained silent the whole way, his gaze always fixed on her.

Liu Qingqing noticed this and hurriedly turned around, only to be met with his deep, dark eyes, as deep as a pool.

They looked at each other, so close that they could see their own reflections in each other's pupils.

Xie Lang's Adam's apple bobbed slightly. Suddenly, he raised his hand and hooked her fingers, lowered his eyes, and took out a brocade box from inside his clothes with his other hand, stuffing it into her hand.

"Look, do you like it?"

Liu Qingqing looked at him, and under his encouraging smile, she opened the box. When she saw what was inside, her eyes widened in surprise.

It was a whole box full of gemstones of various colors.

With its beautiful shape, crystal clear appearance, and glossy sheen, it is clearly a rare and exquisite treasure.

"Since I didn't know what you liked, I simply took this opportunity to collect some gems."

He said softly, "Send someone to do whatever you like."

Seeing her stunned expression, Xie Lang finally smiled and produced a smooth, round bead from somewhere, handing it to her. "This is a bead."

She stared blankly at him, and Xie Lang continued, "It's also called the Night-Shining Pearl. If Madam is afraid of the dark, she can place it on her bed at night, so it won't be too bright."

Liu Qingqing didn't know when he discovered that there was always a candle lit when he slept in the main room, and at this moment her feelings were quite complicated.

It seems that this is the second time he has given her a gift since the set of jewelry he gave her on their first meeting after their marriage.

To avoid giving herself away, she could only accept it with beaming eyes, saying, "Thank you, my husband."

Xie Lang seemed to be stunned for a moment before coming back to his senses, "We are husband and wife, there is no need for thanks."

Why doesn't she like it?

They returned to the Marquis's residence shortly afterward.

Knowing that Xie Lang had to attend to official business first, Liu Qingqing returned to Jialan Garden. The two parted ways behind the screen wall. After Xie Lang had walked a few steps, he stopped and looked back at her receding figure. He watched for a long time, but she did not turn back.

Upon arriving at the study, Xie Lang, unexpectedly, did not attend to urgent matters first, but instead ordered Xie Wu to bring the scout's report.

The spies hidden in the shadows naturally knew that the lady had been busy at the estate recently, but the lady had been busy with estate affairs all along, and there was nothing particularly unusual about it.

The lady planted medicinal herbs on half of the fertile land and hired more people to do the work.

It says so above.

Xie Lang flipped through the pages one by one; they were all about the trivial matters his wife had been busy with at the estate recently, nothing special.

Xie Lang waved for Xie Wu to get down, leaned back in his chair, and rubbed his aching temples.

Is he overthinking it?

For some reason, I have a vague feeling that something is about to happen.

Xie Lang's long, jade-like fingers lightly tapped the table, his eyes deep and mysterious.

General Ying has been in Beijing for a long time; it is time for him to return to the Northwest.

Meanwhile, Liu Qingqing returned to the main room and took a good bath before Xie Lang returned.

Sitting in the bathtub, he thought to himself, "It's strange, but I haven't seen Mu Ziying these past few times."

I heard someone say he was there today, but I couldn't find him anywhere.

Liu Qingqing then thought of the jade pendant that was so similar to hers and that of her cousin. She wasn't stupid; she naturally knew that his sudden appearance before her was not simple. Since he had revealed a flaw, he wanted her to investigate, but she refused.

At this moment, Liu Qingqing's heart was soaring out of the capital that she had no mind to investigate these matters any further.

She had no interest whatsoever in this deeply hidden secret; if he wanted to tell her, he would have already done so. She had neither the will nor the energy to dig any deeper.

After meeting Xie Lang, she realized that most of the time, people should be wise to play dumb.

She was now consumed by anger, and her only thought was to settle everyone around her and settle all the previous accounts, so that she could get the divorce papers out before Xie Lang.

They were extremely busy every day. Manager Tang from the clinic also hinted that Xiao Ying seemed to have encountered some trouble. After causing Liu Xu's concubine to miscarry last time, she was exiled by Liu Xu to a manor in the suburbs of the capital. She fell seriously ill there and damaged her internal organs before Liu Xu allowed her to return home to recuperate. Now, apart from transporting herbs out every month, she has no energy to cause trouble at the clinic anymore.

I was exhausted today, and the warm water in the bath made me feel drowsy.

He barely managed to climb out of the bathtub, not even bothering with his still-wet hair, before getting into bed and crawling under the covers. He closed his eyes and drifted off to sleep.

