kingnovel Chapter 8 Liu Xiaoyu's Visit (1)
Chapter 8 Liu Xiaoyu's Visit (1)
Qin Yaoyao lay quietly on the soft bed, her gaze fixed on the bed curtains, her thoughts drifting back to her past life. At that time, she was still asleep, only slowly waking up the following morning. When she opened her eyes, she saw her best friend Liu Xiaoyu sitting beside her, watching her with deep concern.
Seeing this, Qin Yaoyao felt a surge of warmth in her heart, deeply grateful that Liu Xiaoyu must have stayed up all night, guarding her side. From then on, their friendship deepened, and they shared everything, willing to discuss anything with each other. However, she never expected that this very trust would ultimately lead her into trouble, causing her to be betrayed and harmed.
"This time, I will never repeat the same mistake!" Qin Yaoyao vowed silently. Thinking of this, weariness washed over her like a tide, her eyelids grew heavy, and her consciousness gradually blurred. Before long, she drifted peacefully into sleep.
The night was deep and all was quiet. As Qin Yaoyao slept soundly, a familiar figure slipped into the room like a ghost. He tiptoed to the bedside, careful not to wake the sleeping girl. By the dim moonlight, the young man gazed at the serene face on the bed, a slight smile of affection playing on his lips.
The boy sat silently by the bed, gazing intently for a long time, as if he had a thousand words to say but didn't know where to begin. Finally, he reluctantly got up and left, his movements extremely gentle, as if afraid of disturbing the girl's sweet dream.
That night, Qin Yaoyao slept exceptionally well, only waking up slowly the next morning when the sunlight streamed into the room.
In the early morning, sunlight streamed through the window into the room, and Qin Yaoyao slowly opened her eyes, waking from her sleep. Looking at the incredibly familiar surroundings and things, Qin Yaoyao finally began to believe that what was happening before her eyes was not a dream but reality—she had actually returned to the past! Just as she excitedly prepared to get out of bed, a familiar, delicate fragrance unexpectedly wafted into her nose.
This cool yet alluring fragrance was all too familiar to Qin Yaoyao, for it belonged to the handsome young man she longed for day and night—He Yanxi. Could it be… that He Yanxi had been here before? The thought made Qin Yaoyao's heart race involuntarily, filled with both anticipation and nervousness. Just then, Yingchun and Banxia gently pushed open the door and entered, their faces radiating concern.
"Miss, you're finally awake! How are you feeling?" Yingchun asked softly.
"Hmm...it's okay, just a bit of a headache." Qin Yaoyao rubbed her temples.
"Then hurry up and get up and wash up, it will make you feel more refreshed," Banxia said, placing the basin of water beside the bed.
Qin Yaoyao nodded and got up to wash. She carefully cleansed her face, enjoying the cool water and the soft towel. After washing up, she felt much better. Qin Yaoyao suddenly recalled the fragrance she had smelled earlier and couldn't help but wonder: could it be that she was imagining things because she missed someone so much? So she turned to Yingchun beside her and asked, "Did you notice a strange smell in the room?" Yingchun replied blankly, "What smell? I couldn't smell anything at all."
Hearing Yingchun's answer, Qin Yaoyao muttered to herself in disappointment, "It seems it was just my imagination..." However, seeing Qin Yaoyao's mood becoming increasingly depressed, Yingchun and Banxia exchanged a glance, then chuckled in unison. Under Qin Yaoyao's surprised gaze, Banxia said, "Miss, actually Yingchun was just teasing you! There really is a faint fragrance in this room. Although it's not strong, you can still detect it if you sniff carefully."
Upon hearing Banxia's words, Qin Yaoyao's eyes lit up with excitement, and she eagerly asked, "Is that really so?" Seeing her mistress's delight, Banxia nodded vigorously and replied affirmatively, "Absolutely! If you don't believe me, Miss, you can ask Yingchun." Qin Yaoyao then shifted her gaze from Banxia to Yingchun, who was trying hard to suppress her laughter. Yingchun nodded slightly in agreement. At this moment, Qin Yaoyao finally revealed a radiant smile. Yingchun gracefully walked to Qin Yaoyao's side, smiling broadly, and asked, "Miss, you seem so happy; do you already know who the owner of this fragrance is?" Qin Yaoyao tilted her head slightly, a hint of pride on her face, and replied, "Of course! My nose is incredibly sensitive!"
