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Chapter 13: Snowman
In his haste, he used all his strength in the shake-off, sending Qin Shi three steps back, staggering before barely standing firm.
Ignoring Qin Shi, Xie Liqing took three steps forward and timidly stopped in front of Leng Shi, “Leng, I…”
Leng Shi looked at him, then glanced at the consort Qin Louyue. A subtle curve appeared on her lips, “How come I never knew that you have a deep connection with Consort Qin.”
These plain words made Xie Liqing’s scalp numb. He feared Madam Leng’s indifferent attitude, giving him a feeling of being in agony, neither up nor down. Sometimes he would prefer her to throw a tantrum or scold him thoroughly, questioning him about what was going on. But she wasn’t that kind of person. Even when she was angry, she would just give him a cold look, making him feel guilty for no reason.
Xie Liqing waved his hands repeatedly, busy explaining, “I just came out of the study and happened to meet Consort Qin on the way. We exchanged a few words. I was just thinking of finding you, and here you are.”
Madam Leng’s eyes clearly showed disbelief. Just a few words? Was it necessary to pull and tug like this? She wasn’t blind.
If it weren’t for Chen Mama going to the main room to find her, worried about Qin Shi’s safety, and coming to the study to discuss countermeasures with him, she wouldn’t have witnessed the scene just now. Unexpectedly, the dignified consort of Duke Dongping was actually clinging to her husband, which widened Madam Leng’s perspective.
She wondered if there were some unknown past between the two?
Looking at Qin Shi’s expression, she seemed quite aggrieved.
Qin Shi, supported by a maid, stepped forward and stood behind Xie Liqing. She forced a smile towards Madam Leng, “I just happened to pass by here. Seeing Lord Xie working hard in the study, I thought of inviting him to the pavilion for some snacks.”
Madam Leng lifted her lips, responding with a distant politeness, “Today’s snow is heavy. The consort wouldn’t pass by this area on her way back to the chambers. It seems that the consort has a leisurely and elegant mood to pass by here incidentally.”
Qin Shi’s face stiffened, and her smile almost couldn’t be maintained.
Madam Leng looked at Xie Liqing, coldly observing him for a while. Just when Xie Liqing felt almost unable to withstand it and was about to admit his mistake, she revealed a hint of a smile in her eyes. “The consort said you work hard in the study. Why have you never mentioned it to me? If you truly find it hard, I’ll have a few maids come to serve you.”
Though she was smiling, the smile didn’t reach her eyes, carrying a hint of annoyance and threat.
Having been a couple with Xie Liqing for over a decade, how could he not understand her temper? If he dared to agree now, there would be no good days for him in the next few days. He shook his head, “No, no. With the wife around, how could I feel it’s hard?”
Madam Leng asked again, “Why do I remember you don’t like eating snacks?”
He nodded in agreement, “Madam remembers correctly; I indeed do not like to eat.”
On the other side, Qin Shi’s face turned extremely pale, almost whiter than the snowflakes falling from the sky. She incredulously stood between the two, frowning, “Cousin does not like desserts? I remember you used to love lotus root powder osmanthus sugar cakes. Every time I made them, you…”
Today, the snacks she brought included lotus root powder osmanthus sugar cakes, made personally in the Xie mansion’s kitchen. She thought he would really like them, but to her surprise, he didn’t even glance at them.
In the past, he would always eat a couple more whenever she made sugar cakes.
What’s happening now?
Xie Liqing furrowed his brows, genuinely becoming a bit angry. They both have families; why are they entangled like this? He said, “That was in the past; I don’t like them anymore. Madam, please go back earlier. It’s not quite appropriate for you to be out for so long.”
After saying this, he started to leave with his wife and daughter. Unexpectedly, just a few steps away, Qin Shi, not giving up, attempted to stop them.
Xie Zhen had been curious for a long time. Standing in front of the couple, she tilted her snowy-white, tender face up and asked, “Madam, are you the side consort of Duke Dongping?”
