readytorunbook Chapter 188 The Villainous Female Supporting Character's Mind Was Read - Extra Chapter
Chapter 188 The Villainous Female Supporting Character's Mind Was Read - Extra Chapter
Eight years later, at the entrance of Qingshui Village.
Several elderly women sat on benches, fanning themselves with palm-leaf fans, chatting and enjoying the cool air under the old locust tree.
As they were talking, they suddenly saw two people riding horses leisurely coming towards them from a distance.
When they reached the village entrance, the two dismounted. The man behind them stepped forward and asked loudly, "Ladies, is this Qingshui Village?"
The village women noticed that although the two men looked travel-worn, their clothes were made of the finest fabrics.
The man who spoke was carrying a long sword and looked fierce and not someone to be trifled with.
The man behind them had a jade pendant around his waist. He looked kind, but his appearance and demeanor were extraordinary. The women were puzzled about their purpose and dared not answer him casually.
One of the women, quick-witted, remembered the family at the end of the village and had a plan in mind. She smiled and replied, "Yes, yes, yes, among all the villages around here, only Qingshui Village is here. Are you looking for someone, young master?"
"Indeed." Perhaps sensing the concerns of the others, Gu Yanli gestured for the guards to step back and stepped forward to ask, "I wonder if a family surnamed Lin has moved into the village in recent years?"
"I presume you're referring to the Lin family at the end of the village? They moved here just three years ago," the aunt replied.
Gu Yanli guessed that this Master Lin was probably referring to the Duke of Zhenguo.
Worried that he had asked the wrong person, he confirmed again, "Does Master Lin have a granddaughter named Lin Shuwan?"
“Yes, Master Lin does have a granddaughter, but I am illiterate and don’t quite remember if her name is this. However, I often hear them call her Wanwan, so she must be the one you are looking for, young master.”
"Then that's it." Gu Yanli smiled gently. "Where does she live?"
"Just keep walking in, until you reach the end of the village, the house closest to the foot of the mountain."
One of them pointed in a direction: "Look over there, that's the biggest and most impressive house, that's it."
"Thank you," Gu Yanli said, cupping his hands in thanks.
Another aunt, seeing that he was easy to talk to, said bluntly, "Oh dear, I was wondering why such a celestial being like you would come to our village. So you've come to find the young lady of the Lin family, or perhaps you're thinking of marrying into the family?"
"If she still wants to." Gu Yanli smiled, his eyes sparkling with light.
His handsome appearance made several married women take a second look.
"Judging from your accent, young master, you don't seem to be from around here. Could it be that the news of Miss Lin's search for a husband has already spread outside?"
Gu Yanli didn't even need to answer before the old woman next to him said, "It's been around for a while now. Have you forgotten how lively it was a couple of years ago? Back then, the area outside Master Lin's house was packed with people."
The woman in the red hoodie continued, "Even now, people still come to our door from time to time to recommend themselves!"
“If my son is still unmarried, I have to let him give it a try. If he really catches the eye of Miss Lin, then my son won’t have to worry about the rest of his life.” The pockmarked old woman waved her palm-leaf fan vigorously, her tone full of regret.
"With your son like that, let alone Lin Xiaoniangzi who looks like an angel, I wouldn't even look at him."
The pockmarked old woman retorted, "What's wrong with my son? He's not only hardworking and capable, but also caring. If you ask me, women shouldn't be too picky. Look at Madam Lin, she's almost twenty-five and still hasn't settled down because she dislikes this one for not being good-looking or that one for not being well-educated enough."
"So what? Look how comfortable she is now. If she's worried about having no one to care for her when she gets old, she can just adopt someone and they'll still live a happy and harmonious life." The round-faced woman rolled her eyes at her. "I think you're just jealous."
"Hey, why would I be jealous?"
……
The women started arguing, ignoring Gu Yanli and his servant standing to the side. They started gossiping and digging up each other's secrets.
Gu Yanli chuckled. These must be the "energetic" aunties Wanwan mentioned in her letter.
Qingshui Village gets its name from the clear and sweet stream that flows through it.
Gu Yanli led the horse slowly toward the end of the village.
On the way, I saw an old man sleeping soundly with his big yellow dog, covered by a straw hat, lying in front of his house.
Wildflowers bloom in vibrant colors everywhere.
A group of barefoot children were catching ants and running around wildly under the tree.
……
After Lin Shuwan left the capital, Gu Yanli did not specifically investigate her whereabouts.
Then one day, he suddenly received a letter from Lin Shuwan.
The letter said they had gone to Lin's father's place.
