A Shocking Dream

Qin Rongchen was slightly startled when he heard this question, then turned to look at Qin Ruoyu with a puzzled look in his eyes. He seemed to have not expected Qin Ruoyu to ask such a question, and for a moment he did not know how to answer.

The two of them stared at each other quietly, a subtle atmosphere filling the air. Qin Rongchen's eyes gradually grew deeper, as if lost in distant memories. Qin Ruoyu nervously awaited the emperor's uncle's answer, his heart filled with uneasiness.

After a moment, Qin Rongchen sighed softly and slowly said, "Ruoyu, matters of the heart cannot be explained in a few words. Lin Bingshuang...she has a special place in my heart. Apart from her, I will not like any other woman."

Qin Ruoyu listened quietly to his uncle's answer, and was stunned for a moment. He asked, "Uncle, did you really get close to Yunshuang just for the Snow Country scroll?" His eyes were full of confusion and worry, and his voice echoed softly in Hanmei Villa.

A gentle breeze blew, plum blossoms fluttered down. Qin Rongchen looked at Qin Ruoyu, a complex emotion flashing in his eyes. He was silent for a moment, then slowly spoke, "Ruoyu, things are not what you think. My meeting with Yunshuang was not because of the scroll."

Qin Ruoyu frowned slightly, his heart full of confusion. He had always felt that his feelings for his uncle were sincere and deep, but now this question made him begin to doubt.

Qin Ruoyu stood there, bewildered, looking at his uncle, Qin Rongchen. He had first been infatuated with Lin Bingshuang, then abandoned her in favor of Yunshuang. This emotional shift was puzzling. And when Yunshuang died, she claimed that the uncle had approached her solely for the secret of the Snow Country scroll, and that there was no real affection between them.

Qin Ruoyu's thoughts were a tangled mess. He couldn't imagine why his uncle's love life had been so tortuous. Lin Bingshuang, the woman who had once captivated his uncle, now seemed like a distant memory. The appearance of Yunshuang had brought new emotional turmoil to his uncle. But now, Yunshuang's dying words were like a sharp blade, casting deep doubt on his uncle's feelings. Qin Ruoyu looked at his uncle, Qin Rongchen, with a conflicted feeling, his uncle's confusing words echoing in his mind.

The emperor's uncle now said that he only liked Lin Bingshuang and would not like other women, but he emphasized to Yunshuang that it was not because of the scroll. Qin Ruoyu felt very conflicted. He really couldn't understand what kind of emotional entanglement the emperor's uncle had in his heart.

What he didn't know was that Yunshuang was Lin Bingshuang, which was why he was confused.

Qin Ruoyu frowned slightly, his eyes filled with confusion. "Uncle, I'm truly baffled by your words. Since you said you're only in love with Lin Bingshuang, how do you explain Yunshuang? You said it wasn't because of the scroll, but why would Yunshuang say that?" His voice was filled with anxiety, eager to get a clear answer from his uncle.

Qin Rongchen was silent for a moment, a complex expression in his eyes. He sighed softly and spoke slowly, "Ruoyu, matters of the heart are extremely complex. My feelings for Lin Bingshuang are a deep memory from my youth, an indelible obsession. And Yunshuang, her appearance was like an unexpected warmth. My feelings for her weren't sparked by the scroll, but perhaps Yunshuang harbors her own worries and misunderstandings."

"But uncle, Lin Bingshuang is not dead. If that was your deep obsession, how could you easily fall in love with Yunshuang? Do you know that Lin Bingshuang's hair turned white overnight because of you..." Qin Ruoyu almost blurted out that Lin Bingshuang's hair turned white overnight, but he stopped himself in time. Hesitation and worry flashed in his eyes, and he didn't know whether he should tell his uncle about Lin Bingshuang's experience.

Qin Rongchen was slightly shocked, his eyes showing surprise and confusion. "What did she do for me?" he asked anxiously, with an indescribable emotion welling up in his heart.

Qin Ruoyu bit his lip and fell into deep thought. He didn't know how to start. Lin Bingshuang's matter was too complicated, and he was worried that his uncle wouldn't be able to handle it. But he also knew that this secret couldn't be kept secret forever.

The atmosphere in Hanmei Villa suddenly became tense. Qin Rongchen anxiously grabbed Qin Ruoyu's shoulders, so hard that it hurt. "Tell me, where did you see her? What did she do for me?" Qin Rongchen's voice was anxious and trembling, his eyes full of anxiety and desire.

Qin Ruoyu frowned slightly and gently broke free from the emperor's uncle's hand. "Uncle, calm down first. I only know a little about her specific situation." Qin Ruoyu looked at the emperor's uncle's anxious expression and couldn't help but sigh at the complexity and depth of this relationship.

Qin Rongchen stared intently at Qin Ruoyu, as if trying to dig out every ounce of information about Lin Bingshuang from his face. "Ruoyu, tell me quickly, where is she? What has she been through?" His voice was filled with pleading. The once calm and composed uncle was now completely consumed by his concern for Lin Bingshuang.

"I saw Lin Bingshuang in Qiuluo Mountain. She is Yuanyuan's great-uncle. She had white hair when I saw her." Qin Ruoyu said slowly, his voice sounding particularly clear in the silence.

Qin Rongchen's body trembled slightly. "What... a head of white hair?" Qin Rongchen took a step back in shock. His eyes were filled with disbelief and deep pain, as if a sudden bolt of lightning had struck the softest part of his heart. In Hanmei Villa, the breeze seemed to freeze at that moment, and the falling plum petals seemed to sense the trembling in his heart, slowly swirling in the air.

Qin Rongchen's mind kept showing the image of Lin Bingshuang. Her beauty was like a flower blooming in spring, delicate and charming; her gentleness was like the warm sun in winter, warming his heart; her smile seemed to be able to melt all the ice and snow in the world, making him intoxicated.

"This is impossible. I don't believe it. Tell me everything, tell me!" Qin Rongchen was completely heartbroken, his voice trembling as he roared in despair. The tranquility of Hanmei Villa was shattered by this sudden grief, and the falling plum blossoms seemed to be stained with his sorrow.

Qin Ruoyu looked at his uncle Qin Rongchen's miserable expression, and a wave of pity welled up in his heart. He knew that he could no longer hide it. Qin Ruoyu took a deep breath and began to tell him everything about Lin Bingshuang at Qiuluo Mountain.

After hearing Qin Ruoyu's story, Qin Rongchen stood there in disbelief. His eyes were empty, his thoughts as if caught in a vast vortex. The breeze at Hanmei Villa continued to blow gently, and plum blossoms drifted down slowly, but Qin Rongchen was completely oblivious to this picturesque scene.