57 Chapter Fifty-Seven
◎It should be...never again. ◎
Chapter 57
In his presence, Liu Qingqing was either gentle and virtuous or dignified and elegant, always with a smile on her face, sometimes a radiant smile, and even when she was in a bad mood, a faint smile would still linger on her lips.
This was the first time Liu Qingqing had shown such an angry expression in front of him; she even mocked him, which was quite rare.
His eyebrows twitched slightly as he stared at her, as if he were seeing her for the first time.
Xie Lang was not offended or angry; on the contrary, his eyes lit up with interest.
"That's good."
He suddenly said something out of the blue.
Servants would come and go from time to time. Although they walked with their heads down and close to the wall, they could still be heard if you were close enough.
Xie Lang's eyes were indifferent: "Let's talk about it in the room."
Before Liu Qingqing could even ponder what he meant by "that's so good," she heard him avoid her question and say he wanted to go back to his room. An displeasure welled up inside her. This man was like a cotton ball; no matter how hard she patted him, she wouldn't hear a sound! A sense of helplessness rose within her. The faint glimmer of hope she had felt earlier was extinguished like a handful of water.
She also began to scrutinize him closely.
Suddenly I wondered what I had liked about him before?
He was always so indifferent, as if this was acceptable and that was fine. This demeanor made her feel a surge of anger catch in her throat. Couldn't he act like a living person?!
With that thought, even his steps became sharper, and he quickly passed by him.
Xie Lang raised an eyebrow upon seeing this, but did not call out to her again.
The two then returned to the main house of Jialan Garden one after the other. As soon as Xie Lang closed the door, Liu Qingqing turned around and asked, "Does Your Excellency like me?"
This question would stump Xie Lang: What if you like it, and what if you don't?
He didn't understand why she was bothered by such trivial matters.
He frowned and silently gazed at her. He wondered why married couples had to be so particular about such things.
This was the answer in Liu Qingqing's eyes, and the last embers of hope in her heart turned to ashes.
Having made up her mind to leave, she wanted to die knowing why.
A layer of sadness appeared in Liu Qingqing's eyes. Without giving herself time to wallow in it, she continued to ask, "If you were to marry someone else, would you treat her the same way?"
Liu Qingqing clenched her fists, still somewhat unwilling to give up.
Xie Lang had never thought about this before, and was caught off guard by the question, lost in thought.
This question is rather absurd. He has never married anyone else. How should he answer this?
Xie Lang, confident in his upright character, thought carefully but did not conceal his thoughts.
"If she's someone who lives a down-to-earth life, you might as well give her some leeway."
Why not let her score two points?
Just like with her?
Liu Qingqing swayed, grabbing the edge of the table for support, her eyes stinging with tears. She didn't see Xie Lang's outstretched hand to help her up.
He was instantly lost in his own thoughts...
From a young age... after her mother left, she was worse off than a piece of duckweed. Her own father and brothers were not close to her, and her stepmother was two-faced, appearing nice on the surface but secretly making her suffer a lot. Although Liu Qingying was willing to stick close to her, she used to boast about the family's favoritism towards her and was used to stabbing her in the heart.
Later, her sister-in-law's life improved somewhat after she married into the family, and she would secretly give her food. However, her sister-in-law never spoke to her in public, and they hardly ever spoke to each other in private either. Perhaps her sister-in-law felt sorry for her and couldn't bear to see her suffer. But considering her parents-in-law and husband, she dared not get too close to her.
She was practically irrelevant in the Liu household; in those years, she only had Granny Li and Qingju. But Granny Li grew old, and Qingju would eventually get married.
She hoped that after getting married, she would at least be more important to her husband. She didn't expect to be as close as his family, but was it too much to ask to be among the first strangers in his life, no longer a pitiful, dispensable person?
She no longer wanted to be treated like a stray cat or dog on the street, summoned and dismissed at will, and replaced at someone's whim.
She didn't know if her thoughts were willful, but she just wanted to be chosen firmly by someone this once.
Even if there's only one person in her life, and that person always puts her before everyone else, no matter how good the others are, as long as that person firmly chooses her, she feels that her life has not been in vain.
She didn't know what it would taste like, but she longed to try it, like a thirsty traveler searching for water.
pity……
Xie Lang's words extinguished the light in her eyes.
She had assumed Xie Lang treated her differently, but she was just being presumptuous.
