RPAGF Chapter 255 A Mother and Daughter's Stalemate! Heading Home!
Chapter 255 A Mother and Daughter's Stalemate! Heading Home!
Wushuang Pavilion, Ling Huanan's residence.
Lin Shu walked to the door and knocked lightly. A calm and composed voice quickly came from inside:
"Enter."
Lin Shu pushed open the door and entered, only to see Ling Huanan sitting upright and dignified at the desk with a solemn expression. It seemed that her adoptive mother always had this unapproachable yet exceptionally upright demeanor!
Upon closer inspection, the other person was still holding a letter, frowning in thought. Hearing footsteps, they casually glanced up at it, then looked down at the letter again, their indifferent tone carrying an air of earnest instruction:
"Are you done? If you're not feeling well, then restrain yourself!"
Lin Shu pursed her lips, her restrained emotions almost uncontrollable. She wanted to punch her, but she held back!
After that, instead of answering Ling Huanan's question, he asked rather rudely, "What did you want from me just now?"
Ling Huanan was still looking at the letter, but it wasn't the same one as before; he had changed it and said:
"Go and see if you have woken up. If you have, prepare to set off for Fengming in three days, along with the grand delegation from the Southern Dynasty and the marriage alliance delegation."
"What if it's not awake?" Lin Shu stared straight at it, guessing that if it wasn't awake, the peacock was definitely up to no good!
Sure enough, Ling Huanan's next reply confirmed her guess:
"If you don't wake up, I won't have time to wait for you. After all, your father is still waiting for us in Mengzhou Prefecture. Although we have left some people behind, I am worried that something might happen if we wait too long!"
However, I wouldn't mind carrying you back; after all, you are my daughter, and I can't possibly abandon you!
The mention of carrying it back reminded Lin Shu of what that peacock had done to her at the Imperial Preceptor's residence that day. If she didn't retaliate now, when would she?
Then, Lin Shu looked intently at Ling Huanan—
To her surprise, upon closer inspection, she discovered that although the peacock was somewhat repulsive, it was also remarkably handsome, with very few wrinkles visible on its face. Lin Shu couldn't help but think to herself:
[No wonder she looks younger than those who are barely thirty, even though she's almost forty. She always has an icy expression and doesn't smile much; there's nowhere for wrinkles to appear!]
"What are you looking at?" Ling Huanan couldn't ignore Lin Shu's complicated and strange gaze, so he put down the letter and asked in a cold voice.
“Naturally, I’m thinking about how to repay that day’s ‘gratitude’.” Lin Shu deliberately emphasized the last word.
Ling Huanan also recalled Lin Shu's humiliation and indignation that day. It was the first time she had seen Lin Shu so humiliated, and she couldn't help but feel a little pleased: "Oh? What do you want?"
The two women, with their strikingly similar faces, glared at each other! They didn't look like a mother and daughter at all, but rather like two children having a little showdown!
Finally, Lin Shu was the first to look away. With Ling Huanan's thick skin, he was definitely immune to ordinary verbal attacks. So she lowered her eyes and thought for a moment, then gave a serious but irrelevant answer:
"Well then, I see that the Prince of Dingbei always has such a dark face. How can Father bear it? I wonder if he is suffering! Therefore, when we return to the capital this time, let him live with his daughter!"
With each additional word Lin Shu spoke, Ling Huanan's face darkened further. Lin Shu truly understood what it meant to have a 'face as still as water'!
"No! You unfilial daughter, is this how you repay a debt of gratitude?" Ling Huanan refused sharply, looking at Lin Shu with displeasure.
Lin Shu raised an eyebrow, but did not refute it. Instead, she continued to add her own explanation:
"Now that there are more children in the family, it's very lively. I think my father would be happy to have him enjoy playing with his grandchildren!"
Oh! By the way, my maternal grandfather's health isn't suited for a harsh, cold place like Shuomen Pass. I'm sure my father would be willing to stay for his sake..."
"You rebellious daughter...!" Ling Huanan stood up with a dark face, wishing he could exchange a few blows with Lin Shu. This rebellious daughter must have been beaten too little when she was young, and now she was so deserving of a beating.
Seeing that Ling Huanan was not outwardly sullen but inwardly seething with rage, Lin Shu, having achieved her goal, took her leave in a clear and melodious voice:
"I still need to visit my maternal grandfather, so I'll be leaving now."
After saying that, she walked straight out, making sure to close the door behind her.
Ling Huanan looked in the direction Lin Shu left, snorted heavily, and made up his mind that when he got back, he would definitely not let that brat Lin Shu get close to Xue Wen, lest she abduct him.
……
After Lin Shu came out, she had someone take her to Zhu Yu's bedroom.
However, as soon as they entered the courtyard, they saw the white-haired old man lying on a rattan chair with his eyes closed and his hands clasped in front of his abdomen, basking in the scorching sun.
Lin Shu looked up at the blazing sun. How could she stand such strong sunlight? Wasn't she afraid of getting heatstroke?
Thinking of this, she slowly approached, leaned down, and softly called out, "Grandfather! Grandfather...!"
It took several calls to wake him up.
Zhu Yu squinted for a moment to adjust to the bright light before excitedly reaching out a hand to Lin Shu: "Shu'er is awake! Come quickly! Let your grandfather take a good look at you!"
Lin Shuyi placed her hand on the old man's withered, bloodless hand and squatted down beside him.
"Great! So beautiful!" Zhu Yu excitedly touched Lin Shu's eyebrows again and again. Although she had seen them before, she could not see them as clearly as she could now.
Lin Shu let the other person gently caress her, her gaze sweeping over the iron hooks on the other person's shoulder blades before slowly looking upwards.
Zhu Yu's normally dry and frizzy hair was now neatly combed, and her unusually aged and distressed face was unnaturally pale. Upon closer inspection, one could see the skin that had been sunburned and the red veins. A pang of sorrow gripped my heart, and I spoke up to comfort her:
"Grandpa, it's hot outside, let's go inside and talk."
"It's alright, it's alright! You won't be in the sun for more than a few days in your life." Zhu Yu said this, but looking at Lin Shu's fair face, she couldn't bear to see her granddaughter get too hot, so she got up and pulled Lin Shu to walk under the shade of a tree, teasing her as they went:
"But you, child, were unconscious for six days, which worried everyone, especially that young master, who had to come to see you several times a day!"
If you don't wake up soon, that kid's probably going to start crying!
Lin Shu smiled, seemingly recalling the scene of Xu Jingyun crying.
The two talked about many interesting things, and the atmosphere was very warm. Actually, Zhu Yu did most of the talking, and Lin Shu listened!
He talked most about Xue Wen's childhood. He can still talk about things from more than 30 years ago, which shows how many times these memories have surfaced in his mind!
He probably relied on these memories to get through all these years!
After hearing this, Lin Shu felt a lump in her throat and sincerely said to Zhu Yu, "Grandfather, we will set off home in three days. Father is waiting for us."
“Xiao Wen…” Zhu Yu’s eyes were red as she choked out Xue Wen’s name.
An image of a little boy, no bigger than a carrot's head, slowly and involuntarily surfaced in my mind. Whenever he was unhappy, he would pout and run towards the back of the mountain. He was clearly very scared, but I always had to coax him down the mountain before he would come down.
Zhu Yu, unaware of what had happened, was already bursting into tears:
"Okay! Go home!"
Looking for Xiaowen!
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