Chapter 245 Thanks
Outside, it was freezing cold, but inside, the Fragrance Abode was warm and cozy, like springtime.
Although Qiu Ying's dream left her feeling uneasy and Qiu Fu, who was listening, was terrified, they ultimately treated it as just a nightmare.
Only Qiu Heng knew that this nightmare was real.
Therefore, she was very curious about what Qiu Ying was thinking in her dream.
As things were originally going to go, Qiu Ying eloped with someone and ended up in a brothel. But after knowing Qiu Ying for so long, Qiu Heng found it hard to imagine that she would do such a thing.
"I—" Qiu Ying paused when asked about herself.
Qiu Fu nudged her: "Hurry up and tell us. We can't all tell you and not you."
Qiu Ying looked embarrassed and pursed her lips, saying, "It's a promise, you're not allowed to laugh at me."
"Don't laugh, don't laugh. In your dream, we all died so tragically, what right do you have to laugh at me?" Driven by curiosity, Qiu Fu regained some color in her face.
Qiu Ying whispered, "In my dream, you were all dead, and I was living a life worse than death..."
Qiu Fu's eyes widened slightly: "Worse than death?"
Qiu Ying nodded slightly: "In my dream, I saw my second sister and fourth sister die tragically, and my third sister married such an old man, all because of grandfather. I knew I would be next... I was so scared that I ran away with Chun Juan and her brother to save my life."
Qiu Heng's eyes flickered slightly.
It turns out they didn't elope; they ran away from home with their maids and guards.
"Chunjuan and her brother?" Qiufu knew the servants of the Earl's mansion better than Qiuheng. "I remember their parents are gone, leaving only the two of them. Fifth Sister, you're quite clever to have chosen Chunjuan to accompany you when you left home."
The Earl's family lived a life of luxury. Each young lady had four head maids and eight junior maids to serve her. When the fifth sister took Chunjuan, who had lost her parents, she gained Chunjuan's brother as her bodyguard.
Qiu Ying gave a bitter laugh: "I also thought I had chosen the most suitable person. Who knew that after we fled to another place, Chun Juan suddenly fell ill and died, leaving only me and her brother Chun Shan—"
Qiu Fu's expression changed: "Did he bully you?"
Without the protection of their families, the vulnerable woman and her guards who fled to distant lands—who was master and who was servant—had to rely on their consciences.
But their grandfather and parents had no conscience, so how could they expect a male servant to have one?
"Later... we got together. The events in the dream were blurry, but there was a war in the background. We kept running south. When things settled down, life was hard. He... he sold me to a brothel—" Qiu Ying choked up and couldn't continue.
Qiu Fu's face turned ashen: "That beast!"
Qiu Ying covered her face with her hands, tears streaming down her face: "I know it was a dream, it's fake, but I'm still so scared. My sisters are suffering so much, I thought escaping this family wouldn't make things any worse, but who knew it could get even worse..."
The thought of such a nightmare is like being plunged into purgatory, unable to breathe.
Qiu Fu felt heavy-hearted upon hearing this, but she stubbornly said, "It's just a dream, don't cry."
Qiu Ying smiled shyly: "I feel uncomfortable thinking about this dream, but it feels much better now that I've talked about it."
Qiu Heng handed her a handkerchief, which actually made her feel much more relaxed.
If Qiu Ying were to elope because of her infatuation with a man, trying to change her fate might not be appreciated, and it would require considerable effort. Since she left home out of fear, accompanied by maids and guards, there's no need to worry. Qiu Xuan and Qiu Fu's fates have already changed, so Qiu Ying naturally wouldn't make that choice again.
Qiu Ying took the handkerchief and wiped her tears: "Thank you, Sixth Sister."
"Wait a minute." Qiu Fu suddenly remembered something and looked at Qiu Heng, "How was Sixth Sister in Fifth Sister's dream?"
Sixth Sister is so brave, she can't be harmed by Grandfather too, can she?