When Xie Lang returned, he saw this picture of a beautiful woman sleeping.

Her long, silky hair spread out like a silver river. She curled herself up like a cat, the peach-colored brocade quilt covering her neck and reflecting on her fair face. The candlelight burned beside the bed. He looked at her pillow, but did not see the luminous pearl, and lowered his eyelashes.

He sat on the edge of the bed, gazing at her silently for a long time.

The candlelight cast flickering shadows on his handsome face. He turned to fetch a dry handkerchief, scooped up her damp cloth, wrapped it around it, and gently wiped her face.

Lately, he's been feeling quite chaotic, with many things tangled up in his hands. He's been wanting to have a good talk with her, but somehow it's been difficult to find a time to get together. The Regent has suddenly started assigning him more urgent tasks, forcing him to leave the capital immediately, without even being able to return to his residence first.

Meanwhile, the undercover agents behind the Governor-General of Huguang also began to move.

He and Wei Mingzhao discovered that the Northern Qiang and Northern Rong had recently been acting strangely because it was said that a medical immortal had descended to earth to help them seize the Central Plains. Originally, their medical treatment was inadequate, and when their soldiers were wounded, they were doomed to die. Now, it seemed that they had obtained a miraculous medicine and no longer had this worry. Therefore, they were eager to make a comeback and return to fight.

We need to investigate further; Wei Mingzhao has already sent several scouts over there.

The candlelight crackled, and Xie Lang snapped back to reality, his gaze returning to her.

He touched her long hair again and found it was only slightly damp. He placed the handkerchief on the octagonal table, returned and blew out the candle, and lay down beside her. Sure enough, after a short while, she, like a cat attracted by the smell of fish, followed the warmth emanating from him and snuggled into his arms, her soft cheek pressed against his chest.

Xie Lang couldn't quite explain his feelings for her, especially after what happened with his parents, he believed that many things should be judged by actions, not intentions.

He raised his hand and brushed the strands of hair clinging to her cheek back, then suddenly sighed softly. Those who are tainted by love often end up going mad, whether it was his parents or Wei Mingzhao. It was undignified, revealing their ugly side; he didn't want to follow in their footsteps.

Xie Lang thought their relationship was perfect. Although it wasn't about love, he was willing to indulge and pamper her as long as it wasn't excessive.

They have plenty of time; Liu is understanding and will eventually understand him.

After thinking it through, feeling her warm body in his arms, he suppressed his recent turbulent emotions, took one last look at her, and then closed his eyes.

-

The next day, when Liu Qingqing woke up and finished washing up, she came out to have breakfast and saw a handkerchief on the table. She picked it up and smelled it, and found that it had the scent of her usual jasmine bath powder.

But she doesn't remember taking it?

Just then, Zhao Pansheng came in, and she told him to put it away.

I slept well last night, my mind was clear and I put this little thing behind me.

With hope in her heart, Liu Qingqing lived her life with even more enthusiasm.

The plan was proceeding steadily, and there were no major changes within the household. If there was anything unusual recently, it was that Xie Lang had been going back to his room to sleep every day.

No matter what I was doing, I could feel his gaze. Every time I turned around, he was reading or painting, so perhaps I was just imagining things.

He didn't find anything, did he?

Upon careful consideration, Liu Qingqing realized that Xie Liu was no longer by her side. If they were discovered, Xie Lang, given his personality, might have already prepared the divorce papers.

He returned every day, so he must not have discovered anything, which reassured Liu Qingqing.

Liu Qingqing has been very busy lately and hasn't had time for him at all.

I wonder how Aunt Jia is doing lately. She returns home late and can't find a reason to go to Second Uncle's courtyard again, so she can only throw things into the courtyard under the pretext of taking a walk in the garden after dinner.

It's mainly gold, easy to carry and easy to hide.

Busy and dizzy, Liu Qingqing returned to the Marquis's mansion one day. Before she even reached Jialan Garden, she saw Xie Wanyan lingering outside the hanging flower gate.

Xie Wanyan, whom we haven't seen for a long time, suddenly appeared.

Looking at Xie Wanyan's slender and graceful figure, Liu Qingqing was momentarily dazed before realizing that she hadn't seen Xie Wanyan for a long time.

After overhearing Xie Wanyan's questioning of Xie Lang in the study, she, who was never good at acting, and unsure how to face her, had too many things to do, so she didn't go to see her again.

Xie Wanyan did the same; the two of them tacitly avoided contacting each other, presumably because they shared the same thoughts.

