Chapter 24 The Truth Behind the Matter (2)

  Although Xiao Min knew the ins and outs of the matter, looking at An Shaojie who was still fuming with anger, she finally swallowed back what she wanted to explain, thinking that it would be another day to clear things up.

  Shǎo Mǐn thought that Shǎo Jié's behavior of defending the green tree was a bit annoying, so he picked up the chopsticks in his hand and prepared to eat, but then slapped them down again. He used his hands to pick up two sweet potatoes from the bowl, slung his backpack over his shoulder, and without waiting for Shǎo Mǐn, stormed out the door and went off to school alone.

  At the bridgehead of the east village, Qinglan is still waiting there.

  As soon as Shao Jie appeared, Qing Lan stood up straight and nervously kept adjusting her backpack straps.

  She used to wait for An Shaojie here every day and had never been so nervous before.

  No! It's not just nervousness, but also panic.

  An Shaojie walked closer, step by step, getting nearer to her.

  When An Shaojie walked up to her, Qing Lan stepped forward to greet him.

  Before, Qing Lan would never have done this. She always waited for him to walk past before quietly following behind him.

  This time, originally a nervous and flustered mood, yet inexplicably plucked up the courage to walk towards An Shaojie.

  "Shao Jie Ge!"

  Qing Lan's sudden voice startled An Shaojie, he raised his head, as if suddenly awakened from a dream, and looked at Qing Lan who was already standing in front of him with a dazed expression.

  Although he saw Qing Lan standing here from a distance, and she knew she was waiting for him, but because of the matter in his heart, and the resentment in his heart had not been vented earlier, he felt somewhat disheartened and annoyed, lowering his head without noticing that he had already walked to Qing Lan's face.

  He suddenly stopped in his tracks, threw back his head and looked up.

  The person blocking the way was Qing Lan, who stood with his horse, furrowed his brow tightly, and had a cold gaze that pierced into one's heart like a sword. His thin lips were like two sharp blades, icy and sharp.

  She used to never dare to approach him and strike up a conversation, but this time she suddenly jumped out from the side of the road, blocking his way, and even dared to call out to him.

  Didn't she know what had just happened? But apparently she did, because he saw her earlier.

  How dare she provoke him at this time?

  She actually laughed?

  But when Qing Lan saw his expression, the smile on her face froze instantly.

  "Sorry, Shao Jie ge, I didn't know, my father...I..." In the bleak wind, Qing Lan's body suddenly shuddered violently, her lips trembling, her voice shaking, and her words were incoherent. At the same time, her body involuntarily took a step back.

  She didn't mention her father was fine.

  Fine, now that you know all the good things your uncle has done, you're still standing in my way with a smile on your face. Are you here to mock me? Are you here to humiliate me?!

  An Shaojie's temples throbbed violently, the veins on his neck bulged as if about to explode, his eyebrows stood on end, his teeth chattered with a "ka-ka" sound, his left hand clenched into a fist, and his right hand alternated between clenching into a fist and forcefully opening.

  Qing Lan lowered her head and took another step forward.

  "Xiao Jie Ge, my father..."

  "Slap!" Before Qing Lan's words had even fallen, a loud slap had already landed on her face.

  Qing Lan covered her face with her hands, like a conditioned reflex.

  Face burning with pain.

  After a long time, Qing Lan finally lifted her head and looked at An Shaojie. Tears fell like broken pearls.

  "What right do you have to hit our Qinglan?!"

  Suddenly, Liu Xiu Zhen appeared out of nowhere, like a madman, and rushed between An Shaojie and Qing Lan.

  She pulled down Qing Lan's hand covering her face. We walked together

  Five red fingerprints were clearly printed on Qing Lan's face.

  Looking at her mother's eyes filled with love and anger, Qing Lan's eyes overflowed with tears of grievance once again.

  Although Ah Niang always scolds her, she has never been willing to hit her. At this moment, Qing Lan looked at Liu Xiu Zhen and realized that no matter how well she did or how good she was to others, in other people's eyes, she was just like a straw. No matter what mistakes she made, in Ah Niang's eyes, she was still her beloved treasure.

  Liu Xiuzhen slowly turned around, gritted her teeth and stared at An Shaojie.

  Suddenly, her hand rose high up in the air.

  "Bang!"

  An Shaojie's face was slapped by Liu Xiu Zhen with a loud slap, his head tilted to one side.

  "What are you doing hitting my daughter? She's been so good to you since she was little! You have the guts to go hit who should be hit!" Liu Xiuzhen roared, one hand raised high again.

  Qing Lan was frightened into a daze.

  "Ah Niang!" Qing Lan suddenly stepped forward and grabbed Liu Xiu Zhen, crying out: "Don't hit Shao Jie Ge, it's my fault, I was the one who provoked him."

  "You silly girl!" Liu Xiu Zhen turned her head and shouted at Qing Lan with a mixture of anger, hatred, and affection.

