Chapter 85
Source: https://www.jjwxc.net/onebook.php?novelid=1363950 This translation was originally posted on https://love4baihe.blogspot.com
"You're not fully healed yet, and you're thinking about these improper things," Qin Wanshu lightly scolded Zuo Qinghuan, showing a hint of suspicious shame on her face.
"It's precisely because I'm still injured, I can't do anything else, so I can only think about things," Zuo Qinghuan looked at Qin Wanshu, trying to justify herself.
"I had someone cook preserved egg and lean meat porridge..." Qin Wanshu changed the subject. She still couldn't do it as naturally as Zuo Qinghuan and Li Xin, bringing up matters of the bedroom so effortlessly.
"More porridge!" Zuo Qinghuan was tired of eating porridge. Although Qin Wanshu had various types of porridge made every day, no matter how much they varied, they were still porridge. Even the tastiest porridge became a bit daunting.
"When you're fully healed, you can eat whatever you want. For now, eating porridge is still better," Qin Wanshu looked at Zuo Qinghuan's sour face and coaxed her. She knew Zuo Qinghuan was tired of porridge, but for the sake of a quicker recovery, it was better to continue having it for a while.
"Then, feed me," Zuo Qinghuan acted coquettishly. She performed this little act every day, never tiring of it.
"Okay," Qin Wanshu indulgently poured the porridge from the thermos into a bowl, ready to feed a certain actually quite a stubborn woman.
"Qin Wanshu, have your family members found out?" Zuo Qinghuan suddenly asked. Qin Wanshu had been occasionally receiving calls lately, always avoiding answering them when she was around. After waking up, Han Shibin said some trivial things before disappearing. Although everything seemed peaceful during her hospital stay, Zuo Qinghuan had a faint feeling that beneath the calm surface, there might be raging storms.
Qin Wanshu's hand, holding the spoon, paused slightly. She almost forgot how sensitive Zuo Qinghuan was to her surroundings.
“Mm, they all know," Qin Wanshu didn't intend to hide anything from Zuo Qinghuan. Many things would eventually have to be faced. She believed that as long as two people had enough courage and determination, many things could be resolved smoothly.
"Then they..." It was such a big thing, but why didn't Qin Wanshu seem worried at all? Zuo Qinghuan admired Qin Wanshu from the bottom of her heart for her calmness and detachment.
"They can't accept it now but don't worry. We'll wait until you recover from your injuries. Then we will face it together. I will never let you go." Qin Wanshu firmly promised Zuo Qinghuan.
Qin Wanshu's resolute demeanor resembled the statue of Athena Phartenos*—stern yet divine. Zuo Qinghuan felt incredibly fortunate to have encountered such a gentle yet powerful woman; her wings were ample enough to embrace her.
*A statue of Athena holding a miniature statue of Nike, the Goddess of Victory, Nike is a winged goddess considered to be one of Athena's facets/attributes.
"Qin Wanshu, I love you," Zuo Qinghuan used the word "love" for the first time with Qin Wanshu, instead of "like."
Qin Wanshu looked at Zuo Qinghuan with some surprise. Love was a profound word, much deeper than like; it could sink deep into one's heart.
Qin Wanshu picked up a napkin and gently wiped the corner of Zuo Qinghuan's mouth, her movements so gentle it seemed they could melt.
"Silly," Qin Wanshu smiled warmly at Zuo Qinghuan, the term "silly" full of affection.
"I feel too happy now, so happy that it makes me uneasy," Zuo Qinghuan expressed her inner unease, feeling as if she were in another dream of her own. If it were a dream, she hoped she would never wake up for the rest of her life.
"Don't feel uneasy, I will always be by your side, never leaving nor forsaking you for the rest of your life." Qin Wanshu said to Zuo Qinghuan earnestly, that she really wished to be with her for the rest of her life.
"Qin Wanshu, are you proposing to me now?" Zuo Qinghuan asked with a smile. Qin Wanshu's words sounded so much like wedding vows exchanged in a church.
Qin Wanshu was slightly taken aback, amazed by Zuo Qinghuan's unpredictable thinking, yet there was a hint of similarity. With a smile, Qin Wanshu nodded slightly in agreement with Zuo Qinghuan's suggestion. Zuo Qinghuan enjoyed taking small verbal advantages, especially when it came to things she liked and hoped for. She always liked to indirectly hint at what she desired, even though she actually hoped for herself to propose, she made it seem like she was the one proposing. It was awkward yet endearing.
