41 Chapter Forty-One
◎“Qingqing is gentle and refined, but inferior to Qingying.”◎
Chapter 41
Liu Qingying's fair, pinkish fingers even made the antique rosewood carved food box look a little playful, almost making Liu Qingqing breathless!
She stormed over and, with Liu Qingying's help, opened the wooden lid of the food box, revealing a pair of white, tender sugar cakes inside. They looked so familiar; how she had given them away, and how they looked now...
The steaming hot sugar cake had long since cooled completely.
She stood there, stunned, wanting to ask how the sweet cake meant for Xie Lang ended up in your hands, but she didn't dare to ask.
She didn't dare ask.
Liu Qingying stood there quietly without moving, her eyes lowered, seemingly lost in thought, as if waiting for her to lash out.
If it were before, she would have had the confidence to rush into Xie Lang's study and ask him what was going on! But now that she and Xie Lang had suddenly become so distant and unfamiliar, it made her hesitate.
Liu Qingqing glanced at her half-sister with complicated emotions, then picked up the food box and turned to leave.
--
Jialan Garden.
The entire courtyard was shrouded in a silence so profound you could hear a pin drop; even the servants sweeping the fallen leaves dared not make a sound.
The lady was also feeling down because the master had not returned to Jialan Garden for five days.
Five days ago, she had thrown the sugar cakes from that food box into the roaring stove in the small kitchen. She watched helplessly as the snow-white sugar cakes were covered in gray wood ash and burned black. The fiery red light reflected on her expressionless face, making her seem obscure and incomprehensible.
Liu Qingqing was looking at the account books in the east wing, but she couldn't concentrate at all. She was just staring blankly at the window where Xie Lang often sat.
In the blink of an eye, she saw a gentle breeze ruffling his hair, and he looked up and smiled at her.
Feeling her eyes burning, Liu Qingqing blinked and looked again, but the window was empty; Xie Lang was nowhere to be seen.
This was the first time Liu Qingqing had found herself in such a dilemma. She vaguely sensed that Xie Lang knew she sometimes kept things from him and wanted to force her to tell him. Because of this, the two gradually drifted apart.
She wondered if keeping it from Xie Lang was the right or wrong thing to do.
They are husband and wife, and she should trust him and tell him the truth at this time.
But she didn't know how much she meant to Xie Lang, and Xie Lang didn't seem to like her at all.
Without any support, she dared not reveal such secrets.
Feeling restless, she couldn't stay in her room after dinner, constantly looking towards the door, assuming it was him whenever she heard a noise. Not wanting to wait in vain, she went for a walk in the garden with Granny Li.
The Hou Mansion Garden is exquisitely crafted with rocks and adorned with clusters of flowers. The continuous greenery is so lush that it instantly lifts one's spirits.
Granny Li followed behind her young mistress, her eyes fixed ahead, but her mind was elsewhere. She hadn't been oblivious to the fact that her mistress and son-in-law had been arguing again lately. At first, she'd thought it was just normal marital bliss, but recently she'd noticed her mistress growing increasingly listless. Like a vibrant, delicate flower, she was visibly wilting. She wondered if she should offer her some advice…
While she was stammering, she noticed that her mistress was staring straight ahead. She looked over instinctively, but before she could turn her head, her mistress grabbed her shoulder tightly.
Thinking that her young mistress was suddenly feeling unwell and unable to stand, Granny Li immediately froze, staring intently at her mistress's suddenly pale face.
"Miss, what's wrong?"
Liu Qingqing, supporting herself on Li Mama's arm, felt her legs go weak and leaned forward slightly to exhale.
Seeing that the young lady had gradually calmed down, just as Granny Li was about to turn her head again, Liu Qingqing quickly stepped aside to block Granny Li. Granny Li asked in surprise, "Young lady?"
Liu Qingqing: "Granny, I suddenly feel cold. Let's go back to our room."
