Chapter 49 "Hanging on the Marriage Tree, Could Something Be Changing?"...
"Miss Qian." After a short while, Yan Ruheng walked up to Qian Yingyi and suddenly changed the way he addressed her, his tone becoming distant.
The two stood under the eaves of the temple. Suddenly, the sun shone brightly again, and a beam of light slanted onto half of Qian Yingyi's shoulder. She pursed her lower lip. Although she already understood that he had deliberately approached her, she still maintained her manners and curtsied to him properly, "Lord Yan."
From the very beginning, it seemed that she only used these three words to address him, Lord Yan.
Yan Ruheng stood in the shadows, staring at the fine dust on her shoulders, and forced a bitter smile. "I'm getting engaged to Baozhu."
He was wearing a light blue cross-collar robe today. Qian Yingyi wondered if it was just her imagination, but she felt that his face suddenly wasn't as handsome, and he exuded an inexplicable deathly aura. He looked a bit older, and his shoulders and back were hunched over.
Upon hearing about the engagement, Qian Yingyi's heart stirred, thinking that Lord Fan would probably make a move soon, but she did not show it on her face, and only said: "Then congratulations to Lord Yan."
He then fell silent, waiting for him to continue.
Yan Ruheng lowered his eyelids slightly, his gaze sweeping over Qian Yingyi's face.
When he came looking for her earlier, he couldn't explain what he wanted to say to her; he simply couldn't suppress the urge to speak.
He was well aware that she might also know the full extent of his approach to her.
That beam of light was like an invisible axe, cleaving apart their worlds that were originally completely unrelated. The fine dust particles floated on her shoulders, like monsters with mouths, jumping up and down to accuse him, making him feel that he was shameless, treacherous, and scheming.
But the more he knew he was falling deeper and deeper into the abyss, the more he wanted to hold onto that last bit of her purity and innocence.
Now they stood face to face again, talking. Watching her and Qin Lizheng enter the temple hand in hand, and then seeing Qin Lizheng lean down to kiss her, it was strange; the bittersweet feeling that had previously tormented her seemed to have vanished...
"Lord Yan?" Qian Yingyi blinked slightly, asking with a hint of doubt.
Yan Ruheng suddenly came to his senses, slowly shifted his gaze, and turned to look at the faint clouds floating in the sky. "Miss Qian, I once asked you what you would do if I had a bad side. You said then that we were on different paths and could no longer be friends."
"To be honest, Miss Qian, I like you." The temple was quiet and tidy, probably because it used to be a royal temple. The young monk swept very carefully. Yan Ruheng's gaze shifted slightly and finally landed on the inconspicuous spider web on the eaves. "Even if Baozhu were here, I could still say these words frankly."
His voice was very soft, "Miss Qian, how does Qin Lizheng treat you?"
Qian Yingyi turned around and gazed at the young man not far away, who was lazily watching her with his arms crossed. She curled her lips and said truthfully, "Very good."
Yan Ruheng nodded slightly, "Being good to you...that's enough..."
He turned his back, his eyes seeming to gradually gather a hazy mist. "Since we are no longer friends, in Miss Qian's opinion, what is the meaning of right and wrong, good and evil?"
The question was very direct, and Qian Yingyi's heart skipped a beat. She couldn't help but wonder if he was taking the opportunity to test her, or if he was following Yan Yu's arrangements and had other intentions.
After a moment's thought, she offered a compromise: "Whether it's right or wrong, good or evil, it all depends on how you see it."
She followed his gaze to the spiderweb under the eaves, a sigh escaping her lips. “Take this spiderweb, for example. If the young monk saw it, perhaps a sweep of the broom would make it all disappear. What wrong has the young monk done? He is simply doing his duty honestly. And what wrong has the spider doing? It is just quietly staying here.”
"To the young monk, he was doing a righteous thing, but to the spider, it was utterly evil."
She said, "The world is vast and boundless. I only know a little about the affairs of this world. In the matter of the spider web and the monk, perhaps there is no absolute right or wrong. But if we think about it from another perspective..."
“In a world where the strong prey on the weak, monks have all the advantages. If they harbor evil intentions, they may not be satisfied with simply swatting away the spider web, but instead want to stomp on the spider and crush its blood. I think even Buddha could not forgive such evil.”
Yan Ruheng's eyes trembled, and his fingers, hidden under his sleeves, unconsciously clenched. Qian Yingyi watched him quietly for a moment, and she knew that he had understood her hidden advice.
As the Buddhist saying goes, "Turning back is the shore." Even if Yan Ruheng had a conscience, he was still part of the group that trampled on the people and drank their blood.
