Finest Servant

Chapter 472 Time to Leave

"What?" Ning'er exclaimed, her small hand quickly covering his mouth. "Big Brother, don't think foolishly. Our good days are still ahead of us."

"It's not foolish thoughts." Seeing Luo Ning's pale, anxious face, Lin Wanrong was touched. He quickly held her cold hand. "Don't worry, if I don't live to be at least 180 years old, I absolutely won't die."

Luo Ning snuggled tightly against his chest and whispered, "Even at 180, you're not allowed to die. I, along with Sister and Qiaoqiao, will be your wives forever, never to be separated."

His heart warmed at her words. Lin Wanrong gently patted her soft shoulder, feeling her sincere and passionate affection. Xiao Qingxuan pondered for a moment and softly asked, "My Dear, are you trying to lure the person behind all this into revealing himself?"

"Whether they reveal themselves or not, I can't judge now," Lin Wanrong snorted. "These past few days when I've been in trouble, I'm afraid things have been chaotic for Old Xu as well. Hopefully, he will be more cautious and not fall into the trap set by that person behind the scenes. Qingxuan, find someone clever to send a message to Xu Wei, and make the act as convincing as possible. Since that person has set such a cunning trap for me, if I don't survive, it would be too disappointing for him. Heh heh."

Xiao Qingxuan was exceptionally clever; she understood his words immediately and nodded slightly. After some thought, she couldn't find a servant in their house clever enough for this. Luo Ning thought for a moment and laughed, "I doubt we have anyone in our household clever enough to handle this. But I think the Xiao family might have a couple of candidates. Yesterday, Eldest Miss Xiao assigned a servant named Si De to go to the market to get medicine for you. He was quite efficient. I observed his behavior and it seems he has received quite a lot of instruction from you. He's as crafty and slippery as an eel."

Ning'er was teasing him. Miss Xiao chuckled quietly, and Lin Wanrong happily said, "Si De is here too? This kid does have my style. Let him go then."

"He's naturally at our home," Ning'er giggled. "All the buildings of the Xiao family collapsed, resulting in great loss. They don't even have a place to stay now, so Sister invited them all to live with us. Both Misses from the Xiao family and Madam Xiao have come. Our house is now quite lively."

Qingxuan was the sensible one. Lin Wanrong was touched and held her hand sincerely, "Qingxuan, thank you."

"Why thank me for such trivial matters? Do you consider me an outsider?" Xiao Qingxuan smiled, half playful, half serious. "Since you've already taken advantage of the two Misses Xiao and received Madam Xiao's permission, our two families are now related by marriage. I was originally planning to visit them personally in a few days to propose marriage to both Misses. Although this incident has caused some delay, it's still a joyous occasion with two families becoming one. I've met both Misses from the Xiao family. Eldest Miss is strong and calm in crises, and the Second Miss is innocent and lively, gentle and charming. Neither of them is selfish. It would be quite appropriate to have them as sisters."

"That's true, that's true." Getting Qingxuan's approval for the happy event, Lin Wanrong was overjoyed and couldn't help nodding continuously. However, when Qingxuan mentioned that neither of them was selfish, was she indirectly referring to Xian'er?

Lin Wanrong was severely injured and was now treated as a rare, protected species. Qingxuan was also heavily pregnant, making it hard for her to move around. So the tasks fell on Miss Luo.

Upon seeing her big brother unharmed, Luo Ning was ecstatic. She giggled as she left the room. Not long after, hurried footsteps could be heard from outside the door. "Husband, Husband, are you awake?!"

Hearing this voice, Xiao Qingxuan's face flushed red instantly. She struggled to sit up. Before she could even put on her clothes, the door burst open with a bang, and Qin Xian'er dashed in.

"Sister, you're here," said Xiao Qingxuan softly.

Noticing that Xiao Qingxuan was disheveled and sitting on the bed with a faint blush on her face, Qin Xian'er couldn't help but snort disdainfully. As if not seeing her, she sidestepped and joyfully lunged toward the bed. "Husband, how are you?"