The letter said the sunset on the grassland was even more beautiful than she had imagined.
The letter said that riding horses on the vast grasslands must be so exhilarating.
……
The letter ended by saying that by the time the letter arrived, she might have already left for another place, and that he shouldn't reply, as she probably wouldn't receive it anyway.
Some local specialties were also included with the letter.
And so he gave up the idea of replying and began to look forward to her letter.
Sometimes I receive one letter one day and another the next.
Sometimes it would take half a year before I would receive a letter.
Letters can be long or short.
The kind of lengthy, ten-plus-page document usually comes from someone who has lived in a certain place for a considerable period of time and recorded everything they saw and heard each day.
As for the shorter ones, they mostly involve encountering some novel events, good or bad, that piqued her interest and made her want to share them with him.
Using these packages, he pieced together the places she had been.
Until two years ago, when the eleventh prince was indeed capable of handling things on his own, he voluntarily abdicated.
I had dreamed of traveling the world alone with my horse and sword, but unfortunately, my strength wouldn't allow it.
He had no choice but to take a highly skilled guard with him and follow the same path that Lin Shuwan had taken.
The images in those letters unfolded before him little by little, as if he were walking alongside her.
Qingshui Village was the place where she finally settled down.
Gu Yanli stopped in front of the last house at the end of the village. Through the wide-open door, he saw a tidy courtyard, neatly arranged firewood, and Old Madam Lin watering the flowers.
After tending to the last pot of flowers, Madam Lin turned around and saw Gu Yanli standing at the door.
She looked surprised, but quickly regained her composure, as if she had expected this day.
Gu Yanli was the first to give her a junior's greeting. Before Old Madam Lin could speak, Lin Shuwan's voice could be heard from afar.
"Grandmother, Grandmother, I caught a big fish today, we'll eat it tonight... Gu Yanli!"
Lin Shuwan ran home excitedly, only to look at the person standing at the door in surprise.
Madam Lin walked over to Gu Yanli, returned his greeting, and then took the fish from Lin Shuwan's hand: "I'll have the kitchen cook this fish. We'll keep it for dinner tonight."
"Okay." Gu Yanli nodded in agreement.
Madam Lin took the guards with her, leaving Gu Yanli and Lin Shuwan behind.
The atmosphere was inexplicably tense. Lin Shuwan scratched her braid, unsure of how to begin.
Gu Yanli broke the silence and said, "I've come to you to fulfill our promise. I wonder, does what you said that day still stand?"
"Of course it counts!" Lin Shuwan replied hastily, then added somewhat shyly, "But didn't you meet anyone you liked in the capital?"
"We ran into each other," Gu Yanli said deliberately.
"Then what are you doing here?" Lin Shuwan said angrily, stepping on Gu Yanli's toe.
(asshole!)
(You already have someone you like, why are you still bothering me!)
"hiss."
Gu Yanli was kicked so hard he jumped up and down, losing all his dignity as the retired emperor. He smiled apologetically and said, "I haven't finished yet, don't rush me. I met someone I liked in the capital, but she left the capital a long time ago, so I could only find solace in the letters she sent me. That's why I had to come here myself now."
He's really done for. He hasn't been bullied by Wanwan for so many years, but now he's been stepped on, and he's even happy about it.
Lin Shuwan then realized that the person he was talking about was herself, and scratched her face somewhat embarrassedly: "It's your fault for not being clear. Are you alright?"
"Something's up. I've heard that someone's search for a son-in-law is quite a spectacle." Gu Yanli's words carried a hint of sourness.
"Ah, that was all my aunt's doing. I rejected all those people," Lin Shuwan explained.
"In that case, I wonder if Miss Lin would find me suitable?" Gu Yanli raised an eyebrow and asked with a smile.
Lin Shuwan deliberately rested her chin on her hand and looked him over: "Hmm, barely passable, I guess."
"Then we'll just have to trouble Miss Lin to make do," Gu Yanli said cooperatively.
"It's easy to talk about."
"Oh, I forgot, my dad just told me to go home and get another bucket. Come on, let's go catch shrimp together."
Lin Shuwan suddenly remembered this matter, hurriedly went into the house to grab a bucket, and then pulled Gu Yanli to run to the stream.
"No, I'm not ready yet. It would be too impolite to go see my father-in-law like this." Gu Yanli barely kept up with Lin Shuwan's pace, trying to break free.
"No need to prepare, we'll see each other sooner or later, it's all the same!"
"No, I still don't think it's appropriate."
"Oh dear, my dad has already seen us. You don't have time to back out now."
I'll settle the score with you later.
……