If Yan Yu were that monk, then Yan Ruheng would be the broom in his hand.
If Yan Ruheng can voluntarily confess everything and act as a witness, no matter how much the Yan-Lin faction tries to deny it, they will never be able to turn the tables.
Seeing that he hadn't made a move for half a day, Qian Yingyi sighed slightly. Thinking of the purpose of her coming to talk to him, she said, "Now that we've opened up today, that's good. I also have something to say to Lord Yan."
"Lord Yan, are you and Miss Fan happy about your engagement?"
Yan Ruheng shifted slightly, then lowered his eyes again and said in a low voice, "Of course I'm happy."
“If she’s happy, that’s enough to prove she adores you,” Qian Yingyi said, looking at him. “I only know that when you like someone, you should be pure, and when you are liked, you should cherish that love. You just said that even if she were here, you could still say those words to me. To me, you are being honest, but have you ever thought about whether she would mind your honesty?”
“Lord Yan, people are always petty when it comes to love. Since she admires you, you shouldn’t just casually carry her love with you.”
Qian Yingyi glanced in the direction Fan Baozhu had left, knowing that this girl was probably kept in the dark about everything, but had a single-minded and courageous love.
Lord Fan was bedridden with illness and only agreed to Yan Yu's request to help him out of desperation. To Fan Baozhu, he was a good father who cherished her, but to the common people, in the near future, even someone as honest as him would soon become a bloodsucker.
She had no right to show compassion at this moment, but could only do her best to let this girl have a complete love. "Lord Yan, putting aside everything else, just talking about love, please cherish the present moment."
Perhaps it was Qian Yingyi's overly cold tone that made Yan Ruheng feel as if he had been pricked by a fine needle; the force was not strong, but it caused a sharp pain.
The pain didn't stem from her frankness, but from the fact that her words made him realize how dark and despicable he was.
Having said all she could, Qian Yingyi bowed to him again and, without looking back, twirled her skirt and ran toward Qin Lizheng.
Yan Ruheng stood still for a moment before lifting his eyelids to follow her back. He had a thought in his mind to follow her forward, but his feet seemed to be glued to the floor tiles, so heavy that he couldn't lift them.
Gradually, he realized that he didn't actually like her, but rather the trapped part of himself liked the purity in her, nothing more.
Realizing this completely, Yan Ruheng took a deep breath, and the knot in her heart dissipated a little. After a short while, she saw Fan Baozhu running towards her from afar, lifting her skirt. She then forced a smile and slowly went to greet her.
Several clusters of autumn chrysanthemums lay in the crook of Fan Baozhu's arm. She smiled and held them up to show him, "Sanlang, look, I think they suit you very well!"
Yan Ruheng nodded wearily, but before he could speak, Fan Baozhu suddenly cupped his face and looked him up and down with worried eyes. "Sanlang, are you not resting well? Why don't we stop praying to the Bodhisattva for now? Anyway, Father's illness is much better now, let's go back first."
Yan Ruheng stared at her in a daze. Just as Qian Yingyi had said, Fan Baozhu's eyes were full of him. His own image was clearly reflected in her slightly moist pupils. Suddenly, a thought came to him—how could he let down such a good girl?
He looked at Fan Baozhu silently without saying a word, which made Fan Baozhu's cheeks gradually flush red. Slowly, she lowered her head and gently tugged at his sleeve, "Are we going back or not?"
"Okay, let's go back."
With its green tiles and red eaves, bathed in sunlight, the temple's gloom has been swept away, and so have the people.
Qian Yingyi rushed to Qin Lizheng, tilted her head to peek at him, and asked with a smile, "Did you hear everything? I don't need to explain it to you again, do I?"
Qin Lizheng held her fingers and kneaded them, saying truthfully, "I heard that, you even know about Buddhism."
Knowing immediately that he was mocking her, Qian Yingyi abruptly withdrew her hand, straightened up, and scolded, "How dare you! How dare you lay your hands on me under the watchful eye of a Bodhisattva?"
Qian Yingyi was wearing makeup today, and her whole body was fragrant. Her lightly drawn eyebrows were like willow leaves in spring. Suddenly, her expression changed, and Qin Lizheng found her even more adorable. He couldn't help but laugh out loud. He pretended to put his palms together and said softly, "Then please don't blame me, Bodhisattva."
"Hey, don't just stand there like a statue. Aren't we supposed to pray for a good luck charm for Sister Tuan?" Qian Yingyi couldn't stand it any longer and hurriedly pulled his arm to walk inside. "Come on, come on."
Qin Lizheng's eyes held a smile as his gaze fell on her fingertips. Saying one thing and meaning another was always her habit; she had just been using the Bodhisattva as a pretext, but now she was fearless.