Having not seen him for just two days, Qin Xian'er seemed to have lost some weight. Dust stained her clothes, and although her face was weary, her eyes shone with immense joy. Lin Wanrong smiled faintly, gently stroking her hair. "I'm fine. You must've had a tough couple of days."

Qin Xian'er nodded softly, her eyes brimming with tears. "Husband, it's my fault for not protecting you well. If anything happened to you, I couldn't go on living."

"Silly girl, what could happen to me?" Lin Wanrong said with a smile, wiping away the tear from her eye. "I'm perfectly healthy. I was thinking, once my injuries heal, I'll take you and Sister An to revisit Weishan Lake."

"Really?" Qin Xian'er cried out in joy, burying her head tightly into his chest. "Husband, you're so good."

Seeing the intimacy between Qin Xian'er and Lin Wanrong, Xiao Qingxuan felt a bit sour yet somewhat relieved. Just as she was getting lost in her thoughts, she felt someone take her hand. Turning around, it was Lin Wanrong. "Xian'er, you know Qingxuan as well. No wonder you both are equally beautiful; you're biological sisters. Had I known this earlier, I would have introduced you to her back in Jinling."

"I dare not reach such heights," Qin Xian'er huffed. "She's a noble and beautiful fairy from Jade Virtue Fairy Hall, while I'm a wicked witch from the White Lotus Sect— we're not of the same ilk." As she spoke, she noticed Lin Wanrong's face turning pale, sweat trickling down his forehead, and cried out in alarm, "Husband, Husband, what's wrong?!"

Lin Wanrong took a few shallow breaths, his face ashen. "I'm fine," he sighed, "I just lost a leg and have a few broken ribs. Give it three to five years and a few thousand ginseng and bird's nest, and I'll be as good as new. Don't worry." ṛÅΝȱBĚṥ

Tears fell from Qin Xian'er's eyes. "That won't happen, Husband. Don't let your imagination run wild. I took your pulse last night; you should be much better in less than twenty days. Then, we'll call upon my master, and all of us will go back to Weishan Lake. I'll play the zither, you'll compose poems, and Master will dance. We'll boat on the lake together, inseparable."

‘Sister An can dance? Why hasn't this vixen mentioned it to me? But with her magnificent figure, a few pole dances would be…’ Lin Wanrong's thoughts started to wander, displaying his lascivious tendencies.

"Husband, what's going on?" Seeing him with bright eyes and a sly grin at the corner of his mouth, Qin Xian'er asked, puzzled.

"Oh, never mind, never mind." Lin Wanrong coughed violently, his face flushed and he shook his head with a wry smile. "Let's not talk about whether I'll live long enough to go back to Weishan Lake. Even if I do, I doubt I'll be in the mood for it. Things have changed. There are so many matters at home to attend to, and then there's your attitude towards Qingxuan. How could I be at ease?"

Listening to him act out the whole drama just to mediate between her and Xian'er, Xiao Qingxuan felt both amused and touched. Silently, she tightened her grip on his hand.

Qin Xian'er was no fool. Hearing his words, she understood his intentions. Seeing the tearful look in Xiao Qingxuan's eyes, she felt disoriented for a moment before she hummed and lowered her head.

"Xian'er, as the saying goes, 'Sisters should not carry grudges overnight.' Even if you two didn't know before and had your squabbles, that's fate. Now it's different. You two share the same bloodline, and your children will as well. If not for yourselves, think about our children. And if not for them, think about me, your husband. You and Qingxuan are like two great mountains in our family, awe-inspiring. How can our family prosper if you two are constantly at odds? Moreover, I've thought it through. You two don't really have any deep-rooted hatred, but rather a genuine blood connection. Why can't you coexist peacefully and make our family flourish?" He spoke fluently, leaving even Xiao Qingxuan a little dizzy. He strung together children, mountains, and family affairs as if they were all related. Truly, only he had such a talent.

