Chapter 66

"Are you blaming me?" She looked up, her voice soft.

"No."

"Then why don't you speak?"

"I don't know what to say."

"...You regret it?"

"No regrets." Lin Qiang lowered his head, sighed, and pulled her into his arms. "Don't overthink it."

At that time, he thought she was just an orphan, someone as helpless as him. So, he took her under his wing, thinking only that she would give him something to hold onto in this world. But he never expected that her identity was not just that of an orphan, which caused everything to deviate from his initial thoughts.

"When it comes to fate, how can there be any regret?"

Even if he knew what happened back then, so what? So much time has passed, how could he possibly still hold a grudge? Could he possibly hold the little girl down and bite her?

Hmm... this sounds pretty good.

Thinking of this, Lin Qiang glanced down at her snow-white neck and couldn't help but grind his back teeth.

Yuan Qiong, who was below, couldn't see Lin Qiang's expression, so she naturally didn't know what he was thinking.

She then asked, "If you had met another woman instead of me, would you have treated that woman the same way you treat me now?"

"There are no 'what ifs'," Lin Qiang chuckled. "I met you, and I like you."

Yes, it's because of her that he likes her so much. He likes her cunning, her intelligence, her ambition, her pride, and her little temper.

After saying that, Lin Qiang wanted to reach out and pinch the back of her neck, but then he remembered that his hands were a little cold and it wouldn't be good if they touched her. So he gave up.

But his answer did not put Yuan Qiong at ease. For someone like her, once she fell in love, she couldn't tolerate even the slightest imperfection, and possessiveness and paranoia would follow.

However, she was a deep thinker and did not easily reveal her true emotions, so her face did not change, but her heart grew colder.

"I've lied to you for so many years, and I've even plotted against you before. Don't you feel any resentment at all?"

"What are you thinking about all day?" Unable to pinch her neck, Lin Qiang reached for her cheek, pinched it, and then smiled with satisfaction, saying, "Alright, stop thinking nonsense. It's been a long time since we've come down the mountain. I'll show you around today."

How could he say he didn't care at all? He was only human, with joys and sorrows, and he felt disappointed and sad. In the years she was gone, he spent countless nights blaming himself and worrying, fearing that she, a little girl, might encounter some danger in this chaotic world.

He thought that if he could find her, he would marry her immediately. Then, he would arrange everything, leave the chaotic world behind, and live a simple but sweet life in the mountains.

Who knew that when they met again, he would discover that it was all a lie. Who could understand how sad and disappointed he was at that time?

But saying these things now won't change anything. No matter what, he can't bear to blame her.

"Girl, all you need to know is that I love you."

"Mmm." Yuan Qiong smiled, tightening her grip on his hand. As for what she was really thinking, no one could know: "I'm hungry. I want to eat xiaolongbao, the kind you can eat one bite at a time."

"Okay, this time you can't say you're full after eating one or two. Look at you now, you're so thin you don't even have any flesh on your face, you're so light you feel like you're floating when you pick you up. It's better to have some meat on your bones, plump and fair-skinned is much more adorable."

Yuan Qiong rolled her eyes, disregarding her image.

**

Meanwhile, the capital of Great Yan was far from peaceful, unlike the area beneath Black Wind Cliff. The bloodstains on the execution platform at Caishikou had never dried. One batch of officials fell from power, another took office, the political landscape shifted dramatically, and everyone lived in fear.

His Majesty's health is declining. In the court, his most trusted younger brother, Prince Cheng, has recovered from his leg ailment and is acting as regent. In the harem, his most beloved concubine, Consort Yuan, is pregnant. The imperial physician says there is an 80% chance it will be a prince. The remaining members of Consort Yuan's faction and the conservative royalists are doing their best to protect her.

"Your Highness, His Highness Prince Cheng requests an audience." The palace maid had barely finished her report when Yuan Zhen, who was drinking her medicine, jumped up like a startled rabbit, grabbing a nearby female official and exclaiming in a panic, "Sixth Lady, he's here again! He's here again!"

Yuan Liu Niang patted her hand reassuringly: "Your Highness, don't be afraid. I'm here, everything will be alright."

Her words carried a reassuring tone, calming Yuanzhen down slightly, but she still wanted to avoid him: "You...you go and drive him away! I don't want to see him! I don't want to see him!"

"promise."

Yuan Liu Niang straightened up and walked out, her pupils dark and deep, but a bright smile graced her face. As long as she was there, Yuan Zhen's unborn child had to be born safely, and it had to be a prince!

Tall and elegant, Yuwen Zhe stood in the center of the courtyard, exuding a cold aura and possessing an extraordinary bearing. The palace maids and eunuchs around him knelt on the ground.

Upon seeing Yuan Liuniang emerge, his icy aura dissipated somewhat. Although his exceptionally handsome face remained expressionless, a hint of tenderness could be discerned.

“A-Luo”.

"This servant greets Your Highness Prince Cheng. May Your Highness live a thousand years!"

"Get up quickly."

"Thank you, Your Highness."

She stood up, her face beaming with utmost respect, her gaze fleeting over his long, straight legs, a silent sneer in her heart.

Finally, they've stopped pretending to be disabled?

"My lady has been unwell these past few days and is unable to receive visitors. I hope Your Highness will understand."

"A-Luo, I have come to find you."

After burying the hatred in her heart, Yuan Liuniang looked at him with a smile.

"Does Your Highness have something to discuss with me?"