She was asking for too much.
What are you still dreaming about?
That day, Xie Lang had already told Liu Xu in his study that Qingying was even better.
Liu Qingqing swallowed her sobs, her trembling breath betraying the turmoil in her heart. Tears welled up in her eyes, but she didn't want Xie Lang to see them, so she lowered her head and closed her eyes tightly.
The mist condensed into hot tears, falling heavily from my eyelashes and leaving a shocking black mark on the bluish-gray ground.
Xie Lang, with his sharp eyes, naturally noticed the tears falling. His face darkened upon seeing the tear stains on the ground.
"lady……"
Hearing Xie Lang's deep voice, she shuddered, only then realizing he was still there. Liu Qingqing quickly raised her hand to stop Xie Lang from speaking, "Don't say anything more, I understand."
Xie Lang didn't understand. What did she understand? He hadn't uttered a word yet.
Xie Lang was even more confused. They had always been on good terms since they got married, so how could things have suddenly come to this?
"It would be better if we divorced as soon as possible, so that we can part amicably and you can remarry a better woman."
Something that used to feel like being pricked by a thousand needles when I thought about it, I can now say so easily.
When the topic of divorce came up again, Xie Lang sneered.
He had considered when his wife started acting strangely, and upon careful thought, it was after General Ying entered the capital!
General Ying is incredibly alluring; his wife clearly only has eyes for him and is devoted to living with him. General Ying has only been here a short time, and his wife already wants a divorce?
Oh.
No matter what he said, he couldn't get through to her. She wouldn't listen at all, and at this moment she even refused to look him in the eye!
Unexplained emotions surged within Xie Lang's chest, causing his blood to boil.
He clenched his fists so tightly that his knuckles cracked, and a fire was burning inside him.
"Tell me when you've calmed down."
He abruptly tossed aside his cloak, uttered those words in a deep voice, and strode away.
The door slammed shut with a loud bang, like a slap across her face.
Liu Qingqing's lowered eyelashes trembled in fright.
Stepping out of the main room, perhaps due to the change in weather today, even the wind became sharp and biting, blowing directly against Xie Lang's face.
Aside from interrogating people in the Zhaoyu prison, he rarely had such a stern face, like a demon crawling out of hell, exuding intense displeasure and oppressive aura.
From the main house to the study in Jialan Garden, the servants held their breath, not daring to utter a sound. Even Xie Wu's face was tense, and he dared not speak.
Upon entering the study, Xie Lang took off his cloak and threw it directly to the ground.
His handsome features were icy cold, and even now, Xie Lang didn't believe that her desire for a divorce was sincere.
How could she possibly leave him?
She won't.
After thinking for a moment, he summoned Xie Wu and ordered in a deep voice, "Quickly summon the physician from the palace."
-
In the main room.
She stood there for an unknown amount of time, until her legs started to ache, before the mist in Liu Qingqing's eyes finally cleared.
Just as she was about to stagger and fall, someone suddenly knocked on the door. Liu Qingqing's knees were sore and numb, and she couldn't sit down for a moment, so she used her palms to support herself on the octagonal table.
"Who is it?" she asked in a hoarse voice.
"This humble one is Xie Wu, here to deliver something to you on your behalf, sir."
"Come in."
Hearing that the lady wanted him to come in, Xie Wu, whose heart had been in his throat, finally breathed a sigh of relief.
He was heartbroken, wondering why his two masters had suddenly fallen out like this. He also didn't understand why Miss Zhao was suddenly treating him so coldly. Had he been robbed by the adults?
He had no time to wallow in self-pity; he had to get the job done quickly and return to report to his superiors.
Carefully pushing open the door to the main room, Xie Wu entered carrying an exquisite food box. Zhao Pansheng, who was guarding the door, was shocked to see her mistress's pale and translucent face. Ignoring the fact that her mistress had not summoned her, she followed Xie Wu in.
Liu Qingqing looked up, her gaze calm.
Xie Wu has always protected her, so she wouldn't implicate Xie Wu because of her unpleasantness with Xie Lang. Besides, Xie Wu was also doing errands for Xie Lang, which wasn't easy for him either.
She calmly asked, "What brings you here?"
