The Prime Minister’s Daughter and the Marquis’s Fool – Chapter 98

In this lifetime, it can only be you!

Lin Xizhao gazed at Qu Sheng’s clinging, infatuated eyes and finally relented. The plans she had made in her heart would have to be postponed once again. Perhaps, she thought, we’ll naturally go our separate ways once we reach the capital.

“Jiejie, if you feel unwell, you must tell Sheng’er right away.” Qu Sheng had taken Liu Wuxiang’s advice to heart. Compared to Lin Xizhao’s well-being, her own desires were not worth mentioning.

Feeling Qu Sheng’s strength, Lin Xizhao held back the sounds she wanted to make, but when she finally answered, her voice was off-key.

“Mmm…”

The soft moan in her ear, a melody she herself was conducting, spurred Qu Sheng on. After sucking forcefully on the soft flesh and drawing another faint hum from Lin Xizhao’s throat, she lifted her from the bed.

Any longer and the water in the bath would be cold.

Qu Sheng carried Lin Xizhao into the tub. With a splash of water, Lin Xizhao’s body, mature and already plucked, quickly yielded to Qu Sheng’s wishes.

The moment Lin Xizhao’s legs went limp, Qu Sheng wrapped an arm around her slender waist, supporting her as she slowly sat down in the tub.

Through the layer of water, Qu Sheng helped clean Lin Xizhao’s body. At her touch, Lin Xizhao’s skin remained so sensitive that it reacted instinctively.

Qu Sheng looked at Lin Xizhao’s shy, pink face, the bright fire in her eyes not yet extinguished, and felt her own desire reignite. Her touch grew heavier. She heard a soft hum and watched as Lin Xizhao subconsciously looked up at her, her willow-like brows furrowed in an expression of both pain and pleasure. In that moment, Qu Sheng craved another reward from her even more than Lin Xizhao did.

“Mmph…” Lin Xizhao’s slightly parted lips were sealed by Qu Sheng’s warm, water-beaded ones.

Qu Sheng’s kiss began with dominance, shifted to impatience, and ended with her lifting Lin Xizhao out of the water completely.

Soaking for too long was uncomfortable. They would continue on the couch.

Qu Sheng carried Lin Xizhao to the couch and settled her in her lap. The unobstructed view, combined with Lin Xizhao’s willing indulgence, was intoxicating. Qu Sheng held her close, kissing her soft lips as she carried her to the surging clouds.

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Xiao Bingying was reading in her guest room when she heard the door to the adjacent room open and close. She glanced outside. She had been weak before, and Cheng Xi had been the one to brew her medicine and prepare the medicated congee¹ that nursed her back to health.

Just a moment ago, she had been about to go down herself when Lin Xizhao had come by, telling her to rest while she and Cheng Xi went together. Some time had passed, and Xiao Bingying figured the congee must be nearly ready. She set aside the medical text Liu Wuxiang had given her, stood up, and opened the door.

She stepped out, gently closing the door behind her, and headed downstairs.

“What are you doing?”

Xiao Bingying’s quiet voice made Cheng Xi jump. She looked up, pulling down her sleeve before asking, “Why did you come down?”

The moment Xiao Bingying had stepped into the side room of the inn’s kitchen, she had seen Cheng Xi wrapping a cloth bandage around her arm. She ignored Cheng Xi’s question, walked straight over, and gently took her hand, pushing up the sleeve. The white cloth was already soaked through with blood. Xiao Bingying’s brow furrowed. “What happened?”

Cheng Xi pulled her hand away. “It’s nothing. The wound from last time hasn’t fully healed.”

Xiao Bingying didn’t believe her. She hadn’t seen Cheng Xi get injured before she passed out, and while Cheng Xi’s clothes had been stained with blood afterward, her sleeve hadn’t been wet from a wound underneath. Xiao Bingying thought for a moment, her gaze shifting to the bowl of medicated congee set to the side.

The congee Cheng Xi made for her was mixed with a type of snake blood. Before they left, Cheng Xi had prepared a large amount for her and stored it in a pouch.

She had asked once what it was, wanting to understand, but Cheng Xi had claimed it was a secret recipe that could not be shared, so she had dropped the subject.

Now, seeing the bandage on Cheng Xi’s wrist, she began to feel suspicious.

Cheng Xi picked up the congee from the stove and offered it to Xiao Bingying, her lips curved in a slight smile. “Since you’re here, you might as well drink it while it’s hot.”