"I am willing to be with Qin Wanshu for the rest of my life and never leave nor forsake." Zuo Qinghuan said, feeling somewhat cheesy after saying it. Yet, she felt sweetness overwhelming her heart. Sometimes, a bit of sentimentality was needed.
Source: https://www.jjwxc.net/onebook.php?novelid=1363950 This translation was originally posted on https://love4baihe.blogspot.com
"Never leaving nor forsaking," Qin Wanshu repeated those four words once again. A lifetime is long, and while these four words may sound simple, living up to them is not necessarily easy. Many people cannot uphold such a commitment, which is why these four words are even more precious.
Ultimately, whether it's a proposal or not is not important; what matters is the promise.
"Do you feel sorry for Han Shibin?" Zuo Qinghuan suddenly thought of Han Shibin, the man who harbored resentment because of love. Although Zuo Qinghuan felt unlucky to have crossed paths with him, she couldn't help but feel that Han Shibin was even more pitiful. His wife and mistress both abandoned him, which could be considered a double betrayal. Although he was the one who betrayed first, it still crushed his arrogant male ego. Zuo Qinghuan had never considered Qin Wanshu harmless. As long as she didn't cross her bottom line, everything was fine. But once provoked, Qin Wanshu would retaliate without hesitation. So Zuo Qinghuan felt that Han Shibin's current situation probably wasn't much better than her own.
"I haven't taken any further action against him for now, but I have enough evidence to send him to jail. However, I think it's better to leave the punishment to you, after all, he harmed you." Even though she hadn't caused trouble for Han Shibin yet, Qin Teng would likely take action against him. She is leaving the true right to retaliate to Zuo Qinghuan.
"I stole his wife after all, besides he hasn't treated me poorly these past two years. Let's just let it go," Zuo Qinghuan thought. As long as Han Shibin could leave her and Qin Wanshu's world, she didn't want to escalate the situation. If things got out of hand, it could tarnish the reputation of the Qin family, and she didn't want to cause trouble for Qin Wanshu. So, it wasn't that she was kind-hearted, but Han Shibin hadn't treated her poorly these past two years, so she decided to let go of any thoughts of revenge.
"It's not that you stole me, but he brought you to me," Qin Wanshu didn't quite like Zuo Qinghuan's phrasing. It was Han Shibin who sowed the seeds of discord, leading to the current situation. "Steal" wasn't a good word to use. Qin Wanshu believed that many things were destined, and they couldn't be stolen.
"Hehe..." Zuo Qinghuan chuckled foolishly. Qin Wanshu was making excuses for her, showing that her heart was indeed biased towards her.
“Mm?" Qin Wanshu was a bit puzzled by Zuo Qinghuan's laughter.
"Qin Wanshu, I've discovered another ability you possess," Zuo Qinghuan said solemnly.
"What ability?" Qin Wanshu raised an eyebrow.
"The ability to rationalize things," Zuo Qinghuan's mentality was different from Qin Wanshu's. If she hadn't actively approached and tempted Qin Wanshu in the first place, she and Qin Wanshu would probably have remained in the status of mistress and wife. So, many things were determined by one's heart.
Qin Wanshu smiled but remained silent. "Are you really not going to do anything to Han Shibin?" she asked again. In truth, Qin Wanshu didn't really want to send Han Shibin to prison. After all, they had been husband and wife for three years, even if there was no love, there was still a sense of obligation. If Han Shibin hadn't gone too far this time, Qin Wanshu would have felt some guilt towards him and wouldn't have pursued the matter. Yet, Qin Wanshu also felt that letting Han Shibin off too easily wouldn't be right.
"Forget it, he is also our matchmaker, bringing us together. Without him, how could I have met someone as wonderful as Qin Wanshu?" Han Shibin was like the intersection point where their two parallel lines suddenly converged. Without this intersection, they would have remained parallel lines forever. Thinking like this, Zuo Qinghuan felt that being hit by Han Shibin once was worth it. She truly let go of any grudges against him.
Author's Note:
Discuss, discuss...
I will officially change my job tomorrow, and I don’t know if I will be as free as before.