Seeing this, Banxia joined in the teasing, "Hehe, since Miss is so happy, is it because of your keen sense of smell, or because of the owner of that fragrance source?" As soon as she finished speaking, Qin Yaoyao blushed and pretended to tickle Banxia, saying relentlessly, "Oh, you two dare to make fun of me! I'll teach you a lesson!" With that, she reached out and pounced on the two maids. The two maids couldn't dodge in time and giggled as they were tickled, begging for mercy, "We know we were wrong, we won't dare do it again, please, Miss, have mercy on us!" For a moment, the three of them, mistress and servants, played together, their laughter echoing in the air.
Qin Yaoyao gave a soft hum, the corners of her mouth slightly upturned, and said softly, "Very well, I'll forgive you this time. What are you all standing there for? Come quickly and help me with my hair and makeup!" Upon hearing this, Banxia hurriedly replied, "Yes, Miss."
Qin Yaoyao gazed quietly at herself in the mirror, her slightly youthful and innocent face filling her with joy. At that moment, she couldn't help but feel secretly fortunate; perhaps it was precisely because she was so young that she possessed such a pure and captivating appearance.
Suddenly, a strange and unique fragrance wafted into her nose, a scent clearly not from herself. In an instant, a thought flashed through her mind—could he have been here before? This thought filled Qin Yaoyao with an indescribable joy, as if the whole world had brightened. She began to silently anticipate his next visit, yet she didn't know when they would meet again. This sudden thought startled her, and a shy blush instantly spread across her cheeks.
Seeing that Qin Yaoyao had finished dressing, Yingchun turned and instructed the servants to bring the carefully prepared delicacies to the room. Before long, a table full of delicacies was neatly arranged on the table, and an enticing aroma wafted out.
Sunlight streamed through the window and onto the dining table, where Qin Yaoyao sat elegantly, enjoying the carefully prepared breakfast before her. Every bite of food brought her satisfaction and pleasure, and her mood gradually lightened.
After finishing breakfast, Qin Yaoyao slowly stood up and gracefully walked to the bedside to sit down. She quietly pondered what she needed to do next, her eyes revealing a firmness and determination.
Recalling her past life, she knew she would wake up soon, and Liu Xiaoyu would be sitting by her bedside waiting for her. She figured it would be the same in this life! Just as Qin Yaoyao was pondering this, she heard light footsteps outside the door, followed by a maid who came in to report, "Miss, Liu Xiaoyu has arrived."
Qin Yaoyao nodded slightly, indicating that she understood. She knew in her heart that Liu Xiaoyu's arrival meant a new day was about to begin, and perhaps more stories would unfold between them…
Turning her head, Qin Yaoyao's gaze fell upon Yingchun's hesitant expression, so she spoke softly, "Speak your mind, don't keep it bottled up, lest you make yourself sick." Hearing this, Yingchun mustered her courage and said, "Miss, that Miss Liu is not sincere towards you; she's just using you. Furthermore, I believe that Miss Liu is definitely involved in the incident where you fell into the pond that day. She clearly intended to lure you there. You know, Miss, you can't swim, and that pond is nothing special, yet she insisted that you accompany her. There must be some kind of conspiracy involved. Sure enough, you ended up falling into the water."
After hearing these words, Qin Yaoyao was filled with remorse, wishing she could immediately give her past self a good beating. Even the maid beside her could see the problem, yet she had foolishly believed the other woman hadn't done it intentionally—utterly stupid! Seeing the worried expressions on the two maids' faces, Qin Yaoyao comforted them, "Don't worry, I understand now. Actually, she deliberately pushed me into the water, and I know why she did it. From now on, I will never trust her again. You can rest assured, your young lady has become much wiser now."
