Mei Lin certainly didn’t take Murong Jing’s words seriously. However, when she saw him speak so confidently in front of everyone, without even blinking as if it were true, she couldn’t help but feel a flutter in her heart. Regardless of its veracity, his statement subtly conveyed one message: he had no intention of taking her life at present. With this realization, she breathed a sigh of relief and stopped struggling. He could say whatever he wanted.
Then, she watched as Yue Qin was “abducted.” Actually, “abducted” wasn’t quite accurate. Given the little fellow’s mindset, even if they hadn’t called for him when leaving, he would have pitifully followed along. Therefore, when Murong Jing said that Yue Qin should follow him from now on, the boy immediately beamed with a radiant smile, slightly calming Mei Lin’s anxious heart.
The clay pot was brought to the table, instantly filling the air with the aroma of meat stewed with spices.
One after another, three large pots were carried in, accompanied by blazing stoves. After Murong Jing picked up his chopsticks and ate a piece of meat, the burly men gathered around the stoves in groups of five and began to eat.
There wasn’t time to steam buns or cook rice, so Zheng San mixed some flour and dropped the dough pieces into the meat broth, hastily making do for a meal. Despite Murong Jing’s usual life of luxury, he wasn’t particular about food and lodging like other royalty. After finishing the simple meal, he entrusted Yue Qin to Nu Biao, the leader of the Tiger Wing, and then pulled Mei Lin back to her previous room.
Mei Lin’s heart immediately began to race.
Sure enough, as soon as the door closed, Murong Jing’s face darkened. His eyes turned cold and aloof, with a hint of detachment. As Mei Lin hesitated between kneeling or brazenly trying to please him, he spoke coolly, “What’s the matter? Have you been away from the Dark Factory for too long, or has this prince spoiled you to the point where you’ve forgotten the rules?”
Mei Lin’s heart jolted, and she instinctively knelt, her gaze falling on the hard, black mud floor before her. Her mind went blank, unable to think of anything.
“What is the punishment for betraying the organization and fleeing without permission?” Murong Jing asked, looking at the woman kneeling stiffly on the ground. He took two steps closer, stopping in front of her.
It turned out that for the past few days, Murong Jing had been entirely focused on pursuing Mei Lin and her companion. His heart was filled with anger at being suddenly abandoned and an inexplicable panic and grievance, leaving him little room for further thought. However, the moment he burst through the door, all his emotions reached a crescendo like the raging blizzard outside, only to be completely drained away when he saw Mei Lin. He suddenly realized what he had done.
In this critical time, he had personally led the Tiger Wing’s Seventeen Riders, feared by enemies on the battlefield, to chase after a woman.
He had abandoned Muye Luomei. He had even mobilized troops, blockaded Jingbei, and controlled Ye City for her…
He had lost his composure.
When Murong Jing clearly understood this, a great sense of crisis instinctively made him build up his emotional defenses. Reason told him that this woman was not right, that she couldn’t be the one to stand by his side. He decided that just as he could bestow his favor upon her, he could also take it away. That unintentional misstep had to be corrected immediately.
Mei Lin looked at the snow-soaked, dark blue embroidered soft-soled shoes that came into view, her emotions in turmoil. She couldn’t tell if she felt sorrow, bitterness, or joy. He had indicated the correct position between them, so why had he worn indoor shoes to chase her through the heavy snow?
Just as she was about to reach out and wipe the mud from the toe of his shoe, Murong Jing’s next words extinguished the small spark of hope that had just risen in her heart.
“This prince will not punish you. This prince will even marry you. But you must understand, that you are the daughter of a brothel woman. Even if you enter the prince’s mansion, you will be nothing more than a concubine. The positions of principal wife and secondary wives have nothing to do with you.”
Mei Lin raised her head. This was the first time she had officially heard someone mention her background. She didn’t care whether she was a concubine or a wife; what did that matter to her? But he had called her the daughter of a brothel woman. He had indeed said that.
