Chapter 30 Chapter 30 Inside the Car
Seeing that he still had a calm expression, Lan Nongnong panicked. She quickly stood up and moved to sit closer to him. She leaned forward and asked hesitantly, "Yao Jing, are you angry?"
Without waiting for his reply, she grabbed his hands on his knees, her apricot-like eyes fixed on him, shaking them, her voice softening unconsciously: "Yao Jing, don't be angry, I just want to see you, isn't it fine? In fact, I didn't suffer much on the way..."
Her fingertips scratched his palm quietly. "I'm afraid I'll look haggard from traveling so fast, and you'll see me looking disheveled, so I've deliberately slowed down my pace. It's not that I don't want to find you as soon as I get to Longshuo, but women dress to please themselves. I have to be well-rested and look radiant before I can come see you."
Lan Nongnong wanted to coax him, so she got up from her seat and squatted down in front of him, lying on his knees. She stood on tiptoe and got close to his face. She blinked and asked with a smile, "Look, look, I look radiant and beautiful now."
She rocked his knee again. "I know you're busy and can't leave. Isn't it because I feel sorry for you that I've come all this way to see you? You also said the journey is long and the safety is unpredictable, but I'm willing to risk the hardship and danger to come. Even if you see my determination and my sincerity, you shouldn't be angry with me."
"I'm so considerate, you should be incredibly touched, right?"
The woman crouched on his knees, delicate and delicate, her lips opening and closing as sweet as honey. With her head tilted back, her eyes became startlingly clearer, their glint like two balls of black jade immersed in a spring, blazing before his eyes with a heartfelt sincerity that burned his throat.
She blinked suddenly, her long, thick eyelashes fluttering like butterfly wings, casting a faint shadow under her eyes. Her cheeks puffed slightly, her red lips pursed, and she looked straight at him, the love in her eyes so thick that it could not be dissolved, as if the world was so vast, but she could only accommodate one person.
Such sincerity will soften even a person with a heart of stone.
My daughter's fragrance, mingled with her gentle breath, lingered in wisps. Where her soft body pressed against my knees, it felt as if sparks of fire had fallen, burning into my veins inch by inch. The heat spread recklessly, until every part of my body trembled, even my fingertips.
Qin Jingyao lowered his eyes and glanced at her, his Adam's apple rolling silently. The woman before him, when she was delicate, could turn a hundred tempered steel into a soft thread, and when she was angry, she dared to poke a hole in the nine heavens. When she spoke softly, she could be humble and modest, and when she was willful, she could be bold and daring.
Every frown and smile, every bend and stretch, are so vivid that others dare not even imagine.
Like a fox newly born into the world, free as the wind, innocent yet cunning, its whole body filled with untamed wildness, it carefreely threw itself headfirst into his arms. The tip of its tail hooked around his wrist, twisting, entwining, and reading, she poured out all those unknown vivid forms, those secrets hidden in the moonlight, the spirit of the forest into his palm.
At this moment, her slender and fragile neck was exposed without reservation, lying obediently on his knees, allowing him to do whatever he wanted.
However, foxes are cunning and difficult to tame. This time, she ran thousands of miles to him and offered her neck to be tied up. He would tie a golden bell on her and fasten the chain tightly to prevent her from playing around and running away without a trace again.
The carriage fell into a brief silence, with only the sound of wheels rolling over the bluestone road.
Qin Jingyao pulled her hand away, and stared at her in shock. "You arrived safely in Beijing today, which is a stroke of luck. However, things are unpredictable, and luck is the last thing you can rely on. Today, because you couldn't bear the pain of missing me, you took a risk. If you encounter other hardships in the future, will you resort to the same trick again?"
Lan Nongnong looked up at him, her pupils trembling slightly, as if she was frightened by his rare coldness. Then her eyelashes drooped and raised slowly, a layer of watery color had appeared in her eyes, but she pursed her lips stubbornly, looking aggrieved and confused, her lips slightly open, but she didn't say a word in the end.
She was the youngest in the family, raised surrounded by love and affection, never having suffered the slightest injustice. Although lively and playful, she was sensible and polite. She had never even heard harsh words, let alone such a cold rebuke.
Never before had I been in a situation where I had to coax someone so carefully, speak softly and coquettishly, and admit my mistakes repeatedly.
In love, the human heart is prone to turbulence, thoughtfulness, and sensitivity, and there is no absolute right or wrong. She believes that if you love someone, you must give your all, treat them wholeheartedly, and respect, tolerate, and affirm their every decision.
