Chapter 71 Yue Hanyuan "Then now... we can just change it to love..."
Xie Qinghe's sincere expectation made Ning Lu feel awkward and uneasy.
A plain-colored dress was wrapped around her shoulders, and her fan-shaped eyelashes fluttered up and down, giving her a clean and refreshing look.
She actually thought that it would be a good thing to go back to the modern world with him.
His heart, in the context of modern medicine, shouldn't be considered a major problem.
And that brain that can work at high speed, if it studies hard for a few years, maybe it can even become a leader?
Ning Lu stared at him in a daze for a long time before he took her hand, slipped it inside his light fur coat, and pressed it against his chest.
The cool touch brings you back to reality.
In the midst of a beautiful dream, a bucket of cold water was poured over my head.
She was the first to realize that in the economically declining 21st century, before becoming a leader, even the most beautiful and capable people have to work 996 hours a day and are caught in the quagmire of interpersonal relationships.
Never mind...
Someone like Xie Qinghe, who resembles a banished immortal, should be in his rightful place, high above, receiving worship from all.
Having made up her mind, Ning pouted and blurted out a nonsensical, witty remark: "Once I find a way back, I'll ask the person in charge if they can make an exception and let me take a beauty back with me."
Xie Qinghe smiled slightly, nodded obediently, and lowered his eyes without saying a word.
Seeing the fleeting look of melancholy and confusion on his face, Ning Lu stopped talking.
Gao Min is not easily fooled.
"The sun is shining brightly outside, and the wind isn't too strong. Let's not stay here looking at these things; let's go soak up some sun!"
Before Xie Qinghe could respond, Ning Lu turned to Qingzhi and Qinghuai, who were standing by the door: "What are you standing there for? Hurry up and get ready?"
"Set up two more charcoal braziers!"
Not far in front of the main house is the Lakeside Pavilion, where the sunlight is just right, and there is no wind or ripples, making it the most suitable place.
The original plan was for the two of them to stroll around there, warm themselves by the fire, and enjoy the scenery.
Unexpectedly, as I helped Xie Qinghe from the study to the door, the pressure on his arm subtly increased.
Ning Lu looked up and saw that his expression remained unchanged, as if nothing had happened.
Only when passing by the door would he subtly reach out and brace himself against the doorframe to take a step, turning his head and panting softly.
Even so, he showed no signs of fatigue, only keeping his eyes down and following closely beside her.
"Xie Qinghe?"
"Um?"
Are you tired?
He paused slightly, pondered for a moment, then forced out his signature mischievous smile and leaned a little closer to her.
"What Ning Lulu said seems to make some sense."
"Don't try to fool me with your seductive act."
Despite her complaints, Ning Lu stopped and asked Wei Chun and the others to help move the soft couch back to the tree under the courtyard gate.
A mahogany chaise lounge, two layers of cashmere blankets, and a bronze-colored hot water bottle.
Just as I helped the person sit down, I saw Xie Qinghe lean slightly forward, his eyes closed and his brows furrowed.
As she breathed, her fingertips clutched the collar of her shirt, and she turned her head away, panting softly.
Ning Lu's chaise lounge hadn't been moved in yet. Seeing this, she pulled over a round stool and sat down next to Xie Qinghe, pursing her lips and gazing at his subtle movements as he endured the pain.
The afternoon sun shone down from the west, casting a thin golden glow on his long, smooth, black hair.
Between the light and shadow, the fine hairs on the translucent skin are faintly visible, shimmering with a soft glow.
Noticing that Xie Qinghe's pinkish-purple fingertips were turning slightly white from the force, she tugged at his sleeve: "Does it hurt?"
After a long pause and a labored sigh, a soft voice finally came through: "It's alright, thank goodness."
"What a big idiot."
Making no attempt to hide her disdain, Ning Lu moved closer and, mimicking his gesture, placed her hand on his chest.
"Here?"
That was a temperature much higher than his body temperature. Xie Qinghe's shoulders trembled slightly as he looked at her, his eyes smiling like a clear spring.
Ning Lu has never had any serious illnesses since she was a child, except for colds, fevers, headaches and minor ailments. All the elders in her family are also very healthy.
So much so that she could hardly understand Xie Qinghe. She couldn't understand how a person could do so much while sick, and remain calm and indifferent even after being sentenced by the doctor.
"here."
He pulled her wrist down and pressed it against her left ribs.
With heavy breathing, his heart was beating erratically and very weakly.
The man leaned against the chaise longue, quietly watching her, his eyes shining even brighter as he seemed lost in thought.
"It's okay, it won't hurt in a little while."
"How long is 'a while'?"
Xie Qinghe remained silent.
Ning Lu frowned even more, scrutinizing him from head to toe.
"It's not pain..."
Sometimes it's a numbness, sometimes it feels like needle pricks, and every now and then it feels like a large hand is clenching my heart, making it hard to breathe. Other than that, I mostly just feel tired and weak.
It's nothing serious.
I'm used to it.
These words didn't need to be said to her in the first place.
After carefully considering his words, Ning Lu couldn't contain her curiosity and asked, "So when exactly are you acting, and when are you telling the truth?"
Ning Lu pressed her fingertips hard against Xie Qinghe's brow, causing her nose to wrinkle up.
"He acts one way when he's manipulating me, and he acts completely different now."
"It's not...like you said...it's...very...bad..."
Did she say that?
It seems like I mentioned it...
"What I said at the time was, don't take advantage of my kindness."
"So now... can we change it to love?"
"Xie Qinghe! You really love playing word games."
Ning Lu seemed to be burned, and she abruptly pulled her hand out of his arms, speechless.
