Chapter 116 Confession
Ning Pavilion.
The warm candlelight shines through the delicate gauze, casting a soft halo in the flower hall.
Jiang Qingxi's eyes were as red and swollen as peaches. She leaned on the couch, and Jiang Yuerou carefully applied a warm handkerchief to her eyes.
"Qingxi, don't think about it. It's not worth shedding tears for such a heartless person." Jiang Yuerou comforted softly.
She saw through the fickleness of the world earlier than Jiang Qingxi, and had long felt disgusted with the Xun family's behavior.
This scene today was not surprising to her. It was even a good thing that she had never dared to imagine before.
Jiang Qingning sat in an armchair by the window, holding a cup of hot tea in her hand. The hot steam blurred her beautiful eyes and eyebrows.
She looked quietly at the dark night outside the window.
Thinking of Qin Xiu, Jiang Qingning's fingers holding the teacup curled up almost imperceptibly, and her heart began to beat in a panic, and she subconsciously pursed her lips.
At this moment,
There were soft footsteps.
Zi Su said respectfully: "Miss, Lord Qin is here."
Jiang Qingning was stunned, then stood up and walked quickly to the door.
In the yard, Qin Xiu came back, wearing a dark black uniform with cloud patterns, which made him look taller, with broad shoulders and long legs.
He was carrying an exquisite mahogany food box and followed by a servant carrying a tray.
Jiang Qingning pursed his lips and said sideways: "Come in quickly, why are you running here?"
When Jiang Qingxi and Jiang Yuerou saw him come in, they stood up and saluted.
"No need to be so polite. I asked the kitchen to make some soothing soups and snacks. You've been busy all day, so I'm sure you're hungry."
Qin Xiu's voice was low and steady.
He placed the lunch box on the table, his eyes naturally falling on Jiang Qingning, with a barely perceptible concern.
The servant placed several bowls of steaming lotus seed and lily soup and several plates of exquisite snacks on the tray, then retreated silently.
"Thank you, Lord Qin." Jiang Qingning nodded slightly to express his gratitude, his movements elegant and calm.
But her slightly drooped eyelashes revealed the uneasy feeling in her heart as she faced Qin Xiu.
"Wow! It smells so good! Thank you, Prince Qin!"
Jiang Qingxi smelled the aroma of food and temporarily pulled himself away from his sadness. He pulled Jiang Yuerou to the table.
Although she was straightforward, she knew what Qin Xiu's appearance at this moment meant, so she tactfully didn't ask any more questions.
Qin Xiu's gaze lingered on Jiang Qingning's slightly pale face for a moment before he turned to Jiang Qingxi and Jiang Yuerou, speaking in a gentle tone:
"You're welcome. I'm sorry for scaring you today. From now on, I'll send more guards to Ning Pavilion, and no irrelevant people will come to disturb us."
"We are not afraid as long as Prince Qin is here!" Jiang Qingxi said sincerely while sipping the sweet soup.
In her heart, Qin Xiu is much more reliable than that heartless Xun Chen and those troublesome relatives of the Jiang family.
Although she had a lot of opinions about Qin Xiu a while ago, she even told her sister firmly that he was a liar.
Jiang Qingxi shifted his gaze guiltily.
Jiang Yuerou also said softly, "Thank you for your concern, my lord."
Qin Xiu nodded, his gaze falling back on Jiang Qingning, asking inquiringly: "Jiang Qingning, about the old house..."
He was well-informed, and the news that Old Lady Jiang had her name removed from the ancestral hall after returning home, and then fainted from anger not long after, soon reached his ears.
After much deliberation, Qin Xiu decided to take a look at Jiang Qingning.
Jiang Qingning picked up a bowl of soup and stirred it gently with a spoon. The heat enshrouded her eyebrows and eyes, and her voice was calm and unwavering:
"As expected, she's already said she wants to clean up the mess. Given her personality, she'll definitely act on it immediately. So, let's just cross it out. You get what you want."
There was a glint of amusement in Jiang Qingning's eyes. The Jiang family's secret agent passed back the news immediately. She knew about this earlier than anyone else outside the Jiang family.
Qin Xiu looked at her calm profile, his heart moving slightly.
This determination and tenacity made him feel distressed, but also made him admire her.
He pondered for a moment and said, "That's good. The old must go before the new can come. Only after you escape from that rotten water can you sisters truly spread your wings and fly high."
"I've been keeping an eye on the news about Uncle Lingnan and my brother. If there's any progress, I'll let you know as soon as possible."
When mentioning his father and brother who were far away in Lingnan, a ripple finally appeared in Jiang Qingning's calm eyes.
She looked at Qin Xiu and said sincerely, "Thank you for your concern, sir."
"It's my job." Qin Xiu's voice was low and serious.
As soon as these words were spoken, for a moment, the only sound in the flower hall was the slight clatter of bowls and spoons, and the atmosphere was subtly quiet.
Jiang Yuerou's eyes moved as she looked at Jiang Qingning who was drinking soup quietly, then at Qin Xiu who was sitting beside her and whose eyes hardly left her sister, and she understood.
She gently put down the bowl, wiped the corner of her mouth with a handkerchief, and winked at Jiang Qingxi: "Little sister, this soup is delicious. I'll go to the kitchen to see if there are any other snacks. Do you want to join us?"
"Huh? Oh! Okay, okay!"
Jiang Qingxi was stunned for a moment, then reacted, nodded quickly, put down the bowl and stood up.
"I'm going too, Prince Qin, sister, you two can chat slowly!"
Before she finished speaking, she pulled Jiang Yuerou and walked out of the flower hall with light steps, closing the door considerately.
Jiang Qingning and Qin Xiu were the only two people left in the flower hall.
Jiang Qingning's fingers gripping the spoon tightened slightly.
Qin Xiu looked at her lowered profile under the light. Her long eyelashes cast fan-shaped shadows under her eyes. Her nose was straight and slender, and her lips looked a little redder because of the hot soup she drank.
She sat there quietly, like a quietly blooming orchid, exuding a tenacious and interwoven beauty that made him unable to look away.
"Jiang Qingning."
Qin Xiu broke the silence, his voice hoarse, "Just now at the door, I was rude to you."
Jiang Qingning paused slightly while stirring the soup, and without looking up, he uttered a soft "hmm".
She didn't know how to respond.
Saying she doesn't care? That's hypocritical.
That she was angry? Not really.
Qin Xiu looked at the tips of her ears which were slightly red, and the uneasiness in his heart dissipated a little, replaced by a more firm determination.
He stood up and walked to the chair next to her and sat down, not too far away but not too close for her to feel his focused gaze.
"I didn't mean to be frivolous."
Qin Xiu's voice was serious, with the solemnity of confessing his true feelings, "It was only when I received the news that they had come to Ning Pavilion and that Xun Chen was there with the child."
"I've never been so anxious. I was afraid you'd be wronged, hurt by those foul words, and that you'd bear the pain alone. I hate myself for not being able to move faster."
He took a deep breath and looked at her with scorching eyes. "Seeing you standing there, facing those jackals, still holding your back straight, and saying you've been asking for so much, I felt both distressed and in awe. Qingning, you're stronger and more dazzling than I thought."
Jiang Qingning's heartbeat accelerated uncontrollably.
She finally raised her head and met his deep eyes that seemed to contain a sea of stars.
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