Chapter 36 Her Punishment
The warbling of orioles and the chirping of cicadas were like a stringed instrument. Sunlight slanted through the cracks in the window and floated into the room. Tiny dust particles in the half-beam of light jumped, and the shadows inside the tent moved as well.
Qian Yingyi groggily opened her eyes, her pretty face filled with a look of lingering satisfaction, as if she had fallen into a jeweled cave in a dream and was reluctant to wake up.
He turned and stared at the beam of light for a moment, then memories of drinking and painting on the boat last night flooded back. She had kissed him last night, and... and even threatened to make him wear a silver chain while naked?!
Qian Yingyi opened her mouth, then suddenly buried herself in the quilt.
A moment later, Fu sat up again, looking at herself in surprise and panic. When did she come back last night and wash up?
Qian Yingyi's eyes darted around, she swallowed hard, and a dry voice rang out from inside the tent, "Xia Ling, Xia Ling!"
Xia Ling hurriedly responded and pushed the door open to enter within a few breaths.
Qian Yingyi stared blankly at her, "Last night..."
"Last night?" Xia Ling tilted her head and smiled, "He brought you back last night. As for when he returned, I don't know the exact time. When I came back from teaching a few maids to do chores, I saw the room was lit up, so I pushed the door open and came in. Miss was sleeping on the table at that time."
"You washed me?"
Xia Ling nodded. "Yes, I saw the water was cold, so I changed it to a hot tub, and Chun Tang and I helped Miss wash up."
She immediately rushed over to help Qian Yingyi out, and couldn't help but nag, "How could you drink with him last night, Miss? What if he... what if he had bad intentions, Miss?"
Qian Yingyi seemed a little dazed. She covered her forehead for a while, then unsteadily slipped off the bed. "It's alright. I was perfectly fine when you saw me, wasn't I?"
Cicadas chirped and butterflies fluttered among the flowers. Qian Yingyi sat cross-legged on the couch, sunlight streaming down her side and falling on her fair, flawless cheeks. She swallowed the breakfast Xia Ling had brought her, feeling quite refreshed.
So after putting down the bowl and chopsticks, she couldn't sit still any longer, grabbed her skirt, got off the bed, and went outside.
As she turned into the courtyard, she happened to catch a glimpse of that tall figure standing under the tree, slightly bent over, wrapping hemp rope around the wooden planks of the swing set. Qian Yingyi thought of how she had taken the initiative to kiss him last night, and felt a little shy, but then she thought—what's there to be shy about? He should be secretly happy that she kissed him.
Therefore, she refused to show her shyness, pretending that nothing had happened, and walked lightly behind him, tilting her head to look at the swing through his arm, "You are so skillful."
Unexpectedly, Qin Lizheng loosened his grip, and the hemp rope fell to the ground with a "thud," raising a fine cloud of dust. He quickly trampled the dust under his feet, without even turning to look at her, and said, "I'm going to pick flowers in the garden."
Qian Yingyi was taken aback, and followed him outside. When they were almost at the large garden, she took two steps forward at the base of the wall and called out, "Stop!"
The figure stopped abruptly. He still listened to her; she said to go west, so he stopped going east.
Under the dense shade, tender yellow apricots fell to the ground with a thud. Qian Yingyi picked one up and threw it at him. Seeing that he didn't react much, it was as if a mouth had grown in her heart. She bit the apricot into her mouth, and it was sweet with an inescapable sourness.
She twirled her skirt and walked around to stand in front of him. "Are you avoiding me?"
Qin Lizheng's gaze didn't linger on her face. "No, why would I avoid you?"
Qian Yingyi asked suspiciously, "Then why are you running so fast?"
Another apricot fell with a "thud." Qian Yingyi recalled that drunken kiss. Although she couldn't remember what happened afterward, she felt as if she had been hit on the head. Her arrogance gradually dissipated, and she abruptly changed the subject, "What I mean is, wait for me. I'll come with you to pick flowers. How would you know what kind I want?"
Qin Lizheng looked at her quietly for a moment, nodded, and then, as usual, let her go first, "Okay."
In the season of fragrant blossoms, flowers bloom everywhere.
