pdf-ebookys Chapter 147 Tricks to Scheme He Mingyan
Chapter 147 Tricks to Scheme He Mingyan
He Mingning narrowed his eyes slightly, his gaze falling softly on He Mingyan. A faint, meaningful smile played on his lips as he asked in a gentle, slightly teasing tone, "And what about you?"
Upon hearing this, He Mingyan's previously calm face instantly showed a hint of surprise. Her beautiful eyes sparkled with confusion and bewilderment, like the brightest stars in the night sky. She blinked subconsciously, her luscious lips parted slightly, and she uttered a clear, melodious question: "Me? What's wrong with me?"
Seeing He Mingyan's adorable reaction, He Mingning's smile deepened, as vibrant and dazzling as peach blossoms in spring. He deliberately drawled out his words, teasingly saying, "You and Qin Zejun haven't seen each other for a full eight years, you know. After all this time, how have things been going since you two reunited?"
Two blushes instantly spread across He Mingyan's cheeks, as alluring as ripe apples. She lowered her eyes, not daring to meet He Mingning's probing gaze, and replied in a voice as soft as a mosquito's buzz, "It's just like that!"
However, He Mingning clearly had no intention of letting her off the hook. He continued to keep a close eye on her every move and relentlessly pressed her for answers: "Having not seen each other for so long, don't you feel a little awkward with each other?"
Upon hearing this, He Mingyan remained silent for a moment, seemingly pondering the question seriously. Then, she raised her head, her large, watery eyes gazing into the distance, her long, slender, white fingers gently stroking her delicate chin, and slowly said, "If we're not familiar... it should be alright! Actually, I'm mostly just angry!"
He Mingning looked at his younger sister, whose attention he had successfully diverted, and chuckled inwardly. His smile grew even brighter, as vibrant as spring flowers in full bloom. He pressed his advantage, asking, "So, how exactly do you two get along? What kinds of topics do you talk about when you're together?"
He Mingyan lowered her head slightly, her delicate brows furrowed, lost in thought for a moment. After a while, as if she had finally thought of something, she raised her head, a faint smile on her face, and softly replied, "We didn't talk about anything special, just some stories about his experiences at the border." He Mingning's eyes gleamed with intense curiosity, burning like a blazing flame. He eagerly took a step closer, staring intently at He Mingyan, and pressed on, "Did he tell you why he hadn't contacted you at all during all these long years?"
He Mingyan nodded slightly, her movements light and graceful, like a butterfly fluttering in the air. Her clear, melodious voice, as sweet as a nightingale's song, rang out: "He told me that when he first arrived at the border with his parents, it was a tense situation filled with the flames of war and the smoke of battle. Day and night, he devoted himself to self-improvement, desperately practicing martial arts and studying military strategy, all so that he could become a true warrior as soon as possible, serve the country, and not let his parents worry about him while fighting foreign enemies. Therefore, during that time, he had no time to think about anything else, and even something as simple as taking a moment to write me a letter was a luxury for him."
At this point, He Mingyan paused for a moment. She gently extended her right hand and slowly picked up the exquisitely crafted teacup placed before her. The teacup resembled a precious work of art, its surface engraved with delicate patterns and radiating a soft glow.
He Mingyan carefully brought the rim of the cup close to her pink lips, as if she were holding a priceless treasure. She slightly parted her cherry-like lips and gently sipped the tea in the cup. Instantly, a delicate fragrance filled the air, intoxicating the senses.
After a brief pause, He Mingyan slowly put down her teacup. The teacup landed steadily on the table with a soft, crisp sound. Then, she took a deep breath, calmed herself, and continued her previous conversation in a gentle, soothing tone:
"Later on, the situation on the border gradually stabilized. However, by then, several years had passed since they embarked on their journey. Such a long period of time passed quickly, like a merciless wind blowing by, taking away countless memories and stories."
During this period, he experienced too many trials and tribulations. The war-torn frontier life left him physically and mentally exhausted. And when he occasionally paused to look back on the past, all sorts of concerns and worries inevitably welled up in his heart.
Especially when I think back to when he left, we were just seven or eight years old, innocent and carefree like the glistening dewdrops hanging on the grass at dawn. Back then, we were carefree and pure, as if the whole world was a paradise full of sunshine and laughter.
But what about now? As I grow older, things change. He's no longer sure if I still remember him, or if I still remember our promise. We may have lost that pure and beautiful friendship.
Because this thought lingered in his mind, although he still deeply cherished the beautiful past and harbored endless longing for me, he ultimately chose to silently bury this profound feeling in the most secret corner of his heart, never taking the initiative to contact me. He Mingning nodded gently, a hint of understanding and approval on her beautiful face, and said slowly, “I see! Indeed, I heard my mother mention that when you two first met, you were both only six years old. When he turned eight, he had to go with his parents to guard the border. If you think about it carefully, the time you could truly interact and understand each other was as fleeting as a white horse galloping past a crack in the wall, barely two years at most. Under such circumstances, it's only natural that you would feel such worry.”