Murong Jing was looking down, observing her reaction, and their eyes met as she looked up longingly. His eyes instantly darkened. As he was about to ponder the meaning behind her gaze, he saw her reach out and grab the hem of his robe.
Where is my mother? Mei Lin used the tip of her index finger to write these characters on the ground with force.
Surprised that this was her concern, Murong Jing’s phoenix eyes narrowed slightly. Feeling a surge of irritation in his chest, he kicked away her grip and turned towards the kang bed. He lifted his robe and sat on the edge of the kang, only then looking at the woman who had resumed her original posture and was still staring at him expectantly.
“In what capacity are you asking this prince?” he sneered.
Mei Lin froze for a moment, forcing herself to recall his words from earlier, word by word. Suppressing the heart-wrenching pain, she repeated to herself over and over: concubine, concubine.
Then, she slowly stood up and walked to the edge of the kang with lowered eyes. When she raised her head again, her face was wreathed in smiles.
She removed his shoes and socks, placing his cold feet on the scorching hot kang. She climbed onto the kang and massaged his tired shoulders and neck. She let him lean against her soft chest, lovingly kissing his face and lips. She did everything a concubine could do for him. She… she just wanted to know if she had any living relatives.
Looking at Murong Jing, who seemed to have fallen asleep with his handsome features softened, Mei Lin gently bit her lower lip and turned her face slightly away. Unexpectedly, a hand suddenly reached out, barely catching the teardrop that fell from her chin. Startled, she hastily wiped her face with her sleeve. When she looked down at the man in her arms again, her face once more wore that sweetly smiling expression of tenderness.
Murong Jing’s eyes roiled with dark clouds, like the moments before a storm. He slowly clenched the hand that had been moistened, then closed his eyes. His chest heaved violently as if he were suppressing a fury on the verge of eruption. After a while, he finally withdrew his hand, but suddenly reached into her bosom, then flipped her over, pinning her beneath him.
“I’ll have someone investigate,” he said, his eyes locked onto her calm and submissive gaze. At the same time, his hand undid her waistband and slipped under her clothes, covering the fullness that could drive men mad.
When those large, calloused hands touched her bare skin, Mei Lin instinctively tensed her body. The pain of her first time was etched in her memory, and the subsequent encounters had been far from pleasant. She had developed a reflexive fear of such acts. However, Murong Jing didn’t do anything further. He merely caressed her lovingly for a while, satisfied with the honest reactions from her body, before embracing her and falling asleep.
Of course, she didn’t know that Murong Jing despised the false submissiveness she displayed, but he didn’t want to leave any traces of their lovemaking in this crowded inn.
Even though he indeed desired her.
As soon as they returned to the Jingbei Prince’s Mansion, Qing Yan immediately began preparing for the wedding. Since preparations had already begun earlier, things didn’t seem rushed.
During this period, Murong Jing was exceptionally busy, though it wasn’t clear what he was doing. Even Yue Qin was constantly coming and going with him, rarely to be seen.
Mei Lin still lived in her original courtyard, attended to by Di Tang. The balding doctor hadn’t returned with them; instead, Murong Jing had sent people to escort him back to his hometown. Murong Jing had given him the jade piece that the corpse ghost had once brought to Qing Yan, saying, “The divine doctor treated him with jade, so he shall be repaid with jade.”
The balding doctor had left. He had no familial ties to Mei Lin and no reason to stay for her. After all, he didn’t like Jingbei, and he knew that Mei Lin could no longer provide him with pulse jade, so he simply cut off all ties. Before leaving, he looked at Mei Lin, seeming to want to say something, but ultimately said nothing.
Mei Lin suddenly understood. The balding doctor couldn’t save her; otherwise, given his personality, he wouldn’t have deliberately withheld information or made things difficult.
