After leaving the Yonghe Hall, Ling Jingshu’s expression darkened, and her lips pursed extremely tightly. Bai Yu waited by Ling Jingshu’s side all day long, she guessed a few of her thoughts, and said in a low voice: “Miss, gū gu just now seemed to be testing the master’s reaction by joking.”

Ling Jingshu couldn’t help it even if she didn’t want to.

For life-long events, we must rely on the words of the matchmaker and obey the orders of our parents. It’s really sad that women can’t control their fate themselves. Ling Jingshu twitched the corners of her lips, but there was no smile in her eyes: “With the Lu family’s family background if the Ling family and the Lu family get married, our Ling family will be on the top.”

What’s more, Lu Hong had a talented appearance and was a perfect match for her from every angle. This marriage will not humiliate her. No wonder Fifth Master Ling and Madam Ling both had smiles on their faces.

Bai Yu frowned: “Miss doesn’t like Master Biao ^[1]son of your father’s sister at all. What if the master agrees to this marriage, what should you do?”

Ling Jingshu expressed her depression in her chest for a long time: “I will find a way to make them change their minds. You don’t have to worry about me.”

The specific method was not specified. However, Bai Yu felt strangely relieved.

The young lady’s temper was still gentle, but she was calmer than before, and she had also become extremely assertive. Now that she said that, she must have figured out a way.

There was nothing to say all the way, and the master and servant quickly returned to Qiushui Pavilion.

…

Ling Jingshu stopped suddenly.

A handsome and frail young man came into view, with a happy smile on his fair face: “Shu biǎojie.”

Ling Jingshu was in a bad mood and had no interest in talking to Lu Qian, so she said lightly, “Why did Qian biǎodì come to Qiushui Pavilion?” 

Lu Qian seemed unable to suppress the excitement in his heart, took a few steps forward, and said in a low voice, “Shu biǎojie, I came to see you today because I have something very important to tell you.” 

Very important thing?

What could be important between the two of them?

Ling Jingshu frowned, feeling an inexplicable unease in her heart, and quickly suppressed the emotion she shouldn’t have: “If you have anything to say, just say it now!” 

Lu Qian looked at Ling Jingshu’s indifferent face, and he couldn’t help but take two steps closer: “This matter must not be heard by others, we must find a quiet and safe place.”

Ling Jingshu reflexively took two steps back, pulling away from each other.

Lu Qian’s smile froze, but soon returned to normal, and said with a smile: Shu biǎojie, let’s talk in the Qiushui Pavilion.”

Ling Jingshu collected herself and nodded in response: “Alright, come with me!” secretly guessing Lu Qian’s intentions. Could it be that Lu Qian knew about Ling’s plan to propose marriage and came here to “report the good news” to her?

There are not many servants in Qiushui Pavilion, so it was not difficult to find a “quiet and safe” private place. Naturally, Ling Jingshu would not lead Lu Qian to her boudoir, but to the west wing.

This was the place where Ling Jingshu practiced Guqin and read books on usual days. The room was not big, but it was quite tidy. When you opened the window, it faced a crabapple tree.

The breeze was blowing, and the branches and leaves are rustling. Added a bit of elegance.

Bai Yu was very clever, and without waiting for Ling Jingshu’s order, she retreated, closed the door, and guarded about three or four meters outside the door. In this way, you can see the maids coming and going at any time, and you can’t hear the voices in the room.

……

“You came to find me on purpose, what’s the matter?” Ling Jingshu opened her mouth to break the silence.

It is rare for Lu Qian to have the opportunity to be alone with Ling Jingshu, not to mention how excited and happy he was, he blurted out: “Shu biǎojie, I have convinced my mother that she will soon propose marriage to my grandmother and fifth uncle.” 

Ling Jingshu: “… ….”

Lu Qian didn’t seem to see Ling Jingshu’s stiff expression and continued on: “You have already rejected eldest brother, he has no face to marry you again, and when I marry you in the future, I will treat you wholeheartedly in this life. I am now 12 years old, you wait patiently for me for a few years, and when I become an adult, I will marry you immediately…” “

Lu Qian! Do you know what you are talking about?”

Ling Jingshu couldn’t listen anymore and quickly interrupted Lu Qian. The uneasiness in her heart became more and more intense, and her expression was full of vigilance: “We are cousins, that’s all. I never had any other thoughts about you…” 

“I know you I still don’t like me enough.” Lu Qian stared straight at Ling Jingshu, with a fiery light in his eyes: “However, it doesn’t matter. When the two of us get married, there will be more time to slowly cultivate our relationship.” 

On the immature face, the familiar fanatical expression in memory floated up.

Ling Jingshu’s heart was filled with turbulent waves.

No, this was not twelve-year-old Lu Qian!

This was clearly the twisted teenager who was obsessed with his sǎo zi ^[2]wife of elder brother in his previous life!

How could this be?

Where did it go wrong?!