Xiao Bingying looked up at Cheng Xi’s perfectly natural expression, then lowered her eyes to the bowl. After a moment, she took it, blew on the surface, and drank it all.

Cheng Xi watched her finish, then took the empty bowl and set it aside. “It’s too smoky in here. Let’s go back.” The stove had just been put out, and the smell of smoke was thick in the air.

Xiao Bingying nodded. As Cheng Xi walked ahead, she watched her back for a moment before following.

The two went upstairs. Out of habit, they were still sharing a room, a fact to which Cheng Xi had raised no objection.

Once they were upstairs, the attendant came to ask if they required a bath. The hot water was ready and waiting for their command.

Xiao Bingying nodded for him to bring the water, then turned to leave the room herself.

Cheng Xi watched her go, her eyes lowering in thought, but she didn’t call out to stop her.

After Cheng Xi finished her bath, she opened the door and asked for the room to be cleaned and for fresh hot water to be brought up. Then, she stood on the second-floor corridor, looking down at the main hall where Xiao Bingying sat reading under the light of a candle.

Every movement she made was just like her—gentle, yet firm.

She still remembered the look of infatuated madness in Xiao Bingying’s eyes the last time she had been bathing. She didn’t believe a woman could truly fall in love with another woman. To her, love and affection meant possessing the other person, treating them as a plaything to be enjoyed at will.

It was just like how men treated their concubines: showering them with gifts when they were favored, then casually selling them off or giving them away when they grew tired of them. But with Xiao Bingying, it felt different.

She herself had once had feelings for someone, but now, the memory only filled her with disgust.

Cheng Xi stood on the corridor for a long time. Only when Xiao Bingying sensed her gaze and looked up did she curve her lips into a smile and walk down the stairs.

“The water is ready. It’s clean. You can go up and bathe.”

Xiao Bingying had already stood as Cheng Xi approached. She glanced toward the guest room upstairs, then back at Cheng Xi. “Alright,” she said softly.

She said nothing more. She went upstairs, closed the door, and did not call for a maidservant to attend her.

After her bath, Xiao Bingying opened the door, intending to call Cheng Xi up from the hall, but when she looked down, she couldn’t find her anywhere.

Puzzled, Xiao Bingying went downstairs and found Cheng Xi in the inn’s backyard.

Cheng Xi was standing there, staring up at the crescent moon, the ground around her bathed in its silvery-white light. Afraid of startling her, Xiao Bingying cleared her throat deliberately. At the sound, Cheng Xi turned.

“Finished washing?” Cheng Xi’s voice was as cool and clear as the moonlight.

Xiao Bingying nodded. “Yes. Let’s go up and rest.”

The two of them, once intimate without any gap², were now so polite they seemed like strangers.

Cheng Xi walked toward her. As she passed, she noticed Xiao Bingying was still staring at her. A smile touched Cheng Xi’s eyes. She reached out and took Xiao Bingying’s hand—still warm from the bath—and without a word, led her back toward the inn.

Xiao Bingying froze for a second, stunned by the sudden touch. She looked down at their intertwined fingers and let Cheng Xi’s gentle pull guide her into the main hall.

When they reached the second floor, Cheng Xi naturally let go as she pushed open the door. But for Xiao Bingying, the sudden release made her heart plummet, leaving an empty ache behind.

Cheng Xi stepped inside and turned to close the door, only to find Xiao Bingying still standing in the hallway with her head down. Cheng Xi followed her gaze and chuckled helplessly. “Don’t you even want me to touch your hand anymore?”

Xiao Bingying looked up, ready to deny it, but the teasing smile in Cheng Xi’s eyes made her smile as well. “You can hold it however you want.”

She wasn’t sure why Cheng Xi had come back with her. Cheng Xi had told her she’d never liked her, yet now she had returned, saying she wanted Xiao Bingying to take responsibility. She couldn’t figure it out, though she had considered a few possibilities.

One was that Cheng Xi didn’t want to involve her in any more trouble. Another was that Cheng Feng had told her to come back to escape the King of Haichao’s pursuit. There were other possibilities she hadn’t dwelled on, but she refused to believe it was because Cheng Xi wanted her to take responsibility, or because she actually liked her.

Hearing her words, and seeing her still standing foolishly in the doorway, Cheng Xi reached out and pulled her into the room. There were no improper movements between them. They removed their outer robes, climbed into bed, and slept on their respective sides, each leaving the other undisturbed.

