Chapter 81: 081. Su Liang l s Task (Second Update)
Translator: 549690339
Seeing Lin Xueqing looking like she was going to have a good talk with Ning
Jing and tell him that “missing out on Su Liang will be a lifelong regret,” Su Liang earnestly said, “Xueqing, I know you mean well, but we are fine as we are now. I admire him, but being together doesn’t necessarily mean we have to be husband and wife to be the best, right?”
Lin Xueqing was momentarily stunned, “That makes sense, but I really think you two are a perfect match!”
Su Liang smiled, “Actually, I was just joking earlier. Between us, no matter who is to whom, there is no romantic attraction. To be precise, we are good brothers.”
Lin Xueqing was speechless, shaking her head and sighing, “Alright, alright, I admit that you are handsome! Whatever, you guys decide for yourselves!”
Just now, Su Liang almost said, “maybe Ning Jing has someone else in his heart,” but in the end, she didn’t say it.
Lin Xueqing is a good girl. Letting her know that her “Brother Jing” died in silence is better than letting her think that Ning Jing is living well, and just never knows that someone once liked her. The latter is better for her.
It’s deception, but it’s also Zhen Ningjing’s real wish.
Lin Xueqing took Su Liang to see the three pine trees planted side by side on the back mountain, “This is my eldest brother, this is my second brother, and this is Brother Ning! They are never at home, so I planted three trees together. When I come to the back mountain to play, it’s like they’re all with me!”
Listening to her, it was obvious that Lin Xueqing regarded the real Ningjing as her own brother, her family.
Su Liang wondered if, three years ago, if the real Ning Jing hadn’t left and had the opportunity to accompany Lin Xueqing as she grew up, their relationship might have changed.
It was possible.
But now, it’s no longer possible.
Lin Xueqing picked off some grass from a pine tree and saw Su Liang looking a little dejected, so she asked her what she was thinking.
Su Liang smiled, “I’m envious of the sibling bond you guys have.”
“Your relationship with Brother Ning is even more interesting!” said Lin Xueqing, laughing.
Lin Shuzhi and Ning Jing appeared not far away, and Lin Xueqing waved to them, “Brother Ning, come see, your tree has grown taller than you!”
The two came over, and Lin Shuzhi asked Su Liang with a gentle smile, “Did
Xueqing ask you to stay at the academy?”
Lin Xueqing’s eyes lit up, and she immediately hugged Su Liang’s arm, “Sister Su, you can’t leave now that you’re here! The academy is full of men, and no one is there to accompany me. You must stay!”
“I’ll listen to him.” Su Liang looked at Ning Jing.
She thought Ning Jing would definitely refuse, but he said indifferently, “You stay here.”
“Are you not staying, Brother Ning?” Lin Xueqing also found it strange.
Ning Jing shook his head slightly, “I have something else to do, but I will come back.”
Su Liang was confused, but she thought Ning Jing must have a reason for letting her stay on her own and didn’t ask in front of Lin Shuzhi and Lin Xueqing.
Su Liang didn’t object, and Lin Xueqing was very happy, leading her away, “I’ll take Sister Su to see the room!”
Lin Shuzhi saw that Ning Jing’s expression remained indifferent and sighed, “I won’t ask what you’re going to do, just be careful and never act impulsively.”
“This disciple will always bear in mind Master’s teachings.” Ning Jing nodded.
Su Liang was brought to Lin Xueqing’s room, which had a simple and elegant yet lively style, very much like Lin Xueqing herself.
Lin Xueqing wanted to share a room with Su Liang, but Su Liang was not used to it, so she was arranged to stay in the room next door.
When they finished tidying up the room and met Ning Jing again, he was leaving.
“You come with me.” Ning Jing looked at Su Liang.
Su Liang followed Ning Jing and told Lin Xueqing she would be back soon.
Watching Su Liang follow Ning Jing, Lin Xueqing sighed, “Why is Brother Ning like this? Sister Su is so beautiful and has such a lovely personality, why doesn’t he like her?”
Lin Shuzhi cleared his throat, “Xueqing, what do you think is the real relationship between them?”
Lin Xueqing pondered, “At first, I thought Brother Ning must like Sister Su, then I heard Sister Su say she likes Brother Ning, and I thought it must be true. But she said later that it was just a joke, and they are good brothers.”
Hearing the last three words, Lin Shuzhi’s mouth twitched slightly, and Lin Xueqing said, “After looking back and forth, they seem to really just be good brothers, nothing more, it’s such a pity.”
Lin Shuzhi laughed, apparently sharing the same sentiment, “What’s wrong with that? What’s there to regret?”
