Chapter 28
<Previous Chapter<Table of Contents>Next Chapter>
“Qinglan, where are you going?” Ying Wenlong walked out of the shadows with a stern face.
Beside Ying Wenlong stood Lin Qingwei, who said, “Sister, if there’s anything, communicate with your brother-in-law properly.”
Lin Qingwei really didn’t expect that her sister had made up her mind to leave this time. She wanted her sister and brother-in-law to reconcile, so she informed him that her sister was leaving; otherwise, she wouldn’t have been able to catch up with her sister.
Lin Qingyang couldn’t help but chuckle at Lin Qingwei’s behavior. He really didn’t understand the thought process of this girl, but now wasn’t the time to argue with her.
Stepping forward, Lin Qingyang blocked Ying Wenlong in front of him. He knew that at this moment, Lin Qinglan needed a lot of courage to face Ying Wenlong.
“What’s going on here? Xiaodie said you two had a fight. Before I could say anything, you started fighting. Come, come back with me,” Ying Wenlong said with an unpleasant expression.
Lin Qingyang directly said, “Tonight, my sister will return to Marquis An Nan’s residence.”
Ying Wenlong looked displeased, always feeling that this brother-in-law was a troublemaker. Lin Qinglan had always been someone who put people’s minds at ease. Today, after all this commotion, it was probably caused by Lin Qingyang. Earlier, he even lied to Xu Rui’er, saying that Lin Qinglan was expecting, which was simply unreliable.
“Qinglan, don’t make trouble with your younger brother. Come with me,” Ying Wenlong insisted, taking another step closer.
“Make trouble?” Finally, Lin Qinglan, who had been keeping her head down, slowly lifted her head. His gaze was silent and dead. “Ying Wenlong, I heard everything you said under the artificial hill in the backyard just now. Do you still think I’m making trouble?”
Ying Wenlong instantly realized what he was talking about. His expression changed momentarily, but he quickly regained his composure. “What are you talking about? If there’s anything, we can discuss it privately when we get back. Remember your identity, don’t make trouble.”
Lin Qingyang looked at the man in front of him, who still had the appearance of controlling Lin Qinglan, as if tolerating a troublesome wife. It was truly nauseating.
Lin Qinglan acted as if she didn’t know him at all. She had never seen someone shameless to this extent. Even after hearing everything, he showed no fear or guilt, merely telling her not to cause trouble.
After enduring and enduring, Lin Qinglan finally spoke, “Ying Wenlong, I find it disgusting just to see you now.”
With these words, the servants who had come with Ying Wenlong were all stunned.
Their usually gentle madam actually said such things to her husband.
Ying Wenlong’s expression changed even more, “Enough, my tolerance has its limits. I’m giving you one last chance. Come back with me immediately.”
How could Lin Qinglan leave overnight? This is the Imperial Academy, filled with students from prestigious families. If this gets out the next day, regardless of the reasons, it would tarnish the family’s reputation.
“My patience also has its limits, Ying Wenlong. I… want to divorce you.” Lin Qinglan smiled sadly, took a deep breath, her eyes filled with determination. “The next time we meet, it will be when you deliver the letter of divorce to me.”
After saying this, she entered the carriage.
“Lin Qinglan!” Ying Wenlong was instantly furious. He hadn’t expected that Lin Qinglan would take the initiative to propose a divorce, in front of so many people, making him lose face. He stepped forward, intending to pull Lin Qinglan down from the carriage.
The accompanying servants were slow to react; what did they just hear? Their madam, who had been childless for three years, wasn’t rejected by the Ying family. Now she was causing a scene and actively seeking a divorce?
Silently trailing behind the crowd, the sneaky and eavesdropping Ying Xiaodie finally understood what was going on.
So, it was about her brother’s affair with Xu Rui’er.
Ying Xiaodie was flushed with anger. Even if the affair was exposed, Lin Qinglan, as the wife of the Ying family, shouldn’t have quarreled with her brother in front of the servants. It was too disrespectful to her own husband.
Lin Qingwei’s expression became even more unpleasant. She had concealed her sister’s intention to divorce, fearing that problems might arise between her sister and brother-in-law. She never expected her sister to cut off all ties on her own. It was simply madness.