  Qing Lan's face was still flushed with anger as she stared at An Shaojie with tears in her eyes.

  An Shaojie's face was still tilted to one side, his fists clenched in both hands had loosened, standing motionless and stubbornly, he didn't cover his face with his hands like Qing Lan did.

  Qing Lan suddenly let go of Liu Xiu Zhen and ran towards the bridge like flying.

  "Qing Lan, Qing Lan, what are you doing?" Liu Xiu Zhen followed closely behind, shouting loudly.

  Green smoke and dust flew across the bridge, rushing straight into the courtyard, charging towards home.

  Liu Xiuzhen patted her chest, "Mom, I'm scared to death." A frightened heart was still pounding rapidly.

  Qing Lan rushed to the door and bumped into Qing Sheng who was going out.

  "Lanlan, what's wrong? Why haven't you gone to school yet?" Qing Shu asked with a puzzled expression, seeing that Lanlan had tears on her face.

  Qing Lan no longer cares about Qing Shu's life, and at this time, the lovely Ah Fu is no longer lovable.

  She rushed into her own room, closed the door and lay on the bed crying.

  The green tree hesitated and looked back, walking out of the courtyard beyond the gate.

  He went to fetch that bundle of firewood. In the morning rush, he dropped the bundle of firewood at the west bridgehead and hasn't picked it up yet.

  Liu Xizhen followed him into the courtyard.

  "What's wrong with Lanlan? Why did she run back? Didn't she go to school?" Qing Sheng, who had already walked past Liu Xiu Zhen, thought for a moment and turned his head to ask.

  "This is for you to ask! She took the beating from that little rascal on your behalf." Liu Xiuzhen gritted her teeth and turned back to say viciously to Qing Sheng.

  Qingshu had expected such a reception, so he didn't ask any more questions. He scratched his head with one hand and patted it with the other, then lowered his head and walked towards the west of the village.

  That afternoon, Qing Lan didn't go to school and locked herself in her room, crying for the whole afternoon.

  An Shaojie stood still on the spot until Shao Min passed by and asked him what was wrong, then he followed Shao Min to school.

  That afternoon, An Shaojie sat in the classroom as if he was just going through the motions, and didn't hear a single word of what the teacher was saying.

  From then on, Qing Lan never waited for An Shaojie to go to school again.

  Until the year I graduated from elementary school sixth grade.

  At that time, Shao Min had already gone to the town's junior high school for her second year, and Jia Wei was in his third year. Although Shao Min knew the ins and outs of the matter, looking at An Shaojie who was still fuming with anger, she eventually swallowed back what she wanted to explain, thinking that it would be fine to clear things up another time.

  Shǎo Mǐn thought to make excuses for the green tree, which made ān Shǎo Jié somewhat annoyed. He picked up the chopsticks in his hand that were ready to eat and put them down with a "pa" sound. He took two sweet potatoes from the bowl with his hands, shouldered his backpack, and didn't wait for Shǎo Mǐn. In a huff, he went out the door alone to go to school.

  At the bridgehead of the east village, Qinglan is still waiting there.

  As soon as Shao Jie appeared, Qing Lan stood up straight and nervously kept adjusting her backpack straps.

  She used to wait for An Shaojie here every day and had never been so nervous before.

  No! It's not just nervousness, but also panic.

  An Shaojie walked closer, step by step, getting nearer to her.

  When An Shaojie walked up to her, Qing Lan stepped forward to greet him.

  Before, Qing Lan would never have done this. She always waited for him to walk past before quietly following behind him.

  This time, originally a nervous and flustered mood, yet inexplicably plucked up the courage to walk towards An Shaojie.

  "Shao Jie Ge!"

  Qing Lan's sudden voice startled An Shaojie, he raised his head, as if suddenly awakened from a dream, and looked at Qing Lan who was already standing in front of him with a dazed expression.

  Although he saw Qing Lan standing here from a distance, and she knew she was waiting for him, but because of the matter in his heart, and the resentment in his heart had not been vented earlier, he felt somewhat disheartened and annoyed, lowering his head without noticing that he had already walked to Qing Lan's face.

  He suddenly stopped in his tracks, threw back his head and looked up.

  The person blocking the way was Qing Lan, who stood with his horse tightly locked, his eyebrows furrowed, his eyes cold and detached, like a sword of icy starlight piercing into one's heart. His thin lips were like two blades forged together, cold and sharp.

  She never dared to approach him before, but this time she suddenly jumped out from the side of the road, blocking his way, and even called out to him in a bold and unprecedented manner.

  Didn't she know what had just happened? But apparently she did, because he saw her earlier.

  How dare she provoke him at this time?

  She actually laughed?

  But when Qing Lan saw his expression, the smile on her face froze instantly.

