Chapter 49 Chapter 49 A Serious Illness
Chen Ling'an was stunned for a moment. In just a split second, he was a step slower and the booklet was grabbed by Liu Jinshu first.
He reached out and grabbed the other end of the booklet.
The other party was not to be outdone. He exerted force with his hands and stared straight at him.
The two of them froze there.
Several civil servants nearby looked at each other in bewilderment. Some of them, smiling, wanted to step forward and say a few words, but were pulled by their companions. Their fevered heads immediately sobered up, and they quietly slipped away along the wall.
"Let go!" Liu Jinshu shouted, "This is my stuff."
"Let go!" Chen Ling'an sneered, "This is not yours!"
"If something falls off of me, is it mine or yours?"
"Who knows if you stole it? You're such a decent man, but you're doing something shameful!"
Liu Jinshu was furious, then laughed again. "You want to interrogate me? Fine, I'll make you understand—this is what she gave me."
Chen Ling'an didn't believe it at all. "Nonsense! Stop flattering yourself. She won't give it to you."
A little further away, the civil servants were whispering to each other.
"I don't understand what they're arguing about. It's like they're bickering like three-year-olds. My grandson doesn't even act like that."
"About that pamphlet. It's so mysterious."
"It must be confidential information. Look at how Master Chen's face has changed. It must be of great importance. Perhaps Master Liu has already caught Master Chen."
"Great minds think alike. The 'he' they're referring to must be the Liu family's hidden agent planted in the Imperial Prison. Alas, how could Lord Chen let this go? This brief period of peace will eventually pass, and a storm is about to break out. Which of these two will survive to the bitter end? Besides—"
"Hold on, my old man, and leave if you don't want to get involved."
In a blink of an eye, there were only two people left in the corridor.
The booklet seemed to be growing on Chen Lingan's hand, and Liu Jinshu couldn't pull it at all.
The anger in his heart suddenly spread to his face, and he blurted out, "She gave it to me. Don't forget, we were engaged. What's so strange about her writing something to me?"
The font was too small, and apart from noticing the three words "Zhang Xiaoman" at a glance, Chen Ling'an couldn't see the contents of the booklet clearly.
He had no way of understanding what Liu Jin was saying.
It's not impossible. For a while, their relationship was indeed very good. They went out together, talked and laughed, and even ate face to face.
The tables at the roadside stalls are low and narrow. If you look up, you can see each other's eyes, and if you move your arms a little, you can touch each other.
Who can I blame?
First, he blamed himself, and secondly, Liu Jinshu who took advantage of the situation.
Chen Ling'an snorted, "You also understand that it means 'existed'. You two have no relationship for a long time. Why are you still secretly withholding her things and not returning them? Do you have any shame?"
Liu Jinshu was silent for a moment, then said seriously, "No."
Chen Ling'an was stunned. What a playboy! He really still had feelings for Xiaoman and didn't even consider whether he was worthy of her.
Holding Xiaoman's things, he must have been reciting them repeatedly in private, sighing and lamenting, feeling extremely reluctant to part with them. This kind of person is the most hateful. Once they see an opportunity, they will do whatever it takes to achieve their goals.
I must stop this bastard from having any thoughts today!
If you don’t give it to me, then I’ll rob you!
He was ready to use force.
But then I heard a voice: "Hey, what are you doing squatting there?"
At the other end of the corridor, a man in a red dragon robe and a winged hat on his head looked at them in surprise. He had a round face, a plump figure, and a kind aura. He was the eldest prince, King Cheng.
Both of them held the booklet tightly and did not move.
Steward Lu, who escorted King Cheng out, winked at Chen Ling'an.
Chen Ling'an's hands trembled slightly, then loosened. He stood up and said, "Your humble servant greets His Royal Highness Prince Cheng."
Liu Jinshu also stood up, bowed, and explained with a faint smile, "Master Chen and I were playing guessing games. He lost and was so angry that he was arguing with me."
