Chapter 630: 561 Qing Lin sends an invite to Lili
"He is punishing himself, Lili."
Song Lili was stunned for a moment, her gaze turned back to Wen Nian, his eyes calm...
Maybe that’s the difference between men and women, between Wen Nian and Lili.
Everything that happened between Zhongli Wuzhi and Lu Xiaoer, Wen Nian tried his best to be a bystander, an observer, but Lili... couldn’t let it go.
Was Zhongli Wuzhi... punishing himself?
When Wen Nian said these words, he had no objections about Zhongli Wuzhi’s decision.
But deep in Lili’s heart surged with tumultuous waves, unable to calm down,
"Has he gone mad? Even if he wants to punish himself, he shouldn’t do it this way! Is marriage a joke!"
Song Lili got angry on the spot,
"All you men! What are you all thinking, moving yourselves to tears! In the end, who gets hurt?"
"..."
Wen Nian had not expected Song Lili to react so strongly.
"If you really want to punish yourself, then do something helpful for others. Being passive about marriage, about your emotions, what kind of nonsense is that! It’s just avoidance, being a coward!"
"Lili, keep your voice down; you’re scaring the little troublemaker."
"Wen Nian, you are the same."
"Otherwise, what do you want Zhongli Wuzhi to do?"
Wen Nian’s brow furrowed, arguing about the issues between Zhongli Wuzhi and Lu Xiaoer with Lili was definitely unwise.
They had always been avoiding this, yet it still came to this.
"Do you want him not to marry Chinian, then who should he marry?"
"..."
"You know there is just a misunderstanding between him and Lu Xiaoer, but Lu Xiaoer is so resolute, not giving Zhongli any chance, what do you expect Zhongli to do?"
"Wen Nian, are you mistaken? If Zhongli Wuzhi really wants to win back Lu Xiaoer, he shouldn’t continue to be entangled with Chinian. He hopes for Lu Xiaoer’s forgiveness while talking marriage with Chinian, Xiaoer is a human, not a god!"
"So Zhongli made his decision. Whom he marries, what he does is his freedom! Why are you angry?"
"..."
"When you and I decisively broke up back then, didn’t you disregard everything?"
"Wen Nian..."
Song Lili’s brow furrowed, "Are you blaming me now? Was it not your fault back then? You decided for me without asking; it was you—"
"I was protecting you!"
"Wen Nian, tonight, you sleep in the living room!"
Song Lili, tired of arguing, grabbed the pillow on the bed and threw it at Wen Nian, then angrily sat at the edge of the bed.
The pillow hit Wen Nian, snapping him out of it.
He quickly moved next to Song Lili, embracing her,
"Darling, those were words of anger; can we not let Zhongli’s issues affect us?"
Wen Nian looked genuinely aggrieved.
Song Lili gave him a look, then huffed!
Wen Nian held her even closer,
"I was wrong..."
"Wrong about what?"
"I was wrong to speak for Zhongli!"
"Hmph!"
"Lili, I know you have a clear sense of love and hate. Knowing what Chinian did, you dislike her from the bottom of your heart and do not want Zhongli to be with such a scheming woman."
"I also know you’ve always been sorry about Zhongli and Xiaoer’s ordeal... but you are actually the clearest..."
"People in this life have too many unfulfilled desires... A slight deviation can change the course."
"I’ve already said everything I needed to Ah Zhi. He has his obsessions and methods; we can’t expect everyone to act as we wish, right?"
"Right, right, you’re always so reasonable!"
Song Lili spoke grudgingly, clearly unconvinced.
Wen Nian held her even tighter,
"So... Lili, you tell me, what do you think should be done to make Wuzhi feel better, to also make Xiaoer feel better?"
"Don’t throw the question at me; you’re the President, the exceptionally intelligent and emotionally aware Mr. President, who should handle matters concerning the diplomatic relations of G country and M country."
"Xiao Li, you’re being completely unreasonable."
"I am being unreasonable; I now regret why I agreed to Chiluo to let Chinian come to Anlin."
Wen Nian’s chin gently tapped on Song Lili’s shoulder,
"I know... it hurts your heart..."
His tender voice, so close to her ear, made her heart flinch.
"Get some good sleep... Don’t think too much, okay?"
Song Lili let out a long sigh, and after a long while, she turned around, extended her arms, and embraced Wen Nian,
"I’m sorry..."
Wen Nian smiled softly, planting a kiss on her forehead.
————
Zhongli Family and King Qing Lin negotiated, but Wen Nian and Song Lili didn’t know the details.
The next day, when they met King Qing Lin again and mentioned the Princess’s marriage, King Qing Lin revealed that the Zhongli family needed to go back and think it over. After all, the Zhonglis were one of G country’s top affluent families, and rushing a wedding like this was indeed putting the Zhongli family in a difficult position.