Xie Wu was taken aback when he saw the lady's almost translucent face; her lips were also very pale. He remembered Miss Zhao proudly telling him that his daughter was naturally beautiful, with lips that were red without makeup, but now…
Xie Wu's lips moved slightly. In the eyes of the lady, he was on the side of the adults, so it would be inappropriate for him to say anything at this moment.
Coming to his senses, he quickly bowed, then hurried to the table, placed the food box on it, and took out the porcelain bowl inside.
Liu Qingqing's previously unfocused gaze finally came together, and she could see clearly what he was holding in his hand.
The brown broth sloshed gently in the porcelain bowl.
"What is this?" Liu Qingqing asked, puzzled.
For some reason, Xie Wu suddenly felt a chill run down his spine, but before he could react, he blurted out, "The master said that you should perhaps drink some calming herbal medicine."
The main room fell into an eerie silence for a moment.
Immediately, Liu Qingqing, who was always good-natured, flew into a rage, sneered, and with a wave of her hand, smashed the medicine bowl on the ground.
In an instant, the clean and clear white porcelain bowl shattered into pieces.
Just like her heart, her marriage, and her love affair that was nothing short of a joke.
"Drive them out."
She turned around and gave the order in a hoarse voice.
Zhao Pansheng saw this and her eyebrows furrowed. She picked up the food box and threw it into Xie Wu's arms, pointing at him and cursing, "My young lady is perfectly healthy, why would she need to drink medicine? How can you curse people like this?"
Zhao Pansheng didn't even dare to pronounce the two words "calm mind" aloud!
Not satisfied with just cursing, she took two steps forward and slapped him repeatedly.
Xie Wu, clutching the food box, hurriedly dodged, "Hey, Miss Zhao...no..."
He pushed and shoved the person out, his chest heaving with anger. He turned back to help the young lady up.
But the young lady seemed to have eyes in the back of her head, waving her hand and saying, "You should go out too."
Not hearing her move, the young lady added, "I'm fine."
Miss has a good temperament and always takes a positive view of things.
This was the first time Zhao Pansheng had heard his young mistress's voice sound so utterly despondent, and his heart tightened involuntarily.
After thinking for a moment, she decided to obey her mistress, "Miss, I'll stay outside."
Finally, when the door closed softly, Liu Qingqing could no longer bear the soreness in her legs. As she moved closer to the round stool while holding onto the table, she stumbled, lost her balance, and fell to the ground, landing face down on the cold stone surface.
She didn't get up, but instead buried her face in her arms, gently closed her sore eyes, and curled herself up. Just like in her hazy childhood memories of being in her mother's arms, but now, no one was holding her, only the cold stone bricks pressed against her.
-
It suddenly started raining outside. The raindrops fell on the green tiles, making people's hearts tremble. The sound of the rain was just like that day.
Liu Qingqing lay on the bed all afternoon listening to the rain. She didn't fall asleep or take a nap; she just stared blankly at the canopy above the bed.
Despite the heavy rain outside, she didn't shed another tear.
The surroundings were eerily quiet, as if a film of water enveloped her. She seemed heartbroken, yet also as if she couldn't feel it; her calmness was terrifying.
She had to leave quickly, she thought.
Before leaving the Marquis's residence, she thought she should find an excuse to see Aunt Jia. If Aunt Jia needed anything, she would try to send it to her. The marriage that her mother and Aunt Jia had worked so hard to arrange had been called off, and she had to give Aunt Jia an explanation.
She also had to return the beaded bracelet, which symbolized the housekeeper's authority, to the old lady.
She felt indebted to the old lady for her guidance and support, and with her permission, she moved the dowry chests out of the mansion as soon as possible. She figured the old lady, being so upright and honest, wouldn't stop her.
Xie Lang is only unwilling to divorce temporarily because he doesn't care about saving face. If she takes it seriously, then she is truly laughable.
Once she had thought it through, she got up and changed into a more formal dress before heading to see the old lady again.
As soon as the door to the main room was opened, four figures nearly stumbled into the room.
All that came in was a cold wind carrying moisture.
It was Granny Li and the other three, though they were still covered in moisture.
Seeing that she finally opened the door, he didn't care about being embarrassed at all and quickly asked her if she was hungry. There were plenty of hot dishes in the small kitchen, and she could have whatever she wanted to eat!
Liu Qingqing looked up at the gray sky and realized that lunchtime had already passed.
Turning his head, he saw their concerned gazes again, and his tightly furrowed brows eased slightly, causing him to smile.