King Cheng laughed and said, "Everyone says you two are like water and fire, but I never believed it. Look, hasn't today proven my words true? You are both serious people, so it's inevitable that you will have disagreements. When a conflict arises, just talk it out."
Chen and Liu hummed in agreement.
King Cheng nodded in satisfaction, his chest puffed out, and he took steady steps. Suddenly, he turned around and asked Liu Jin if he had time to write. "I have a chess game I can't figure out. You're good at it, can you explain it to me?"
After they walked away, Lu Liang looked at Chen Ling'an, who was still stunned, and kindly reminded him, "Did you understand what His Royal Highness Prince Cheng meant?"
Chen Lingan said "hmm".
"I understand." Lu Liang said nothing more, waved his whisk, turned around and left.
The sky was low and the clouds were dark. A whistling wind blew through the corridor. Although it was not very strong, it was very fine. It felt like a needle tip gently pricking my face.
Chen Lingan gritted his teeth at the air.
What on earth does the pamphlet say?
-
Chen Ling'an came to find Xiaoman, but he didn't say whether he had something to do or not. He just sat there silently.
The money from the farm was delivered the day before yesterday. Mrs. Jiang and Xiaoman Fang's mother were busy looking at the account books, checking the list, and selecting things to keep as New Year gifts. They were busy all day long and had to eat in a hurry.
Xiaoman just wanted to close the account before the end of the year so that he could have fun, so he paid very little attention to Chen Lingan and didn't notice his emotions at all.
Jinxiu came in through the curtain to change the hot tea for them. The cold wind blew into the room through the gap in the curtain. Xiaoman shuddered and looked up, only to see Chen Lingan opposite him with a slightly pale face, and was stunned.
"You haven't left yet?"
Chen Ling'an looked at the teacup she was holding up, and the corners of his mouth visibly drooped. "I'm leaving."
"Wait, what exactly brought you here today?"
Can't I come and see you if I have nothing to do?
Before he could finish his words, Chen Ling'an was stunned. It seemed that Xiaoman had said these words to him.
My breathing involuntarily quickened and then became lighter, and my heart beat wildly.
For a moment he was panicked.
The door curtain flew up and then fell down, at least hiding some of the panic of leaving.
Really gone? Xiaoman blinked doubtfully and asked Jinxiu, "What on earth is he doing here today?"
Jinxiu smiled and shook her head, pointing at the teacup Xiaoman was holding.
"Ah!" Xiaoman understood and was immediately angry and amused. "How could this person become so sensitive?"
Although she said she disliked him, she was really thinking about him in her heart, so she planned to talk to him when she had time.
As a result, I was so busy that there was no end to it. I only had some free time when the twelfth lunar month came.
Xiaoman went to a vain. Madam Jiang said that the twelfth lunar month was the busiest time for the government office. "Submitting the budget for next year, reviewing important criminal cases, conducting assessments, and preparing for the grand court meeting. The common people have their own things to do, and the officials have their own things to do. You'd better not disturb him and go later."
A few more days passed in delay, and when I realized I hadn't seen him for over a month, it was already the end of the year.
Xiaoman couldn't help but feel a little angry, and a little sour and aggrieved. If I don't go to you, you won't come to me? When will you take the initiative?
No matter what she said, she still went to find Chen Ling'an.
The sky was overcast, becoming dim and dark, and the air was filled with a damp smell.
Xiaoman looked at the sky and said, "It's going to snow."
The driver put down his footstool. "Not necessarily. The weather is like this all winter. We had a lot of rain in the summer, but since the beginning of winter, there hasn't been even a drop of snow. I heard that the snow in the north is so heavy that it's up to your calves, but I don't know if it's true."
Xiaoman helped him get on the carriage by his arm. "It's true. Xuanfu is like that. It's very hard to pull your legs out of the snow to walk."
The driver was amazed and said, "It's interesting to think about it. I'd like to see it for myself someday."
