Where Is the Mistake

Gu Chengyin still didn't speak, merely looking at Lin Qingyan.

Lin Qingyan's nose tingled with the urge to cry.

She lowered her head, burying her face back into his chest. Her voice was muffled, carrying a noticeable tremble:

"I'm sorry, Chengcheng... I'll never dare to do it again..."

"Will you forgive me, please..."

"I... I..."

Lin Qingyan thought and thought, but could only come up with one solution.

"Chengcheng, if you still refuse to forgive me..."

"Then... then tie me up."

"You can tie me up securely and hang me from the roof of the carriage too..."

"You can do whatever you want to me."

"As long as... as long as you don't ignore me."

As Lin Qingyan spoke, her eyes had already turned red.

Those usually aloof and clear eyes were now brimming with panic, grievance, fear, and pleading.

Lin Qingyan was pleading.

Pleading for Gu Chengyin not to ignore her.

Pleading for him to forgive her.

Pleading for him to still want her.

Gu Chengyin looked at Lin Qingyan.

Looked at her reddened eyes.

Looked at the trace of panic and fear deep in her gaze.

Looked at her fingertips tightly gripping his lapel.

He suddenly wanted to laugh.

Wanted to laugh at how Lin Qingyan could be so silly.

The dignified Jingzhe of the Celestial Master Mansion, an invincible Golden Core expert.

Yet at this moment, she was like a child who had done something wrong, pitifully begging for his forgiveness.

But Gu Chengyin did not laugh.

Because now was not the time to laugh.

Only by dragging this out longer would Lin Qingyan become more obedient.

Otherwise, if she pulled a stunt like this every now and then in the future, who could handle it?

It wasn't always possible to turn danger into safety every time.

Seeing the look in Gu Chengyin's eyes, Lin Qingyan grew even more panicked.

"Chengcheng..." Her voice carried a hint of a sob. "You... say something..."

Gu Chengyin remained silent.

Lin Qingyan bit her lower lip.

She suddenly let go and took a step back.

Then, golden lightning surged from her fingertips, transforming into a rope.

It was exactly the same as the one she had just used to tie up Gu Chengyin.

Holding the rope, she offered it to Gu Chengyin.

"Tie me up."

"Tie me up, hang me, whatever you want."

"Just don't ignore me."

Gu Chengyin looked down at this rope made of spiritual energy.

Then he looked up at Lin Qingyan.

Lin Qingyan met his gaze without shrinking back.

Those eyes were still red, but beneath that redness lay a trace of grievance.

Finally, Gu Chengyin let out a soft sigh.

The sigh was very light, like a wisp of wind.

But Lin Qingyan heard it.

Her eyes instantly lit up.

"Chengcheng..."

Gu Chengyin finally spoke, sounding somewhat helpless, yet somewhat doting:

"Little Aunt, oh, Little Aunt."

"What am I supposed to say to you."

Lin Qingyan's eyes instantly turned red again.

She threw herself into Gu Chengyin's arms, burying her face in his chest and wrapping her arms tightly around his waist.

"I'm sorry, Chengcheng... I was wrong... I really know I was wrong..."

Gu Chengyin reached out and gently stroked Lin Qingyan's hair.

"Alright, stop crying."

Lin Qingyan didn't look up; she only hugged him tighter.

Gu Chengyin didn't rush her. He just held her like that, gently stroking her hair, stroke by stroke, with great patience.

The inside of the carriage fell silent.

Only the rumbling sound of the wheels could be faintly heard from outside.

Sunlight slipped in through the gap in the curtains, casting mottled shadows over the two of them.

Lin Qingyan nestled motionlessly in Gu Chengyin's arms.

She had been staying like this for a long time.

The commotion just now had left her exhausted.

It wasn't physical exhaustion, but a weariness welling up from the bottom of her heart, making her just want to curl up into a ball.

She buried her face in his chest, listening to Gu Chengyin's steady heartbeat and feeling the warmth of his chest.

That heartbeat, thumping steadily and powerfully, gradually calmed her panicked heart.

But after calming down, that thought surfaced once again.

That thought which made her heart flutter with unease.

Lin Qingyan bit her lower lip, hesitating for a long time before speaking.

"Chengcheng..."

"Hmm?"

Lin Qingyan buried her face even deeper, her voice becoming even more muffled:

"Do you... still want me?"

As soon as these words came out, the carriage fell silent for a moment.

Gu Chengyin looked down at the fairy in his arms, looking at her slightly reddened ear tips exposed to the air.

After thinking about it, Gu Chengyin asked:

"Does Little Aunt know what she did wrong?"

Hearing this question, Lin Qingyan abruptly lifted her head.

Her eyes were bright, carrying a trace of urgency, as well as a trace of anticipation.

"I know, I know! I really know I was wrong!"

Gu Chengyin revealed a smile, as if to encourage her.

"Then tell me, Little Aunt, where did you go wrong?"

Lin Qingyan blinked, then started to count on her fingers.

"First!"

She held up one finger, her tone as serious as if she were reporting on her work.

"I shouldn't have sensed your thoughts without your permission."

Gu Chengyin nodded slightly.

"Second!"

She held up another finger.

"I shouldn't have felt aggrieved after sensing your thoughts."

Gu Chengyin continued to nod.

"Third!"

A third finger was held up.

"I shouldn't have electrocuted you unconscious after feeling aggrieved."

The corner of Gu Chengyin's mouth twitched.

"Fourth!"

A fourth finger.

"I shouldn't have tied you up after electrocuting you unconscious."

Gu Chengyin didn't say anything.

"Fifth!"

A fifth finger.

"I shouldn't have hung you from the roof of the carriage after tying you up."

"Sixth!"

A sixth finger.

"I shouldn't have threatened you while you were hanging there."

"Seventh!"

A seventh finger.

"I shouldn't have used inner demons as an excuse after my threat failed."

"Eighth!"

An eighth finger.

"I shouldn't have lied and said the inner demon did it after using it as an excuse."

"Ninth!"

A ninth finger.

"I shouldn't have... after lying to you."

Lin Qingyan went on, listing them one by one.

She counted on her fingers, from the first to the ninth, and from the ninth to the fifteenth.

She basically took the blame for everything that had just happened.

Every single point was stated clearly and plainly.

Gu Chengyin did not interrupt her from beginning to end.

He just watched Lin Qingyan like this, watching her count on her fingers, listing her crimes one by one.

Watching her nod earnestly with each point she counted, looking so serious that it was somewhat adorable.

The dignified Jingzhe of the Celestial Master Mansion was now acting like a child who had done something wrong.

Honestly listing her mistakes, not leaving a single one out.

Finally, Lin Qingyan finished counting.

Her voice lowered as she carefully probed:

"I'm... I'm done talking."

Gu Chengyin asked for confirmation:

"Are you done?"

Lin Qingyan nodded.

But her nod was very slight, making her look quite apprehensive.

Looking at her like this, Gu Chengyin suddenly wanted to laugh.

But he held it back, changing it into a sigh instead.

Hearing this sigh, Lin Qingyan's body stiffened, and she buried her head even lower.

Then, Gu Chengyin's voice sounded:

"Since Little Aunt knows where she went wrong..."

He paused, and Lin Qingyan's heart leaped into her throat.

"Then I'll forgive you this time."

As his words fell.

Lin Qingyan abruptly lifted her head, her eyes suddenly shining brightly.