Chapter 169 Annulling the Engagement

On the way, Jiang Baozhu was filled with anxiety. She worried that Zhang Qing'er was seriously ill and wouldn't have the energy to see the two of them. No one understood the blow of a man's change of heart more deeply than Jiang Baozhu.

Just like in her past life, He Xing had always been her support. Only when she died did she realize that it was just her own fantasy. The impression left from their childhood acquaintance had never changed, but people can change.

"What will we do if Qing'er refuses to see us?"

Jiang Baozhu rubbed her hands together. She had already been turned away once, and she didn't think the Zhang family would allow the two of them to meet.

"If I don't see it, I'll leave the food I took out with me."

For foodies, there's nothing a good meal can't cure; if one meal isn't enough, then two will do.

Zhang Qing'er must not have been eating properly these past few days, and she looks quite haggard.

Soon, the carriage arrived at the side gate of the Zhang residence. Lin Yuesha used a copper coin to ask a servant to announce her arrival.

After waiting for about fifteen minutes, Qianlu came out of the door and was overjoyed to see the two of them.

"Miss Lin, you've returned from Hanmen Pass?"

Qianlv grasped Lin Yuesha's hand and looked her up and down carefully.

"Yes, I'm back. Thanks to Sister Qing'er's cosmetic box, I escaped unharmed."

Lin Yuesha didn't say much. Since Qianlu was able to come out to pick her up, it meant that Zhang Qing'er's illness wasn't as serious as people thought.

“Something has happened at your residence. Our young lady has lost her appetite and has become very thin in just a few days.”

Qianlu was a servant and couldn't say much about her mistress's private affairs. She only said that Zhang Qing'er had been sick a few days ago with a persistent high fever and was talking nonsense in a daze, so the family hadn't had a good New Year.

“Perfect timing. I brought some porridge and snacks. I’m sure Sister Qing’er can eat them.”

Lin Yuesha, carrying a handbag, followed behind Qian Lü and headed straight for Zhang Qing'er's courtyard.

Inside the room, Zhang Qing'er, dressed only in her undergarments, stared blankly out the window, while two maids stood beside her, unsure of what to do.

The young lady was to receive guests, so it was inappropriate for her to be dressed undressed. However, when the ladies were helping her wash up, Zhang Qing'er showed no reaction whatsoever, remaining motionless like a wooden doll.

"well."

After entering the room, Qianlu waved to the two maids. In reality, since her young mistress's fever subsided, she had become strangely abnormal and unusually silent.

"Miss?"

Qianlv called softly, but Zhang Qing'er did not respond. She glanced at Jiang Baozhu and Lin Yuesha, looking quite troubled.

"It's alright, we're not outsiders, we're all women, we don't mind."

Lin Yuesha opened the food box, took out the porridge and several snacks, and asked Qianlu, "Has Sister Qing'er had breakfast?"

Qianlv shook her head. Her young mistress ate very little. Breakfast was usually sent from the main kitchen and reheated repeatedly. The young mistress barely ate a few bites before it was time for dinner.

The master and mistress were anxious, with blisters forming on their lips, but they were helpless.

"That's perfect, try my chicken soup rice porridge."

The porridge was still warm; as soon as it was taken out of the food box, its aroma filled the entire room.

Zhang Qing'er sniffed and finally made a move. She turned around and stared blankly at a large bowl of porridge.

"Sister Qing'er, I'm here!"

Lin Yuesha waved her hand at Zhang Qing'er, but Zhang Qing'er did not react, her attention was entirely focused on the porridge.

"Miss, shall I serve you?"

Seeing that there was a chance, Qianlv immediately gave Lin Yuesha a thumbs up. She quickly stepped forward, scooped up some food with a spoon, and brought it to Zhang Qing'er's lips. Zhang Qing'er opened her mouth and swallowed it in one gulp.

After drinking the porridge without vomiting, Qianlu was almost moved to tears. She quickened her feeding pace but couldn't keep up with Zhang Qing'er's pace. In the end, Zhang Qing'er took the spoon herself and buried her head in the porridge.

"For the past few days, our young lady has been vomiting everything she ate and hasn't gotten better. But now she's finally eating on her own."

Qianlu wiped away her tears. It was all the fault of that heartless young master. If it weren't for his words, Miss wouldn't be in this situation!

About fifteen minutes later, the bowl of porridge was empty.

Zhang Qing'er felt a warm sensation in her stomach and finally regained consciousness.

During this period, it seemed as if her soul had left her body; she didn't know what she was doing each day, like an empty shell.

She turned her head and saw Lin Yuesha not far away. She rushed over instantly, burst into tears, and hugged Lin Yuesha.

"It's okay to cry it out, it'll all be alright once you've cried it out."

Lin Yuesha patted Zhang Qing'er on the back and gently coaxed her.

It seems that a woman's encounter with a scumbag has nothing to do with her social status. Whether she is a girl from a humble family or a daughter of an official, she may still encounter the wrong person.

"Sister Yue Sha, I've been rejected by my fiancé!"

Zhang Qing'er cried as she spoke, "My cousin and I were betrothed since childhood. I thought he was my husband for life, and I was waiting to marry him after I came of age, but..."

Zhang Qing'er hiccuped and tried to open her mouth, but no sound came out.

Since the young lady had no intention of hiding anything, Qianlu had no more scruples. She said angrily, "Young Master came to see our young lady and said that she has always been sensible and that he only has brotherly and sisterly feelings for her, and has absolutely no romantic feelings for her. He is away from home all year round, wandering the world in search of medicine prescriptions, and will not be home in the future."

Of course, these were all just excuses. The truth was that Lin Qian went out to find medicine and met a woman in the deep mountains. The woman also practiced medicine, and the two studied the prescriptions together. They fell in love and Lin Qian was unwilling to be separated from the woman. He wanted to marry her.

“The marriage was arranged by the elders. It’s not like our young lady is clinging to him. Even if she marries the young master, he can still take that woman as a concubine! Our young lady isn’t intolerant of others.”

As Qianlu spoke, she grew angrier and angrier. The young master was very determined to break off the engagement, not afraid of severing ties with the Zhang family, and would rather end the engagement altogether.

“My cousin and I grew up together. He was so resolute for a woman.”

Zhang Qing'er was truly heartbroken. She wasn't heartbroken because the engagement was called off, but because Lin Qian showed no regard for their sibling relationship and even said he was willing to sever ties with her.

That woman was his beloved, but what about her? Was she just a stumbling block preventing him from being with the woman he loved?

Zhang Qing'er couldn't accept that she was playing such a role. She felt wronged; marriage was always arranged by parents and matchmakers, not something she could decide!

"Sister Yue Sha, did I do something wrong?"

Zhang Qing'er's eyes flashed with confusion. Lin Qian even hinted that if she were still alive, the Lin family would never acknowledge the woman he loved because of his presumptuous decision to break off the engagement.

"What?"

Qianlv stared wide-eyed in disbelief. The young master actually said such a thing? He broke off the engagement himself and forced the young lady to commit suicide to fulfill his wish. He was utterly depraved!

"Miss, is this true? If the young master said so, why didn't you tell Madam!"

Qianlu was disappointed in Lin Qian. She only heard part of the story, but later Lin Qian had something to say to his young mistress and sent her aside.