There are still people who care about her, right?
Seeing the young lady smile did not improve Zhao Pansheng's mood at all; instead, it made him even more worried.
Although the young lady appeared to be smiling, her eyes were empty, which made her feel uneasy.
"I need to go to Shian Garden."
"Then we'll go with you, Miss!"
They all followed.
The master and servants were of one mind.
-
The sound of rain disturbed the old lady's peace of mind.
She disliked rainy days, and her husband was taken away on an ordinary, unremarkable rainy night.
When the old lady heard someone report that the young mistress had come again, her hand, which was twirling the prayer beads, paused, and her eyelids twitched.
With a sigh, she knew it was coming. She asked Granny An to press a small piece of paper onto her eyelids to keep them moist.
It was still raining outside, so the old lady didn't let Liu Qingqing wait in the corridor.
The rain was cold, and the wind was unbearable. The little girl already had a history of typhoid fever.
Not only was Liu Qingqing allowed to enter, but the accompanying nanny and maid were also instructed to wait in the adjacent warm pavilion.
As soon as Liu Qingqing entered, she saw Granny An standing in front of the old lady, her head down, seemingly doing something.
"What's wrong, Madam? Are you feeling unwell?" she asked with concern.
"It's nothing serious, just tight eyelids."
The old lady's voice was clear and bright, indicating that nothing was wrong, which put Liu Qingqing at ease.
Thinking about what would happen soon, Liu Qingqing couldn't help but feel nervous. She licked her dry lips and tasted the sweetness. Only then did she realize that Li Mama had applied lip rouge to her lips before she came.
I don't usually wear lip rouge, and I've forgotten about it.
After much deliberation, realizing that whether she stuck her neck out or not, she would still be in trouble, she mustered her courage and took out the bracelet, placing it on the wooden table first. This way, she wouldn't be caught off guard if the old lady asked her what she was doing there.
The old lady saw the bracelet and understood, and everything went smoothly afterward.
In the flower hall, after Granny An finished pasting the scraps of paper and stepped aside, the old lady caught a glimpse of the bracelet on the table and was momentarily distracted.
These two, mother-in-law and daughter-in-law, are both quite temperamental.
No wonder she was personally chosen by Jia'er as her daughter-in-law; she has the same temperament as her.
She's not dead yet, and this bracelet that others envy has actually been returned to her twice.
The old lady's expression remained unchanged, but in her heart she felt quite disdain for her good-for-nothing children and grandchildren.
What kind of skill is it to act all high and mighty outside? One or two of them can't even keep a wife.
Better than a club!
Since that's the case, she didn't say anything more, and her gaze towards her granddaughter-in-law changed again, becoming more serious than before.
"Have you thought it through?" the old lady asked.
Liu Qingqing lowered her head and nodded slightly. She felt truly ashamed to face the old lady, having given up halfway.
A churning sensation in her chest made her uncomfortable, and she dared not even breathe. She didn't know how to answer, but the old lady didn't press for details.
The old lady pressed her temples and shook her head. "Fine, I don't know what you young people are thinking all day. While I'm still healthy and can support you, let you do as you please."
The old lady sighed softly, seemingly helpless, wistful, and perhaps also harboring a vague and inexplicable longing.
Before Liu Qingqing could understand the old lady's thoughts, she heard the old lady say again, "I have received a pot of fine wine. The Marquis has not been in the manor recently. This wine is valuable, and I am not comfortable letting the servants deliver it. So I will trouble you to deliver it to Tingzhuxuan on your way back."
Liu Qingqing suddenly looked up at the old lady. What a coincidence! Did the old lady know what she was thinking?
These past two days she's been thinking about how to see Aunt Jia again! Lately, for some reason, there have been more servants in the garden than usual, and she's been unable to get close to the courtyard wall to throw notes in no matter how many times she's gone.
Unfortunately, just as she looked up, the old lady looked away and called for the maid to fetch the wine, thus avoiding her gaze.
She never expected that her troubles, which had been bothering her for days, would be resolved so easily. She had only been inside for a short while. She thought there would be a fierce battle.
Liu Qingqing's heart was pounding.
She bowed deeply to the old lady, her throat tightening, unable to utter the words she wanted to say. Having ruined Xie Lang's promising marriage, nothing she said would make a difference. In that instant, guilt and self-reproach bound her tightly like vines, tightening ever more.