Watching the doctor’s carriage gradually disappear into the swirling snow, she felt as if she were watching her own life slowly fade away. She watched like this as if she were merely an observer. She thought that perhaps she had long been prepared for this.
She wanted to live, but she did not fear death.
Murong Jing turned his horse around and began to gallop slowly against the wind and snow. She sat in front of him, withdrawing from her thoughts, then turned to bury her face in his chest. He wrapped his great cloak around her, enveloping her entire body against his chest.
If she could live until spring next year, that would be wonderful. Feeling the warmth emanating from his body, hope rekindled in her eyes, and at that moment, she felt she was fortunate. She thought that perhaps she might still see the February spring flowers of Jingbei, etched deep in her memory – great swathes of vibrant red…
Red, like the bridal dress she now held in her hands. Such a color shouldn’t be worn by a concubine… This wedding dress must have been prepared for another woman.
Although she understood this in her heart, Mei Lin still had Di Tang help her put on the dress. In a few more hours, she would be participating in the wedding ceremony. She still needed to have her hair done and apply makeup. Perhaps marrying a concubine wasn’t a big event, not requiring too much solemnity, but for her, whether wife or concubine, this would be her only chance. Others might not attach much importance to it, but she couldn’t help but care. It was a pity that at this most important moment of her life, there was still no one to accompany her.
Just as she finished putting on the dress, the door was suddenly pushed open with a bang. Muye Luomei stood outside, her beautiful eyes coldly fixed on her – no, on the wedding dress she wore. After confirming that this wasn’t just an act, frost gradually covered her face. She placed her hand on the sword at her waist, drawing it out slightly with a “shhh” before forcefully sheathing it again with a “clap.” Then she turned and left.
“You will never marry him,” her resolute and cold words floated in the swirling snow like a curse.
Mei Lin lowered her eyes and sat down in the chair in front of the dressing table, waiting for someone to come and do her hair and makeup.
The one who came was Murong Jing.
Murong Jing was still wearing his usual clothes, without a hint of the joy one should have when about to be married. Mei Lin quietly watched as he dismissed Di Tang and left the woman who had come to do her bridal makeup in the corridor. Her heart remained undisturbed. The moment Muye Luomei appeared, she knew that this marriage probably wouldn’t happen, so now… there was nothing to be surprised about.
“I promised Luomei that I would never bring you into the family,” Murong Jing told her.
She kept her head slightly lowered, not knowing what expression he wore as he said these words. Perhaps there was guilt… perhaps there was nothing at all. She raised her hand to undo the wedding dress. This dress wasn’t hers to begin with; she hadn’t worn it long enough to grow attached to it. Taking it off wouldn’t be difficult, just as he wasn’t difficult for her to let go of.
“No need to take it off. She doesn’t want this wedding dress anymore. I’ll have another made for her,” Murong Jing said, watching her indifferent reaction. An inexplicable irritation welled up in his heart, but he suppressed it and continued to explain why he had come personally. “She and I will choose another wedding date. Today… today I will officiate your marriage to Qing Yan.”
Her hand trembled, and the sash at her waist became knotted. Mei Lin abruptly raised her head, looking at him in disbelief. She was sure she had misheard.
Her face, already pale, looked even more wan against the red of the wedding dress. Faint blue veins were visible beneath her skin, and her long hair hung loose down her back, its luster dulled.
Murong Jing slightly averted his gaze, suddenly finding it difficult to look at her.
“Qing Yan will surely treat you well…” As he said this, he suddenly felt a lump in his throat. However, he couldn’t refuse Luomei. He couldn’t reject a woman who had always been proud but had now lowered her head before him, abandoning what was tantamount to her life’s dignity. At least, he shouldn’t reject her for the sake of a woman who… who shouldn’t be an important part of his life.
This time, Mei Lin truly heard clearly. Her face couldn’t grow any paler, but her hands shook uncontrollably, wanting to grab something to throw at the man before her who thought he could control everything in others’ lives. However, when she touched the powder box on the dressing table, she only gripped it tightly.