“Sigh, when I think about Sister Su getting married to someone else, and
Brother Ning being alone again, I can’t help but feel anxious for him.” said Lin Xueqing, “But what good is my anxiety? This time we met, Brother Ning looks like he doesn’t care about anyone. It’s so frustrating!”
“Do you think Ning Jing can’t find a girl he likes?” Lin Shuzhi asked with a smile.
Lin Xueqing snorted, “If Brother Ning doesn’t even like Sister Su, then what kind of girl does he want? Anyway, no matter who he chooses, as long as it’s not Sister Su, I think it’s no good.”
“Childish. Don’t worry about other people’s business.” Lin Shuzhi chided his daughter, “Spend some time with Su Liang these few days, and when she leaves, go to the capital city to find your older brother.”
“Why can’t I go to find my second brother instead?” Lin Xueqing habitually argued with her father.
Lin Shuzhi snorted, “Because second brother also lives at older brother’s house!”
“Actually, I really want to hang out with Sister Su and Senior Brother Ning, but I know father won’t agree.” Lin Xueqing said with some regret.
“Just don’t bother them.” Lin Shuzhi said.
“I got it. When I see older brother and second brother, I’ll tell them father sent me to bother them.” Lin Xueqing finished speaking and quickly ran away, dodging her father’s hand as he raised it to slap her.
On the other side, Su Liang followed Ning Jing to the entrance of Qianshan Academy.
“What do you mean by asking me to stay?” Su Liang asked.
“Master has a blackened forehead.” Ning Jing said. Su Liang paused, “Is that why you brought me here?”
Ning Jing nodded.
‘Why don’t you stay?” Su Liang expressed confusion. Before the exam, Ning Jing was taking care of the children and had nothing important to do.
“The more you talk, the more mistakes you make.” Ning Jing said.
Su Liang understood in her heart. Lin Shuzhi was a top scholar in his youth and cultivated many talented people over the years. He was extremely intelligent and cautious. He hadn’t noticed anything wrong with Ning Jing for now, but that didn’t mean he wouldn’t in the future.
Ning Jing had imitated the real Ning Jing’s handwriting, which could pass as genuine, but there were some things he didn’t know or couldn’t imitate, such as eating habits and chess moves.
And these things would be unavoidable if he stayed at Qianshan Academy.
The real trouble wasn’t letting them know that the real Ning Jing was dead, but letting them know that the current Ning Jing’s true identity was Gu Ling.
The latter might bring disaster to them.
Su Liang sighed softly, “Alright. Since I promised to do things for you, it’s only right for me to stay and watch over your master for three days. What about you?”
“What?” Ning Jing asked back.
“How will you eat by yourself when you go back?” Su Liang asked. Ning Jing said indifferently, “I didn’t starve to death before I met you.” Su Liang: … She shouldn’t have asked!
“You can borrow books from Master to read.” Ning Jing said again.
Su Liang nodded, “Right. He must have some good books there. I’ll go later. As compensation for our deception, I’ll cook something delicious for them.”
They arrived at the entrance of the academy, and Su Liang thought of Zhengzheng, “I wonder if Zhengzheng will have grown up by the time we see them again after they leave Pingbei City.”
“I told him we would visit him.” Ning Jing said.
Su Liang nodded, “Okay, we definitely will. I hope they have a safe journey.”
Watching Ning Jing leave alone, Su Liang turned back and entered Lin Xueqing’s courtyard.
There was a new pot of orchids in her room, which Lin Xueqing said she had grown herself.
The sun was about to set, and Lin Xueqing asked Su Liang what she liked to eat.
There was a large kitchen in the academy, responsible for the meals of the teachers and students. Normally, Lin Shuzhi and Lin Xueqing ate whatever was prepared in the kitchen.
“My mother was a great cook, but unfortunately, she passed away too early and didn’t have time to teach me.” Lin Xueqing sighed lightly, “If you don’t like the food in the academy, you don’t have to force it. We can go down the mountain to eat at a restaurant.”
Su Liang smiled, “I can cook a few dishes myself if you don’t mind…”
Lin Xueqing looked delighted, “You can cook? That’s great, let’s cook together! I’ll be your assistant!”
There was a small kitchen in Lin Xueqing’s courtyard. She had cooked there before, but never very well. Lin Shuzhi never gave her any face, and her older brothers, who did, were not at home, so she rarely cooked.
After hearing from Su Liang what ingredients they needed, Lin Xueqing’s maid fetched them from the large kitchen.
As soon as Su Liang started cutting vegetables, Lin Xueqing exclaimed, “Sister Su, your knife skills are amazing!”
