Disease rights policy

Qiao Ran led Mu Xiang on a stroll to Qin Garden. As soon as they approached the garden, they could smell the fragrance of flowers. The green plants at the entrance were also neatly trimmed, showing that Chen Jiu had put a lot of care into the garden.

Once inside the courtyard, every detail was exquisitely designed, specifically for the young lady to live in and to make her happy.

Chen Jiu dotes on Chen Jinning, which can be seen from his every word and action. Qiao Ran suddenly felt a little envious of the feeling of having family to love you and someone to care about you.

She strode into the courtyard, where a maidservant who was sweeping saw her and hurriedly stepped forward to greet her, "Greetings, Miss."

"Where is your young lady?" Qiao Ran asked with a smile. The maid blushed when faced with such a stunning face.

"Miss is packing her things inside, afraid of forgetting something important, as it will be difficult to retrieve it once she returns to Kyoto."

Qiao Ran paused, somewhat surprised, and asked, "Is Miss going back to the capital?"

The maid replied truthfully, "We'll be setting off tomorrow morning. Master and Madam have been urging you to return home as soon as possible, Miss and Young Master."

"Is your young master also returning to the capital?"

Qiao Ran felt a little heavy on her feet, and unconsciously raised her voice. The maid was startled and replied softly, "Yes."

Before Qiao Ran could ask any more questions, Chen Jinning had already come out after hearing the commotion outside. She stood upright at the door, and when she saw Qiao Ran, her eyes curved into a smile. She gave a gentle bow and said, "Sister Qiao is here."

“Hmm,” Qiao Ran’s heart was in turmoil, her eyes were slightly dark, but she still walked over to Chen Jinning. “I haven’t seen you for many days. I had some free time today and wanted to come and see you, but then I heard that you are leaving.”

"Sister Qiao, please come in and have a seat."

When Qiao Ran entered the house, she found that many things had already been packed away. It turned out that they had already prepared to leave, but no one had told her.

Qiao Ran sat there absentmindedly. Chen Jinning spoke to her several times, but Qiao Ran did not respond. She thought that Qiao Ran was not feeling well, so she suddenly grabbed Qiao Ran's hand.

Qiao Ran was startled and looked up. "Ah, Aning, what did you say?"

Chen Jinning frowned slightly and asked anxiously, "Is Sister Qiao feeling unwell?"

"No," Qiao Ran suppressed her disappointment and said, "I was thinking about something and got lost in thought for a moment. I'm sorry."

Chen Jinning was relieved and sat down next to Qiao Ran. The room was suddenly emptied except for a few large boxes in the corner, and the green plants on the windowsill looked lonely.

After calming down, Qiao Ran casually asked, "Is your brother also going back to Beijing with you this time?"

Chen Jinning waited for a long time before Qiao Ran finally asked about her brother. She deliberately slowed down her tone and said, "Brother hasn't been back to the capital for several years. Now that his health has improved, he can't stay in Sichuan forever. Father and Mother miss him too."

“That’s true,” Qiao Ran said, placing her hands on the chair, which was slightly high so that she could lift her feet and gently rocking it. “After being away from home for so long, it’s time to go back and visit.”

She had long known that Chen Jiu would one day return to Kyoto, a place teeming with talented people yet shrouded in mystery.

She just didn't know how long it would take for Chen Jiu to return.

Having left the villa, where should she go next?

Anyway, I'm all alone, it's the same no matter where I am," Qiao Ran forced a smile.

Chen Jinning stared at her without moving. Although she rarely made friends with others, she had been well-versed in literature since childhood and learned court etiquette under the guidance of her parents. She was adept at reading people's expressions and understanding their hearts.

Qiao Ran appears carefree, but is actually fragile inside. Chen Jinning smiled knowingly and began his second plan as a matchmaker: to trick Qiao Ran into going to Kyoto.

She raised her small face to Qiao Ran and said softly, "Sister Qiao, would you like to come back with us?"

Upon hearing this clearly, Qiao Ran's moral compass involuntarily tilted slightly, but she remained rational and refused.

"I won't go. I don't have any relatives in Beijing."

"But Sister Qiao has an older brother, right?" Chen Jinning said hesitantly, "Sister Qiao and her brother are close friends. If Sister Qiao is willing, our family welcomes her to stay for an extended period of time."

Qiao Ran laughed out loud. Chen Jinning really talks big without thinking. Putting aside the fact that she and Chen Jiu have no official relationship, what kind of business is it for her to go and stay at his house for no reason?

Besides, what kind of place is the Chen residence? Is it a place she can come and go as she pleases?

Qiao Ran teased Chen Jinning, "It might not be a good idea to go to your house so abruptly."

“It’s alright,” Chen Jinning said quickly, having already thought of a way to settle Qiao Ran’s affairs. When she lied, her eyes would timidly dart away. “My family has a small courtyard in Kyoto, which I can lend to Sister Qiao to stay in.”

Qiao Ran couldn't help but laugh out loud again.

Chen Jinning didn't know what she had said wrong, and felt inexplicably flustered. But then she saw Qiao Ran's expression suddenly change. She looked at her seriously and said, "A Ning, you don't need to worry about me. I've always known about your and Chen Jinzhou's identities. It's really not appropriate for me to follow you back home. But it's a good thing that Chen Jinzhou can go home. I can only wish you a safe journey."

Chen Jinning opened his eyes wide, half-covered his mouth for a long time, like a child who had been caught lying, his cheeks suddenly turned red, and he couldn't say a word.

