Chapter 85 Between Soup and Promises
"Your injuries haven't healed yet, and you're already thinking about such improper things." Qin Wanshu lightly scolded Zuo Qinghuan, a faint trace of shyness on her face.
"It's precisely because I'm still injured and can't do anything that I can only think about it," Zuo Qinghuan retorted, looking at Qin Wanshu with a sly smile.
"I'll have someone make preserved egg and lean pork porridge..." Qin Wanshu changed the subject. She still couldn't bring herself to discuss bedroom matters as naturally as Zuo Qinghuan and Li Xin did.
"Porridge again!" Zuo Qinghuan was tired of porridge. Although Qin Wanshu had someone prepare different varieties every day, no matter how varied, it was still porridge. Even the most delicious porridge had become tiresome.
"Once you're healed, you can eat whatever you want. For now, porridge is still the best option," Qin Wanshu coaxed, seeing Zuo Qinghuan's bitter expression. She knew Zuo Qinghuan was sick of porridge, but for the sake of a speedy recovery, it was better to endure it a little longer.
"Then, you feed me," Zuo Qinghuan cooed, playing this little game every day, never tiring of it.
"Alright," Qin Wanshu indulged her, pouring the porridge from the thermos into a bowl, ready to feed the woman who was actually quite willful.
"Qin Wanshu, does your family know?" Zuo Qinghuan suddenly asked. Qin Wanshu had been occasionally receiving calls lately, always stepping away to answer them. Han Shibin had said some trivial things after she woke up but hadn't shown up since. Although the world seemed peaceful during her hospitalization, Zuo Qinghuan had a vague feeling that beneath the calm surface, a storm might be brewing.
Qin Wanshu's hand holding the spoon paused slightly. She had almost forgotten how sensitive Zuo Qinghuan was to her surroundings.
"Yes, they all know," Qin Wanshu replied, not intending to hide anything from Zuo Qinghuan. Many things would have to be faced sooner or later. She believed that as long as they had enough courage and determination, everything would work out.
"Then they..." Such a big matter, yet Qin Wanshu didn't seem worried at all. Her calmness and detachment left Zuo Qinghuan in awe.
"They can't accept it right now, but don't worry. We'll face everything together once you're healed. I will never let you go," Qin Wanshu promised firmly.
Qin Wanshu's resolute demeanor reminded Zuo Qinghuan of Athena holding the statue of Victory majestic and sacred. Zuo Qinghuan felt incredibly fortunate to have met such a gentle yet strong woman, whose wings were wide enough to embrace her.
"Qin Wanshu, I love you," Zuo Qinghuan said, using the word "love" for the first time instead of "like."
Qin Wanshu looked at Zuo Qinghuan in surprise. Love was a profound word, much heavier than like, sinking deep into the heart.
Qin Wanshu picked up a napkin and gently wiped the corner of Zuo Qinghuan's mouth, her movements tender to the point of being almost syrupy.
"Silly," Qin Wanshu said with a warm smile, the word "silly" dripping with affection.
"I feel so happy now, so happy that it makes me uneasy," Zuo Qinghuan confessed her inner unease, as if she were in another dream. If it were a dream, she wished she would never wake up.
"Don't feel uneasy. I'll always be by your side, never leaving or abandoning you," Qin Wanshu said seriously, vowing to stay together for a lifetime.
"Qin Wanshu, are you proposing to me right now?" Zuo Qinghuan asked with a smile. Qin Wanshu's words sounded so much like wedding vows.
Qin Wanshu was slightly taken aback. Zuo Qinghuan's thoughts indeed jumped around, but there was some truth to it. Qin Wanshu smiled and nodded, indulging Zuo Qinghuan's whims. Zuo Qinghuan loved to claim small verbal victories, especially when it came to things she secretly hoped for. She would always hint at them indirectly, making it seem like Qin Wanshu was the one initiating, even though it was her own desire. It was both awkward and endearing.
"I am willing to be with Qin Wanshu for a lifetime, never leaving or abandoning her," Zuo Qinghuan said, feeling her words were overly sentimental, yet they filled her heart with sweetness. Sometimes, a little sentimentality was necessary.
"Never leaving or abandoning," Qin Wanshu repeated the four words. A lifetime was long, and while those words were simple to say, they were not easy to fulfill. Many people couldn't do it, which made those words all the more precious.
Whether it was a proposal or not didn't matter. What mattered was the promise.
"Did you give Han Shibin a hard time?" Zuo Qinghuan suddenly thought of Han Shibin, the man who had turned love into hatred. Although Zuo Qinghuan felt unlucky to have been hit by him, she also thought Han Shibin was pitiful. Both his wife and mistress had left him, a double betrayal. Even though he had betrayed first, it had utterly crushed his inflated male ego. Zuo Qinghuan had long realized that Qin Wanshu was not harmless. As long as her bottom line wasn't crossed, everything was fine. But once it was, Qin Wanshu would strike back without hesitation. So, Zuo Qinghuan figured Han Shibin's current situation was probably no better than hers.
"I haven't taken any further action against him yet, but I have enough evidence to send him to prison. However, I think it's better to leave the right to punish him to you, since he hurt you," Qin Wanshu said. Although she hadn't troubled Han Shibin yet, Qin Teng would likely make things difficult for him. The true right to seek revenge, Qin Wanshu left to Zuo Qinghuan.
"I did take his wife, after all, and he treated me quite well these past two years. Let's just let it go," Zuo Qinghuan said. She felt that after this incident, as long as Han Shibin stayed out of her and Qin Wanshu's lives, that would be enough. She didn't want to escalate things, as it might expose her relationship with Qin Wanshu and bring shame to the Qin family. She didn't want to cause trouble for Qin Wanshu, so it wasn't out of kindness. Besides, Han Shibin had treated her decently over the past two years. Although she still held some resentment, she decided to let go of any thoughts of revenge.
"It wasn't you who took me away; it was he who sent you to me," Qin Wanshu said, not fond of Zuo Qinghuan's phrasing. Han Shibin had sown the seeds, and now they were reaping the consequences. "Taking" wasn't a good word. Qin Wanshu believed that many things were destined and couldn't be taken away.
"Hehe..." Zuo Qinghuan chuckled, realizing Qin Wanshu was defending her. Her heart was indeed biased in her favor.
"Hmm?" Qin Wanshu was puzzled by Zuo Qinghuan's laughter.
"Qin Wanshu, I've discovered you have another talent," Zuo Qinghuan said with a serious tone.
"What talent?" Qin Wanshu raised an eyebrow.
"The ability to rationalize things," Zuo Qinghuan said. Her mindset was different from Qin Wanshu's. If she hadn't actively approached and seduced Qin Wanshu, they would have remained in the roles of mistress and wife. So, many things were determined by one's heart.
Qin Wanshu smiled without responding. "Are you really planning to let Han Shibin off?" she asked again. Qin Wanshu didn't really want to send Han Shibin to prison either. After all, they had been married for three years, and even without love, there was some gratitude. If Han Shibin hadn't gone too far this time, Qin Wanshu might have still felt a bit of guilt toward him. Letting him off completely, however, felt too lenient.
"Forget it. He's our matchmaker, after all. Without him, how could I have met such a wonderful woman like Qin Wanshu?" Zuo Qinghuan said. Han Shibin was like the point where two parallel lines suddenly tilted and intersected. Without that intersection, they would have remained parallel forever. Thinking this way, Zuo Qinghuan felt that being hit by Han Shibin was worth it. She had truly let go of her grudge against him.
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