"Dr. Song, perhaps I should remind you that I am a widow, not a young virgin."
She didn't reach out to take it, but looked at Song Chi with a calm expression.
First, she was certain that she didn't like Song Chi, from his quiet appearance to his indecisive personality.
Secondly, she really isn't in the mood to look for someone else right now; the dog is still so young, and she can't bear to see him suffer.
Therefore, we must make things clear to him.
Song Chi's hand holding the hairpin trembled slightly; he hadn't expected her to be so direct.
"I...I don't care..."
He genuinely didn't care; he only blamed himself for meeting her too late. But as long as he had met her, he was already very happy.
"I can treat Yu'er as my own son..."
He was a little anxious. He shouldn't have said these things now, but he didn't want He Jiuniang to misunderstand him.
"But I mind."
He Jiuniang let out a breath and continued, "I have no plans to remarry for the time being, nor am I a suitable match for you, Doctor Song. I thought you were just being hospitable by showing me the lanterns tonight, and I didn't mean anything by it. This is my fault, and I apologize to you. The lanterns are beautiful, and the streets are lively. I'll just stroll around by myself."
With that, she nodded to Song Chi and turned to leave.
Song Chi instinctively chased after her, wanting to pull her back but lacking the courage. He simply asked, "What's wrong with me? I can change!"
He Jiuniang stopped, but did not turn around: "You are good in every way, but I don't like you."
This time, she really left, without any hesitation.
Song Chi stood there, looking at the hairpin in his hand with a bitter smile. Could it be that his father was right and that he was not good enough for her?
He admitted that she was excellent, but he was willing to learn and make himself excellent so that he could be worthy of her. Why couldn't she give him a chance?
His first crush on a woman ended before he could even confess his feelings.
He suddenly regretted buying the hairpin; otherwise, he could still be enjoying the lanterns with her now.
But now, it's too late to say anything.
He Jiuniang's figure disappeared into the crowd. Song Chi looked in the direction she left, feeling an indescribable sadness in his heart.
He Jiuniang knew that what she had done was indeed a bit excessive. It was obvious that Song Chi had just fallen for a girl for the first time and was very shy about everything. The reason he was able to muster up the courage to buy her the hairpin tonight was probably because he thought she had agreed to go to see the lanterns with him, which made him misunderstand.
She slapped her forehead and muttered, "You're so stupid, you can't even see that!"
The main reason was that she really hadn't thought about it that way. She felt that Song Chi wouldn't have those kinds of feelings for her, since she clearly distinguished her relationship with his family's clinic; it was just a simple business relationship.
Moreover, their family clinic made a lot of money because of her, so it's understandable that they were more enthusiastic towards her.
Who knew he would have such inappropriate thoughts?
He Jiuniang sighed softly. There was nothing she could do; after all, she was not only beautiful but also so outstanding.
She continued to walk around and look at things, buying some new and interesting items to bring back to her family.
Then, she saw a very familiar face, but couldn't remember where she had seen him before.
The other person clearly recognized her and excitedly squeezed in her direction.
"Sister-in-law! Is that you? What a coincidence! I didn't expect to meet you here!"
The man wore a surprised smile, and two guards followed behind him.
When I saw He Jiuniang on the street before, she was a dark-skinned and thin woman. Her features were better than others, but she was not particularly outstanding.
But after not seeing her for more than half a year, He Jiuniang's skin had become much whiter. If Qin Jian hadn't always remembered what his savior looked like, he definitely wouldn't have recognized her.
He Jiuniang thought hard for a while and finally remembered his name: Qin Jian.
"It's me. What a coincidence! What time did you get back?"
He Jiuniang put Song Chi's matter out of her mind and greeted Qin Jian with a smile. If she remembered correctly, Qin Jian should have just returned from Nantai.
"I came back around the New Year, but I was in the capital at the time. I just arrived in Jingzhou a few days ago. I was planning to go to the government office in a few days to ask which village your family has settled in now, so I could pay you a visit. I didn't expect to run into you here! Sister-in-law, what are you doing here?"
He thought the people would be in the village, but now they're in the city enjoying the lantern festival. Could it be that their family is in the city?
“Thank you for your kind words. I live in Anping Village, Daling County. I came to Fucheng on business and happened to come across the lantern festival, so I came to join in the fun.”
"I see. Have you finished your business? Do you need my help? I can't promise you anything else, but if you run into any trouble in Jingzhou City, you can always come to me!"
Qin Jian patted his chest and assured him that he was Prince Chen's confidant. He might not be able to handle many things in the capital, but in Jingzhou, which was Prince Chen's territory, he had nothing to worry about.
"Okay, if possible, there is something I'd like to ask you for help with."
He Jiuniang didn't hesitate and spoke up directly.
Qin Jian readily agreed, saying, "Shall we find a teahouse to sit down and talk?"
"Can."
Qin Jian dismissed his two guards and found a teahouse to sit down and talk with He Jiuniang.
Coincidentally, the teahouse is called Anlanfang.
He Jiuniang remembered that this was Madam Jiang's teahouse. When they parted ways before, Madam Jiang had told her to go to Anlanfang to find her.
She had been in Jingzhou for more than half a year and had completely forgotten to visit Madam Jiang. How careless of her!
He Jiuniang thought to herself, "I'll send a visiting card tomorrow to see if they have time. It would be too hasty to come now."
After finding a quiet private room, He Jiuniang took the initiative to order some tea and snacks. After all, she was the one who needed her help, so she should treat everyone to this meal.
Qin Jian looked at her and saw that she didn't resemble an ordinary peasant woman at all. He felt a deep sense of emotion. Among those who fled famine, some were able to live well, while others disappeared without a trace.
He thought of Sun Qi's family. That kid was so stingy; he didn't even tell him his family's names. Otherwise, he could have helped look for them. Now he had to look for them all by himself, which would take forever.
Both of them had their own thoughts, but neither showed them. After sitting down, Qin Jian said, "This teahouse is the largest in Jingzhou. The tea and snacks are excellent. If you have time, sister-in-law, you can come and sit here more often."
"Yes, it's really good." He Jiuniang took a sip of tea and asked directly, "I wonder if Brother Qin has ever heard of Lin Yiping?"
"Lin Yiping?"
Qin Jian frowned deeply upon hearing the name. Why did it sound so familiar? It was as if he had heard it somewhere before, but he couldn't quite place it.
"Does this guy have a grudge against your sister-in-law? Or what?"
Qin Jian tapped his fingers lightly on the table, lost in thought.
Continue read on readnovelmtl.com