Chapter 142: I Understand You Even More Than You Think
“Sigh, forget it, it’s too early to think about these things now,” Lin Xin didn’t want her irritable mood to continue, so she waved her hand and told Cui Shi, “Actually, the main reason I had to make you come to town today is that I didn’t want Lin Duo to have a chance to pester you and force you to treat her injury.”
“Lin Duo is injured? How do you know? And why would she pester me?” Cui Shi looked completely baffled.
“Last night she went sleepwalking into the forest on the mountain with her sister, and they ran into a pack of hyenas that bit her all over, leaving her covered in wounds. She’s probably got scars for life, and her family likely won’t spend money to get her a doctor, so you, the Divine Doctor, have become her only hope!”
Watching Lin Xin speak so casually, Cui Shi had black lines dropping in bunches from his forehead—what sleepwalking, what hyenas, it was probably something this girl cooked up. He just didn’t know how Lin Duo had offended her. Could it be that the snake really was placed at the door by her?
“It wasn’t her. She just wanted to smear me in front of Mo Ziyuan.” Lin Xin’s faint voice rang out, and Cui Shi then realized he had just voiced his inner thoughts aloud.
“She won’t come looking for me, will she? Doesn’t she know about your relationship with her?” Cui Shi asked suspiciously. In the years living in the village, although Lin Duo would cast resentful gazes at him whenever she passed their home and saw Lin Nan studying with him or Meng Yichen, she hadn’t done anything else and had pretty well kept to the principle of minding her own business.
“Hmph, if you don’t believe me, let’s go back now. See if she doesn’t come pestering. If you agree to treat her, that’s fine—she’ll thank you profusely to your face, say she’s willing to be your ox or horse. But if you refuse, believe me, she’ll absolutely send her sister to kneel at your home’s courtyard gate, crying and wailing for you.” Lin Xin said with a cold laugh.
Cui Shi quietly glanced at her, and upon seeing the unfathomably dark look in her eyes, he swallowed the words he wanted to retort, gulped, and changed the subject: “Girl, you don’t want me to treat her injury, do you?”
“Right, I don’t. If you dare to even think about treating her, I guarantee I’ll snap your fingers so you can’t take her pulse or write a prescription.” Lin Xin slanted Cui Shi a glance and said lightly.
“No treating, no treating, not even for mountains of gold and silver. Otherwise, shall we stay in town tonight?” Cui Shi’s heart trembled. In all the time he’d known Lin Xin, he’d never seen her like this. It seemed Lin Duo had really pissed her off this time.
Lin Xin thought for a moment. Right now, she didn’t really want to see Mo Ziyuan either, so she nodded. “Alright, let’s stay.”
“Hehe, since we’ve decided to stay, go buy some vegetables quick. We’ll have a good meal at noon. Eating with those boys every day, this old man never gets his fill—they’re too good at grabbing. Today it’s just us few, so the old man can finally eat a peaceful meal.”
Lin Xin: “······You only know how to eat.”
Cui Shi said unconvinced, “What’s wrong with knowing how to eat? Food is the first necessity of the people—those who know food are the smart ones, got it?” Then, seeing Lin Nan and Lin Tao peeking out from the doorway with their little heads, he added, “Nan Nan and Tao Tao must eat well to grow smart and strong.”
Lin Xin couldn’t stand his nonsense—glutton was glutton, what smartness. She simply got up and went out to buy vegetables.
Six dishes and a soup had just been served on the table when the courtyard gate was pounded on.
Cui Shi’s beard bristled. He angrily set down his chopsticks and went to open the door.
Mo Ziyuan, standing outside, could already smell the aroma of the meal. As soon as the door opened and he was about to compliment it, he met Cui Shi’s black face. “Kid, why are you here? Talk about timing—are you following the smell?”
“I saw it getting late and you hadn’t returned, so I was a bit worried and thought I’d come check.” Mo Ziyuan didn’t take his attitude to heart, closed the courtyard gate behind him, but kept his gaze fixed on Lin Xin.
“What are you looking at me for? Wash your hands and eat.” Lin Xin shifted uncomfortably and said gruffly.
“Got it! Right away.” Mo Ziyuan washed his hands at top speed, then grabbed bowl and chopsticks and sat beside her, diligently picking up a piece of sweet-and-sour pork and putting it in her bowl. That cheap look made Cui Shi unable to watch.
Thinking again of what Lin Xin had said to him today, he laughed unkindly. Even as Mo Ziyuan kept picking chopsticks full of his favorite braised pork, he magnanimously didn’t mind.
After the meal, Lin Xin started shooing Mo Ziyuan back to the village. Cui Shi tactfully took Lin Nan and Lin Tao back to the room.
“Xin’er, what happened?” He’d sensed something off since entering, and now he finally couldn’t hold back from asking.
“Nothing happened. Old Cui’s home just doesn’t have extra rooms for you.” Lin Xin gave a stiff explanation.
“Xin’er, look at me.” Mo Ziyuan pressed her shoulders against the wall, forcefully lifting her chin so her gaze couldn’t dodge. “Tell me, what exactly happened?”
“Nothing······”
“Xin’er!”
In the end, Lin Xin conceded. She suddenly realized her feelings for Mo Ziyuan were deeper than she thought. Looking into his eyes dark as deep pools, just the thought of one day him using those eyes to look at another woman gave her a murderous impulse.
“Zi Yuan, I······” She pursed her lips, hesitated forever without saying she didn’t want to go to the Capital City, and finally mumbled vaguely, “I just don’t know if my temper will cause trouble in the Capital City.”
Mo Ziyuan had long guessed at her unusual behavior and had been on tenterhooks fearing she’d say “I’ll stay in the village and not go to the Capital City.” Hearing her words, his suspended heart finally settled.
He admitted he wasn’t forthright, even a bit despicable. He knew Lin Xin had no fondness for the Capital City but still wanted her to go. He just couldn’t let go—he feared if he didn’t seize this chance, the next time he saw Lin Xin, both would have changed beyond recognition.
“Xin’er······” Mo Ziyuan pulled her into his arms and held her tightly. “The Capital City is full of countless nobles, but the Dingguo Duke’s Mansion isn’t something just anyone can challenge. Not to mention you’ve nurtured the Crown Prince—once in the Capital City, you can do whatever you want. If some blind fool offends you, go ahead and act, no matter who it is, I can clean it up for you!”
Lin Xin’s eyes flickered, and she looked up to ask him, “Really?”
“Really.” Mo Ziyuan nodded firmly.
“Alright, then it’s settled.”
“No backing out?” Mo Ziyuan gently pinched her cheek.
“You knew?” Lin Xin stuck out her tongue and asked.
“Xin’er, I understand you more than you think, but I don’t want to use that understanding to guess your thoughts. So, in the future, tell me any ideas you have, okay?”
The suddenly low bass voice and inexplicably serious attitude left Lin Xin a bit at a loss. Blush colored her earlobes as she looked at his gaze, firm yet pleading. Finally, she nodded heavily. “Okay!”
Thanks to Luoye Zhiqiu-Ad, Qishuang Aoxue-aB, Reader20230609337-ac, Mmy Dang, Qingchen Shui Dajue, caroletu, Fuze for the votes, and thanks to caroletu for the tip. Thank you all for your support. I’ve had a lot going on at home these past few days, so updates have been fewer, but tomorrow I’ll resume 4k daily updates. Thank you everyone!