Xiao Bingying lay flat on her back. Though she could no longer hold Cheng Xi in her arms, she felt content.

Soon, as her mind began to let her imagination run wild³, the breathing from Cheng Xi’s side of the bed grew steady and even. Xiao Bingying waited a little longer, then slowly turned her head to look.

A candle was lit in the room, but the bed curtains blocked most of the light. In the dimness, she could just make out Cheng Xi’s profile—the same face that had once made her open her heart, the face she had loved to the point of madness.

Xiao Bingying stared, unblinking, until the candle outside finally burned out, plunging the room into darkness. Only then did she reluctantly turn her head away.

Early the next morning, Qian Shuangying knocked on their door. Breakfast was ready downstairs, and they would depart as soon as they finished eating.

Qu Sheng didn’t answer. She opened the door, and before Qian Shuangying could say a word, she quickly turned and gently closed it again.

Qian Shuangying watched her, raising an eyebrow. It went without saying what the two of them had been up to last night.

They went downstairs, where Qu Sheng asked the attendant to prepare a few tasty side dishes and pack them in a food box for the carriage.

All the while, Lin Xizhao, still lost in her dreams, knew nothing of it.

The group waited for another hour before Qu Sheng finally went back to the room to wake her.

“Jiejie,” Qu Sheng whispered, her voice soft as she called to the deeply sleeping Lin Xizhao.

At the sound, Lin Xizhao’s eyes fluttered open. She saw Qu Sheng’s face close to hers and murmured a soft, “Mmm,” her voice thick with the lazy huskiness of someone just waking. Qu Sheng lifted her from the bed.

Qu Sheng held Lin Xizhao’s slender body as she sat up, taking a moment to become fully awake. “What time is it?” she asked.

Qu Sheng picked up the clothes she had laid out. “A quarter past the Si hour⁴,” she replied, turning back. The sun was already high in the sky.

Everyone else was outside, waiting for her.

Hearing the time, Lin Xizhao froze for a second before the last vestiges of sleep vanished. “Why didn’t you wake me earlier?”

They had agreed to set out at the Chen hour⁵ every day. If they were delayed like this each morning, when would they ever reach the capital?

Qu Sheng wasn’t surprised by her reaction. She calmly handed Lin Xizhao her clothes and smiled. “There’s no rush. I already told Third Brother that I kept you up late talking last night.”

Lin Xizhao paused mid-motion, the excuse hanging in the air. She would have been better off not explaining at all.

After washing up, Lin Xizhao went downstairs and walked straight out of the inn, where Qu Ting and the others were waiting. Qu Sheng didn’t suggest she eat first; she knew Lin Xizhao would never delay the group for her own breakfast.

Qu Sheng helped Lin Xizhao onto the carriage. The moment they were inside, Lin Xizhao saw the food box. She glanced back to find Qu Sheng standing behind her, slightly bent over, a wide smile on her face.

Their journey back was not as rushed as their journey there. With Qu Sheng’s eyesight restored, there was no need for such urgency.

They would travel at sunrise and rest at sunset⁶. Even if they could have continued for another hour or two, they would stop early and find an inn in the nearest city.

The trip was smooth, and a month later, they arrived at the South City Gate of the capital.

Qu Yu and Zhao Jiayu had received word and had already been waiting for two hours. The moment she saw the Qu Family carriage, Zhao Jiayu nimbly swung onto a horse, eager to ride ahead and greet them.

But just as she grabbed the horse reins⁷ and urged the horse forward, Qu Yu rushed over and seized the bridle, his face breaking out in a nervous sweat. “My dear wife, you can’t do that!” he hissed.

Zhao Jiayu’s belly was just beginning to show pregnancy⁸, though one wouldn’t notice unless told. Qu Yu had been a nervous wreck these past few days, terrified that if he looked away for a second, she would sneak off and ride out to find Qu Sheng and the others.

He had to admit, it had been hard on her. Her closest friends, including Qian Shuangying, whom she had just begun to see as an older sister, were all gone. She must have been terribly cooped up.

Zhao Jiayu looked down at Qu Yu’s worried face and his pleading expression. She pouted, dropped the reins, and held out her arms for him to lift her down.

Seeing that she was no longer trying to ride, Qu Yu let out a visible sigh of relief and helped her down from the horse.

“Don’t worry, they’ll be here soon,” he soothed.

As they spoke, the distant carriage covered half the remaining distance. Zhao Jiayu stood watching, but no one rode out to meet them.