Upon hearing this, Granny Li immediately pulled her young mistress close and turned back without hesitation, complaining, "I think this garden of the Marquis's mansion is inauspicious. Why is it that every time the young mistress comes here, she feels unwell? I should talk to the young master about it and ask a Taoist priest to perform a ritual."
If it were a normal Granny Li speaking so recklessly, Liu Qingqing would have stopped her long ago.
Today, however, my mind wanders to another world.
After realizing her slip of the tongue, Granny Li immediately shut up, but seeing that her young mistress was still in a daze, she became anxious.
After putting the young lady on the bed, he touched her forehead, then touched his own, and muttered softly, "She doesn't have a fever."
Why are you so absent-minded again?
"Don't tell the adults."
Liu Qingqing gripped Li Mama's arm tightly, "Please don't."
Granny Li was stunned for a moment, then quickly patted her chest and agreed, "I'll listen to you, Miss. Whatever you say goes!"
I won't say anything, I won't say anything, I'll just go to the garden.
After Granny Li went out to cook her a calming soup, Liu Qingqing finally slumped against the bed.
She thought she had just seen Aunt Jia.
No, it's not like that.
It's still just across that lake.
Aunt Jia, dressed in white, nodded to her and smiled when she saw her.
She could see it clearly; it was definitely Aunt Jia!
It felt like gunpowder was exploding in Liu Qingqing's mind.
Why is Aunt Jia in the mansion?
If Aunt Jia is in the mansion, then why are her husband and sister searching for her in the shadows?
Aunt Jia must be somewhere that neither her husband nor her sister knows.
I heard that my father-in-law is also looking for someone.
A place unknown to both my father-in-law and them...
Suddenly, Liu Qingqing thought of the dense bamboo forest behind the green trees and high walls, and she gripped the brocade quilt tightly.
That was the courtyard of Xie Pan, the second uncle from the concubine's branch.
She couldn't help but recall the last time, also outside that courtyard wall.
If that really is Aunt Jia, she's alright, but Granny Li's life might be in danger.
After drinking the calming soup, Liu Qingqing said she was exhausted and blew out the lamp early. She lay in bed with her eyes closed, her mind in complete turmoil.
How could Aunt Jia be at the Marquis's residence?
Aunt Jia has been "dead" for more than a year. Could it be that she has been hiding in the Marquis's mansion for more than a year?
Even though his father-in-law and Xie Lang were both brilliant and gentle, they didn't notice.
If it's the taciturn second uncle... then the fruits of this Marquis's mansion are truly unfathomable.
Indeed, there wasn't a single person in this Marquis's mansion who was easy to deal with.
Was Aunt Jia there voluntarily, or was she trapped there?
Looking at Aunt Jia from afar, she seemed relaxed and unhurried, even smiling and nodding at her. She didn't look like she had been forcibly detained.
What should she do?
She wants to save them, but how?
What if Aunt Jia is willing? Would her taking matters into her own hands disrupt Aunt Jia's plans?
Although she didn't know what Aunt Jia's plan was, she remembered Aunt Jia as being both wise and brave.
How should she tell Xie Lang?
Should we let Xie Lang know?
Did her cleverness backfire and make things worse for Aunt Jia?
If Xie Lang felt ashamed about this, would he rather not know?
If she tells him, will Xie Lang hate her?
I'm torn between two options.
He covered his head with both hands, which felt like it was about to explode, and somehow managed to fall asleep in a daze.
midnight.
Xie Lang, dressed in brocade robes, returned to his residence at night.
For some reason, I suddenly went back to the main room today.
Upon reaching the main room, they saw Granny Li standing guard at the door.
He knew that Granny Li and the Madam had a deep affection for each other, and as Granny Li grew older, the Madam no longer allowed Granny Li to keep watch at night.
Seeing this, Xie Lang frowned, took two quick steps, and asked in a firm voice, "What's wrong, Madam?"
From the very beginning, Granny Li was in a panic. When she saw Xie Lang, she acted as if she had seen a savior. "Miss, no, Madam went for a walk after dinner, but suddenly felt dizzy and couldn't stand up. She came back, drank some calming soup, and then went to sleep."
