sincere
"Now that we're married, why don't we formalize this status?"
Even with his eyes closed, Lin Yi could feel Xie Chengnan's figure pressing down on him.
She suddenly opened her eyes, looking at the person so close to her. Her eyes showed wariness, fear, and disbelief, but not a trace of joy.
Xie Chengnan stared at her for two breaths, then a smile spread across his lips.
The laughter was initially very soft, but after two bursts, it gradually became more unrestrained, with a light and bright laugh that seemed to pierce through the thick darkness.
Perhaps few people would remain unmoved by this.
Even though he found the laughter inexplicable, the tension that Lin Yi had felt from his earlier actions quickly subsided.
After he had laughed enough, Xie Chengnan said, "What are you afraid of? I was just teasing you." Unlike his earlier unrestrained laughter, this voice was somewhat distant, carrying a hint of indulgent helplessness that even he himself couldn't quite explain. To others, it sounded as if there was a slight sense of loss.
Lin Yi had a fleeting thought, but immediately dismissed it.
How could that be? What's there to be disappointed about? Their marriage was originally just a transaction, a means for Qiu Qingye and Xie Chengnan to get revenge on the Crown Prince.
Could it be that after only a few months of contact, he has developed genuine feelings for me?
Lin Yi wanted to convince herself that this was just wishful thinking on her part, but she also felt that this way of thinking was not entirely correct.
To be honest, he must have had some sincerity. Otherwise, how would you explain his repeated defense of himself?
Xie Chengnan had given the Qiu family ample face since their return visit. Despite their decline, the Xie family had prepared a return gift that would make all the young ladies in Mingzhou envious. The gift was clearly very generous, but he hadn't mentioned it to her and had done it silently.
And when Zhao Binglin harassed him, it was Zhao Binglin who protected him. That line, "You attacked and injured my people at my doorstep," even with its powerful yet tongue-twisting tone, still manages to make one momentarily lose their composure and feel a surge of emotion.
And then...
He helped him open his business smoothly, and they rode together on one horse.
Now he's clearing his name.
...
Lin Yi's thoughts became increasingly uncontrollable, almost replaying every moment of their time together since arriving here. A flood of emotions overwhelmed her; she felt a mix of emotions that defied description—moved, touched, even her heart fluttered.
They hadn't actually known each other for very long, but Xie Chengnan had already done a lot for her.
How could someone like that not have a sincere heart?
But Lin Yi also knew that this sincerity was only because of his identity.
Even if their marriage is based on a transaction, he will still genuinely treat her and protect her. Regardless of feelings, based solely on his status and sense of responsibility, he will do so.
Xie Chengnan is that kind of person.
On the surface, they seem lazy and indifferent, but sometimes they have a mischievous and playful side.
But actually, he's a really good person.
if……
If Lin Yi had nipped that thought in the bud.
It seemed that if they continued to think about it, the harmonious relationship they had finally managed to achieve would become precarious again. Lin Yi didn't want to confront him anymore.
After a long while, Lin Yi said out of the blue, "We're fine as we are now."
The voice was so soft that she could hardly hear it herself; it sounded like the indistinct babbling of an infant.
Although she said that, her thoughts continued to wander uncontrollably. If... they really did officially become a couple, wouldn't that be a good thing?
The hope of returning to the world seemed slim, yet they truly went through the wedding ceremony. Two people who were both cannon fodder sincerely comforted each other. What was wrong with that?
The other party is Xie Chengnan. In terms of status, appearance, character, and family background, she is not at a disadvantage.
Just as her thoughts were drifting and hard to gather, she heard a similarly unclear "hmm" from Xie Chengnan's side.
Thus, all the assumptions, thoughts, and hidden resentments that were about to emerge from the water were dragged back to the seabed with that very soft "hmm." The vast, calm water surface seemed to have never been disturbed, remaining peaceful and tranquil, with only a few barely visible ripples that spread out and disappeared, and the surface was once again as smooth as a mirror.
Xie Chengnan's breathing became calmer, but Lin Yi could no longer fall asleep.
She didn't move, afraid of waking the people next to her.
The bed was too small, and they were too close together; even a slight turn in their bodies would be felt by the other.
Just when Lin Yi thought she would stay awake in the dark and wait for dawn, Xie Chengnan said, "Aren't you going to sleep? What are you thinking about?"
Lin Yi countered, "Why aren't you asleep either?"
"...I have trouble sleeping in unfamiliar beds."
"oh."
"..."
...
"Xie Chengnan."
"Um."
Lin Yi turned over and lay on her side facing him. "I want to investigate the Liu family's case again."
"Why?" Xie Chengnan asked with his back to her.
"Although the case has been closed, I still feel there's something strange about it. Master Liu said he only wanted to abort the child, and Qiu... Father also saw the prescription. The tonics he bought, although their effects clashed, weren't enough to be fatal. But the result was that both the adult and the child died. Is this really just a coincidence?"
Judging from his relatively mild temperament, he didn't seem like someone who would act impulsively easily. His choice to go to the outskirts and have Chun Chan deliver the meal confirmed that it was premeditated. However, this premeditated plan was incomplete; otherwise, the method of killing Chun Chan wouldn't have been so hasty.
“Didn’t you say that some details of the case and the confessions matched up? He confessed to killing Chun Chan, but said he never intended to kill the Third Madam. I don’t think he has any reason to lie about this…”
She spoke in disjointed sentences, her thoughts jumping around quite wildly. Despite being pampered and never having witnessed life and death, she spoke of these things without any hesitation.
Xie Chengnan didn't speak, but listened quietly.