Qiao Ran thought she was incredibly cute and couldn't help but reach out and pinch her cheek. "Don't worry, I'll keep it a secret."

Chen Jinning's eyes widened even more. "Me, Sister Qiao, you...you knew all about it?"

Her brother's identity was a secret, and she had been careful to keep it from Qiao Ran. She never expected that Qiao Ran would find out. So, the way she tried to cover up her lie every time made her look like a fool.

Chen Jinning wished he could disappear into a crack in the ground.

"So, Aning, stop thinking about me and your brother every day," Qiao Ran said to her, word by word, "Your brother and I are just friends."

That's it.

Chen Jinning first heard this explanation from Chen Jiu, and she was unwilling to accept it, but now Qiao Ran said the same thing.

She still couldn't believe it; she couldn't be wrong. The way her brother looked at Sister Qiao was different from how he looked at others.

"Sister Qiao, do you really not like brother at all?"

Chen Jinning looked into Qiao Ran's eyes and asked with utmost sincerity.

Qiao Ran sat down quietly, looked out the window for a while, and then said calmly, "I like you, but not in a romantic way. Can you understand, Aning?"

She would not fall in love with anyone in this era of intersecting paths; deep down, she could never empathize with a feudal dynasty.

Chen Jinning began to feel sad and said softly, "I've caused Sister Qiao trouble."

Qiao Ran comforted Chen Jinning for a long time. After leaving Qinyuan, she wanted to go to Chen Jiu's courtyard to see if Chen Jiu had also packed his things and was ready to leave at any time.

But halfway there, she turned back with a wry smile at the edge of the pond, kicked a pebble into the water, and startled a circle of carp that scattered in all directions.

There's nothing to ask; all good things must come to an end.

She hoped that Chen Jiu went back to Kyoto only because he missed home.

Qiao Ran took one step and then stopped three times. Mu Xiang, who was following at a distance, couldn't stand it anymore and caught up with her to ask, "Miss, why don't you go and see the young master?"

Qiao Ran felt a little embarrassed and sighed, "I'm sleepy, I'm going back to catch up on my sleep."

Qiao Ran went back to her room, pulled the covers over her head, and went to sleep. When she woke up, it was already evening. Mu Xiang said that the small kitchen had left her some food. She washed her face and prepared to go out to eat. As soon as she opened the door, she bumped into Chen Jiu who was coming towards her.

"When did you arrive?" Qiao Ran asked in surprise.

Chen Jiu said slowly, "Just arrived. Judging from your appearance, you just woke up?"

Qiao Ran's reversed day and night schedule and complete lack of manners and time management are incomprehensible to ordinary people. She grabbed a handful of her hair and said, "I just woke up and I'm going to get something to eat."

Chen Jiu had a guard behind him bring out a food box, and said with a hint of pride, "I brought it for you."

Qiao Ran gave him a genuine thumbs up. The two sat down at the small table in the courtyard, and Qiao Ran said, "You know all my preferences perfectly. What can I possibly hide from you now?"

Chen Jiu, feeling he didn't know Qiao Ran that well, asked in return, "Besides food, what other hobbies do you have? Tell me so I can remember them all."

Qiao Ran smelled the sumptuous dinner in front of her, picked up her chopsticks and took a bite, then subtly changed the subject, "You've come to say goodbye?"

She didn't go to find Chen Jiu, but Chen Jiu came to her on his own initiative. Qiao Ran finally found some comfort, and the sadness of parting eased a lot.

Seeing Qiao Ran's mouth glistening with oil from eating, Chen Jiu took out a handkerchief from his pocket and handed it to her, saying in a serious tone, "No."

Qiao Ran paused, the chopsticks she had put in her mouth still. She swallowed the food in her mouth hastily, then stared wide-eyed. "Weren't you going back to Beijing? Aren't you going back?"

Chen Jiu gently shook his head, "I've come to invite you to see the prosperity of Kyoto."

Qiao Ran accidentally bit her tongue, and the pain made her brows furrow together. She put down her chopsticks and looked at Chen Jiu with surprise and uncertainty, and slowly the clear look in her eyes turned dark.

What does "陈疚" mean?

"Qiao Qiao," Chen Jiu called Qiao Ran again, his words and tone no different from Cheng Kaiji's, but Qiao Ran's eyes darted around, unsure where to settle. Chen Jiu said with utmost patience, "I know you are alone, wandering around without anyone to rely on, so I want to invite you to come to Kyoto with me, so that I won't have to worry about you all the time, afraid that you won't eat or sleep well, or that you might catch a cold at night."

Chen Jiu said a lot more, his words were earnest and his gaze sincere. The pain on Qiao Ran's tongue gradually disappeared with his words. She lowered her head and picked up a handkerchief to wipe the corner of her mouth.

“We’re just friends, why are you so concerned about me, Chen Jinzhou? Don’t you think your concern is overstepping your bounds?”

Chen Jiu suddenly met Qiao Ran's gaze and sensed a sharpness in it.

He turned his head to the side, pursed his lips for a long time, and then said, "I want to care about you, and that's not wrong."

Qiao Ran was speechless for a moment.

Chen Jiu's feelings for her were conflicted, and Qiao Ran didn't dare give him a chance to tip the scales. She said somewhat coldly, "You've already shown me enough concern, and I'm very grateful to you. But I won't go back to Kyoto with you in an ambiguous relationship just because of this gratitude."

Chen Jiu realized he had been presumptuous. He remained composed and had dinner with Qiao Ran.