Chapter 399: Chapter 390: Never Thought the Villain Was Seeking Justice for Others
Looking at Lin Ling’s scrawled characters, Song Tingfan was slightly angry but managed to restrain himself, "Why’s your hand shaking?"
Lin Ling was about to cry. He never wanted his father to teach him again; he hated his father.
He sniffled, "I can’t do it."
"I’ve taught you three times." Song Tingfan picked up the brush and wrote again on the paper, then signaled Lin Ling to write.
Lin Qiao looked at Lin Ling; the child was smart but playful. He didn’t want to write after doing it for too long; he was just being emotional.
Seeing him obediently follow along and write, she raised an eyebrow; truly, "villains" are matched by their "villain" fathers.
Alright, she couldn’t help but feel a bit sympathetic.
"I’m going to make pancakes."
"Mom, I’ll help you with the fire." Lin Ling said with a sad face.
Lin Qiao ruthlessly refused him, "You focus on your writing; your father is teaching you calligraphy with great effort."
Lin Ling had no desire to be taught by his father; he reached for Lin Qiao to hold him, but in the next moment, his hand was smacked, and a man’s voice scolded, "Write faster."
Sniffling, Lin Ling picked up the brush again, tears welling up in his eyes. Lin Qiao wanted to say something but held back and quickly went out.
Outside, she saw Li Guifen massaging Lin Han’s shoulders by the gazebo. She walked over, "Is Dad feeling unwell?"
Lin Han had hurt his back two years ago while working, and if it weren’t for Song Tingfan getting a doctor, he might have been bedridden.
He didn’t want his daughter to worry, "It’s nothing, just an old problem."
"The child is still young. Ask Tingfan not to hit him and teach him well."
"I don’t dare to say that. You can ask Dad to do it."
Lin Qiao blinked and quickly helped him massage his shoulders, then said, "Don’t plant too much on the family farm, don’t wear yourself out. You and Mom stay at home, and I’ll give you a few dozen taels of silver each month."
"You can go out for a walk too."
Lin Han smiled honestly, "We don’t need your money. We have hands and feet, and you and Tingfan have to raise a child."
"Ling’er doesn’t cost much alone." Lin Qiao smiled.
Li Guifen glanced at her and interjected, "Don’t tell me you’ll only have Ling’er? You’re still young; having four or five kids shouldn’t be a problem."
Lin Qiao’s mouth twitched, "..."
She couldn’t bear children anymore. After having Lin Ling, her health was depleted, and the doctor said she couldn’t conceive again.
But she didn’t say this, "Mom and Dad?"
"You silly girl, talking nonsense! Have some propriety." Li Guifen lightly hit her shoulder, then seriously and earnestly said, "You and Tingfan should live well together. If there’s anything you can’t solve, tell us, and we’ll talk to Tingfan."
"Don’t endure grievances. Tingfan is successful now, but we don’t ask anything of him. If he treats you badly, we would fight to get justice for you."
At this, her tone was somewhat worried, "Tingfan is a general now..."
"Don’t worry so much; he’ll treat me well. If not, I’ll leave him and live with you every day from then on." Lin Qiao joked half-heartedly.
If the villain doesn’t improve, she really wouldn’t forgive him.
No reason to forgive him.
"Don’t say such things in front of Tingfan, and sometimes don’t be stubborn. Your father and I can’t always be there for you, nor help you much." Li Guifen was worried about her; this daughter had endured too much.
They only hoped Tingfan would treat her well.
Lin Qiao was touched, nodding, "I know."
...
After two calligraphy practices, Lin Ling’s hand was swollen, and he buried his head in Lin Han’s arms, crying his eyes out, which made Song Qin and the others feel both heartbroken and blameful towards Song Tingfan.
Lin Han and Li Guifen couldn’t say anything, but Song Qin scolded tenderly, "Niu Niu, the child is still young. Why did you hit him? You should talk to him nicely."
It really wasn’t Song Tingfan’s fault. Lin Ling could infuriate anyone. Lin Qiao helped explain, "Nai, it’s fine. Ling’er, stop crying. Boys shouldn’t cry."
"Mom! You don’t like me anymore, you only like Dad! He hit me, and my hand is all red." Lin Ling complained, sniffling.
Lin Qiao: "..."
If it wasn’t because you didn’t want to write properly.
"There’s no such thing. It won’t be red after a blow. You didn’t cry when helping to carry things before."
Lin Ling reached out to show her, "It’s red, Mom, you blow on it."
Song Tingfan frowned slightly. The child was too delicate, but he didn’t hit him hard, and he said nothing.
At this moment, a steward came over, "General, the Third Prince’s Mansion sent an invitation for the Third Prince Consort’s birthday."
Hearing the words "Third Prince," Song Tingfan’s eyes darkened, "Hmm."
The steward added, "The Third Prince’s Mansion specifically mentioned they want the Madam and the young master to attend together."
Song Tingfan’s face grew colder, and he didn’t speak for a moment, "Understood."
The steward nodded and quickly withdrew.
Noticing the woman’s gaze, Song Tingfan looked over, pursed his lips, "You’re not going."
Lin Qiao naturally noticed his reaction. Could his target be the Third Prince?
She recalled her dream but found nothing related to the Third Prince. What exactly did he do that the villain was so stubborn about?
No, she had to go with him.
"I’ll go; they invited us. It wouldn’t be appropriate not to attend."
"I want to go too." Lin Ling, forgetting his pain, eagerly chimed in.
Song Tingfan, mindful of Li Guifen and the others present, didn’t speak. Once they returned to the house to change clothes, he took Lin Qiao’s hand, "You’re not going."
Lin Qiao looked at him and said nothing for a while, then seriously asked, "What are you planning to do?"
As soon as she said this, the room fell silent.
The man remained silent for a long time. Lin Qiao knew he was guarded, but it still hurt, "If you don’t want to say, I won’t force you. Just know that if something happens to you, the whole family will be implicated."
"No, I will keep you all safe." Song Tingfan quickly denied.
Lin Qiao said nothing, withdrew her hand, "What about you then?"
"Don’t plan to live?"
"Then why involve me? Since you have your own agenda, why drag me down?"
Song Tingfan pressed his lips tightly, "No..."
"Then what is it?" Lin Qiao demanded.
Song Tingfan said nothing. Lin Qiao withdrew her hand in disappointment and was about to leave when suddenly he grabbed her tightly, "I was wrong."
His tone was tense and uneasy.
The sudden apology left Lin Qiao stunned, looking at him in disbelief. It was the first time the villain had said such words.
She remained silent.
"I didn’t drag you down; I will protect you."
Seeing her silence, Song Tingfan explained, "The battle where three thousand soldiers died couldn’t be separated from him. He must die."
Although he made Qin Dewen pay, there was simply no way to clear the names of the three thousand soldiers. There was too little evidence, and bringing it forward would only alert the enemy.
They could die for the country, die for the people, but they shouldn’t have died with grievances, ruining their families forever.
In the past life, Song An and the others were involved, but not in this life. Lin Qiao hadn’t expected he was doing this for that matter.
She imagined many scenarios, but never that the villain was trying to clear someone else’s name.
