Chapter 39: In the prime of life, they met on a narrow road

  Thank you for the reward of the peaceful amulet in front of the Tingyuan and Yiyimen, and the blooming rose after the rain.

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  Upon hearing Yuniang's words, Qingjin smiled and said: "It seems that I was right to have chosen Yuniang as the manager of Liuyun Pavilion in the first place." The clothes she wore today were just new arrivals from Liuyun Pavilion. With all these customers coming and going to look at clothes, wouldn't it be great advertising for her to go down there and take a walk around?

  Upon hearing Qingjin's praise, Yuniang was about to respond when the door suddenly creaked open. "Madam, a maid named Yuanyang has arrived, saying she has urgent business with your family's young lady."

  Qing Jin heard this and her heart skipped a beat, suddenly having a bad feeling, she didn't bother to say anything else to Yu Niang, "Yu Niang, you go ahead and busy yourself, I have something to attend to, I'll leave first." She hastily opened the door and left.

  After coming out of the back door, she saw the anxious-looking Yuanyang waiting outside. Qingjin immediately asked, "What's wrong?" as they walked towards the main street.

  "It was the young master who accidentally bumped into someone, and suddenly one of them pulled out a sword and pointed it at the young master. Fortunately, he was stopped... Those few people's servants may not have been clear about their identity, but judging from their clothes and attire, they were either wealthy or noble. The man in charge had an air of dignity, and his gaze was like ice as he looked over, making my legs go weak..."

  Upon hearing the words of Yuanyang, Qingjin knew that no one was hurt and her heart finally put down, but her footsteps didn't slow down, instead they got even faster. Before long, she could already see Gu Ningxuan and Gu Qingyao from afar.

  Gu Ningxuan sat down on the ground beside him, while Gu Qingyao smiled and chatted with three men and one woman on the other side.

  From a distance, Qing Jin quickened her pace again and walked to Gu Ning Xuan's side, helping him up from the ground where he had fallen, clearly shocked.

  At this moment, Gu Qingyao, who was chatting with three men and one woman, also noticed the arrival of Gu Qingjin. Seeing Gu Qingjin helping Gu Ningxuan up from the ground, Gu Qingyao suddenly felt a little embarrassed. She had just forgotten about her seventh brother. With an uneasy expression, she glanced at Gu Ningxuan, who was being led by his second sister in a daze.

  Gu Qingyao maintained her smile and walked to Gu Qingyan's side, "Second sister, Seventh brother just accidentally bumped into that young master. That young master's guard instinctively pushed Seventh brother lightly. Sister has already apologized to the two young masters and the young lady, is Seventh brother okay?"

  Qing Jin heard Qing Yao's words and only then did she raise her head to look at the three men and one woman. Her eyes scanned them, and first saw that familiar face with sharp features, long eyebrows like swords, but a cold and stern expression, his face aloof, making it difficult for people to get close to him.

  Long Han was far away, and Qing Jin couldn't help but mock herself in her heart. This familiar scene, yet such a strange person.

  This man was once deeply loved by her, even to the point of loving him to death, and for his sake she had gone through fire.

  However, after being separated by life and death once again, when they met again, she still remembered him, but he had already become a complete stranger. With just one glance, she silently withdrew her gaze.

  A bright smile, a swaggering and domineering demeanor, was once his least favorite appearance.

  I wish to be with you, even in death. Now she comes to take a last look, to bid farewell to the past, that young nobleman with his elegant clothes and proud horse, slowly fading away in memory.

  The three people beside him were the bodyguard of a man he once knew, his beloved younger brother, and a princess who would soon be married off to a distant land.

  Qing Jin scanned him with a glance, and nodded slightly. Before today, she thought she would hate him, would resent him, but the regular heartbeat told her that she could be so calm. She lowered her eyelids, and realized that no matter how deep the love or resentment had been, it was ultimately no match for time.

  She once heard a sentence, love, after all, is still a heart-wrenching thing. If you are always heart-wrenched, it means you are always in love. When you become numb and indifferent, that's when love has passed, that's when love has cooled down.

  Love has faded, it's been over between her and him for a long time. They've missed each other in life, and that's just the way it is! Qing Jin raised his head and said to Qing Yao, "Thank you, Fourth Sister, for taking care of my brother."

  "Is Second Sister still blaming Yao'er? Yao'er..." Qingyao bit her lip, feeling wronged and ashamed, looking at Gu Qingyu in a daze.

  "What's wrong with you, not taking care of your own brother? You're the older sister of that kid. Your younger sister has been helping to take care of him all along. Where did you go before? Your younger sister just didn't help your brother up in time, and you gave her a dirty look. You're being really unreasonable." Qing Jin's mouth curved slightly upwards, what had she just said?

  Look at Gu Qingyao's wronged and ashamed expression, not knowing what to do. Seeing her like this, Qingjin suddenly realized that she thought she had bullied Gu Qingyao!

  She patted the dust off Gu Ningxuan's body, stood up and opened her mouth to the person in front of her who was taking injustice: "What did I just say?"

  The girl wearing purple clothes with an unapologetic royal aura stared blankly, "Y...y...".

  "No way!" Qingjin replied directly.

  That girl was stunned, looking at Gu Qingyao. At this time, Gu Qingyao hastily spoke up: "Miss, thank you for speaking on my behalf, don't misunderstand, I have a good relationship with my second sister, I just felt guilty for not taking care of my seventh brother well... Second sister, don't blame Miss, she was just straightforward and didn't mean any harm..."

  "I understand." Qing Jin said lightly.

  Upon hearing Qing Jin's simple four words, Gu Qing Yao's eyes flashed with a fleeting astonishment, then hid the astonished expression without a trace, sweetly smiling and saying: "I knew Second Sister would be the most understanding."

  Qing Jin looked at her delighted expression, hooked his lips in a bright smile, and seemed to acknowledge her praise.

  Qing Yao saw Qing Jin's smile, the smile on her face was slightly stiff, and she glanced at the cold and stern man beside her without leaving any marks. Her eyes swept to him, but he didn't seem to be surprised by her sister's smile, and the smile on his face was even more clear and beautiful.

  Qing Jin watched her every move clearly, lowered her head, and stroked Gu Ning Xuan's soft hair. At this time, Gu Ning Xuan's expression was still dull, only instinctively fearful of the guard who almost killed him. If it were usual, Gu Qing Jin would not have cooperated with him touching his head like that. But after the brief moment of horror just now, from when Gu Qing Jin helped him up, he leaned affectionately against Gu Qing Jin's body.

  Watching the harmonious scene between the two, Gu Qingyao was slightly stunned. However, seeing Gu Qingjin help up Gu Ningxuan without coming over to ask for forgiveness or showing any intention of apologizing, she couldn't help but smile at her pure and beautiful appearance. She walked to the purple-clothed girl's side and said: "My second sister has always been like this, cold on the outside but warm on the inside. Although she can be a bit impatient with my seventh brother sometimes, once something happens, she still cares deeply... Luckily, sir just called out to the guards in time and didn't hurt my seventh brother. Thank you so much, sir."