Turning Antagonist to Protagonist: He is Both Soft and Fierce-Chapter 392 - 383: I Don’t Like Hehua
After dinner, probably because Song Tingfan had instructed him, Lin Ling, who usually liked to cling to her while sleeping, was obediently not around tonight.
Lin Qiao couldn’t sleep either; she didn’t dare lie flat, so after lying down for a bit, she sat up to do some accounting. Ahem, although she avoided the antagonist these years and didn’t dare open a big store, she did open some small jewelry shops.
She earned about a thousand taels of silver every month, but it was all deposited in the money shop.
This silver coin was meant to be left for Lin Ling. She wasn’t sure if she could live to old age, so she could only try to solve the child’s matters as best as she could, so he wouldn’t lack clothing and food in the future.
After a while, with a "creak," the door was pushed open from the outside. A man in a black robe walked in, holding a few lotus flowers in his hand. They weren’t in season, clearly not from the village.
Lin Qiao paused for a moment, then closed the ledger, "How did it go? Everything alright?"
"It’s fine."
Song Tingfan gathered the lotus flowers in his hand, finally placing them on the table. Although he didn’t say anything, his eyes looked at Lin Qiao, seemingly hoping to see her delight.
He didn’t hide it, so Lin Qiao naturally noticed, and her heart was inexplicably pierced a bit. She pursed her lips and seriously said, "I don’t like lotus flowers."
She never liked lotus flowers; it was just that he gave them to her back then.
Song Tingfan’s lips tightened, his eyes slightly lowered. Her liking for lotus flowers was just to deceive him.
At this moment, the woman spoke again, "I like peonies, the red ones."
Since she said she wasn’t the original person, there was no need to lie to him anymore.
After speaking, she placed the lotus flowers in a vase.
Because of her words, Song Tingfan was stunned.
She liked peonies.
She liked peonies.
Did it mean she didn’t dislike him anymore...
"Alright, I’ll go get them right away."
After saying so, he turned around and walked out with large strides.
"Don’t bother."
Lin Qiao hurriedly chased after him but couldn’t see his silhouette anymore, feeling a bit helpless.
"Daughter, you’re awake, come quickly and eat some buns. I just made meat pies." Li Guifen poked her head out from the kitchen upon hearing the commotion and called her in.
Lin Qiao couldn’t catch up with Song Tingfan, so she let it be and went to the kitchen. Lin Han was tending the fire, Li Guifen was making pies with a spatula in hand, and Song Qin was sitting by the doorway.
She instinctively touched Song Qin’s hand, "Grandma, don’t sit by the draught, be careful of catching a chill."
The sun was setting at this time, and there was a breeze blowing. Although it wasn’t cold, the elderly were usually more susceptible.
Song Qin’s face broke into a smile full of wrinkles, "I’m not cold. If I feel cold, I’ll move inside. Come enjoy these buns; your mother’s meat pies are especially delicious. I’ve already eaten two or three."
Lin Qiao smiled, took a bun, assumed it had just been taken off the stove, and as soon as it burned her, she quickly dropped it back onto the small tray.
"Did you burn yourself? Child, why are you so clumsy, take the ones next to it." Li Guifen hurriedly "scolded" her while scooping some cold water for her hand.
Lin Qiao was torn between crying and laughing, "Mom, it’s not that exaggerated."
"It just came off the stove! If you get a blister, you’ll suffer," Li Guifen knew her daughter had had a hard time these past few years and just wanted to make it up to her.
Her heart warmed as Lin Qiao let her rinse the burn, stopping only after a good while. Li Guifen then touched the buns next to her, confirming they weren’t hot before handing one to her, "Eat more, you’re getting too thin!"
"Where did Tingfan go? I saw him return just now."
"He went out to buy some peonies." Lin Qiao scooped up the meat pie filled with a generous amount of filling.
Upon hearing this, Li Guifen gave her a glance and continued making the pies. After a while, Song Qin went back inside to sleep.
Gazing at the woman preparing vegetables, Li Guifen hesitated before speaking, "Daughter, what are your thoughts about you and Tingfan?"
"It’s alright, say whatever’s on your mind. Your father and I won’t pressure you, we just want you to be happy."
Lin Qiao fell silent; she herself didn’t know what to think. Seeing the antagonist’s current demeanor indicated he wouldn’t divorce.
Running away wasn’t an option, so it depended on whether she could negotiate peacefully with the antagonist.
She felt the antagonist actually believed her; otherwise, he wouldn’t have reacted the way he did earlier.
The antagonist seemed to have some feelings for her.
She was afraid, but her heart wasn’t blind, nor was she foolish.
"Don’t worry, I know what to do."
Seeing that her daughter didn’t want to say more, Li Guifen felt a bit sad, "Tell us if anything comes up. If you don’t feel comfortable speaking, your father and I will talk on your behalf."
"Mm, your mother is right, there’s no need to hesitate to speak," Lin Han agreed.
Lin Qiao felt both helpless and touched, "Got it, I’ll say if there’s something."
They couldn’t help much; what was between her and the antagonist could only be resolved by herself. Actually, it was quite simple; if the antagonist believed her, everything would be resolved.
As night fell, Song Tingfan finally returned on horseback. He entered and exited the courtyard several times, with four pots of peonies, all in full bloom.
Seeing the peonies arranged on the table and floor in the house, Lin Qiao’s lips twitched a little before heading to the kitchen to serve him some food, "Eat, let me handle it."
Noticing her attitude had become noticeably better than before, Song Tingfan glanced at her, pursing his lips, "I’ll buy more tomorrow."
His voice carried a hint of coaxing that was barely discernible.
Lin Qiao: "..."
She glared at him, "Too much Silver Coin?"
"I’ll give it all to you later."
"..."
"I’m not after your Silver Coin..."
"It’s yours."
"..."
Seeing the woman left speechless, Song Tingfan subconsciously pinched his sleeve, but quickly finished his meal.
Lin Qiao watered the peonies, glancing at the man eating, seemingly in a good mood. After he finished eating, he’d surely talk to her for a bit.
He ate quickly, finishing in about half an hour. Just as she was about to clean up, he already took care of the dishes and went out.
A while later, he came in with a basin of warm water, setting it by Lin Qiao’s feet, then tried to help her remove her shoes.
Lin Qiao hurriedly dodged, "No need, I’ve soaked already."
Song Tingfan pursed his lips, quickly grabbing her foot, taking off her shoes and socks, and finally putting them in the water.
His obedient demeanor was very much like before, prompting Lin Qiao to touch her chest unconsciously.
It’s over; she totally couldn’t handle his behavior.
Well, she simply yielded to kindness but not force.
After a while, Song Tingfan took a seat across from her, soaking feet together. Two pairs of feet, one big, one small, one fair and delicate, one rough and darkened.
Today was too unusual, Lin Qiao couldn’t help but glance at him several times before trying to speak, "Tingfan, can I talk to you?"
Song Tingfan was silent, not speaking, before finally responding with a "Mm" after a long while.
"Tingfan, do you believe it now?" Lin Qiao asked nervously, instinctively leaning back a bit.
Really afraid he would get mad like the last two times.
Song Tingfan didn’t get angry, yet said nothing. Lin Qiao couldn’t figure out his intentions, so she quickly added, "It’s okay if you don’t believe it; I know it sounds absurd, but I swear on my life, I haven’t deceived you in the slightest about this matter..."
Before she could finish, the man was quietly staring at her, speaking sternly, "What about the other things?"
Lin Qiao didn’t understand his meaning: "What?"
Song Tingfan pursed his lips, "What else did you lie about to me?"
Did she simply not like him at all...
Was it all an act...