Qian Yingyi awkwardly picked flowers with a basket over her shoulder, glancing up behind her. The basket in his hand was filled with the varieties she usually loved, and her heart was suddenly filled with a sweet feeling.
The sun was blazing in Nanjing, but Qian Yingyi didn't feel particularly hot.
As the afternoon drew to a close, she and her maids tied fresh flowers to the swing, and she took the lead in sitting on it and gently swaying.
The sun peeked through the gaps in the trees, casting dappled light and shadow that fell on her face, which was beaming with excitement. When the maid nudged her, she chuckled.
It's as if her pure and simple heart is only so big, and you can easily make her happy and satisfied by stuffing a little something into it.
Qin Lizheng stood far outside the courtyard, his gaze piercing through the throng of people to precisely target her. She wasn't particularly tall, but she wasn't short either. She wore a dark white high-collared long gown, a pale pink long vest, and a delicate pearl waist chain.
As it swayed upwards, the willow leaf embroidery on the vest seemed to come alive, as if imbued with a soul; as it fell back to its original position, the folds of the skirt rippled and then gathered together. The folds...
“This swing is really well made,” Little Tortoiseshell appeared beside him at some point, winking at him. “Teach me how to make it too, I’m too clumsy. When I get married to Chuntang, I’ll make one to please her.”
Qin Lizheng suddenly snapped back to reality, his knuckles protruding slightly as he gripped the sword sheath. He took a deep breath, forcing himself to stop staring at the scenery in the distance. "We'll talk about it later."
He then left with a growing sense of guilt in his heart.
This sense of guilt imprisoned him until late at night when he received a signal from Chu Zhiyan and met with him to discuss serious matters, which temporarily suppressed it.
Chu Zhiyan squatted on the wall in a secluded corner of the Qian residence, laughing while clutching his head in pain, "Why are you hitting me? Wasn't the opportunity I created for you two last night good enough?"
Qin Lizheng's expression was extremely cold. "What leads have you made?"
Chu Zhiyan chuckled, nimbly leaped down from the wall, took out a folding fan from his waist and waved it, saying, "Do you know that Lin Bianhong's wife is Xun Yun? Why did she dare to make such a scene?"
"Her," Chu Zhiyan said casually, yet a secret was revealed in his voice, "was a woman who married into the family from the capital. At that time, her father was just a minor clerk in the Five Cities Garrison, and Lin Bianhong was just an ordinary student who came to the capital to take the imperial examination. Her father saw that Lin Bianhong was decent-looking and had a natural talent in his speech and manners, so he took a gamble and married Xun Yun to him."
"Later..." Chu Zhiyan covered her face with her fan and glanced at Qin Lizheng. "Later, her father was promoted in the Five Cities Garrison and became a seventh-rank deputy commander. When he encountered the Prince of Heng's rebellion, he accidentally saved Chang Rong, who was then a cleaning eunuch, in the capital. Because of this kindness, after Xun Yun's father passed away due to illness, Chang Rong recognized her as his goddaughter."
“With a powerful eunuch as her godfather, do you think she wouldn’t be arrogant?” Chu Zhiyan said, “Now I understand why Chang Rong corresponded with Lin Bianhong and why she became their protector in the capital.”
Qin Lizheng could now calmly face the tragedy instigated by Prince Heng's rebellion years ago. The moonlight was soft, the shadows of the trees swayed, casting an enigmatic light on his face. "How's the arrangement to bring down Chang Rong going?"
Chu Zhiyan nodded. "The Suzhou Weaving Bureau sent a batch of Yun Brocade into the capital half a month ago. Our people were waiting outside the capital and secretly replaced some of it with inferior ramie. The Emperor will surely reward the Directorate of Ceremonial with a portion of it."
"Chang Rong is a master of appearances, and he will inevitably let slip a little bit of it through his fingers. Chang Rong has an apprentice who has long wanted to take his place. With our people's guidance, he will put on a show, deliberately lifting the ramie fabric to reveal the bright yellow material underneath."
He smiled sinisterly, “The capital city has no shortage of mouths. Once the rumors start spreading, the news that Chang Rong is secretly keeping the dragon robe will be impossible to hide.”
