Chapter 115 Still Remember That Time on the Back of a Horse? (1/2)

Amidst her inattention and wool-gathering, Xin Qing heard Monica's shouting voice. ”I didn't say anything at all, so don't mind me! You and Xin Qing should go ahead and make another baby!” Xin Qing glanced furtively at Ying Qingcang, who just so happened to be fixing his gaze on her at the same time.

She was just about to tear her eyes away from him when she heard Ying Qingcang's words. ”Honey, pay more attention. Look at Ah Sha!”

Xin Qing glanced down. While Xin Qing was being distracted, Ah Sha had pushed the milk bottle that was meant for the lamb into her mouth. Now, Ah Sha was sucking on the teat with puffed cheeks and all. Xin Qing jumped and immediately snatched the bottle away from Ah Sha. Apparently, Ah Sha was not at all happy with that and started crying. Ying Qingcang came over. From the thermos, he took out the baby bottle that he had prepared earlier and then slipped the teat into Ah Sha's mouth. Ah Sha sucked on it happily, humming at Ying Qingcang the entire time.

”Little ingrate, if you like him so much, then I won't hold you anymore!” Xin Qing placed Ah Sha into Ying Qingcang's arm. Then, she stood up and ran aside. Ying Qingcang ambled towards her while holding Ah Sha in his arms. ”You need to watch out before the lamb starts kicking you.”

”Why would it kick me?” Xin Qing asked in annoyance.

Ying Qingcang pointed at her and said, ”You're pulling off its wool.”

Only then did Xin Qing realize that she had been tugging on the wool on the lamb's back. The poor animal was staring back at her with large, innocent eyes. Xin Qing turned her head around sharply. ”What do you want from me? I told you I don't want to see you anymore. Seeing you makes me suffer and brings me pain. Why did you insist on coming here?”

”I already told you that we've broken up and that everything is over between us. Go ahead and get engaged to whomever you wish. Whether it's a real or fake engagement, it'll have nothing to do with me. Fine, you had your reasons for not saving me back then. So what? You did it for my sake. So what? I told you before that it's impossible for us to be together, and that's final!” Xin Qing had kept these feelings bottled up for far too long. She ended up blowing a fuse and shouted out the words that she had been keeping to herself all this while.

”I beg you. Please. Don't come here to look for me again. You want me to wallow forever in the memories of you, unable to crawl out and move on? Are you satisfied with that? Is that your goal?”

Watching from afar, Ah Che and Monica dared not even breathe loudly. Xin Qing's outburst had startled Ah Sha, who had suddenly tossed the baby bottle aside and was stretching out her hands towards Xin Qing for a hug. Ah Sha was also wailing at the top of her lungs. Xin Qing sniffed and managed to hold back her tears. She took Ah Sha back into her arms and walked off. Monica pondered her options before hurrying after Xin Qing. Ying Qingcang strolled out of the sheepfold in his usual nonchalant way.

”Young... Young Master,” Ah Che said, glancing at Ying Qingcang warily.

Ying Qingcang glanced at him briefly. ”What?”

”You... Are you okay?”

”I'm fine,” Ying Qingcang said, the corner of his lips holding the beginnings of a smile. With that, he walked away slowly.

It was good for her to feel anger towards him. For so long, Xin Qing had either treated him politely or she had avoided him and refused to speak to him altogether. The way she had yelled at him today proved only one thing; Xin Qing had not changed; her feelings towards him were the same as his own feelings towards her. Ying Qingcang refused to admit that he was scared. But he was, in fact, scared. He was scared that Xin Qing would hate him for what happened at the auction ring. He was afraid that Xin Qing's feelings for him would fade away with time and all the misunderstandings between them. On top of all that, there was still the threat of William, who was watching from the sidelines, ready to pounce anytime.

Ying Qingcang was dying to ask Xin Qing whether it was Ying Hao who forced her to leave him. He wanted to ask her what the hell it was that Ying Hao had told her. But he did not have the courage to ask. He was afraid of his own anger after he had learned the truth. What kind of thing could have caused Xin Qing to abandon him? Was the love between them so feeble and fragile that it could not even withstand tests? He was terrified that he would start resenting Xin Qing for her lack of courage. Even more terrifying was the possibility that he himself might not be able to accept the truth.

”Xin Qing...” Monica walked up beside Xin Qing and crouched down.

”I'm okay,” Xin Qing said. She was sitting on a pile of haystacks. Ah Sha had already fallen asleep.

Monica fixed a look on her, ”Although I don't know what happened between the two of you, but it's obvious to anyone that you're unable to let him go and that you're the only one in Ah Cang's heart. Why are you two so intent on torturing each other like this?”

”He's the one who's tormenting me,” Xin Qing said, swiping her tears away harshly. ”He's the one who keeps appearing before me, making things uncomfortable for everyone.”

”Why did you leave him, huh? I mean, really.” Monica grabbed a handful of her own hair. ”Can't you just be together?”

Xin Qing stared at the sleeping Ah Sha. Right then, her face broke off into a smile, one that looked worse than a crying face. ”We can't together. We can't.”

”Why?” Monica stared at her intently. ”Is it because somebody had threatened you? Tell me. I'll take care of it for you.”

Xin Qing picked up Ah Sha and grabbed Monica's hand. ”Let's head back!”

”You haven't told me yet. Hey, talk to me!” Monica had spent their entire walk grilling Xin Qing for information, but Xin Qing had kept her lips sealed. In the end, Xin Qing threatened Monica out of desperation. ”If you ask again, I'll run off to a place where nobody can find me.”

”Don't!” Monica raised her hands. ”Fine, I'll stop asking. I'm not going to ask again, okay?”

Xin Qing nodded. ”Mm. Come on, let's go!”

They had the farm's special roast whole lamb for dinner. There was a tall grape trellis in front of the villa they had rented. Underneath the trellis was an apple tree, which the chef had used to support the lamb as he roasted it on the spot. They were also served with wine that had been brewed at the farm. Xin Qing had expected Ying Qingcang to be angry at her. Considering his personality, he would probably just walk away. In the end, it turned out that he had not acted any differently at all. When he saw her return, he grinned at her and then took Ah Sha from her before pulling her to sit down.

Ying Qingcang noticed Xin Qing endless stare. He leaned his face to her and asked, ”What? Still angry? Planning to chew my head off again?”

”I'm not mad,” Xin Qing said, pursing her lips. ”I was—”

”Alright!” Ying Qingcang interjected. ”After I return this time, it's hard to tell when I'll have time to come for another visit. Can we not fight?”

Xin Qing fixed him a look. ”I wasn't trying to pick a fight with you. I was just stating the truth.”

”Okay,” Ying Qingcang said in a serious tone. ”If you tell me why you're so dead set on leaving me, then I'll leave right now and never appear before you again.”

”You...” Xin Qing bit her bottom lip. ”I've told you before, haven't I? I don't want to marry a man who only likes me because of some Ancestral Behest.”

Ying Qingcang stared at her. ”So the reason you like me is because of the Ancestral Behest?”