Chapter 80 080 My Heart Loves You (The End)
Chapter 80
When Lin Wan woke up, everything was dark, with only a slit in front of her. She could vaguely see light coming in from not far away. The only image left in her groggy and not fully awake mind was that Xie Huaiyuan, who had once again pierced her heart and caused her unspeakable pain and made her dizzy in the turmoil, was now nowhere to be found.
Her whole body ached, and the frustration in her heart was suffocating her.
In a daze, she heard the sound of the river water hitting the boat planks, and the simple bed she was lying on was swaying with the river.
Something's not right!
A few hushed voices drifted in intermittently from outside.
"Luckily we ran fast. The last attendant who came to our aid said that the man from the palace led a troop of soldiers to surround our lord's residence. They were in a bloodthirsty frenzy, not even sparing unarmed old women. I wonder how our lord is doing now?"
"...Everything will be alright, young lady, don't be afraid. Both of you are blessed with good fortune and will surely turn misfortune into good luck."
"Shortly after we escaped, the city gates were sealed, and news from inside could not get out. I have already sent people to hide outside the city. They will inform us as soon as there is any news."
Lin Wan felt unwell all over. She struggled to open her eyes to see her current situation. All she could see was light shining through the crack. Outside, there were endless mountains and lush trees all receding in the same direction. Below was the shimmering surface of the river.
It took a long time before I could finally focus my gaze on the objects before me, which were all unfamiliar.
She's on a ship!
At that moment, the wooden door to the cabin, which had been hidden, was opened, and someone walked in against the sunlight. The sudden burst of bright white light startled Lin Wan, causing her to abruptly close her eyes. The fear of the unknown made her clench her fingers tightly.
The person stopped beside her, and a familiar voice suddenly rang out: "Lin Wan, are you awake? I was so scared!"
It's Su Furong.
Lin Wan suddenly opened her eyes: "...Hibiscus."
To her shock, she saw Su Furong, her face full of sorrow, her eyes brimming with tears, kneeling beside her in deep grief. In an instant, she cried out in anguish, "Sister! My home is gone!"
"What?"
Lin Wan was stunned, her eyes glazed over as she looked helplessly at Su Furong, whose face was streaked with tears. "What happened? Why are you suddenly saying your home is gone?"
“A huge upheaval occurred in the palace last night. The Crown Prince wants to seize the throne and tried to capture us overnight to threaten my father and brother.” Su Furong wiped away the tears that slid down her cheeks and said weakly, “Fortunately, the Crown Prince made preparations in advance and prepared this ship heading south. He sent people over before the incident and took advantage of the chaos to pick up my mother, grandmother, and me from the mansion. He arranged for us to go south to Jiangnan first to avoid this turmoil.”
last night?
Lin Wan struggled to sit up, and said in disbelief, "Last night..."
Last night, just as dusk was falling, Xie Huaiyuan returned home unusually early. He didn't even bother with the dinner already laid out on the table, and instead scooped her up from the armchair next to the desk and pinned her to the desk.
Her neck could not be lifted up, causing the chains on her feet to sway and clang on his shoulders. Lin Wan felt like she was going to be shaken to death by him, the impact was deep and heavy, and the connection made a loud, rhythmic sound.
The heavy stench of blood emanating from him grew stronger each day, and today it was even more intense. His outer garment, which he had thrown on the floor, was stained with a large patch of glaring blood, and the violence he displayed on her body was almost insane.
Xie Huaiyuan grabbed her swaying, snow-white breasts between her nipples and gnawed at them with his teeth. His penis pounded against her breasts, almost tearing her in two. The sweet crevice seemed to be ignited by a torch, burning fiercely.
The pole went too deep, and Xie Huaiyuan's unrestrained thrusts caused her to faint from the intense sensation of the fireworks suddenly bursting before her eyes.
Having calmed down a bit, Lin Wan spoke in a slightly hoarse voice, still a little groggy from just waking up: "How...how did I get here?"
She was clearly in a secluded courtyard in Pear Blossom Alley, and even the chains on her feet had been removed.
As Su Furong stood up, she reached out to help Lin Wan sit up. "When we arrived, we already saw you here, but you were still asleep and hadn't woken up yet."
incense burner!
