Chapter 476 Matters of Great Importance
"Thinking of taking a walk in the garden—eh, Eldest Miss, is that you?" Lin Wanrong looked up and saw Xiao Yuruo standing quietly in front of him. She was dressed in a goose-yellow gown, her slender waist reminiscent of young willows in early spring. Her curvaceous figure traced an enchanting curve.
Eldest Miss Xiao looked gently at him, her willow-like eyebrows slightly arched, radiantly beautiful. Her long eyelashes flickered slightly, and her bright red lips were as inviting as newly-ripened cherries. A subtle touch of rouge gave her face a faint pink glow, as radiant as peach blossoms in March. Her clear, distinctly black-and-white eyes seemed as pure as a lake in autumn, free from any blemish.
"Why can't it be me?" Xiao Yuruo let out a soft sigh, sat down beside him on the edge of the bed, and tightly grasped his hand. "Does it still hurt?"
Lin Wanrong grinned, "I was a bit sore, but now that I've seen you, I feel all better. If you could bless me with a sweet kiss, I would recover even faster."
In the past, joking with Eldest Miss would invite a coy scolding from her, but today was different. Xiao Yuruo stared at him blankly before her tears began to flow. "You're such a shameless scoundrel. You're already injured, yet you still harbor mischievous thoughts. While you’re feeling all right, you've scared the wits out of others!"
She lifted her sleeve to wipe away her tears, but they only fell faster. As if recalling some sad affair, she gave a soft sob and covered her cheeks, crying.
"Eldest Miss, please don't cry," Lin Wanrong, noticing her ceaseless tears, hurriedly took her hand and said, "I'm the one who's injured, I'm the one in pain, yet I'm not crying. Why are you shedding tears instead?"
Having spent the most time with Xiao Yuruo and endured most of her caprices, Lin Wanrong's feelings for her were quite special. From Jinling to the capital, they had experienced many misunderstandings and separations, yet his memories of her were vivid. He loved her strong-willed nature and was captivated by her gentle demeanor.
Xiao Yuruo wiped her tears and huffed, "I didn't want to cry. Since meeting you in Jinling, you've constantly tormented me and never let me live a peaceful day.""I haven’t been living peacefully either," Lin Wanrong smiled, playfully scratching her palm. His expression was mild, but his tone was resolute. "But the times I spent with you have always been the happiest."
"I, I'm also very happy." Hearing his gentle words, she felt an unprecedented warmth. She smiled but soon started crying again, and gave his arm a good punch. "You scoundrel, always making me cry."
Lin Wanrong laughed heartily, bearing her light punishment. In the room, just the two of them, Eldest Miss tightly held his hand, looking at him with affection. Neither spoke. The tender moment seemed to hark back to the time they spent alone in Jinling, serene in its peacefulness.
"What have you done to my mother?" Lin Wanrong was relishing this long-absent intimacy with Miss Xiao, eyes closed in contentment, when he suddenly heard her sigh in a melancholic tone close to his ear.
"What, what did you say?" Lin Wanrong was so stunned that he could barely articulate his words. "Eldest Miss, you can't just make wild accusations. I'm innocent. What could I possibly have done to the Madam?"
Xiao Yuruo stared intently at him, her beautiful eyes misting over slightly. She pinched his wrist hard enough to hurt. Faced with her piercing gaze, Lin Wanrong became alarmed. First, it was the old Emperor's questions, and now this from Miss Xiao. Had he actually committed some unforgivable act? Damn, why couldn't he remember anything?
The time he'd spent buried under the rubble had been the purest since he had come to this world. He'd had no inappropriate thoughts then—how could he have wronged the Madam? He didn't argue, just met Xiao Yuruo's eyes in quiet acceptance.
Finally, she looked away, exhaling softly. Her voice broke as she said, "Do you know? My mother is leaving!"
"Um, I heard a little from the Second Miss," he said, blinking away the tears forming in his eyes. "Eldest Miss, why is Madam leaving?"
Xiao Yuruo gave a bitter smile and shook her head. "If I knew, I wouldn't be asking you. Before the incident, my mother was quite happy and never mentioned returning to Jinling. But after you all were rescued—a time that should have been joyful—her demeanor changed. She became much more reserved. She used to love talking to me."
This puzzled Lin Wanrong too. He had treated the Madam with the utmost respect while they were trapped, avoiding her as much as possible. What could she be unhappy about? Why was she insisting on going back to Jinling?
"What really happened when you and my mother were buried under that rubble? Can you tell me?" Xiao Yuruo's grip on his hand tightened, her voice full of hope.
Why hide it? Lin Wanrong smiled and recounted the events of that day, glossing over certain details that might harm Madam's reputation if they got out.
Hearing that he had maintained his manners—even risking the pain of a broken leg to keep his distance from her mother—Xiao Yuruo eyed him suspiciously. "Really? Since when have you become so well-behaved?"
