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nWhen Mo Qianxue told the story, a smile remained on Ning Shaoqing’s face, unrevealing any trace of his true thought.

nThe smile turned Mo Qianxue increasingly restless. She even lowered her head out of guilt. His eyebrows leaped for a time when she talked about Tong Zijing. She only prayed that he could untie his psychological knot of jealousy.

nWhen she finished, Ning Shaoqing’s gaze lingered on her face for a while, “What’s done is done. I won’t blame you, but let’s put an end to it.”

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nMo Qianxue tried to say something and he added, “You’ve done your part. It’d be good Mr. Tong gives you the valley. Don’t go to Tong mansion anymore even if he doesn’t. I’ll find a nice place for you.”

n“But…Zijing…” Now what Mo Qianxue cared was no long the mere valley but Tong Zijing’s condition.

nAfter spending a few days together, the poor body really touched some part in her heart and gave her a sense of family. Maybe, in the past few days, she had really treated him as her younger brother.

nNow it was a vital phase for Tong Zijing. If she stopped going there, Mr. Tong, the stupid old man, might doing foolish things to him again.

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nIf that happened, the former effort in treatment would be cast to the winds and the pitiful lord’s condition would be even harder to heal in the future.

nMo Qianxue’s worry all wrote on her face. A ferocious flood of vinegar rolled and roared in Ning Shaoqing’s heart, but his face remained calm as usual, “Tong Zijing has his father to take care of him. Why does it have anything to do with you?” Zijing? Were they that close already? Was she treating her husband like a dead person?

nMo Qianxue understood that his seemingly selfish question was jealousy in another guise, and feeling that she couldn’t talk him through, she turned away to go out.

nNing Shaoqing threw away his smile. By his temper, it already painstaking easy to let her finishing tell the story of Tong Zijing.

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nHe was also perplexed. Why did the originally warm and loving atmosphere come to an unpleasant end at last?

nAt the dinner, he still looked gloomy with complicated expressions.

nMo Qianxue called him narrow-minded to herself and afterwards kept wondering how she could go out tomorrow.

nEven if she no longer go to Tong mansion in the future, she should notice in advance and leave some guidance so that she herself could rest assured.

nAfter dinner, Ning Shaoqing went out for a walk alone, his footsteps heavy.

nMo Qianxue went to sister Zhang’s house at the entrance of the village.

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nWithout her oxcart, she could only bother the only man who owned a horse carriage in the village.

nShe didn’t arrive at sister Zhang’s house yet when she heard sister Zhang cursing Zhang Genbao. Mo Qianxue suddenly thought of the scene they had witnessed in the forest and, stopping her steps forward, turned away to go back.

nShe would rather avoid the trouble than mess up with the woman.

nNight fell totally, but Ning Shaoqing wasn’t back yet. Asan wasn’t at home either. Although Mo Qianxue didn’t worry about his safety, she still found herself in a fidget.

nAwu was practicing martial arts in the yard, Mo Qianxue, in a daze, came to asked him. Awu stopped, rubbing his head to think for a long while before telling her that it was lord’s birthday today. Probably lord was reminded of something, so he went out to take an air to vent his depression.

nCould there be anything else that made lord more depressed than this date? But certainly, Awu didn’t dare to tell lady this.

nOn hearing these words, Mo Qianxue at once regretted. If she had known it was his birthday today, she wouldn’t have argued with him earlier.

nDamn ancient times that didn’t have cellphones! She wanted to express her apology right now and called him back.

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nShe turned around and went to the kitchen. Spooning a bowl of flour and pouring some water, she began to make dough.

nIn such a winter night, he must feel cold after being blown with wind for so long. Later when he got back and was offered with the longevity noodles she made for him, she reckoned that he wouldn’t be angry anymore.

nAfter the dough was done, she began to twist in into a single long rope of noodle.

nA bowl of longevity noodles for birthday only had one single long noodle to suggest ever-lasting fortune and auspiciousness! Mo Qianxue also prepared a duck egg to put on the noodles, which was meant to safeguard against evil spirits and wished smoothness and success of his life.

nIt was midnight already and Ning Shaoqing hadn’t returned yet. Mo Qianxue pushed open the doors of the living hall. Reflected on white snow, the moon looked brighter.