Qiu Ying belatedly realized what was happening and looked bewildered: "In the dream... it seems like there was no Sixth Sister in the dream."
"No Sixth Sister?" Qiu Fu nodded. "No wonder we were in such a miserable state in the dream, it turns out there was no Sixth Sister."
Qiu Ying blinked and gasped, "I know, the biggest nightmare is not having a sixth sister!"
Suddenly, Qiu Heng was hugged by Qiu Ying.
"Fifth Sister?"
Qiu Ying hugged Qiu Heng even tighter: "Sixth sister, thank goodness you were found! It's so good to have you here!"
Qiu Fu disgustedly pulled Qiu Ying away: "You've snot and tears all over Sixth Sister."
After the two left, Qiu Heng sat silently for a long time.
Fangzhou leaned closer: "What are you thinking about, young lady?"
"I wonder what would have happened to me if the Yongqing Marquis's mansion hadn't found me, and where I would be now?"
"Of course it will be in Yunfeng Village."
"Fangzhou, do you prefer Yunfeng Village to the capital?"
Fangzhou thought for a moment and then smiled, "Wherever you are, that's where I like to be."
What she liked was never any particular place, but being with Ah Heng.
"By the way, I received two invitations, one from the Prince of Fu's residence and one from the Prince of Kang's residence. How should we respond?" Fangzhou handed the two exquisite invitations to Qiuheng.
"Let's go to the Kang Prince's Mansion first, then the Fu Prince's Mansion."
Qiu Heng wrote a reply and arranged for someone to deliver it to both prefectures.
She slept soundly through the night until dawn, and then Qiu Heng took a carriage to the Kang Prince's Mansion.
Ling Yun and others waited at the door. When Qiu Heng got out of the car, they went to greet her.
"It's so cold and snowing, why is Brother Ling waiting here?"
"I thought you'd be here soon, so I came out to check on you." Ling Yun opened an oil-paper umbrella painted with ink lotus flowers and held it over Qiu Heng's head. "Let's go to Mother's first. Jia Yi is with Mother."
Qiu Heng hid under the umbrella and walked forward side by side with Ling Yun. When she saw the servants of the Prince's Mansion falling behind, she whispered, "Thank you, Brother Ling."
Ling Yun was slightly taken aback, then smiled: "Why are you being so polite with me, Ah Heng, when I'm holding an umbrella?"
"Brother Ling knows that's not what I want to thank you for."
Ling Yun silently took a few steps forward and said softly, "You call me 'Big Brother,' so it's only right that I protect you. No need to thank me."
Qiu Heng looked up at Ling Yun's profile; his face was as bright as the moon, untouched by the world's mortals.
"What are you looking at?"
"I just can't imagine Brother Ling doing those things..."
Ling Yun chuckled and shook his head: "In your heart, am I some otherworldly person who knows nothing of human suffering?"
What a silly girl.
He also has desires, plans, people and things he cares about, and thoughts and methods that are difficult to share with others.
As they spoke, they arrived outside the residence of Princess Kang.
Upon hearing the maid's report, Princess Kang looked towards the door, and Princess Jiayi quickly went over and entered, taking Qiuheng's hand in hers.
"Is the road easy to travel on? It's snowing quite heavily outside."
"Fortunately, there's no snow on the streets," Qiu Heng replied, bowing to Princess Kang. "Godmother, it's been a long time. I've missed you dearly."
Princess Consort Kang: "..." There's no need for that.
Princess Kang glanced at her son, who had folded the umbrella and handed it to a maid, and smiled as she beckoned to Qiu Heng: "Aheng, come sit next to me."
Qiu Heng walked over and sat down.
"You've really suffered so much. You encountered so many things in Xijiang, and then you were imprisoned by the Dali Temple as soon as you returned to the capital. Fortunately, you're all right now..." Princess Consort Kang looked at Qiu Heng with a loving expression and smiled. "Aheng, when are you and Xue Han getting engaged? Your godmother will prepare a dowry for you then."
Continue read on readnovelmtl.com