The last time we greeted her here, she wouldn’t even sit in the carriage and came galloping over on Feng Qi’s horse. Now she’s in no hurry. I was right. My guess about her feelings for Lin Xizhao was correct after all.

The carriages finally reached the open space near the city gate. Zhao Jiayu took a few steps forward as everyone began to disembark.

Qu Sheng stepped down, her expression as calm as ever. She glanced at Zhao Jiayu before turning back to lift Lin Xizhao down.

Xiao Bingying, however, didn’t even spare Zhao Jiayu a look. She simply turned and offered a hand for Cheng Xi to take as she stepped out of the carriage.

Zhao Jiayu stared at the two heartless women and let out an indignant huff. Before she could even begin to grumble, Qian Shuangying called her name. “Jiayu.”

Zhao Jiayu looked toward the half-hidden middle carriage and caught a glimpse of Qian Shuangying walking toward her.

“Third Sister-in-law.”

She greeted her warmly and hurried over. Qu Yu followed beside her, making his way toward Qu Ting.

Qian Shuangying took Zhao Jiayu’s hand, noticing she had filled out a bit since they had left. She knew Qu Yu must be taking good care of her.

As they were talking, Lin Xizhao stepped down from her carriage and called out.

“Jiayu.”

Hearing Lin Xizhao’s gentle voice, Zhao Jiayu deliberately paused for a beat before turning around. Lin Xizhao saw the resentful look on her face and, after a moment of confusion, glanced at Qu Sheng.

Qu Sheng looked back at Zhao Jiayu, her expression unchanged. But when Zhao Jiayu saw the silent exchange between Qu Sheng and Lin Xizhao, she suddenly remembered what her anger had made her forget: Qu Sheng’s eyes.

The next time Qu Sheng looked at her, her eyes were shining brightly. Zhao Jiayu rushed over to them. She peered at Qu Sheng from the front, then circled around to her back, Qu Sheng’s gaze following her the whole time.

When the letter announcing Qu Sheng’s recovery had arrived at the residence, Zhao Jiayu had cried with joy. Now, a month later, seeing it with her own eyes, she couldn’t stop her vision from blurring with tears once more.

“Now that you’re better, why didn’t you come back sooner?” Zhao Jiayu complained. The journey should have taken them a little over half a month, yet they had stretched it to nearly a full one.

Lin Xizhao’s eyes curved into a smile. “Did you miss us?”

“You know I did!” Zhao Jiayu’s complaint turned into a full-blown grievance.

They had left her all alone in the capital. Qu Yu was always busy, leaving her with no one to talk to. She didn’t dare bother the elders, so she had been forced to endure the loneliness by herself.

“Jiayu.” Seeing that she was on the verge of tears, Xiao Bingying walked over from the side of the carriage, her gaze soft.

Zhao Jiayu turned. She hadn’t gotten a good look before, but now she saw that Xiao Bingying’s complexion seemed worse than before. “Ah Jie, what’s wrong with your face?” she asked nervously. It was so much paler.

“Bingying was injured a while back,” Lin Xizhao explained for her. “She’s only just started to recover.”

They had taken their time on the journey back precisely for Xiao Bingying’s health. She needed plenty of rest; practicing martial arts was out of the question for now.

They had mentioned the injury in a previous letter to the Zhao Residence, but Qu Yu, afraid that the news would cause Zhao Jiayu to worry and affect her health, hadn’t dared to tell her.

Hearing that Xiao Bingying had been hurt, Zhao Jiayu grew tense. She looked at her in disbelief, scanning her from head to toe. “Ah Jie, where were you hurt?” she demanded.

Xiao Bingying saw the alarm on her face and quickly tried to soothe her. “It’s nothing now. Don’t worry.”

“But where were you hurt!” Zhao Jiayu refused to accept the vague answer.

Seeing how concerned she was, Cheng Xi explained, “Bingying’s injury is on her back. The external wound is fine now, but the internal injuries will take some time to heal.”

At that, Zhao Jiayu immediately darted behind Xiao Bingying. Xiao Bingying stood helplessly and let her look, then smiled. “It’s really fine now. The wound has healed. If you don’t believe me, let me give you a piggyback ride.” Ever since Zhao Jiayu had taken up drinking, Xiao Bingying had carried her on her back more than a few times. The teasing finally made her break into a smile through her tears⁹.

She really has broken her heart with worry¹⁰ over these people.

