Chapter 38 All Men Are Blind
Rainwater trickled down the edge of the umbrella, forming a beaded curtain, and splashed into tiny droplets at Lu Yuan's feet.
For a moment, only the sound of pouring rain could be heard in the courtyard.
Everyone held their breath.
Lu Yuan moved and walked towards the pavilion.
Lan Ying glanced at Ming Wu in the pavilion and smiled smugly: "See? The Prime Minister still loves my wife the most."
Chunnan's eyes reddened with anxiety.
Last time, the Prime Minister didn't trust his wife.
This time, Miss Qi's actions were more covert, and she was even more ruthless to herself.
He fell from such a height that his wheelchair shattered.
If she hadn't known the lady's character so well, anyone who saw this horrific scene would have assumed that the lady was jealous and couldn't tolerate Qi Lan, which was why she had resorted to such cruelty.
Yes, what normal person would take such a big risk just to frame someone else?
If you're not careful, you might bump into something vital...
Compared to Chunnan's anxiety and worry, Mingwu was unusually calm.
She simply stood there quietly, as if the farce unfolding before her had nothing to do with her.
Without expectations, there is naturally no disappointment.
After all, whenever Qi Lan was involved, this man would unconditionally side with her. It had always been this way in the past.
She was already used to it.
I have no interest in watching their complicated and messy entanglement.
Gripping the umbrella tightly, I stepped away from the other side of the pavilion.
However, as soon as she took a step, Lu Yuan's pace noticeably quickened.
Everyone, including Qi Lan who was leaning against Lan Ying's chest and trying her best to put on the most poignant expression, thought he was rushing towards her.
However, the figure in black passed by like a gust of wind without stopping.
He rushed to the pavilion in a few steps, and just before Mingwu was about to step into the rain, he managed to block her way.
His tall figure, carrying a cool, damp aura, enveloped her.
Mingwu subconsciously looked up.
The man tilted his umbrella toward her, blocking out the wind and rain.
He himself had one shoulder exposed to the heavy rain, which quickly soaked his dark court robes, turning them an even deeper shade of black.
Are you injured?
He lowered his eyes, his gaze fixed intently on her.
He first quickly scanned her from head to toe, and after confirming that she was alright, his brows relaxed almost imperceptibly, then furrowed again.
"Why did you come out in such heavy rain? What if you catch a cold from the rain?"
As he spoke, he raised his hand and gently brushed away the raindrops that had splashed onto her sleeve.
Immediately, a warm palm covered her slightly cool hand, and before she could react and pull away, it had already firmly enveloped her entire hand.
The surroundings were deathly silent.
Everyone stared in disbelief at the scene.
The Prime Minister… didn’t even glance at Miss Qi? He went straight to the Madam? And… with such tenderness and concern?
The warmth of his palm seeped through her skin, and Mingwu subconsciously tried to pull her hand away, but before she could even twitch her fingertips, he gripped her even tighter.
It wasn't heavy, but it prevented her from escaping.
"Don't move, your hands are so cold, you need to warm them up."
These words were spoken so naturally, as if they were just an ordinary couple, with the husband playfully scolding his wife for not taking care of herself.
Mingwu raised her eyes and met his unfathomable black eyes.
There were no questions or doubts she had expected, only flowing light that she couldn't understand.
The sound of rain pattering down made the moment seem exceptionally quiet.
Qi Lan watched helplessly as the man who had always been aloof and cold was carefully protecting another woman, a tenderness she had never experienced before.
"Prime Minister..."
Despite the pain, Qi Lan tilted her head back slightly, revealing a perfectly sized section of her fair neck.
She looked like a small white flower battered by wind and rain, resilient and stubborn yet pitiful. She could arouse a man's protective instincts.
However, Lu Yuan ignored it.
His gaze remained fixed on Ming Wu, and he said softly, "It's windy outside, why aren't you wearing more clothes?"
As she spoke, she took the cloak from Chunnan's hand and draped it over Mingwu's shoulders.
Mingwu was about to refuse.
He caught a glimpse of Qi Lan's sinister gaze out of the corner of his eye, and the words he was about to say suddenly took a different turn.
She tilted her head back, mimicking Qi Lan's posture, and spoke in a soft, gentle voice.
"Prime Minister..."
He deliberately dragged out the last syllable, but his eyes looked at Qi Lan defiantly.
Isn't Qi Lan just good at playing the weak to gain men's pity? They framed her like this last time, and now they're doing it again. Is this never going to end?
Then don't blame her for being disgusted by her.
Just then, Mingwu felt a warm hand suddenly touch the back of her neck.
His calloused fingertips gently caressed the skin on the back of her neck. Lu Yuan leaned closer, his hot breath brushing against her earlobe.
The voice was kept extremely low, so that only she could hear it.
"That shout was quite beautiful."