She knew that she was impulsive and willful and had caused him worry for no reason, but she had come from thousands of miles away, sleeping in the open air in fear and fear along the way, not to mention the many hardships and inconveniences she had experienced. She also mustered up a lot of courage and came resolutely despite the disapproval of her aunts.
He was right to be angry, but why wouldn't he give her a moment? Even if she had a thousand faults and a million inappropriate things, they were still reunited after a long separation. She came here with a heart full of courage, but wasn't she also seven parts nervous and three parts uneasy?
What she needed most at this moment was his tolerance and affirmation. He wanted her to see the deep feelings behind her courage and to smile and praise her with a "Your courage is commendable." That way, she would feel that everything she did was worth it.
Instead of being like this now, letting the enthusiasm in my heart be soaked by the cold rain.
The chill suddenly spread from her heart, freezing her fingertips so cold that even her fingertips trembled slightly uncontrollably.
She looked up at him, perhaps tears welling up in her eyes, the mist blurred her vision, making it difficult for her to see the expression on his face. Her eyes suddenly became blurry, and she felt a huge sense of loss gripping her.
Was it wrong for her to travel day and night to do this?
Lan Nongnong lowered her head. The long squatting position caused her to stagger uncontrollably as she stood up. Distracted, she didn't notice the hand that had just reached her side to support her. She simply turned around and slowly sank into the chair. Her hands rested on her knees, her head lowered, and the bunny-ear headband on her head drooped languidly.
Qin Jingyao's original intention was to make her forget it, but seeing her so distraught, a subtle discomfort suddenly rose in his heart. She looked like she had been severely bullied, with her head drooping. Just as he was about to speak, he saw a streak of bright color falling from under her drooping eyelashes, silently shattering on the hem of her skirt.
His heart suddenly tightened, and he was unusually panicked for a moment.
He took a step forward and, without giving her time to think, knelt before her. He saw her slightly furrowed brows, reddened eyes and nose, and the corners of her lips, which were usually upturned, were now pursed in grievance.
She cried silently but tried her best to endure it. This stubborn, pitiful and extremely delicate look actually softened his heart and he couldn't help but laugh.
He lifted his hand to hold her wet little chin, and with a slight pressure from his fingertips, he easily stopped her from trying to dodge. He bent his right index finger and wiped away the tears that were welling up on her cheek with his knuckles. Seeing her close her eyes and turn her head away, even twisting her body to the side, she was completely stubbornly resisting and refusing to give in,
A soft sigh escaped his lips, like a helpless compromise, but also like infinite indulgence.
"It was not my intention to scold you,"
He stroked her wet cheek with his fingertips, his voice deep and hoarse, "It's true that Nongnong left without telling me this time. For the past ten days or so, I've been waking up in the middle of the night, terrified of hearing any news that might be detrimental to you. The people who went to the Yuqing Sect always returned empty-handed, and every time, I feel even more worried."
He wiped the corner of her eye with his thumb, and his voice softened suddenly. "I'm not angry with you, but I'm afraid. Don't ever sneak away from me again, even for just a moment. You need to let me know where you're going first, okay?"
Lan Nongnong was not without temper. She was filled with passionate feelings, and when she was suddenly doused with ice water, she was in great shock and pain. But he leaned over to comfort her, and his deliberately soft gesture was like a spark splashing into a frying pan, causing her full of grievances to explode.
In the end, love overwhelmed anger. Hearing him toss and turn in such agony, her resentment was shattered by guilt. She ignored the grievance and wiped her face with her sleeve. Sniffling, she leaned forward, her eyes wide with tears. She clutched his hand tightly, and with a heavy nasal voice, she began to argue.
"I lost my mind for a moment. I just wanted to surprise you and see you worried about me... I was wrong. I won't dare to do this again, seriously!"
She was so anxious that she suddenly raised three fingers in a gesture of oath. Her tear-washed eyes were as clear as glass as she stared at him with a wide-open gaze, her eyes shimmering with sincerity, even her eyelashes trembling slightly from straining so hard.
Despite the complications, they ultimately reached the same conclusion. Qin Jingyao stopped while he was ahead, gently caressing her spine with his palm. His previous fierce aura faded into a faint sigh.
Lan Nongnong saw a smile finally spread across his lips, and her heart finally settled down. She was cheerful, just like a sudden rain that had just stopped, with two bags of tears in her eyes, and then her eyes turned crescent moons in a smile. Suddenly she remembered something, and hurriedly pulled his sleeve to ask if there was a mirror in the car.
Qin Jingyao didn't understand and shook his head. It was inappropriate for a man like him to carry a mirror with him.