Qin Xian'er's face flushed as she softly said, "I don't want to have children. Husband, you're aware of the issues between me and this... this Miss Xiao. My Master had a relationship with her Master that was closer than real sisters, but what happened in the end? I owe so much to my Master; if I were to forget her teachings and befriend this Miss Xiao, how could I face her? Husband, how could I do that?"

‘Clever girl, invoking the name of Master An to win her case,’ thought Xiao Qingxuan. She felt a newfound respect for this younger sister.

Lin Wanrong was delighted. He chuckled and said, "So you admit, Xian'er, that besides the issue with Sister An, you don't actually harbor any deep grudges against Qingxuan?"

It seemed to be the case. Qin Xian'er pondered for a moment and reluctantly hummed in agreement, then immediately shook her head. "No, she also stole you, my husband!"

Lin Wanrong was dripping with sweat. This girl really had a character. "Well, she didn't exactly steal me. It's more like sharing; the dew falls on every blade of grass," he said, laughing awkwardly. Both Qin Xian'er and Xiao Qingxuan's faces flushed, and they both let out a small 'hmph'.

"Xian'er, I'll ask you seriously: if Sister An and Fairy Ning make amends, will you stop being at odds with Qingxuan?" Lin Wanrong said gravely.

‘Make amends? Is that even possible?’ Qin Xian'er thought for a while and then slowly nodded. "As long as she stops trying to take you away from me, I won't hold any grudges against her anymore."

Lin Wanrong rolled his eyes. Qin Xian'er also felt that the situation seemed unrealistic at the moment. She pondered briefly before huffing, "Then you can only spend one day a month in her room, but ten days in mine."

This young lady really dared to say anything. Xiao Qingxuan's face flushed, and she nodded shyly, "Sister, if you can tolerate this scoundrel, then keep him as you wish."

Hearing the hidden meaning in her words, Qin Xian'er's face also turned red. She understood what Xiao Qingxuan was hinting at, being truly married to Lin Wanrong.

‘I’m angry, angry. What does this mean? Am I some kind of bargaining chip in your sisterly negotiations?’ Lin Wanrong grimaced, about to explode. Xiao Qingxuan secretly squeezed his hand, glancing at him disapprovingly, and whispered, "Don't you know my sister's personality by now? She talks tough but is soft-hearted. If I make peace with her, we can negotiate everything."

"Everything is negotiable?" Lin Wanrong, being naturally lascivious, immediately began thinking about other matters, his eyes lighting up.

"You scoundrel!" Xiao Qingxuan lightly spat, her ears turning as red as fire. She knew her husband too well; he was capable of any shameless act.

"Ah, Qingxuan, where has your mind wandered off to? I am not driven by lower instincts." Seeing his wife's irresistible blush, Lin Wanrong playfully pinched her hand, "I simply can't bear to be apart from you and wish to hold you every night."

Hearing her husband's sweet words and feeling his tender touch, yet still under her sister's watchful eye, Xiao Qingxuan couldn't help but feel weak all over. She was fully aware that he couldn't spend every night with her alone. Yet, she loved hearing him say those things. It must be fate's cruel joke, she thought shyly, feeling a wave of happiness wash over her.

"Only 'ten days'? Why wait a whole month? I can accomplish it in one night. Even double that," Lin Wanrong muttered triumphantly, his words falling right into Xiao Qingxuan's ears. Her sense of happiness vanished, replaced by a wave of embarrassment, and she jabbed him hard in the arm.

Qin Xian'er had been watching their playful exchange. Though her heart was bitter, she had to admit that driving Xiao Qingxuan out of the Lin family was an impossible task.

"Sister, don't listen to his nonsense. We are blood sisters; we should get along well and not be the subject of others' ridicule," Xiao Qingxuan gently said, grabbing Qin Xian'er's hand.

Qin Xian'er lowered her head silently, her hand struggling slightly, when a rough, large hand intervened, firmly gripping both of their smaller hands. A clever move from her thoughtful husband, thought Xiao Qingxuan, smiling contentedly.