“Our young lady has always been incredibly clever!” Banxia quickly chimed in. Seeing that the two were still somewhat hesitant, Qin Yaoyao chuckled, “Alright, just bring her in quickly and see what she's up to.” Seeing the two maids' troubled expressions, Qin Yaoyao continued, “She dared to push me into the water, is she just going to let it go like this? I am the legitimate daughter of the Duke of Zhenguo's mansion, it's only right that I ask her for some compensation.” After speaking, she didn't forget to wink playfully at the two of them.
The two maids, upon hearing this, suddenly understood. They realized their mistress had suffered such a calamity; how could the culprit have escaped so easily? Yingchun, without further delay, quickly stepped out of the room. A short while later, a beautiful young woman slowly entered the room. This woman was exquisitely beautiful, dressed in a simple, elegant floral dress, with only a silver plum blossom hairpin in her hair, adorned with no other ornaments. This was Liu Xiaoyu, who walked gracefully towards Qin Yaoyao.
The moment Qin Yaoyao saw her, a raging fire ignited within her, and she wished she could kill her immediately! However, reason told her that now was not the best time to act, and she could not let this despicable person succeed so easily. So, she tightly gripped the brocade quilt in her hands, trying her best to suppress the surging resentment in her heart. When she raised her head again, she quickly put on a bright smile and said joyfully, "Xiaoyu, you've finally come!"
As Liu Xiaoyu stepped into the room, she keenly sensed an unusual hostility, but it vanished in an instant. Seeing Qin Yaoyao's smiling face, she couldn't help but think to herself that perhaps she was just being overly sensitive. Immediately, Liu Xiaoyu hurried to the bedside, tightly grasped Qin Yaoyao's hand, her face full of remorse, and sincerely said, "Yaoyao, I'm so sorry! That day, a pebble appeared out of nowhere, and I stepped on it, losing my balance and falling into the pond, causing you all this trouble..."
Qin Yaoyao expressionlessly withdrew her hand, as if she had rehearsed this action countless times in her mind. Her eyes were calm and deep, making it difficult to fathom her emotions. Then, she turned her head to face Liu Xiaoyu directly, and said in a calm tone, "Xiaoyu, I know very well that this was not something you did intentionally." Her voice was as gentle as a breeze, yet it carried an irresistible force. Liu Xiaoyu thought to herself, "Qin Yaoyao believed her so easily; she's a complete fool! Just a moment ago, I thought she was different, but it turns out she's still the same as always." However, on the surface, she showed joy and said, "Yaoyao, it's so good that you didn't blame me. Before coming here, I was worried that you would ignore me because you were angry."
Qin Yaoyao quickly replied, "How could that be? How could I blame you? Don't make wild guesses." Although she secretly wished Liu Xiaoyu dead, her face did not show any unusual expression.
Liu Xiaoyu smiled broadly and said, "I knew you were the most understanding, Yaoyao." However, in an instant, she sighed, her face full of sorrow. Seeing this, Qin Yaoyao thought to herself, "She's putting on an act again." But outwardly, she still asked with concern, "Xiaoyu, why do you look like this? Is something bothering you?"
Liu Xiaoyu stared at Qin Yaoyao, a hint of doubt in her eyes, and asked questioningly, "Don't you really know what's happening outside?" Qin Yaoyao shook her head blankly and replied, "I haven't stepped out of my room for days. I only woke up yesterday, how could I know what happened?"
After a moment's thought, Liu Xiaoyu replied, "The news of us falling into the pond has probably spread far and wide." Qin Yaoyao thought to herself, "Besides you and He Mingwen, who else could it be? They're just trying to take advantage of our life-saving grace!" However, she pretended to be calm and replied, "There were many people present at the time, so it's normal for the news to spread. You don't need to worry about it."
Seeing that Qin Yaoyao hadn't grasped the deeper meaning of her words, Liu Xiaoyu explained, "This matter is far more complicated than you imagine. Everyone is saying that I intentionally pushed you into the water, and you, in your panic, accidentally pulled me down with you. Even worse, rumors say that the person who saved your life wasn't the Third Prince, but someone else entirely." Hearing this, Qin Yaoyao was secretly delighted. Who was this kind soul who was so understanding, actually helping her discredit this wicked couple? But outwardly, she feigned surprise, saying, "Nonsense! This is clearly nonsense, a fabrication! Xiaoyu, you absolutely mustn't take it to heart!"