Then, she reached out, extending her empty hand right under Murong Jing’s nose.
Antidote. When he looked at her in confusion, she mouthed these two words silently, knowing that someone as clever as him would surely understand.
Her meaning couldn’t be clearer: if he gave her the antidote to eliminate the poison in her body, she would marry Qing Yan.
Murong Jing hadn’t expected her to bargain, rather than crying and refusing to marry, or clinging to him. His emotions became extremely complex in an instant, unclear whether he felt disappointment or gloom. He paused, suppressing his growing agitation and trying to appear nonchalant. He said coolly, “There is no ready-made antidote, but I can have someone prepare one for you.” He had already started this process but didn’t want to mention it until it was complete.
Mei Lin knew that although this man could be despicable, he generally kept his promises. Smiling slightly, she continued to make her request.
“From now on, I will have nothing to do with you.” Her sharpened finger dipped in rouge, writing these words on a white silk handkerchief, like red plum blossoms blooming before their eyes.
Murong Jing’s expression changed dramatically. He stared fiercely at those few characters as if trying to gouge them off with his gaze. After a while, he relaxed his facial expression, reached out to take the handkerchief, crumpled it into a ball, and threw it into the fire basin. Feigning indifference, he said, “As you wish!” With that, he stormed out, his sleeves swishing behind him.
Mei Lin maintained her previous posture, not looking at him.
Di Tang and the woman who was to apply the bridal makeup entered.
“Miss, this makeup… do you still want it?” Di Tang asked hesitantly. She knew martial arts, and since Murong Jing hadn’t lowered his voice, she had naturally heard the conversation inside.
Mei Lin nodded and sat up straight, her gaze falling on the bronze mirror on the dressing table. She watched as the pale woman staring back at her was gradually covered, replaced by the joyful radiance of a bride.
With no fortunate elders to comb her hair, the makeup woman directly helped her with the hairstyling, reciting blessings as she combed.
“The first comb for harmony from beginning to end.”
“The second comb for gray hair and wrinkles shared.”
“The third comb for children and grandchildren abound…”
Mei Lin’s eyes gradually became misty.
He had said she was his, that her entire being belonged to him. He had said that apart from him, she couldn’t marry anyone…
The sound of suona horns and drums played joyfully, firecrackers exploded at their feet, and red paper danced in the gunpowder smoke.
Supported by the wedding attendant and Di Tang, Mei Lin slowly stepped onto the flower-patterned felt carpet, and entered the wedding hall. The other end of the love knot was tied to Qing Yan.
As someone lifted the veil with a scale, Mei Lin kept her eyes lowered, but she heard gasps of surprise, presumably at the bride’s beauty.
She was not ugly to begin with, and now, after careful grooming that concealed her pallor, only her intoxicating peach-blossom face and delicate charm remained. She understood how to minimize her presence, and naturally also knew how to make herself radiant.
Today was her wedding day, and of course, she had to be the most beautiful woman.
Slowly raising her long lashes, like an ordinary bride, her bright black eyes carried a hint of shyness as she first looked at the groom standing beside her, ready to bow.
Those who came to attend the wedding were surely there for his sake, and they were probably secretly mocking her and Qing Yan. Of course, she didn’t mind these gazes, but from today onwards, she and Qing Yan would be family. How could she let these people laugh at him?
Indeed, this one glance not only made those who had heard rumors about the wedding’s groom change suspicious, but even Qing Yan seemed a bit dazed.
Qing Yan wore the groom’s wedding attire, looking handsome and elegant, with gentle features. At first glance, he appeared more like a refined young nobleman than a formidable royal eunuch. Seeing her gaze, he first froze slightly, then responded with a warm smile, though that smile held hints of melancholy and guilt.
Mei Lin’s lips curved slightly, returning a faint, moving smile. Then, under the officiant’s guidance, they began the bowing ceremony.