"No matter how much he embezzled by secretly colluding with these officials in Jinling, it's all insignificant in the face of such a fatal overstepping of authority."
Qin Lizheng looked up at the crescent moon in the sky. "It's a pity that the news of his downfall hasn't reached Jinling yet. Isn't Xun Yun just arrogant because she's his goddaughter? Just wait and see. She won't let the Yan family off the hook if she can't find Yan Wenying's whereabouts."
.
"You still want me to let her go?" In the warm summer, a large block of ice sat on the couch in the room where the Lin family held meetings. A beautiful woman's eyes revealed arrogance and contempt.
Despite her beauty, her eyes and brows betrayed her weariness. She tried her best to maintain a dignified appearance, and as she spoke, the jewels in her hair jingled and adorned her earrings, seemingly silently proclaiming her arrogance.
It was Xun Yun.
Xun Yun glanced at Yan Yu and his wife before her, her cold laughter carrying a chilling sense of death. "You've raised a fine daughter, turning my son into a monster, neither human nor ghost. You want me to let her go? Dream on!"
It was as if Lin Yuhu was no longer a complete person; she had transformed from the once all-smiling and obsequious Mrs. Lin into a wicked demon.
Because Yan Ruheng was turned away by Xun Yun every time he visited, Yan Yu and Wang Cailing had no choice but to visit the Lin family in person again.
Wang Cailing couldn't help but cry while clutching her handkerchief. She turned to the couch and pulled her arm, saying, "Good sister, we're family. I'm so angry about what Yingying did. Even though I'm not here with you, I'm still worried about you at home. If I can find her, I'll definitely teach her a lesson and make the old woman bring her back to apologize."
“But if Yingying is really imprisoned, what will happen to your unborn grandson?” Wang Cailing said, “The laws set by the court are strict. If Yingying is convicted, she will be exiled three thousand miles away. She is the child’s mother in name only. Dear sister, do you really want that child to be unable to hold an official position when he grows up?”
"Bullshit!" Xun Yun grew increasingly annoyed, shoving her off the bed. The anger choking her was hard to swallow for a long time. In a flash, she grabbed a cup and threw it at the silent Lin Bianhong. "You good-for-nothing! Say something!"
Lin Bianhong was knocked off balance by her blows, and after a while, he forced a smile and turned to look at Yan Yu. “Brother Yan, no matter how I look at it, I feel that this matter cannot be resolved peacefully.”
Yan Yu's heart skipped a beat, and she hurriedly said, "It can be resolved amicably! It can be resolved amicably! Ah Ling and I came to your door today precisely to apologize."
He immediately raised his hand, bringing his knuckles together beside his face, and said, “My husband and I swear today that no matter whether that wicked girl is dead or alive, once we find her, we will tie her up with rope and make her confess her sins. From now on, Yuhu’s child will also be our own, and we will treat her unborn child as our own grandchild.”
He turned to look at Xun Yun again, forcing a smile, "Now that we've come this far, even if we treat that wretched girl as an enemy, let her stay by Yuhu's side for a lifetime to atone for her sins. Please don't take this to the yamen, and especially not to the imperial court. Don't use the law to punish her. We're still in-laws, okay?"
"Yan Yu!"
Xun Yun was so angry that she pounded the bed repeatedly, yelling, "Get out!"
Wang Cailing went up to her again, crying and pleading.
"Lin Bianhong, are you even human?!" Xun Yun pushed her away, raising her eyes, red with hatred, to look at Lin Bianhong. "Are you just going to let them treat your son like this?"
Hearing this, Lin Bianhong could no longer hold back. He stood up and grabbed Yan Yu's sleeve, secretly advising himself not to make a scene with him. "Brother Yan, let me discuss this matter with A-Yun again. After all, my son didn't get any benefit, but your daughter just disappeared without a trace. She's the one who cut off the Lin family's lineage."
Some words, once spoken, are not so easy to take back. Lin Bianhong rubbed his shoulder, which had been hurt by the cup earlier, and said, "Your own incense offerings have also been cut off, so I'm sure you can understand me. Go back first."
