Turning Antagonist to Protagonist: He is Both Soft and Fierce-Chapter 270 - 265: She Agreed to Marry

Actually, she felt that Song Tingfan just lacked love in his heart. When she was kind to him, he naturally assumed it was romantic affection.

Over the years, as he matured and met more women, his interest in her would likely diminish.

In fact, she didn’t want to treat marriage lightly. Her parents’ marriage cast a shadow over her heart. She thought that even if she were to marry, both parties should be genuinely happy and mature enough so they could live together harmoniously.

Clearly, both she and Song Tingfan did not have these qualities—she felt familial affection towards him, and Song Tingfan was too young to think rationally about such matters.

Upon hearing this, Song Tingfan remained silent for a while, and then said, "The date has already been set, at the end of next month."

"I agree to this arrangement."

In one breath, he said the date was set, and in the next, he said he agreed. It took Lin Qiao a while to understand his meaning: marry first and make agreements later.

"..."

Wouldn’t she be left with nothing if she regretted it at that time?

If it were someone else, she would probably call him a jerk.

Perhaps knowing what she was thinking, Song Tingfan promised in a low voice, "I won’t act recklessly within three years."

Later... it turned out that his promise was useless.

Lin Qiao knew that nothing she said would get through to him; she wasn’t the type to overthink things, but this issue had bothered her all day and her mind felt about to explode. 𝙛𝒓𝒆𝙚𝒘𝒆𝓫𝙣𝓸𝙫𝓮𝒍.𝒄𝒐𝓶

Getting married before making agreements could work too.

After all, she was already a widow.

"Okay."

Song Tingfan, who was worried, immediately relaxed, and his delicate features couldn’t help but soften with a bit of naivety. He extended his hand, "Pinky swear."

The previously silent Lin Qiao was suddenly amused; having figured things out, she wasn’t hesitant anymore and hooked her little finger with his.

His hand visibly trembled a bit, and in a slightly quickened low voice, afraid she might change her mind, he recited, "Pinky swear no changes for a hundred years, if broken... never leave me in this lifetime."

Lin Qiao: "..."

Suddenly, a rumbling sound came from the kitchen, and Song Tingfan glanced at her stomach, "Let’s eat first."

"Okay."

Although Lin Qiao’s face was calm, her ears were flushed red.

Neither of them knew that Song Qin and the others, standing at the mouth of the courtyard, were watching, their faces blooming with smiles.

...

News of Widow Song and Song Tingfan’s upcoming marriage shocked the women in the village to the point where they all stopped working, gathering in threes and fives to gossip about the situation.

The men who had been working all morning didn’t get a hot meal, leading to loud arguments at home.

"Why aren’t you working or cooking meals, trying to become an immortal?"

"What are you yelling for? I just missed one meal. What’s wrong if you eat a bit later?"

"Dad, stop it, I’ll have my wife cook."

"I want her to cook! If she doesn’t, she can go back to her parent’s home today."

"Go back? Fine, fine, I’ll leave right now. Don’t beg me to come back, and have ghosts serve you!"

The argument between the He family couple could be heard halfway across the village, reaching the Song’s second family. Lin Qiao looked up at Song Tingfan while holding a bowl of rice. See, when couples can’t get along, they end up fighting.

Song Tingfan naturally noticed her gaze and picked up a piece of meat to place in her bowl, "Finish it."

Lin Qiao: "..."

This was already the fifth piece, and she really couldn’t eat anymore, "I can’t finish it." She tried to put it back in his bowl.

Song Tingfan turned away to avoid it, "Let’s talk about it after we eat."

Song Qin and Mrs. Fan exchanged glances, grinning widely to reveal a row of missing teeth.

Mrs. Fan agreed, "Qiao’er, eat more, gaining some weight will be good for childbirth."

Lin Qiao: "..."

After holding back for a moment, she smiled and nodded, "Okay," then bent over to scoop up some rice and vegetables.

Beside her, Song Tingfan’s mouth twitched slightly.

In the end, Lin Qiao still left a small half-bowl of rice; she really couldn’t eat it. She thought of giving it to Lai Cai and Jinbao, who were eagerly watching, but a large hand took her bowl.

Instinctively, she looked over and saw the man holding the bowl, eating with chopsticks, and quickly said, "Uncle, I’ve eaten."

"Mm."

Song Tingfan finished the rice in a few bites, then got up to clear the dishes. Lin Qiao snapped out of her stare and joined him.

Song Rong chuckled, inviting her, "Qiao’er, leave him to it, let him clean up."

At the same time, Song Qin tugged her hand, "Let him do the washing."

Song Rong and his wife were genuinely good to her, leaving Lin Qiao both moved and amused as she watched Song Tingfan carry the dishes to the kitchen.

"Qiao’er, don’t worry. Your wedding with Niu Niu will be as grand as any other girl’s." Song Qin looked at the girl’s beautiful face, her eyes filled with thick affection.

It was best for her to marry Niu Niu.

Both children now had a "home" to return to, easing the couple’s minds.

She believed Qiao’er would treat Niu Niu well, and Niu Niu would reciprocate.

In their eyes, marrying Song Tingfan was the best option. Honestly, for another girl, it would have been. Lin Qiao understood this and couldn’t strongly refuse them.

They genuinely cared for her, from the bottom of their hearts.

"Okay."

...

In the afternoon, Song Tingfan rode out on horseback, and Lin Qiao didn’t know why he left. Having idled at home for a while, she began to manage the shop’s accounts with a brush.

She wasn’t sure how long she worked before Li Guifen came. Initially, she stood at the doorway without speaking, and it was only when Lin Qiao inadvertently glanced at her that she realized she was there. "Mom, why are you standing there?"

Li Guifen, fearing her daughter’s disdain but still hesitant, was afraid she’d be told to leave upon meeting her.

She walked in nervously, "Are you doing the accounts?"

"No, just noting some matters for the new shop to discuss with the staff later."

Noticing that her mother took so many steps to cover a short distance, Lin Qiao looked up, half-teasing, "You weren’t like this yesterday, Mom."

The Lin couple had worried themselves to the bone over her marriage.

Getting married would finally ease their worries and grant her some peace and quiet.

Seeing this, Li Guifen breathed a big sigh of relief and tentatively asked, "You’re not mad at me?"

"I was mad last night, but I can’t be mad now." Lin Qiao handed her a stool and inadvertently noticed the strands of white hair at her temples.

She sighed and added, "I won’t resent you or Dad."

Touched by her daughter’s understanding, Li Guifen’s eyes reddened, and she choked up, "Sweetheart, Mom did everything for your good, would never harm you. Today, when Tingfan came, your dad held his hand, incessantly asking him to treat you well."

"Tingfan even knelt before your dad and promised to treat you well."

Hearing that Song Tingfan knelt, Lin Qiao felt a bit conflicted inside, "I believe him; he will be good to me."

"That’s good. Today, Tingfan brought many items, but your dad and I didn’t accept them." Li Guifen pulled out a wooden box from her pocket and handed it to her, "Tingfan gave this, it’s too valuable. I’ll give it to you first, and the rest will be brought in when you marry."

Without even opening the box, Lin Qiao knew what it contained: weighty silver bracelets and two hairpins.

So that’s why he asked her, "Do you want this?"

He must have thought she was frivolous.

She weighed the box in her hand—oh, how frivolous indeed.