Suddenly, the old lady stood up, took her arm, and helped her up.
He patted her arm lightly, without saying a word, yet it seemed as if he had said everything.
The old lady took out a bamboo-patterned brocade pouch from her sleeve and stuffed it into her hand. "Take it. There are things in here that you may need. Open it when you get back."
"The white jade token inside is the totem of my properties, the martial arts school and money exchange left to me by my maternal family. It has nothing to do with the Marquis's mansion, so use it as you see fit."
Liu Qingqing suddenly remembered that Xie Wanyan had also given her a similar token, and her throat felt as if it were filled with sand and cotton, making her eyes burn.
They are all good people.
Just then, she heard the old lady's kind voice instructing her, "When you are out in the future, you must take good care of yourself. No matter what happens between you and Lang'er, I know you are a good girl. It is Lang'er's misfortune that is not your fault, and you should not blame yourself either. Keep this, consider it as fulfilling our destiny."
After saying that, he leaned back on the cushion, his sharp and shrewd eyes seeming to see through her plans. He waved his hand wearily at her, "Go on, if you want to leave today, you'll have to be busy."
After standing still for a while, Liu Qingqing finally bent her knees and knelt on the ground. Ignoring the old lady's objections, she kowtowed three times heavily, closed her burning eyes, and choked out, "Please take care of yourself."
She produced a purse from somewhere and stuffed it into the old lady's hand, just as the old lady had done earlier. "It contains good medicine that my mother left me. Please have the physician examine it before using it."
Holding a ceramic jar full of wine, Liu Qingqing felt as if she had stepped into the rain.
Zhao Pansheng, holding an oil-paper umbrella, hurriedly caught up with the young lady, and Qingju also squeezed over to drape the oil-paper coat over her.
She soon arrived at Tingzhuxuan and stopped in front of the courtyard gate.
She knocked on the door, and after a short while, the old man came in wearing a straw raincoat. When he opened the door and saw that it was her, he first gave a simple and honest smile, then quickly bowed his head in greeting, and then looked up to wait for instructions.
Liu Qingqing glanced at him briefly and realized that the old man had just been working.
Knowing that the old man couldn't hear, she gestured with her hands, indicating that it came from Shian Garden and was a gift from the old lady.
The old man understood and quickly opened his hands to her. Only then did Liu Qingqing realize that the old man's hands were covered in mud, meaning they couldn't be washed clean in a short time.
The old man quickly bowed to her and pointed to the end of the main room, indicating that he would like to trouble Liu Qingqing to help put the pottery jar under the porch of the main room.
Liu Qingqing nodded, but her heart was pounding in her throat.
The old man led her over, while Granny Li and the others waited outside.
Halfway there, suddenly there was a loud crack. The two looked back and saw that the wind and rain were so strong that a fairly thick tree branch had been snapped in two, crashed into the half-open gate, fell to the ground, and finally lay across the front of the gate.
The old man ignored her, gestured to her for a while, and quickly ran to the door to try to move the branch and fix the door. Seeing this, Granny Li and the others also came forward to help.
Perhaps it was a stroke of luck that Heaven granted Liu Qingqing this golden opportunity.
She swallowed hard, her heart pounding in her throat, and quickened her pace, clutching the earthenware jar.
As they were about to ascend the steps to the corridor, he glanced back discreetly before letting out a soft call of the cuckoo.
This was something Aunt Jia taught her last time.
Fortunately, the wind and rain continued, covering up the abrupt and poorly imitated sound.
It was difficult to enter her second uncle's main house, so she bent down and placed the pottery jar under the eaves in a corner against the wall. There were stone railings and pillars in front of it, so no matter how the wind and rain blew, the pottery jar would not get wet.
Just as it was placed down, a cuckoo called out.
Hers is crisp and melodious, much better than hers.
Liu Qingqing smiled and calmed down.
Turning her head, she saw that the thick tree branch that had been blocking the doorway had been moved. Just as she looked over, several people, lightly wiping the mud off their hands, were also looking up at her.
Liu Qingqing looked up at the rain again.
Once she made up her mind, it was as if even God was on her side, and everything went very smoothly.
After returning to Jialan Garden, she asked Qingju to make her a bowl of noodles. She hadn't eaten lunch, and after all that fuss, she was quite hungry.