Yesterday, after Xie Huaiyuan returned, Liu Ye replaced the incense burner on the desk in the room. The incense she lit was one she had never smelled before. Liu Ye also said that this incense would help her sleep, which was probably at Xie Huaiyuan's behest.
Otherwise, how could she have fallen into a deep sleep? She was completely unaware of what happened afterward.
Lin Wan forced herself to slowly walk out of the cabin. All she saw were endless mountains all around her, with no trace of the capital city in sight. "Can't we just hide near the capital and wait until things are settled? Why do we have to go south?"
She felt very agitated and uneasy, as if something had happened.
Su Furong supported her with one hand and leaned on the railing of the cabin with the other, saying, "This matter is of great importance and involves many people. The one in the palace has been at odds with Prince Jin for many years. No matter which side loses, they will not accept their fate and will probably make a comeback. The young master suggested going south. We are in Jiangnan, far from the capital. Even if the fighting in the capital is fierce, our lives will not be in danger for a while."
"And what about him, and them?"
Lin Wan blurted out, unknowingly wanting to know Xie Huaiyuan's safety.
Su Furong hesitated for a moment: "I don't know the specifics of what happened in the palace... The Crown Prince will be alright, he promised. My father and brother are still in the capital."
There were some things she didn't tell Lin Wan.
Last night, after Xie Huaiyuan saw her, her mother, grandmother, and others off at the city gate, he personally handed her a brocade box and said, "If you still haven't heard from me after things are settled in the capital when you get to Jiangnan, give this brocade box to Lin Wan. I'll have to trouble you to take care of her from now on."
As if it were a farewell, Su Furong carried the brocade box onto the boat, facing the cold wind on the river, watching Xie Huaiyuan standing on the dock, gradually disappearing into the distance. Finally, he mounted his horse and resolutely turned back to the capital.
“Perhaps, once things in the capital are over, my brother will come to Jiangnan to take us home.” Su Furong forced a smile.
The warm sunlight spilled onto the river, and the river flowed ceaselessly. The only boat heading south on the river sailed along the current, getting further and further away from the bustling capital city.
Lin Wan followed Su Furong's gaze to the distant mountains. She knew that the capital city was far beyond those mountains. The shimmering river reflected her face in layers. She stared blankly at the river, at the flowing water, as if there was something she couldn't grasp, drifting further and further away with the current.
Just then, the sound of soft footsteps approached from behind. Lin Wan turned around and saw her aunt, Madam Meng, and her maternal grandmother walking slowly towards her.
Tears welled up in Lin Wan's long eyelashes and streamed down her cheeks: "Grandmother..."
"Lin...Lin Wan."
After many months, seeing her grandmother again brought back all the pent-up grievances in her heart. Finally, she couldn't hold back anymore, rushed forward and hugged her grandmother tightly, and burst into loud sobs.
"Okay, good child." The old lady hugged Lin Wan, who was crying very sadly. "It will be alright, everything will pass."
The others present were inevitably affected by her crying, and a nameless sadness also settled over their hearts.
-
It started raining this morning.
It's already summer, but the Jiangnan region still hasn't felt particularly hot.
Fine, dense raindrops fell, the light rain, stirred by the wind, adding a touch of desolation to the courtyard of this Jiangnan water town.
Su Furong carried a food basket in one hand and held an umbrella in the other, walking along the covered walkway to the east wing courtyard.
Through the fine rain, she saw Lin Wan standing next to the open window.
The rain in Jiangnan is delicate and gentle, like smoke and mist, hazy and indistinct, evoking endless melancholy.
Hearing Su Furong's footsteps approaching, Lin Wan smiled faintly as she looked at her hand, which was being soaked by the rain, letting the coolness of the rain soothe her increasingly troubled mind.
They hurriedly traveled south along the river that day, and arrived in Jiangnan after half a month.
Throughout the journey, she felt something was wrong with her. Perhaps it was because she had stayed in the capital for too long, or perhaps it was because she had been on the ship for too long. She felt as if something was stuck in her heart, and the frustration and depression made her feel like she was suffocating.