Granny Li wrung her hands anxiously, "I wonder if she's caught a chill again, or if she's developed a fever again."
Upon hearing this, Xie Lang looked at the tightly closed door and said, "Granny, go back and rest. I'll look after her."
Seeing that Granny Li hesitated to leave, Xie Lang added, "If Madam is unwell, I will send someone to find you."
Granny Li hesitated, "May I go in with you and take a look?"
Although Xie Lang was slightly displeased, he nodded in agreement, thinking that his wife wanted to value Li Mama.
The two opened the door gently and entered the room one after the other. When they reached the bedside, Granny Li bent down to touch the young lady's forehead. Seeing that she did not have a fever, she breathed a sigh of relief.
"I'm sorry to have disturbed your rest, young master. You should also get some rest. If you need anything, just send someone to call me."
Xie Lang sat on the edge of the couch.
But she was thinking about what Granny Li had just said.
I went for a walk, but came back feeling terrible.
He was clearly suggesting a walk, but his eyes flickered and he swallowed back the words that were about to come out.
They must have gone to the garden.
Why was I frightened again after only going there once in all this time?
He lowered his eyes to look at his wife's sleeping face.
What a coincidence!
Xie Lang looked towards the direction of the garden.
A moment later, he got up and walked to the back window, whistling a bird. In no time, a figure flashed by; it was Xie Liu, who looked like a ghost.
Xie Liu asked in a low voice, "What are your orders, sir?"
Xie Lang frowned and then relaxed. He had initially intended to have Xie Liu search the garden, but then changed his mind.
Let's not alert them yet.
So he changed his mind: "Starting tomorrow, I will secretly protect the lady."
Xie Liu accepted the order and withdrew. Taking advantage of the fact that no one was paying attention, he scurried back up the tree and hid in the dense canopy. He took out a half-eaten, dry biscuit from his pocket, put it to his mouth, sniffed the aroma wafting from the small kitchen, and sighed silently, shaking his head.
I really envy that bastard Xie Wu.
Despite being twins, he was able to show his face in public and walk around freely. He wasn't envious of that; what he envied was that Xie Wu was always out and about, that everyone around his wife knew Xie Wu, and that his wife's little kitchen smelled wonderful all the time.
That little girl named Qingju's hands were somehow magical; everything she made smelled wonderful, so wonderful that it made him uncomfortable.
Xie Wu, that bastard, gets a free meal every few days.
He, however, could only drift alone in the tree.
Xie Liu looked down at the dry, hard flatbread.
Last time, he secretly sneaked into the small kitchen and stole a bowl of mutton soup. It was really delicious, so fragrant it made your tongue tingle.
He sniffed again, and out of the corner of his eye, he saw Qingju carrying a wooden table past the tree and heading towards his room. He quickly reached out to look at the tree trunk and sniffed the air.
It must have been her own dinner; it looked like it had meat and vegetables, and it smelled delicious.
This tree is so tall that you can see the entire Jialan Garden.
Qingju stepped over the hanging flower gate, but instead of taking it into the house, she placed the porcelain bowl on the stone table, went inside to get a bowl and chopsticks, poured half of it into a small bowl, and sat at the table, eating it quietly but quickly like a little mouse.
After finishing her meal, the little girl sat there in a daze for a while before going to the sink to wash the dishes.
He had sharp ears and overheard the little girl asking the others if they wanted to eat. Everyone else had already eaten dinner, and she was the last one. The little girl said that she could only feed the cat.
Xie Liu panicked. "Why feed the cat? Feeding him is better than feeding the cat!"
After Qingju poured the food into a brand-new wooden bowl and placed it in the corner of the courtyard, Xie Liu and others returned to their room a moment later. Then, like a ghost, Xie Liu reached out and hastily poured the food onto the pancake, even leaving some rice in it as a clever trick.
Back in the tree, he enthusiastically rolled up the pancake again and opened his mouth wide.