"The day after tomorrow is the Winter Blossom Festival. I would like to invite you to the Blossom Gathering. Would you be willing?"

The Winter Flower Day is a unique festival of the Great Yan Kingdom. On the coldest days of winter, a master will select a Huayuan Road, and men and women will walk from one end of the street to the other, each holding a red thread. If they have a sweetheart or are already married, the woman will tie the red threads together into a love knot and give it to the man, signifying that they will be forever united.

Single, unmarried men and women would tie a red thread around their wrists until the end of the winter solstice, then remove it and store it away to wait for the following year.

On this day, if a woman wants to confess her feelings to a man she admires, she will ask, "My lord, would you like a love knot?"

If a man wants to confess his feelings to a woman he admires, he will ask, "Would you be willing to tie a red thread for me, my love?"

Therefore, from eighty-year-old seniors to five- or six-year-old children, whether they have companions or not, they all like to participate in the Huayuan Association in order to bring good luck.

However, Yuan Luo now feels disgusted just looking at Yuwen Zhe, let alone walking the Huayuan Road with him!

"Your Highness Prince Cheng may have forgotten that female officials in the palace are not allowed to leave the palace at will."

"It's alright, I'll arrange it." Yuwen Zhe knew she was currently distant from him, but he didn't care. "If A-Luo is unwilling, then I'll have to personally discuss it with the Imperial Concubine. Perhaps seeing me will improve her mood and health..."

"Alright!" Before he could finish speaking, Yuan Liu Niang interrupted him, her smile unchanged, and bowed deeply to hide the hatred in her eyes: "I am honored by Your Highness's high regard, and this servant is willing to go with Your Highness."

A small act of impatience can ruin a great plan. It's just playing along with Yuwen Zhe, isn't it? To avoid any mishaps, she'll just have to endure it!

Yuwen Zhe stared at her humble posture, his eyes turning colder: "A'Luo, you must know the feelings I have for you. Be sensible, don't push me like this anymore, or I don't know what I might do."

"This servant wouldn't dare," she smiled.

Everyone grows through repeated falls, and Yuan Liuniang is no exception.

**

Two days later, on Winter Blossom Day.

Every morning, Black Cloud Village has morning exercises, so Lin Qiang always gets up early. After finishing his morning exercises with the brothers in the village, he goes back to take a shower before waking Yuan Qiong up.

There's no way around it; the little girl has a terrible temper when she wakes up. If he goes to wake her up covered in sweat, there's a 90% chance he'll be kicked out in disgust.

However, today, he had just finished his morning exercise and was walking back with his sleeves rolled up when he saw a pretty little girl in a light pink dress standing at his door.

"Huh? Up so early?"

He slapped his forehead, looked up at the sky, and thought, "The sun must have risen in the west today."

Yuan Qiong snorted, walked up to him with her hands behind her back, lifted her skirt and twirled around, smiling with her eyes crinkling, "Do I look good today?"

"nice."

think......

The little girl was clearly dressed up carefully; her bright, fox-like eyes sparkled like the most exquisite gems. Lin Qiang felt as if a cat's paw had gently scratched his heart, stirring up an irrepressible surge of desire.

Men are easily aroused in the morning. Lin Qiang felt his blood boiling. He reached out and pulled her close by the back of her neck. He couldn't resist lowering his head and kissing her chin.

Yuan Qiong was completely stunned!

Before she could react or struggle, Lin Qiang directly kissed her rosy lips, cupping the back of her head and deepening the kiss.

Heaving heavy breathing filled the air, each breath carrying the distinct scent of a man. Yuan Qiong's mind went blank; her eyes widened, and she instinctively tried to back away from the man's aggressive attack, but her body was held firmly in place, unable to move at all.

"Ugh..." Her confused consciousness left her with no energy to think about what was going on. She could only close her eyes instinctively, weakly clutching Lin Qiang's clothes, letting him take what he wanted like a conquering force.

Later, she didn't know when she entered the room or when she was released.

"Ha..." Lin Qiang chuckled wryly, placed her in the middle of the chair, squatted down in front of her and said, "Wait here for me for a while, I'm going to take a shower."

Yuan Qiong mumbled an "Ah," seemingly still dazed and not understanding what he had said. Her unguarded state stirred another impulse in Lin Qiang. However, he knew it wasn't the right time yet, so he wrapped his arms around her neck and kissed her, leaving a faint red mark, before letting go and standing up.

"I'll be back soon."

After saying that, he dashed out of the house like a whirlwind.

Hmm...looks like I'll have to take a cold shower this morning...

"......."

After he left, Yuan Qiong finally came to her senses. Touching her swollen lips and the bitten chin and neck, she instantly turned into a boiled red shrimp, and shame and anger surged up at the same time.

"That bandit!!!"

He suddenly stood up and realized that the person was no longer in the room.

Oh right, what did he just say? I think he went to take a shower?

“............”

Realizing that no one else was around, Yuan Qiong wandered around the room like a headless fly, then sat back down in her chair, covered her face with her hands, and a sweet feeling welled up in her heart, overpowering her previous embarrassment and anger.

I wonder if anyone saw me just now!

Seriously, this is so embarrassing!

Author's Note: I originally thought no one was reading this book anymore, so I was a bit discouraged about updating. A huge thank you to the lovely comments from 270833758 and 666! They let me know that there are still readers. I will update more diligently from now on and try to finish it as soon as possible.

Please vote for me or water my plants with nutrient solution, little angels!

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27083758 26 bottles;

Thank you so much for your support! I will continue to work hard!