Su Furong placed the food basket she was carrying on the table by the window and glanced at the breakfast next to her, which had already gone cold: "You overslept again today?"
Lin Wan wiped the raindrops from her hands with a handkerchief and said helplessly, "Yeah, I was a little sleepy and overslept."
Summer has arrived, and she has changed into the most fashionable ruqun (a type of traditional Chinese dress) in Jiangnan, with a pearl sash tied around her waist. For the past two weeks, she has had little appetite. Even after disembarking from the boat and staying at home for several days, she still feels like she is floating, as if she is still on the boat, swaying with the river. The swaying makes her stomach churn every day, and she can hardly eat anything.
In the past few days, Su Furong saw a shop on the street that had very thoughtful breakfast ideas and tasted good. She was surprised to find that Lin Wan could actually eat it, so she went to the street to buy some for several days in a row.
"I arrived early today, and there were just some freshly baked sour-filled steamed buns and mixed fruit oil buns. Would you like to try them?" Su Furong said as she took out the buns and steamed buns one by one from the food basket and placed them on the table, the enticing aroma wafting through the air.
Looking at the steamed buns in front of her, Lin Wan suddenly felt a little hungry. She picked up one of the sour-filled buns and ate two in one go, then smiled and said, "This tastes good."
The continuous drizzle finally stopped, and the sun, which had been hiding behind the clouds, broke through them to shine on the earth. The warm sunlight filtered through the branches and leaves in the courtyard, casting dappled patterns, making Lin Wan's already thin face appear even paler.
Su Furong felt sorry for her and leaned against the door frame, looking at the warmth outside: "Lin Wan, I've run out of the rouge I brought. Didn't you say you helped manage the family's rouge shop before? Since the rain has stopped and the weather is so nice, come with me to pick out some more."
After returning to Jiangnan, Su Furong, her mother Meng, and the old lady stayed temporarily at the Lin residence. Her stepmother was quite proper when facing guests, relatives, and elders, and did not make things too difficult for them, happily welcoming them to stay.
He even changed his usual sharp tongue and treated Lin Wan very kindly, which made Lin Wan feel very uncomfortable. She felt suffocated at home. After swallowing the last bite of steamed bun in her hand, she nodded and agreed: "New stock just arrived yesterday. The color of the rouge is so beautiful. I believe you will like it."
Su Furong glanced at the remaining snacks on the table, which were still mostly uneaten. She only picked out two sour-filled steamed buns to eat. "Aren't you going to eat more? Can you get full with just this little bit?"
Lin Wan took a sip of tea and quickly waved her hand, saying, "I can't eat anymore."
Actually, there was something else she didn't say: after eating those two sour-filled steamed buns, she felt choked up, with something stuck in her throat. If she ate one more, she was afraid she would throw up, and she felt extremely uncomfortable.
The Jiangnan region at midday is not as bustling as the capital, but there are still quite a few people coming and going. It is the busiest time of day, with people coming and going in a lively atmosphere.
Su Furong was going out for the first time and found everything novel. Holding Lin Wan's hand, she looked around and eventually went to one of the Lin family's rouge shops to choose rouge. She was in a very good mood, so the two of them took advantage of the good weather and wandered around the streets aimlessly.
"Oh, who is this? You look so familiar. It's you, elder sister! Why aren't you in the capital looking for your good husband? What are you doing back in this poor, remote place?"
A sarcastic voice suddenly rang in her ears. Lin Wan looked in the direction of the voice and saw that it was her second younger sister, Lin Yue.
During the few days that Lin Wan returned to the Lin family home, Lin Yue happened to be out traveling and was not at home, so they missed meeting. However, after Lin Yue returned, her mother also gave her special instructions.
Lin Yue disliked her older sister from the bottom of her heart. Not only was she outstanding in appearance, but her father also valued her highly, and she was in charge of managing many of the family's shops. Lin Yue, who was also a member of the Lin family, had nothing. Even the young master Jiang, whom she had long admired, liked her. If it weren't for her going to the capital, young master Jiang probably wouldn't have paid any attention to her.
Lin Wan suppressed her discomfort and said with a faint smile, "Second sister."