It wasn't absolutely necessary to eat it, but she had other plans in mind.
After finishing her plain noodles, Liu Qingqing went to the garden alone under the pretext of digesting her food.
The rain stopped for a while.
Granny Li and the others were busy packing their bags and couldn't pay attention to her for the time being.
Upon entering the bamboo grove, Aunt Jia was indeed waiting there. She was dressed in the attire of a maidservant from the Marquis's mansion, carrying a mahogany food box, and she certainly looked the part.
Seeing her approach, Aunt Jia turned and walked ahead, and Liu Qingqing followed her with a quick turn of her toes. The two of them walked one after the other towards the secret passage behind the artificial hill. Practice makes perfect, and this time Liu Qingqing acted quite skillfully.
After entering the secret passage, we went back to the small hall from before.
Aunt Jia turned around and pulled Liu Qingqing's hand to sit down, and the two sat facing each other.
Why are you in such a hurry to see me?
Aunt Jia asked her curiously, and before she could answer, she quickly added, "I've received all the gold and silver jewelry you threw in. Don't throw it away next time, keep it for yourself. I have enough."
Liu Qingqing hesitated, unsure of what to say.
No matter what, it seems unable to conceal their heartless and ungrateful behavior.
But time was of the essence, and she could not afford to be timid or procrastinate.
She clenched her fists, her nails digging into her tender flesh.
She dared not look into Aunt Jia's eyes, feeling a buzzing in her head and a choking sensation in her throat, unable to breathe. "Aunt Jia, I want to divorce Xie Lang."
She gritted her teeth and said it in one breath.
A strange, quiet silence followed.
Liu Qingqing lowered her head and leaned against the wall. Just as she was about to raise her eyes, which were filled with tears, she heard Aunt Jia ask in a cold voice, "What did Xie Lang say?"
I never expected Aunt Jia to be so shrewd, she saw through the problem at a glance.
Liu Qingqing hesitated, "He doesn't agree."
Aunt Jia was, after all, the adult's biological mother; how could she dare to expect Aunt Jia to side with her?
But she still mustered her courage, feeling that she should give Aunt Jia, who had always protected her, an explanation, "The master doesn't seem to have taken it seriously."
Even adults were called out.
Xia Ru couldn't help but sigh. She thought of Lang'er's stubborn temper, which was just like his father's. It was time to curb his arrogance.
"Has the divorce agreement been signed?"
Not yet.
Xia Rushi fell into deep thought.
In the blink of an eye, no one knew what she was thinking or considering.
"What's so difficult about that?"
She waved her hand dismissively, "If you've thought it through, I have a way."
Unexpectedly, things took a turn for the better. Liu Qingqing's eyes suddenly lit up, and she looked up at Aunt Jia without paying attention to anything else.
Her eyes instantly reddened, welling up with tears.
Xia Rushi, having been through similar experiences, knew how much Qingqing loved Xie Lang.
Even before the young men knew it, she could discern clues from their subtle glances and silent, following gazes.
It's unbelievable that such a kind-hearted girl has become so cold-hearted. I wonder what trouble that little rascal has caused this time!
"Since you know I won't stop you, would Qingqing possibly ask me why you want a divorce?" She changed the subject.
Liu Qingqing bit her lip, suddenly feeling a dryness in her throat. She kept swallowing, opening her lips and then closing them again, her voice barely audible.
“Husband…no, I don’t want to delay Lord Xie any longer.”
Her hands were tangled together, completely unaware that she had turned them red and white from the force she used.
Xia Ru caught a glimpse of this out of the corner of her eye, grabbed her hand, and then forcefully separated her hands while she was momentarily stunned and losing her strength.
Then he held her small hands tightly in his palms.
Warm palms washed over her cold hands.
Liu Qingqing stared blankly into Aunt Jia's eyes.
Aunt Jia didn't say a word, but her actions seemed to tell her everything—she supported her.
Although she was resolute in her decision to divorce, she was uncertain and felt very anxious.
She was afraid of many things: she was afraid of hurting Aunt Jia, she was afraid of disappointing Aunt Jia, and she was afraid that Aunt Jia would think she was an ingrate like Liu Xu.
Only God, who glimpsed her during each sleepless night, knew her bewilderment and helplessness.
Aunt Kejia... didn't scold her at all.
