Chapter 130: Only Ah Xiang
It’s strange to say, but the plants used for making ointnts actually sll quite odd, so are even stinky, but when mixed together and made into an ointnt, they sll quite pleasant.
Ah Xiang had grown accustod to falling asleep with the fresh scent of the ointnt.
Suddenly sleeping in this shabby little house, she found herself sowhat unable to sleep.
However, that was even better; her sleeplessness would result in dark circles under her eyes — when Lin Nianbei saw them, he would probably think it was from missing him and would surely feel heartbroken.
She thought her deception could be sped up.
Ah Xiang yawned.
Her mind was filled with thoughts of her ointnt, considering how to make it and how much food she could earn from selling it.
She considered where to hide the considerable amount of food she would earn.
The world was too dangerous now, prone to sudden floods and storms; she was afraid her food would end up being washed away.
While thinking about this, Ah Xiang gradually felt more sleepy and without realizing it, she fell asleep.
When she woke up again, it was to the sound of knocking.
Lin Nianbei had co and was standing outside, knocking on the door.
Ah Xiang, being a light sleeper, woke up at the very first knock.
Upon waking, without even thinking, Ah Xiang vigorously rubbed her eyes, then shed a few tears. She wiped her eyes with her hands but only to a degree that left visible signs she had been crying.
Then she tousled her hair a little and bit her lip hard enough to leave a mark.
As Ah Xiang did all this, Lin Nianbei continued to carefully knock on the door from outside.
He knocked while calling out for Ah Xiang.
After all these preparations, Ah Xiang walked to the door and leaned against it with her back.
She sobbed, “Brother Lin, stop coming to find . Please go.”
“Ah Xiang! Ah Xiang, open the door.”
Although Lin Nianbei couldn’t see, Ah Xiang went full out in her act, shaking her head inside the room and letting her tears scatter everywhere.
“Brother Lin, I’m begging you. I can’t hold you back. Please go back, don’t co looking for again.”
“Ah Xiang…”
“I’m begging you,” Ah Xiang’s voice was filled with despair.
Outside, Lin Nianbei paused in his actions, “Alright… alright, I’m leaving. Take care, don’t do anything foolish.”
Lin Nianbei finished speaking and waved his hand to his subordinates, signaling them to hide.
He himself pretended to walk away, taking heavy steps, but actually, he hid himself.
As soon as Lin Nianbei hid, the door creaked open slightly.
Ah Xiang peek through the crack and then cautiously made it bigger, poking her head out.
Seeing truly no one around, Ah Xiang then grabbed a few of her garnts, preparing to leave.
It seed she was planning to change her place of residence.
Lin Nianbei’s eyes narrowed, he moved his hand signaling to the people hidden in the shadows to grab Ah Xiang.
The next second, the nearest Superpower User swiftly jumped out and caught Ah Xiang, who was trying to leave.
“Let go of .” Ah Xiang struggled fiercely, and soon, she saw a shadow fall over her.
Looking up, it was Lin Nianbei.
“Ah Xiang, co with .”
“No,” Ah Xiang’s struggles dwindled, tears cascading more and more, as she glanced at Lin Nianbei through blurred, teary eyes.
“Brother Lin, I can’t put you in a difficult situation,” said Ah Xiang, her gaze laden with too much emotion, almost scorching Lin Nianbei.
“Ah Xiang, co back with ,” Lin Nianbei steadied himself.
Ah Xiang wanted to shake her head in refusal, but the next second, she felt a pain in her neck and passed out.
Even as an old man, Lin Nianbei still resorted to forceful love.
This was Ah Xiang’s last thought before she fainted.
When Ah Xiang woke up again, she found herself lying on Lin Nianbei’s bed.
And surprisingly, it was quite soft.
She hadn’t slept on such a soft bed in a long ti, not since she was with that well-off older man…
Ah Xiang pressed down on the mattress, Lin Nianbei was nearby, his back to her, seemingly busy with so official matters.
Ah Xiang’s eyes darted around, and the next second, she rolled out of bed and curled into a ball, distancing herself from it.
Lin Nianbei, his back still turned, heard the noise and imdiately spun around, only to see Ah Xiang by the bed.
His eyes narrowed, and he rushed over to help her.
Ah Xiang’s lips had lost their color, her face deathly pale as she shrank her limbs, pushing Lin Nianbei away as he tried to help her.
“Don’t co closer… Don’t co near … I don’t want to go back on the bed, I’m too dirty… I don’t deserve it,” she said, her hands clutching her head as tears slipped down like a startled bird.
“Ah Xiang, what’s wrong? I’m sorry, I rushed things… I was just afraid of losing you,” Lin Nianbei’s brow furrowed, he tried again to lift her, unable to let her sit on the dirty floor.
Held in his arms, Ah Xiang grew even more frightened, tears flowing freely as she looked at him with reddened eyes, “Please… I don’t want to go on the bed, I’m too dirty, I don’t deserve it.”
“Ah Xiang, what are you talking about? Stop crying, tell what’s wrong,” Lin Nianbei watched her cry, his heart twisting painfully.
“What are you afraid of, you’re not dirty, tell what you’re afraid of?” Lin Nianbei, seeing her struggle fiercely, dared not forcefully drag her up.
Ah Xiang paused, her tears flowing even more violently.
“I’m dirty, I don’t deserve to be on your bed…” Ah Xiang was a clever woman, she knew well that neither Lin Nianbei nor his niece Lin Muxue were pushovers.
If she got involved with Lin Nianbei, whom she liked, he might not probe too deeply, but Lin Muxue despised her, hated her to death.
Surely a thorough investigation would be inevitable, although she had been discreet in her previous dalliances with n, a determined person could easily uncover those secrets.
Now, she had to reveal this preemptively, to tell Lin Nianbei.
But naturally, as it ca from her, she had painted herself in a sowhat more favorable light.
She portrayed her actions as the sacrifices of a woman trying to provide for her daughter, forced into compromising situations by other n—emphasizing the direness of her plight.
Ah Xiang was highly skilled in manipulating her speech, and upon hearing her words, instead of feeling aversion, Lin Nianbei felt only sympathy.
“Ah Xiang, all of that is in the past and was not your fault. It’s not easy for a woman alone in this world; I won’t think of you as dirty. In my eyes, you are like a lotus blossom, unsoiled by the mud,” Lin Nianbei himself was not concerned with such matters.
He never really cared about romance; this was even less significant. His affection for Ah Xiang was not based on her beauty or youth—in fact, compared to other won who had pursued him, Ah Xiang was older, not as physically appealing, nor did she have a particularly nice face or any evident charm.
But he liked her, for her gentleness, her attentiveness; she was the first to notice an old injury on his hands.
She had given him ointnt.
The injury on his hand, from his youth, was barely noticeable now, requiring close inspection to discern any scars.
His niece, Lin Muxue, who had been so caring, hadn’t noticed.
Only Ah Xiang, after just a few etings, had seen it instantly.
And she had brought him ointnt, aiding his healing without asking for anything in return.
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