Chapter 118 The matter was already made clear...
After Shanlai left, Liu Min had no more handkerchiefs to wash and could not use his skills. So, in just over ten days, not only did his skills decline, but he also became very lazy.
We hired someone to wash our clothes, and they also washed the dishes and cleaned the house.
Of course, meals weren't prepared; restaurants in the city delivered food daily.
He can do all these things, and he can do them well.
If the person he loves is still by his side, he will do everything he can to make her comfortable. Without her, everything is meaningless, he feels bored, and he gradually becomes lax. At his worst, he won't even bother to move a finger unless absolutely necessary.
Just lying down.
Whether I'm walking or sitting, I think of you...
I have suffered the pain of unrequited love.
He regretted that he didn't possess any magical powers, unable to split himself into two or transform into human form. As long as he could be by her side, he didn't care if it was a sparrow, an insect, or an inanimate object.
Ideally, it would transform into a butterfly, drifting lightly and lingering, never bothering anyone.
She likes butterflies.
In midsummer, she often went out, wandering by the stream and in the woods. He accompanied her several times, watching her raise her hand to attract butterflies, the wind gently blowing the white veil of her hat and her green silk skirt.
I really regretted not studying painting properly back then.
Knowing she liked butterflies, I gave her butterflies. I dyed silk and wove them into flowers of various colors, so lifelike. The flowers were fake, but the butterflies were real. Butterflies don't decay even when they die. They were dried and made into various poses, wrapped around the flowers, showing no signs of death. Then the flowers were placed in a porcelain vase.
I was very proud of myself for making this, so I took it to her, showed it to her, and asked her if she liked it.
She smiled and said she liked it, then added that she felt bad, as she shouldn't have compromised her morals for her own selfish desires.
He was embarrassed by what he said.
Later, he gave her a butterfly made of jewels.
Or perhaps she likes it, but I never see her wearing it on her head.
I knew the reason in my heart, so I didn't say much. I just thought that things would be better in the future and that it wouldn't happen again.
What will happen in the future?
She returned to that place where butterflies fluttered everywhere, a dazzling display of beauty...
Will she still remember this icy land?
She must have known what he was thinking, so she often wrote to him to please him, coax him, and put his mind at ease.
It's impossible to stay stable.
Because I always feel unworthy.
I was depressed for a long time.
In the end, he was dragged away by someone.
His father, whom he disliked, dragged him out of bed and let him rage without saying a word, only giving him a few books at the end.
Some sentence explanations.
The book is old, but the ink on it is new.
Knowing what it meant, I couldn't muster any more anger.
Seeing that he had stopped acting aggressively, his father finally spoke up, speaking gently and kindly, without uttering a single harsh word, only words of comfort.
He was a discerning person, so he obediently took the book and went to the side to read it.
But I couldn't help thinking to myself, I really didn't know that his father was such a good-tempered person.
I definitely need to read the book carefully; I can't embarrass her.
With something to do, there's less time to overthink things, and people do get better, no longer as dejected as before. They've managed to escape the turmoil of separation unscathed.
But he still didn't like to reply to her letters.
I don't know what to say. I feel like whatever I say would be like begging for mercy. So I'd rather say nothing, just say I'm okay, and then ask her how she is.
Even so, letters still arrived like snowflakes.
He didn't know what to say, but she always had so much to say. She told him everything about where she went, what she ate, and what scenery she saw along the way, without holding back her words. She even gave him a dried flower, a tiny piece, no bigger than a fingernail, purple and odorless. She said that spring had arrived, so she was sending him the colors of spring and inviting him to enjoy them together.
This person.
At this point, we won't even mention that it violates the virtues of Heaven.
He thought, maybe it was because she really cared about him and valued him highly.
A small patch of flowers brought him joy for days on end. He felt as if he were surrounded by cotton, having lost all his strength, and his mind was foggy.
Later, when he came to his senses, he scolded himself for being stupid. She had given him everything without reservation, yet he was making a fuss over nothing.
It's really baffling.
They've really gotten stupid.
Perhaps it's because spring is approaching.
In spring, as the ice and snow melted, he received a very thick letter.
He must have been happy to see his family, which made him very talkative.
Before opening the letter, that was his thought, and he was happy for her. But when the letter was opened, it was the opposite of what he had imagined.
There are no cheerful words; it's just a straightforward narrative, and there's a sense of caution about it.
Although I felt she was making a mountain out of a molehill, my heart couldn't help but warm up, and a smile appeared on my face.
Then the laughter stopped.
He has already repaid his debt of gratitude, and no matter what others do, they have nothing to do with him anymore.
I felt a little emotional, but it subsided quickly and I returned to calm.
She knew him, and he knew her; they understood what he meant.
So after reading it, he took the letter to find someone.
Liu Shen was pacing in the courtyard when he saw Liu Min coming over with a piece of paper. He assumed Liu Min had come to ask for advice, so he quickly walked over to him.
"Take a look at this."
Liu Shen took it with a smile, read a line or two, and then his smile vanished.
Even a day as husband and wife brings a hundred days of kindness.
Despite being divorced, having said those harsh words, and having planned to never see each other again.
He always wanted the best for her.
I never expected things to turn out this way.
"Are you going back? You can pack your things first, and I'll go and call someone for you. We can set off today." With that, Liu Min headed outside.