They stood on the side of the street, right next to a restaurant. The restaurant was crowded with people, and the aroma of all kinds of delicious food was spreading everywhere. Even though they were standing outside the shop very close to the restaurant, they could smell the aroma of food blowing in from time to time.
Lin Wan frowned. The rich aroma of the food made her feel nauseous, and a look of disgust appeared on her face.
"Sister, why didn't I see you come back with your so-called young master? Oh, could it be that you were abandoned?" Lin Yue stepped forward and whispered in her ear. A strong, pungent fragrance wafted over, and Lin Wan's brows furrowed noticeably.
The next moment, Lin Wan suddenly pushed Lin Yue away, who was close to her, and took a big step back, covering her nose.
Lin Yue: "You?"
Lin Wan didn't know what was wrong with her. She found herself extremely uncomfortable, feeling her heart pounding rapidly and a suffocating tightness in her throat that made it hard to breathe.
Seeing Lin Wan's face growing paler, Su Furong stepped forward to shield her, her gaze meeting Lin Yue's. She said to Lin Yue, "Second Miss, how can you be so disrespectful to your elder sister, resorting to verbal mockery? Is this how the Lin family treats people?"
"Hmph." Lin Yue glanced coldly at Lin Wan, whose face was as pale as snow. She thought of her mother's repeated reminders to her in private. "Miss Su, you're wrong about what you're saying. I've always respected my elder sister very much. Isn't this just because I care about her? After all, she's been in the capital for so long. I'm just worried that she might meet the wrong person. I'm just concerned about her."
Su Furong watched Lin Yue turn and leave, then turned back to look at Lin Wan as if she had sensed something, but did not see her. She anxiously looked around.
At this moment, Lin Wan could no longer hold back and hurriedly ran to the back of a big tree by the roadside. She quickly followed and stared in astonishment as Lin Wan leaned against the tree and gagged violently.
Lin Wan felt extremely uncomfortable; she wanted to vomit up the nausea stuck in her throat and the churning nausea in her stomach.
Fortunately, the bustling crowds on the street drowned out Lin Wan's movements behind the tree, and Su Furong's presence alone prevented passersby from noticing anything amiss.
Lin Wan tried to vomit, but nothing came out. However, she felt less nauseous. At this moment, her mind was a little confused because of her body's strange reaction: "What... is happening to me?"
Su Furong also noticed this and felt a little suspicious. She looked at her with surprise. After she finally stopped vomiting, she found a slightly elegant teahouse nearby and sat down.
On the second floor of the teahouse, by the window, Lin Wan leaned against the glass, listening to the sound of the tea boiling on the table and the lively scene on the street. At this moment, her nausea slowly subsided. She looked up at Su Furong and hesitantly asked, "Am I...am I sick?"
Su Furong chuckled softly, looking at her, "...Perhaps we should go see a doctor directly? If we're sick, we'll treat it as soon as possible; if..."
There were still some things Su Furong didn't say aloud. Although she wasn't married yet, she knew many married friends in the capital. Lin Wan's appearance reminded her of her friends who had gotten married not long ago; they were like that too.
Pulling her gaze back from the window, Lin Wan felt flustered and disoriented. She wasn't stupid; she could naturally guess what Su Furong had left unsaid.
She didn't even hear what Su Furong said after that; her ears were ringing. She picked up the teacup on the table, slowly drank it, and couldn't help but laugh, "Isn't this making a mountain out of a molehill? Besides, didn't you help me find the medicine? How could this be? Impossible, absolutely impossible!"
Just then, there was a commotion of footsteps outside the private room. The door to the room was then pushed open, and someone peeked in. Upon discovering that someone was already inside, they apologized and left.
Su Furong looked up and saw the person who had gone into the wrong cubicle. Remembering something, she quickly got up and went to chase after them.
"Dr. Liu?"
"Who are you?"
Su Furong stared in shock at the white-haired man before her: "My God! It really is you! I clearly saw your pharmacy being shut down that day, and there were even city patrol officers and coroners examining corpses. I thought you, Doctor Liu, had met with some misfortune."
"That day, I also thought I was going to die," Dr. Liu sighed helplessly.
