RATMOFANF: Chapter 60

Glossary

· Shen Jingxiu: The female protagonist, Li Ling's wife.

· Li Ling: The Heir of Zhenguo Duke Manor, Shen Jingxiu's husband.

· Ziyun: Shen Jingxiu's maidservant.

· Qingluan: Li Ling's cousin.

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Chapter 60: Since I've Stumbled Upon It, I Should Hold On Tight

During dinner time, Lingxiao came again, saying that Li Ling had sent word that he would return late and couldn't make it back for dinner.

Ziyun readily replied, "Understood." She then glanced at Jingxiu and smiled with relief.

Her efforts hadn't been in vain if her mistress and the Young Master could reconcile. Being in a good mood, she served with extra attentiveness during dinner.

Jingxiu glanced at her and asked, "How did the Young Master suddenly return last night?"

Ziyun smiled awkwardly and placed a morsel of food into the small dish before Jingxiu. "How would this servant know? The Young Master must have thought it through, unwilling to stay angry with you, afraid you might feel wronged."

Could he have thought it through on his own? If he truly didn't want to be angry with her, he wouldn't have kept such a cold face after returning last night.

Jingxiu asked again, "Was it you who told him about the incident in the garden?"

Only Ziyun knew about this matter. Who else could it be?

Ziyun also knew she couldn't hide it from her. She replied, "Indeed, it was this servant who told the Young Master. This servant didn't want to see you and the Young Master have a rift because of this. Isn't it better to just talk things out clearly?"

The rift between her and him was hardly just about her suffering from that old woman's bullying in the garden. It was a pity she hadn't been able to properly question him today about Qingluan.

When he returned tonight, she must get a clear answer.

From Li Ling's attitude towards her earlier, Jingxiu could see that he still cared deeply for her. This gave her a sense of security. Even if he held Qingluan in his heart, he would definitely not divorce her.

Her position as the mistress of this noble house was still secure.

With her status guaranteed, Jingxiu felt less restrained. Now she was determined: if Li Ling truly still held Qingluan in his heart, she would find a way to remove Qingluan from his heart.

She was determined to have it all: the position as mistress of this noble house, Li Ling himself, and his heart.

The position of mistress of the Zhenguo Duke Manor was so illustrious, and Li Ling was such an outstanding man. How many noble young ladies coveted these things!

Since she had stumbled upon it by chance, why shouldn't she hold on tight?

Jingxiu didn't say more and quietly ate her dinner. Ziyun, seeing that her mistress didn't blame her for it, also felt she could finally breathe a long sigh of relief.

At night, Jingxiu worked on the accounts while waiting for Li Ling. She waited for a long time, but he still hadn't returned. Finally, unable to stay awake, she extinguished the bright candle and went to bed.

(read @cherrybombbertranslations.blogspot)

She lay on the pillow with her eyes closed, resting her mind, but internally she was planning how to broach the subject of Qingluan with Li Ling later.

She was concentrating on pondering the matter when a large hand suddenly pulled her over, and she fell into someone's firm embrace.

Jingxiu asked, "You're back? I didn't hear any noise."

Li Ling replied, "The Crown Prince invited me, it was hard to refuse. I returned late. I thought you were already sound asleep, so I took off my outer robe in the outer room, afraid of disturbing you."

"How could I sleep? Didn't we have unfinished business from the daytime?" As she spoke, Jingxiu broke free from his embrace, sat up leaning against the soft pillows at the head of the bed.

She had the demeanor of someone determined to get to the bottom of things today.

Li Ling also obediently got up and sat close to her, leaning against the headboard.

He looked all ears.

Just as Jingxiu was about to speak, she smelled the sweat on him as he moved closer. Unpleasantly, she said, "Didn't you wash up?"

Li Ling pinched his inner garment and sniffed it. "Today, during the cavalry review, I personally demonstrated and worked up a sweat. I was afraid of disturbing you when I returned, so I didn't wash."

Jingxiu said with slight disdain, "Go wash first."

Li Ling replied, "Say what you need to say first. I'll go wash after you finish. You said this afternoon there were still things left unsaid. I've been thinking about it all day." Having said that, he reached out and grasped her small hand. "Speak, what else is there?"

Jingxiu disdainfully pulled her hand back, covered her nose, and said, "I really can't stand this sweat smell. Go wash first, then we'll talk." As she spoke, she pushed him off the bed. "Use plenty of soap to get rid of the sweat smell properly."

Li Ling slipped on his shoes and went to the bathing chamber reluctantly. After a quick, splashing wash, he returned to bed, lifted the sleeve of his sleeping robe, and presented it to her. "Is it alright now?"

