Chapter 187 Growing Old Together
The price of defying fate?
Xue Han's heart skipped a beat. Looking at the girl who spoke so casually, he suddenly felt a surge of anger.
Why didn't he do it himself?
Yet Ah Heng, a teenage girl, had to bear all of this.
Qiu Heng sighed deeply: "He's too old."
The river of time rolls ever onward, and no matter how brilliant a person is, they can never go back to the past, leaving behind only countless regrets.
Except for her.
Heaven gave her the opportunity to go against the tide, yet it also punished her for the changes she made. It must be said, Heaven is quite contradictory.
"After the fifteenth, I'll go look for it with you."
"good."
The snow seemed to be getting heavier, falling thickly and swirling around the two of them.
"Ah Heng, who's next?"
"I can't tell you right now." Qiu Heng tilted her head playfully, but inwardly she smiled bitterly.
Xue Han didn't ask any further questions and turned his gaze to the lake.
The snow fell silently, and the lake seemed to freeze. After a brief silence, Qiuheng asked, "How are the First Madam of the Prime Minister's residence and Granny Su?"
"Madam Yang was traumatized and became somewhat mentally unstable. She died in front of Young Master Fang's coffin after hitting a wall. Granny Su was bought by a brothel on the banks of the Xiangsha River."
Knowing what happened to Granny Su, Qiu Heng didn't ask any more questions.
Xue Han, on the contrary, was curious: "I thought you would ask about Miss Fang's situation."
With hundreds of people in the Prime Minister's residence, it was impossible to remember the whereabouts of every single person. Xue Han only paid attention to those that Qiu Heng interacted with the most.
"I had a conflict with Granny Su before, so I asked out of curiosity. As for Miss Fang, I have nothing to ask."
Granny Su caused Fangzhou's family to be destroyed, and finding out her fate was to give Fangzhou an explanation. As for Fang Rui, she enjoyed the family's blessings but also suffered from it, and she had no interest in what became of her.
The fall of a once-proud daughter of heaven to the dust is ultimately not a pleasant thing.
"Aheng".
"Um?"
The girl's eyes were like autumn water, gazing at him quietly.
Xue Han suddenly forgot what to say, and awkwardly raised his hand to brush the snow that had fallen on her hair. More snow continued to fall, and he couldn't sweep it all away.
Qiu Heng covered her disheveled hair: "Xue Han!"
Why did you suddenly act like that, using her head as a shovel?
For some reason, Qiu Heng suddenly remembered the time when the person in front of her had her arm under his arm and they were running wildly.
Oh, it's also at Qinglian Lake.
Xue Han silently withdrew his hand, glanced at the disheveled girl, and felt even more embarrassed.
"Sorry, I just noticed there was snow in your hair—"
“You have some in your hair too.” Qiu Heng raised her hand. “Lower your head a little.”
Xue Han lowered his head slightly.
He seemed to have grown taller. Even though Qiu Heng was considered tall for a woman, she had to stand on tiptoe slightly to brush the snow off his hair as if in revenge.
The snow was swept away, and then fresh snow fell.
Qiu Heng slowly stopped moving, looked at the motionless boy like a clay sculpture, and suddenly smiled: "Xue Han, when we're like this, it's like we're growing old together."
Her icy hand was suddenly grasped, and she fell into Xue Han's arms.
"Xue Han—"
The boy lowered his head, his lips descending, first to her forehead, then to her lips.
Qiu Heng stared wide-eyed in astonishment, feeling even more helpless than when the burning pain struck during an attack.
He pulled her close, and she could hear his thunderous heartbeat; she couldn't tell if it was hers or his.
But soon those chaotic thoughts disappeared, and the kiss, lighter than a snowflake, deepened suddenly, making her forget to think about anything else, even forget to breathe.
She could only wrap her arms around his waist and close her eyes.
"Aheng." The boy's hot breath brushed against her ear.
