Chapter 40:
“Fine, fine, fine,” Xie Wanning was unwilling to entangle with him on this issue anymore and nodded indifferently upon hearing this: “You’re clean, you’re the cleanest, remember to return the marriage certificate.”
This was how much she didn’t want to have any more connection with him!
Lu Ziyan’s jaw tightened, and the corner of his lips tugged into a smile: “It’s fine, we have plenty of time ahead, there will be a day when you believe it.”
That tone was very chilling.
Xie Wanning was too lazy to argue with him, glanced at him once and then shifted her line of sight away, stepping toward the door.
As they brushed past each other, Lu Ziyan stretched out his arm to block her. He pursed his lips and stared into her eyes: “…You really have nothing to do with Pei Yuqing, right?”
“I don’t mean anything else, I’m just worried you’ll do something wrong to spite me.”
He couldn’t forget that day, the scene of her gazing affectionately at that old man.
She had even praised how handsome that old man was.
Every time he thought of it, it felt like a fishbone stuck in his throat, extremely vexed and depressed.
Xie Wanning only found his behavior ridiculous and was too lazy to say even one word to him.
They were all breaking off the engagement.
Did he even understand what breaking off the engagement meant!
If she didn’t want to argue with him and cause any more waves in the matter of breaking off the engagement, she really wanted to mock him a few sentences.
The young lady in front of him didn’t answer, her expression very calm, as if she hadn’t heard his words at all. Lu Ziyan’s gaze suddenly sharpened, and he leaned down close to meet her eyes: “Don’t get too close to other men just to spite me.”
“The matter between you and me, we’ll settle it ourselves, don’t drag other men into it.”
“Got it?”
“If you want to break the engagement, I’ll go along with you, I absolutely won’t pester you endlessly anymore,” his voice gradually softened, and his gaze also gentled somewhat, “but Wanwan, once is enough, from now on you’re not allowed to use other men to spite me.”
He was leaning in quite close, his low voice right by her ear. Xie Wanning turned her head away to avoid it, her hand in her sleeve clenched into a fist, and under his pressing gaze, she took a deep breath and said: “Are you done?”
“If you’re done, then move aside.”
Even if she was strongly suppressing her impatience, Lu Ziyan had been leading troops in campaigns since he was sixteen, his perceptiveness was extremely sharp, and his eyes immediately darkened.
After a few moments of silence, he stepped aside to let her pass.
Xie Wanning walked toward the door, with Lu Ziyan following behind her.
After exiting the reception hall, the sky outside was already filled with red clouds, it was dusk.
Lu Ziyan stood in place, his gaze quietly watching that slender figure.
She walked farther and farther away, never once looking back.
His originally quite certain heart sank bit by bit.
He suddenly shouted loudly: “Wanwan!”
Xie Wanning’s footsteps halted.
Lu Ziyan strode after her and looked down at her clear, indifferent expression, saying: “Look up at me.”
Xie Wanning was slightly stunned, raised her eyes to glare at him, her face full of bafflement.
Lu Ziyan laughed from her glare, his taut heartstring slowly relaxing, “Alright, go on then, I’ll send the marriage certificate tomorrow.”
Xie Wanning: “…”
Why did she feel like she almost didn’t recognize this person anymore.
Had he really taken the wrong medicine?
………..
Xie Wanning was too lazy to walk, so she simply got into the sedan chair and returned to her Jianxia Courtyard.
As soon as she entered the door, she saw her elder brother bending over to tend to a few delicate flower branches in the courtyard.
She was slightly startled and quietly walked to his side, saying softly, “Why is Elder Brother here?”
Xie Yanyu glanced sideways at her, his hands not stopping as he said: “From your tone, it seems you’re unwilling for me to come?”
“Of course not,” Xie Wanning tilted her head and smiled at him, “A few days ago, Third Cousin said there’s a thorny flower from the western regions that’s very beautiful, can Elder Brother get me a few to keep?”
Her elder brother worked at the Supervision Yuan, his rank wasn’t high, but it was a position with real power, and he would certainly know about things merchants from the western regions brought to the capital city.
Sure enough, Xie Yanyu washed his hands while asking: “What’s that flower called?”
Xie Wanning said: “Mandala Blue, also known as Western Regions Rose.”
“Are you sure you can keep it alive?” Xie Yanyu pointed to a few orchids he had just pruned nearby, his tone flat: “If I don’t come, they’ll die.”
“Isn’t that so,” Xie Wanning showed a big smile, righteous and confident: “I have you, Elder Brother, you’ll cultivate them well for me, right?”
Xie Yanyu: “…”
He glanced at his younger sister and changed the subject: “You’ve met with Lu Ziyan?”
Xie Wanning hummed in affirmation, nodding as she said: “Yes, he agreed to return the marriage certificate tomorrow.”
“Alright, have him take their family’s betrothal gifts back tomorrow too.” Xie Yanyu patted her little head, didn’t ask for details, and only said warmly: “This matter is settled, you don’t need to worry about it anymore.”
Xie Wanning’s anxiety these past days had been seen by everyone in the family.
Hearing this, she felt touched in her heart, slapped away her elder brother’s hand while obediently nodding.
………..
Thinking that tomorrow she would completely sever ties with the Lu Family and Lu Ziyan, and everything from the dream wouldn’t happen again, Xie Wanning’s mood that night was complex.
Excitement, disappointment, relief, all sorts of feelings came in waves, making her toss and turn, unable to sleep.
Even until the third watch she still couldn’t sleep, she suddenly remembered the pill Pei Yuqing had given her during the day.
That brocade box was right on the dressing table. She didn’t call Er Qing in, but got out of bed herself, without even putting on an outer garment, walked over in a few steps, took out one pill and swallowed it.
The pill went down her throat, the faint fresh fragrance blending with the bitterness of the medicinal herbs, and the taste wasn’t bad at all.
She thought of the breath on that person, which seemed to carry a faint medicinal herb scent, and unknowingly fell asleep.
With the matter weighing on her mind, she didn’t sleep soundly.
Fortunately, the next day as soon as she woke up, she heard the news that the Lu Family had returned the marriage certificate.
The betrothal gifts were also returned intact.
As for the New Year’s gifts and festival gifts exchanged between the two families over these years, they were already too numerous to count.
And the things she had given to Lu Ziyan, and what Lu Ziyan had given her, there were quite a few, but neither mentioned them, so they let it be.
Perhaps because the long-pending worry had finally settled, the big stone in her heart was completely let go.
That very afternoon, Xie Wanning developed a fever.
This time it wasn’t feigned illness, she was really sick.
She was so ill that her whole person was groggy.
Before her eyes, one moment it was Lu Ziyan’s cold, frosty face, the next it was Er Qing stripped of her dress and beaten to death with a staff.
Looking at the youngest daughter still shedding tears in her delirium, Madam Zheng gently wiped her tears with a handkerchief, choked up as she said: “This child buries everything in her heart, looks like nothing’s wrong, but who knew she was so upset inside.”
How much their young lady liked that Lu Family boy, they had all seen it over these years.
This time she had ruthlessly severed emotions, but in her heart she was still reluctant, right?
Mother and daughter shared a heart, and Madam Zheng also shed tears.
Xie Yanyu advised: “Mother, go rest for a bit, I’ll watch over Wanwan.”
Mama Zhang at the side also advised: “Madam, you should take care of your own health too, otherwise when the eldest young lady wakes up, she’ll blame herself even more.”