This seemed to be the first time that a close elder had stood on her side before she even knew the full story.
She was lost in thought, realizing what it felt like to be genuinely loved and cared for without any reason.
A warm feeling filled my chest, rushing straight to my eyes. It was as if a caterpillar had crawled into my lower abdomen, causing a ticklish sensation. My whole body felt full, as if it were being filled with warm air.
Her eyes, which had been dry and hadn't shed a tear since that rainy night, finally became moist again. Water droplets gathered in front of her eyes, and she dared not blink, afraid that if her eyelashes moved, the tears would fall.
She didn't want to cry about this anymore; if she did, she would be too pitiful.
Finally, he confided in Aunt Jia.
“Aunt Jia, I overheard the adults saying that they would divorce me in three years.”
She couldn't bring herself to say Xie Lang's blunt statement that Liu Qingying was better than her, so she quietly protected her fragile and pathetic dignity.
She had imagined his cold tone torturing her a thousand times in her heart, yet as she spoke it aloud, her eyes welled up with tears again. She quickly lowered her eyelashes, and tears slid down her cheeks.
Suddenly, I heard Aunt Jia's angry, heavy breathing.
She slammed her fist on the stone bed and cursed, "I knew that brat would do something like his father! If his father had remembered what I told him, we wouldn't have ended up like this."
Aunt Jia seemed to be thinking of something, her expression quite complex, a mixture of sorrow and hatred, her eyes shining with an astonishing light.
Aunt Jia gritted her teeth and said fiercely, "I have to teach him a lesson! So what if he doesn't sign the divorce papers? If you really want to leave, I definitely don't want you to be tied down by the divorce papers."
Aunt Jia stared at her intently: "Do you really want to leave?"
Liu Qingqing's heart pounded. She could almost hear the sound of her blood rushing against the current in her veins. For a moment, all she could hear besides her own heartbeat and breathing were the two sentences Xie Lang had said in the study.
She swallowed hard, her eyelashes still damp, but she nodded firmly, "Aunt Jia, I really want to leave. I want to go outside and see the world."
Upon hearing this, Aunt Jia's eyes revealed a complex emotion that she couldn't understand. Aunt Jia suddenly raised her hand and gently stroked the stray hairs by her ear, tucking the hairs behind her ear. Aunt Jia's gaze swept over her ears and she said softly, "You have these ingot-shaped ears. The master has said they are auspicious since you were a child, indicating that you are destined for greatness."
She paused slightly, and Aunt Jia seemed to choke up a little. She sighed sadly for a moment before speaking again, "Then don't be trapped in this bottomless Marquis's mansion. You are still young and have not yet had children. You still have plenty of opportunities."
Unlike her.
Aunt Jia was looking at her, but her gaze was unfocused, as if she were talking about herself through her.
After saying that, she suddenly stopped. The secret passage was very quiet, with only their breathing sounds. Liu Qingqing did not dare to make a sound and disturb Aunt Jia's thoughts.
"Go get a pen and ink, write down the divorce agreement, and I'll help you with the rest."
Aunt Jia suddenly said.
Liu Qingqing was puzzled.
Aunt Jia didn't keep them in suspense and said with a faint smile, "Xie Lang has been learning calligraphy from me since he was a child. If he won't sign, I will sign for him."
Xia Rushi, also known as Aunt Jia by Liu Qingqing, had her own reasons for doing this.
She left the young couple a way out: if one day Qingqing regretted her decision and didn't want a divorce, the divorce agreement was indeed not signed by Xie Lang, leaving them with plenty of room for maneuver.
If Qingqing is determined to divorce, then no matter how unwilling Xie Lang is, he won't be able to break the deadlock in a short time. Even if he could break the deadlock then, it's uncertain what the situation would be like.
It's not that Xia Ru is biased towards outsiders and not towards her own child; it's just that Xie Lang is too disappointing.
Xie Lang certainly understood the principle that harsh words can be as chilling as a winter's day.
He had been taught since childhood, so let him eat it all with dry rations.
Xia Ru was determined to teach her youngest son a harsh lesson. Did she not know that her son treated Qingqing differently? No, she knew. It was precisely because she knew that she acted this way; only by burning her bridges could she have a slim chance of turning things around.
Liu Qingqing moved extremely quickly, afraid that Aunt Jia would regret it, and started jogging after only a few steps.