Mingwu trembled all over.
After realizing what had happened, he was filled with shame and indignation.
I must have lost my mind to try and do something so disgusting, just to spite Qi Lan.
Embarrassed and annoyed, Mingwu pushed him away forcefully.
Lu Yuan seemed to have anticipated her move and stepped aside first.
They were standing by the pavilion when Mingwu, unable to stop in time, stumbled forward and was about to fall off the pavilion.
Lu Yuan was shocked. A strong arm suddenly wrapped around her waist, pulling her back heavily and holding her tightly in his arms.
My heart was pounding like a drum, and I was still feeling a bit scared.
Lu Yuan looked down at Ming Wu, who was equally shaken, in his arms.
Her cherry lips parted slightly in panic, and her watery eyes were misty with fright.
Lu Yuan's heart softened.
His arms around her waist tightened, and his thin lips almost touched her earlobe.
"Now you're scared?"
Qi Lan watched the two flirting and teasing each other, oblivious to everyone else.
Mingwu was clearly imitating her, but Lu Yuan fell in love with Mingwu and ignored her completely.
Then isn't what she just said a joke?
No!
He must not have seen her yet, which is why he was hooked up with that shameless woman. She really is a lowly merchant's daughter, flirting and seducing men in public.
How can such a shameless woman be the mistress of the Prime Minister's mansion? How is she worthy of him?!
Qi Lan clenched her fists tightly, feeling incredibly noble for risking her life and injuring herself to pull the Prime Minister out of the abyss of error.
How touching!
If he finds out in the future, he will surely feel heartache and be deeply moved.
Qi Lan became more and more excited as she thought about it, and even her injuries seemed to have healed all at once.
She carefully cleaned her face with rainwater, tidied her messy wet hair, and looked up at Lu Yuan with her beautiful eyes full of affection.
"Prime Minister."
Mingwu pinched the man's hand that was across her waist, trying to make him let go.
But that arm was stiff and its muscles were taut like iron hoops. It didn't hurt her at all; instead, it made her fingertips ache.
Mingwu was furious and stomped hard on the man's toes again.
The man froze, and Mingwu took the opportunity to escape from his embrace.
"Your Miss Qi is calling you."
What do you mean, "Miss Qi"? What is this woman saying?
Lu Yuan frowned in displeasure, wanting to explain, but saw Ming Wu standing far away, as if he were some kind of monster.
Thinking back, she remembered how she had mentioned Qi Lan several times. She knew about Qi Lan's resentment towards her.
Although he had already asked Xu Ming to deal with the rumors circulating in the streets, and had also told his mother that he recognized Qi Lan as his sworn sister.
But clearly, Mingwu was still uneasy.
Fine, he'd just state his position to her face, hoping she wouldn't misunderstand him again.
Lu Yuan turned to look at Qi Lan, who was sitting in the mud.
"What is it?"
His voice was cold, a stark contrast to the tenderness he had shown Mingwu just moments before.
With Lan Ying's help, Qi Lan stood up with difficulty, her calves bent in an unnatural position.
The excruciating pain made it impossible for her to remain calm.
Especially when he saw Mingwu sitting in a chair, enjoying pastries while watching the play, while Lu Yuan stood beside her, handing her a plate of osmanthus cakes that she couldn't reach.
Qi Lan felt a metallic taste rise to her throat, and her vision blurred. She was only able to stay upright and not faint because of her resentment.
She's in such a state, and this woman has no sympathy at all?
Such a vicious woman, and the Prime Minister still...
Qi Lan gritted her teeth in hatred, gripping Lan Ying's arm tightly with her fingers. Lan Ying's face contorted in pain, but she dared not move.
Qi Lan suppressed the hatred in her heart and tried her best to adjust her facial expression.
Then, tilting her head slightly upward and lowering her eyes, she spoke softly and weakly.
"It has nothing to do with Madam... It was my carelessness... Prime Minister, please don't let this cause a rift between Madam and me."
As if afraid Lu Yuan wouldn't believe her, she hurriedly tried to move forward.
But because she was weak and powerless, she fell back down. If Lan Ying hadn't caught her in time, she probably would have fallen a second time.
Her pitiful appearance even made Xu Ming, who was standing to the side, feel sorry for her. Miss Qi was truly righteous; despite being so badly injured herself, she was still trying to exonerate the lady.
Mingwu pouted.
He's really risking his life to frame her.
Although the acting was clumsy, men are blind; they believe everything after shedding a few tears.
This is really boring.
Forget it, I'm not watching anymore.
Mingwu patted the crumbs off her hands in boredom, got up to leave, and heard Lu Yuan's cold voice.
"Now that you know it was an accident, you should stay in the courtyard from now on and not come out unless necessary."
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Author's note: I went to the dentist today, so I really can't finish this chapter. I'll finish it tomorrow.
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