This time, Qin Xian'er didn't resist; she had no choice but to let their hands hold hers. With a sigh of resignation, she said, "Husband, can you really resolve the longstanding grudge between my Master and Fairy Ning?"

The situation was far more complex than resolving the issues between Xian'er and Qingxuan. At least, the two princesses were wives he had won for himself; he could shape their opinions as he pleased. However, Fairy Ning and An Biru were entirely different— one as haughty as a celestial being and the other as cunning as a fox; neither was easy to deal with. Even though he had some ambiguous relationships with both, God only knew what could happen if these two incompatible women crossed paths.

"Husband, Husband—" Qin Xian'er noticed that he was lost in thought and softly called out to him.

"Of course, it can be done. Have you ever seen me fail in any undertaking?" Gazing at the hopeful eyes of Xian'er and Xiao Qingxuan, Lin Wanrong gritted his teeth and boasted. "For the everlasting prosperity of the Lin family and life as long as heaven, no difficulty is too great! What are An Biru and Fairy Ning in the face of that? I am better at handling women than enemies."

Xiao Qingxuan knew of his capabilities and joyfully said, "Sister, every word My Dear has ever said has come to pass. Now we can finally be together forever."

Qin Xian'er wanted to retort but caught the smile in Lin Wanrong's eyes and ultimately lowered her head, remaining silent.

Finally having a moment's peace, Lin Wanrong wiped the cold sweat from his forehead. Indeed, family matters were difficult to resolve, far more challenging than killing enemies on the battlefield.

"Bad man—" Two women entered from outside, the one behind was Qiaoqiao. Her eyes reddened upon seeing Lin Wanrong, but she bravely held back her tears. The one leading was Yushuang. Her eyes glistened with tears as she held a porcelain bowl, a faint fragrance emanating from it.

"Ah, Second Miss, you look even more beautiful than when I last saw you," Lin Wanrong teased upon seeing Yushuang's delicate face. When Qiaoqiao came near, he stealthily took her hand. "Big Brother—" she softly uttered, her eyes brimming with tears yet also full of smiles.

"Stop it," Yushuang bashfully chuckled. Seeing Qingxuan and Xian'er, she quickly bowed, "Greetings to both princess sisters."

The young girl was charming; Xiao Qingxuan laughed and helped her up, "Sister Yushuang, what is this? It smells so fragrant."

"This is black chicken ginseng soup. My mother commanded me to bring it over when she heard you had awakened," Yushuang said, tears falling from her eyes as she noticed Lin Wanrong was unharmed. "Bad man, this chicken soup was personally prepared by my mother. She hasn't cooked for many years, yet she spent all of yesterday making it. The soup has been simmered for an entire day and night; she said it would greatly benefit your injuries."

"Is that so? Then I must have a taste," Lin Wanrong smiled. "By the way, how is Madam? She was quite shocked that day."

"The Madam is fine, just caught a cold the night before last but was better by yesterday," Qiaoqiao softly smiled. "This soup was painstakingly made by her; she's also prepared many pastries that will be sent over later. Big Brother, only today did I realize that her culinary skills surpass mine a hundredfold."

"My mother's culinary skills have always been renowned far and wide," Second Miss said, her face radiant with joy as she listened to Qiaoqiao praising their mother. Gently, she scooped a spoonful of chicken soup and fed it to Lin Wanrong. "When I was younger, there were even gourmets from the capital who wrote articles praising my mother's cooking. However, as domestic affairs piled up, she stopped cooking."

The chicken soup warmed Lin Wanrong from the inside out as its rich fragrance filled his senses—it was extraordinarily delicious. Lin Wanrong couldn't help but marvel, "I never expected Madam to possess such culinary skills. I am indeed fortunate."

Yushuang's expression dimmed, her voice soft as she said, "Bad man, could you please persuade my mother?"

"Persuade her about what?" Lin Wanrong asked, puzzled.

Yushuang's face turned even more somber as she said, "Mother is leaving."

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