After a while, the two arrived at the main hall, where a group of monks were chanting sutras with their eyes closed. Qian Yingyi first knelt on the prayer mat and devoutly worshipped the Bodhisattva before going to find the abbot who had bestowed talismans on the children.
The amulet was small and square. The abbot muttered to himself for a while before the Bodhisattva statue, then gave it to Qian Yingyi. She carefully accepted it, tucked it into the sachet at her waist, and clasped her hands together, saying, "Amitabha."
When they emerged from the main hall, it was midday, and the sun was at its zenith. Qin Lizheng made no attempt to hide himself from others, raising his hand to smooth the wrinkles on her cap, and asked, "You've never been here before, and this is my first time here too. Why don't you take a look around? Will you have your vegetarian lunch at the temple?"
Qian Yingyi looked delighted, "Great!"
As the two walked along the corridor, seeing that there were few worshippers around, Qian Yingyi suddenly asked in a low voice, "What I just said to Yan Ruheng, do you think he really understood?"
Qin Lizheng casually picked up a wildflower and lightly brushed it against her nose. "If he doesn't understand, then he's sitting in the position of the Second Master of Jiangning County for nothing. But understanding is one thing, and being able to actually do it is another. You've said all you can, so there's no need to dwell on this anymore."
Qian Yingyi nodded her delicate chin, agreeing with the logic. She stopped thinking about it and looked around. She spotted a magnolia tree in the distance and pointed towards it. "Look, there are lots of red ribbons hanging on that tree. Let's go take a look!"
She walked straight to the magnolia tree, held up a few red ribbons, and peered inside, only to realize it was a tree for marriage. Qian Yingyi suddenly laughed, "Perfect timing, I wanted to hang one too."
A monk was sitting and dozing off at a small stall nearby, with many red ribbons hanging from the small bamboo table.
Qian Yingyi tiptoed over, not disturbing his rest. She took out two brushes, dipped a brush in ink, and walked excitedly to Qin Lizheng. "You hold this one, and I'll write on it. We'll each take one and tie them to a tree branch."
Unexpectedly, Qin Lizheng put away one of the ribbons, snatched the pen from her hand, found a relatively flat stone, knelt down in front of the stone, picked up the pen and wrote neatly on the red ribbon, saying, "One is enough."
Qian Yingyi was slightly shocked, "You've become so stingy that you even have to write my name together with yours?"
Qin Lizheng glanced at her, then turned back to continue writing.
"Let me see what you've written," Qian Yingyi said, standing behind him, her skirt brushing against the hem of his robe, making her seem like a flower growing on him. "Flowers never fade, the moon is endless, our hearts are one..."
She smiled and said softly, "Zhang Anlu's lyrics, you even know this one."
Qin Lizheng wrote down the two names in turn. After the breeze dried the ink, he lightly touched the ground with his toes and leaped onto the magnolia tree. With a hint of cunning, he tied the red ribbon to the branch with the densest foliage and the smallest gaps between the leaves.
They immediately tied seven or eight knots that were impossible to untie.
Qian Yingyi really wanted to laugh, but she was afraid that laughing out loud would wake the young monk. It wasn't until Qin Lizheng jumped down from the tree again and led her to another part of the temple that she couldn't help but laugh, her thin shoulders shaking.
Qin Lizheng's ears turned slightly red, which was rare. He pressed her finger before answering her earlier question, "I did receive a proper education when I was young, so it's normal for me to know these things."
Qian Yingyi laughed even louder, then simply let go of her hand and ran straight to the garden where they were having their vegetarian meal. A few tears welled up in her eyes, and it took her a while to calm down. "I...I wasn't laughing at you for that. What was the purpose of tying those seven or eight knots?"
“Naturally, I will bind you and me together.” Qin Lizheng followed closely behind, knowing that she was making fun of him, but he was not angry. He simply tidied her slightly disheveled hair.
Qian Yingyi was moved by his frank and straightforward words. She gradually suppressed her joking attitude, lightly hooked her fingertips around his palm, and whispered, "I'm hungry. Let's eat first, then we'll take a walk around again in the afternoon, and then we'll go back to the city."
"Not laughing at me anymore?" Qin Lizheng lowered his eyes and stared at her with amusement. "Didn't you tell me to face my true feelings?"
Qian Yingyi suddenly felt guilty. She gently pushed him and said, embarrassed and annoyed, "Oh, I'm not laughing anymore. Are you going to eat or not? If you're not going to eat, I'll go by myself."
Qin Lizheng smiled, grasped her hand tightly, and led her into the meditation room openly.
