LGHTNOVELBOOK Chapter 49: Next Time Will Be Harsher
Chapter 49: Next Time Will Be Harsher
When Qiao Nian woke the next day, the wound on her head felt even more painful than yesterday.
She felt dizzy and weak.
Ning Shuang seemed quite energetic, helping Qiao Nian with washing up and then hurrying to serve her breakfast.
Qiao Nian forced herself to stay alert, not wanting to worry Ning Shuang. Only after inquiring about Old Madam’s condition and learning she was fine did she relax enough to eat.
She noticed Ning Shuang seemed to have something to say several times.
Seeing this, she put down her chopsticks, “If you have something to say, just say it.”
Ning Shuang finally came closer, telling Qiao Nian, “Young Miss, I heard Young Lord and Second Miss knelt in the ancestral hall all night. This morning the Second Miss couldn’t bear it and fainted.”
So that was it.
Qiao Nian picked up her chopsticks again, “Then her constitution must be quite weak.”
Just one night of kneeling and she couldn’t handle it?
Back when she was at the laundry bureau, she had knelt for days and nights on end.
Ning Shuang thought about it and felt Qiao Nian was right, “Yes, it’s quite poor indeed. Who knows where all those precious medicines went!”
Qiao Nian smiled silently.
She thought perhaps Lin Ye couldn’t bear to see Lin Yuan punished and had suggested she pretend to faint.
Seeing her mistress’s mocking smile, Ning Shuang felt uneasy and added, “But don’t worry, Young Miss. The Young Lord is still kneeling! Madam won’t let anyone bring him food, and says he must kneel for three days and nights before he can rise! The Marquis seems to have agreed to this punishment.”
Hearing Ning Shuang’s comforting tone, Qiao Nian looked at her and asked softly, “Do you think this punishment is severe?”
Ning Shuang froze, remembering what happened that night.
Those two strong men had burst in, pushing her aside with such force that she clearly understood her own powerlessness.
She remembered her panic and fear when she woke to find her Young Miss missing.
Thinking of her Young Miss’s injuries upon return, hatred appeared in Ning Shuang’s eyes.
She shook her head.
The Young Lord’s punishment wasn’t severe at all. In her opinion, he should be reported to the authorities, letting everyone know his true character!
How could he do something to harm his own sister’s reputation – he didn’t deserve to live well!
Now he was only kneeling for three days and nights – the punishment was far too light!
Moreover, Second Miss, who nearly caused Old Madam’s death from anger, only knelt for one night before returning!
She knew Old Madam meant more to her Young Miss than her own life. If it weren’t for Old Madam, her Young Miss would never have swallowed this insult!
Qiao Nian was satisfied with the hatred in Ning Shuang’s eyes – not too much, not too little, just right.
She took two more bites but couldn’t eat anymore. Pointing to her head, she said, “Remove the bandage so I can see. If the injury isn’t visible, we’ll go visit Grandmother.”
“Yes.” Ning Shuang came forward to remove the bandage from Qiao Nian’s head.
After being wrapped all night, there were deep marks on her forehead, but fortunately the wound seemed hidden in her hair. Unless looking carefully, it shouldn’t be noticeable.
Qiao Nian examined herself repeatedly in the bronze mirror. Only after ensuring Old Madam wouldn’t notice anything did she say, “Let’s go pay our respects to Grandmother.”
She wondered how Grandmother was feeling today!
As she spoke, Qiao Nian stood up, but suddenly everything went black and she fell back onto the chair.
“Young Miss!” Ning Shuang cried out in alarm, asking worriedly, “What’s wrong? I’ll get the physician!”
“No need.” Qiao Nian stopped Ning Shuang. Her brows furrowed as she slowly opened her eyes. Only when her vision cleared did she say, “I probably just stood up too quickly. It’s nothing.”
At this point, Qiao Nian began to laugh, “I didn’t know General Xiao had become a divine physician.”
Lin Yuan’s face reddened immediately, “No, that’s not what I meant…”
“Yuan’er was indeed wrong yesterday,” Xiao Heng suddenly spoke up, his cold eyes fixed on Qiao Nian. “But regardless, you shouldn’t have used such force.”
Even after a night, Yuan’er’s face was still swollen, showing how viciously Qiao Nian had struck her.
Qiao Nian hadn’t expected Xiao Heng’s first words would be to blame her, yet she felt she should have anticipated it.
After all, from long, long ago, no matter what happened, Xiao Heng would always blame her first.
Blame her for being too impulsive, too willful, never standing in front of her protectively as he now did for Lin Yuan.
A bitterness spread through her heart.
Qiao Nian wanted to ignore this feeling, but thinking about how Lin Yuan had easily obtained what she had once desperately sought but never received, that sense of sorrow grew stronger.
Fortunately, her time at the laundry bureau had taught her to maintain a calm facade. She merely replied coolly, “If she doesn’t learn her lesson, I’ll hit her harder next time.”
Hearing this, Lin Yuan instinctively hid behind Xiao Heng, as if afraid Qiao Nian would strike her again.
Sensing Lin Yuan’s fear, Xiao Heng’s brows furrowed slightly as he softly reassured her, “Don’t be afraid. I’m here, she wouldn’t dare.”