First bow to Heaven and Earth. She saw the faces of the guests, but not one bore goodwill.
Second bow to the parents. They had no parents present, only the host; they bowed to Murong Jing. She saw Murong Jing’s cold, tense face, Muye Luomei’s smug, contemptuous gaze, and Yue Qin’s incredulous shock.
The couple bowed to each other. In her eyes remained only Qing Yan’s face, maintaining a warm smile from beginning to end, though that smile still held an indescribable melancholy. When a tall figure peeking from behind a door pillar ran away after watching their bow, that melancholy deepened.
Mei Lin felt her heart sink. As she stood up, her vision darkened slightly. Just when she thought she might embarrass herself in public, a warm hand supported her waist, preventing her from stumbling, but eliciting a round of teasing laughter.
That hand replaced the love knot, holding her hand that had been ice-cold from the start, slowly walking towards the bridal chamber. She looked at the thin yet straight back walking in front of her, and in an instant, she felt at peace. Her life would be short; naturally, she wouldn’t hold him back.
“Sister!” Yue Qin’s slightly breathless call came from behind, clearly unable to understand and having chased after them.
Mei Lin turned back, smiling radiantly. That smile was neither sad nor desolate. The white snow on the ground reflected her bright red wedding attire, like a blooming red lotus. Yue Qin was stunned, only slowly coming to his senses after the couple had walked far away, surrounded by the crowd.
Sister was willing; she… must be happy, right?
He turned back to look at the man who should have been the groom but had inexplicably become the host of the wedding, just in time to see a teacup shatter in his palm. Tea mixed with red blood dripped through his fingers, staining his magnificent robe sleeves, but that handsome face remained frozen as if he felt no pain at all.
Yue Qin scratched his head, confused.
Late at night, the clamor gradually subsided.
Murong Jing paced back and forth in his room like a caged beast. His mind kept replaying images of Mei Lin’s charming bridal makeup, her glance toward Qing Yan, and her last radiant smile at Yue Qin. From beginning to end, her gaze had never lingered on him; even when their eyes accidentally met, it was just indifferent, neither happy nor angry, as if he were just like anyone else. However, when she looked at Qing Yan again, there was undisguised tenderness.
He had never known that when her gaze no longer lingered on him, he would find it so unbearable. He didn’t know because, before today, her gaze had always followed him. Even when she knew he had intentionally poisoned her voice, even after he had hurt her for Muye Luomei’s sake, she had never taken her eyes off him. Until… until this morning, when she said they would have nothing more to do with each other.
Nothing more to do with each other…
An indescribable restlessness stirred because of these words, accompanied by a suffocating pain as if his heart was being squeezed. Murong Jing unconsciously leaned on the window-side desk, his other hand pressing on his chest, slightly bent over.
From now on, I will have nothing to do with you. That sentence echoed in his ears like a spell, along with Mei Lin’s coquettish, shy glance at Qing Yan, until Murong Jing felt as if his chest would burst. He suddenly swept everything off the desk onto the floor. As he looked up, he suddenly saw the plum blossoms blooming outside the window. The color of the plums was like a raging flame, reflected against the night’s snow, originally elegant and beautiful, but it inexplicably irritated him. The restlessness in his heart grew even more intense, so he struck out with his palm. With a series of cracking sounds, a window full of beautiful plum blossoms fell into the snowy mud.
“What’s wrong, do you regret it?” Muye Luomei’s voice suddenly sounded faintly outside the window, her cool tone concealing a barely noticeable disappointment.
Murong Jing stood there coldly, his gaze passing through the window to another courtyard, not responding.
“Jing He, you regret it, don’t you?” Muye Luomei, however, lost her composure. Her beautiful figure appeared at the window, staring intently at the man inside, repeating once more. She couldn’t believe he had changed his heart, at least she didn’t believe he had truly fallen for that cowardly woman. Over these five years, there had been countless beauties around him, many outstanding ones, but she had never seen him develop true feelings for anyone. He had always been waiting for her, so how could he have changed his heart in just a month or two? Especially for a spy who had once harmed him.
