Chapter 17 Testing Each Other

Chapter 17 Testing Each Other

Cheng Yunshuo finished speaking and then carried the soaked Qiu Ling away from there.

Only Xing Dairong was left standing there in a daze, looking at Cheng Yunshuo as he coldly and heartlessly carried someone away.

She trembled with anger.

He, he, how could he treat her like this!

This man had clearly promised to love her for all eternity!

That night, Cheng Yunshuo did not return to Yaoguang Pavilion.

He stayed at Aunt Qiu's Autumn Fragrance Courtyard.

That night, Xing Dairong smashed a pile of things in Yaoguang Pavilion.

She cried and made a fuss until late into the night.

When Lu Lingyun found out, it was already the next day.

"Madam, last night, His Highness stayed at Aunt Qiu's place, but no matter what tricks Aunt Qiu used, His Highness only slept in a separate room," Chunxing reported back to Lu Lingyun.

"Why is that?" Chunhe asked in confusion. "Logically, didn't His Highness break ties with her?"

Lu Lingyun swayed in her small chair in the courtyard, smiling faintly. "There's no real break; they're testing each other."

"Testing each other?"

"Testing who will give in first." Lu Lingyun smiled.

Between men and women, if there isn't a common enemy to fight together against, the rest of the time is spent battling within the marriage.

Either one will overpower the other, or the other will overpower one.

Previously, Cheng Yunshuo indulged Xing Dairong in everything. He loved her so much that he would disregard rules and propriety, far more than she loved him, which meant Xing Dairong had the upper hand.

But now, when they encountered a significant boundary test, Cheng Yunshuo no longer wanted to give in.

He wanted Xing Dairong to give in.

Last night, he stayed at Aunt Qiu's place but refused to share a room with her, which explained everything.

As for Xing Dairong, Lu Lingyun had noticed during their interactions that she had an inexplicable arrogance, not knowing where her pride came from. Her words and demeanor were filled with disdain and contempt for everyone.

She looked down on everyone, even Cheng Yunshuo.

So she kept pushing Cheng Yunshuo to give in, making him accommodate her in every way.

The two were locked in a standoff.

"Madam, who do you think will give in?"

"It has to be her!" Chunhe said disdainfully. "Last night, she smashed things in Yaoguang Pavilion and went to sleep. According to her usual temper, shouldn't she have gone to make a scene?"

Lu Lingyun smiled gently. "No, it will still be Cheng Yunshuo."

"Why?" everyone asked in unison.

Why?

Because Cheng Yunshuo still loves her deeply.

It is always the one who loves more who gives in.

But in this world, there is no one who will always give in. If only one person keeps retreating, eventually the feelings will fade.

Lu Lingyun smiled without saying anything. Soon after, Little Wei ran in to report, "Madam, His Highness has returned to Yaoguang Pavilion."

Everyone present looked at Lu Lingyun.

For a moment, everyone felt that Lu Lingyun was truly divine; their Madam seemed to grasp everything effortlessly.

Lu Lingyun simply smiled at their gazes.

She wasn't that capable; she just had more experience and had seen more, living a lifetime more than them.

"Send Aunt Qiu some fabric and some ginger tea with brown sugar. She fell into the water yesterday; it must have been hard on her," Lu Lingyun instructed calmly.

"Yes," Chunxing acknowledged.

After Chunxing brought the items back to Autumn Fragrance Courtyard, Qiu Ling was sitting in the courtyard cursing.

"What tricks does that vixen have to bewitch His Highness!"

"She came from a brothel, so naturally, she's good at seducing people!"

Hearing these words, Chunxing smiled. "Aunt Qiu, don't be angry. Madam sent me here with some things for you."

Qiu Ling looked at the items in Chunxing's hands.

There was ginger tea with brown sugar and a fine piece of fabric.

"Madam said you suffered yesterday when you fell into the water; it must have been hard on you."

Qiu Ling's expression immediately improved. "Still, the mistress is kind."

"Who would say otherwise? Our young mistress is a kind-hearted person, but that one always talks nonsense in front of our young mistress and has never been punished."

Hearing this, Qiu Ling felt even more frustrated. "Such an ungrateful and arrogant vixen, relying on a bit of favor to offend everyone. Just wait and see how I'll deal with her!"

Chunxing looked at Qiu Ling and smiled slightly. "What other tricks does Aunt Qiu have up her sleeve?"

Qiu Ling thought seriously for a moment. "Right! The Prince loves the osmanthus cakes I make. Now that the osmanthus flowers are in bloom, let's make some osmanthus cakes for the Prince!"

Chunxing's eyes lit up. "Good idea!"

Meanwhile, Cheng Yunshuo returned to Yaoguang Pavilion, already extending a significant olive branch.

But Xing Dairong had no intention of accepting it.

She locked herself in her room, refusing to eat or drink.

Cheng Yunshuo sent food several times, but Xing Dairong threw everything away.

After seeing this happen repeatedly, Cheng Yunshuo lost his patience.

"Eat if you want; don't if you don't."

He was deeply troubled.

She had done something wrong, yet she still had such a temper!

Every time, he had to coax her, and even his affection couldn't withstand such treatment.

He stayed in Yaoguang Pavilion until the afternoon, feeling suffocated, and finally left.

Just as he stepped out, he saw two women shaking osmanthus trees to collect the flowers.

Seeing this, Cheng Yunshuo was reminded of his childhood, when he and Qiu Ling, along with others in the courtyard, used to shake osmanthus trees together.

He loved osmanthus cakes, and Qiu Ling would always make them for him with the collected flowers.

Thinking about this, he spotted Qiu Ling among the women shaking the trees.

"Qiu Ling?"

"Prince, you came just in time. I've collected many osmanthus flowers and will make osmanthus cakes for you later." Qiu Ling gave him a sweet smile.

This immediately evoked memories from the past.

"You fell into the water yesterday and haven't fully recovered from your cold. Take good care of yourself," Cheng Yunshuo said.

"I'm not that important. Now that I can leave the prayer hall and see the Prince again, I cherish every moment." Qiu Ling held the osmanthus flowers and approached Cheng Yunshuo with gentle care.

Hearing this, Cheng Yunshuo compared her to Xing Dairong, who only knew how to throw tantrums and refused to be consoled. He immediately saw the difference and, recalling how he had expelled Qiu Ling for Xing Dairong, said, "Sister Qiu, don't be angry with me."

Moved by this title, Qiu Ling's eyes welled up with tears. "How could I be angry with the Prince? As long as the Prince still cares about me, I am content. I have no one else to rely on in this world except the Prince."

That night, Cheng Yunshuo rested in the Autumn Fragrance Courtyard.

Xing Dairong finally panicked.

"The Prince hasn't come back again!"

"Yes, the Prince stayed with Sister Qiu Ling last night."

"Smack!"

Xing Dairong slapped Qiugu harshly. "Who is your sister? You traitorous thing! Who is your master?"

Qiugu looked at Xing Dairong in shock. Was this the same Xing Dairong who, upon their first meeting, held her hand and told her that everyone was equal and that she wasn't anyone's slave?

"What are you still doing here? Go and bring the Prince back!" Xing Dairong said angrily.