There weren't many worshippers visiting Jinghai Temple this time, but among them were naturally some ladies from wealthy families. Coincidentally, a lady in the dining hall was eating a bowl of vegetarian noodles. She recognized Qian Yingyi at a glance and politely called out, "Miss Qian, Miss Qian, here I am! Do you remember me?"
Qian Yingyi was startled and withdrew her hand. She carefully examined the lady's face and listened to her accent. She remembered that she and the lady had met briefly when she celebrated her birthday. Unfortunately, she couldn't remember the lady's surname, so she smiled politely.
The lady was very welcoming. Seeing the two of them come in hand in hand, she quickly finished her bowl of vegetarian noodles and came over to greet them. "Oh my, Miss Qian is still as beautiful as ever. And this must be... Commander Qin, right? I've heard people mention you two before. I never imagined that you two would be such a perfect match!"
The more she spoke, the more the ordinary people in the meditation room turned their heads to look in her direction. Qian Yingyi wished she could bury her face in her bowl, but not wanting to shoo them away, she could only mumble a reply, "Yes, yes, Madam, you are kind."
The lady went on and on for a while, praising how wonderful the land and water of Nanjing were, far better than the Henan province she had been in. She also complimented the young ladies of Nanjing, saying they were all beautiful and charming. She mentioned that she had a son and implied that she wanted to find a daughter-in-law for her son.
Having somehow learned that Qian Yingyi and Yan Qiuyan had a harmonious relationship, the topic gradually shifted to Yan Qiuyan. "Does Miss Qian know what Miss Yan usually likes?"
Qian Yingyi then came to her senses. It turned out that this lady wanted to use her words to curry favor with Yan Qiuyan. She pondered in silence, not wanting to casually agree to anything behind Yan Qiuyan's back. She couldn't shake off this lady for the time being, so she could only lower her eyes and avoid her words.
Unexpectedly, with a glance down, she suddenly noticed a quiet, silky-furred puppy sitting by her skirt, with a leash around its neck, the other end of which was being twirled in the lady's hand.
She was completely unaware that the lady had brought a dog!
Qian Yingyi was startled and almost got up to overturn the square table in front of her.
Qin Lizheng immediately noticed her strange expression, and when he peeked under the table, he was also slightly shocked. Just now, this lady was sitting behind Qian Yingyi, and she came over in the blink of an eye. She was wearing a long-sleeved coat, and he really hadn't noticed her.
He immediately tried to get up and pull Qian Yingyi out.
Unexpectedly, the puppy stirred and circled around Qian Yingyi's skirt. The lady took the opportunity to pick it up and stroked its fluffy fur, smiling as she said to Qian Yingyi, "Miss Qian, are you listening to me?"
Qian Yingyi leaned back, and instead of answering, asked, "Madam...Madam also brought a dog."
Her evasive gestures were easily understood by anyone with a keen eye. The lady, however, smiled and nodded, then moved the puppy closer to her. "Its name is Dou'er, it's very well-behaved, only four months old. Miss Qian, would you like to pet it?"
Qin Lizheng couldn't bear to watch any longer. A cold glint appeared in his eyes as he stood up and said, "Let's go back to the city and find something to eat."
Strangely enough, perhaps because she had restrained herself from moving earlier, or perhaps because the little dog was very quiet and hadn't barked once, Qian Yingyi could clearly see its wet nose and bright, icy eyes as she approached.
She remained seated, pulling her hand away from Qin Lizheng's grasp, and asked softly, "Doesn't it bite?"
The lady chuckled and said, "This puppy is so small, its teeth are still tiny. It doesn't bite, it's very well-behaved."
Qin Lizheng observed Qian Yingyi's reaction quietly, then, after a moment's thought, he sat back down on the bench.
Qian Yingyi pondered for a while, but the little dog kept staring at her, and her curiosity overcame her fear. She pursed her lips, slowly rested her elbow on the table, and curled her fingertips slightly, then asked again, "Really?"
At this moment, the lady was quick to read people's expressions. She noticed that the girl wanted to touch it and secretly wondered if she was a little scared. So she gently encouraged her, "It couldn't be more real! If you don't believe me, Miss Qian, touch it. I'll press it down."
Qian Yingyi was quite itchy to try it, so she glanced at Qin Lizheng and saw him nod his chin slightly. She then stretched out a finger and slowly, quietly, pressed it on the puppy's head.
The puppy was very obedient, nudging its head against the finger. Qian Yingyi's eyes widened in surprise, and her lips parted slightly.
She felt the soft yet firm texture under her fingertips, looked up at the lady in front of her, then at Qin Lizheng, and said, "This feeling is the same as when I touch Tuanjie's head!"