Murong Jing slowly withdrew his gaze, looking at this woman who had once made him pursue her relentlessly even in the worst circumstances. He saw that her usually cold and proud face had somehow acquired a faint trace of melancholy, saw the unease flickering in her soul-stirring beautiful eyes, yet his heart remained surprisingly calm.
“This prince never regrets what he has done,” he said indifferently. “It’s late, you should go rest.”
With that, he suddenly turned away from the window, casually picking up a cloak as he walked towards the door.
“Find Qing Yan, this prince wants to go out,” Murong Jing said to the guard who silently followed behind, ignoring Muye Luomei who still stood by the window as he stepped onto the snow that had accumulated again on the steps.
The guard stiffened slightly, his expression becoming incredibly subtle for a moment, but he dared not say more and could only quickly rush towards the newlyweds’ courtyard.
If one were to speak of the most miserable groom, perhaps no one in the world could surpass Qing Yan. On his wedding night, he was forced to accompany his master outside. If it were truly for some urgent matter, it would have been fine, but the man merely wanted to inspect the defenses and public security of Jingbei City and have breakfast outside.
They returned to the prince’s mansion after the fifth watch period, and people were already active in the courtyard. Murong Jing stopped Qing Yan, who wanted to return to his room to wash up and change clothes, telling him to take care of it in his courtyard. In fact, for the convenience of serving him, Qing Yan also had a place to rest in the central courtyard. Now that he was married and had a family, he naturally needed a separate residence.
How could Qing Yan not understand what his lord was sulking about? But he also had grievances in his heart, so he pretended not to know and maintained his usual expressionless face, saying, “If I don’t return for a long time, A-Mei will surely worry. This servant will go and let her know, then come back to serve the master.” He deliberately emphasized the last few words. Inwardly, he thought, even if you are the prince, you can’t monopolize your subordinate’s honeymoon period, can you?
A Mei… Murong Jing felt his eyebrow twitch, inexplicable stuffiness rising in his heart, yet he couldn’t act on it, so his expression became somewhat unpleasant.
Qing Yan lowered his eyes, pretending not to see anything.
Murong Jing glared at him for a while, finally compromising with a wave of his hand. Returning to the room alone, it wasn’t until the maid brought hot water for him to wash up that he realized his palm was still embedded with porcelain shards. He didn’t let the maid handle it for him, instead picking out the pieces one by one himself. Watching the fresh blood ooze out as the shards were removed, his mind suddenly conjured up the image of Mei Lin in her bright red wedding dress, smiling charmingly and beautifully. The pain in his palm became unbearable. After carelessly wrapping it with a cloth, he turned and walked into the inner room, picking up maps of Da Yan and its neighboring countries, forcing himself to study them patiently.
With just over a month until the new year, the weather was cold and the ground frozen. People’s hearts were yearning for home. If the war situation continued to drag on, Da Yan would be in danger.
When Qing Yan returned, having changed into his usual clothes, Murong Jing had made a decision.
“Enter the capital today? Then when will the lord and General Muye’s wedding be held?” Qing Yan was surprised. He thought his lord’s harmful antics were all for the sake of marrying Muye Luomei, but just as he was about to achieve his wish, the lord suddenly wanted to enter the capital to request permission for war.
Murong Jing suddenly found the words “wedding” extremely grating to his ears. He couldn’t help but glare at Qing Yan, saying irritably, “Both her parents are in the capital, so naturally, it will be held there.”
Qing Yan was suspicious in his heart, but his face didn’t show it. He just said “Oh” and then excused himself to go prepare.