Hearing her footsteps, Xie Wanyan turned around. Liu Qingqing also stopped in front of her and smiled at her. Xie Wanyan, however, did not smile. Instead, she frowned, her eyes fixed on Liu Qingqing, scrutinizing her carefully.

Suddenly, out of the blue, she said, "You seem to have changed."

Upon hearing this, Liu Qingqing felt a chill run down her spine. What was wrong with these two siblings? Could they read minds? She felt as if she were completely naked in their presence, and they could see right through her.

Liu Qingqing raised the corners of her slightly stiff lips and pretended not to understand, smiling as she said, "That's right, things have been quite eventful lately."

Xie Wanyan, however, kept her eyes fixed on her.

She hasn't come to the manor to see Liu Qingqing lately because her good younger brother is indecent, and she's too ashamed to come!

But last night, when Wei Mingzhao returned to the manor, he pestered her until midnight. When she got angry and wanted to bite him, Wei Mingzhao mysteriously said that he would tell her a secret after it was over.

She naturally refused, but Wei Mingzhao said it was a secret about Liu Qingqing.

She then bit Wei Mingzhao's shoulder hard, allowing him to launch his attack.

Wei Mingzhao's last words did indeed startle her.

"Your sister-in-law seems to be considering leaving."

Her hazy, tired sleepiness vanished instantly, and she grabbed him, asking, "What do you mean by having thoughts of leaving?"

He wore a mysterious smile, his eyes gleaming.

She was so frightened that she woke up early this morning and came back to find out.

She first went to pay her respects to her grandmother, but found nothing amiss. Then she went for a stroll outside the mansion, hoping to bump into Liu Qingqing. Perhaps due to bad luck, she didn't see him.

They had no choice but to return to the entrance of Jialan Garden and wait for the rabbit to run into them, which is how they finally caught the person.

Liu Qingqing welcomed Xie Wanyan into the courtyard and led her to the warm pavilion.

As autumn arrived, the days grew colder, especially after sunset. A charcoal fire had been lit in the warm pavilion, but Liu Qingqing was not so extravagant. Even though Xie Lang had sent silver charcoal, she put aside the silver charcoal and used ordinary black charcoal for the time being.

Qingju, estimating the time when her young mistress would return, lit the charcoal fire in advance, making the warm pavilion cozy and cozy.

She had already given the jade pendant to the old lady when she paid her respects earlier, but hadn't had time to send someone to deliver it to Xie Wanyan before she arrived. Liu Qingqing exclaimed and handed the brocade box to Xie Wanyan. Xie Wanyan took it in a daze, opened it, and looked at it with a look of surprise. She then slammed the box shut again.

"What is this?" she asked, her eyes wide.

Liu Qingqing smiled and said, "This is a gift for my sister."

Xie Wanyan refused and grabbed Liu Qingqing's hand to return it. Liu Qingqing wouldn't let her succeed. She had received kindness from her sister, and now that she intended to leave, she should express her gratitude. Otherwise, wouldn't she appear ungrateful?

Xie Wanyan was taken aback, her red lips slightly parted.

This item is so valuable, she wouldn't even buy it!

“I received many gifts from noble people under the guise of the Marquis’s mansion, but I only bought these two things for my grandmother and sister. What’s the big deal?”

Thinking about it, he called Qingju over again.

Qingju carried a slightly larger wooden box, placed it on the table, and then stepped back.

"This is for the two little ones. I didn't know what they liked, so I just bought whatever looked interesting."

Why did Qingqing suddenly buy her such expensive gifts, and so many for the two little devils? Xie Wanyan's heart skipped a beat. She had only half-believed Wei Mingzhao's words before, but now she believed them completely.

She pursed her lips, wanting to offer advice, but unable to open her mouth.

She knew her younger brother well enough; he looked respectable and gentlemanly, but in reality, he had a stubborn and unpleasant temper. Qingqing must have suffered a great injustice to decide to leave. If she tried to persuade him, where would that leave Qingqing?

Xie Lang had a smooth and easy life since childhood, never knowing what to cherish or what is precious. His parents' affair further isolated him; he needed to hit a wall to confront his true self.

Just like Wei Mingzhao did back then.

If Wei Mingzhao hadn't been shattered to pieces and reborn from the ashes, they would never have been together; she would have married someone else long ago.

Despite her thoughts, Xie Wanyan couldn't bear to part with Liu Qingqing.