Yan Yu suddenly paused, as if a sore spot had been hit, and looked at him sharply, a few flashes of disbelief in her eyes.
They seemed astonished at how Lin Bianhong had learned of his secret.
He suddenly roared twice, "We've been shaking hands for so many years, and you've been wary of me all this time? Secretly watching me?"
After saying that, he suddenly pulled and snatched the half-sleeve from Lin Bianhong's hand.
Lin Bianhong's temper suddenly flared up after being yelled at, and he simply stopped holding back and said sternly, "You're going to take more of the silver we embezzled than me, so what if I'm watching you! What, did I touch a nerve? Do you know how unpleasant it is to lose your family line? Why is it that when it comes to my son, it's not worth mentioning and you want to let it go so easily?"
"That was started by your son's reckless philandering with prostitutes!"
Yan Yu gritted her teeth, her face contorted with rage as if she wanted to devour Lin Bianhong alive. "Why don't you take a closer look at how many times they've quarreled since they got married! Do you dare say that you, as their father, bear no responsibility at all? If you ask me, he himself is half responsible for this!"
Lin Bianhong immediately rushed in front of him, raising his fist to hit him, but was stopped by Xun Yun's voice.
Xun Yun glanced coldly at Yan Yu, then smiled crookedly, "Have you figured it out yet? Her true intentions have finally been revealed."
After panting for a while, Lin Bianhong suddenly calmed down, his face becoming increasingly somber. Thinking of Xun Yun's godfather, who was still in the capital, he slowly took two steps back and looked at Yan Yu. "You're right. Since our children don't get along, let's just let go of each other from now on, get off the ship, and go our separate ways!"
Yan Yu chuckled and pointed at him, "You'll regret this!"
He immediately grabbed Wang Cailing and they ran out together.
Xun Yun lay on the couch, panting heavily. After a while, she laughed in a sinister tone, "It's out in the open? Good thing it's out in the open, it should have happened sooner! What are you standing there like an idiot for? I think that governor of Jiangnan is just a figurehead. Why don't you take this opportunity to write a letter to your godfather and ask him to relay the case to the Emperor?"
She lowered her head, her sharp voice laced with sobs, "It's good that things have gotten out of hand, I'll make sure Yan Wenying is dead!"
The weather remained scorching hot, and the commotion between the Yan and Lin families gradually subsided after a few days. Although it was summer, the undercurrents between the two families seemed to be tempered with ice.
They wait for the storm to arrive, then ruthlessly tear open the already cracked opening, and secretly fight to the death.
Meanwhile, seeing her belly growing bigger every day, Ren Yuqing felt a little melancholy. Before going to bed, she couldn't help but complain to her maid about Qian Linye, who was far away in Yangzhou, "You know, my husband has been gone for so long. I don't know if he will be able to come back when I give birth."
The maid smiled reassuringly, "Don't worry, Madam. No matter what important business the young master has, Yangzhou isn't too far from us, he'll definitely be able to come back."
Ren Yuqing was a gentle person by nature. She patted her hardened belly and then relaxed and went to sleep.
The next day, after waking up from her afternoon nap, she had a strong craving for sweet soup, so she sent a maid to invite Qian Yingyi to her side. Upon seeing her sister, Ren Yuqing smiled shyly and said, "It's all your niece's fault for being greedy. I want to drink the sweet soup you brought me earlier again."
Qian Yingyi nodded happily, her voice soft and gentle, as she leaned down to talk to her belly, "Are you craving it, or is your mother craving it?"
Ren Yuqing teased her, reaching out to hit her with his hand on her waist, but she dodged with a laugh. She quickly spun off to the corridor and said with a smile, "Don't worry, sister-in-law. My brother isn't here, so I'll take good care of you for him for now. Just wait at home and relax. I'll be right back!"
In the scorching heat of July, the golden rays of sunlight on the horizon illuminated the land of Nanjing, making it even more dazzling and beautiful.
Qian Yingyi sat in the carriage, secretly peeking at the back of the horseman, then abruptly lowered the curtain after a short while.
She sensed something was wrong!