The wife chuckled, then gently took her hand and stroked the puppy's head lightly. "I wasn't lying, was I?"
Qian Yingyi's fear vanished completely at that moment, a smile gradually forming on her lips as she softly called out, "Dou'er... Dou'er..."
Dou'er's head rested against her fingertip, then suddenly squinted its eyes and started whimpering. Qian Yingyi abruptly pulled her hand away, "What is it doing!"
Qin Lizheng chuckled, "It means you should touch it again."
The man from the lady's family had not been transferred here from Henan Province for long. She was also eager to build good relationships with the young ladies of Jinling. Therefore, she put Dou'er on the ground and asked with a smile, "Miss Qian, I haven't finished worshipping my Bodhisattva yet, so it's not appropriate to bring Dou'er into the main hall. If you're not so afraid, why don't you play with it?"
Qian Yingyi's heart stirred. She rubbed her fingertips, savoring the feeling from just now. Seeing that the little bean was very obedient, she pondered for a while and finally nodded.
After finishing their vegetarian meal, they said they would go for another stroll around Jinghai Temple, but in reality, Qian Yingyi spent the entire afternoon "getting close to Dou'er and avoiding Dou'er".
Dou'er somehow found a cloth sandbag and placed it on Qian Yingyi's skirt. Qian Yingyi, feeling playful, surprisingly didn't mind the dirt. She squatted down, picked up the sandbag, and threw it forward. Dou'er immediately barked twice and chased after it with its short legs.
As dusk settled, Dou'er, tired from playing, lay on her back in the haystack. Qian Yingyi had already shaken off her previous fearful expression, and was now smiling as she rubbed her face. After a few "sucking" sounds, Dou'er suddenly rolled over and waddled toward her.
Qian Yingyi gently stroked its head, sighing repeatedly, "I never knew dogs could be so scary..."
Qin Lizheng laughed, "A puppy that's only a few months old is naturally docile, but if you had encountered a big dog today, I would definitely have pulled you away, and no matter how much that lady praised you, I would never have let you get close."
As the two were talking, the lady happened to appear, picked up Dou'er in front of Qian Yingyi, and then gave Qian Yingyi a wink, "Miss Qian, it's getting dark, I'm heading to the city now. If we happen to meet again, I'll have Dou'er entertain you."
Putting aside the woman's less-than-pure motives, Qian Yingyi still felt grateful to her.
It was because of this coincidence that Qian Yingyi had a completely new look today. So she smoothed out the wrinkles in her skirt, stood up, and bowed properly to her, saying, "Thank you."
The lady smiled, said nothing more, and led her maids and servants away.
Qian Yingyi watched her figure gradually disappear, then went to the well beside her to scoop up water, carefully washed her hands, turned back to Qin Lizheng with a smile, and said suddenly, "Ah Zheng, actually nothing in this world is unchanging, isn't it?"
Behind Qin Lizheng was a wall, his shoulders and back slumped lazily against it, his posture not very upright, one leg bent with his heel on the stone step, his arm resting on his knee, looking up at her with a smile, "Who said that?"
He gestured with his chin towards the magnolia tree, "Hanging on the marriage tree, protected by the Bodhisattva, could something have changed?"
Qian Yingyi blinked and smiled along with him. A gentle breeze rose, lifting her skirt like a butterfly's wings and carrying her soft voice to Qin Lizheng's ears, "Hmm... I was wrong to laugh at you earlier. I really like Zhang Anlu's lyrics. Did you know he has another line?"
She stood a short distance away, her arms behind her back, and leaned slightly forward, as if to make him hear her words clearly: "May youth last forever, may we laugh together in the spring breeze next year."
Qin Lizheng was startled, and gradually straightened her posture. It was already dusk, but the flowers were still in bloom. The sunset, which had burned the entire sky red, fell on her shoulders, illuminating her increasingly gentle figure and stirring Qin Lizheng's heart.
He remained standing a short distance away, and after a long while, he spoke, unable to hide his surprise, "Qian Yingyi."
"You've agreed to marry me?"
Qian Yingyi stood still, mimicking his previous actions, glancing at the magnolia tree, and smiled, "With the Bodhisattva watching over us, and you've tied seven or eight knots that are impossible to untie, I have no choice but to nod."
Qin Lizheng sat there blankly for a long time, staring at her in a daze.
Gradually, the smile that had been frozen on his lips suddenly broke into a smile, he chuckled twice, and abruptly stood up, pulled her into his arms, and spun her around twice.
Unable to contain the overwhelming joy that seemed to be growing from his limbs, he scooped up Qian Yingyi's legs again, lifted her high, and spun her around several times.