Lin Wan could hear the two people standing in the private room talking clearly, not missing a single word. Her fingers clenched tightly in her sleeves, the last remaining smile on her face gradually disappeared, her pupils contracted, and she stopped breathing, looking at the two people in the private room with fear.
It turned out that on the night Su Furong last saw him, an uninvited guest came to Doctor Liu's pharmacy. The man asked him if he sold contraceptive pills.
Through the crack in the door, Doctor Liu saw a tired woman sitting on a chair behind Su Furong, staring at him. Doctor Liu continued, "I am a doctor who saves lives. I generally do not want to kill a life that is about to be born unless necessary. Fortunately, the medicine I prescribed for you that day was not a real contraceptive, which is why I was able to save my life."
Upon hearing this, Lin Wan could no longer sit still. She abruptly sat up in her chair, her steps unsteady as she quickly stepped forward, asking in a soft voice, "The pills are fake?"
How could it be fake? The smell is so similar.
Dr. Liu: "When Miss Su asked me to prepare the pills, I changed the prescription and replaced the strong medicine with milder medicine."
Lin Wan was completely stunned, her beautiful eyes fixed as if frozen in place: "Then what is this pill for?"
There was nothing she couldn't understand after hearing this, but she was unwilling to believe it and pleaded with Doctor Liu, who was about to leave.
The scene fell silent for a moment, and after a while, Dr. Liu's reply came through.
"But they are just some tonics, and there is no harm in taking them."
“…Oh.” Her voice trailed off, a hint of pain flashing in her eyes. She didn’t even notice that Doctor Liu, whom she was holding, had already turned and left.
Su Furong looked at Lin Wan, whose expression was somewhat unsteady, and felt a pang of heartache. She reached out to steady her.
The medicine wasn't real, and even if she took more afterward, it wouldn't help. So why is her body reacting so strongly now...?
Lin Wan frowned repeatedly, her face blank and helpless.
Seeing her expression, Su Furong went back with her early.
Unexpectedly, when they disembarked in front of the Lin residence, they ran into the servant who had just ridden from the capital to deliver a message.
After waiting for so long, news finally arrived, adding a touch of joy to the oppressive and heavy atmosphere in the Lin family mansion.
At that moment, everyone was at the mansion, hoping to hear some good news.
"The matter in the capital has finally come to an end. The incident at the Eastern Palace revealed that the Emperor's serious illness was caused by the Crown Prince's poisoning. Fortunately, the Heir Apparent managed to have the renowned physician Hua Yi heal the Emperor in time. The Emperor recovered and awoke. The two Ministers Su and the Heir Apparent worked together to thwart the Crown Prince's attempt to seize the throne. In the end, the Crown Prince was defeated and died, and the Emperor passed the throne to Prince Jin. Both Ministers Su were unharmed."
Overjoyed, Meng burst into tears and quickly said, "It's good that you're safe, it's good that you're safe."
Su Furong glanced at Lin Wan, who was silent to the side, and continued to ask, "Has Father said when he will take us back to the capital?"
"Lord Su said that he would send someone over once things in the capital have been settled."
Seeing this, Lin Wan hesitated for a long time before finding an excuse to ask the question that no one had mentioned before: "...Your Highness, are you alright?"
"After the Crown Prince's plot failed, he wanted to take Lord Su Xuanhuai with him to his death. The Heir Apparent was injured while saving Lord Su Xuanhuai and has not yet regained consciousness."
Su Furong, with her sharp eyes, stood beside Lin Wan early on to steady her, preventing her from collapsing.
The series of news caught Lin Wan off guard. She struggled to stay awake until nightfall when she returned to her residence. There, she sat gazing blankly at the dark night outside.
He was injured and has not yet woken up.
I can finally break free from his control, but why do I feel no joy at all?
As Su Furong walked in under the moonlight, she heard Lin Wan retching violently.
Lin Wan vomited up almost everything she had eaten that day. Her maid, Shi Liu, helped Lin Wan clean up the mess and took the filth out of the jar to clean it. Only Lin Wan and Su Furong remained in the room.
A forced smile appeared on her lips as she looked at Su Furong, who was carrying a brocade box, and asked weakly, "What's wrong? Is something the matter?"