Qiu Heng opened her eyes and saw that his gaze was dull, his breathing was disordered, and he was trying his best to control himself.
In the ten years that followed, Qiu Heng did not have such an experience, but she witnessed many tragic events and gained some understanding of matters between men and women.
She vaguely sensed his desire and was somewhat curious about what he was about to do.
Xue Han gently pushed her away and said earnestly, "Aheng, we will grow old together."
Qiu Heng's heart stirred slightly.
He said he wanted to grow old together, but he didn't say he would actually grow old together. Does that mean he has no confidence?
Yes, it is indeed quite difficult.
Thinking back to how severe her last attack was, Qiuheng wasn't really confident.
The initial passion gradually cooled, leaving only sadness.
How annoying! Meeting Xue Han is such a stumbling block; he not only gets in her way but also disturbs her peace of mind...
"Aheng?"
Qiu Heng snapped out of her daze, stood on tiptoe, looked up, and gently kissed Xue Han's cheek.
Xue Han's face flushed instantly, his eyes shining like cold stars.
The young man, his heart pounding with excitement, heard his beloved whisper a promise: "Okay, we'll grow old together."
The snow showed no signs of stopping, and it was getting late.
"I'm home."
"I send you."
This time, Qiu Heng did not refuse.
The two walked side by side, their snow-white cloaks and dark cloaks occasionally brushing against each other, as if their owners were quietly approaching.
Qiu Heng suddenly turned around and saw two long sets of footprints left in the shallow snow, traces of their journey together.
"Xue Han, do you like snow?"
"I didn't like it before," Xue Han said frankly. "When I was a child, the colder the weather, the harder it was for my family. But later... I came to like it."
Every time it snowed after that, he would think of this snow; how could he not like it?
"I like snow." Qiu Heng walked lightly, smiling at Xue Han, "I'll like it even more in the future."
We're almost at the Yongqing Marquis's residence.
Qiu Heng touched her messy hair and, under Xue Han's guilty gaze, pulled up her hood to cover it up: "Let's go."
No need to climb over the wall anymore, Qiu Heng was warmly welcomed inside by the disciples and returned to Lengxiang Residence.
Fangzhou came forward and took the cloak that Qiuheng had taken off: "Have you been outside for a long time, miss? Why is there so much snow? Oh, miss, why is your hair so messy?"
"Is it messy?" Qiu Heng asked without changing her expression. "It must be weighed down by the hood. Let me see."
She walked to the dressing mirror and sat down, not looking at the hair of the person in the mirror, but at her lips.
Fangzhou leaned closer: "Miss, your face is so red, could it be that you have a fever?"
"My hair is such a mess. Fangzhou, can you help me comb it?" Qiuheng subtly changed the subject.
"Alright." Fangzhou picked up the comb, then frowned. "Your hair is all wet. Miss, you should take a bath first, so you don't catch a cold."
Sitting in the steaming hot bath, the heat on her body replaced the heat on her face, and Qiu Heng relaxed completely.
"Fangzhou, I saw Xue Han today and asked him about Su Mama's fate."
Fangzhou paused, his hand holding the water ladle still: "How is she?"
"It was bought by a brothel."
Fangzhou curled her lip: "She got off easy. She can still show off in front of those young ladies."
Brothels would hire matrons from high-class families like Su Mama to teach female prostitutes etiquette and broaden their horizons.
“At her age, she’s destined for a brothel; she won’t have a good end.” Qiu Heng looked at Fang Zhou with gentle eyes. “Don’t be unhappy because of Granny Su. Let’s build a snowman tomorrow when the snow is thicker.”
Fangzhou smiled and nodded: "Okay."
The snow stopped during the night, and the sun came out the next day, melting even the snow from the previous day. The snowman was never built.
The next day, Qiu Heng went to the Kang Prince's Mansion early in the morning, and the group headed to the western suburbs in a grand procession.
happy holidays.
(End of this chapter)
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