10: Chapter 10 Lin Wanqing's Confession

Elder Lin held Qin Yi's hand and expressed his endless gratitude. Once his emotions had settled slightly, he slowly turned his head. His gaze fell upon the disheveled Chu Men standing to the side. His cloudy eyes were filled with disappointment and a hint of anger, and the noise of the entire venue died down along with it.

The surrounding commotion quietly faded away, and the gazes of all the guests focused on this moment.

No one knew about the old debt of gratitude between Elder Lin and Chu Men's master, Qing Yuanzi; they only assumed that Elder Lin was going to punish Chu Men for nearly killing him during treatment.

Elder Lin's voice was deep and calm, yet it carried immense weight: "Chu Men."

Chu Men suddenly felt his whole body tremble. His clenched fists shook slightly as he braced himself to push through the crowd. He lowered his head, not daring to meet Elder Lin's gaze: "Grandpa Lin."

"Years ago, I was ambushed by enemies, poisoned, and my meridians were completely destroyed. It was your master, Qing Yuanzi, who saved me, allowing me to survive."

Patriarch Lin Zhen's tone held a hint of nostalgia, but then his tone shifted, filled with disappointment: "I had assumed that as a disciple under Qing Yuanzi, you would surely possess genuine skills and a composed temperament."

He paused, a flicker of anger crossing his eyes, though he ultimately suppressed it: "Yet today, you recklessly applied needles without having mastered the medical arts, nearly killing me. You have disappointed me greatly; in the end, you haven't learned even a fraction of your master's composure."

As soon as these words were spoken, the surrounding guests were in an uproar.

So it wasn't that Chu Men lacked ability; he had only learned a smattering of his master's skills! The mockery instantly changed in tone, taking on a sense of pity that he had "failed to surpass his master," which in reality only made Chu Men appear even more incompetent.

Chu Men's face instantly flushed crimson. He knew that Elder Lin was giving him the utmost leniency by not holding him accountable, all out of consideration for Qing Yuanzi.

Yet, in the eyes of others, this leniency was merely the Lin family showing face to Qing Yuanzi, while he had become a complete clown.

"Junior... knows his mistake." Chu Men mumbled, his voice as faint as a mosquito's buzz.

Elder Lin waved his hand, his tone indifferent: "Enough. Out of consideration for your master, I will not punish you. But regarding today's events, you should reflect on yourself. Practice diligently in the future and do not be so impetuous again."

This was an order to leave, and also the last shred of dignity the Lin family was granting him.

Chu Men felt as if he had been granted an amnesty, yet he was also consumed by shame and anger. No longer caring about the gazes of others, he hurriedly found an excuse: "Junior... Junior just remembered that Master had some important matters to entrust to me, so I will take my leave now!"

After speaking, he hunched his back and squeezed out of the crowd in a disheveled manner, his steps staggering so much that he nearly fell. He didn't even dare to turn back to pick up the gold needles that had fallen to the ground.

Once his figure disappeared at the entrance of the banquet hall, the surrounding mockery gradually dissipated, and the lively atmosphere of the birthday banquet filled the air once more.

Qin Yi had been standing by Lin Wanqing's side the entire time, his fingertips resting lightly on the small of her back. His gaze swept indifferently over the direction in which Chu Men had left, without a ripple of emotion in his eyes.

To him, Chu Men was nothing more than a clown who couldn't stir up any trouble.

After Chu Men left, the gloom in the banquet hall completely vanished, and the birthday banquet returned to its warm and lively state.

The champagne tower was refilled, melodious music echoed in their ears, and guests took turns flattering Qin Yi. The Lin family treated him as an honored guest, while Lin Wanqing stuck by Qin Yi's side, unable to hide the joy and reliance in her eyes.

From beginning to end, this birthday banquet became Qin Yi's show, and it only slowly came to an end late at night.

Once the guests had dispersed, the courtyard of the old Lin family mansion was dimly lit. The evening breeze brushed through the osmanthus trees, scattering tiny, fragrant petals. Qin Yi straightened his suit cuffs and was preparing to drive away.

"Brother Qin Yi!"

Lin Wanqing hurried to catch up, her fingertips gently tugging at his sleeve. Her palms were warm and trembling, and her cheeks were tinged with a faint blush.

Qin Yi stopped and looked back: "What is it?"

Lin Wanqing bit her lower lip and gathered her Courage to reveal Chu Men's background: "Chu Men's master is the reclusive expert Qing Yuanzi. Over a decade ago, Grandpa was hunted by enemies and nearly lost his life; it was Senior Qing Yuanzi who stepped in to save him."

"Grandpa was grateful for the kindness and made a verbal marriage agreement with the senior at that time, saying that if he had a granddaughter in the future, he would betroth her to his disciple."

She looked up, her almond-shaped eyes shining like they held starlight, her tone incredibly serious: "I only found out about this recently. I have never known Chu Men, and I have never acknowledged this marriage agreement! In my heart, there has only ever been you."

Faced with the young girl's sincere explanation and confession, Qin Yi was slightly taken aback.

"System, open Lin Wanqing's panel," Qin Yi called out to the system in his heart.

Instantly, a blue virtual screen appeared in Qin Yi's field of vision.

[Name: Lin Wanqing]

[Gender: Female]

[Height: 175cm]

[Weight: 50kg]

[Appearance: 97]

[Affection: 90 (towards host)]

[Fate: Hero Descends the Mountain Heroine (Original), Mysterious Yin Physique (Top-tier Cauldron)]

It turned out that according to the plot, Lin Wanqing was the heroine for the Child of Destiny, but seeing that Lin Wanqing's affection for him was as high as 90, Qin Yi was slightly surprised; he had unknowingly almost maxed out Lin Wanqing's affection.

Seeing Qin Yi remain silent, Lin Wanqing thought he was angry that she had kept it from him. Just as she was about to explain, Qin Yi chuckled softly, reached out to gently brush away the stray hair by her cheek, his voice so gentle it could melt:

"I know. I have never cared about it. The so-called marriage agreement is just a verbal promise and does not count."

Before he had awakened the memories of his past life, he had always regarded Lin Wanqing as the little sister he had protected since childhood, never having any thoughts of crossing the line.

Now it was completely different. Having a girl who was so full of him was something his past life self would never have dared to dream of. Looking at the young girl's reddened eyes and her gaze full of sincerity and expectation, that layer of "brother-sister" barrier was instantly shattered by ardent affection.

Lin Wanqing could no longer suppress her feelings of many years. She took a deep breath, lifted her head, and said in a crisp, firm voice that echoed in the quiet courtyard:

"Brother Qin Yi! I like you! I have liked you since I was very young! I don't want to be bound by any marriage agreement; I just want to be your girlfriend and stay by your side forever!"

As her voice trailed off, she stood on her tiptoes, wrapped her arms around Qin Yi's neck, and took the initiative to press her soft lips against his.

A warm, soft sensation washed over him. Qin Yi was stunned for a moment, a flash of surprise crossing his deep eyes, which then melted into overflowing tenderness. He reached out to wrap his arms around her waist, bent down slightly, and gently responded to this long-awaited kiss.

The evening breeze carried the scent of flowers, stretching the shadows of the two embraced figures long.

The courtyard lights were a warm yellow, reflecting their intertwined figures. In this moment, the quiet atmosphere around them was crafted entirely for them. With no one else to disturb them, they could only feel each other's heartbeats and deep affection.