"I'm giving this to you on someone's behalf." Su Furong walked slowly over, placed the brocade box in front of her, and glanced down at the woman's lower abdomen, which she was covering with her hand. "What do you intend to do with it?"
Her family is unaware of this matter yet; whether she goes or stays is entirely up to her.
Lin Wan looked at the brocade box and said helplessly, "Without a matchmaker or betrothal, and with no connection whatsoever, what's the point of keeping her around? I'll find an excuse to go out for a few days and settle this matter completely."
Su Furong asked doubtfully, "Are you willing to do that?"
She used to love that person so much, even though he did behave very badly later. But Su Furong still couldn't believe she could be so heartless. "You really gave up?"
Lin Wan fell silent, reaching out to open the brocade box in front of her. Inside was a letter and a jade pendant. Trembling, she picked up the jade pendant. It was Xie Huaiyuan's jade pendant, the one he had left behind that year, which she had found. Later, she went to the capital and met Xie Huaiyuan because of the jade pendant. But she remembered that later, when she escaped from Xie Huaiyuan's confinement in a villa in Pear Blossom Alley, the jade pendant was gone.
Later, Xie Huaiyuan found it.
After many twists and turns, the jade pendant returned to her hand.
Lin Wan held the cool jade pendant in her hand, unfolded the letter in the brocade box, and read it line by line. Gradually, the corners of her eyes turned red, and tears seeped from her eyes one after another, sliding down her cheeks and dripping onto the letter in her hand, leaving deep water stains, like shattered teardrops wetting the words on the letter.
"Wanwan, Li Yunzhou's plaque has been sent back to his home for safekeeping. I apologize for everything that happened in the past. Life is unpredictable. I once thought of giving you a gift, but now I think it would be better if you didn't receive it. The scenery in Jiangnan is beautiful. I wish you peace and happiness in Jiangnan."
"He... on the night he left the capital." Su Furong paused, looking up at her. She saw her slender body slumped over the brocade box, her shoulders slightly hunched, her sobs sorrowful yet restrained. "After handing this brocade box to me, although he didn't say a word, I could tell he was extremely reluctant to part with it. He watched us leave from the shore before turning back to the capital. You..."
Su Furong didn't say anything more, and the only sound in the quiet room was Lin Wan's suppressed sobs.
Her face was streaked with tears, which streamed down her cheeks. Finally, a faint smile appeared on her tightly pursed lips, and she spoke softly, her voice tinged with sobs.
"I have received the gift."
-
Five years later.
It's spring again, a time of blooming flowers and a gentle, continuous drizzle.
It has been raining for many days in Bianzhou.
People were coming and going on the street, and many of them were walking around with umbrellas. At the entrance of Wutong Alley, there was a newly opened pastry shop surrounded by a lot of people, and there was a long queue outside the shop, which showed that the shop was very popular.
At this moment, a young man dressed in a blue robe with a handsome face squeezed out from the crowd surrounding the shop, carrying two portions of pastries he had just bought. The people who were queuing up later quickly crowded to fill the spot he had left.
The man walked through the queue, braving the light drizzle, his steps steady and powerful. He seemed to have stepped out of a painting, his demeanor elegant and unhurried.
A young and beautiful woman walked briskly out from under the eaves ahead, smiling as she held up an umbrella to greet the man, shielding him from the light drizzle.
Lin Wan said softly, "Young Master Li, thank you so much. I hope you've taken up too much of your time by coming all this way to queue up today."
"No, I happen to have nothing to do today anyway," Li Chengxuan said with a smile. "My elder brother reminded me to come and help buy some snacks before he left yesterday, saying that my sister-in-law was thinking about eating them."
As he spoke, he held two servings of pastries firmly in one hand and grasped the umbrella that Lin Wan was struggling to hold up with the other, saying, "Let me do it."
Lin Wan didn't stand on ceremony with him. She let go of his hand, her eyes crinkling with a smile, and walked slowly and lightly. The two walked through the rain, passing through the bustling streets. After passing a dark carriage parked at the street corner, they turned into the quieter Gu Ming Street next door. On one side of the street was a clear, flowing river, and along the riverbank was a row of lush, green willows. The willow branches swayed in the wind, and the sight of the two walking together drew sighs of admiration from passersby.