  "Sorry, Shao Jie Ge, I didn't know... my father... I..." In the bleak wind, Qing Lan's body suddenly shuddered violently, her lips trembling, her voice shaking, and her words incoherent. At the same time, her body involuntarily took a step back.

  She didn't mention her father was fine.

  Fine, since you already know the good deeds of your uncle, you're still smiling and blocking my way. Are you here to mock me? Are you here to humiliate me?!

  An Shaojie's temples throbbed violently, the veins on his neck bulged as if about to explode, his eyebrows stood on end, his teeth chattered with a "ka-ka" sound, his left hand clenched into a fist, and his right hand alternated between clenching and forcefully opening.

  Qing Lan lowered her head and took another step forward.

  "Xiao Jie Ge, my father..."

  "Slap!" Before Qing Lan's words had even fallen, a loud and clear slap had already landed on her face.

  Qing Lan covered her face with her hands, like a conditioned reflex.

  Face burning with pain.

  After a long time, Qing Lan finally lifted her head and looked at An Shaojie. Tears fell like broken pearls.

  "What right do you have to hit our Qinglan?!"

  Suddenly, Liu Xiu Zhen appeared out of nowhere, like a madman, rushing between An Shaojie and Qing Lan. The Empress Dowager was furious, the evil Crown Prince's consort.

  She pulled open Qing Lan's hands covering her face.

  Five red fingerprints were clearly printed on Qing Lan's face.

  Looking at her mother's eyes filled with love and anger, Qing Lan's eyes overflowed with tears of grievance once again.

  Although Ah Niang always scolds her, she has never been willing to hit her. At this moment, Qing Lan looked at Liu Xiu Zhen and realized that no matter how well she did or how good she was to others, in other people's eyes, she was just like a straw. No matter what mistakes she made, in Ah Niang's eyes, she was still her beloved treasure.

  Liu Xiuzhen slowly turned around, gritted her teeth and stared at An Shaojie.

  Suddenly, her hand rose high into the air.

  "Bang!"

  An Shaojie's face was slapped by Liu Xiuzhen with a loud slap, turning his head to one side.

  "What are you doing hitting my daughter? She's been so good to you since she was little! Go and hit the person who deserves it!" Liu Xiuzhen roared, her hand raised high again.

  Qing Lan was frightened stiff.

  "Ah Niang!" Qing Lan suddenly stepped forward and grabbed Liu Xiu Zhen, crying out: "Don't hit Shao Jie Ge, it's my fault, I was the one who provoked him."

  "You silly girl!" Liu Xiu Zhen turned her head and shouted at Qing Lan with a mixture of anger, hatred, and affection.

  Qing Lan's face was still flushed with anger as she stared at An Shaojie with tears in her eyes.

  An Shaojie's face was still tilted to one side, his fists clenched in both hands had loosened, standing motionless and stubbornly, he didn't cover his face with his hands like Qing Lan did.

  Qing Lan suddenly let go of Liu Xiu Zhen and ran towards the bridge like flying.

  "Qing Lan, Qing Lan, what are you doing?" Liu Xiu Zhen followed closely behind, shouting loudly.

  Green smoke and dust flew across the bridge, rushing straight into the courtyard, charging towards home.

  Liu Xizhen patted her chest, "Mom, I'm scared to death." A frightened heart was still pounding rapidly.

  Qing Lan rushed to the door and bumped into Qing Sheng who was going out.

  "Lanlan, what's wrong? Why haven't you gone to school yet?" Qing Shu asked with a puzzled expression, seeing that Lanlan had tears on her face.

  Qing Lan no longer cares about Qing Shu's life, and at this time, the lovely Ah Fu is no longer lovable.

  She rushed into her own room, closed the door, and lay on the bed crying.

  Qing Shu looked back doubtfully and walked out of the courtyard beyond the gate.

  He went to fetch that bundle of firewood. In the morning rush, he dropped the bundle of firewood at the west bridgehead and hasn't picked it up yet.

  Liu Xizhen followed him into the courtyard.

  "What's wrong with Lanlan? Why did she run back? Didn't she go to school?" Qing Sheng, who had already walked past Liu Xiu Zhen, thought for a moment and turned his head to ask Liu Xiu Zhen.

  "This is for you to ask! She took the beating from that little rascal for you." Liu Xiuzhen gritted her teeth and turned back to say viciously to Qing Sheng.

  Qingshu had expected such a reception, so he didn't ask any more questions. He scratched his head with one hand and patted it with the other, then hung his head and walked west towards the village.

  That afternoon, Qing Lan didn't go to school and locked herself in her room, crying for the whole afternoon.

  An Shaojie stood still on the spot until Shao Min passed by and asked him what was wrong, then he followed Shao Min to school.

  That afternoon, An Shaojie sat in the classroom as if he was just going through the motions, and didn't hear a single word of what the teacher was saying.

  From then on, Qing Lan never waited for An Shaojie to go to school again.

  Until the year I graduated from elementary school sixth grade.