Finally seeing his little wife nod, Li Ling leaned back against the soft pillows at the head of the bed, one leg stretched out, the other slightly bent. He casually pulled his little wife into his arms and asked, "Speak. Say all the things you didn't get to say during the day. Tell me everything else I've done wrong that has made you feel wronged."

Jingxiu broke free from his embrace and sat up properly facing Li Ling, her face serious and wooden. "Do you hold Qingluan in your heart?"

She didn't plan to beat around the bush anymore. This time, sheabsolutely had to ask clearly face to face.

(read @cherrybombbertranslations.blogspot)

Jingxiu quietly "looked" at him. In the darkness, she couldn't see the expression of the person opposite, but of course, she also didn't need to deliberately conceal her own emotions.

At this moment, she was grateful that when she wanted to ask him about this during the day, he had chaotically diverted the topic. Now, under the cover of darkness, it was actually better for both of them. If Li Ling truly couldn't let go of Qingluan, he wouldn't feel too embarrassed by her direct questioning. She could also use the dark night to conceal her out-of-control emotions if he did hold another woman in his heart, avoiding losing her composure and dignity in front of him.

Jingxiu waited quietly for his answer, but the person opposite remained silent.

The room was dark and quiet, so quiet that Jingxiu lost her patience.

Just as she couldn't resist questioning him again, Li Ling suddenly got up and off the bed. In two or three steps, he reached the table, used a flint to light the bright candle on the table.

Jingxiu watched his actions baffled.

Li Ling carried the candlestick step by step towards her. This candleholder was specially made by Li Ling's order because he worried her eyes would be strained from managing accounts at night. The candle was tall and thick, the wick was coarse, and when lit, it was blazingly bright, much brighter than ordinary candles.

Li Ling held the candlestick and walked to the bedside, his brows heavily knitted. "Since you actually think that way, then I must explain it clearly to you."

He foolishly held up the large candle, as if afraid things couldn't be clarified clearly in the pitch black.

In the darkness, her eyes suddenly met the bright light. Jingxiu instinctively shielded her eyes and asked, "Just say it. Why light it? It's dazzling and hurts my eyes."

Seeing his wife's reaction, Li Ling finally realized. He placed the candlestick on the footstool by the bed and mumbled, "I just wanted to explain things clearly to you."

Jingxiu sighed helplessly, sat up properly again, and stared fixedly at Li Ling, waiting for his answer.

Having just bathed, Li Ling's hair was still half-wet. He wore snow-white inner clothes, his dark hair loose, emitting a faint scent of soap.

He stood by the bed, looked at Jingxiu, and asked in return, "When you mentioned the 'marrying a princess' matter to me during the day, were you referring to Qingluan?"

Jingxiu nodded solemnly.

Li Ling looked at her with an incredulous expression and said with an awkward smile, "How could you think that? Qingluan is so young, still just a child."

(read @cherrybombbertranslations.blogspot)

"She's not a child. After the New Year, she will have her hair-pinning ceremony (come of age)." Jingxiu stared at him, her tone淡然的 calm but leaving no room for excuses.

Only then did Li Ling realize. He murmured, "Jin Yan is over ten years old now, and Qingluan is a bit older than Jin Yan."

Jingxiu had no time to discuss this with him. She pressed, "Do you hold Qingluan in your heart? If I hadn't fallen into the water, been rescued by you, and lost my reputation, would you have married her? Even now that you've married me, can you still not forget her?"

After hearing his little wife's series of questions, Li Ling finally understood the knot tangled in his wife's heart.

His originally serious face broke into a smile. He reached out and tapped his wife's nose. "What nonsense are you talking? Qingluan is my cousin. How could you think of it that way?"

Jingxiu pushed his hand away and shot him a glare. "Cousins being together isn't rare. Just answer me honestly, do you have romantic feelings for her or not?"

Li Ling immediately wiped the smile from his face and said resolutely, "No."

After speaking, seeing his little wife's face was still taut, Li Ling, as if worried she wouldn't believe him, raised three fingers towards her. "If I am deceiving you—"

Hearing his words, Jingxiu's heart suddenly felt clear and bright. She quickly pulled his hand down and chided him, "If there aren't any, then there aren't. Why swear an oath!"

(End of Chapter)

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Translator's Note: check out my other work— My Younger Sister Insisted On A Marriage Exchange Wanting To Make Me The Wife Of A Marquis and The Marquis’s Beloved is a Black-Hearted Lotus (⁠*⁠＾⁠3⁠＾⁠)⁠/⁠～⁠♡

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