69 Chapter Sixty-Nine
He finally tasted bitterness completely.
Chapter Sixty-Nine
Xie Lang, who was always fond of cleanliness, had actually chased after her barefoot. For a moment, she couldn't describe the feeling in her heart.
In a short while, he was in front of her, turned around and faced away from the hanging flower gate, leaving her inside the gate.
He gestured for the guards to leave, then gently hooked his fingertips around hers. Seeing that she didn't pull away, he tightened his grip and held her hand.
"Since the lady left, the mansion has been quite lively."
Xie Lang didn't finish his sentence, leaving it hanging there. Instead, he lured her in with another question, "Madam, would you like to know how Mother is doing these days?"
Upon hearing this, Liu Qingqing's eyes indeed stopped flickering as she looked towards the door. Xie Lang, seeing this, snorted in displeasure, "Madam and my mother seem to have a very good relationship."
It's better than being with him.
"Let's go back and talk about it."
Liu Qingqing hesitated for a long time, wondering if Xie Langxin would follow her lead.
Ultimately, she succumbed to her worry for Aunt Jia and the others, and reluctantly turned and walked back.
Having finally managed to win people back, Xie Lang breathed a sigh of relief without making it obvious.
She refused to walk alongside him, instead strode ahead, stopping and turning back to wait for him as soon as she entered the corridor.
The sunlight, like blinding waves, poured over her, creating shimmering ripples. He squinted and stood there, silently watching her. Only when impatience appeared in her eyes did he catch his breath slightly and step forward.
He gestured for her to enter the hall, but Liu Qingqing pretended not to understand and remained motionless as if her heels were glued to the ground.
Xie Lang is so intelligent he's almost supernatural; what doesn't he understand?
They don't even want to share a room anymore...
Initially, she desperately wanted to be with him every moment. Thinking of this, a sharp pain shot through her abdomen, and her face paled further. Her hands, hidden behind her back, curled slightly.
Liu Qingqing was unaware of his thoughts. She was only concerned about those close to her. Seeing that he seemed to be in a good mood, she took the initiative to ask, "How has Aunt Jia been lately?"
Since Xie Lang knew that she knew about Aunt Jia's affairs, there was no point in hiding it or pretending not to know, so he simply came out openly.
Now, Liu Qingqing treats Xie Lang the same way she treated Liu Xu in the Liu family. After she has cooled her heart and is no longer blinded by love, she can deal with him clearly.
She has always been good at this. She is like a wild grass seed. Give her a crack, even a crack in the wall, and she can find a way to survive and thrive.
Her changes were clearly visible to him, and Xie Lang lowered his eyes.
"Mother is doing well and is still living in Tingzhu Pavilion. Father... has not yet found out, but he will be returning home from the military camp soon, so he should find out soon."
Liu Qingqing: ...
She was really worried for Aunt Jia. She secretly glanced at Xie Lang's face, wanting to ask how Aunt Jia and her second uncle were doing. But asking this in front of someone's son seemed like touching a tiger's tail.
She thought about it for a moment, then decided to keep quiet.
Seeing that she was silent, Xie Lang glanced at her, sighed softly, and continued in a low voice, "Second Uncle has realized that I know, and he also knows that I know he has realized."
These words were quite a mouthful, but Liu Qingqing understood them instantly.
“We younger generations shouldn’t interfere in our elders’ affairs. After all, it was Father who was wrong first. I think Mother shouldn’t suffer injustice for nothing. She has been a dignified and generous Lady of the Marquis’s household for so many years. What’s wrong with letting her have a moment of whim?”
"If Mother is happy, what's wrong with spending the rest of her life with Second Uncle?"
This statement is utterly heretical!
Liu Qingqing gasped.
This was the first time Xie Lang had ever spoken so much in front of her!
Why did you have to say it so frighteningly! Every word you uttered was so incomprehensible she wished she couldn't understand it at all!
My father-in-law is upright and inflexible; if he finds out, won't the Marquis's mansion be thrown into chaos?!
Xie Lang didn't care whether it would cause a huge uproar; he no longer concealed anything and told them everything.
Over the past six months, he had thought about their relationship over and over again, and he vaguely sensed the beginning of their rift—he wasn't open and honest with her enough.
Therefore, since their reunion, he has made no attempt to hide anything. Could she possibly understand?
Before she could even ask, he continued talking about Granny Li and the others, "They still live in Jialan Garden as usual, and during the day they go to the farm clinic to take good care of the things you left behind. They are very conscientious and have not let you down."
Liu Qingqing's expression softened, and she finally showed a genuine smile.
Xie Lang stared straight at her, then suddenly asked, "Why doesn't Madam ask me how I am?"
