LGHTNOVELBOOK Chapter 38: Inescapable Fate
Chapter 38: Inescapable Fate
Perhaps when Xiao Heng said those words, the emotion in his eyes was too obvious. Even though Lin Yuan was only standing beside him and couldn’t directly see his eyes, she could clearly perceive the desire in his heart.
His desire for Qiao Nian!
She panicked.
She finally understood that Xiao Heng truly had Qiao Nian in his heart!
Then, what about her?
What did she mean to him?
As the hurt welled up inside her, Lin Yuan quickly lowered her head, letting her tears fall one by one onto the ground.
Unexpectedly, a handkerchief suddenly appeared before her eyes.
It was Xiao Heng’s handkerchief.
Lin Yuan’s heart trembled slightly as she reached out to take it.
She heard Xiao Heng say indifferently, “Let’s go,” before walking ahead.
Lin Yuan stood there holding the handkerchief, watching Xiao Heng’s tall figure walk away. Another thought arose in her mind.
It was normal for men to have three wives and four concubines. Xiao Heng had been engaged to Qiao Nian for so long, so it was normal for him to have a place for her in his heart.
Otherwise, wouldn’t he be a heartless man?
But his relationship with Qiao Nian was in the past. The Emperor had already decreed their marriage. No matter how bold Xiao Heng might be, he couldn’t possibly compete with the Emperor’s son for a woman.
So, he and Qiao Nian had no future together.
The person he would marry would always be her!
Just like this handkerchief, which ultimately ended up in her hands. That was enough.
Thinking this way, Lin Yuan managed to comfort herself.
She sniffled, tucked the handkerchief into her sleeve, and quickly caught up, “Heng-ge, wait for me.”
She called out in her usual delicate voice.
However, Xiao Heng didn’t slow down, continuing at the same steady pace.
Lin Yuan quickened her steps and soon caught up.
This year’s Lantern Festival seemed more lively than previous years, with more novel goods at the street stalls.
Even Lin Yuan couldn’t help but stop at one stall, “Heng-ge, look how unique these masks are.”
Lin Yuan held up a mask in front of Xiao Heng, waving it slightly.
Xiao Heng paused, suddenly remembering that Qiao Nian had been wearing an identical mask earlier, but it had fallen to the ground and been kicked away by passersby.
He unconsciously reached out and took the mask.
Lin Yuan thought he liked it, so she picked up another masculine-style mask and waved it at Xiao Heng, “Heng-ge, doesn’t this mask look like you?”
The theatrical face on the mask was handsome and extraordinary, with fierce eyes, clearly depicting a military general.
It did bear some resemblance to him.
As he was looking at it intently, the stall owner laughed and introduced, “The mask in the young master’s hand and the one in the young lady’s hand are a pair!”
Hearing this, Lin Yuan’s face immediately turned red, and she could barely hold the mask in her hand, filled with shyness.
But she didn’t explain, instead occasionally glancing up at Xiao Heng, wanting to see his reaction.
However, she saw that Xiao Heng’s attention was focused solely on the two masks.
After hearing what the stall owner said, he took the mask from Lin Yuan’s hand and placed the two masks together.
A deep smile involuntarily appeared at the corners of his mouth.
A pair… huh?
“Miss, look, it’s General Xiao and Second Miss!” In the second-floor private room of Fulai Teahouse, Ning Shuang leaned by the window. Among the crowds coming and going downstairs, Xiao Heng was the most eye-catching, so Ning Shuang spotted him immediately.
Qiao Nian sat at the table. Prince Ming hadn’t arrived yet, so currently, only she and Ning Shuang were in the room.
Hearing Ning Shuang’s voice, Qiao Nian also looked down, and with just one glance, she saw Xiao Heng and Lin Yuan beside him.
Seeing that Lin Yuan’s face no longer showed the earlier hurt and tears, but instead was full of joy, Qiao Nian couldn’t help but sneer inwardly.
She didn’t know if Lin Yuan’s expression was deliberately put on for her to see, or if Xiao Heng had used some method to comfort her in such a short time!
However, it was none of her business anyway.
Just as she was thinking this, the door of the private room was pushed open.
Ning Shuang quickly stood behind Qiao Nian, and Qiao Nian also stood up, instinctively about to bow.
But upon seeing who had entered, Qiao Nian’s movement froze.
It wasn’t Prince Ming.
Instead, it was two burly men.
Judging by their build, they were likely trained in martial arts.
Qiao Nian immediately darkened her expression, “Who are you? Do you know that I am…”
“The eldest lady of the Marquis’s mansion, of course!” One of them suddenly interrupted.
Qiao Nian’s heart sank even further.
She had originally thought these two were just ruffians who had entered the wrong room, but now it was clear they were here for her.
But Prince Ming had clearly arranged to meet her here!
“Are you Prince Ming’s men?” she asked, clinging to her last hope.
Unexpectedly, the two men exchanged smiles, then looked at Qiao Nian, “Forgive us, young lady. We brothers are just doing a job for pay.”
They weren’t sent by Prince Ming!
Qiao Nian’s heart sank to the bottom, but Ning Shuang suddenly sprang forward, throwing herself at one of the men, “Miss, run quickly!”
Qiao Nian was startled, but before she could react, Ning Shuang was thrown back by the man.
It was too easy, as if Ning Shuang wasn’t a person but a small rabbit, pushed effortlessly.
Ning Shuang fell heavily to the ground, her head hitting the wall, and she immediately lost consciousness.
Outside the teahouse, the noise of the crowd continued unabated. The commotion in this small private room hadn’t attracted anyone’s attention.
Qiao Nian thought that even if she shouted for help out the window now, probably no one would hear.
Even if they did hear, given the skills of these two men, they would subdue her before anyone from the street could see her.
But the wounds on her back hadn’t healed yet!
Even if she could somehow escape from these two men with her own skills, what about Ning Shuang?
All these thoughts flashed through her mind in an instant. Qiao Nian bit her back teeth, then said, “You’re just after money, right? How much did they pay you? I’ll double it.”
Unexpectedly, her words only elicited mockery from them, “Double? You’re just an expendable adopted daughter of the Marquis’s family. Can you afford two thousand taels?”
So the person behind this had paid these two men a thousand taels!
Did they harbor such a deep grudge against her?
Qiao Nian felt her heart constricting.
Her hands, clasped in front of her, were tightly pinching the back of her hand, hoping the pain would help her maintain her composure.
She couldn’t panic. The more she panicked, the happier they would be!
She forced a smile, trying to appear calm and indifferent, “It seems you two are unaware. Recently, the Emperor betrothed me to Prince Ming and bestowed many treasures. A mere two thousand taels is nothing. If you let me go, I can give you three thousand taels.”
Those rewards were far from three thousand taels, but at this moment, Qiao Nian acted as if the Emperor had given her tens of thousands of taels!
The two men seemed somewhat tempted, looking at each other, but after some thought, they said, “We brothers live by our word in the jianghu. We can’t accept payment from both sides!”
So today, Qiao Nian’s fate was inescapable!