Without a mirror, Lan Nongnong smiled with her lips pursed. Her eyes swept around the carriage, and seeing that everything was neat and tidy, she suddenly bent her index finger and gently hooked it in his direction.
The gesture with seductive meaning made Qin Jingyao's eyes suddenly darken, but he still leaned closer as he was told.
The refreshing scent from the man's clothes and the sweet and warm fragrance from the woman's body suddenly blended together, forming another kind of lingering ambiguity in the air.
Lan Nongnong was completely oblivious, leaning forward a little further, her eyes fixed intently on the tiny figure reflected in his dark pupils. She used his eyes as a mirror, tilting her head left and right to study him, then gently tucked a few stray strands of hair behind her ears.
Despite her tears, her eyes and nose were stained crimson, and her lips were a vibrant red, giving her a rather delicate look, like a crabapple blossom in the rain. She straightened up, tapping her cheek with her fingertips, and smiled with relief and satisfaction, "Although I may not be as beautiful as a beautiful woman weeping like a pear blossom in the rain, I'm not ugly either."
Qin Jingyao laughed out loud at her quirky words. The charming emotions that had just filled the carriage disappeared in an instant, like mist meeting the morning sun.
Lan Nongnong's face flushed crimson at his smile, but she suddenly remembered the shock she'd just experienced and angrily pulled her hand back. Meeting his questioning gaze, she pursed her lips and refused to speak, a look of resentment lingering in the corners of her eyes, a look of wanting to speak but not being able to.
Qin Jingyao glanced at her hand with a smile, but when he looked up, he saw her expression. His eyebrows jumped suddenly, and he felt something was wrong. He smiled and narrowed his eyes slightly, then asked tentatively: "What's wrong?"
Little did she know that Lan Nongnong had been holding her breath, waiting for him to ask. Now, unable to bear it any longer, she launched into a tirade, "We've been reunited after a long time, and you started off by sternly scolding me. You didn't even ask me how the journey was? Are you afraid of being out there alone? Have you been wronged? How have you been living these past few days in Beijing?"
She felt more and more aggrieved as she spoke, tears welling up in her eyes again. "You never even paid attention to me, to see if I had gained weight or lost weight, or if I looked haggard. Since we met again, your face has been cold and stern, but I can't see any surprise. Compared to my passion, you're too cold."
"Or, because I was the first to confess my feelings, you think my feelings are worthless and not worth cherishing?"
Before Qin Jingyao could even sit down, he was suddenly pinned to the spot by her choked questioning. A trace of surprise flashed across his eyes, and then turned into a sudden realization. She was waiting for him here.
However, he didn't expect that her pretended anger would actually lead to sadness, and tears were about to fall. This pitiful and adorable look softened his heart, leaving only a soft and ridiculous feeling that spread silently in his chest.
It's been so long since I last saw her that I'd forgotten how difficult it was to deal with this girl when she became so coquettish. He raised his eyebrows slightly, but didn't answer. He simply put one hand behind his back, and pressed his tall body down like a mountain.
The silky, cool hem of her dress exuded a cool fragrance, quietly covering the trembling orchid petals on her embroidered shoes. The strong muscles of her legs transmitted the scorching heat through the layers of fabric, forcing her to tense her back and shrink into the chair, like a frightened bird locked in the shadows.
He seemed oblivious, extending two fingers of his right hand to part the gauze curtain behind her. With his chin slightly raised, he gazed up at the silent night sky. His handsome profile was cast in a shadow by the night, making his silence seem even more profound, like an abyss, unfathomable.
Lan Nongnong was captivated by the solemnity on his face, and for a moment she forgot her previous grievances. She couldn't help but turn her head to look out the window. But after looking for a long time, there was nothing but a sky full of stars.
She withdrew her gaze and returned it to his face. She waited and waited, but all she saw was silence. Finally, she couldn't help but stretch out her fingertips, pinched the wide hem of his drooping sleeve and gently tugged: "Yao Jing, what are you looking at? You haven't answered me yet!"
Qin Jingyao's sleeves swayed as she pulled them, and he felt a surge of joy in his heart, but his face showed no sign of it. He still maintained his posture of looking up, as if there was something invisible in the depths of the night that really caught his gaze, and his tone was full of seriousness, "Don't worry, let me take a good look, is there anything falling from the sky tonight?"
Lan Nongnong's eyes suddenly widened, and she snorted angrily, "How can there be snow in the scorching heat of June? You're clearly avoiding the topic. You don't care, you don't even dare to answer me!"
Qin Jingyao turned back to look at her and said solemnly: "I originally wanted to be with Nongnong, but Nongnong misled me. Only the snow in June can bring injustice."