Su Liang found that this girl was really a bit talkative, but unlike the annoying Yan Shiba, Lin Xueqing was much more adorable.
In the end, Su Liang cooked four dishes and a soup by herself. Lin Xueqing tasted each dish and kept praising, “Brother Ning is really lucky!”
At this moment, Ning Jing was having dinner at the largest restaurant in Pingbei City. He took a bite of each dish and put down his chopsticks to call the waiter to settle the bill.
“Is the guest done eating?” The waiter thought this guest was strange, as he clearly hadn’t eaten much.
Ning Jing shook his head, “I’m not hungry.”
Waiter: … Why come to a restaurant if you’re not hungry? Rich people are really inexplicable.
Ning Jing walked leisurely on the streets as night fell, soon realizing that someone was following him. He maintained his composure and turned into a dark alley.
Before long, he left through the other end, and the alley became even quieter.
“Dad, don’t peek!” Lin Xueqing covered Lin Shuzhi’s eyes and spoke mysteriously.
Su Liang set the four dishes and a soup on the table, placing bowls and chopsticks.
Lin Xueqing let go of her hands, and Lin Shuzhi had already smelled the tempting aroma. Looking at the dishes on the table, he was surprised, looking at Su Liang, “Did you make all of these?”
“Of course. Isn’t my cooking something that Dad knows best?” Lin Xueqing pulled Su Liang to sit down, smiling brightly, “Dad, taste Sister Su’s cooking quickly!”
Lin Shuzhi chuckled, “Alright.”
After tasting the dishes, Lin Shuzhi nodded repeatedly, “It’s been many years since I’ve eaten such delicious and comfortable food. Su Liang is very skilled.”
“We don’t have to worry about Brother Ning, he gets delicious food every day, I should envy him instead,” Lin Xueqing laughed.
Lin Shuzhi nodded, “That’s true.”
“But Brother Ning is on his own now, without Sister Su, how does he eat?” Lin Xueqing suddenly thought.
Su Liang replied with Ning Jing’s original words, “He didn’t starve to death before he met me.”
Lin Shuzhi almost choked on his soup while drinking it. With these words, he felt even more that there was no romantic relationship between Su Liang and Ning Jing, but rather a brotherly bond…
Lin Xueqing and her father appreciated Su Liang’s cooking and finished all the dishes.
After dinner, Su Liang said, “Actually, I am a doctor, I…”
“My grandfather was a famous doctor in the capital city named Su Yuanzhou,” Su Liang said.
Lin Shuzhi paused for a moment, “You’re Su Yuanzhou’s granddaughter?” Su Liang nodded, “Yes.”
“Then your family, all…” Lin Shuzhi knew Su Yuanzhou and had heard about the Su Family’s situation.
Again, Su Liang nodded, “I’m the only one left. My hometown is Bei’an County, and I was sent back there after many things happened. I was injured and lost my memory. Ning Jing happened to be living in Bei’an County, and that’s how we met.”
“So that’s how it is,” Lin Shuzhi sighed, “No wonder you’re with Jing’er, both of you lost your families. It’s good to have each other’s support.”
Lin Xueqing didn’t know Su Yuanzhou, so she didn’t chime in, but she could tell Su Liang must have had an unfortunate past. She held Su Liang’s hand tightly.
“I’m doing fine. Actually, I want to ask if Master has any good books that I could borrow?” Su Liang asked with a smile.
Lin Shuzhi nodded, “I got a few medical books in my earlier years, which are useless to me now, so I’ll give them to you.”
“Thank you, Master,” Su Liang said.
“You called me ‘Master’ and even ate the food you cooked yourself. I didn’t prepare any gifts to greet you, so I am the one who is impolite. You can come to my study anytime you want and take any book you like,” Lin Shuzhi said with a warm smile.
Even Lin Xueqing was surprised, “Sister Su, my father treasures those books very much. Even my brother can only copy them and can’t take them away.”
Lin Shuzhi coughed lightly, “That’s because your brother likes to practice writing.”
Lin Xueqing had a “I don’t believe you” expression on her face.
Su Liang bowed and said, “Thank you, Master.”
Lin Xueqing’s courtyard was next to Lin Shuzhi’s, and Su Liang went back with her. After taking a bath and changing into the clothes Lin Xueqing gave her, Su Liang said that she wanted to go to Lin Shuzhi’s study to read when Lin Xueqing wanted to chat with her while holding a pillow.
“I didn’t realize Sister Su, you’re actually a bookworm, just like my brother,” Lin Xueqing yawned and left with her pillow, “Well, you go ahead. I won’t accompany you. There’s a lantern outside, so come back to sleep early.”
