NOVEL NEXT Chapter 32: You and Miss Lin Are the Perfect Match
Chapter 32: You and Miss Lin Are the Perfect Match
The atmosphere around Xiao Heng suddenly turned gloomy.
“Do you really want to marry him?” His deep voice carried a chill.
Qiao Nian met his bloodshot eyes and replied calmly, “Yes.”
“Even if he’s crippled?”
Xiao Heng’s words made Qiao Nian fall silent.
Seeing this, Xiao Heng thought she didn’t know and continued, “Do you know that he…”
“I know,” Qiao Nian interrupted Xiao Heng. She knew what he was going to say next.
The palace maid who had led the way earlier was Liu Niang, who had quietly told her all those secrets she hadn’t known before.
Xiao Heng was stunned.
She knew, yet still insisted on marrying him?
As if remembering something, his voice became slightly hoarse, “If it’s because of what I said before, I can go talk to Madam Lin…”
He thought it was because he had said she needed to marry first before he could marry Lin Yuan.
But unexpectedly, Qiao Nian interrupted him again, “It’s not because of you, General. It’s because I want to marry Prince Ming.”
It was because Grandmother’s health couldn’t last much longer, because the Marquis’s mansion wasn’t her future home, because she needed to find a way out for herself.
There were many reasons, but none of them were because of him.
“Nian Nian…” Xiao Heng’s tone inexplicably softened, calling her in a way she had never heard from him before.
So much so that her heart inadvertently skipped a beat.
She understood that she had once loved Xiao Heng so deeply, loved him to the point of being willing to sacrifice everything, even her life.
She also understood more clearly that now, she needed to love herself.
“General Xiao,” she replied with a restrained and distant title, “You and Miss Lin are the perfect match.”
So right now, Xiao Heng should be comforting his fiancée who was upset because of Lin Ye, not cornering her in this small cave in the vast imperial palace, saying those inexplicable things, needlessly stirring her long-dead heart.
Xiao Heng just looked into her eyes, those eyes he had once been so familiar with still reflected his face, but they were so cold…
He knew he should let go.
Otherwise, if someone discovered them in this position in the cave, it would surely cause unnecessary trouble.
But how could he be content to just let go like this?
“Miss Qiao, someone’s coming!”
Suddenly, a faint sound came from outside the rockery.
Qiao Nian immediately recognized it was Liu Niang.
Her heart jolted, and she hurriedly pushed Xiao Heng again, but he still didn’t move, not giving her a chance to escape.
Panic colored Qiao Nian’s eyes, and she couldn’t help but question in a low voice, “Does General Xiao think my current situation isn’t miserable enough?”
Reason finally prevailed in Xiao Heng’s mind.
The hand restraining her waist finally loosened.
Qiao Nian hurriedly crawled out of the cave in the rockery.
Liu Niang immediately came forward to tidy her slightly disheveled hair.
Coincidentally, a young eunuch passed by and bowed upon seeing Qiao Nian.
Qiao Nian returned the greeting before continuing towards the palace gate with Liu Niang.
The young eunuch also continued on his way, but after not going far, a small jade pendant fell from his waist.
As he bent to pick it up, he saw a tall figure quickly walking away in the distance when he raised his head.
The young eunuch was puzzled; he hadn’t seen General Xiao on his way here earlier!
Where had he come from?
Inexplicably, his gaze fell on the nearby rockery. Thinking of Miss Qiao from earlier, the young eunuch couldn’t help but make some guesses.
But he didn’t dwell on it further and went about his own business.
Meanwhile, Marquis Lin, who had returned to the mansion early from the palace, kicked open Lin Ye’s room door with a cold face.
Lin Ye had just woken up, and Lin Yuan was sitting beside him, feeding him medicine. Startled by Marquis Lin’s kick, she spilled the hot medicine, scalding herself and crying out.
Lin Ye’s heart clenched, and Madam Lin had already rushed forward, taking Lin Yuan’s hand and saying with great concern, “Oh my, quick, let’s go apply some medicine!”
She was about to lead Lin Yuan out.
But Lin Yuan refused to leave, tears streaming down her face, “I won’t go. Father looks like he’s going to punish Brother. I must stay to protect him.”
Marquis Lin’s heart softened a bit at Lin Yuan’s tear-stained face.
Lin Ye furrowed his brow deeply.
His mind was filled with images of Qiao Nian saying in front of everyone that he had died three years ago.
He couldn’t help but wonder, how could there be such a big difference?
Both were his sisters, yet one disregarded her own injury for him, while the other could be so heartless towards him…
Then he heard Marquis Lin suddenly shout, “Doesn’t he deserve punishment? Beating your own sister like that in front of everyone, are you even human? You’re a beast!”
Lin Ye’s actions today weren’t just punishing Qiao Nian, they had thoroughly trampled the face of the Marquis’s household.
Now everyone in the capital knew that the daughter they had raised for fifteen years had developed a feud with them. After passing through people’s mouths, how many good words could be left of the truth?
Lin Ye knew he was in the wrong, “Son was blinded by anger.”
“No matter how blinded, you shouldn’t have beaten her like that!” Madam Lin hugged Lin Yuan, remembering how Qiao Nian’s back had bled through, feeling ultimately sympathetic.
But Lin Yuan said, “Brother has already realized his mistake. Prince Ming has beaten Brother so badly. Father, Mother, please don’t blame Brother anymore!”
Lin Yuan’s words finally drew the attention of Marquis Lin and his wife to Lin Ye’s back.
Remembering how Lin Ye looked when he was brought back, the two couldn’t help but feel sympathetic.
However, Marquis Lin still said coldly, “Thank goodness the Emperor doesn’t blame us. It’s good for you to suffer some injury, stay here and reflect on why you were so impulsive! How old are you? How can I trust you with the entire Marquis’s household in the future?”
Lin Ye remained silent, not saying a word.
Madam Lin then said, “Alright, alright, Ye’er should know his mistake now.”
Marquis Lin sighed heavily before turning to leave.
Madam Lin also hugged Yuan’er and walked out, “Be good, Yuan’er. Mother will take you to apply some medicine.”
But Lin Yuan kept looking back worriedly at Lin Ye.
Lin Ye smiled at Lin Yuan, not wanting to worry his sister. Only when the door closed did his smile visibly sink.
Then, as if remembering something, he reached under the bedding, searching for a moment before finally pulling out a carving knife and a piece of wood.
Thinking of Qiao Nian’s accusations at Fahua Temple earlier, Lin Ye couldn’t help but purse his lips.
It was just a hairpin, he could carve her another one. What was there to hold a grudge about?
And that night pearl, he had heard recently that another one had been discovered in the East Sea, even bigger than the previous one. He could just go get it once his injuries healed.
They were all just material things!
How could she be so ungrateful as to curse him to death?
As he carved, Lin Ye thought that when he presented this hairpin to Qiao Nian, she would surely be moved to tears.
Thinking this way, his mood inexplicably improved. But unexpectedly, the carving knife slipped, cutting a chunk of flesh from his index finger.
Blood gushed out.
He hurriedly covered his injured finger, his face contorting in pain.
But then he saw the bright red blood dripping onto the yet uncarved wood, drop by drop.
An inexplicable unease spread through him, engulfing his entire body…