Lin Qingwan agreed to Gao Ying's request.
Upon returning to the Prime Minister's residence, he bumped into Jiang Zhenlin again, who looked anxious and exclaimed, "You're back!"
Who did you go out to see?
Lin Qingwan didn't even lift her eyelids. "Manager Tao."
“Just have a servant call him over, why do you always run out yourself?” Jiang Zhenlin scolded. “What if something happens again?”
Lin Qingwan said, "Anything that happens is better than marrying into the Prince Jing's mansion."
"I've already asked my father for help with this!" Jiang Zhenlin said helplessly. "If it really doesn't work, I'll take you out to hide."
Lin Qingwan stated bluntly, "First of all, I don't believe that Young Master Jiang can escape the Prime Minister's grasp. Secondly, if you are captured and brought back, someone will cover for you, and your father and mother will only protect you. Finally, I will still have to bear the consequences of angering Consort Ning."
Jiang Zhenlin had never thought of this before and was completely shocked.
Lin Qingwan walked past him and slowly headed towards Ningsi Garden, saying, "If you want to die, go die yourself, don't drag me down with you."
I'm begging you.
Her aloof and indifferent attitude seemed to be tearing Jiang Zhenlin's heart apart.
He did nothing to harm her!
Was his saving her several times a fake story? Was making his older sister cry for her a fake story? Was arguing with his father for her a fake story?
Doesn't she have eyes?!
Jiang Zhenlin couldn't stand her stubbornness; of course, he probably couldn't stand the feeling of being rejected when he wanted to make amends.
He caught up with her in a few strides, his eyes blazing with anger, his voice filled with suppressed grievance, "I want to be good to you, can't you see that?"
"Just because you want it, does that mean I have to accept it?" Lin Qingwan retorted curtly.
Jiang Zhenlin's breath hitched. "I've already said that I had a bad temper before, and I admit my mistake."
"Just because you admit your mistake doesn't mean I have to forgive you?" Lin Qingwan found it ridiculous. "Does the whole world have to revolve around Young Master Jiang?"
"I didn't say that." Jiang Zhenlin's explanation only made things more confusing, and he rubbed his hair in frustration. "I have something for you."
He felt that Lin Qingwan should at least ask what it was.
But she still couldn't be bothered to lift her eyelids, as if it wasn't worth even glancing at me.
"Thank you." She uttered those two words first, and Jiang Zhenlin's dejected expression suddenly brightened a little, but it was immediately dampened.
"I don't want to."
Lin Qingwan pushed him away and quickened her pace.
Jiang Zhenlin was unwilling to give up, "I put my heart into it, you will definitely want it."
Lin Qingwan was almost at the small arched bridge when he caught up with her and blocked her way, anxiously reaching out his hand.
A bamboo dragonfly came into view; it was faded and yellowish, much like the one she had wanted to give to Jiang Zhenlin that day.
Yes, it's just very similar.
Her eyes trembled slightly, and her body visibly tensed.
Jiang Zhenlin breathed a sigh of relief; all that effort in making this little gadget, resulting in his fingertips covered in tiny cuts, was worthwhile.
He eagerly awaited Lin Qingwan's reaction, hoping she would understand his feelings and that her cold and stubborn nature would be melted.
Lin Qingwan was very surprised, but what followed was the helplessness of being neglected on her first day back at the Prime Minister's residence.
Jiang Zhenlin had no idea that when he stormed in, angrily accused Lin Qingwan for no reason, and kicked her until she vomited blood, what was crushed was far more than just that bamboo dragonfly.
The fear and anxiety she felt back then still make her feel suffocated when she thinks about it now.
"I'm sorry, I didn't know you brought me a bamboo dragonfly that day. If I had known..." Jiang Zhenlin rarely bowed his head to apologize to someone.
Lin Qingwan picked up the bamboo dragonfly, gave a mocking smile, and tossed it at her feet. Seeing Jiang Zhenlin's expression change, she said, word by word, "If you knew, you would still kick me."
"Because in your heart, it's me who caused chaos in the Prime Minister's residence when I came back."