"Mother."
Suddenly, a little girl with a sweet, childlike voice ran quickly from a bookstore, straight up to Lin Wan, and the next moment, she opened her arms and said in a coquettish tone, "Hug me."
Lin Wan smiled and reached out to pick up the little girl, smoothing a stray strand of hair from her forehead, and asked, "You woke up so quickly? Didn't you say you were sleepy? Do you want to sleep some more?"
"No, Aunt Furong said there are delicious steamed buns, and Yan'er wants to eat them. I don't want to sleep anymore."
Lin Wan: "You little glutton."
The three walked together, their figures creating a warm and inviting atmosphere. Before long, they entered a bookstore by the river.
At this moment, the carriage that was stopped at the intersection of the two streets moved slightly. Long, slender fingers lowered from a corner of the lifted carriage curtain, and then the carriage slowly started moving and drove into another street in the opposite direction.
Occasionally, passersby would hear a few heavy coughs coming from the carriage.
The carriage was completely silent, blocking out the noise and bustle of the street.
Another young man in fine clothes, sitting in the carriage with them, asked, "Aren't you going to see her?"
A faint laugh rang out, and she said softly, "She's gone. She's doing quite well now. I... never mind."
At another location, the entrance to a bookstore beside the river.
Li Chengxuan handed the two portions of pastries to the maid Shiliu, and carefully put away the umbrella in his hand, instructing her, "These pastries come in different flavors. Take them out and pack them separately. They're fresh out of the oven, so they're probably still a bit hot. Don't give them to Yan'er so soon. Let them cool down a bit before giving them to her."
Then he squatted down, pulled Yan'er, who had been placed on the ground by Lin Wan, and said softly with a smile, "Yan'er, tell me what you want to eat next time, and I'll buy it and send it over."
Yan'er smiled happily: "I want to eat Uncle Liu's sweet osmanthus candy."
"If you keep eating like this, I won't be able to carry you anymore," Lin Wan said with a doting smile.
"It's alright, I remember. I'll bring you some osmanthus candy from Uncle Liu's house next time," Li Chengxuan said. "Sister-in-law, my brother has already set off for Lixian County today. Mother asked you what you would like to eat for dinner so she can have the kitchen cook it for you."
Su Furong, who was sitting quietly watching them, said, "I suddenly want to eat sour fish. If the kitchen has fresh fish on hand, make this dish for me. If not, then forget it."
Li Chengxuan: "My sister-in-law said that there must be fish. If there aren't any, I'll go to the market to buy some for you."
The group chatted and laughed for a while before Li Chengxuan left.
Su Furong, supporting herself on her rounded waist and protruding belly, stood up and walked to Lin Wan, who was picking out snacks for Yan'er. She glanced at the figure in the distance and said, "Aren't you really going to reconsider?"
"No, thank you." Lin Wan didn't even look up. She knew what Su Furong meant. "Yan'er, don't be greedy and eat too much."
Following Lin Wan's instructions, Shi Liu carefully accompanied Yan'er to a stool to sit down and eat some snacks.
Lin Wan looked at the lovely Yan'er and said, "I'll just stay with Yan'er and not think about anything else. The Li family is very kind, and I don't want to hold them back."
Su Furong poked at the pastry in front of her listlessly, muttering under her breath, "It didn't take any time, but you took just as long."
Lin Wan smiled and said, "Isn't this fine? I missed you, so I came to Bianzhou City to stay for a few days. When Yan'er wanted to go home, I took her home with me."
"What about the capital? Are you still planning to go?" Su Furong asked. "I plan to go back to the capital for the Mid-Autumn Festival after autumn. Will you come with me?"
"What would I do in the capital? I'm not going." Lin Wan smiled faintly, but the smile didn't reach her eyes.
"I heard from my brother that the Crown Prince's eyes have mostly recovered and he can see almost again. Are you really not planning to go to the capital to see him?"
Lin Wan gazed at the street scene outside the bookstore. A fine drizzle was still falling, casting a hazy glow over the land.