Such a good guard, but these past few days he's been like this, just doing the things she tells him to do without saying a word. Humph, ignoring her, she doesn't want to talk to him either!
He always seemed to be avoiding her, something Qian Yingyi had long suspected. She couldn't help but wonder if all men were like that, always starting to play with women after getting what they wanted!
Is it because she kissed him first that he stopped taking her seriously?
The thought resurfaced, and Qian Yingyi stared at the yellow carriage curtain with increasing resentment, determined to ignore him.
Therefore, when the carriage arrived at the Confucius Temple after traveling for about half an incense stick's time, there was a gentle knock on the carriage wall. As soon as it came to a stop, Qian Yingyi got off the carriage without even glancing at him.
Qin Lizheng blinked, then quickly tied up the carriage and followed.
Qian Yingyi slowed her pace after a few steps, and when she turned her head slightly and saw out of the corner of her eye that he was still following behind her skirt, she felt smug again.
However, if he suddenly becomes cold towards her, she won't pay any attention to him.
Qian Yingyi, holding her skirt, entered Sifu Lane and found Liang Tu's shop. She bumped into Wen Ninglan, and the two immediately hugged each other, stomping their feet with joy.
Qian Yingyi glanced at her and saw that she was only followed by one maid, and couldn't help but furrow her brows slightly. "Why didn't you bring two more people with you?"
Wen Ninglan smiled, her voice slow and gentle, "Why do I need so many people following me? I came in a sedan chair, and the sedan chair is parked outside. You only brought one guard with you, didn't you?"
She glanced at Qian Yingyi slyly, emphasizing the word "guard".
Qian Yingyi immediately wanted to turn around and look at Qin Lizheng, but she forcibly held back and changed the subject, "Lanlan, are you here to buy sweet soup too?"
Wen Ninglan, with her handkerchief in her pocket, turned and walked into the shop, her voice lingering there, "Yes, I've been a patron of this shop for several years now."
The two sat facing each other, one in front of the other, on a clean bench. Liang Tu covered his face with a towel and laughed, "Oh, what rare guests! I've managed to gather both of you here today. Luckily, there's no one in the shop right now, otherwise I would have definitely run away in a flash."
After visiting Liang Tu's shop a few times, Qian Yingyi knew that Liang Tu was sometimes very witty, so she happily ordered three bowls of chilled lychee dumplings, one for herself, one for her sister-in-law, and one for her older sister.
Wen Ninglan likes sour flavors, so she ordered a bowl of apricot sorbet.
While waiting, Liang Xizhao squeezed over with a smile, touching Qian Yingyi's earrings one moment and Wen Ninglan's face the next.
Qian Yingyi noticed that Wen Ninglan looked tired and quickly asked, "What's wrong?"
That's just how people are; they can't resist the concern of others. After maintaining her composure for a while, Wen Ninglan finally fanned her thick, wet eyelashes, wrung out her handkerchief to wipe her eyes, and whispered, "What else could it be? Wen Zhuonan came to my room and smashed things again."
It refers to the son of the twins born to Mrs. Wen, who is her stepbrother with no blood relation to her.
Qian Yingyi had a long-standing feud with the twins. Upon hearing this, she clenched her fist and immediately said angrily, "He bullied you again? What a shameless bastard! Does your father really not care?"
Wen Ninglan smiled bitterly, "I seem to have a father, but I don't. They seem to have no father, but they do. I can only rely on myself."
"You don't know, after Wen Zhuonan left the academy, his temper became more and more stubborn. Because he failed the imperial examination twice in a row, he would often come to my room and smash things. What could I possibly let him smash? This time, he ruined all the jasmine flowers I had grown."
"I'm sad, not because he bullied me, but because of those jasmine flowers. I ignored him, and he made a fool of himself. It's just a pity about my jasmine flowers..."
Qian Yingyi slammed her fist on the square table, startling Liang Tu into turning his head to look at her. She quickly lowered her voice and gritted her teeth, saying, "He's a beast, all he does is bully you. I used to only think Yu Minsen was annoying, but now that I compare, he's just as bad!"
Upon hearing Yu Minsen's name, Liang Tu paused in his ice-scraping motion, his eyes flashing slightly.