"If you knew, you would only crush it even more and laugh at me for wanting to enjoy the riches and honors of the Prime Minister's mansion with such a piece of junk."
Jiang Zhenlin felt a chill run through his body. "No, I..."
The next second, his pupils constricted, reflecting the image of Lin Qingwan stepping on and crushing the bamboo dragonfly.
The breaking sound was faint and crisp, like stepping on his heart, or like being pierced by sharp bamboo. Did she... feel the same way back then?
Jiang Zhenlin dared not recall that day when she vomited blood, yet her expression remained so calm and her speech so composed.
"Young Master Jiang, stop doing these useless things."
"I don't care anymore."
The moment Lin Qingwan turned around, her eyes stung and swelled, and she tilted her head back to force the tears to flow.
Don't cry.
There's no need to cry anymore.
Jiang Zhenlin wanted to reach out and grab her, but he didn't raise his hand.
My mind went blank for a long time before I slowly squatted down and carefully collected the crushed bamboo dragonfly.
His vision was a little blurry as he muttered, "It's not easy for me to make one up."
"Forget it, let's make one up again."
Caibao watched in disbelief. The sun had risen in the west, yet the young master hadn't lost his temper.
*
Jiang Su did not return for dinner.
Madam Lin invited Lin Qingwan and Jiang Zhenlin. The dishes on the table were all light and bland, and she even made a ginseng soup for Lin Qingwan separately.
Lin hesitated several times, and seeing that Lin Qingwan hadn't eaten much, she was about to ask when Lin Qingwan spoke first, "Where is Jiang Yanwan?"
Lin and Jiang Zhenlin both frowned.
Rong Ma said, "That day, the young master exposed the affair between Miss Yanwan and Mr. Ruan, and the Prime Minister and his wife punished Miss Yanwan by making her reflect on her mistakes."
No wonder Lin Qingwan didn't see her when she came back.
They were caught on the spot, but were only punished with reflection.
However, Jiang Su still hoped to send Jiang Yanwan to the Eastern Palace, but unfortunately the Crown Prince personally rejected Jiang Yanwan.
Jiang Yanwan is the one who has truly lost her value, but that's not enough.
Lin Qingwan also wants to reveal the truth and let the Lin family see that the fifteen years of friendship were all fake.
She put down her chopsticks. "Tomorrow is the 100th day since Cheng's death. I want to go back to Shuiyuan Town."
Lin's face contorted with pain. "I'll go with you. I'll go see Cheng Min too."
Lin Qingwan asked, "Can I bring Jiang Yanwan?"
She remained calm and said, "No matter how Cheng treated me, she raised me after all. Her dying wish was to see her biological daughter and hear her call me 'Mother'."
She told Jiang Yanwan about this as soon as she got back. Jiang Yanwan went out with red eyes. Jiang Zhenlin thought that Lin Qingwan was deliberately bullying her, so he made a scene at Ningsi Garden. Lin Shi even punished Jiang Yanwan by making her kneel for two hours.
Lin and Jiang Zhenlin naturally remembered that incident and dared not look directly at Lin Qingwan.
"Of course," Lin said.
When Lin Qingwan returned to Ningsi Garden, she could tell from Muxue's eyes that the Crown Prince was in the room.
She pushed open the door and saw a straight back, with one hand on the sword at his waist.
For a moment, she thought it was Tong Di.
The man turned around and bowed respectfully. "Miss Qingwan, this is your subordinate, Chen Xu. From now on, I will deliver messages to you on behalf of the Crown Prince."
Shen Xu waited for a moment without receiving a response. She slightly raised her eyelids and was startled to see tears in her eyes.
"Miss Qingwan?" Shen Xu smiled and called out again.
Lin Qingwan suddenly realized that Tong Di was always very tense and rarely smiled.
How could it be a children's flute?
She raised her hand to wipe away her tears, steadied herself, and realized that the Crown Prince had already received her handwritten letter.
Shen Xu added, "The Crown Prince has already made arrangements for what you wish to do."
"There will be no mistakes tomorrow."
She paused for a moment, then said, "I would like to ask the Crown Prince for a favor."
Continue read on readnovelmtl.com
