CH 94

Chapter 94

Tan Lingyin went to Gutang Bookstore to play with Qingchen again. Gutang Bookstore no longer sold books by Miao Miao Sheng, so the business was much slower than usual. However Tan Qingchen remained quite calm.

These siblings have always been together. They kept their old habits, he would listen to whatever she said.

"Qingchen, have you heard? The County Magistrate is getting married."

"I heard it’s the daughter of the assistant minister of the Ministry of Rites, located in the capital."

"What's so great about the Minister of Rites." Tan Lingyin pouted.

These words sounded particularly envious, so Tan Qingchen looked at her strangely. He doesn't quite know why she sounded so sour. Was she jealous that the girl had a good background or was she jealous that the man married up?

"Fine, the Minister of Rites is really great," Tan Lingyin confessed in the end. She lowered her head and played with her fingers. "To marry such a good wife, he’ll be quite successful in the future."

Qingchen touched her arm, and she looked up at him.

He gestured: Do you like him?

"Who?" Tan Lingyin asked.

Qingchen took her hand and wrote three words on her palm: Tang Feilong.

Tan Lingyin blushed. She pulled her hand back suddenly, lowered her head, and said, "I, I, I don't like him!"

Qingchen smiled and shook his head. He nudged the back of her hand gently, attracting her to look up.

Qingchen: Let's go!

Tan Lingyin was taken aback, "Go? Go where?"

Qingchen: Anywhere is fine. It’s not good here.

Tan Lingyin was a little reluctant. "Let's wait for a while. This place... Zhu Dacong still needs an explanation."

When she mentioned Zhu Dacong, Tan Qingchen remembered something. 

Yesterday, Zhu Dacong sent a servant to deliver things to Tan Lingyin. It was said to be an apology gift, but the County Magistrate had already ordered that Zhu Dacong's people were not allowed to enter the county office. So the servant had to send the things to the Gutang Bookstore and asked Boss Tan to hand them over on his behalf.

Tan Qingchen got up and went to get a brocade box. Tan Lingyin opened it and saw that there were several pieces of jewelry inside, all of which were of good condition and beautiful.

Zhu Dacong was also good at calculating people's hearts. After Tan Lingyin ran away after their ‘unhappy quarrel’, he knew that she couldn't hold back her emotions for a while. No matter what he said or did, it would only add to the embarrassment, so he stopped showing up for a few days. Once Tan Lingyin's mood had calmed down, he sent a gift as an apology. This gave enough face, and showed enough affection. So how could Tan Lingyin ignore it?

Sure enough, now that Tan Lingyin saw these things, she suddenly felt guilty for Zhu Dacong again. 

She said something incomprehensible last time, and didn't know if he understood. Tan Lingyin felt that she had done the wrong things in the past, she hurt him and kept running away from it since then. Now she had to take responsibility; she had to admit her mistakes and make up for it.

So Tan Lingyin went to Zhu Dacong with the brocade box.

"Zhu dage, I can't take these things." She had to return the things to him first.

Zhu Dacong didn’t take it. "Why? Is it because you don't like this style? There are others in my store."

"No, no," Tan Lingyin shook her head and put the brocade box on the table, "You don't need to apologize to me, it's me who should apologize.

Zhu Dacong smiled and said, "What is it? Did you figure it out and decide you will marry me?"

Tan Lingyin was a little embarrassed, "Zhu dage, I have to tell you something."

"Speak."

"Actually I am... I am..."

"You are Tan Lingyin." Zhu Dacong completed the sentence for her.

Tan Lingyin quickly raised her head and looked at him in surprise.

Zhu Dacong smiled and said, "Don't look at me like that. I'm not stupid. I guessed it from what you said to me last time." He stepped forward and said sternly, "Lingyin, you hurt me so much."

Tan Lingyin's eyes reddened, "I'm sorry." She felt sorry from the bottom of her heart.

"If your family doesn't agree with this marriage, then just say it. Our Zhu Residence was never a persistent one. Even if you can't beat your esteemed father, you could have asked someone to pass a message to me. I wouldn’t have forced you to do anything. Why must you pretend to be dead, and pretend for a whole three years! Do you know how I lived these three years? I blame myself every day: 'I didn't kill the person, but they died because of me'. Because a good maiden was killed by me, I dare not let my father propose to another family again. Tan Lingyin, Tan Lingyin, why must you be so cruel?" The more Zhu Dacong said, the more excited he became. Although it was part of his performance, what he said was not a lie. His grudge was let out with his words. His eyes also turned red.

This woman caused him so much hardship, so he must have her marry him to relieve his hatred!

Tan Lingyin choked, "I'm sorry, I really didn't know this would happen. I..."

Zhu Dacong suddenly raised his voice and said angrily, "Since you ran away, why didn't you run farther away? Why did you not know how to avoid me when you saw me, and insisted on appearing in front of me again and again? Why did I fall in love with you?! Now that I'm infatuated with you and can't extricate myself, you come to tell me that you're the dead ‘Tan Lingyin’? Is it fun to play with people like this?"

Tan Lingyin's tears finally fell. She kept apologizing. Except for being sorry, she didn't know what else to say.

"Stop crying!" Zhu Dacong roared.

Tan Lingyin was frightened and her shoulders trembled.

"When you cry, my heart softens." He said helplessly.

This wasn’t a terrific love story, but it was really heart-wrenching. Tan Lingyin looked up at him, her tears falling even more fiercely.