Five years ago, during the turmoil in the capital, Xie Huaiyuan was seriously injured, his eyes were damaged, and he fell into a coma for a time. Later, thanks to the treatment of the medical sage Hua, his injuries gradually healed. However, his eyes were too badly injured and the recovery was very slow.
“It’s good that he can see it. I…” Lin Wan stared blankly at the hazy and poetic street scene, and finally said, “I won’t go to the capital.”
Flowers bloom and fade, year after year.
Back then, she never imagined that she would meet him by chance by the Quchi River. At that time, he was blind, not only in his eyes but also in his heart. Despite her sincere feelings for him, she ignored him. He even lied to her back then, not showing her his true identity, which made her heartbroken for a long time after his sudden disappearance.
Back then, all she hoped for was to see him again. She believed that swallows would always return, and that's how much she longed for him.
Later, he went to the capital.
On the day he got drunk, this person he thought he would never see again, someone so distant and unreachable, actually appeared and stood in front of him again.
Perhaps she was too greedy. The twists and turns, the entanglements between the two, and everything that happened afterward made her think that she no longer had any love for him, and that he was just selfishly possessing her.
Later, things took an unexpected turn. She not only left the villa in Pear Blossom Lane, but also left the capital and distanced herself from him.
But as time went by, the gift he gave himself grew day by day, and over the long years, she gradually rediscovered her original self.
Even after she has abandoned the complexities of the world, she still thinks of him.
Years have passed, and the details of their appearance have become a book.
Even after gazing at the stars, he is still in my dreams.
Yan'er skipped happily, holding Lin Wan's hand in one hand and carrying the small lantern Su Furong had given her in the other. With her big eyes wide open, she asked in confusion, "Mother, will you live with Uncle Li?"
The rain gradually stopped. Lin Wan had promised to take Yan'er on a boat trip on Misty Rain Lake, and since she had nothing else to do that day, she took Yan'er on the boat trip.
Lin Wan looked down at Yan'er, who was holding her hand and whose eyes and brows resembled Xie Huaiyuan's, and smiled gently, saying, "No way, Mother's house and Uncle Li's house are not in the same house, how could they live together?"
Yan'er: "But Aunt Furong said Uncle Li likes you, so why don't you live together?"
Lin Wan: "Yan'er loves the starry sky, so can she live with the stars?"
Yan'er tilted her head and thought for a long time before finally managing to say a few words: "We can't live together. Yan'er's home isn't in the sky. The sky is the home of the stars."
“That’s right. Mother’s house is with Yan’er, but Uncle Li’s house isn’t with us. How could we possibly live together?” Lin Wan paused, then looked up at the misty lake not far away. “Yan’er likes the wind, but she can’t catch it or make it stop. Yan’er likes the clouds, but she can’t make them drift down. People and things we like don’t have to be forced to stay by our side. As long as they are happy, that’s enough.”
"Then, Mother, are you happy?"
"happiness."
Lin Wan looked at Yan'er and smiled with her eyes crinkling.
With you by my side in this life, how could I not be happy?
A magnificent cruise ship was already moored under the willow trees in the distance. Misty Rain Lake is a major scenic spot in Bianzhou, especially after the spring rain, when it is hazy and enchanting, like a fairyland.
Legend has it that if you travel to Misty Lake with your destined partner, you will be as happy as a divine couple.
The cruise ship was already filled with young men and women. Lin Wan carefully led Yan'er's small hand across the boardwalk and headed towards the cabin.
Suddenly, someone stepped hard from behind, causing the pedal to wobble. Lin Wan's hand went empty, and just as Yan'er was about to fall, an arm reached out from behind and caught Yan'er in time to steady her.
A familiar, cool fragrance wafted over.
Lin Wan's heart skipped a beat, and she turned around to look up.
It was him, Xie Huaiyuan.
Sunlight filtered through the willow branches, and the warm spring breeze dispelled the noise around her, leaving only her increasingly frequent heartbeat.
The melodious sounds of birds, lake water, wind, and rustling leaves.
She smiled broadly: "Xie Yanyu, call out to him, this is your father."
I love you, and I'm happy with you.
Day and night alternate, and years change.
My love for you will never change.
[End of article]
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Author's note: Thank you for your companionship, my darlings. May the new year bring you joy and all your wishes come true.
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