nShe remembered the days when she had just arrived in this estranged world and when they two had lived a life counting on each other.

nShe remembered how he had protected her when those village elders came to reproach her. Thinking of this, she couldn’t help blaming herself. If he could stand up for her when she was in trouble, then why could she give up her stubbornness for him?

nFine. Alright. Later when he came back, she would tell him that tomorrow she wouldn’t go to Tong mansion. She would stay at home to accompany him.

nSince Su Qi was there in Tong mansion. Nothing serious would happen within one day.

nAt the moment, having made up her mind, she told Awu to send a message to Tong mansion that recently she was too occupied to go there and that they take care of Tong Zijing as she had instructed them.

nCertainly Awu was happy about the news. Finally lady thought it through.

nNaturally the winter night was cold.

nNing Shaoqing, with anger stuck in his chest, looked sorrowfully pale. He had stood on the top of the hill in bitter wind for a long time. Asan couldn’t help persuading him, “Lord. It’s late. I’m afraid lady is worrying about you. Let’s go back.”

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nWas she? Or she was worrying how to deceive him to get out of door and meet that Tong Zijing?

nWith this on his mind, he unconsciously turned around and walked in the direction of home anyway.

nAfter all, he hoped that she was happy. After all, he cared about her.

nArriving at the gate and at the sight of the dim light inside the house, Ning Shaoqing was a little shocked and somehow exalted.

nWas she waiting for him? She cared about him?

nHe hurriedly pushed the doors open when Mo Qianxue happened to look up.

nNing Shaoqing gazed at Mo Qianxue, surprised and excited yet silent.

nAt the moment, Mo Qianxue’s heartbeat accelerated. Concern and joy flashed in her eyes. She stepped forward to hold him in a hurry.

n“You naughty man. Why did you go out for so long and keep me waiting and waiting?”

n“What are you waiting for? Just go to bed in time. Asan heard I wanted to eat something different and told me that there were deer in the forest, so we went to hunt deer.”

n“Then, where is our deer?” Mo Qianxue asked with an understanding smile.

nWhat a bad excuse! Ning Shaoqing coughed and was about to answer her when Mo Qianxue joyfully began to sing a song while jumping around him.

n“Happy birthday to you; happy birthday to you…”

nAll she wanted to sing was entailed in the song.

nAfter singing the birthday song, Mo Qianxue laughed again, “How can we miss longevity noodles on birthday? I bet you feel cold after staying out for so long. Come and eat something warm.”

nReaching the kitchen door, she played good girl, “My dear lord, the heaven of me, please wait for a second, and allow me to serve you with a bowl of longevity noodles.”

nDear lord? He hoped that he wasn’t in a dream.

nHe only remembered that the first time she had called him so was the day he woke up again. Shame that at that time, he was too dizzy to forbid her from calling him in an intimate term.

nWith sweetness in his heart, Ning Shaoqing didn’t stay and wait in the living room but followed her to the kitchen.

nThe water was still boiling in the pot, and the minced meat going with noodles was stewing in the small pot.

nObviously, she had been waiting for him while paying attention to the kitchen, so that he wouldn’t have to wait and could instantly eat what she had prepared for him.

nA flow of warmth ran through his heart. Involuntarily, he stepped forward and hugged her from behind.

nMo Qianxue was getting out the noodles when she was suddenly taken into his arms.

nThis posture made her inconvenient to move, so she tried to push away his hands, but he just wouldn’t let her go and hugged her still harder, putting his head in her necks and gently rubbing.

n“Rid of me, or the noodles are over-cooked and softened.”

nNing Shaoqing remained silent, hugging her, and touched her back neck with his lips for a long time before releasing her.

nOf course at last the noodles were over-cooked but Ning Shaoqing liked them very much.

nAs if, this bowl of noodles was the best food he had ever tasted.

nThe noodles were devoured by Ning Shaoqing in one breath like gust blowing out thin cloud, but in his elegant manner, as usual.

nPutting down the chopsticks, he gazed at Mo Qianxue and said seriously, “Qianxue, you’re the first person who actually went to the kitchen and made longevity noodles for me.”

nHe sounded calm, but Mo Qianxue could detected certain sorrow and bitterness. Instantly, her nose turned sour.

nShe knew what he indicated. She knew that the same day of last year constituted the biggest wound in his life.

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