Actually, Su Liang didn’t have to go read at this time, but she had a mission on her hands here. She needed to watch Lin Shuzhi and prevent him from getting into any trouble.
Lin Shuzhi was about to go to bed when he heard the noise and went out to see Su Liang coming with a lantern.
“Master, rest early. I’m going to the study room to read for a while and then go back,” Su Liang said.
Lin Shuzhi softened his gaze as he thought of his own son. “Go ahead, but don’t stay up too late.”
Su Liang entered the study room, lit the lamp, closed the door, and looked at the books filling the room. She planned to stay up all night here.
Assassinations often happened at night, so she couldn’t be careless.
She briefly skimmed over the books before choosing one she was interested in and began reading under the lamp by the window.
The window was half open, and Lin Shuzhi’s room was right next door.
Unconscious of the time, it was already late at night. Su Liang rubbed her eyes and took a sip of cold tea. She looked at the swaying shadows of the trees outside and was about to stand up and stretch when she heard a noise from behind the bookshelf. Her expression turned serious, and she was about to draw her dagger when she heard a familiar voice, “It’s me.”
She turned around and saw Ning Jing coming from behind the bookshelf. She didn’t know when he arrived or how he entered through the rear window.
“I thought I told you to leave it to me. What are you doing here?” Su Liang asked.
“I was afraid that you might fall asleep and miss something,” Ning Jing whispered. “Go rest. I will keep watch.”
Su Liang closed the book and went to the corner of the study room to lie down on the couch. “Call me if you get tired.”
Ning Jing sat where Su Liang had been and started to read the book she had been looking at.
The room was quiet, and Ning Jing turned to see that Su Liang had fallen asleep with her arms crossed.
The cold wind blew through the window, and though there was charcoal burning in the room, it was not warm.
Ning Jing closed the window and took the thick coat he had been wearing when he arrived to cover Su Liang with.
When Su Liang woke up, it was almost dawn.
She sat up and realized that Ning Jing had left. She thought the room would be cold at night, but it wasn’t.
Nothing happened to Lin Shuzhi last night. Su Liang went back to Lin
Xueqing’s courtyard, and she happened to come out, looking surprised. “Sister Su, you didn’t come back last night?”
Su Liang nodded. “Yes. I was tired from reading, so I slept in the study room all night. ”
“Don’t do that again. It’s bad for your eyes,” Lin Xueqing disagreed. “There aren’t any blankets in the study room either. You might catch a cold.”
After breakfast, Lin Xueqing suggested that Su Liang take her and Lin Shuzhi to visit the place where Ning Jing was staying.
“It’s rare for the academy to have holidays, and my father has some free time. We must go out and have a walk,” Lin Xueqing said.
Su Liang nodded. “Alright. I also want to see the city.”
The sunshine was warm.
Lin Xueqing walked arm in arm with Su Liang, and Lin Shuzhi followed behind as the three of them walked down the mountain.
Lin Xueqing was telling Su Liang some amusing stories about the past between her siblings and the real Ning Jing.
Only then did Su Liang learn that the real Ning Jing was accepted as Lin Shuzhi’s disciple because his mother and Lin Xueqing’s mother were old friends. With this connection, the real Ning Jing had known the Lin siblings since they were young.
There were not many people on the mountain path, and birds flew overhead from time to time.
Su Liang was in a good mood, thinking that after two more nights, the trouble would be resolved, and she could return to martial arts practice. Befriending Lin Xueqing was an unexpected joy, and Lin Shuzhi was also a great person.
However, Su Liang didn’t expect that the danger for Lin Shuzhi would appear in broad daylight.
Watching the four men in black suddenly burst out from the dense forest, Lin Xueqing exclaimed in surprise. Lin Shuzhi rushed forward, shielding his daughter and Su Liang behind him, and asked coldly, “Who are you?
“Mr. Lin, our apologies. If you want to blame someone, blame your son for meddling and spoiling our master’s plans. Your son is in the capital city, and it’s not a good idea to touch him, so we have to settle this debt on your heads!” One of the men seemed to believe that the weak-looking Lin Shuzhi and Lin Xueqing would soon be dead under their knives and generously revealed their background.
Although they didn’t know who their master was at the moment, as long as Lin Shuzhi survived, he could send a message to his sons, and the identity of the person who had wronged his sons in the capital city would be known.
As for Su Liang, they treated her as Lin Xueqing’s little maid and did not take her seriously.
“Attack!” The four men did not give Lin Shuzhi a chance to speak and charged at once!
Lin Shuzhi’s expression tightened. “You two run!”
The next moment, Lin Xueqing stared in amazement as Su Liang drew two sharp blades from her legs and charged out with cold eyes!
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