Upon hearing this, He Mingyan parted her lips slightly and nodded in agreement. Seeing this, He Mingning immediately pressed on, "So, what happened next?" He Mingyan's beautiful face instantly blossomed into a bright smile, like a vibrant spring flower. She softly replied, "Later, well, later everything that needed to be explained was explained clearly." Then, like beans pouring from a bamboo tube, He Mingyan began to recount in detail all the past events between them to He Mingning. After she finished, she let out a long sigh and summarized, "That's the whole story."
After listening, He Mingning nodded repeatedly in approval and said with a smile, "Yes, that's very good. It's wonderful that we were able to successfully clear up the misunderstanding between us."
He Mingyan sighed softly, her graceful figure swaying gently in the breeze like a delicate flower. She parted her lips slightly and said softly, "Elder sister, do you think he really will mention our engagement to his friends? I'm always a little uneasy. Maybe he's just saying it to appease me!"
He Mingning frowned slightly, pondering deeply, like a wise sage deep in thought. After a moment, she slowly spoke, "Hmm... In my opinion, this matter is undoubtedly true. You know, your engagement was arranged long ago, like a destined red thread tightly binding you two together. Moreover, since he has already said that he told the soldiers at the border about this, it shouldn't be false. After all, if he didn't want anyone to know about this engagement, he could have simply kept it a secret. Why go to such lengths to fabricate a lie to deceive you?"
After listening, He Mingyan nodded, seemingly relieved of some of her doubts. After a brief moment of thought, she suddenly exclaimed as if she had just realized something, "That's right, you are so wise, sister! Your analysis has put me at ease."
At this moment, He Mingning's lips curled up slightly, revealing a faint smile, but her voice still carried a hint of mystery as she continued, "By the way, speaking of this matter, I also heard that you returned quite late the day you came back from that villa, huh? Is there some story I don't know about?" After saying that, she deliberately winked her bright, lively eyes at He Mingyan, revealing a hint of cunning and mischief in her gaze. Looking at her sister's adorable yet slightly teasing demeanor, He Mingyan couldn't help but find it amusing and laughed as she replied, "That day, after we returned from our visit to that picturesque and tranquil mountain villa, we went straight to visit my princess's mansion! Back then, I was like a seasoned guide, happily leading him on a leisurely stroll through the vast mansion. Along the way, I enthusiastically introduced him to the unique features of each courtyard and pavilion, as well as the little-known stories hidden in the corners."
As she spoke, He Mingyan suddenly snapped back to reality as if waking from a dream. "Oh no!" she thought to herself, inwardly crying out in dismay. How had the conversation gone so far astray without her realizing it? She was supposed to be sitting quietly listening to her older sister's fascinating stories, but instead, she was the one launching into a long, rambling monologue. So, she hurriedly and hastily changed her tune, saying, "No, no, sister, this isn't right! Didn't we agree that I would obediently listen to your wonderful and interesting stories? How did it turn out that I'm the one babbling on and on?"
Meanwhile, He Mingning was staring intently at He Mingyan, a subtle, almost imperceptible smile playing on her lips. Actually, as He Mingyan began recounting her experiences, He Mingning had been secretly thinking: "Heh heh, this little brat has finally caught on! But that's fine, listening to my little sister tell her stories is quite interesting." However, He Mingning frowned slightly, her face serious, and slowly said, "Oh dear, where's the rest of my story? I've already finished telling it all." He Mingyan, sitting beside her, wouldn't have it. She pouted playfully, "Big sister, how can you cheat like this? You haven't told me anything yet! You just casually say you've finished, that's practically deceiving me!" As soon as she finished speaking, He Mingyan pouted as if she had suffered a great injustice. With her pink lips puffed out, she pouted at He Mingning and complained with a hint of reproach, "Hmph, no, no, big sister, from now on you're not allowed to ask me any more questions! You have to tell me a story right now!" He Mingning couldn't help but laugh out loud, but she suppressed her laughter and replied with a serious face, "Absolutely not! We made a deal beforehand. I can only tell you a story after you answer my questions first. Have you forgotten?"
Upon hearing this, He Mingyan was about to retort, but before she could speak, she was interrupted by He Mingning's gentle, melodious voice, like a nightingale's song. He Mingning softly coaxed her, "Alright, my dear sister, don't be anxious! I'll just ask you one last question. If you answer me obediently, I promise I'll tell you everything right away, okay?"
He Mingyan hesitated for a moment, but finally nodded gently in agreement. She replied softly, "Alright then, since you've said so, please feel free to ask me any questions."
At that very moment, on He Mingning's previously calm face, the corners of his mouth turned up slightly, as if touched by a spring breeze. This subtle movement precisely outlined an extremely cunning smile. That smile was like that of a clever and shrewd little fox, unforgettable at first glance.
He Mingning paused slightly, then, as if suddenly remembering something important, deliberately lowered her voice to an extremely low hue, so low that only she and He Mingyan could hear it. Then, in an almost whispered tone, she softly asked, "Sister, I'm just asking out of pure curiosity... When you two were at the Princess's residence, were you really just wandering around, looking at things, and sightseeing? Did nothing else, not even the slightest bit, happen during that time?"