On the side of the carriage, Lin Qingyang naturally wouldn’t give Ying Wenlong the opportunity to make things difficult for Lin Qinglan. He, along with Shuncai, tried to intercept, but his physical condition was extremely poor. Just accompanying Lin Qinglan down had already left him sweating profusely. The effects of the medicine he took earlier seemed to have worn off, and various discomforts in his body continued to erupt. Despite his efforts to stop Ying Wenlong, his weakened state made it challenging.
Ying Wenlong casually pushed, and Lin Qingyang drifted backward like a kite with a broken string.
Standing beside him, Chu Lishu took a step to the side, and Lin Qingyang collided with his chest.
Chu Lishu was somewhat surprised. Why was Lin Qingyang so weak? Considering his condition today, he probably felt even more uncomfortable under exhaustion, making him easily pushed away.
After steadying him, Chu Lishu felt that Lin Qingyang’s body was extremely weak, as if he had no strength at all.
Chu Lishu frowned slightly, not wanting to continue the confrontation here and waste time.
Ying Wenlong still wanted to approach, but Lin Qingyang, struggling, shouted, “Ying Wenlong, don’t disgrace yourself any further!”
Faced with such a direct insult, Ying Wenlong was infuriated, and his aggressive demeanor surfaced. He raised his fist, ready to strike.
Lin Qingyang was also provoked, but his body couldn’t keep up with his mind.
Hearing the commotion, Lin Qinglan lifted the curtain and, in shock, tried to intervene. Lin Qingwei stood on the side, dumbfounded.
As Ying Wenlong’s fist was about to land, Chu Lishu immediately pulled the unresponsive Lin Qingyang backward, avoiding the punch. Ying Wenlong still wanted to throw another punch, but Chu Lishu calmly and steadily spoke, “Lord Ying, do you really want to brawl here and attract the attention of the entire academy? If you insist, many things might become public knowledge. We’re not saying anything now to save your face. If you don’t care, we don’t mind making a scene.”
Originally, Ying Wenlong’s mind was filled with a raging fire. Even if exposed, he didn’t feel guilty and confidently believed he could handle the situation, and control the siblings. Now, being directly pointed out, it was as if someone had poured cold water on him, extinguishing the fire in his mind.
He glared fiercely at Chu Lishu.
Chu Lishu smiled faintly, his clear and cold voice suppressing the tense atmosphere, “Staring at us won’t help. If Lord Ying calms down, he should realize that letting Eldest Cousin go now is the best choice for him. After all… Eldest Cousin knows everything. Or…”
Chu Lishu’s gaze swept over the bewildered people behind Ying Wenlong, “Or, does Lord Ying feel wronged and wants to explain everything to us here?”
Ying Wenlong’s face turned extremely unpleasant as if the situation had slipped out of his control.
Seeing that Chu Lishu had stabilized the situation, to avoid further complications, Lin Qingyang directly instructed Shuncai to quickly take Lin Qinglan back.
“Yang Yang…..”
“Sister, don’t worry, everything will be fine.” Lin Qingyang forced a smile to reassure Lin Qinglan.
Lin Qingwei rushed up, unbelievably grabbing the edge of the carriage, shouting, “Sister, are you really leaving? You’ll regret it!”
Lin Qingyang stepped forward and directly removed Lin Qingwei’s hand. He was genuinely irritated by her behavior.
Lin Qinglan, disappointed by Lin Qingwei’s actions, ignores her and reentered the carriage.
Shuncai swiftly guided the carriage away.
However, they still hear the voice of Ying Wenlong from behind.
“Alright, Qinglan, you go back home and accompany mother-in-law for a few days. You think it over carefully, and I will go to pick you up.”
Until then, Ying Wenlong still believed he could whitewash the situation, making people around think that Lin Qinglan was just throwing a tantrum and returning to her maternal home.
Chu Lishu made a polite gesture. “It was already late at night, so, lord please go back.”
Ying Wenlong looked maliciously at Lin Qingyang and Chu Lishu, muttering, “Did you think you were helping her like this? You were harming her? Divorce? Hmph, it wasn’t that simple. If I don’t agree, could you change anything?”
“Were you not afraid of the secrets leaking out?” Lin Qingyang sneered.
Ying Wenlong, with a proud expression, retorted, “What secrets? Did you have any evidence? Besides, it’s normal for a man to have multiple wives and concubines. How miserable she’d be when she lowered her head and returned to our Ying family.”
