After a long time, Wei Xun was full of food and drink. He touched his stomach with satisfaction, looked up and smiled at Ling Qingwan.
Ling Qingwan's heart softened.
In her memory, Wei Xun always looked cold and icy. He really showed his true self to Ling Qingwan.
Ling Qingwan realized that Wei Xun had feelings. He would laugh when he was happy and cry when he was sad. He would also miss someone so much that he would travel through mountains and rivers just to see his beloved.
"Are you full?" Ling Qingwan asked.
"I'm full!" Wei Xun said with a smile.
"Or I should ask Qiao'er to bring you some cakes to help you relieve your greasy feeling?" Ling Qingwan asked again.
Subconsciously, she always wanted to find some reasons to keep Wei Xun longer.
"No need." Wei Xun rejected Ling Qingwan's suggestion. "I'm not a pig. After eating so much food, I still need to eat some cakes to relieve the greasiness."
Ling Qingwan was in a trance and told Qiao'er and the others to put away the dishes.
The little girls were all good at observing people's expressions and knew that Ling Qingwan and Wei Xun had something to say, so they all left the room.
"Wanwan can't bear to leave me?" Wei Xun saw that Ling Qingwan was in a low mood. How could he not feel sad too
Wei Xun moved to sit next to Ling Qingwan and put his arms around her.
"When you return to the Northern Frontier, take good care of yourself. Don't get hungry or cold. I have my grandparents to protect me here, as well as Mingyue and the others. You don't need to worry..."
Ling Qing rubbed her head against Wei Xun's chest and gave him many instructions while choking with sobs.
Before leaving, Ling Qingwan gave Wei Xun a scarf that she knitted herself. Wei Xun held it in his arms like a treasure.
After Wei Xun left, Ling Qingwan returned to the Ling Mansion the next day.
Madam Ling's behavior was abnormal, and Ling Qingwan thought of the close relationship between Ling Chuchu and the old lady. She was worried that Ling Chuchu had set her mind on Ling Shenshi.
This matter cannot be delayed any longer. Ling Qingwan wants to find out as soon as possible what the old lady and Ling Chuchu are up to, so she has to go back in person.
It was just right that she went back and could also stop Old Madam Ling from disturbing Ling Shenshi again.
In the evening, Madam Ling invited Ling Qingwan to the hall for dinner for the first time. Ling Feng declined due to being busy, so only Ling Qingwan, the old lady, and Ling Chuchu were at the table.
The table was filled with delicacies from the land and the sea, and the servants earnestly invited Ling Qingwan to take a seat. Ling Qingwan could tell at a glance that this was probably not a simple dinner.
"Wanwan hasn't been back for a few days. Grandma misses you very much." Ling Chuchu said softly.
"My mother is weak, so in order to take care of her, I stayed at my maternal grandfather's house longer." Ling Qingwan seemed to be telling Old Madam Ling and Ling Chuchu why she didn't return to the Ling Mansion, but in fact she was explaining for Ling Shenshi.
"What's wrong with Qingyun? Is she sick?" The old lady looked very anxious and asked Ling Qingwan hurriedly.
"They are just some minor illnesses. I worked too hard and my body couldn't take it, so I got some illnesses. It's nothing serious. I just need to rest and recuperate." Ling Qingwan replied.
The implication is that the Ling family is not kind and has piled all the matters, big and small, on Ling Shen's shoulders.
Ling Qingwan had seen through how Ling Shen treated the Ling Mansion over the years. She worked hard all day to keep the backyard of the Ling Mansion in order, but Ling Feng, on the other hand, secretly kept his old lover and brought his illegitimate son back to the mansion openly to take care of him.
What made Ling Qingwan most angry was not the affair between Ling Feng and Cheng Man, but the fact that Ling Feng had deceived Ling Shen like a fool.
This whole family is bullying Ling Shenshi. How can Ling Qingwan have a good impression of the Ling family
"I'm glad it's nothing serious." The old lady pretended to be relieved.
"No wonder grandma sent people to the general's mansion to invite her so many times, but the eldest lady just didn't come back. I originally thought that the Ling family had done something wrong and offended the eldest lady, but it turns out that it's because of her health." Ling Chuchu took over the conversation.
"You're overthinking it, big sister." Ling Qingwan looked at Ling Chuchu with a smile.
"Since the Madam is not in good health, you have to take better care of her. Even though it is a minor illness, if it is left untreated for too long, it may turn into a serious illness." Ling Chuchu was not willing to be outdone, and the sarcasm in her words was even stronger.
Ling Qingwan was not a fool, so she could naturally hear that Ling Chuchu was deliberately trying to anger her.
"Big sister, you are so thoughtful. I want to thank you on behalf of my mother." Ling Qingwan's lips curled up slightly. Facing Ling Chuchu's provocations, she was not angry but took it calmly.
Ling Chuchu was so angry that she was holding back her rage, but because the old lady was not around, she could not lose her temper, so she had to endure it.
Seeing Ling Chuchu's deflated look, Ling Qingwan was extremely happy.
"However, as the eldest lady of the Ling Mansion, your mother is in charge of all the household affairs in the mansion. It is a bit unreasonable for her not to return to the Ling Mansion for a month or two." Old Madam Ling spoke, changing the subject and talking about business.
She watched the conversation between Ling Chuchu and Ling Qingwan. Ling Qingwan was very sharp-tongued and it was obvious that Ling Chuchu could not defeat her. The old lady always favored Ling Chuchu and rushed forward to protect her when she saw her being bullied.
Finally unable to bear it any longer, Ling Qingwan sneered inwardly.
"My mother has been staying in the general's mansion. Although it is understandable, what my grandmother said also makes sense. However, this matter is of great importance, so I naturally cannot make the decision. You can tell me what you think, so that I can negotiate between you and my mother and find a good way to resolve it." Ling Qingwan was curious.
"I originally hoped Qingyun would come back, otherwise I wouldn't have gone to the General's Mansion to invite her these few days. But now Qingyun can't come back, and I can't force her to go back to the Ling Mansion to take care of the affairs. If people get out, they will think I'm bullying my daughter-in-law. It's better to hand over the household affairs to me and let me take charge of it."
As Old Madam Ling spoke, she carefully observed Ling Qingwan's expression.
Ling Qingwan is very smart, and facing her, Old Madam Ling dare not relax at all.
"This..." Ling Qingwan looked hesitant.
"What's wrong?" Ling Chuchu couldn't wait to ask.
Seeing Ling Chuchu was anxious, Madam Ling quickly pulled her sleeve, signaling her to be more restrained.
Ling Qingwan saw it all and had an idea of what they were thinking.
"My mother is the eldest lady of the mansion and has been in charge of the household affairs for so many years. If she suddenly hands it over, wouldn't it be easy for people to gossip? I think that although my mother is in the general's mansion, she is still in charge of the affairs of the mansion. It is better to leave it this way for now. My mother's illness is not serious, and she will be back soon."
Ling Qingwan politely declined Madam Ling's proposal.
After hearing this, Madam Ling's face darkened.
"The affairs of the mansion are all managed by the servants, while the people who are responsible for the work are staying at her parents' home. Wouldn't it be embarrassing if this were to be made public?" Ling Chuchu raised her eyebrows and confronted Ling Qingwan.
"When my mother was here, weren't the servants responsible for all the big and small matters in the mansion? Since nothing happened, it means my mother arranged everything properly. If the seal was taken away for no reason, others would think my mother was kicked out of the Ling Mansion."