Liu Qingqing came to her senses, and the smile on her face gradually faded. "I heard that you have been promoted to the second-rank Vice Minister of the Ministry of War, wielding great power, and your entry into the cabinet is just around the corner. This is certainly a good thing."
Xie Lang chuckled softly, his eyes cold and indifferent as he looked down at her flat stomach.
She hated Xiao Yingshi terribly. If it weren't for her giving the lady the evil drug, they might have had a child long ago, and things wouldn't have come to this.
Liu Qingqing followed his gaze and looked down. In a moment of realization, although she could tell from his expression that she wasn't pregnant, she thought it would be better to make things clear. Xie Lang was even more unpredictable than before, and she dared not provoke him again.
She wanted to keep him calm and play along, waiting for an opportunity to escape!
He then said in a gentle voice, "Lord Xie, you don't need to worry that I will have an unexplained child outside. We don't sleep together often to begin with, and the last time... I took medicine."
At first, he didn't understand what she meant, but when he did, Xie Lang suddenly raised his eyes, his gaze sharp as a hawk's, and stared intently at her!
"Took medicine? What does that mean?"
I don't know why he did this, "...he took birth control pills."
He gripped her wrist tightly, then suddenly chuckled softly. After a long while, tears rolled down his cheeks, which was quite startling.
"The pills that were in the same box as the fake death pills?"
His voice was hoarse, like that of a demon from hell, “I didn’t switch those pills.”
She had no idea he knew about the pills! Since they had been switched, then...
No wonder Lin Mei said the adults didn't believe her time was coming to an end...
Liu Qingqing gradually realized that he seemed to have feelings for her.
But it was too late.
Now, with his eyes filled with sorrow, she could only pretend not to understand, just as he had done before.
She looked away. "I hid that box. The one in the makeup box was fake. I suppose the adults switched it around that time."
An eerie silence followed. Xie Lang gritted his teeth. "That day at the city gate, I should have shot your good cousin dead with an arrow! Those pills were so potent; you can't just take them like that!"
"..."
Knowing his good intentions, she could only awkwardly retort, "It doesn't have to be that bad..."
Seeing her indifferent expression, Xie Lang almost choked!
He finally tasted bitterness completely.
She doesn't care, she doesn't care! She no longer cares!
Looking at her calm and composed gaze, it was just like when she used to mention the people of the Liu family and Liu Qingying!
Liu Qingying is fickle; has the lady truly forgiven her younger sister?
It's just that they find it troublesome and are just going through the motions.
He had seen it all before and thought the lady was very intelligent, but now the problem had fallen on him!
He would rather she harbored hatred and resentment towards him than see him as someone she didn't care about, someone she could get rid of patiently as she did now!
Instead of defending other men in front of him!
Xie Lang's vision went black and he almost couldn't stand up. As he fell into the darkness, he tightly grasped her hand. In his dazed state, he felt her fall into his arms again, and he used his last bit of strength to hold her tightly.
Before Liu Qingqing could react, she fell into his arms. She propped herself up and saw that his eyes were closed, so she quickly called for someone to come over.
Xie Lang's men were well-trained; upon hearing her call, they appeared from all directions within moments and carried Xie Lang into the hall. A physician was then summoned to examine her.
The doctor said, "Sir, you have been overthinking these past few months, and your emotions are pent up. You also have injuries, so you need to take good care of yourself. Even someone as young and strong as you can't withstand this."
The elderly doctor, with his white hair and beard, glanced discreetly at the gentle and beautiful woman whom the adult was holding tightly, and left with a meaningful remark: "A heart ailment requires a heart remedy."
Liu Qingqing, however, had no intention of comforting him. She pretended not to understand and simply smiled kindly.
After Xie Lang was safe, no matter how much Xie Wu pleaded, Liu Qingqing broke free from his iron-like hand and gracefully left.
Two hours later, Xie Lang was awakened by a splitting headache.
When he opened his eyes, he immediately reached out and grabbed to the side, but there was nothing there. In his dream, she had clearly smiled sweetly at him, but it was all fake.
Reality, like icy lake water, poured over his head, chilling him to the bone. He suddenly opened his eyes, threw off the thin blanket, got out of bed, and hurried out of the bedroom.
A gentle spring breeze rustled through the courtyard, caressing the willow branches.
The place was empty; there was no one there, and she was nowhere to be seen.
Xie Wu appeared out of nowhere, kneeling on one knee behind Xie Lang.
Xie Lang closed his eyes tightly. "Where is Madam?"
Xie Wu was terrified and swallowed hard.
"Madam... has returned to the clinic."
"When did you return?" he asked in a hoarse voice.
Xie Wu dared not answer again.
