The sudden question caught Lu Hong off guard and he blushed instantly.

Knowing that Ling Xiao couldn’t see, Lu Hong still moved his eyes away guiltily, and coughed unnaturally: “Xiao biǎodì, why are you asking this all of a sudden?”

Ling Xiao had a keen ear, and followed the voice to look at Lu Hong: “I ask this, I have my own intentions. Hong biǎogē just needs to answer me. Do you like Ah Shu?”

Yes!

Of course, I like her!

He fell in love with her at first sight, and he tossed and turned for her. Every day he thinks hard, just to see her more. Occasionally say a word or two, and his heart will be full of joy, and he will be in a good mood all day long.

Ling Xiao waited patiently. After a while, Lu Hong mustered up the courage and nodded. Thinking that Ling Xiao couldn’t see, he hummed again.

Ling Xiao was not surprised either.

He was blind, but he had a keen sense of hearing. Every time Ah Shu was mentioned, there would be uncontrollable excitement in Lu Hong’s voice. When they met, Lu Hong was happy no matter how indifferent Ah Shu was.

If this was not like love then what else?

“Today is my grandmother’s birthday, and there are a lot of guests in the mansion. Ah Shu wants to greet the guests, and now if you go to the garden, and even if you see her, you won’t have a chance to talk.” Ling Xiao lowered his voice and laughed: “After the luncheon, the theater troupe will start. When it is time to sing, and I will quietly call Ah Shu to come to Qiushui Pavilion. Don’t disturb others, come here alone. If you have anything to say, just talk to Ah Shu!”

Lu Hong was both surprised and delighted: “What you said is true? Xiao biǎodì, you didn’t lie to me, did you?” He had been looking for a chance to talk to her in private, but unfortunately, he had no chance. Unexpectedly, Ling Xiao would take the initiative to bring this up today.

This was simply a good thing that fell from the sky.

Ling Xiao nodded with a smile.

Lu Hong grabbed Ling Xiao’s hand and was a little incoherent excitedly: “Xiao biǎodì, thank you. You are so kind to me.”

Ling Xiao grinned but thought to himself, I didn’t do it all because of you.

Ah Shu has been thinking a lot lately, and he didn’t know if it was because of Lu Hong. Rather than procrastinating in such an ambiguous manner, it would be better for the two of them to speak clearly face to face. If Ah Shu is also interested in Lu Hong, everyone will be happy.

If she intended to be ruthless…it can also make Lu Hong give up earlier.

…

Ling’s mansion set up a tall theater stage and specially invited the most famous theater troupe from Dingzhou City.

There were many tables and chairs beside the stage. The male guests and the female relatives sat on one side, chatting and laughing in low voices while watching the play, which was quite lively.

Ling Jingshu and Ling Jingyan sat together, whispered something, and smiled at each other.

“Shu tángmei is really amazing. In just a few days, she has gotten so close to Sister Yan.” The sourness in Ling Jingxian’s words couldn’t hide it: “People who don’t know may think they two are real sisters!”

She and Ling Jingyan had some unpleasant quarrels at first, even if she wanted to get closer, she couldn’t help it for a while. Seeing Ling Jingshu and Ling Jingyan getting along so intimately, she felt inexplicably resentful.

Ling Jingwan smiled: “Yan tángjiě rarely returns to Dingzhou to live for a few days, and I guess she should return to the capital soon. No matter how good our Shu tángmei is with her, it is impossible to follow her to the capital. What do you care about?”

It also made sense.

Ling Jingxian’s mood suddenly calmed down a lot, she picked up the pastry and put it in her mouth, watching the show.

She stayed in the inner house all day and rarely had the chance to go out as a guest. The people who come and go every day were those few faces, and what she did was nothing more than reading, embroidery, playing the piano, painting, and so on. Today’s opera troupe was singing, and everyone was watching with great interest.

On the stage at this moment, a white and handsome martial artist stood tall, holding a long knife, majestic. Another funny clown turned somersaults while running, attracting bursts of applause and greetings.

Ling Jingshu was quiet by nature, she had no interest in listening to operas and chatted with Ling Jingyan casually.

The maid Jing Yu came over quietly and said in a low voice: “Ninth Miss, the young master doesn’t want to stay here because it is too noisy. He asked you to accompany him back to Qiushui Pavilion!”

Ling Jingshu didn’t doubt that her brother wanted to go back and immediately agreed with a smile.

…

Ling Jingshu stepped into the Qiushui Pavilion with a smile, and called out: “Ah Xiao.”

Ling Xiao didn’t appear, but an unexpectedly handsome face came into view, with a smile on his eyebrows, as warm as a spring breeze: “Shu biǎomèi.”

It was Lu Hong!

Ling Jingshu’s smile disappeared suddenly, and her voice became cold: “Why are you here? Where is Ah Xiao?” Could it be that he followed Ling Xiao?

Lu Hong hesitated for a while before telling the truth: “Xiao biǎodì specially asked me to come here to wait for you.”

Ling Jingshu: “…”

What was Ling Xiao doing?!