"Eldest Miss, what are you talking about?" Lin Wanrong retorted, indignant. "When have I ever been ill-mannered?"
She harrumphed, lowering her head. Her cheeks flushed a rosy hue, contrasting beautifully with her immaculate skin.
He was utterly entranced. Grasping her hand, he chuckled, "Well, I might be a bit rough sometimes, but that's only when I'm with you, Eldest Miss. Otherwise, I'm absolutely proper." ṚAɴՕBĘꞨ
"You rascal!" She felt his hand sliding upward along her delicate wrist, turning her face even redder. She scolded him, yet couldn't bring herself to stop him. Remembering she hadn’t finished questioning him, she managed to stammer out, "Wait, stop, I still have questions for you."
"What else? Just ask," Lin Wanrong gently stroked her soft waist, the touch as smooth as silk, causing his heart to tremble. He grinned cheekily, "You ask your questions, and I'll do my thing; neither will interfere with the other."
"How annoying." Xiao Yuruo quickly removed his mischievous hand and pouted, her cheeks flushing red. "Apart from this, you really haven't done anything wrong to my mother?"
"I, Lin Wanrong, swear to the heavens." Lin Wanrong earnestly raised his right hand, "If I have done anything in that ruined building that night to dishonor your mother or you, may I choke to death while eating, drown while drinking, or be crushed to death by banknotes—"
"That's enough of your rambling." Seeing him sweating profusely, seemingly in intense pain as if touching upon his wounds, Xiao Yuruo felt her heart ache. She gently lowered his hand and said softly, "Why are you swearing? Isn't it enough that I believe you? Haven't you ever done anything to disappoint my mother on other occasions?"
Lin Wanrong was about to raise his hand to swear again when a gentle, warm hand covered his mouth. "Enough with your oaths; I believe you. You seem to have no regard for your own injuries. You're going to worry me to death," Eldest Miss said, her eyes brimming with tears and annoyance.
Feeling ashamed, Lin Wanrong chuckled twice. How could he truly swear? He had had his moments of levity with the mature and beautiful Madam.
"Yuruo, you must believe me. After your reminder the night before last, I've been strictly disciplining myself, being alert at all times, and not doing anything inappropriate. Ah, speaking of which, what did you mean that you would 'take care of me' before the accident?" He changed the subject smoothly while maintaining an earnest expression.
Xiao Yuruo's cheeks turned crimson, radiant as if about to drop dew. "Take care? What take care? I don't remember!"
Her alluring figure and gorgeous face coupled with her shy smile made her look like a begonia blossoming in an autumn night, causing Lin Wanrong to feel an overwhelming heat surge through him. Had it not been for his impaired mobility, he would have proceeded to resolve the matter entirely.
"Why are you laughing?" Seeing the cunning smile on his face, Xiao Yuruo seemed to sense something, her body softening as she tremulously asked.
"I'm not laughing," Lin Wanrong chuckled. "I was just thinking about when we could pick a good day for you to 'take care of me.'"
"Ugh!" Eldest Miss lightly spat, her cheeks flaming. Lin Wanrong held her hand and felt the tremor in her heart, overwhelmed by warmth. All his amorous feelings subsided, and he fully savored the joy of mutual affection.
"It is strange indeed," Xiao Yuruo finally said, her mood much improved after their banter. "If you didn't do anything wrong, why is there such a huge difference in my mother's behavior before and after the incident?"
"Maybe it's menopause," Lin Wanrong lazily yawned, speaking without thinking.
Xiao Yuruo furrowed her brow, clearly puzzled by his words. "What did you say? What's menopause?"
This was a bit tricky to explain. Lin Wanrong chuckled, "What I mean to say is that Madam has reached middle age. With many concerns on her mind, it's understandable if she occasionally acts in ways that baffle us."
"What nonsense about reaching middle age," Eldest Miss huffed in dissatisfaction, shooting him a look. "My mother is mature and beautiful, in the prime of her life. She doesn't have any of these issues you're talking about."
"Yes, yes," Lin Wanrong laughed. "Both Madam and Eldest Miss are as beautiful and youthful as the peonies in the garden. Year after year they bloom, and each season they are lovely! I'm but the diligent gardener, watering by day, irrigating by night!"
"Stop talking nonsense," Eldest Miss scolded, though she couldn't conceal her smile and no longer pressed him about her mother. She let out a long sigh, leaned her head into his chest, and began to weep silently. "Lin San, my mother is leaving, our home is gone. What should I do?"
She closed her eyes, her face a picture of sorrow and despair. Lin Wanrong, moved, patted her fragrant shoulder gently. "What do you mean gone? This is our home, isn't it?"
Eldest Miss slowly shook her head. "I still miss the days when we were at home, with my mother, my sister, and you. There were many moments I can't forget—even the days when you bullied me were days I felt happy."