"Let's go and find her."
He could hear bitterness in the man's calm voice. He had thought the man was injured and unable to speak, but unexpectedly, after finding his wife, the man gradually began to speak! Although his voice was still hoarse and difficult, it was getting better day by day.
But that's not the important thing right now...
"My lord! Your injuries require rest and recuperation!"
"If Zhao Pan were to discuss marriage with someone else, would you be able to remain calm?"
"..."
Xie Wu had no answer to those words.
"Xie Wu, there are many things I seem to understand too late."
Also... he was self-righteous and made many mistakes.
Xie Wu went to arrange the cart frame, and before stepping out of the courtyard gate, he looked back and saw the adult still standing there.
How lonely that figure was...
-
Recently, some strangers have come to the area around Yingcheng. At first, they were just ordinary people, but later, the people crowding around the city gate were all disheveled and in a sorry state.
I've heard that the Northern Rong army is invading everywhere, like wild dogs, biting here and there, which is very annoying. Moreover, the Northern Rong are extremely terrifying; they only carry salt bags when they go on campaigns, and do not allow any provisions. Wherever they go, they eat people. These people are in such a sorry state because they were fleeing for their lives to avoid these beasts.
The Northern Rong soldiers were all nine feet tall, with red eyes and angry faces, seemingly impervious to pain. Even when cut by swords and pierced by spears, they felt nothing, silently continuing their charge and slaughter. The common people fearfully called them Northern Demons, for how could a human not feel pain?
One day, Lin Mei was returning from buying groceries when she saw a woman in tattered clothes hiding in the alley next to the clinic, looking at her suspiciously. Despite deliberately smearing mud on her face, her fair skin was still visible. Seeing Lin Mei looking at her, the woman quickly retreated into the shadows.
Lin Mei found it strange, and upon entering the clinic, she instructed the servant to have someone follow her.
The servant was a native of Yingcheng, raised on the charity of many families, and had even spent some time among the beggars at the city gate. Upon receiving his orders, he nimbly blended into the crowd like a nimble fish.
Upon entering the backyard, Lin Mei pushed open the door, startling Liu Qingqing, who was in a daze, causing her to flinch.
The events of the past two days were beyond her expectations and had a significant impact on her. Since returning to the courtyard, she has been in a daze.
Seeing this, Lin Mei felt worried, so she took advantage of the lull in the front to quickly go to the back and ask if Lord Xie's appearance would have any impact on the young lady.
Especially...
She felt that the man's actions seemed to indicate that he had deep feelings for the young lady.
Lin Mei whispered her thoughts, but Liu Qingqing laughed after hearing them.
In a daze, all the memories of her time at the Marquis's residence flashed before her eyes like a revolving lantern. "He must be harboring resentment. Give him some time, and he'll calm down."
Seeing Lin Mei frown as if she didn't believe it, Liu Qingqing rested her chin on her hand and said lazily, "How could he truly love me? How could he fall in love with someone? Even if he did, it would never be me."
Liu Qingqing chuckled lightly, "Lord Xie is just acting on impulse; he'll sober up eventually. Don't offend him lately. If he gets upset about this after returning to the capital, what good will it do him to come back? Now he's a high-ranking second-rank official; he could crush us with a flick of his finger."
"What are your plans, Miss? If the master returns to the capital, will we still be here?"
“I know you’re reluctant to leave this place, and so am I. But if we don’t leave, we won’t be free.”
"I noticed that Doctor Fu treats you quite differently, Miss. If you decide to leave, will you inform Doctor Fu?"
If Lin Mei remained as silent and reserved as before while alone by the young lady's side, it would be a waste of her time. In the past six months, Lin Mei still rarely spoke in front of outsiders unless necessary, but she had become much more talkative when alone with the young lady.
Fu Xiuzhu...
Liu Qingqing hadn't decided yet.
Lin Mei then asked, "Does Miss have feelings for Doctor Fu?"
Was it intentional?
Upon hearing this, Liu Qingqing couldn't help but ponder. Fu Xiuzhu was someone they had rescued, so he was naturally different from others. She also had some goodwill towards him, but this was in comparison to others; as for falling in love, that was not the case.
Outside the window, Xie Lang hadn't heard her deny it for a long time, and his gaze grew increasingly cold and sinister.
Is he interested in someone else?
Is she interested in someone else?
Xie Lang chuckled softly; he wasn't dead yet.
Inside the door, Liu Qingqing was startled and quickly looked at the tightly closed window.
[Author's Note]
Next chapter preview:
He knew that his behavior was extremely undignified, like a dark and sticky male ghost. He despised and loathed himself for it, but he couldn't help it.
Continue read on readnovelmtl.com