Who knows if Xie Lang will be able to keep the person here?

She suddenly decided not to return to the Wei residence today.

She wanted to sleep with Qingqing for one night to find out what was going on.

"Qingqing, you haven't been to my boudoir yet, have you?"

Xie Wanyan suddenly said, "Want to go take a look? I have a swing in my yard, it's really fun."

Xie Wanyan thus lured Liu Qingqing back to her own courtyard and persuaded her to stay.

The two of them squeezed into one quilt, warming themselves by the charcoal fire and talking quietly.

Xie Wanyan told Liu Qingqing many secrets about the officials in the capital. This was the first time Liu Qingqing had experienced such a delightful affair, and she listened with wide eyes, completely absorbed.

It's a bit of a shame, though, that such a wonderful person like Xie Wanyan would only be in this situation once in a lifetime.

Xie Wanyan's heart softened at her innocent and naive appearance. How could she bear to deceive her?

If she does that, how is she any different from others?

Finally, when Liu Qingqing was dozing off, Xie Wanyan couldn't help but remind her, "If you encounter any problems in the future, remember to tell me."

The cold moon hangs high in the sky.

Xie Lang waited in the room for a long time but his wife did not return. He had no choice but to go to Xie Wanyan with a cold face to ask for her back.

As soon as he knocked on the door, he heard footsteps stop behind it, and he curled his fingers.

"Madam?" he called softly.

A cold laugh came from behind the door, "Go back, there is no wife for you here."

Xie Lang frowned; Liu Qingqing was clearly in the room.

"Don't try to be funny." Xie Lang's voice turned cold.

Xie Wanyan, her voice low and furious, retorted, "Get out of here! You clumsy, dull-witted fool!"

Xie Lang: "..."

With a stern face, he went to the study to summon Xie Wu and asked Xie Wu to go find Wei Mingzhao's men.

Unexpectedly, Xie Wu returned and reported, "Lord Wei left the capital today."

Xie Lang sighed, realizing they couldn't snatch Xie Wanyan away.

He returned to the main room and closed his eyes on the bed.

Her fragrance filled my nostrils, but there was no one on her end; I couldn't hear her even breathing. It was too quiet.

Feeling exhausted and somewhat out of control, Xie Lang raised his hand and rested it on his forehead, staring at the bed curtains.

Xie Lang couldn't fall asleep no matter what he did. He glanced at the empty space beside him, and then absentmindedly touched his chest.

A feeling he didn't know was churning in his chest.

What's this?

-

Upon waking up the next day, Xie Wanyan was arrested by Wei Mingzhao's men right after finishing her breakfast. Before leaving, she didn't rush. Xie Wanyan escorted Liu Qingqing all the way back to Jialan Garden, seemingly quite reluctant to part with her, and also looking like she wanted to say something but couldn't.

Upon arriving at the entrance of Jialan Garden, the two stopped, looking at each other.

Seeing that Xie Wanyan showed no sign of leaving, Liu Qingqing looked puzzled, then smiled and took Xie Wanyan's hand, "What's wrong, sister? Is there something else you want to say to me?"

Xie Wanyan stared at her. Being so close, he could clearly see the relaxed and carefree look in her eyes. He could no longer see the restraint and confusion she had shown in the past because of her feelings for Xie Lang.

Unable to deceive herself any longer, Xie Wanyan felt a pang of sadness. Qingqing was indeed different from before.

Finally, she took off the jade pendant from her waist and stuffed it into Liu Qingqing's hand, pressing her fingers down to make her hold it, much to Liu Qingqing's surprise.

All those words can be summed up in one sentence: "Jialan Tea House is under my name. This is the tea house's token. If you encounter any trouble in the future, take this jade pendant to any tea house, and someone will help you."

Sensing her unspoken meaning, Liu Qingqing's heart tightened, her pupils contracted sharply, and she swallowed hard. Her sister seemed to know she was leaving, but suddenly she didn't know what to say.

Seeing her so uneasy, Xie Wanyan couldn't bear it. She swallowed her sobs and pressed her hand firmly. "You must keep this safe. In this life, you must follow your heart and not wrong yourself. But no matter what... you can always come to the Wei residence to find me, do you understand?"

He cursed Xie Lang in his heart!

Liu Qingqing was stunned.

When she came to her senses, Xie Wanyan had already left. Liu Qingqing stared blankly at the jade pendant in her hand, a layer of hot mist rising in her eyes.

Today, Liu Qingqing had to go to the estate to finish up her work, so after calming down for a while, she left the manor as usual.