Murong Jing called him back, hesitated for a moment, and just as Qing Yan’s eyebrows were about to rise impatiently, he said with a nonchalant face, “You’ve just gotten married, it’s not good to be separated from… um… her for too long. Bring her along.” He really couldn’t bring himself to say the word “wife.”
Qing Yan respectfully agreed. After turning around, he finally couldn’t help but show a helpless expression on his face, thinking to himself, how can the lord be so obviously concerned about this servant’s “wife”?
When Mei Lin heard that they were going to enter the capital again, she was indeed somewhat unwilling. She wanted to see Jingbei in February; if she missed it this time, she might never have the chance again. But she and Qing Yan were already married, and although they hadn’t drunk the nuptial wine or tied their hair together, they were nominally a family now, so naturally she should stay by his side. These thoughts just passed through her mind; she didn’t voice them. When Qing Yan told her, she promptly began packing.
There wasn’t much to pack, just a few sets of clothes. Just as she was picking up her bundle and crossing the threshold of the room they had only stayed in for one night with Qing Yan, she saw a tall man standing outside the door.
The man looked to be in his early thirties, extremely ugly, but with pure eyes that gave a sense of honest reliability. Mei Lin narrowed her eyes, noticing his slightly evasive gaze, and feeling a vague sense of familiarity. As she was pondering, the man first bowed respectfully to her, calling her “Miss.”
A flash of realization struck Mei Lin, and her eyes suddenly widened.
Shi Gui? Shi Gui! She reached out and grabbed him, unable to make a sound with her mouth, but her eyes brimming with joy. She hadn’t expected to see Shi Gui here. It seemed he had been doing well lately; he had become sturdier, his back was no longer hunched, and he looked much younger.
Shi Gui first flinched in fright, but seeing her delighted expression, he couldn’t help but chuckle a couple of times before carefully stealing a glance at the gloomy-faced Qing Yan beside her.
“What are you doing here?” Strangely, Qing Yan, who was usually expressionless towards people, now had a cold face, showing extreme displeasure.
Mei Lin noticed the unusual atmosphere flowing between the two, and thinking back to the scene from yesterday, she pondered for a moment and guessed a few things. Seeing Shi Gui scratching his head, unable to speak, she couldn’t help but want to help him. So she forcefully pulled him in front of Qing Yan, then gestured to Qing Yan that she wanted to bring him along on the journey.
“No, the lord won’t agree,” Qing Yan shook his head without hesitation, pushing the problem onto Murong Jing.
Shi Gui’s expression dimmed. Qing Yan turned away coldly, not looking at him.
Mei Lin wouldn’t believe Qing Yan’s excuses. She wasn’t usually one to meddle in others’ affairs, but now Qing Yan was different from others to her. Why give up happiness for the sake of unrelated people when you could have it?
She reached out to pull Qing Yan. Qing Yan turned back, facing two pitiful faces looking at him, and suddenly felt a headache coming on.
“Alright, hurry up and pack. Don’t blame me if we’re late,” he said glumly. Watching Shi Gui leave happily, he couldn’t help but sigh. “A Mei, you…” He understood her intentions, but many things weren’t as simple as one might think.
Mei Lin tilted her head to look at him, her face showing an innocent smile.
Qing Yan’s heart skipped a beat at her smile, feeling an inexplicable sense of being seen through. Perhaps it wasn’t that many things weren’t so simple, but that he… and the lord lived too complicatedly, thus making those who originally lived simply suffer along with them.
He had always known that the woman before him was very clever, clever enough to know when to conceal her brilliance and when to flatter, neither too little nor too much. He had always thought she was like them, carefully weighing every step. Until yesterday’s wedding ceremony, when she looked at him, he suddenly realized that she was very simple.
She just knew more clearly than anyone else what she could have, and then cherished it doubly.
“Let’s go. Don’t keep the lord waiting,” he smiled, holding the hand she had used to grab him and walking out.
From then on, he would do his utmost to ensure that she never faced any more hardships.
(End of Chun Hua Yan – Chapter)