LGHTNOVELBOOK Chapter 46: Did Anyone Ask If She Was In Pain?
Chapter 46: Did Anyone Ask If She Was In Pain?
Qiao Nian wasn’t unconscious for long – only about the time it takes to burn an incense stick before she opened her eyes.
She was completely lucid.
Lucidly aware of where she was, and even more clearly remembered why she was here.
The image of Madam Lin taking that stone and violently smashing it against her head was etched deeply into her heart!
Even now, just thinking about Madam Lin’s face made her heart ache terribly.
The pain made her breathing irregular.
But hadn’t she already figured some things out?
In the hearts of the Lin family, she would never measure up to Lin Yuan, who shared their blood. Though they kept saying she would always be their daughter, from the day Lin Yuan returned to the Marquis’s manor, they had already cast her out of their hearts!
They had abandoned her long ago. During countless days and nights in the laundry bureau, this fact had washed over her again and again, leaving her cold and wishing for death, until she slowly grew accustomed to it…
She had long since accepted this truth.
Had long since grown used to it!
And yet…
Why did her heart still hurt so much?
The mother who once loved her so dearly, who stayed by her side day and night when she was sick, who cried harder than she did when she was hurt, who would rather take her wounds upon herself when seeing her bleed…
Actually struck her head with such a large stone!
Her eyes grew warm.
Large teardrops rolled from the corners of her eyes to her ears.
Qiao Nian quickly wiped them away, absorbing all the continuously falling tears into her sleeve.
Don’t cry.
She refused to cry!
What was the big deal!
It was just getting hit once!
When she was at the laundry bureau, she had been beaten bloody countless times. Why was she unable to bear it just because it was Madam Lin who did it?
It made no sense!
Qiao Nian, this is the Marquis’s manor – you cannot cry!
When Ning Shuang entered, Qiao Nian was already out of bed.
Startled, she hurried forward, “Young Miss, why are you up? Your injury…”
“It’s nothing,” Qiao Nian responded flatly, trying hard to appear calm.
But a slight catch in her throat betrayed that she had been crying.
Only then did Ning Shuang notice that Qiao Nian’s eyes were red.
Even though the tear stains had been wiped away, the evidence of crying couldn’t be hidden so quickly.
Ning Shuang’s heart ached, and her voice took on a tearful tone, “Young Miss…”
Seeing Ning Shuang about to cry, Qiao Nian forced a smile and covered her mouth, “Ning Shuang, we cannot cry.”
She was different from Lin Yuan.
Lin Yuan had parents who doted on her, a brother who spoiled her, and Xiao Heng protecting her, so she could cry freely whenever and wherever she wanted.
But she was different.
She couldn’t let them see any weakness, not even a hint.
Otherwise, they would keep bullying her!
Life in the Marquis’s manor was already difficult enough; she absolutely couldn’t let them see her tears.
So Ning Shuang couldn’t cry either.
Her maid had to be as tough and brave as she was, never letting others look down on them.
Ning Shuang was stunned at first, but then she saw something intensely serious in Qiao Nian’s eyes.
So serious that she dared not disobey, forcing back the tears that had nearly spilled.
Seeing Ning Shuang compose herself, Qiao Nian released her and joked to make her smile, “Though we haven’t been mistress and maid for long, we’re close enough to share the same injuries.”
Both of them had their heads bandaged, making quite a strange sight.
Ning Shuang laughed but chided, “Young Miss can still joke at a time like this.”
Qiao Nian shrugged, “I’m not presentable enough to see Grandmother in this state. Let’s return to Fanghe Court today and visit again in a few days!”
She wasn’t sure exactly where Madam Lin had struck her head, but with the bandages still on, seeing her would only cause the Old Madam distress.
She just hoped Madam Lin hadn’t hit her forehead – then at least after removing the bandages tomorrow, the Old Madam wouldn’t notice her injury, and she could visit.
As Qiao Nian moved to leave, Ning Shuang stopped her, “Young Miss! Madam is still outside.”
Qiao Nian froze, a sharp pain shooting through her heart, which she deliberately ignored.
Ning Shuang said, “Madam seems to feel guilty about Young Miss, so she’s been waiting outside. I’m afraid she won’t leave until she sees you today.”
Qiao Nian remained silent, slowly walking to sit at the table.
Not knowing what Qiao Nian was thinking, Ning Shuang hesitated before continuing, “Young Miss, this is a side room with no connecting corridor outside. Madam is standing in the courtyard without even a maid beside her… It’s quite cold today, and I think it might rain later.”
So if Qiao Nian refused to go out and see her, would Madam Lin keep waiting until it rained?
Qiao Nian picked up the teapot on the table and poured herself a cup.
The tea was still warm. She lifted it and slowly drank.
So what act was Madam Lin putting on now?
A show of self-punishment?
After striking her bloody for Lin Yuan’s sake, now she wanted to perform an act of remorse?
Betting that Qiao Nian still had enough conscience to forgive her, remembering their mother-daughter relationship of over ten years?
Betting that she would feel sympathy?
Had she ever thought about whether Qiao Nian felt pain when that stone struck her head?
Placing the empty cup back on the table, Qiao Nian slowly said, “Tell her I haven’t woken up yet.”
Hearing this, Ning Shuang clearly looked troubled, “But Young Miss, we were just talking, surely they could hear us outside…”
They hadn’t particularly lowered their voices earlier. Even if the exact words weren’t clear outside, the sounds from within the room would have been audible.
She wanted to remind Qiao Nian that this lie wouldn’t work.
Madam Lin must know Qiao Nian was awake.
But after hearing Ning Shuang’s words, Qiao Nian only replied softly with one word: “Mm.”
At this, Ning Shuang understood.
She bowed and said, “Then rest well, Young Miss.”
With that, she left the room.
When the door closed, the room somehow seemed darker.
Qiao Nian’s cup tapped lightly against the table again and again, the faint sound filling the entire room, yet somehow making it feel even more empty and cold.
She didn’t know how long she sat there like that.
She only knew that when Ning Shuang returned, she looked troubled, “Young Miss, Madam says she won’t leave until she sees you today. She… she asked me to give this to you to look at.”
After speaking, Ning Shuang presented a small red bundle before Qiao Nian.
Not knowing what it was, Qiao Nian reached out to take it. When she opened it, a small white object unexpectedly fell out from the red bundle.
It was a tooth!