Qian Yingyi felt dizzy and patted him, "I'm so dizzy! Put me down!"
Qin Lizheng obediently let Qian Yingyi land on the ground. Before she could react, he suddenly cupped her face in his hands. His eyes and brows were full of unrestrained arrogance. He gently rubbed her face with his thumb and let out an even more unrestrained laugh. "You can't escape now."
He then took a deep breath and placed a heavy kiss on her lips.
He forced her to the base of the wall, his broad figure completely blocking her view. Qian Yingyi was forced to tilt her head back, panting heavily, feeling increasingly dizzy. Hearing the bell ringing from the main hall, she struggled, "Don't kiss me...don't kiss me...the Bodhisattva is watching..."
"If the Bodhisattva blames me, I will protect her." Qin Lizheng replied indistinctly, kissing her lips one after another, then her face, and then her forehead.
After a long pause, he buried his head in Qian Yingyi's arms and said, "Now, immediately, let's go back to the city."
"I'll finish this business as soon as possible, and then I'll marry you."
Then he released her, and held his palm out in front of her eyes.
A gentle breeze rustled the withered leaves that carpeted the ground, and the sunset painted the sky with vibrant colors. Qian Yingyi gazed at his spirited demeanor and suddenly recalled a fleeting glance from years ago. She sighed at the word "fate," though she couldn't quite grasp its meaning for the moment. So, she pressed her hand firmly into his palm, their knuckles touching, and then ran off with the wind, calling out, "Let's go! Qin Lizheng!"
.
Coincidentally, Yan Ruheng and Fan Baozhu also played outside the city until dark before returning. Over the course of the day, Fan Baozhu's kindness gradually softened Yan Ruheng's heart, and when facing her, the smile on his face gradually revealed sincerity.
At the end of the Xu hour (7-9 PM), Yan Ruheng escorted Fan Baozhu back to the Fan residence. The two stood outside the corner gate of the house, and Fan Baozhu kissed him on the cheek again. "Sanlang, are you going back to the county office to work tomorrow?"
Yan Ruheng lowered his eyes and stared at her, looking into those bright, sparkling eyes. He took her hand and held it in his palm. "Are you reluctant to part?"
Fan Baozhu's smile widened, and she suddenly wrapped her arm around his waist, saying warmly and generously, "Of course!"
Yan Ruheng chuckled softly, "In a few days, our marriage will be settled, and at the latest by the end of the year, we will be husband and wife."
Fan Baozhu nestled in his arms and blinked. "Hmm... I'm very happy, Sanlang. Are you happy too?"
"Happy."
Fan Baozhu then looked up and laughed, "Then give me a kiss. I'm the one who kisses you every time."
Yan Ruheng felt as if a piece of his heart had collapsed. Thinking of the words "cherish the person in front of you," he gently put his arm around her waist and then placed a kiss on Fan Baozhu's lips.
The next moment, he smiled, raised his hand to stroke her soft hair, and his voice regained its former gentleness, "Go inside, it's cold at night."
Fan Baozhu nodded and entered the Fan residence, turning back every few steps.
Yan Ruheng seemed a little relieved. He turned around and got into the carriage. Even after returning to the Yan residence, the smile on his lips could still be faintly seen.
Unfortunately, fate seemed determined to work against him. As he passed through the Grand Garden, he caught a faint smell of burning paper in the air. Yan Ruheng stopped and followed the smell. As he got closer, he discovered that his servant Ruoshan was burning something in a copper basin.
Upon seeing what the servant was holding, Yan Ruheng's face immediately turned cold, and he said sternly, "Ruoshan, are you burning a letter sent from Fengyang?"
Ruoshan shuddered in fright, turned around guiltily, and hurriedly threw the letters into the open flame.
Yan Ruheng disregarded everything, his expression changed, he shoved Ruoshan aside, reached out and picked up the letters with several burnt corners, hurriedly extinguished the flames, and stared at Ruoshan in disbelief, "So many... When did my parents start writing me so many letters? Why did you burn these letters?"
"When did you start betraying me again?!"
Ruoshan stood there helplessly for a long while before whispering, "Young Master... I..."
He stammered for a long time, unable to utter a single explanation.
Yan Ruheng closed his eyes and blankly picked up the letters to read. Gradually, fire shot up in his eyes, and he turned around and rushed straight into Yan Yu's room.
After searching through several rooms, they finally found Yan Yu in one of the west wing rooms. Yan Yu was reclining on the couch, lighting incense, while Wang Cailing sipped a cup of tea beside her. Yan Ruheng stared intently at the two of them, holding up the letters and questioning, "My mother is ill and we lack money for her treatment. My father's meager salary is far from enough. Why did you keep this from me?"
