Later, Lu Hong left Jizhou and went to the capital to participate in the examination.

Lu Qian became more and more courageous, and even ran up to her and confessed his feelings to her. Shocked and angry, she scolded him mercilessly, refused sharply, and drove him away.

Lu Qian left in a daze. Because of overthinking, he was caught in heavy rain and developed a high fever. For three consecutive days, the high fever did not subside. Madam Ling was so frightened that she stayed by the bed all day wiping tears.

In a coma with a high fever, Lu Qian kept calling her boudoir name, and Madam Ling naturally heard it.

There was no need to elaborate on how furious she was. But seeing that Lu Qian’s life was about to be lost, she didn’t bother to make trouble for her.

After Lu Qian’s high fever subsided, he lay sleepily on the bed, refusing to eat or speak.

Holding back the anger in her heart, Madam Ling begged her softly to take care of Lu Qian for a few days: “…you are Ah Qian’s biǎojie and his Sǎozi. Do you want to watch him give away this life? I am begging you, to take care of him for a few days and coax him for a while, and when he recovers, you can do whatever you want to avoid suspicion and stay away from him.”

Although she was reluctant, she couldn’t stand Madam Ling crying and pleading and reluctantly agreed.

With her taking care of her, Lu Qian’s condition improved rapidly. He drank medicine and ate obediently, and soon healed up. But she also got into this trouble, and the servants in the mansion began to spread rumors. Madam Ling looked at her more and more unkindly.

Soon came the good news that Lu Hong won the first prize in the exam. She was ecstatic, looking forward to Lu Hong’s return as soon as possible, and taking her and her son away from Lu’s mansion.

It was a pity that what she waited for was the bad news that Lu Hong didn’t want to continue the marriage.

She was sad and desperate, and she shed tears in the house. Lu Qian rushed to her room during the day and said desperately in front of the servant girls: “Brother is treacherous, don’t embrace him, he doesn’t want you, I’ll marry you!”

Madam Ling came quickly and ordered Lu Qian to be tied up with a livid face.

Before leaving, Madam Ling gave her a hard look. Resentful and vicious like a poisonous snake, it made people shudder.

……

The distant memories that have been dusty in her heart come flooding back.

Lu Qian’s fair and delicate face full of smiles quietly coincided with the desperate and paranoid young man in his memory.

Ling Jingshu felt an unspeakable feeling in her heart. If it wasn’t for Lu Qian, Madam Ling wouldn’t have used such vicious and insidious means to harm her, and she wouldn’t have ended up like that…

But during the painful years of being under house arrest in Lu’s house, only Lu Qian dared to visit her. When she couldn’t bear the humiliation and wanted to escape back to her mother’s house, it was Lu Qian who secretly helped her escape from Lu’s residence.

In the final analysis, Lu Qian was just a stubborn young man who couldn’t help but love her. She hated the Lu family, but she didn’t have much hatred for Lu Qian… just not the slightest liking for him.

Ling Jingshu, who was in a mess of thoughts, looked a little dazed.

Lu Qian had been paying close attention to the changes in Ling Jingshu’s expression, and naturally, he didn’t miss the moment of suddenness, and there was a sharp pain in his heart. But he couldn’t show anything, and he had to work hard to squeeze out a cheerful smile: “Shu biǎojie, only the Luoyang brocade bloomed in the garden. I didn’t have time to appreciate it when I came to the garden last time. Today is just a good time to watch it carefully. I hope Shu biǎojie, you will not hide your secrets, give me some pointers.” 

He stretched out his hand without hitting the smiling face. Ling Jingshu hesitated for a moment, then nodded.

Lu Qian’s eyes lit up, and his right hand tucked into his sleeve trembled with excitement. Fortunately, it was well concealed and no one noticed.

Lu Hong saw this scene with his eyes, and his heart became more and more uncomfortable.

Needless to say, Ling Jingshu’s gentle care for Ling Xiao was something normal and she was polite to Lu Qian. Only when facing him, her eyebrows cold, and her eyes were full of disgust and contempt.

Lu Hong was also born with a stubborn temper. The more Ling Jingshu was like this, the stronger his desire to get close to her became.

It was not a good way to get cheeky in front of her.

Lu Hong thought deeply and soon an idea hit him. Deliberately walked faster, stood side by side with Ling Xiao, and chatted with Ling Xiao affectionately: “Xiao biǎodì, yesterday I saw you also went to the Ling family’s home school to listen in, do you understand the scriptures explained by the master?”

Ling Xiao shook his head a little ashamedly: “I only understand a small part of it, and most of it I don’t understand.”

