Chapter 141: Settling the Accounts

The door was closed, and family matters were kept private.

Bai Lu slowly rose from the small stool, her expression calm as she locked eyes with Li Xuelan: "You say I have no conscience, but have I ever been in your eyes? Do you have any regard for me in your eyes?"

"Your eyes only see Bai Chaojie, right?"

The painful aftermath of Bai Chaojie's affair echoed through the entire front yard, making the situation even more miserable.

Hearing this, Li Xuelan couldn't help but feel heartache: "Xiao Jie is your younger brother. Can't you let him off a bit? As his elder sister, must you compete with him for everything? Will letting him off lead to his death?"

"Throughout our lives, how many times have I let him off?"

Before Li Xuelan, who only had Bai Chaojie in her eyes, could retort, Bai Lu began to recount the unfair treatment she had endured in the Bai family since childhood.

"When Bai Chaojie was six years old, playing with other kids and making a mess with mud, I, at the age of six, was asked to wash the clothes for the whole family and learn to cook. Starting from the age of six, all the chores, from doing laundry to cooking and fetching water, were mine."

"At the age of ten, while Bai Chaojie was playing with other kids after school and on weekends, I, just turning ten, was asked to help at the brickyard, carrying bricks, drying bricks, stacking bricks. After finishing the work, I still had to do the laundry and cooking."

"When the family could only afford porridge, Bai Chaojie had porridge, and I had porridge water. When we could afford meals, Bai Chaojie had a proper meal, and I had porridge. When there was meat, Bai Chaojie had meat, and I had vegetables. When we had chicken, Bai Chaojie had chicken legs and wings, and I had chicken head, feet, and back..."

"Bai Chaojie got new shoes and clothes every year, while my clothes were patched and mended continuously. When the shoes became too small, I squeezed into them. I kept patching the clothes until there were more stitches than fabric, and only then could I afford the cheapest new clothes."

"When Bai Chaojie had a slight cold or fever, you would rush him to the hospital for treatment. When I was sick, I would only rest for a couple of days, not doing laundry or cooking, lying in bed and enduring it. If I survived, it was my luck; if I didn't, it was my fate. Did any of you care about whether I lived or died?"

Li Xuelan admitted that she did favor Bai Chaojie, but she absolutely denied disregarding Bai Lu's life: "If I didn't care about your life, would you still be alive now?"

"Your brother is a boy. He will grow up to carry on the Bai family line, continue the family name, and take care of your father and me in our old age. If I don't treat him well, who else should I treat well?"

"When a daughter gets married, she becomes part of her husband's family. The one to take care of us in our old age will be the son-in-law's family. Will you still care about our well-being in the future? Even if I treat you poorly, I gave birth to you, raised you, and have the merit of bringing you up. Shouldn't you offer a helping hand when you face difficulties in your natal family?"

Li Xuelan didn't think favoritism was wrong; the merit of giving birth and raising a child always outweighed everything: "If I were really heartless, I could have abandoned you after giving birth. You would have ended up like the beggars in the alley last year, starving or freezing to death."

While Li Xuelan did have the merit of nurturing the original owner, it didn't mean she could erase everything the original owner had done.

Since Li Xuelan wanted to settle things this way, Bai Lu decided to tally up everything, so Li Xuelan couldn't use the merit of nurturing to argue in the future.

"You did bear me for ten months, and I acknowledge that debt." Bai Lu didn't argue with the facts.

But when something was wrong, it had to be corrected: "As for raising me, I started taking on all the major and minor household chores for the family from the age of six. Whether I had time or not after school and on weekends, I had to go to the brickyard to help you with chores in exchange for Bai Chaojie's wages. During this time, my living conditions were worse than those of the servants in the old landlords' homes. Where is the nurturing merit?"

Li Xuelan was momentarily speechless by Bai Lu's articulate words, feeling that Bai Lu was no longer the same.

The Bai Lu she had watched grow up, who endured everything and was timid and weak, seemed to have changed.

She no longer listened to her, was no longer foolish and silly, and could calculate everything clearly.

Li Xuelan couldn't accept this unfamiliar Bai Lu and became even more blunt: "Do you think education doesn't cost money? From elementary school to high school, all the tuition and textbook fees were provided by the family. Can the chores you did compensate for such a large sum of money?"

"It can't."

Accepting the truth, Bai Lu calmly overturned it: "Isn't the 30,000 yuan Xiao Cheng gave me enough?"

Li Xuelan was speechless.

Bai Lu continued, "Didn't you ask me where the money from selling candied chestnuts went? I'll tell you now that I returned all of it to Xiao Cheng."

"That night, nothing happened between Xiao Cheng and me. The pregnancy test result was a hospital mix-up with the same name; I wasn't pregnant at all. You used the child as leverage to extort the 30,000 yuan dowry money from Xiao Cheng without any justifiable reason."

"If Xiao Cheng accuses us of extortion, both you and I will end up in jail. If I hadn't hurriedly sold candied chestnuts and returned the money to him before the truth came out, do you think you could still stand here peacefully?"

Li Xuelan knew very well who Xiao Cheng was, and saying he was ruthless would be too kind. No one in this world had ever plotted against Xiao Cheng and walked away, either crawling back or being carried back.