Seeing this, Xia Ru sighed again. That rascal, he couldn't even keep such a good wife.
Liu Qingqing returned shortly afterward, carrying two newly written divorce papers, the ink still wet. Some characters were written with too much force, and the excess ink had seeped out, leaving long streaks.
She ran so fast that she was panting heavily when she reached Aunt Jia, afraid that Aunt Jia would change her mind if she came back too late.
Xia Rushi knew what she was thinking at a glance. She gave her a reproachful look, took the paper and pen, and signed Xie Lang's name with a flourish.
After writing it down, she handed it to Liu Qingqing, who quickly took it and looked down at Xie Lang's name. No matter how she looked at it, it didn't seem to match. Only then did she realize that her hand had been trembling.
After seeing the handwriting clearly, Liu Qingqing felt much relieved. She thought that Aunt Jia must have seen her disheveled state. Although Aunt Jia probably wouldn't mind, she still pursed her lips and smiled shyly at Aunt Jia.
The joy of receiving the divorce papers was fleeting; seeing Aunt Jia's concerned gaze, she felt a pang of sadness in her heart.
Aunt Jia decisively raised her hand to interrupt Liu Qingqing's thoughts, "If you want to leave, you must take the divorce papers and leave quickly today. I know my son, if he sees you, you may not be able to leave."
Liu Qingqing was taken aback, but had no time to fully appreciate the deeper meaning behind those words.
But she was worried about something else, "Aunt Jia, you..."
She didn't know how to ask, nor whether she, as a junior, should even ask. But she felt that Aunt Jia's actions in the Marquis's mansion were too risky, like snatching chestnuts from a fire…
Xia Rushi gestured for her to come closer, and once Liu Qingqing was near, she whispered a little secret in her ear. Liu Qingqing's eyes widened in astonishment.
Xia Rushi smiled, patted her slender waist, and added, "Take advantage of your youth and look around more, don't rush to have children."
Liu Qingqing wanted to say something, but Xia Ru interrupted her, "Alright, time waits for no one, go quickly. If you need anything, just write to Jialan Tea House, I'll see it."
Even if you're reluctant to part, the time for farewell has come.
Liu Qingqing suddenly hugged Aunt Jia tightly, burying her head in the side of her neck. It was the first time she had hugged an elder like this, and many unspoken words were contained in that hug.
Xia Rushi sighed softly, hugged her, and gave her a series of instructions, "Be careful in the future, and find a reliable bodyguard when you go out. If you can't find one yourself, go to the manager of Jialan Tea House, and he will take care of it for you. Be careful when eating out, there are many bad people out there, don't trust them easily... You are beautiful, so wear your veil carefully..."
Liu Qingqing choked on her throat, biting the soft flesh inside her lips for fear of crying out loud.
"Go quickly, we will meet again someday. I'm watching you go, go quickly."
Liu Qingqing turned around abruptly, quietly wiped away her tears, and strode forward without looking back.
But as she walked, tears streamed down her face.
She dared not wipe her tears any longer, afraid that Aunt Jia would find out she was crying and feel bad too. Only after she left the stone path did she hide behind a boulder and quickly wipe the tears from her face.
She didn't even have time to cry; she pressed the divorce papers hidden in her clothes.
While it was still light and before the rain started, we took advantage of the fact that it was still daylight and before the rain began.
She went back to the main room to pack her luggage one last time.
The dowry from the side courtyard had just been moved out by the old lady under some pretext.
She left everything Xie Lang had given her at Jialan Garden, except for the luminous pearl and the poison powder he had given her.
He then placed a divorce agreement on the octagonal table along with the jade pendant and jade bracelet he had given him during their engagement.
With everything ready, she walked out of the main room without looking back.
Granny Li and the others were waiting at the courtyard gate. Liu Qingqing smiled and walked towards them.
Liu Qingqing walked to the hanging flower gate of Jialan Garden, but suddenly stopped. She turned around and looked at the entire courtyard.
This should be the last time I see it in this life. Having come to this point, I can't help but feel a sense of loss.
She was happy to be leaving, but also a little sad.
She took one last, deep look at Jialan Garden, realizing there would be no coming back, and resolutely turned and walked away.
Goodbye.
wrong……
It should be... never to be seen again.
[Author's Note]
Next chapter preview:
When Liu Qingqing saw his face clearly, her eyes widened in astonishment.
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