Her words were meant to embarrass Lin Yuan, but once she spoke them, she felt it was herself who became embarrassed. After all, Xia Zheng had given Lin Yuan something of his, but what about her? Aside from following him around like a lapdog all these years, when had she ever received even a smile or a word of praise from him?
Su Qiuyu lifted her gaze, her normally dewy eyes now veiled with a pitiable mist due to her illness. With this additional haze, her eyes held a blurry beauty that seemed even more appealing than her usual feigned tears, making Lin Yuan marvel. She wondered if Xia Zheng would be moved by Su Qiuyu’s appearance.
However, as soon as Su Qiuyu opened her mouth, this allure was shattered by her scoff, "Heh, Lin Yuan, do you really think you’ve captured Brother Zheng’s heart? Let me tell you, he’s just tired of the Capital city. After seeing so many high-born ladies, he found a country girl like you novel. Once he tires of you too, hmph, you’ll end up even more miserable than I am!"
Lin Yuan laughed nonchalantly, "Perhaps, but I, Lin Yuan, am not the kind of woman whose life depends on a man. Even if Xia Zheng and I have no future together, I can still return to myself and live the life I want."
"I certainly hope so."
With those final words for Lin Yuan, Su Qiuyu could no longer sustain her weak body and collapsed onto the pillow. Lin Yuan glanced at her and left the room.
Yaner timidly watched Su Qiuyu gasping for breath, lying askew, knowing she had botched the task and bowed her head, not daring to look at her.
Yaner’s body gave another tremble.
Su Qiuyu, however, had neither the mood nor the energy to scold her anymore, "Did you say that Brother Zheng has gone out?"
"Yes, he’s gone out, took the carriage, and it looked like he was going far." Yaner told her everything she saw, not daring to conceal a thing.
Su Qiuyu coughed and laughed hollowly, "Gone is gone, I had planned to lure him out anyway. Although I couldn’t go out with him, without him here, when Madam Xia arrives later, I really want to see how Lin Yuan will make a fool of herself!"
In the kitchen, Lao Fan and Xiao Linshuang fixed their eyes greedily on the tasty food. After secretly taking a bowl of bird’s nest soup and a bowl of chicken soup, the pair hid in a corner by the kitchen door, taking turns savoring their stolen delicacies with great relish.
"Master, what is this? It’s so smooth, even smoother than the tofu pudding my big sister makes." Xiao Linshuang took another sip, smacking her lips. It wasn’t sweet enough; a bit more sugar would be better.
Focused on the chicken soup before him, Lao Fan savored it blissfully, "What’s good about that thing? It’s not as delicious as the tofu pudding your big sister makes! Ah, it’s just a pity. If we had a Crystal Pork Knuckle too, with soup and meat combined, that would be truly enjoyable."
"I told you to come out early, but you wouldn’t listen! Now all we’ve got left to drink is this watery soup, nothing tasty." Xiao Linshuang pouted, finishing the last sip of bird’s nest soup, feeling only half full and grudgingly huffed, "Tonight, I’m going home with big sister. I want to eat her pocket buns and griddle cakes."
At the mention of pocket buns and griddle cakes, Lao Fan’s mouth watered even more, but he quickly dismissed the idea as he remembered something, "No no, if that Little Tyrant catches me, it won’t be as simple as just three punishments."
Tapping Xiao Linshuang on the forehead, he "reminded" her kindly, "Young girl, I’m forbidding you from going back for your own good. If your big sister and brother-in-law find out you’ve been sneaking around and lying, he’s sure to spank you, and they won’t let you eat!"