Qin Lizheng keenly noticed this subtle change.
He didn't go into the shop; instead, he leaned against the side to avoid the cool air.
He glanced at Liang Tu and saw Liang Xizhao asking who Yu Minsen was, so he asked, "Boss Liang, Xixi can already recite three hundred Tang poems, why haven't you sent her to school for her first lessons?"
He lowered his eyelids slightly, as if he were just saying it casually, "After all, children from ordinary families who reach Xixi's age are already being sent to private schools."
Liang Tu was scraping the ice and didn't immediately respond.
After a long pause, he laughed and said, "Hey, I'm raising her all by myself and running a shop, how can I possibly have time to pick her up from the private school on time every day? It's not that I haven't thought of it. I'm planning to send Xixi to the private school when she's a couple of years older and her legs are more agile. I'll then tell her to come back by herself after her lessons."
Qin Lizheng carefully considered his words and thought to himself that he was probably waiting for Liang Xizhao to become more composed, so Liang Tu planned to take her away from Jinling.
After all, Liang Xizhao is quite playful now. If she is targeted by someone on her way out, it will cause a lot of trouble, and it is hard to say whether she can save her life.
Qin Lizheng looked at Liang Xizhao's small figure, his gaze sweeping over Qian Yingyi's face. Their eyes met for a moment in mid-air before looking away. He composed himself and looked away, then said, "Xixi loves making friends."
He could only subtly remind Liang Tu that the group of children Liang Xizhao played with were all in Jinling, and Liang Xizhao might not obediently follow him out of Jinling.
“Yes, she has many friends.” After a moment, Liang Tu also turned around and looked at Liang Xizhao, his eyes gentle, as if he were just an ordinary family with such a mischievous and clever daughter at his feet.
He wasn't going to say anything more, and just then the sweet soup was ready. So he wrapped up the two portions for Qian Yingyi and Wen Ninglan and handed them over.
Liang Xizhao was still saying, "Oh! This Yu something-sen is the bad older brother that Xixi met at the academy before!"
She clapped her hands, climbed onto the long bench, swung her legs, and began to speak: "I listened for half a day but didn't quite understand, but I know that neither of these two are good people. No matter who they are, when I become a high-ranking official, I will take them both into my service!"
Qian Yingyi quickly covered her mouth and whispered a warning, "Shh, you can't say things like that."
Liangxi Zhao is no ordinary person, yet he talks big about taking in the sons of officials. How can this be allowed? If people hear this, it will only bring trouble.
Before leaving, thinking of her sister-in-law waiting at home, and seeing Wen Ninglan also getting up to leave, Qian Yingyi said, "Lanlan, don't be too sad. The flowers will bloom again. Don't let me run into Wen Zhuonan outside, otherwise, I will definitely have someone put a sack over his head and beat him up to avenge you."
Wen Ninglan smiled at this, and after leaving the shop, she waved her handkerchief at her, telling her to go back first.
Qian Yingyi nodded slightly, gazed at her back for a moment, then turned and walked back the way she came.
Before she knew it, her hand loosened, and the food box was snatched away by a hand. She acted as if it were nothing, clapped her hands, didn't even turn around to look, and left it behind her. A few moments later, she got into the carriage.
Returning home in silence, Qian Yingyi snatched the food box back and, kicking her skirt, went to her sister-in-law's and elder sister's courtyards one by one. When the sun set, they all went to the flower hall for dinner, and only then did she lazily fan herself and turn back to Yunteng Pavilion.
As dusk approached, she had finished washing and dressing. She wore a peach-colored grape-patterned cloak over her shoulders, and the ends of her black, satin-like hair were still damp with moisture.
Then he cut the wick of the lamp in the room.
Then she walked to the door, locked all the doors and windows, and sat alone by the west window, holding a round stool, a cold smile on her lips. She knew that when he came to take the things from her hands in the afternoon, he clearly wanted to talk to her; she had even heard him inhale.
She didn't speak to him for half a day, determined not to believe he wouldn't come that night. When he did arrive, she deliberately wouldn't let him in, so he would know his place and not underestimate her, Qian Yingyi!