Xiaoman smiled without saying anything and lowered the car curtain.
Winter is fun for the rich, who can gather around the fire to make tea, admire the snow and chant poems about plum blossoms, sleep in a warm bed, and eat hot pot. But for the poor, it is the most terrible time.
No matter how good the year is, some people cannot survive the cold and long winter.
She looked at her hands. She didn't get frostbite this year, but the places where she had frostbite in previous years were still slightly itchy. After more than a year of maintenance, her hands, which were once red, swollen and rough, now looked a bit like those of a wealthy person.
Looking out the window at the bustling city of Jinling, which was still bustling in winter, she sighed softly and wondered, "My fellow villagers in Xuanfu, how have you been this winter?"
There was always an indescribable sense of loss in my heart. Perhaps, she still didn't consider this place her hometown...
The door was not locked and opened easily.
This is too careless. What if someone with bad intentions comes in?
After Chen Yanning moved to Linyuan, Chen Ling'an sent back the people she left behind. Now the huge Chen residence is empty again.
Xiaoman muttered as she walked, no, she had to convince him to find a few people to look after the house - the house that she had cleaned up with so much effort couldn't be abandoned again!
Chen Ling'an still lives in the study in the outer courtyard.
The door was half open. Xiaoman called out through the thick curtains, "Chen Ling'an, are you there?"
No response was heard.
"I'm coming in." Xiaoman stepped over the threshold and saw Chen Ling'an lying on the soft couch, wrapped in a quilt, breathing heavily, and his face was abnormally flushed.
Xiaoman was shocked and touched his forehead, it was so hot!
"Wait a minute, I'll go find a doctor."
"No need." Chen Ling'an said hoarsely, "I've taken the medicine. I'll be fine after a good night's sleep."
There was warm water on the table, and Xiaoman slowly fed him a glass.
He dozed off and fell asleep again.
Fortunately, she brought her own food today. Xiaoman breathed a sigh of relief, put the dishes on the stove to warm them in water, and rolled out some thin noodles, waiting for him to wake up and cook them.
"Xiaoman? Is that you?" He opened his eyes.
"It's me."
"Why are you here?"
Xiao Man laughed in anger. It turned out that he was busy inside and outside, and he thought he was the Conch Girl!
"What did you write to him?" he asked again.
Xiaoman didn't understand the incoherent words, "Who, who am I writing to?"
"That's him."
"Who is it?"
"Forget it, I won't say anymore." Chen Ling'an turned over.
Xiaoman sat down on the edge of the couch and nudged him, "It's the most annoying thing to finish your words halfway. Now you're still asking me to guess what you mean! Oh, I get it. You're still worried about me and wary of me."
She stood up angrily and said, "In that case, goodbye."
After saying that, he turned around and left.
Chen Ling'an became anxious and grabbed her hand and pulled it back.
Xiaoman just wanted to scare him and didn't really want to leave. When he pulled her, she immediately lost her balance and fell on the bed with a thud.
His body was incredibly hot. Although he was clearly ill, his strength did not diminish in the slightest. His arms were so tight that they hurt her.
Xiaoman couldn't break free, feeling embarrassed, annoyed, and inexplicably excited. "Let me go! I don't want to catch a cold from you."
"No." Maybe he was confused because of the fever, but he was completely different now.
"You're so annoying!"
"I'm just annoyed." Chen Ling'an's voice actually carried a hint of grievance. "I'm almost dying of annoyance because of this. Listen, listen!"
Plop, plop...
It was the sound of his heartbeat, beating very fast and hard.
Xiaoman leaned against his chest, her face flushed.
He murmured in a dreamy voice: "What should I do? You are always smart, tell me what to do."
Whenever I think of you, my heart starts beating fast, my eyes feel dizzy, my head feels lightheaded, my whole body feels light, and I can't help but want to laugh.
I think I have a very serious illness, the kind that can never be cured.
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