LGHTNOVELBOOK Chapter 41: Saving the Right Hand to Hit You
Chapter 41: Saving the Right Hand to Hit You
She was stunned for a moment before finally recognizing him. “Jing… Deputy Commander Jing…”
“It’s Miss Qiao!” Jing Yan also finally reacted, instinctively glancing at the room behind Qiao Nian. He immediately frowned and pulled Qiao Nian behind him.
“No one can know I was kidnapped,” she said softly.
Jing Yan clearly understood and immediately said, “I’ll take you out through the back door, Miss.”
With that, he was about to lead Qiao Nian away.
Unexpectedly, a suppressed cry of pain suddenly came from Qiao Nian.
He turned back abruptly, only to find that Qiao Nian’s face had already turned pale, with countless beads of cold sweat forming on her forehead.
“What’s wrong, Miss?” Jing Yan worried that Qiao Nian had been hurt by those two villains.
But Qiao Nian raised her dangling left hand and spoke weakly, “Deputy Commander Jing, is there any way?”
Such an injury!
Even Jing Yan, who had been through countless battles with Xiao Heng, felt his heart skip a beat when he saw the injury on Qiao Nian’s hand.
No wonder he had heard a woman’s scream earlier. This must have happened when Miss Qiao dislocated her joint while breaking free from the ropes.
His face instantly turned grim, and he said in a low voice, “It will hurt a bit, Miss Qiao. Please bear with it.”
Qiao Nian nodded and then bit down hard on her lower lip.
Jing Yan carefully cradled Qiao Nian’s left hand, feeling that this injury seemed to hurt him more than if it were on his own body.
But he also knew that he couldn’t be gentle now, otherwise it would only make Qiao Nian’s injury worse.
So, steeling himself, he suddenly applied force with his hand.
“Mmph!”
Qiao Nian let out a muffled groan, her lower lip bitten until it bled.
She only released her lower lip when she tasted the blood in her mouth, but thankfully, her left hand didn’t hurt as much anymore.
So, she smiled slightly at Jing Yan, “Thank you, Deputy Commander Jing.”
Jing Yan never expected that after experiencing such an ordeal, Qiao Nian could still manage to smile.
He couldn’t help but recall many years ago, the first time he went to Xiao Heng’s mansion to report military affairs. A little girl suddenly popped out from behind Xiao Heng, holding pastries in her hand, insisting on stuffing them into Xiao Heng’s mouth.
Xiao Heng got so annoyed that he had to open his mouth and eat it, after which she giggled with great satisfaction.
Later, that girl also gave him a piece of pastry.
He bowed and thanked her, feeling honored, but she just waved her hand and skipped away.
“Deputy Commander Jing.” Qiao Nian didn’t know why Jing Yan had suddenly zoned out.
But now was not the time to be lost in thought. She couldn’t let people discover her in the inn.
Even if she appeared in the inn fully dressed, there was still a man standing beside her.
If those people all spread rumors like Xiao Qingnu, talking nonsense everywhere, then she would really be finished!
Jing Yan finally came back to his senses and immediately said, “Follow me, Miss!”
With that, he led Qiao Nian towards the back door of the inn.
By the time Xiao Heng received the news and rushed to the Marquis’ mansion, the court physician had already bandaged Qiao Nian’s left hand.
In the main hall of the Marquis’ mansion, everyone from the Lin family was present except for the Old Madam.
Xiao Heng’s gaze fell on Qiao Nian’s left hand, his eyes very gloomy.
Jing Yan had told him everything, and he had also seen that rope. The knot was tied very tightly, and he couldn’t imagine what kind of willpower Qiao Nian must have had to break free.
Beside him, Marquis Lin stepped forward and bowed, “We’ve troubled General Xiao today. My daughter was mischievous and ran off on her own, causing the General to worry.”
This was the official story. As for Ning Shuang, they would say she accidentally fell and became confused, and when she couldn’t see her young miss, she thought her young miss had been kidnapped.
After all, a woman’s reputation was of utmost importance.
But everyone present knew that this wasn’t the truth.
He returned the bow, but looked towards Qiao Nian, “Why did the Yuanlai Teahouse that Prince Ming mentioned become Fulai Teahouse?”
Qiao Nian was sitting nearby. Although her hand injury had been bandaged, it still hurt when she moved it slightly.
The court physician said that while her injury wasn’t too severe, it couldn’t be taken lightly. She shouldn’t use force with that hand for at least a month.
Hearing Xiao Heng’s question, Qiao Nian stood up and said to him, “When I received the letter, it was written as Fulai Teahouse. That letter should still be on my dressing table.”
Having said this, Qiao Nian turned to look at Lin Ye.
Lin Ye was standing in a corner not far away, in a very low-key position, as if afraid of being discovered by someone.
But Qiao Nian had noticed him as soon as he entered.
She slowly walked towards Lin Ye, “The young lord seems particularly quiet today. What’s wrong? Did something happen?”
Madam Lin didn’t understand why Qiao Nian suddenly cared about Lin Ye at this moment. She immediately stepped forward to stop her, “You’ve just escaped a great danger, you should sit down and rest properly. Don’t worry about your brother.”
But Qiao Nian pushed Madam Lin away.
She didn’t use much force, her right hand merely brushing away Madam Lin’s hand that was reaching out to embrace her. But because there was an armchair right behind Madam Lin, she stumbled and almost fell sitting into the chair when Qiao Nian pushed her away.
Seeing this, Lin Yuan immediately rushed forward, “Sister, what are you doing? Mother was just concerned about you! How could you…”
“Shut up!” Qiao Nian shouted sternly, glaring at Lin Yuan, “I don’t know if you had a part in this matter, but if you say one more word now, I’ll hit you.”
Lin Yuan didn’t know martial arts. If Qiao Nian wanted to hit her, it would be easy.
Hearing these words, Marquis Lin became displeased, “How dare you! Nian Nian, are you rebelling?”
But Qiao Nian paid no attention to Marquis Lin’s reaction and just looked at Lin Ye again, raising an eyebrow to ask, “Doesn’t the young lord usually hate to see me bullying your mother and sister? Why no reaction today?”
Hearing this, everyone’s attention turned to Lin Ye.
Indeed, Lin Ye seemed a bit unusual today!
Then, in the next moment, Qiao Nian stepped forward quickly and slapped Lin Ye hard across the face.
“Slap!”
The sound was extremely loud.
Madam Lin was so shocked she covered her mouth, “Nian Nian, what, what are you doing!”
“You be quiet!”
It was Marquis Lin who spoke.
His brows were furrowed in scrutiny, as if he had already figured something out, “Let him speak!”
But Lin Ye just tilted his face, not saying a word.
Qiao Nian took a deep breath and smiled, pulling at the corners of her mouth, “Do you know why I pulled out my left hand first when I escaped? It was because I wanted to save my right hand to hit you! Lin Ye, what deep grudge do I have with you that you would harm me like this?!”
Lin Ye harmed Qiao Nian?
Everyone present was shocked.
Madam Lin stood up trembling, “No, it can’t be. Nian Nian, you must have misunderstood…”
“One thousand taels! He spent one thousand taels to hire people to ruin my reputation!” Qiao Nian’s angry shout was deafening, “If Madam Lin thinks this is a misunderstanding, send someone to check his accounts and you’ll know! General Xiao asked why Yuanlai Teahouse became Fulai Teahouse, why don’t you let the young lord tell him himself?”