In the early morning, sunlight filtered through the leaves, casting a warm glow across the earth and illuminating the entire valley. Birds sang merrily in the trees, as if welcoming the arrival of a new day. Yet it was already well past noon when Leng Qingqu finally stirred awake. She rubbed her eyes, sat up, and looked around, realizing that Sister Mudan had long since departed, with no telling when she might return to visit.
Qingqu got out of bed, walked into the kitchen, and out of habit prepared two bowls of plain noodles. However, when she picked up her bowl to eat, she found the Small Thatched Cottage completely empty. Xiangliu seemed to have left without a word. Could it be that her repeated rejections had chilled his heart, causing him to slip away in silence? A wave of disappointment washed over Leng Qingqu, but it was quickly replaced by a sense of resignation.
"As expected, a man's sweet words are nothing but lies," she muttered with a self-deprecating smile, recalling the tender promises Xiangliu had once whispered. Now they seemed nothing more than casual talk. Even so, a pang of sorrow lingered in her chest. After all, during this time, Xiangliu had stayed by her side, offering warmth and comfort. His sudden departure left her with an inexplicable sense of loneliness.
Chapter 26