Xiao Yuruo had been committed to restoring the glory of the Xiao family since she was young. Now, their homes and properties in the capital had vanished. Her years of effort had come to nothing. Lin Wanrong was touched by her words and laughed aloud, "Don't worry. As long as we're safe and sound, we can start all over. When the Xiao family is re-established, I'll marry you and Yushuang and make this your home as well."
Xiao Yuruo let out a shy but delighted hum. "Will you also come back to our family?"
"Of course I will," Lin Wanrong replied solemnly. "If I don't, where else can I find another young miss to bully?"
"You're annoying!" Hearing him tease her, Xiao Yuruo felt both shy and delighted, gripping his hand tightly and not letting go.
Having opened her heart, Xiao Yuruo detailed her plans to rebuild the Xiao family's estate in the capital to Lin Wanrong. She knew where the shops would be, where the warehouses, gardens, and embroidering rooms would go; everything was planned. Most surprisingly, within the garden, she had arranged for three wooden rooms, nestled among a variety of flowers—simple yet harmonious. Lin Wanrong thought for a moment and then suddenly realized. "Eldest Miss, is this where I stayed in Jinling?"
Xiao Yuruo hummed in confirmation, offering a tender smile.
The Eldest Miss's thoughts touched Lin Wanrong deeply. Those few wooden rooms, though simple, were places he'd never forget. Memories of the Eldest Miss, the Second Miss, and Qingxuan flooded back.
"What are you thinking about?" Seeing his expression turn serious for a moment before becoming strange again, Xiao Yuruo couldn't help but ask.
"I wasn't thinking about anything in particular," Lin Wanrong grinned. "I just hope that once these wooden rooms are built, they can be used for some great endeavors."
Second Miss shook her head and chuckled lightly, "Is there something so grand that it must be done in this wooden cabin?"
Lin Wanrong chuckled in response, nodding toward Yuruo. Eldest Miss playfully chided him before leaning in, her ear close to his mouth, to listen to what he had to say.
A faint fragrance emanated from her. She had a slender physique; her collar slightly ajar, revealing her porcelain-white neck. Her skin was as smooth as jade, and her curvaceous body was soft and full. As she leaned on him, her silk-like touch was smooth against his skin. From within the opening of her garment, a hint of a pink undergarment was vaguely visible, her smooth, voluptuous breasts slightly rising and falling, stretching the garment taut. In her hurried breaths, a sultry allure made itself evident.
Swallowing hard, Lin Wanrong blew a soft breath in her ear and chuckled lasciviously, "Is seducing a young lady in this cabin not grand enough?"
Xiao Yuruo let out a soft moan, her body aflame, her heart tingling. Although the wooden cabin was small, it held special significance. If they could truly become a couple within these walls—oh, the embarrassment! She hurriedly covered her flushed cheeks, her ears red, but her heart was filled with endless longing.
After conversing with Eldest Miss and seeing her coy demeanor, Lin Wanrong felt extraordinarily happy. Reminiscing about their first encounter—how she had been domineering and strong—he chuckled. It felt as if lifetimes had passed. Kissing her cheek, he was overwhelmed by a deep sense of nostalgia. If he survived the northern expedition against the nomads, he vowed to return to Jinling with all his wives.
Everyone seemed to sense his special feelings for the Eldest Miss, giving the two some time alone. Even Qin Xian'er, his jealous little wife, had been quiet for a long time. It was only after Eldest Miss left that she pouted and jumped into the bed, tightly hugging his neck. "Husband, am I good?"
"Good, good," Lin Wanrong genuinely responded.
Tears in her eyes, Qin Xian'er softly said, "Husband, I may be jealous, but it's because I love you so much. Tell me whom you like, and I will lure them to serve you. Don't worry about me; I'll get over it."
Lin Wanrong slapped her rounded buttocks lightly, "Lure them to serve me? What do you think I am, some kind of lecher?"
Wiping away her tears, Xian'er giggled, "My master once said you're a grand lecher, equal to her in skill!"
That sly vixen. Lin Wanrong felt a stirring in his heart, and as he softly caressed Xian'er's behind, he chuckled, "Well, I'll have to conquer this little lecher before conquering that grand lecher."
Xian'er grunted, panting, "I knew you were up to no good, even thinking of conquering my master! Ah, Husband, you're still unwell—"
It was just a thought. With his current broken condition, what could he really do? Lin Wanrong sighed. Seeing his charming wife beside him, knowing he couldn't act upon his desires, he felt terribly frustrated, cursing those who had harmed him in his thoughts.
Awakening in the middle of the night, Lin Wanrong opened his eyes, startling Qin Xian'er who quickly clung to his arm, displaying an infinitely beautiful figure, "Husband, what are you doing?"
With a sly grin and a glint in his eye, Lin Wanrong said, "It's a dark and windy night, the perfect time for murder."
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