Qin Shi lowered her head, slowly nodded.
Even more curious, Xie Zhen tilted her little head, blinked her big eyes, “Then why aren’t you accompanying Duke Dongping? Instead, you came to accompany my father?”
Qin Shi struggled to speak, unable to find the words.
No one answered her, and she anxiously but expectantly waited for Qin Shi’s response. After a good while without an answer, she sighed, feeling disappointed. Remembering the scene she witnessed earlier, she said, “You even held my father’s hand. Why did you hold my father’s hand? Only my mother can hold my father’s hand.”
Turning around, she grabbed the hands of both Xie Liqing and Leng Shi, then placed their hands together, “This is how it should be!”
Mission accomplished, she smiled contentedly, her radiant smile resembling a delicate flower in the winter snow. That smile pierced Qin Shi’s eyes, making them ache. She watched helplessly as Xie Liqing held Leng Shi’s hand in one and the little girl’s hand in the other, walking away happily as a family of three, leaving her increasingly alone and desolate.
*
After passing through a moonlit door, in a place hidden from Qin Shi’s view, Leng Shi decisively let go of Xie Liqing’s hand. Xie Liqing’s heart sank, wanting to reach for her hand again, but she skillfully avoided him.
He suddenly had a bad premonition and turned to look at Leng Shi. She calmly looked at him, a hint of a cold smile on her lips, slowly asking, “Cousin?”
His headache intensified.
After some thought, Leng Shi continued word by word, “Do you still love lotus root powder osmanthus sugar cakes the most?”
It seemed he couldn’t get through this without honestly admitting it. Xie Liqing was momentarily unsure where to begin. He had never told Leng Shi about this past, as it was just a fleeting crush during his youth, not something to bring up now. Moreover, since marrying her, going through so much together, his love for her grew every day. In comparison, those past feelings for cousins were negligible.
He kept it to himself, thinking it was unnecessary to mention, especially since it had been so long. If it weren’t for Duke Dongping bringing Qin Shi to stay, he probably wouldn’t have remembered.
Xie Liqing softened his tone, putting effort into coaxing her, “That’s all in the past. When was the last time you saw me eat sugar cakes? Leng, my feelings for you, don’t you understand…”
Leng Shi glanced at him, “What feelings?”
He choked, about to answer, but lowered his head and saw little Xie Zhen, eagerly listening on the ground.
Xie Zhen, with her big, dark eyes blinking incessantly, saw Xie Liqing stop talking and quickly tugged at his clothes, asking, “Father, what feelings?”
Xie Liqing suddenly felt like he lost his face, waving his hand to dismiss her, “Children shouldn’t eavesdrop on adults’ conversations.”
He gestured to the nearby Chen Mama to pick her up and take her back inside. Xie Zhen hadn’t had enough yet, still hanging on Chen Mama’s shoulder, twisting a couple of times. Despite her reluctance, she was taken away.
In the courtyard, Leng Shi and Xie Liqing were left alone. Leng Shi looked at him without saying a word, indicating: Speak up.
Xie Liqing cleared his throat. With many pairs of eyes in the courtyard watching, he felt expressing affection towards his wife in such a public setting would compromise his dignity. He wanted to take Leng Shi back inside, but she was more stubborn than him. She stood there, and he couldn’t go anywhere until he finished speaking.
He had no choice but to say, “Apart from the two daughters, you are the only woman in my heart…”
*
The snow fell heavily all night, covering the courtyard in a pristine layer of white the next day.
Xie Zhen and Xie Xian worked together to build a large snowman. Xie Zhen stood on a stool, about to give the snowman a carrot nose when Xie Xian suddenly exclaimed, startling her and causing her to fall from the stool.
Covered in snowflakes, she sat in the snowy ground, annoyed, and asked her sister, “What’s wrong with you?”
Xie Xian pointed to the front yard, suddenly remembering, “Today, that prince is leaving…”
Let him leave, thought Xie Zhen. Anyway, the consort upset Mother, and it’s better if she’s gone. She brushed off the snow from her body, stood up again, and said, “You better help me fix it this time.”