Ying Yucheng was already waiting for her at the farm.

After carefully examining the soon-to-be-completed adobe house, Liu Qingqing murmured in a daze, "It would be even better if it were a house with blue bricks and tiles."

Ying Yucheng laughed at her, saying, "Who provides brick houses for servants?"

Seeing Liu Qingqing looking at him with surprise, Ying Yucheng quickly explained, "It's not that they can't stay, but if we let them stay, it will be too conspicuous outside the city gate."

Ying Yucheng shook his head at her, saying meaningfully, "On the contrary, it will only cause them trouble, and it won't last long."

Even the village chief can't afford a brick house these days. If such a nice house were built, how would these displaced people find a place to live?

Liu Qingqing realized then that she had been too naive. She had actually judged a gentleman by her own petty standards, and gave her cousin a shy smile.

With Ying Yucheng's protection, things will go smoothly this time.

Within a few days, everyone worked together to get the house up before the Frost's Descent.

Although building an adobe house is faster than building a brick house, it still requires mixing soil with straw to make adobe bricks first. After the adobe bricks have dried thoroughly, they can be used to build the house, and finally, straw is laid on the roof.

They'll have shelter from the wind and rain, at least enough to get through this winter.

After the harvest of the first half of the fertile land was completed, it was also set aside to be used for planting medicinal herbs.

With Dr. Lu and Manager Tang overseeing things, knowing what to plant at what time of year is very easy.

This year, I plan to plant three white plants first: white peony, angelica dahurica, and atractylodes macrocephala.

White peony root relieves pain, angelica root can treat wind-cold and sores and boils, and atractylodes macrocephala replenishes qi and blood. These are all life-saving medicines that are in dire need today.

The remaining space was left for Dr. Lu to oversee the planting.

Plant some more Salvia miltiorrhiza, Platycodon grandiflorus, Pinellia ternata, Anemarrhena asphodeloides, and so on.

Even better news is that Madam Ying has quietly given up her clinic, on the condition that Manager Tang deliver some herbs to her pharmacy every ten days.

That's really strange.

Perhaps the Marquis's mansion is just trying to intimidate people, or perhaps my cousin has done something wrong.

As she had guessed, Liu Xu had recently suffered greatly in the court. It was said that the higher-ups were considering sending him to a post outside the capital. Liu Xu was so afraid of leaving the prosperous capital that he was terrified. At his age, if he were sent to a post outside the capital, there was absolutely no possibility of him returning.

Even if he was stupid, he knew why. When he got back, he gave Xiao Ying a good beating. In stark contrast to how he had doted on her in previous years, he beat her until she was bruised and battered, forcing her to hand over everything she was holding.

She carefully kept the written agreement left by Xiao Ying in the past, so that she could refute and refute it if Xiao Ying caused trouble again in the future.

If no one pursues this matter, fine; but if someone does, they'll be in serious trouble.

Just as she was about to be happy, she received news from Ying Yucheng.

"Cousin, I'm going back to the Northwest."

Liu Qingqing's soaring emotions plummeted to the ground in an instant. She had been thinking that after proposing a divorce, she could go back to the Northwest with her cousin to take a look around.

Go and see that majestic ten-year-old girl general who "robs the rich to help the poor".

I never expected my cousin to leave so quickly, and I couldn't help but feel reluctant to part with him.

In Ying Yucheng's eyes, this soft and gentle expression made her seem like a fluffy kitten, but also a capable and resourceful one. Seeing her like this, his heart softened.

He knew he shouldn't have asked, but he couldn't help asking anyway, "What's wrong? Does your cousin have something to say?"

Unexpectedly, his cousin's words struck him like a thunderbolt, leaving him reeling.

"When are you leaving, cousin? I'd like to go with you to the Northwest for a visit."

Ying Yucheng asked in surprise, "Brother-in-law is very busy with official duties. Do you have time to come along?"

Liu Qingqing shook her head: "After I get a divorce, I can go with my cousin. Cousin, please wait for me for two days. I will go home to pack my bags."

The usually gentle and refined Ying Yucheng's thin lips parted slightly in astonishment. Did his cousin even know what she was saying?

His thin lips parted and closed repeatedly, and it took him a long time to find his voice, which was already hoarse, "Why are you so upset that you want a divorce?"

[Author's Note]

Next chapter preview:

It's thin, yet weighs a ton.

This was a surprise she prepared for him; she wondered how happy he would be.