Her face flushed crimson, and she stammered for a long time before finally waving and sighing at her gaunt profile.
"Suit yourself. You're petty and vindictive."
Upon hearing the sound, the man's chest trembled, and he let out a low, soft laugh.
"What are you laughing at? I'm attacking you, what's so funny?"
The harmless mutterings only made Xie Qinghe's eyes light up.
While they were chatting and laughing, Wei Chun had already moved Ning Lu's chaise lounge to his side. Between the two chaise lounges, a low table was placed with green locust branches, laden with fruit platters and desserts.
The sun was shining warmly as the two lay side by side, chatting idly.
Ning Lu told him her past stories one by one, about how she stayed up late studying as a child, reading novels in bed, how she couldn't find a job and faced setbacks everywhere, her small dream of becoming a stand-up comedian, and the fear she felt when she fell from the overpass.
The story, told over and over again, made her sleepy, while the other person listened intently.
Whenever her voice weakened, cool fingertips would pierce through the gap between them like a venomous snake's tongue and bite her tiger's mouth.
"hiss--"
She sat up abruptly, glaring at Xie Qinghe with a mournful expression.
"I've told you all the stories I have. Shouldn't it be your turn to tell one now?"
What do you want to hear?
"What, is that okay?"
Seeing that the other party nodded in agreement without hesitation, Ning Lu keenly realized that her curiosity had found a place to rest.
Xie Qinghe thought for a moment, then tilted his head, waiting for her to ask a question.
"Then I want to know, when did you discover that the jade pendant was Prince Jing's doing? How did you know where Prince Jing's reinforcements came from? Also, did Prince Jing kill Lord Sima? Does Cen Wei know? And when did you find out that I am Liu Yunying, but I am not Liu Yunying?"
"By the way, how did you grow up? Do you have any stories to tell from your childhood?"
So many? Which one do you want to hear?
"I want them both!"
Xie Qinghe shook his head and lowered his eyes. After coughing softly, he said in turn: "Although your handwriting is ugly, the strokes and pauses still show the influence of Liu Yunying. You can tell the difference at a glance by comparing the two."
Hearing his attack on her, she glared at him in displeasure and angrily put her hands on her hips.
Immediately remembering his superb painting skills, Ning Lu reluctantly sat back down, casually swinging her legs.
“Prince Jing acts swiftly and meticulously, leaving no room for error. If you were Liu Yunying, and the jade pendant involved a list, he wouldn’t risk killing you before obtaining the list.”
"that's all?"
"Of course not." Xie Qinghe raised his hand and grabbed her sleeve, brazenly reaching inside to warm himself: "The Prince Xian has been close to the Prince Jing since childhood."
"Although he was stupid, he was extremely sentimental."
"Even on his deathbed, he did not reveal Jiang Yi's identity."
"So you mean that although Prince Xian died first, Prince Jing was actually the mastermind behind the new emperor's plot to rebel after his ascension to the throne?"
"So Prince Jing has already rebelled twice?"
Ning Lu became interested, suddenly sat up, and dragged the chaise lounge around to get closer to Xie Qinghe.
Satisfied with the proximity of the small heater, Xie Qinghe raised an eyebrow, turned to the side, and nodded approvingly.
"Does Your Majesty not know?"
"The late emperor's harsh policies, coupled with the rebellion at the beginning of his reign," Xie Qinghe said, raising his eyelids slightly. "Both the capital and the Jiang Kingdom need a benevolent ruler."
"You've already borne all the blame, so of course he's a benevolent ruler."
Xie Qinghe touched the tip of her nose, then slid it down to silence her.
Ning Lu opened her mouth and howled back: "Then can I understand it as Lord Sima and the Wise King being his will, and you are just the scapegoat?"
The bias in his words was obvious; Xie Qinghe narrowed his phoenix eyes slightly and smiled inscrutablely.
She was always convinced that he was a good person.
Even someone as upright and devoted to the people as Cen Wei, having served as an official to this extent, was not entirely without fault.
A man whose hands are stained with blood can no longer admit his innocence.
Whether it was serving as the Crown Prince's tutor or as the Censor-in-Chief, the things they did, openly or secretly, could not be easily excused by simply saying that it was the Emperor's order.
Being favored, even treated with special affection, is a very happy thing.
"Ning Lulu, don't trust others so easily anymore."
With her legs firmly planted on the ground, Xie Qinghe leaned forward, using her strength to gently pinch the tip of her nose.
Are you mocking me for not being smart?
Sensing something amiss in his words, Ning Lu stuffed a piece of fruit into her mouth and chewed it angrily.
"You only tell half of what you mean and hide half of what you mean. There's an information asymmetry, so I definitely can't be as smart as you."
"But if you put it that way, the more I feel that he has ulterior motives in urging you to return to the capital. It gives me the impression that he wants you to be the one to convict Prince Jing?"
A seemingly random remark drew Xie Qinghe's attention, and he placed his large hand on her hair and began to massage it.
He still did not deny it.
Ning Lu opened half her mouth, shocked by her own ability to speak nonsense so accurately.
Only when Xie Qinghe extended two fingers to help her close her chin did she swallow hard, her voice tinged with a hint of pitifulness: "Xie Qinghe..."
"Um?"
Their fingers intertwined, and Ning Lu patted the back of the man's hand forcefully.
“I think I understand why you like staying in Zhujia'ao and Yingxian, playing the role of Ji Amin.”
Two pink palm prints were left on her fair palm.
"Being Xie Qinghe is so hard."
"How can it be so arduous to reach this position as an official?"
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