Ying Wenlong was now completely exposing his true character, being reckless and defiant.
Lin Qingyang, feeling powerless physically, could only stand his ground verbally. “Is that so? We waited and saw.”
Ying Wenlong coldly snorted and left directly.
“You… you’ve really made my eldest sister miserable… I don’t care about you anymore.” Lin Qingwei was so upset that she cried. It seemed like they didn’t understand her intentions, stomping her feet in frustration before running away.
Finally, it became quiet at the foot of the mountain.
Lin Qingyang let out a slow breath, and the consciousness he had been forcefully holding on to gave way. He staggered and sat down on the stone steps, covered in cold sweat.
Chu Lishu looked down at him. “Things went relatively smoothly. Xu Wenze has already left with Xu Rui’er. Now, let’s see what Duke Wei Guo will do.”
“What did Xu Wenze say?” Lin Qingyang asked, lowering his head. He felt his vision blur.
“He feels very guilty about the suggestions we made. He should lean towards persuading his father,” Chu Lishu replied.
Lin Qingyang awkwardly pulled the corners of his mouth. Xu Wenze’s political acumen indeed couldn’t match the male lead’s. “Will his father see through that we are using them?”
For Lin Qinglan to successfully divorce, she needed external help. Since they couldn’t rely on the An Nan Marquis’s residence, their only hope was the other party involved. Essentially, they were using the reputation of their family’s illegitimate daughter as leverage to force them to help Lin Qinglan escape from the clutches of Ying Wenlong.
In reality, in this matter, the urgency of Xu Rui’er’s reputation was one thing, but the safety of Lin Qinglan was even more crucial. Once this matter was exposed, to make amends, Ying Wenlong would undoubtedly be the first to harm someone. That’s why Lin Qingyang and the others couldn’t let the situation escalate. However, Duke Wei Guo’s residence was unaware of their concerns; they would think that Lin Qinglan was considering the overall situation and didn’t want things to get ugly, choosing to endure quietly.
By utilizing Xu Wenze’s understanding of the entire situation, seizing the initiative, it was clear: It’s not that I’m asking for your help, but rather, I’m giving you an opportunity to help me. By rectifying the wrongs, you’re also helping yourselves.
After all, if they knew that Ying Wenlong originally intended to harm Lin Qinglan, they would definitely stand by and wait for Ying Wenlong to handle it, and then arrange the matter with Xu Rui’er.
However, for Duke Wei Guo’s residence, it appeared as if their illegitimate daughter had hooked up with a married man, lost her virtue, and the two had conspired to force the legal wife to divorce and was known by the legal wife. Once it got out, Xu Rui’er’s reputation would be irreparably damaged. The legal wife’s silent agreement to the divorce at this time was the greatest compromise and would allow Duke Wei Guo’s residence to preserve its reputation.
With a slight change in the order of events, they would be in a passive state. Fortunately, they had seized the initiative. Although Xu Wenze’s side would likely not change course, Duke Wei Guo was a cunning old fox. It was hard to say whether he would see through the true interests at play.
“Even if he sees through it, Duke Wei Guo can only take this step. After all, quite a few people are already aware of this matter, and he cannot risk damaging the reputation of the Duke’s residence.”
By helping Lin Qinglan to divorce first and then allowing Xu Rui’er to marry Ying Wenlong cleanly, even if there are suspicions and discussions, at least there won’t be any major faults. This is a route that, while not ideal, is safe.
“Now we are in the dark, and they are in the light. They can’t guess how many chips we hold, so naturally, they can only be cautious.”
Knowing Duke Wei Guo’s temperament, Chu Lishu was confident in choosing the right approach to force him to make a decision.
Listening to Chu Lishu’s words, Lin Qingyang felt as if he were in a trance, his gaze gradually losing focus. He said slowly, “I hope everything goes smoothly.”
“It will,” Chu Lishu expressed confidence in the plan he had set in motion, especially for such a small matter.
“Let’s go back,” said Chu Lishu slowly, but there was no response. Puzzled, he saw Lin Qingyang sway and then collapse to the side.
Chu Lishu hurriedly approached to check. Lin Qingyang’s face was flushed, and he was breathing rapidly.
Was it a fever? Chu Lishu quickly carried him towards the academy, knocking on the door of the physician’s residence in the middle of the night.