The stir-fried meat is savory and fragrant, bursting with juice when you bite into it.
I hadn't had any oily food in ages, and I almost swallowed my tongue.
Xie Liu's eyes were red. He wished he could have such delicious food every day.
When night fell, there was movement in the courtyard, and Xie Liu immediately looked over.
Sure enough, Qingju came out wearing clothes to check if the kitten had eaten. He saw Qingju standing in front of the bowl for a while. Although he couldn't see Qingju's expression, he guessed that she was startled. Xie Liu opened his mouth and smiled silently.
The little girl certainly didn't expect that this cat could eat so fast!
After watching Qingju go back, Xie Liu nimbly stepped on the tree trunk and changed his position, refocusing most of his attention on the main house.
The Garden of Orchids gradually quieted down, with only the chirping of insects and the rustling of trees all around.
Xie Wu looked at the main house, then looked up at the cloud-covered sky, feeling as if a storm was brewing.
Inside the room.
Xie Lang returned to the bedside and remained motionless in the same position. In the quiet night, he could hear her every breath and every murmur.
She frowned, clenching her fingers into a fist in pain, as if she were having a nightmare.
Seeing this, Xie Lang reached out and patiently pried her hand open with his fingers.
But is it getting tight?
Xie Lang, however, did not know what he wanted to get from her; he only found her gentle and mild-mannered manner annoying.
In her dream, Liu Qingqing tightly gripped his fingers and pulled him into her arms, holding him close. Xie Lang didn't break free; looking at her peaceful sleeping face, he thought of her half-sister.
The next morning, Liu Qingqing woke up with a start.
He suddenly stood up and clutched his chest.
The door was pushed open the next moment, and Granny Li came running over anxiously.
"What's wrong, Miss?"
Liu Qingqing finally recovered and waved her hand weakly, "I had a nightmare."
Granny Li breathed a sigh of relief and quickly patted the young lady's back to comfort her, saying, "Touching her fur won't scare her."
Her expression cleared a little, and she heard Granny Li say, "Last night when the master came back, he thought the young lady was unwell and stayed with her all night."
Whenever she heard such news, Liu Qingqing would not say anything, but a sweet smile would appear on her lips.
But upon hearing this, his expression tightened. "Did you ask what, sir?"
Liu Qingqing was filled with unease.
After a moment of stunned silence, Granny Li replied, "I didn't ask anything."
Liu Qingqing hurriedly asked, "Did the master go out again after returning to his room? Or did he summon Xie Wu?"
After thinking for a moment, Granny Li shook her head.
Seeing this, Granny Li also sensed something was wrong and, feeling vaguely uneasy, hurriedly asked, "Miss, did I say something wrong yesterday?"
"No, don't overthink it, Granny."
Liu Qingqing was in a state of confusion, so she made up an excuse that she wanted to take a bath and asked Granny Li to boil water.
Buckets of hot water were carried in, filling the clean room with steam.
Liu Qingqing's heart, which had been hanging in suspense, finally relaxed a little as she sat in the bathtub.
She was startled to realize that, whether in the Liu residence or now in the Marquis's residence, it seemed that only in this moment in the clean room did she truly belong to herself.
Xie Lang respected her and never entered her private room without permission.
Apart from the clean room, there were servants and other people in the surrounding area. Having a secret in her heart, she dared not relax even for a moment outside, for fear that someone would discover her secret.
She wanted to talk to Xie Lang.
But she didn't dare.
Such secrets...
Can her shallow marital bond with Xie Lang withstand this shock?
He had inexplicably ignored her for two months. After thinking it over, she felt that their relationship was shallow and couldn't withstand the test.
If he gets angry and takes it out on her, will she have to be locked up and die alone in this deep mansion?
Even though I was soaking in warm water, I broke out in a cold sweat, and felt like the hairs on my body were standing on end.
The illusions and mirages of the past, so false and unreal, were thus easily shattered.
She loved him, admired him, and wanted to depend on him, but dared not.
She did whatever he did, daring not to have any other thoughts, daring not to ask for anything.
