Forgiveness

She looked into Gu Chengyin's deep eyes, looking at his calm face.

Watching the movements of his hands, a strange feeling suddenly washed over her.

Gu Chengyin was doing this on purpose.

Purposely doing this right in front of her.

Purposely making her watch.

Purposely making her...

Lin Qingyan lowered her gaze, her eyelashes trembling slightly.

She remembered her sharp confrontation with Shangguan Yunying just moments ago.

At that time, Lin Qingyan thought she was in control of the situation.

But looking at it now.

It was entirely uncertain who was actually controlling whom.

"Chengcheng."

Lin Qingyan lifted her head, her gaze a bit colder, but the redness at the tips of her ears betrayed her.

"Sister Yunying is already like this, just let her go."

As she spoke, she cast a glance at Shangguan Yunying.

Lin Qingyan suddenly felt a pang of sympathy for her, even though they had been at each other's throats just a moment ago.

But watching Shangguan Yunying now, an inexplicable sense of mutual pity arose in Lin Qingyan's heart.

Because Lin Qingyan knew that if it weren't for Shangguan Yunying, the one being taught a lesson right now might be...

No, it wouldn't be her.

She was Jingzhe of the Celestial Master's Mansion, Luo Zhao's aunt; how could she possibly be the one taught a lesson?

But then Lin Qingyan recalled the look Gu Chengyin had given her just now.

That profound glance seemed to say: Don't be anxious, Auntie, you are next.

Lin Qingyan's breathing hitched again.

Gu Chengyin looked at her, his gaze dark and deep.

"Is Auntie feeling sorry for Yunying?"

Lin Qingyan pursed her lips and said nothing.

Gu Chengyin looked at Shangguan Yunying, his hand sliding to the back of her neck and giving it a gentle squeeze.

"Yunying."

Gu Chengyin's voice rang out, "Auntie is pleading for you. What do you have to say?"

Shangguan Yunying's body shuddered.

She slowly raised her head, revealing a completely flushed face.

There were tear stains at the corners of her eyes, her lips were slightly red and swollen, and her eyes rippled with moisture, making her look incredibly pitiful.

She wanted to say something, but couldn't utter a single word.

Watching this scene, Lin Qingyan's heart skipped a beat.

She suddenly realized that Shangguan Yunying couldn't speak right now.

She genuinely could not speak.

Lin Qingyan's face flushed red once more.

She tried her best to calm down. "Chengcheng, stop bullying her."

Gu Chengyin raised an eyebrow. "Auntie says I'm bullying her?"

He moved his hand away from the back of Shangguan Yunying's neck and patted the top of her head instead.

"Tell me, Yunying, am I bullying you? If you don't speak, then I'm not."

Shangguan Yunying did not answer.

But Lin Qingyan could see that her shoulders were trembling even more violently.

Gu Chengyin waited for a moment. Receiving no response, he sighed and looked at Lin Qingyan.

"Look, Auntie, Yunying isn't saying anything."

Lin Qingyan: ......

Could Shangguan Yunying even speak?

Lin Qingyan felt like she was going crazy.

She had seen countless grand scenes, but she had never encountered a situation like this.

How was she supposed to handle this? What should she say? What should she do?

Lin Qingyan didn't know.

She only knew that her face was burning, her heart was racing, and her gaze uncontrollably drifted downward.

And what about Gu Chengyin?

He just sat there, calmly and unhurriedly arranging their strategy for when they returned to the Divine Capital.

Yet, in reality, he was doing that kind of thing.

Right in front of her.

Lin Qingyan suddenly had the urge to lift the carriage curtain and jump out.

But she couldn't.

She was Jingzhe of the Celestial Master's Mansion, the person ordered to escort Gu Chengyin.

So she had to escort Gu Chengyin to the Celestial Master's Mansion, had to act according to his strategy, had to...

Sit here and watch him teach Shangguan Yunying a lesson.

Lin Qingyan closed her eyes, took a deep breath, and slowly exhaled.

"Chengcheng."

She opened her eyes, trying to make her voice sound calm. "After we return to the Divine Capital, do you really plan to close your doors to all guests?"

Changing the subject.

This was the only solution Lin Qingyan could think of.

Gu Chengyin glanced at her, a hint of a smile flashing in his eyes.

"Yes."

Gu Chengyin nodded and began to talk business. "Closing our doors is the safest approach. The current situation in the Divine Capital is unclear, and acting rashly will only lead us into someone else's trap."

"Only when the new imperial edict comes down will we know which direction to take."

Lin Qingyan nodded slightly, trying hard to focus her attention on what Gu Chengyin was saying.

"What if someone tries to force their way in?" she asked.

"Then we use the imperial edict to block them."

Gu Chengyin said, "I am a state criminal. Without a new imperial edict, no one is allowed to see me."

Lin Qingyan thought for a moment and asked, "What if Her Highness comes?"

Gu Chengyin's eyes narrowed slightly. "The same."

"But Her Highness is the Crown Princess."

"Even the Crown Princess cannot defy an imperial edict."

Gu Chengyin's voice was calm, but a dark undercurrent surged in his eyes. "Furthermore, Her Highness won't be able to come anyway."

Lin Qingyan paused for a moment. "Why?"

"Because Her Highness has been ordered to reflect on her mistakes behind closed doors," Gu Chengyin said slowly. "She is too busy fending for herself."

Lin Qingyan's brows furrowed slightly. "Are you saying..."

"I didn't say anything."

Gu Chengyin interrupted, "I'm merely guessing. We'll only know the specifics once we return to the Divine Capital."

Lin Qingyan's gaze grew increasingly complex. She suddenly realized that even though Gu Chengyin was sitting right beside her.

Even though she could feel the electricity, she still couldn't see through him.

Gu Chengyin's mind was too deep, so deep that it was impossible to pry into.

On the other side, Shangguan Yunying was still trying hard to seek Gu Chengyin's forgiveness.

Lin Qingyan's gaze uncontrollably drifted over again.

This time, she did not pull it back in time.

Gu Chengyin followed her gaze, and his voice rang out, carrying a faint, almost imperceptible smile.

"Auntie, are you also wanting to..."

"No."

Lin Qingyan quickly cut him off, her face turning red again. "I'm not thinking about anything."

"Oh?"

Gu Chengyin raised an eyebrow. "I haven't even finished speaking. How did Auntie know what I was going to say?"

Lin Qingyan pursed her lips and remained silent.

The carriage fell silent.

Sitting there, Lin Qingyan felt her heart beating faster and faster.

She could feel Gu Chengyin's gaze resting on her, burning and profound.

She could feel her face burning, the tips of her ears burning, and even her neck burning.

Lin Qingyan didn't dare to look at Gu Chengyin.

Yet she couldn't help but want to look.

Finally, she raised her head and met Gu Chengyin's eyes.

Their eyes locked.

A dark undercurrent surged in Gu Chengyin's eyes, as deep as a bottomless abyss.

Lin Qingyan's heart skipped a beat.

Just then, Shangguan Yunying suddenly moved.

She looked at Lin Qingyan, then at Gu Chengyin, and suddenly reached out to grab Gu Chengyin's sleeve.

Gu Chengyin looked down at her.

Then he saw Shangguan Yunying pointing at herself, a pleading look in her eyes.

Gu Chengyin raised an eyebrow. "You want me to forgive you?"

Shangguan Yunying immediately let out two muffled whimpers in confirmation.

Lin Qingyan suddenly had an ominous premonition.

Sure enough, Gu Chengyin turned his head to look at her, his gaze deep and dark:

"Auntie, Yunying wants me to forgive her."

"Tell me... should I forgive her?"