Chu Lishu was petite, and Lin Qingyang was heavy. Along the way, he held his breath.
The physician, looking at the two at the door, couldn’t distinguish which one was the patient for a moment.
After an hour of acupuncture, Chu Lishu finally brought Lin Qingyang back to the dormitory.
Initially, he thought he could leave Lin Qingyang in bed and be done with it, but there was no one in the courtyard. Qi Yan hadn’t returned, and Shuncai had also left. There was no one to take care of Lin Qingyang.
Even though Lin Qingyang on the bed has been treated, there is still a painful expression on his face, as if something is tormenting him.
Chu Lishu looked at it and could only close the door somewhat irritably, lit a candle, and read a book on the side to accompany.
“Hot…” Suddenly, a murmur came from the bed.
When Chu Lishu looked over, he found that Lin Qingyang had kicked off the blanket.
Chu Lishu frowned slightly, got up and came over to cover Lin Qingyang with the blanket, but as soon as it was covered, it was kicked off again, really not behaving at all.
After a while, Lin Qingyang started convulsing again, and Chu Lishu could only reach out to help him press a few acupoints to alleviate his pain.
At the same time, Chu Lishu also began to wonder. Although the physician said they didn’t find anything, just calling it an acute illness caused by a cold, is Lin Qingyang’s condition really that simple?
After a while, the convulsions stopped, but Lin Qingyang suddenly shivered and exclaimed about being cold, as if he were in an extremely cold hell.
Chu Lishu approached the bedside, reached out to feel Lin Qingyang’s forehead, and found that it was no longer hot but covered in a cold sweat. At this moment, Lin Qingyang’s reaction was even more intense than before. With some unknown strength, he directly grabbed Chu Lishu’s wrist, as if sensing a source of warmth. He forcefully pulled Chu Lishu onto the bed.
Chu Lishu naturally wouldn’t allow Lin Qingyang to be so presumptuous. Tolerating his silent admiration was one thing, but getting this close was another matter. Lin Qingyang didn’t have the qualification for that. Chu Lishu hadn’t forgotten that this guy had fantasized about him in the secret chamber.
Chu Lishu was a bit angry, and naturally exerted force to try to break free. His hand couldn’t help but bring some skill into the struggle.
Lin Qingyang’s body couldn’t endure the pain, his brows furrowed, and a hissing sound came from his mouth. However, Chu Lishu was not lenient with him.
“Let go if you don’t want to endure the pain.”
But Lin Qingyang at the moment felt like his entire blood had frozen. He wanted warmth, he wanted fire. The strength born out of the instinct for survival was incredibly powerful. Chu Lishu struggled, but he was unexpectedly held captive by Lin Qingyang, who clung to him as if he were a source of warmth.
Lin Qingyang almost transformed into an octopus, using all his limbs to entangle Chu Lishu. It was as if he had grasped the last straw of life, and no matter how much Chu Lishu struggled, he couldn’t break free.
Chu Lishu’s face turned dark, and he was about to take decisive action when he heard a shaky voice from behind.
“Cold… so cold! I’m so cold, uncomfortable… so uncomfortable…” Lin Qingyang shivered from the cold, but in reality, his body had a normal temperature. It was just that his hands and feet were icy cold.
Chu Lishu took a few hurried breaths, suppressed his temper, and endured. He thought it wasn’t a big deal, after all, Lin Qingyang was currently not in clear consciousness, and it wasn’t as if he was intentionally harboring ill intentions to take advantage of him. Chu Lishu didn’t want to argue with someone who was not in their right mind. He planned to wait for this episode to pass and then free himself.
However, Lin Qingyang felt that the warmth was still not enough. His hands started to wander, seemingly searching for a warmer place. Suddenly, they slipped inside Chu Lishu’s collar, reaching the scalding skin.
Chu Lishu’s face turned dark again, and this time it was dark enough to drip ink.
Want 4 chapters post a week? Consider dropping a donation! Goal opened for posting 4 times a week at Kofi!!!
If you love what Ciacia is doing, then consider showing your support by supporting a cup of tea for her at Kofi. If you can’t wait for the next release chapter, subscribe to advanced chapters membership on her Kofi to get access to up to 10 chapters!
<Previous Chapter<Table of Contents>Next Chapter>