Lu Qian was in a turbulent mood, and couldn’t help taking a step forward: “Shu biǎojie…” 

“Lu Qian, stop!” Ling Jingshu’s mind was in confusion, and her voice unconsciously became sharp: “Don’t come here.”

Lu Qian Qian obediently stopped in his tracks, and the burning eagerness in his eyes could no longer be concealed: “Don’t be afraid, everything in the previous life will never happen again, and I will protect you. No one will dare to bully you or hurt you anymore. I have already asked my Father and my mother for permission and they agreed to our marriage. We will get engaged now and I will marry you in a few years. My eldest brother will go to the capital and become fùmǎ ^[3]husband of an imperial princess in the future. I will stay in Jizhou and be with you forever… “

Ling Jingshu finally recovered from the shock: “Okay! Don’t talk anymore! Let me be quiet for a while.”

Lu Qian finally stopped talking and looked at her expectantly and joyfully.

……

Ling Jingshu took a deep breath, her heartbeat stabilized and her mind regained clarity.

It turned out that she was not the only one who was reborn, Lu Qian was also reborn and returned just like her. These days, Lu Qian’s hiding was really good, she didn’t notice anything, and she was too negligent…

Now was not the time to think about these things, the most important thing was to solve this big trouble in front of her.

Ling Jingshu collected herself, looked at Lu Qian, and asked directly, “You were reborn, too?”

Lu Qian answered neatly, “Yes.”

…The expected answer. Ling Jingshu had mixed feelings in her heart, and she couldn’t tell what it was like for a while, so she asked subconsciously: “When did you die?” 

Back then, she was ordered to die by a secret decree, and because she refused to commit suicide, Ling herself strangled her to death. At that time, although Lu Qian was often sick, he had no fear for his life.

Lu Qian recalled that painful and maddening memory, with a bit of bitterness in his expression, he replied in a low voice: “After you died, I didn’t want to live anymore, I committed suicide while the servants were not paying attention. In an instant, I was reborn. Just over half a month ago, I woke up on the boat.”

Ling Jingshu remained silent.

Counting the days, when Lu Qian was reborn, it was almost at the same time as her.

“Ah Shu, I’m sorry, I was useless, I couldn’t save you back then.” Lu Qian changed his nickname to a more intimate one, his eyes full of affection: “The two of us are reborn together, this must be God’s gift and arrangement. Don’t worry, I will protect you in the future, and I will never let you be wronged again.” 

The immature face, paired with an eager and frantic expression, looked rather weird, even a little scary!

This face was one of the murderers who caused her nightmares in her previous life. If it wasn’t for his wishful thinking, if it wasn’t for his undisguised affection, Madam Ling wouldn’t hate her to the bone, and use such dirty and insidious means to deal with her…Why did he think that she would be willing to marry him, willing to jump into the fire pit of the Lu family again?

“Lu Qian, I will not marry you.” Ling Jingshu said word by word: “I have never liked you, not in the previous life nor in this life.”

Lu Qian was rejected so flatly and neatly, but still, he did not back down: ” Feelings can be cultivated slowly. I will not be as ungrateful as Lu Hong, and I will give you my whole heart for the rest of my life.” 

“These are just your wishful thinking.” Ling Jingshu restrained all her emotions, her expression indifferent: “But, I don’t want to.”

“Lu Qian, you have been pestering me all your life and your contribution was indispensable to what happened to me. If it wasn’t for you, your mother wouldn’t hate me like that. Even if Lu An had some bad intentions, he couldn’t dare to humiliate me so blatantly and unscrupulously.”

“It is impossible for me to have any affection for you in this life, let alone marry you. You should kill this thought as soon as possible.”

The phrase “contribution is indispensable” stabbed deeply into Lu Qian’s fragile chest, with pain and self-blame in his eyes: “Ah Shu, I’m sorry. I didn’t mean to drag you down. I didn’t expect that mother would treat you such a murderous hand…”

He never expected that his father, Lu An, would do such a thing that was inferior to a beast.

Regret and guilt lingered in his heart day and night, torturing him so much that his life was worse than death. However, he didn’t have the courage to save her, nor did he have the courage to resist Lu An and Madam Ling. He could only torture himself in despair! He was originally frail and sickly, one illness after another, and his body was overwhelmed in just a few years.

On the day the secret decree arrived at Lu’s house, Ling deliberately concealed the news and secretly executed Ling Jingshu. When he heard the bad news, he was heartbroken and almost collapsed. Fearing that he would be overwhelmed and commit suicide, Ling guarded him all day long. After a while, she relaxed a little. However, there were servants around him all the time.

He endured it for several months, waiting until the people around him relaxed their vigilance, and then he found a chance to dive to his death.

At the moment before he died, he felt no pain, only relief.

Probably God heard his prayer before death and made his dream come true. When he woke up on the boat and found himself reborn, tears of excitement streamed down his face. He secretly swore in his heart that in this life, he would definitely meet Ling Jingshu before Lu Hong did, and he would marry her as his wife, and cherish her for the rest of his life.