In this vast world, it seems as if she is all alone.
Liu Qingqing hugged her legs and buried her face in the water.
When she reappears in public, she is once again the dignified and elegant lady of the Marquis's mansion.
The guillotine that had been hanging over their heads finally fell, and Aunt Jia was indeed alive and in the mansion.
Liu Qingqing didn't know what to do.
Just as she was struggling with her inner conflict, she suddenly heard hurried footsteps. Liu Qingqing turned around and was disappointed when she saw who it was.
"Miss",
Zhao Pansheng walked hurriedly, his face filled with panic.
Liu Qingqing was lost in thought when she saw Zhao Pansheng's expression. Her heart skipped a beat, and she quickly put down the account book she was using as a cover and went to greet him. "What's wrong? Is there any news about your sister?"
Zhao Pansheng is always calm and composed, and there are few things that could make her lose her composure.
Zhao Pansheng shook his head vigorously, his brows furrowed, and said anxiously, "I just ran into Brother Xie Wu, and he said..."
Seeing her like this, Liu Qingqing also became anxious and hurriedly grabbed Zhao Pansheng's hand, urging her to ask, "What did Xie Wu say?"
Zhao Pansheng said through gritted teeth in a low voice, "Brother Xie said that Lord Liu and Young Master Liu have come to the manor to discuss important matters with Lord Xie. They are currently in the outer study with the Lord."
Upon hearing this, Liu Qingqing was taken aback and asked in disbelief, "Lord Liu and Young Lord Liu? Are they my father and brother?"
Zhao Pansheng nodded emphatically: "I heard from Brother Xie Wu that you should go and take a look as soon as possible."
They came to the mansion?
Why did they come to the mansion?
How could Xie Lang allow them to go to the important study?
First it was Liu Qingying five days ago, and now it's them again. Liu Qingqing had a bad feeling, and her eyelids kept twitching.
Why are these turbulent times?
Upon hearing the news that her beloved father and brother had actually come to the mansion, Liu Qingqing's heart skipped a beat. Fearing that they might say something unpleasant, she hurriedly went to the front courtyard without even changing her clothes.
All the way there, I felt like I had a wild rabbit jumping around in my throat, with many thoughts crammed into my mind.
They haven't been doing well these past few days...
She thought to herself, "Don't let this matter remain unresolved, only to have another problem arise." Their relationship couldn't withstand such a test.
He clenched his hands together and silently prayed that his father and brothers would not say anything they shouldn't.
All these things tangled together, forming an unbreakable ball of yarn that gave her a headache.
Strangely enough, when she arrived at the front yard, there was no one guarding it, and Xie Wu was nowhere to be found.
For some reason, she subconsciously slowed her footsteps.
Sure enough, after walking another two zhang, they heard Liu Xu's affected and pretentious voice, which was pretentious but lacked confidence. However, it was too far away to hear clearly.
Ignoring everything else, she looked around and her eyes lit up when she saw a clump of trees on the side of the study with a window. She lifted her skirt and tiptoed over there.
Carefully go around the corner, crouch down and move close to the wall to a spot near the window.
Yin could hear the conversation, but he was too tense to hear what they were saying at first.
The wind blew, and the leaves rustled, just enough to conceal her movements.
She sat down against the wall, her heart pounding, just as she was about to listen to what Liu and Xu meant when she vaguely heard Liu and Xu pretending to talk about the Regent and others. As he squatted down, the fabric rubbed against her clothes, and she quickly pulled her skirt up, not caring about what was inside.
She felt as if she had developed a subtle connection with the people inside; every movement of the person inside the window affected her.
Liu Qingqing was extra careful, but Xie Lang was extremely cautious and perceptive. If she made a sound, Xie Lang would definitely notice.
Just as they squatted down, holding their breath, before they could even catch their breath, they suddenly heard Xie Lang's cold, deep voice, "Qingqing is gentle and refined, but inferior to Qingying."
[Author's Note]
Next chapter preview:
My heart is dead.
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