As soon as he said this, Lan Nongnong realized that he had teased her. Her face immediately turned red with anger, her eyes shining brightly. She twisted her hands towards his waist and spoke harshly, but the corners of her lips couldn't help but curl up: "Since it's not snowing, it proves that you have no grievances. You are a real man, not only do you refuse to admit your shortcomings, but you also blame others for your mistakes. How shameless!"
The muscles around his waist were as firm as iron, but her fingertips were as soft as clouds. Even if she pinched him with all her strength, the pain was not as severe as the numbness that followed.
Qin Jingyao deliberately groaned, pretending to be in pain. He caught a glimpse of the smugness that could not be hidden in the corners of her eyes and eyebrows, and a few low laughs suddenly shook out of his chest.
He immediately bent down and picked her up horizontally. As he turned around and sat down, he took her in his lap and gently scratched her nose with his fingertips. "Nong Nong took the initiative to confess her feelings. I was afraid I couldn't protect her enough. How could I dare to look down on her? It must be because I didn't do enough that you feel uneasy."
"From now on, I must be vigilant at all times and take care of everything myself. But please be magnanimous and allow me to slowly make amends, okay?"
Although Qin Jingyao begged for mercy, his expression was filled with undisguised joy. Lan Nongnong wasn't one to be petty, and since he had made a promise and was so sincere, the slight resentment in her heart had vanished like mist in the wind.
She still raised her chin, glanced at him from under her long eyelashes, and her lips were hooked in a cunning arc, as if she was showing an arrogant and gracious look. "Since this is your first offense, I will trust you this time."
She truly has the temperament of a fox: when the sun shines, she'll rub her paws affectionately with you, but when it rains, she'll dare to scratch you with her claws. Her temper comes like a sudden downpour and goes away like a gust of wind blowing away thin clouds. Just when you frown, your heart is tickled by her lively and lively nature, and you can't get angry at all. All that remains is a soft warmth in your palm, making you unable to let go.
He stared at the bright smile on her face, but his eyes suddenly became as dark as the night. Suddenly, he whispered, "Nong Nong came to find me, aren't you afraid?"
Lan Nongnong suddenly raised her head, her eyes clear as fire, and she met him without flinching or avoiding him: "What are you afraid of? Are you afraid of what people say? But I believe that life should be in my own hands. Right or wrong, success or failure, it should all be my choice."
"Just like when I came to find you, it was simply because I wanted to come. This intention was pure and unadulterated, unrelated to others and unconcerned with gossip."
"Besides, there's no such thing as a perfect person in this world. Even if a saint or sage is universally acclaimed, admirers will praise their noble character and integrity, while there will inevitably be those who envy and deride them as hypocritical. As for those who stand by and watch, they will simply sneer at them. Since praise and criticism are up to people, why bother to cling to empty reputations?"
"If you hesitate to move forward simply because you're afraid of what others say, you'll create a prison of your own, spending your entire life imprisoned by the tongues and glances of others, tying your own hands and feet. What's the difference between you and a walking corpse?"
“If we cannot live according to our hearts, what is the meaning of living a hundred years?”
The brave are fearless and free to follow their hearts.
Although naive, these eight words were still like a brand of tempering, deeply engraved in Qin Jingyao's eyes at this moment, and he also saw the sharp edge that split the chaos in her soul.
Beauty will eventually fade, and beautiful skin will inevitably be covered with dust, but the light that shines through this unyielding and proud character is a thousand times more dazzling than thousands of similar skins combined, and such a vivid and bright soul is rare in the world.
There was a sudden collision somewhere in my chest, and the sound was like spring thunder rolling across the wilderness, causing the blood in my body to boil and heat, and the blood was filled with hot throbbing.
Although the curtains were drawn, the windows were still ajar, letting all the soft chatter and laughter from within the carriage into the night breeze. Jiang Ting, the attendant, rode his horse beside the carriage, his face a dazed look, as if his soul had left his body.
He really couldn't connect the man in the car who was chuckling and admitting his mistakes gently with his own adult who was usually ruthless, cold and cruel.
In a trance, I felt that the woman's courage to travel thousands of miles alone was nothing compared to the earth-shattering scene in the car.
Outside the car window, Tongze, riding alongside me on the other side, looked as if he were sitting on a rock, not even a frown twitching. From the corner of my eye, I caught sight of Jiangting's absent-minded expression, and inwardly scoffed at his fuss. Then, a sense of superiority, a familiar one, arose, and I unconsciously straightened my back a little.
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