After meeting up, the group entered the city. Qu Sheng took Lin Xizhao to Prime Minister Lin’s Residence, while Xiao Bingying went with Cheng Xi and Zhao Jiayu to the Zhao Residence.

The moment they arrived, Zhao Jiayu insisted Xiao Bingying take off her outer robe so she could inspect the wound. Xiao Bingying was reluctant, especially with Cheng Xi standing right there.

“Just let her look,” Cheng Xi said, fully understanding Zhao Jiayu’s anxiety. “She’ll feel better once she sees it.”

She remembered how she had insisted on seeing her brother’s wounds when Liu Wuxiang was treating him. She couldn’t rest easy otherwise.

At Cheng Xi’s words, an embarrassed look crossed Xiao Bingying’s face. Cheng Xi saw her staring and, after a moment’s thought, said, “I’ll go to my room and unpack. I’ll make you some medicated congee later.”

She left without waiting for a reply. The second she was gone, Zhao Jiayu rushed forward and started pulling at Xiao Bingying’s clothes.

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Qu Sheng first took Lin Xizhao to Marquis Qu’s Residence to greet the elders, then left again to escort her to Prime Minister Lin’s Residence.

The moment they stepped through the gates, Lin Xirui came running out. Lin Jianhai was not at the residence, and Lin Xikuan had been taken to the Yu Residence to recuperate.

Upon seeing his sister, Lin Xirui looked like he was about to cry. Then, when he saw that Qu Sheng’s eyes were healed, he was overcome with excitement.

But hearing the tearful tremor in his voice, Qu Sheng frowned slightly.

Lin Xizhao soothed her younger brother with a smile. “Alright, we’re all back safely. Now, let us in.”

Only then did Lin Xirui remember they were still standing at the entrance.

The three of them entered the residence. As they walked toward Lin Xizhao’s courtyard, Lin Xirui kept sneaking glances at Qu Sheng.

Qu Sheng kept her eyes fixed on the path ahead, her hand holding Lin Xizhao’s the entire time. They were back, but the fact that she was a “fool” had to remain a secret from outsiders. Besides, the matter between her and Lin Xizhao was still not fully resolved.

Lin Xizhao had the servants prepare a meal. After feeding Qu Sheng, she led her away for a bath. She naturally needed to see her father now that she was back, but since Lin Jianhai was not home, all she could do was wait.

Lin Xizhao was now quite adept at bathing Qu Sheng. As Qu Sheng sat in the tub, watching her busily scrub her body, she waited for the moment Lin Xizhao leaned in from behind, then tilted her chin up and stole a quick kiss.

Lin Xizhao’s reaction to these sudden kisses had become remarkably calm. She glanced down at Qu Sheng and said with a sigh of resignation, “Father will be back soon. After your bath, you should go back. I’ll come find you tomorrow.”

Hearing words so different from what she’d been hoping for, Qu Sheng’s face fell. “I don’t want to.” She wouldn’t go back alone. Either they went back together, or they stayed here together.

Lin Xizhao looked at Qu Sheng’s pouting face, lowered her eyes for a moment, and said nothing more. She continued to scrub her back, but a moment later, Qu Sheng pulled her, clothes and all, into the tub with her.

At first, Lin Xizhao struggled, but when Qu Sheng untied her robes and tossed them out of the tub, she could only surrender with a sigh, letting Qu Sheng act recklessly and unscrupulously¹¹.

In the middle of their bath, a maidservant sent by the residence steward¹² came with a message: Lin Jianhai had returned.

Hearing the voice from outside, Qu Sheng didn’t stop her movements. Lin Xizhao fought to suppress her body’s reactions and called out, “Tell Father to wait a moment. I… I’ll change my clothes… and be right there.”

The maidservant heard the broken, halting quality of Lin Xizhao’s voice, glanced at the closed door, and after a moment’s thought, acknowledged the order and left.

Qu Sheng was not yet satisfied, but Lin Xizhao was desperate to escape.

“Sheng’er, no more,” Lin Xizhao panted, trying to persuade her to stop. “Father… Father is back. I-I have to go see him.”

“Isn’t Jiejie uncomfortable?” Qu Sheng paused, lifting her head to gaze at Lin Xizhao’s tormented expression. She saw the beautiful woman’s brows knitted together and thought that if she stopped now, Lin Xizhao might resent her for it.

“Just hold on a little longer…” Qu Sheng said, echoing Lin Xizhao’s own words back at her.