Ling Jingshu frowned, and a not-so-good conjecture flashed in her mind: “Why did Ah Xiao ask you to come to see me? “

Her disgust and indifference, like a pot of cold water, poured down and extinguished most of Lu Hong’s joy and excitement. The smile on his face was also slightly stiff: “Xiao biǎodì also has good intentions, and wants the two of us to have a chance to be alone for a while, talk for a while…” 

“No need!”

Ling Jingshu said coldly: “There is a difference between men and women, and so we should avoid suspicion.”

“Moreover, we don’t know each other well at all, so I don’t think there is anything to say. You go away first!”

Lu Hong couldn’t laugh anymore, and blurted out the words hidden deep in his heart: “Shu biǎomèi, what did I do wrong? Why do you hate me so much? Why are you so harsh with me?”

Why?

Ling Jingshu twitched the corners of her lips, without the slightest smile in her eyes, and ordered without turning her head: “Bai Yu, go and guard the door, and don’t let anyone in. “

Today there was an opera troupe singing in the mansion, and all the maids and women went to join in the fun. Now there was no one in the Qiushui Pavilion. Bai Yu carefully closed the door and stood guard outside the courtyard.

Lu Hong stood under the veranda, and Ling Jingshu stood in the courtyard. The two of them faced each other at a distance of about three meters. 

The long-awaited solitude suddenly became a reality. But Lu Hong’s heart sank unsteadily. 

Ling Jingshu, who never looked directly at him, finally lifted her eyes up today. The beautiful, bright, and clear eyes stared straight at him: “Lu Hong, I will tell you the answer to the question you asked me just now. “

Lu Hong wanted to say something but held back himself.

“You did nothing wrong.” Because you haven’t had time yet.

“I can guess a thing or two about your feelings for me. However, I have half the affection for you. So, I don’t want to let you have the slightest misunderstanding. “

In this life, I will never repeat the same mistakes again, and I will never be moved by your tenderness and affection again.

Ling Jingshu’s tone was very calm, and there was no usual disgust in her eyes looking at him, just like looking at an irrelevant stranger.

This kind of calm look was even more hurtful than the previous indifference and disgust.

Lu Hong’s face turned pale slightly, and he forced himself to be calm: “Shu biǎomèi, the two of us have only been together for a short time, and you are not familiar with my character and temperament. It is reasonable to be wary of me.”

“Like you brother and sister, I also lost my mother when I was young. I know what it’s like not to have a mother. I studied hard since I was a child, hoping to pass the imperial examination as soon as possible. Before meeting you, I never paid attention to girls of the same age, let alone thought of my lifelong event. But that day when I met you in the garden, I fell in love with you at first sight. These days I tried my best to get close to cousin Xiao, just to take the opportunity to see you more times. Xiao biǎodì saw that and so specially created an opportunity for me to be alone with you and express my heart.”

“I have already thought about it. After today, I will mention our marriage to my parents. If the heavens are merciful, I will be honored to marry you as my wife, I will give you my heart and soul in this life.”

“If you don’t believe me, I will swear to the heavens now. In the heavens, I, Lu Hong, love Ling Jingshu, and I will never change my love in this life. If I break this oath, I will be struck by thunder. If I separate from you, I will die badly.”

…

The handsome young man confided his heart affectionately.

This scene was enough to win the hearts of all boudoir girls!

In her previous life, she was intoxicated with such tenderness and affection and easily gave her heart. Trusting and relying on him wholeheartedly, and full of longing for the future, she married into the Lu family… But who would have thought that in just a few years, he would change his mind! Abandoned his wife, stayed in the capital, and never returned to Dingzhou.

It was because of him that she fell into such a miserable situation!

Huge hatred and intense pain were surging in her heart, and Ling Jingshu’s voice was also sharp and excited: “What you think is all your business, and has nothing to do with me. I don’t have any affection for you, and I never had the idea of ​​marrying you. Let’s go when you’re done talking!”

All of Lu Hong’s expressions froze.

A sincere confession, in exchange for an indifferent rejection. No one can face it calmly. What’s more, under Lu Hong’s gentle and polite appearance, he never lacked the sense of superiority of the children of the aristocratic family and the pride of being a young man…

Lu Hong pursed his lips and walked over suddenly. In front of Ling Jingshu, just two steps away from her, he stopped: “What’s wrong with me? Why do you hate me so much and refuse to give me a chance?”

He had a good background and a good father. He was the eldest son of the Lu family and will be the head of the Lu clan in the future.

He was intelligent since he was a child, had a photographic memory, and was extremely talented in reading, and he had earned the reputation of a scholar early on. The future was limitless.

He had a good appearance, good demeanor, and temperament, and was praised by everyone as a beautiful boy.

With him like this, how could Ling Jingshu not like him at all?

Lu Hong couldn’t restrain his turbulent emotions and suddenly stretched out his hand to hold her hand. Just touched her fingers, before he could hold her slender and soft hand in her palm…

Ling Jingshu’s face turned pale suddenly, her whole body seemed to convulse, and strong nausea surged in her heart, she staggered back a step. Then she vomited out violently.