Xie Xian nodded vigorously, afraid to make more noise.
The two sisters built the snowman in the backyard while the adults were in the front yard seeing off the guests.
Xie Liqing and Leng Shi personally escorted Duke Dongping to the door, exchanged pleasantries, and gave some blankets for the journey before sending Duke Dongping and Qin Shi onto the carriage. Throughout, Xie Liqing didn’t glance towards Qin Shi, but she kept her head bowed, silent with red eyes.
Leng Shi noticed that Qin Shi didn’t carry her child today. When she looked closer, she saw a nanny holding a swaddled baby, presumably Qin Shi’s child.
Duke Dongping boarded the carriage first, waved to Xie Liqing, and said his goodbyes. He looked at Qin Shi under the carriage, a fleeting depth in his eyes, and joked, “What’s this, my beloved consort is reluctant to leave?”
Qin Shi quickly shook her head, lifting her dress and stepping onto the carriage with a wooden stool.
Duke Dongping didn’t say much, but his attitude towards her was noticeably colder than yesterday. This made Leng Shi involuntarily think more. Could he have learned something? However, his polite and courteous attitude towards Xie Liqing remained unchanged, leaving people puzzled.
As the carriage gradually moved away, Xie Liqing unfastened his cloak and draped it over Leng Shi. He led her back to the house, saying, “Go back quickly, don’t stand in the cold.”
As they walked, Leng Shi asked, “How is the relationship between Duke Dongping and his consort?”
Xie Liqing replied, “I don’t know… but I heard that Duke Dongping’s consort is strong-willed and manages the mansion very efficiently.”
Strong-willed, in other words, a fiery temper, not willing to compromise.
After listening to Xie Liqing’s explanation yesterday, Leng Shi had been feeling puzzled. Since she had struggled so hard to enter the Duke’s mansion initially, why would she want to go back now? It seemed that the Duchess of Duke Dongping was not an easy person to get along with, and Qin Shi had suffered quite a bit under her, which might have made her remember the goodness of Xie Liqing.
Leng Shi glanced at Xie Liqing, suspicion evident in her eyes.
Xie Liqing immediately embraced her, trying to please her. He truly loved her appearance and, regardless of being in the courtyard, gently kissed her lips, “I only love you now, and you’re the only one in my heart.”
Leng Shi, biting onto his kissed lips, made a soft humming sound.
*
In the backyard, with the help of Xie Rong, Xie Zhen and Xie Xian finally built a snowman.
The snowman wore Xie Zhen’s swan-feathered hat on its head, with a round face, two shiny eyes, and red lips. Xie Zhen pointed at the snowman and said, “Doesn’t it look like Ah Xian?”
Xie Xian pouted, “Only if I think like you.”
The debate over who the snowman truly resembled went on for quite some time, with one saying it looked like Ah Xian, and the other insisting it resembled the elder sister. In the end, neither of them could settle on a result, leading to a playful argument. Suddenly, Xie Zhen turned and ran towards the corridor, her suede soft boots making a rhythmic “thud, thud, thud” sound on the wooden boards. She exclaimed, “I’ll call Mother to come and see!”
She ran to the main room of the Xie family, speaking like a streak of smoke.
There were no maids at the door of the room. She pushed it twice but couldn’t open it; the door was locked from the inside. Curiously, she knocked on the door, “Mother?”
But there was no response from inside. She was about to call again when she heard strange noises from inside. She pressed her ear against the door crack and heard deep gasps and the low moaning of her mother.
What kind of sound?
Curiously, she wanted to listen again but was quickly picked up by Shuangyu who came rushing. Shuangyu’s face was red as she held her away from the door, “Second Miss, Master Li Yu has come to see you.”
Xie Zhen looked up and saw Li Yu, dressed in a black fur cloak, standing on the other side of the corridor, staring at her with a clear and fair face.
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