LGHTNOVELBOOK Chapter 54: Birthday Gift
Chapter 54: Birthday Gift
With one sentence, Lin Yuan’s face instantly turned pale.
She could see that Xiao Heng had feelings for Qiao Nian.
So, what she saw that day was actually Xiao Heng actively embracing Qiao Nian?
As she was thinking, a light mocking voice sounded from the side, “Who doesn’t know that in the past, Miss Qiao was chasing after General Xiao and couldn’t be driven away? How can she have the audacity to say such things now?”
It was Song Baixuan, who had already become impatient.
As her words fell, the young ladies and gentlemen all laughed.
Indeed, in the past, Qiao Nian had wholeheartedly pursued Xiao Heng, with eyes only for him.
Her love was passionate, intense, and open!
So everyone in the capital knew she liked Xiao Heng.
But three years later, her love had become a joke.
Was it sad?
Naturally, it was.
If she had known that her once wholehearted devotion would one day become a laughing stock, then…
She definitely wouldn’t have had any entanglement with Xiao Heng!
At present, she only smiled faintly, “So Miss Song also knows to use the words ‘in the past.’ I remember when Mr. Song was not yet the Minister of War, Miss Song’s congratulatory gift to the Marquis’s mansion was almost thrown out by the servants.”
Being publicly reminded of her past embarrassment, Song Baixuan didn’t have Qiao Nian’s composure and turned red with anger.
Qiao Nian coldly glanced at her, finally looking at Lin Yuan, “Moreover, slandering me and General Xiao in front of Prince Ming, what exactly are your intentions!”
Without evidence, it was slander.
Lin Yuan obviously couldn’t prove that Qiao Nian had actively thrown herself into Xiao Heng’s arms that day, and moreover… she was even doubting what she had seen that day, wondering if it was Xiao Heng who had initiated.
Hearing Qiao Nian’s questioning now, she naturally lowered her eyes guiltily.
The panic in her eyes was so obvious that Lin Ye finally couldn’t stand it and stepped forward, “Qiao Nian, you!”
Then he turned to Prince Ming, his tone more respectful, “Saying it’s slander is too severe. It’s probably just an unfounded misunderstanding. I hope Prince Ming won’t take offense!”
He knew the purpose of Prince Ming inviting him out today. No matter how dissatisfied he was with this ‘brother-in-law,’ he had to put on a show in front of everyone.
Moreover, Prince Ming had previously wanted to hit Yuan’er. If he angered this psychopath today, what if it brought trouble to Yuan’er?
Prince Ming obviously didn’t want the women to make a big fuss either, and spoke mildly, “Nian Nian is right, those are all things of the past. If I cared about Nian Nian’s past relationship with General Xiao, I wouldn’t have asked for the Emperor’s decree.”
These words were also supporting Qiao Nian.
Telling everyone that he actively wanted to marry Qiao Nian, and also warning them not to bring up the past in the future.
The young ladies and gentlemen also heard this and dared not mock anymore.
Suddenly, someone shouted, “Look! The pleasure boats are here!”
Everyone then turned to look at Minglake.
Minglake was very large, the other shore couldn’t be seen, so there were often pleasure boats on the lake.
Although it wasn’t the best season for boating, today was windless and the sun was warm. Boating on the lake would surely be a unique experience.
The young ladies and gentlemen were all somewhat impatient.
But they all knew about etiquette and hierarchy.
So when the first pleasure boat docked, they all respectfully invited Prince Ming to board.
A pleasure boat, including the boatman, could seat eight people.
But due to Prince Ming’s status, those young ladies and gentlemen didn’t dare to sit with him.
So on this first boat, apart from Qiao Nian and Prince Ming, there were only the siblings from the Lin and Xiao families.
Qiao Nian boarded the boat and admired the scenery on her own, unwilling to look at them.
But Xiao Qingnu, who hadn’t gained any advantage on shore, couldn’t help but start causing trouble after boarding, “Oh, Yuan’er, the hairpin in your hair is so beautiful! Did my brother give it to you?”
Lin Yuan had purposely worn two hairpins today, one carved by Lin Ye, and the other given by Xiao Heng on her birthday last year.
These two hairpins were her most cherished possessions, so even though they didn’t match well, she wore them both.
Who knows what Lin Yuan was thinking, but after hearing Xiao Qingnu’s words, she instinctively glanced at Qiao Nian, only to see Qiao Nian facing outwards, as if she hadn’t heard them at all.
Lin Yuan felt inexplicably disappointed.
Then she heard Xiao Qingnu say, “Come to think of it, Yuan’er, your birthday is coming soon! I wonder what my brother will give you this year!”
As her words fell, Prince Ming suddenly spoke, “I remember that Nian Nian and Miss Lin were born on the same day of the same month in the same year. So Nian Nian’s birthday is also coming up, is there anything you want?”
Prince Ming’s tone was too gentle, and Qiao Nian couldn’t ignore him. She had to turn back and smile slightly at Prince Ming, “This commoner doesn’t like celebrating birthdays and doesn’t want anything. Thank you for your concern, Your Highness.”
She was telling the truth.
In her first year at the Laundry Bureau, on her birthday, she had waited all day at the bureau.
What was she waiting for?
Maybe for Lin Ye to come and take her home, or maybe for Xiao Heng.
Or perhaps, for a small gift sent from the Marquis’s mansion!
At least that would prove she hadn’t been forgotten.
But she waited from the moment she opened her eyes until the moonlight fell on her at midnight.
Yet she didn’t even receive a single birthday wish.
She then realized that her previous birthdays were all her own wishful thinking, and those birthday wishes were all fake.
She had long been forgotten by them…
So, she no longer liked celebrating birthdays.
But these words sounded pretentious to Lin Ye’s ears!
He remembered that Qiao Nian loved celebrating her birthday the most.
Every time, she would start reminding them almost half a month in advance.
But they didn’t need to prepare any special gifts for her. As long as both of them could attend her celebration, she would be as happy as a flower.
Someone who liked celebrating birthdays so much was now acting so virtuous in front of Prince Ming, it was truly ridiculous!
Lin Ye’s hand moved to his sleeve, where a hairpin was hidden in the pocket.
He had just finished carving it a couple of days ago, even more beautiful than the one in Lin Yuan’s hair. He had originally planned to give it to her today as their relationship improved, but now…
He inexplicably felt that she didn’t deserve it anymore.
Prince Ming was also surprised by Qiao Nian’s answer, but then smiled, “Nonsense, what woman doesn’t like celebrating her birthday? But since Nian Nian won’t say, I’ll just prepare something randomly. You can’t say you don’t like it when the time comes!”
These words, coming from a prince’s mouth, were perhaps too flattering.
Qiao Nian was also somewhat surprised, not knowing how to respond.
Unexpectedly, the boatman suddenly came in, “This lowly one might know what gift the young lady likes.”
Everyone was extremely surprised.
Xiao Qingnu couldn’t help but ask, “You know her?”
The boatman smiled and nodded, then took out a wooden box from a drawer on the pleasure boat and respectfully presented it to Qiao Nian with both hands, “This is what the young lady left behind four years ago. This lowly one has been keeping it safe, and finally sees the young lady today!”
Something she left behind four years ago?
Qiao Nian truly couldn’t remember. With a puzzled face, she reached out to take it and opened the wooden box in front of everyone.
It was an earring.
Qiao Nian’s face instantly turned pale, while Xiao Qingnu’s sharp exclamation rang out at this moment, “That’s the earring my brother gave!”