If he came, she was determined to ask him. She wanted to know if he had truly withdrawn half of his attention from her, and if she sensed anything amiss, even if... even if she might cry, she would drive him away.
Qian Yingyi sat hunched over in the chair for a long time. When the main room was quiet all around, she finally saw a tall shadow suddenly appear behind the window paper in front of her.
She stared intently at the figure, wanting him to know she was on this side of the window, and suddenly said, "I have something to ask you."
How wary was Qin Lizheng? When he arrived, he could hear her calm and composed breathing. He reached out and pushed the window open, only to find it was tightly shut.
Feeling somewhat helpless, he reached into his waistband, pulled out a dagger, inserted it into the window crack, and pushed it upwards with force, easily opening the window.
When Qian Yingyi saw that he still dared to force his way in, she was immediately furious, stood up abruptly, and turned to leave.
She hadn't taken two steps when he stopped her. She took a small step back, and he took a big step forward. Qin Lizheng's gaze lingered on her face. After a long while, he pressed her against the wall, lowered his eyes, and stared at her intently. "Why are you ignoring me?"
"Ignoring you?" Qian Yingyi turned her face away from him, letting out a snort of laughter. "Who's ignoring whom? Since you're here, I have something to ask you. Are you... ..."
Before she could finish speaking, her chin was pinched and lifted, and her lips were sealed.
Fortunately, he let go after only a short while.
Qian Yingyi glared at him angrily, stomped on his foot hard, and pushed him away with both hands before running away.
Before she knew it, he had wrapped his arms around her from behind, his strong arms binding her lower abdomen. His deep, slightly hoarse voice sounded in her ear, "Answer me first, why didn't you talk to me today?"
Qian Yingyi pouted, wriggling in his arms, her tone somewhat sarcastic, "Didn't I tell you? Who's ignoring whom? Oh, so you weren't the one avoiding me the other day? Now that you're here, I'll make things clear. I don't understand what you're avoiding, but if you're getting carried away just because I kissed you, and think I'm not important, then you'd better pack your things and get lost. I won't stand for your..."
"Hiss, you're letting go of me, trying to strangle me?"
Qin Lizheng held her slender body tighter and tighter. He was much taller than her, and when he bent over to hold her, his burning body temperature seemed to fall entirely onto her.
After a long pause, his voice rang out in the quiet room, filled with helplessness, "It's not that I'm avoiding you, do you understand why I'm like this?"
"How so?" Qian Yingyi frowned slightly, about to question him, but her body suddenly froze, and she involuntarily lowered her gaze to search the sword he always carried with him.
Realizing there was nothing there, Qian Yingyi finally came to her senses. That's right, he always came to her room empty-handed; it felt like a sword sheath was pressing against her back...
She became somewhat embarrassed and angry, and struggled even more fiercely.
Unfortunately, he held her tighter and tighter. "I've already done this much, isn't it obvious enough? I'm not trying to avoid you, I just feel guilty. I haven't been able to control myself these past few days."
Qin Lizheng's attempt to comfort her was somewhat abrupt, but noticing that she was gradually relaxing, he let go of her. He turned her around, holding her shoulders, and leaned down to kiss her forehead. "Don't be angry, it's my fault. How could I possibly think you're alright?"
Qian Yingyi was stunned by what he said, and she lowered her head to ponder the meaning behind his words.
This wasn't exactly subtle. Even though they had kissed and even shared a bed, he had never looked her in the eye. Now that he had spoken so frankly...
Qian Yingyi kept her head down, her gaze lingering on his waist, as if she was looking there, or perhaps she was just lost in thought.
She remained silent for so long that Qin Lizheng became somewhat flustered. Just as he was about to bend down to look at her, he suddenly burst out laughing.
Qin Lizheng was slightly taken aback, his eyes revealing a hint of caution.
Qian Yingyi laughed more and more happily, partly because she couldn't help but laugh at his wild imagination and the false accusations he was making against him, and partly because of herself.
Yes, only for herself. Her little heart is easily filled, but it also often has gaps.
She was pleased—his reaction would make her proud of herself, and she felt she had taken the lead between the man and the woman.
She is a petite woman, yet she is accustomed to placing her own feelings in the most important position.