"You have your doubts too, don't you?" Lin Yi asked.
"Why?" This was the second time Xie Chengnan had asked why.
Lin Yi was stumped by his question, "What do you mean, why..."
"None of what you just said answered my question. If you have doubts, does it have to be thoroughly investigated?" She and the entire clinic have already been proven innocent, so what is the truth behind the Liu family case, and what does it have to do with her?
Xie Chengnan didn't say the rest of the sentence aloud, because he was afraid she would be disappointed if he did.
"What else?" Lin Yi asked matter-of-factly.
Sure enough, she still didn't understand.
Xie Chengnan finally turned around and faced her. In the darkness, only her eyes shone brightly, flickering with each blink, like dazzling stars in the sky.
Apart from those eyes, Xie Chengnan could see nothing else, but he still stared at Lin Yi's face as if trying to see through something. Finally, he said, "You and Qiu Qing are really different."
Those eyes seemed to be stunned, and they didn't blink for a long time.
Why do you say that?
Even her voice trembled slightly; it's unclear whether she was aware of it herself.
Xie Chengnan did not expose the various ways in which she had been disloyal to Qiu Qingye since their marriage, and he did not even ask about the different handwriting.
How could such supernatural and bizarre things possibly exist? He didn't know how to bring it up, or perhaps he was waiting for her to confess herself.
In short, he didn't want to push people too hard.
Xie Chengnan remained silent for a long time, but Lin Yi's heart was already filled with turbulent waves.
'You and Qiu Qing are really different,' these words suddenly appeared like a bolt from the blue, catching Lin Yi completely off guard.
It took her a moment to gradually regain her senses. He'd discovered her; how could she explain? How had he found out?
Lin Yi didn't intend to deliberately conceal Qiu Qingye's changes. At first, she had some reservations, but as she became more familiar with this world, she gradually got used to it. Once you get used to it, you let your guard down.
"I……"
Xie Chengnan waited quietly for a while, but didn't hear anything after "I".
So he covered his chin with the blanket, and said in a muffled voice, "Go to sleep."
...
The next morning, the two acted as if nothing had happened.
Lin Yi did not mention the investigation again, and Xie Chengnan did not press her for an explanation she had not given.
Before returning to the Xie residence, Lin Yi made a special trip to see Aunt Xue.
Regardless of the original owner of Qiu Qingye's situation, her family was doing well, and Lin Yi couldn't allow the Qiu family to be destroyed. Therefore, she had to nip any potential signs of the Qiu family's decline in the bud. And Aunt Xue was the biggest variable.
When Aunt Xue saw her, she still couldn't help but tense up and habitually put on that fake smile.
Lin Yi, however, faced the situation frankly and spoke frankly: "I was ignorant before. It was only after I went out to make my way in the world that I realized how hard my parents worked and how much my aunt had suffered. She had endured a lot of my mistreatment. I apologize to my aunt."
Aunt Xue stared in astonishment as Qiu Qing also bowed deeply to her. She was so startled that she didn't know where to put her hands and feet.
"Young Miss, what are you doing... this is unacceptable!"
“You deserve this bow, there’s no need to refuse.” Lin straightened up, smiled at her, and then said more solemnly, “Everything I did in the past was wrong. I don’t ask for your forgiveness, but we are family after all. Yu Lin is my younger brother, and I also hope that he will be well.”
"The same goes for fathers and mothers, of course."
"No matter what happens in the future, I hope you will remember that you and Yulin are enemies. You share the same fate, and you suffer the same fate."
Aunt Xue's bright red lips moved as if she wanted to say something, but in the end she gave up.
Lin Yi, however, felt this was a sign that their relationship was improving.
She never expected that these few gestures of goodwill would erase the more than ten years of oppression Qiu Qingye had inflicted on her and her son.
Aunt Xue didn't agree, but she also didn't feign deep emotion. There was no feigned calmness, only genuine helplessness, and that was enough.
She had to proceed slowly and methodically to reverse such a significant outcome.
Qiu Baiji originally planned to arrange a carriage to take them back to Xie Mansion.
Xie Chengnan refused, saying, "I have already asked Cang Xie to wait outside the mansion early this morning. The Liu family case is over and there will be no further trouble. Please rest assured."
Qiu Baiji didn't speak, he just nodded. But his eyes were different now. Now, he finally looked at him with the satisfaction a father-in-law would have for his son-in-law.
Xie Chengnan led Lin Yi ahead, with Xue Ya following behind, directing the servants to load the large and small packages onto the carriage.
These were all things brought from Qinggui Villa, things that Qiu Qing was used to using.
Lin Yi said a few words, but Xueya wouldn't listen and insisted on taking her, so he let her be.
At the entrance of the Qiu residence, Cang Xie was indeed waiting there in a carriage. Lin Yi noticed with his sharp eyes that this was not the same carriage as yesterday. Although the appearance was similar, the workmanship was much more exquisite.
Xueya seemed to be intentionally creating an opportunity for the two of them to be alone. After putting her things away properly, she went out and sat down next to Cangxie. The two chatted idly.
The wheels rolled over the bluestone road.
No one spoke inside the car.
As the distance to the Xie residence drew closer, Xie Chengnan suddenly asked, "How do you plan to investigate?"
Lin Yi asked in surprise, "You agreed?"
Xie Chengnan shook his head. "What you want to do doesn't require my consent."
"Since we're just idling around anyway, why don't we look into it together and kill some time?"
He reverted to his previous nonchalant demeanor.
This time, however, Lin Yi didn't find it offensive.
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