Chapter 76 Definitely Not a Romantic Romance
Yao Qingling looked over the curtain.
She sat quietly, neither moving nor saying anything.
The man took a few steps forward, and the horse, as if startled, shook its head uneasily and stamped its feet in place.
Yao Qingling's heart tightened, wondering if Boss Ruan didn't trust her and had arranged for people in the city to kill her to silence her.
But how could his men have gotten wind of her so quickly after she had just returned to the city?
Qingling quickly dismissed this possibility.
"Who is it?" she asked warily.
The man stopped in front of the horse; the horse suddenly quieted down, staring at the man with its innocent eyes, breathing heavily.
It made one think that the horse wasn't afraid or uneasy, but rather excited.
The man clasped his hands in a respectful gesture to the person inside, and his deep, magnetic voice rang out: "Please, Madam Yao, alight from the carriage. I have important matters to discuss."
After bowing, he stood there with his hands behind his back.
Under the moonlight, his tall and imposing figure resembled a solitary and proud wolf, silently watching and waiting.
Qingling stared at him silently for a while. For some reason, although she was certain she didn't know this man, her intuition told her that he was not in danger.
Qingling got off the carriage.
Taoye exclaimed from behind, "Miss!"
"It's alright." Qingling didn't even turn her head, and walked straight towards the man.
Lin Shiyuan felt his heart beating a little fast at that moment.
He heard that voice again, clear and crisp; this time, though it lacked the passionate tone of that day, and consisted of only a few words, he could still recognize it clearly—it was the woman from the bustling market stands that day.
Under the moonlight, she raised her head, and a fair, oval face came into view. She had a broad forehead, a pair of spirited eyebrows and dark pupils, and was looking at him calmly and indifferently.
—It was pretty much as he had imagined.
Lin Shiyuan felt his heart race a few more times, his throat bobbed slightly, and he continued to remain calm.
Yao Qingling looked at him and suddenly asked, "Is it General Lin?"
The man was slightly taken aback. He hadn't even introduced himself yet, so how could she—
Qingling said, "I saw you in the bustling city. Although the circumstances were special at the time, your appearance was unforgettable."
When she spoke, she wanted to express the indomitable spirit of men who take life and death lightly.
But after she said those words, and then looked at the man's face... she felt like she had expressed herself incorrectly.
How could she be so reckless and frivolous, flirting with men in the street?
She clenched her fingers, trying to project a calm and composed expression.
Taoye finally saw the man's face clearly and wondered why her mistress was speaking so bluntly.
—But this man is really handsome, even more handsome than Master Zhan. She had never imagined in her life that a man could be associated with the word "beauty." But this man was not only handsome, he also possessed the extraordinary and heroic aura of a military general.
Is he General Lin?
When Taoye saw the general, she could no longer recall what the man looked like when he was trapped in the prison cart in the bustling city.
But to someone else, it might sound like she was describing his embarrassing and awkward situation at the time.
Lin Shiyuan felt his ears getting hot and coughed uncomfortably.
He gracefully clasped his hands in a fist salute and said, "Thank you, Madam Yao, for speaking up for me that day."
Yao Qingling smiled faintly and did not refuse his thanks.
"General Lin, are you waiting for me here specifically to express your gratitude?"
The man shook his head and said calmly, "I've come to deliver a thank-you gift to my wife."
He paused, glanced at the carriage behind Qingling, and said, "Would my lady be interested in coming with me?"
Yao Qingling was stunned: "Your thank-you gift—"
Lin Shiyuan said, "If Madam Yao trusts me, then come with me; if not, I'll stay here and demand an explanation from you."
He took a step forward and walked up to Qingling.
The two were very close, and Yao Qingling could clearly smell the man's scent.
It has no sweaty or sour smell; it's clean and refreshing, just the pleasant fragrance of soap pods.
Perhaps because they were too close, Yao Qingling's territorial instincts kicked in, and she took a step back, saying calmly, "General Lin, please speak."
She felt a slight heat in her ears.
Lin Shiyuan only realized at this moment that the two of them were too close—after all, she was a young lady from a respectable family.
He lowered his head slightly and whispered three words: "Zhou Zhining".
Yao Qingling looked up at him, her eyes wide: "You know her whereabouts?"
Lin Shiyuan nodded and gave a faint "hmm".
If the imperial court wants to quell public grievances and take concrete actions, Zhou Zhining, who stirred up this storm, will find it difficult to escape unscathed.
The person who stirred up public opinion was Yao Qingling.
Therefore, Zhou Zhining, who escaped, is very likely to take revenge on Yao Qingling after experiencing such a huge sense of loss.
Zhou Zhining is a huge threat.
After being released from prison, Lin Shiyuan regained his freedom; finding people was not difficult for him.
This "gift" is given to Yao Qingling to thank her for speaking out for him; it is also to thank her for the public opinion she stirred up, which allowed him to get out of prison as soon as possible.
Lin Shiyuan looked at her and said, "Madam Yao, I can tell the authorities her hiding place directly. You just need to wait for news in the mansion. Alternatively, you can come with me and see for yourself her current situation."
Yao Qingling pondered for a moment, then looked up at the man and said, "I'll go with you."
Actually, she was already exhausted from going out, and could have simply gone home and rested comfortably while waiting for news of Zhou Zhining's arrest.
But human psychology is just that strange.
Zhou Zhining bullied the strong with the weak, making Qingling suffer two years of oppression and humiliation. She didn't want to see that woman again and just wanted to stay away from her; but at the same time, she also had a desire for revenge.
She wanted to see just how pathetic and embarrassed that woman was, so that she could feel better.
Yao Qingling turned around and told Taoye to go back to the manor first.
Two shadows walked along the street.
Lin Shiyuan was tall and strong, while the woman was petite; he deliberately slowed his pace and didn't find the woman troublesome.
Ever since he was forcibly recalled from the battlefield, he had been holding back his anger, and this restlessness had been churning within him; yet at this moment, he remained calm.
It was a genuine, heartfelt peace, not something he was deliberately suppressing.
He actually wished the road could be longer.
Lin Shiyuan glanced at her out of the corner of his eye.
Her face was calm, and the hairpin in her hair swayed very little; I wondered how she kept it that way.
She had probably walked a long way, because her breathing became a little unsteady and beads of sweat appeared on her forehead.
Lin Shiyuan paused for a moment, then said, "Madam Yao, I apologize for the offense."
Before Yao Qingling could react, he suddenly stopped in front of a closed shop, put one arm around her waist, and with a burst of energy, used his arm and legs to leap upwards.
He lifted her onto the roof, and then leaped several times—
As Yao Qingling rose and fell, she felt the wind blowing past her ears and the refreshing scent of soapberry emanating from the man.
The man held his breath, his body tensed, his nerves on edge, all his attention focused on the slender woman in his arms.
So soft, so gentle, so light.
He used to leap between houses, feeling only the gentle breeze and bright moon, his mind focused solely on his mission: the tension he felt then was different from the tension he felt now.
His mind was in turmoil.
Soon, the man regained his composure.
He picked her up, but seeing that she was exhausted, he just wanted to get to Zhou Zhining's hiding place as quickly as possible.
It was definitely not a romantic evening.
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