Chapter 284

By this time it was already bright outside, and the maid who was on night watch had heard the noise inside and was already standing outside the door asking with concern.

Xie Wan Ning called someone in, "Where's Ran'er?"

"At this time, the young master must have gone to the academy," Granny Ma saw that she looked unhappy and asked in surprise, "Is there something wrong, Madam? Do you want to call the young master back?"

Xie Xiuran is already four years old. He is usually very close to Ji Chengfeng. At the beginning of the year, Ji Chengfeng personally started to teach him.

Later, Xie Wan Ning couldn't bear to see that he, a prefect, was teaching a little boy. Thinking that the child needed playmates of the same age, he sent the child to an academy in Bianzhou city.

After a while, Xie Wan Ning had calmed down a bit. She thought for a few breaths and shook her head, "No hurry. Go to the front yard first and see if Cheng Qian is at home. Ask him to come over."

After four years of care, even if I want to go back to Beijing, I have to say goodbye in a proper way.

Xie Wan Ning couldn't do such a thing as leaving without saying goodbye.

Mrs. Ma went there at an unfortunate time. When she asked in the front yard, she found that Ji Chengfeng had just left the house.

When he came back, it was already afternoon.

Hearing Xie Wan Ning's invitation, he turned around and went to the inner courtyard without hesitation.

After four years of living under the same roof, they had lost the initial awkwardness and politeness.

Except when they were busy with government affairs and could not return home, the two of them would dine together.

Even if they are not husband and wife, they are still very close relatives.

In the cold winter months, the warm afternoon sun is especially precious.

There was a rocking chair under the paulownia tree. Xie Wan Ning was lying on it, covered with a thin blanket, and the sunlight was shining on her.

Warm and peaceful.

The familiar cool scent of cedar filled her nostrils, her eyelashes trembled slightly, and she slowly opened her eyes.

A handsome man like a bamboo stood beside her, looking down at her.

Their eyes met, and he smiled slightly, "The weather is nice today, why didn't you invite anyone to play cards?"

In those clear pupils, the affection that was once hidden deep in the heart was now revealed without any concealment.

——It’s all her.

After so many years, both of them knew his feelings very well.

Those undercurrents are surging, and they are just about to break through the last layer of paper, and then they should be together naturally.

Even four-year-old Xie Xiuran could see that his cousin liked A Niang.

And now, Xie Wan Ning sat up straight and said, "I have something to tell you."

She avoided his gaze.

Ji Chengfeng's heart sank, and the smile on his lips faded a little, "What's the matter?"

He squatted down and looked at her at eye level.

It was a somewhat humble move, but he did it very skillfully.

Facing those warm and affectionate eyes, Xie Wan Ning felt like she was a sinner who betrayed her sincerity.

Heavily sinful!

If, if...

She closed her eyes gently, and said with all her guilt, "I want to go back to the capital."

After the words fell, the air froze for a moment, and Ji Chengfeng's expression also froze for a moment.

"...Why?" He said with difficulty, "Didn't you say you wouldn't go back?"

"I regret."

Thinking of that madman, Xie Wan Ning's heart became extremely panicked, with dull pain and cramps.

"…I'm sorry, I broke my promise," she sniffed and whispered, "I found that I still can't let him go."

There was no need to explain who this 'he' was, as both of them knew who he was.

Ji Chengfeng lowered his eyes and looked at her hands that were tightly grasping the thin blanket.

The white knuckles, as white as jade, turned white due to the force.

He looked at it for a while and said, "Why is it so sudden?" They had dinner together yesterday.

Except for not sleeping in the same bed at night, they have been like an ordinary couple in the past two years. If Xie Xiuran is included, they will be a happy family of three.

He could sense that she was not unwavering.

Even if it was just for a moment, she must have seriously considered whether to accept his feelings.

Having seen the dawn of hope, how can I watch it extinguish?

Even someone as calm and collected as Ji Chengfeng couldn't give up so easily when facing the lover he had been waiting for for several years.

He wanted a reason.

Xie Wan Ning opened her lips and said, "Last night, I had a dream about some bad things, and then I found that I couldn't let him go..."

She raised her eyes, looked at the man squatting in front of her, and said seriously: "So, I have to go back to find him."

The two looked at each other, and they could see the emotions in each other's eyes.

She had made up her mind.

After a long silence, Ji Chengfeng nodded gently, "Can you tell me the ending of my dream?"

Hearing this, Xie Wan Ning's pupils trembled, and before she could say anything, her wrist was grabbed.

Ji Chengfeng pried open her knuckles that were tightly grasping the blanket, slowly held them, then smiled at her and asked her, "Was I betrayed by my followers in the spring six years ago, and died of plague?"

"Don't be afraid." Feeling her hand trembling, Ji Chengfeng gently squeezed it and comforted her: "I'm just guessing. After all, your reminder was too accurate back then."

He is not stupid.

After I fell in love with her, I also carefully inquired about her previous marriage.

She and that man were childhood sweethearts and they were in love with each other.

The Lu family also agreed to send away the mistress. It was unreasonable for her to be so determined to break off the engagement and marry in such a hurry.

There must be some hidden story that others are not aware of.

Coupled with her almost foresighted reminder, she suddenly decided to return to Beijing today because of a dream.

Everything points to an absurd conclusion.

And now, her reaction told him that his guess was right.

Ji Chengfeng did not ask about the details of her 'dream', but just tightened her hand, "Have you made up your mind? Do you really want to go back?"

The tone was so gentle.

Xie Wan Ning felt a little uncomfortable.

She pursed her lips and nodded.

"Okay," Ji Chengfeng smiled gently, "Then let's go back."

As soon as he finished speaking, he suddenly leaned forward, opened his arms and hugged the girl on the chair.

This was the first hug between them. Before this, the two of them had always been affectionate but polite, and had never crossed the line in the slightest, so Xie Wan Ning was completely unprepared.

When she reacted, her chin was already resting on his shoulder, and she was completely enveloped by the cool cedar scent on his body. She was stunned for a moment and was about to push him away when she heard him say, "Don't say sorry."

"You are free. You never promised me anything from the beginning to the end," he whispered softly, "I just love you one-sidedly."

Xie Wan Ning was stunned, pursed her lips uncomfortably, and wanted to say something, but inexplicably felt a piercing chill.

She subconsciously raised her eyes and saw a slender figure outside the courtyard gate, which looked familiar yet unfamiliar.

I don't know when he stood there, staring at this side without blinking.

He didn't come in, but just stood outside the door, looking at her from afar.

Xie Wan Ning couldn't see his expression, or even his face.

But she knew who he was.

His whole body stiffened suddenly, and after he came to his senses, he pushed the people around him away anxiously.

Two thousand words. Today I updated three days' worth of words in one go. Hehe, please don't say that the author is lazy...

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