“Reading books to figure out the meaning of the scriptures by yourself is naturally not as good as the master’s careful teaching. If you don’t dislike my clumsy speech, I will carefully explain to you the scriptures that the master said yesterday. “

Being so friendly and enthusiastic made Ling Xiao’s heart warm, and his beautiful face glowed with joy: “This is so embarrassing, it’s too much trouble for Hong biǎogē. “

Lu Hong smiled slightly: “A few trivial things are nothing to worry about. Xiao biǎodì is so polite, it seems strange.”

After a pause, he laughed again: “This time, I will be a guest at Ling’s mansion with my Mother and second brother, and I will stay for a few months. I am two years older than you, and I have worked hard in reading. I passed the yuànshì^[1]college or academy examination, the last part of the entry-level examination last year, and now I have the reputation of a Xiucai^[2]scholars who passed the college examination. I still have some experience in the Four Books and Five Classics. If you don’t understand anything about the Four Books and Five Classics, you may as well discuss it with me. Maybe it will be of some benefit to you. “

Ling Xiao was quite pleasantly surprised. However, he didn’t respond immediately, but gently tugged Ling Jingshu’s sleeve: “Ah Shu, is it good to trouble Hong biǎogē like this? “

Lu Hong’s thoughts couldn’t be hidden from Ling Jingshu at all.

Ling Jingshu was about to refuse without thinking, but when she saw the excitement and expectation on Ling Xiao’s face, her heart suddenly softened.

Ling Xiao stayed in the inner house every day, he had no playmates of the same age. He has always been lonely and alone. Ling Xiao was so happy about Lu Hong’s proactive gestures…

Forget it. As long as Ling Xiao was happy.

Although Lu Hong is a perfidious villain, he had real talents. He was willing to give advice sincerely, which was also a good thing for Ling Xiao.

Ling Jingshu smiled at Ling Xiao: “It’s really troublesome for biǎogē Lu. However, since biǎogē Lu opened his mouth on his own initiative, he is sincere in his thoughts. You should learn from him! “

As soon as these words came out, Ling Xiao and Lu Hong’s eyes lit up.

Lu Hong’s overjoyed look fell into Ling Jingshu’s eyes, which was particularly glaring.

Ling Jingshu secretly sneered.

Lu Hong intends to curry favor with Ling Xiao, but his purpose was nothing more than to take the opportunity to get close to her. It was a pity that her heart was already as cold as iron. Even though Lu Hong had all kinds of means, it was all in vain.

……

Everyone had their own thoughts, so viewing flowers became redundant.

Lu Qian talked a lot today, and he kept talking to Ling Jingshu endlessly: “Shu biǎojie, which two kinds of peonies are used to graft this Luoyang Brocade? How long does it last? Besides these two colors of flowers, are there other kinds of peonies that can be produced in other colors?”

“Shu biǎojie, I have nothing to do every day, I will accompany you to the peony garden to take care of these peonies!” 

“Shu biǎojie, besides planting flowers, what other pastimes do you like to do? Playing the piano, painting, or embroidery?”

“Shu biǎojie…”

Like a fly, buzzing incessantly around her ears.

Even if Ling Jingshu had the best patience, it was almost worn out. She said in a bad manner: “You need to be calm when appreciating the flowers. If you are so noisy, how can you enjoy the flowers?

” “Yes, yes, yes, I will listen to you, and I will stop talking from now on.” 

After holding back for a while, he opened his mouth again: “Shu biǎojie, can you teach me how to grow peonies?”

Ling Jingshu: “… “

Still haunting people like in the previous life, putting on a cold face as if he didn’t see it, and not paying attention to her sarcastic remarks, like a hot dog skin plaster, which gave people headaches.

Lu Hong has been patiently explaining the scriptures to Ling Xiao, occasionally raising his head to see Ling Jingshu’s helplessness and Lu Qian’s joy in his eyes. There was some unspeakable sourness in his heart.

When he realized that the sourness came from Lu Qian, he couldn’t help but secretly laugh at himself.

Lu Qian was still a child, so he didn’t know about the affair between the man and woman at all. It was ridiculous for him to be jealous of Lu Qian.

Looking at Ling Jingshu’s beautiful profile, Lu Hong’s heart was full of strange and surging emotions, the sweetness was mixed with hesitation, and the sourness contained infinite joy.

Was this what it felt like to love someone?

The heart seemed to be floating in the clouds, eager to see her, moved by her every frown and smile, and sad by her indifference and disgust.

Lu Hong suddenly lost his mind.

Ling Xiao waited for a long time, but he didn’t hear him continue, so he couldn’t help urging: “Hong biǎogē, why did you stop talking halfway?”

Lu Hong finally recovered, and coughed guiltily: ” It’s nothing, I was just thinking about how to say it in a simple and easy-to-understand way…”

A young man hurried over and reported to Lu Hong and Lu Qian: “Eldest and Second young master, the master’s boat have already arrived at the pier. Madam told the two young masters to take a carriage to the pier to pick up the master now.”