The area outside the pass was not a peaceful place, so Liu Shen did not come alone. However, he was willing to ask his son for forgiveness and was prepared to be humble and subservient. Therefore, he did not need anyone else to serve him. He came to the hay yard alone, while the others stayed in the city.
Should we go back?
Liu Shen shook his head. "No need, I'm not going back."
"The matter has already been made clear."
A mistake is a mistake, and that's a given fact. It won't change just because she knows she's wrong or her situation becomes miserable.
Those who reap what they sow will not live.
She wasn't unaware of this principle.
She suffered, but weren't the people she harmed also suffering?
Lian Si held on; if she hadn't, who knows what would have happened now.
Since we've broken up, we should break it off cleanly and completely.
He had already made his decision.
Liu Min just came to let them know that if they weren't going back, they weren't going back; he didn't care.
Ultimately, it has nothing to do with him.
But the person's reaction was completely unexpected.
"It's terrifying how cruel he is."
It was also intentional sarcasm.
He's very open now, he'll settle any grievances and avenge any wrongs, he can't respect the person in front of him as his father at all, since he's been delivered to his door, why be polite.
Liu Shen was also helpless; he couldn't possibly flaunt his father's power anymore.
"Whatever you say, as long as you're happy, say whatever you want."
Don't you find it cloying?
Liu Min scoffed and turned to leave.
This time, Liu Min replied to the letter seriously.
When Shanlai received the letter, her sisters were offering incense at Huguo Temple. The maid had delivered the letter, and Shanlai couldn't wait any longer. She opened the letter in front of her sisters and smiled contentedly as she read it.
Gu Songnian couldn't help but tease, "Look at how capable he is, yet he can be so silly! I wonder what Third Uncle's reaction would be if he saw this? I really want to see." He then asked, "What's written in the letter?"
Gu Chunling joined in the fun, saying, "I also want to know, show us."
Only the eldest sister, Zhishou, tapped the table twice with her fingers, saying, "What does this have to do with you two? Don't be silly, sit still."
This older sister was authoritative; she set an example by not questioning anyone, so the younger sister dared not misbehave in front of her and could only obediently sit back down.
Shanlai quietly read the letter, then read it again from the beginning. After finishing, he carefully folded the letter, put it in an envelope, and cherished it, pressing it to his heart.
"That's so cheesy!" Gu Songnian really wanted to know the contents of the letter. "What exactly did it say?"
Shan looked over and said with a smile, "Third Sister also told me what you said to my benefactor yesterday. If you tell me, I will tell you."
The benefactor Shan Lai mentioned was Gu Songnian's usually cold-faced guard named A Yun.
Shanlai stayed in the palace for two days and returned to the Duke of Jingguo's mansion with two full carriages of rewards and gifts.
The emperor gave a reward, while my aunt, cousin, and cousin's wife gave gifts.
My aunt also gave a reward, but it wasn't for Shan Lai.
It was given to Gu Songnian as a reward for her merit in saving Shanlai in Xishan.
Shanlai was afraid of showing favoritism and causing discord among the sisters, so she also asked for a reward for her second sister, but it was not as generous as the reward given to her third sister.
The reward for the third sister was delivered by Shanlai himself.
After all, it was a life-saving favor.
Shanlai carried the things over, and before she even entered the courtyard, she heard her third sister shouting unhappily, as if they were arguing about something. Just as she was hesitating whether to come back another time, someone suddenly rushed out of the door. It was her third sister, which startled her so much that her stomach immediately cramped.
Perhaps because her pain was so obvious, Gu Songnian was also frightened and quickly stepped forward to help her up, "Are you alright? You can't be hurt! Otherwise, I'm doomed!"
Shanlai quickly said it was nothing and told her not to worry, while staring intently at the tear stains on her face.
It's too late to pretend you don't know now.
Why is my sister crying like this?
No sooner had he finished speaking than another person rushed out of the door, startling Shan Lai once again.
This time the pain was quite severe, and it didn't stop for a while.
Gu Songnian panicked and unleashed a torrent of anger at the newcomers: "What are you doing! You're going to scare my sister! Not only will Grandmother and Third Uncle suffer, but I won't let you get away with this! What are you doing! Go and call the doctor right now!"
As soon as the girl left, Shanlai's pain subsided. After a while, he knelt down to greet the person who ran out from behind, calling him "Second Uncle."
This was the first time Gu Zheng had seen his niece in many years. His eyes were red-rimmed as he stared at her intently for a long while before speaking in a somber tone, "...It's good that you're back. Your second uncle has been thinking about you a lot. When he told me you were back the other day, I really thought I was dreaming..."
Of his three nieces, Gu Zheng liked the youngest the most, not for any other reason than that she was willing to be close to his daughter back then, for which he was extremely grateful.
Before Shanlai could speak, Gu Songnian asked, "Sister, are you not in pain anymore? Can you walk? Come inside and sit down, don't tire yourself out."
Shanlai nodded and said, "I came here to sit with you, sister." She turned around and pointed to the things behind her. "These are things given by the Empress. I brought them back directly to save you the trouble. The Empress said she was grateful to you for saving my life back then, and that you can go to her if you need anything in the future."
When the topic of saving his life came up, Gu Songnian remembered it and immediately grabbed Shan Lai's arm tightly.
"Ah Yun! Do you remember, little sister? He's the one who saved you! He's a good man, isn't he? I only want to marry him, I don't want anyone else. Little sister, please help me persuade my father, he won't agree!"
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