He suddenly threw the letter in front of Yan Yu, and his long-suppressed anger was released at this moment. "Even if you don't allow me to have much contact with them, my father is still your blood brother. How can you be so indifferent to him?"
"You can cure my mother, so why can't you? Is it because you can bring me benefits, while my parents can't do anything?"
Seeing that Yan Yu remained silent, Yan Ruheng felt an unquenchable fire burning within him. "Fine, if you won't give me the money, I will!"
With a flick of his sleeve, he followed and walked out.
"Stop right there!" Yan Yu suddenly shouted sharply, "Where are you going?"
"Fengyang! If you won't take care of them, I will!"
Unexpectedly, at Yan Yu's command, several guards rushed into the house and blocked Yan Ruheng's way. Yan Yu calmly chased after them and said, "Hmph, go to Fengyang? Let me tell you clearly, you are not allowed to go. You are about to get engaged to Fan Baozhu, you cannot leave."
"Be a good boy and listen to me."
Yan Ruheng cried out in disbelief, "My mother is sick! That's my own mother!"
Yan Yu did not speak again.
Wang Cailing came out at this moment, her tone indifferent, "Aren't I your mother?"
Yan Ruheng felt as if he had been doused with cold water. On this night when he felt himself gradually coming back to life, the couple in front of him once again mercilessly stabbed him in the heart.
He asked, his whole body aching, "Why do you keep focusing on me?"
Yan Yu stood under the corridor, coldly observing his breakdown. After a while, she ignored him and said, "Lord Fan will be taking action at the Ministry of Works in a couple of days. Don't ruin things. I will save your mother, but not now."
Yan Ruheng remained silent for a moment, still unwilling to give up, and asked, "You asked me to do things for you, which one of them didn't I do? You wanted money, you wanted supplies, which one time didn't I go to Wang Yi to mediate? And those things you asked for, which one time didn't I secretly help you get them?"
"Father," he closed his eyes, "I've called you Father for over twenty years. I'm begging you, please don't involve anyone else. Send the money to Fengyang to save Second Aunt, okay?"
Yan Yu remained unmoved, his eyes still seeming to reveal a sense of entitlement. "I said I would save her, but not now. And stop bringing up old grievances with me. Since you call me Dad, I am your father. It's only natural for a son to do his filial duty and serve his father, isn't it?"
"Someone, escort the young master back to his room."
"I've sent word to Jiangning that your wedding is coming soon, so it won't be a problem for you to take a few more days off."
Yan Ruheng's eyes darted back and forth between the couple's faces for a moment before he finally realized that there was no way he could "come back to life." It was as if everything today was just an illusion, and if he returned to this cannibalistic den, he would be nothing more than a walking corpse.
The next moment, he staggered back a few steps, a tear streaming down his face as he laughed, "You have no heart, really, Yan Yu, you really have no heart, why doesn't God take you away?"
Yan Yu laughed along, with a hint of resolute madness, "I'm alive and well, why would God want me to die?"
Yan Ruheng nodded slightly, said nothing more, and did not let the guards get close. He walked out alone in a daze. When he saw Ruoshan following him, he turned back and glanced at her, his eyes gloomy. "Ruoshan, you have been by my side since you were a child. Now even you... you don't need to follow me anymore."
Ruoshan observed his expression and his heart skipped a beat. He wondered if it was just his imagination, but he seemed to see a thirst for death in those eyes.
Before he could think it through, Yan Ruheng had already silently walked forward, his shoulders and back, which had just straightened up, slumped down again.
He disappeared into the darkness, just like the already somewhat dark house, which exuded a cold, eerie, and desolate deathly aura.
Even after the Mid-Autumn Festival, Nanjing will still be bustling for a few days, with carriages and horses, the sound of wind and music, and laughter still echoing along the banks of the Huai River.
Taking advantage of this moment, Little Tortoiseshell's parents delivered the betrothal gifts to Chuntang to the Qian family. The wind blew and the osmanthus blossoms fell. Qian Yingyi smiled and took Chuntang's arm to examine them closely. She finally praised them, saying, "I think they're quite nice."
Little Tortoiseshell kept staring intently at Chuntang, feeling inexplicably nervous as the wedding date drew closer.
After closing the chest tightly, he darted around the yard like a helpless bird, sometimes muttering about the wedding arrangements, and sometimes trying to calm himself down.
Xia Ling chuckled and pulled him back, laughing, "Oh dear, it's only August 28th today, and your wedding is set for November. Time flies by, there are still more than two months to go. Chun Tang, the bride, isn't even in a hurry, but you're already so anxious. On the day of the wedding, won't you make a complete fool of yourself?"