With that, she moved her lips to Lin Xizhao’s porcelain-white, jade-like earlobe. A few moments later, an unbearable tickling sensation spread through Lin Xizhao’s ear, making her want to flee…

A few moments after that, Qu Sheng held Lin Xizhao’s limp body on her lap. As soon as Lin Xizhao’s awareness began to return, Qu Sheng stood, lifting her out of the water.

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After bathing and dressing, Lin Xizhao went to see Lin Jianhai. He had already received word that Qu Sheng’s eyes had healed. He asked a few questions and, noticing his daughter had lost weight, decided she should stay home to recover. “Just stay in the residence for the next few days,” he said.

Lin Xizhao wanted to find an excuse to take Qu Sheng to Marquis Qu’s Residence, but after thinking it over, she knew that leaving again so soon after being away for so long would hurt her father’s feelings. She had no choice but to agree.

Back in her room, Qu Sheng was staring blankly at the dress she had made for Lin Xizhao. The moment Lin Xizhao entered, Qu Sheng looked over, a smile in her eyes as she deliberately asked, “Does it fit well, Jiejie?”

She had made it to Lin Xizhao’s measurements but had never seen her wear it.

Lin Xizhao looked at Qu Sheng for a long moment. Then, her eyes curving into a smile, she took off her outer robe.

The current season was perfect for such a thin dress.

Qu Sheng watched Lin Xizhao put on the dress she had made and noticed the waist seemed a little loose. She blinked, not doubting her measurements, but realizing that Lin Xizhao must have lost weight.

These past days, she had been pestering Lin Xizhao constantly. Though she tried to give her nights to rest, she often kept her up late.

Qu Sheng pulled Lin Xizhao, who was twirling to show off the dress, into her arms. She pressed a light kiss to her lips, her eyes filled with tenderness. “Jiejie, it’s time to rest.”

Lin Xizhao lowered her gaze, thinking Qu Sheng wanted to do that again. But Qu Sheng saw the timid, unspoken fear in her expression and smiled. “Tonight, we’ll just sleep. No funny business.”

A blush flashed across Lin Xizhao’s face at Qu Sheng’s blunt words, and then Qu Sheng bent down and swept her into her arms.

Qu Sheng helped her change into her nightclothes. Though a fire flickered in her eyes, she restrained herself and simply held Lin Xizhao close.

Lin Xizhao slept soundly. The next morning, she went straight to the residence’s accounting room to review the account books.

While she was gone, Lin Jianhai, not trusting Lin Xirui’s management skills, had checked the accounts every half-month. As a result, there was nothing for her to worry about.

The real problem was Lin Xirui. She didn’t know how to talk to him. That morning at breakfast, he had kept putting food on Qu Sheng’s plate, the affection in his eyes self-evident. She had seen Qu Sheng’s brow furrow and had been terrified she would blurt out the truth about them right then and there.

Qu Sheng had already returned to Marquis Qu’s Residence. Now that the accounts were done, Lin Xizhao tried to figure out how to make Lin Xirui give up.

She knew with absolute certainty that even if Qu Sheng weren’t with her, she would never like Lin Xirui. Her brother, though kind-hearted, lacked courage. She was afraid that the deeper he fell, the more he would be hurt in the end.

As she was lost in thought, the residence steward came rushing in. He opened his mouth to speak, but before a word came out, Zhao Jiayu darted out from behind him.

Her panic was plain to see. “Xizhao, you have to go see Xiao Sheng’er! Eldest Paternal Uncle hit her!”

The words made Lin Xizhao’s mind go blank with a buzz. She stared at Zhao Jiayu, unable to believe what she was hearing.

Seeing her disbelief, Zhao Jiayu glanced at the servants in the accounting room. Before Lin Xizhao could process what was happening, she addressed them directly. “Your young lady and I have something to discuss. You can all leave for now.”

The maidservants did not see her as someone overstepping her authority¹³ and obediently filed out of the room.

Once they were alone, Zhao Jiayu peeked out the door. Seeing that everyone was a safe distance away, she shut it and rushed back to Lin Xizhao’s side. “Xiao Sheng’er told Eldest Paternal Uncle and Eldest Paternal Aunt that she wants to marry you! She said you’re already hers, and that for this lifetime, it can only be you!”

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The author has something to say:

Qu Sheng: “A big excavator, digging and digging¹⁴. Demolish bridges encountered, smash boats encountered¹⁵!”

Lin Xizhao: “……”

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