Just moments ago, she was still hesitant, feeling a pang of sadness at the thought of tears, and worrying about whether she had become a different person. Now, she had broken free from her wavering struggle. Oh, so she was still the same Qian Yingyi! She hadn't become indecisive because of anyone. He seemed to be avoiding her, but in reality, he was avoiding himself.
This joy made her raise her head and look at Qin Lizheng through the lamplight.
Looking into his eyes, cautious and filled with love, she discerned the most direct desire between the two.
She suddenly felt that she should be straightforward at this moment, and throw aside all the things that should and shouldn't be ashamed. She was also unhappy, and her unhappiness stemmed from him, so she wanted to retaliate.
Therefore, Qian Yingyi gradually stopped smiling and adopted a slightly meaningful expression. She hooked her fingertips around Qin Lizheng's leather belt and pulled him back, her voice very soft, "Are you so sure that I understand what you're saying?"
Qin Lizheng was pulled away from his original spot, his feet stepping on either side of her shadow cast on the ground, his body enveloping her shadow, and his eyes changed slightly as she pulled him with this simple movement.
Qian Yingyi stopped when she stepped back to the table, and gently placed her hand on his shoulder. "What do you plan to do if I don't understand?"
Qin Lizheng believed that his years of experience in the Embroidered Uniform Guard had hardened his resolve. But after her two tugging motions, he felt himself starting to lose his senses.
He then lifted her up and placed her on the table, his body still warm as he moved closer. "Since you understand, what else do you need me to do? Aren't you going to be shy?"
Qian Yingyi fell into his increasingly strange gaze. In the moment when they were both sober, she suddenly took the initiative to hook her arms around his neck and whispered in his ear, "Actually, I know everything."
Qin Lizheng's Adam's apple bobbed. "What do you know?"
“I know I drank quite a bit that night,” she said softly, her voice tickling his ear. “I also know how you probably reacted when I kissed you.”
Qin Lizheng couldn't help but lift her up and lean down to kiss her lips.
Qian Yingyi tilted her head, a sly glint in her eyes, "I know even better that you're deliberately avoiding me because you can't control yourself. Even if you explain it to me clearly, I still feel that you don't consider me. I'm very angry, so I'm going to punish you."
She commanded, "Go to the window and put me down."
Qin Lizheng hugged her and turned her around again.
After landing firmly on her feet, Qian Yingyi used the bright moonlight to peek at his increasingly red ears. After a moment's thought, she tiptoed and gave him a quick kiss on the lips.
“Let’s go,” she said. “I’m angry, and you’re not allowed to appear in front of me.”
The moonlight made her eyes sparkle. "Remember our three rules: if I tell you to go east, you can't go west, and I'll punish you... Go home and sleep early tonight."
She emphasized the words "Go back to sleep early" with extra force.
He was immediately pushed out the window and slammed shut without hesitation.
Cicadas and frogs croaked, and moonlight shone on Qin Lizheng's shoulder. A look of surprise gradually appeared on his face, followed by a gentle smile.
He secretly wondered why she was so direct all of a sudden. He had underestimated her. After all that teasing and flirting, she had been deliberately waiting for him here.
She deliberately punished him for upsetting her with his secret thoughts, deliberately punished him for being able to see but not reach her, deliberately punished him for "sleeping well" tonight. How could he possibly sleep?
He stood there for a moment, staring at the window in front of him, as if he wanted to tear open the window paper to find her figure inside the room.
After a long pause, he suddenly laughed.
It's good that she's still willing to be close to him. She's like a beautiful and dazzling flower; to her, it's a punishment, but to him, it's a gift.
He was granted the right to finally stop hiding himself from her, and finally free from the fear that the guilt would return and kill him.
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Author's note: [Okay] Yingyi was in a good mood and kept catching Qin Lizheng, and Qin Lizheng was also happy to be caught, thinking: Great, the most difficult hurdle for me to overcome is over.
Picking up where the previous chapter left off, although he helped her, he was worried deep down that she would dislike him because of it.
Yingyi was never a conventional person from the very beginning.
Just wait, this veil is about to fall off.
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