"Why is King Qing Lin so eager to have Chinian and Zhongli Wuzhi get married?"
Song Lili asked while walking with King Qing Lin in the gardens of the President Mansion.
"President’s wife, if the situation allowed, and M country was still like before, I too would wish, like most fathers, to properly assess Zhongli Wuzhi as a person and make plans for Chinian after getting to know him better."
King Qing Lin, with his hands behind his back, his deep blue eyes darkened.
For a moment, Song Lili couldn’t help but think of Qing Luo...
Qing Luo had a pair of blue eyes much more beautiful than Qing Lin’s past, clear and bright, like lustrous glass, captivatingly beautiful.
"But recently, I had just arranged a marriage for Chinian. Chiluo came to take Chinian back, but instead of bringing her back, he told me she had already secretly pledged herself to a young man with the surname Zhongli."
"I called off that marriage, but the other party still very much cares about Chinian’s situation. If Chinian and Zhongli Wuzhi do not marry soon, I fear... the other party will feel that I’m deliberately reneging."
King Qing Lin sighed as he spoke, seeming to have no other choice but to follow this path.
Song Lili was just listening... without really taking it to heart.
It seemed like King Qing Lin was considering Chinian’s interests, but if he really loved Chinian, he wouldn’t force a marriage arrangement on her after she had fled to G country, making his own daughter a victim of political scheming.
"King Qing Lin, I understand you. You’re also caught in a difficult position."
"Thank you, President’s wife, for understanding me."
Song Lili smiled.
She just hoped that not everyone in the Zhongli family was as foolish as Zhongli Wuzhi.
"By the way, President’s wife."
"Yes?"
"I heard that the President’s wife used to serve in the military, quite bravely."
"I’ve already left the military. Now... I’m just Wen Nian’s wife, a mother to my children."
"But I see that the President’s wife speaks and acts very efficiently, decisively. Both in experience and in demeanor, you far exceed ordinary people."
"King Qing Lin overpraises me."
"I’m not overpraising. I heard from Niannian that, in your spare time, you even design weapons, even fighter jets?"
Song Lili’s expression remained unchanged, but her eyes unconsciously narrowed.
"Don’t misunderstand, President’s wife, Niannian and I were discussing this with shame. She didn’t intentionally snoop on the military design drawings left on your desk..."
"Actually, those weren’t military design drawings, just some weapon sketches I like to draw."
"Is that so?"
King Qing Lin smiled,
"Actually, I thought so too. Lord Wen Nian’s wife was hidden in marriage with Lord Wen Nian for five years before it became public, shocking the world. Since then, the background and capabilities of the President’s wife were gradually uncovered, and people learned just how remarkable the President’s wife is."
"I’m really embarrassed that King Qing Lin knows so much about me."
"If the lady herself talks about being embarrassed, wouldn’t that make me even more embarrassed?"
"Your Majesty..."
"President’s wife, don’t be modest. Although I live deep within the Royal Family, I am not an idler who is oblivious to external affairs."
"..."
"I’ve heard quite a bit about you and Mr. President in M country of Chuhai, but few know the details. Even Chiluo only knows bits and pieces. However, I know that you saved your close friend from underneath the ruins of Caesar Cathedral."
Song Lili swallowed, following behind King Qing Lin, listening to him talk...
"That same night, Caesar was bombarded in a night raid, you and your friends barely escaped death. The G country rescue team that was supposed to meet you all perished, and you, pregnant at the time, led your two friends into a hospital, which was soon taken over by the rebel army, and then you all fled towards Chuhai, encountering a large troop of the rebel army, narrowly escaping death and rushing into the Chuhai Mountain Area, facing more hardships there."
"King Qing Lin knows... rather too much."
"After you returned to your country, you became the President’s wife, your face seen by people all over the world. Caesar, Chuhai, many have seen you."
"..."
"Especially in a hospital in Caesar, where you and your friend helped the doctors and nurses treat the wounded. You said, ’The people of M country are the brothers and sisters of the people of G country, the two countries have been allies for many years, like one family.’"
"It was... Dr. White..."
Song Lili murmured.
"Ha ha ha!" King Qing Lin suddenly laughed, pointing at Song Lili, "President’s wife, look at you... you really remember."
"..."
"I think this is also why, when you faced distress in M country, within just a few days, everyone who saw you was profoundly impacted."
"King Qing Lin, I believe if one day G country faces turmoil, the people of M country would also come to G country to assist."
Song Lili said.
King Qing Lin looked at Song Lili with a slight smile, a smile that made Song Lili not very comfortable...
"Madam, if I were to ask you to visit M country, would you be willing?"
"Sometime soon?"
"Whether it’s soon or a little later, would you be willing?"
"Ha ha, when King Qing Lin himself invites, how could I refuse? I will definitely visit with Wen Nian."
"No, just you alone."
"..."