"Let me warn you again, Chuntang's parents are no longer here. Miss and I are Chuntang's family. If you dare to bully Chuntang, you'll be in big trouble!"
What was said in jest was taken seriously by the listener. Qian Yingyi pondered to herself, then suddenly asked Xia Ling, "Is it already August 28th?"
Xia Ling responded blankly, "Yes, what's wrong?"
Qian Yingyi pondered for a long time, and when she looked up again, her cunning eyes gleamed. She beckoned to Xiao Daimao, "Come here, go to the Embroidered Uniform Guard and look for Chu Zhiyan. Just tell him... just tell him that your sister-in-law invited him to visit Tuanjie!"
Little Tortoiseshell asked, puzzled, "But the young mistress didn't say that?"
"Oh dear!" Qian Yingyi stamped her foot, then, remembering Chuntang was there, she gestured for a moment, "Do you understand now?"
Little Tortoiseshell suddenly realized, "Oh, I understand, I'll go do it right away! I'll go right away!"
After he left, Qian Yingyi continued to explain the dowry to Chuntang. She was busy for half a day. She was reluctant to part with Chuntang, and at the same time, she envied Chuntang. In the end, she and Xia Ling leaned against Chuntang and looked at each other quietly. Then they smiled at each other like family.
Time flew by, and the moon rose and set. In order to speed up the operation, more and more Imperial Guards were sent out to keep an eye on Yan Lin's faction.
On the first day of the ninth month, as evening approached, Qin Lizheng was searching everywhere for Chu Zhiyan on official business but couldn't find him. After searching for half a day without seeing him, he frowned, stopped one of his subordinates, and asked, "Where is the deputy commander?"
The subordinate thought for a moment, scratched the back of his head, and said, "Didn't the Qian family's guards come by a couple of days ago? The deputy commander must have gone to the Qian family to see the children."
Ever since Chu Zhiyan got Tuan Jie'er as his goddaughter, he has been showing off to his subordinates every day. Gradually, his subordinates have come to regard "Chu Zhiyan becoming a father" as a natural thing.
Upon hearing that he had gone to the Qian family, Qin Lizheng could only nod and turn to leave.
As dusk fell, Qin Lizheng made his way to the Qian residence. He had already turned into Pipa Lane when he suddenly stopped, raised his arm and sniffed lightly. He thought of Qian Yingyi's words last night, "Oh, you always smell like mint." He remembered that she thought the mint smell was too strong, so he turned around and headed back to his own residence.
He secretly changed his clothes before coming back to find her.
Qin Lizheng walked straight back to his house and opened the door as usual. But as soon as the door opened a crack, several figures suddenly jumped out, and a shower of flower petals rained down on him.
"Qin Lizheng! May you have peace and safety every year!"
Qin Lizheng was slightly taken aback. He stood still and waited for the figure under the overlapping petals to walk towards him. He instantly realized that she had tricked Chu Zhiyan without his knowledge and was secretly planning to give him a surprise.
Qian Yingyi walked up to him with her hands behind her back and a smile on her face. She tilted her head and peeked at him, then asked with a smile, "Aren't you happy?"
Since his elder brother passed away and he was forcibly separated from his parents, Qin Lizheng no longer cared about his birthday. Over the years, although his inner world was terribly desolate, ever since he met Qian Yingyi, he seemed to be able to often feel his emotions overflowing.
It was because of her that the sea in his heart was stirred up by wave after wave of tsunamis.
So he forced a smile, looked back at everyone, and revealed a bit of the mischievousness of "Qin Family Second Son," saying, "If I say I'm unhappy, will you all gang up on me and beat me up?"
The group burst into laughter. Little Tortoiseshell was very excited, still holding a jar of wine in his arms. He hurriedly said, "Today is your birthday. Don't blame me for not being generous. I bought this wine at a high price!"
Chu Zhiyan also laughed and said, "Tonight we're going to drink until we drop, Xiao Qin, you can't escape."
Qian Yingyi mimicked his words, grinning as she said, "You can't escape!"
As she spoke, she reached out and hooked her arm around his. Then she closed the door behind her. Her hand on his arm was soft and light. Qin Lizheng looked on with amusement and grabbed her hand back, leading her into the house in a generous manner.
According to her, he can't escape.
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Author's Note: Qian Yingyi: To put it mildly, I agree to marry you~
Qin Lizheng: Okay, don't move, let me give you a few kisses!
Yan Yu, don't worry, I'm also on my way to writing you to death [pats head]
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