At this moment, Li Xuelan noticed Bai Lu's belly, which didn't look like that of a seven or eight-month pregnant woman at all.

She also noticed that Bai Lu's figure was not as slim as before, and her skin was fairer and more delicate than before.

Working at the brickyard exposed her to the wind and sun, and even if Bai Lu had naturally fair skin, prolonged exposure could turn it into a yellowish color. If it weren't for her delicate facial features and beautiful appearance, it wouldn't look good at all.

Moreover, Bai Lu's hands, due to frequent labor, had developed a thin layer of calluses. In winter, they would become dry and peel. They would turn white for a while, but as soon as she worked at the brickyard again, calluses would form, and it had nothing in common with the soft and tender appearance before her.

Li Xuelan remembered clearly that when Bai Lu moved to Xiao Cheng's house, she was a thin and fair girl who would fall with a gust of wind.

Being able to develop such fair and tender skin, spending the winter comfortably in Xiao Cheng's house without exposure to the wind and sun, lying at home every day, was the only way to restore her fair skin. After the calluses on her hands peeled off and new skin grew, she didn't do any work, resulting in the current fair and tender appearance.

A body no longer thin, with a healthy and sunny complexion, proved that Bai Lu was living well in Xiao Cheng's house.

It seemed that Li Xuelan had found the reason why Bai Lu suddenly became unfamiliar and helped Xiao Cheng.

"Is 30,000 yuan enough to cover your education expenses? Then what about the life-saving grace you admitted to? Without me, there would be no you. I endured the hardships of pregnancy for ten months and gave birth to you with great effort. I just asked for the recipe for candied chestnuts. Isn't it reasonable?"

"It's not excessive."

Bai Lu remained calm, her tone plain: "But I have the right to choose not to give it."

Saying something disrespectful, she continued, "When you are old, bedridden, and if you need care, I will fulfill my duty as a child to arrange for a high-level caregiver to take care of you."

"If you want me to serve you like before, be your obedient servant, and obey your every command, it's impossible."

Next Chapter ▶▶

Chapter 142: Beep Beep Beep

Xiao Wei came back from school and saw someone rare coming out from his own doorstep.

It was Bai Lu's mother and Bai Lu's younger brother.

Bai Lu's younger brother seemed to be walking clumsily, trembling with each step, supported by Bai Lu's mother.

While walking, he shouted in pain, complaining, "Bai Lu, that arm of yours is like a broomstick turning outward! It caused me to injure my leg. Mom, why didn't you ask Bai Lu for medical expenses just now? Why didn't you continue asking Bai Lu for the recipe for sugar-coated chestnuts? What do I do if I don't have money to buy the bicycle I have my eye on?"

"Without Bai Lu giving me any, what can I do? When we get home, I'll discuss a solution with your dad. Don't fuss about your foot injury. We'll figure out a way to get you the bicycle after your foot heals, alright?"

"That's more like it!"

As the two figures moved farther away, Xiao Wei quickly ran back home and closed the door behind him.

The vegetables in the big washing basin were already cleaned, packed in a bamboo basket. Bai Lu was about to carry it back to the kitchen.

Hearing the door closing, she subconsciously turned her head and accurately caught the little guy's X-ray scan once again.

Seeing her turn around, he immediately withdrew, holding the straps of his small backpack, saying, "I saw your mother and your younger brother."

Bai Lu nodded, indicating that she knew and carried a basket of vegetables towards the kitchen.

Xiao Wei was stunned for a moment, never expecting that Bai Lu would just walk away without explaining. Wasn't his question clear enough?

"They came to see you for something?"

"No."

Bai Lu had no intention of telling the little spy.

Later, when he reports to Xiao Cheng tonight, he will likely exaggerate the situation and describe it as if a battle had taken place.

But Xiao Wei obviously didn't believe it. He kept following Bai Lu to the kitchen without putting down his backpack. "Why didn't you tell me?"

He asked quite seriously, with a puzzled expression on his little face.

Bai Lu pinched the chubby face of the little bald head and pretended not to understand, smiling, "Tell you what?"

"Why did your mother and your younger brother come to see you?"

Seeing that the answer was not in hand yet, Xiao Wei resisted the urge to slap away the hand that kept pinching and poking his face.

But Bai Lu took advantage of the situation, touched his head, and gave a very perfunctory answer, "Nothing, they just came to see me and left after seeing me."

Xiao Wei immediately turned away without letting her touch his head.

He put his backpack on the chair, washed the rice, and lit the fire in the hearth with a clearly unhappy face.

Bai Lu, without sympathy, laughed, "What do you want for lunch?"

The little bald head puffed out his cheeks without answering.

"Boiled fish or sour cabbage fish?" Bai Lu asked while saying, "This morning when I let the old hen and the little chicks out of the cage, a big fish flew up from the river. I helped it complete the reincarnation process and prepared the fish slices."

She took out a small enamel basin from the cupboard as she spoke. The basin was filled with well-marinated and fragrant fish slices.

However, Xiao Wei was attracted by her strange description and couldn't help turning his head to take a look, getting caught in the act and instantly turning back.

The sound of cutting vegetables accompanied by a light laughter ensued.

"Ding Ling Ling—"

The laughter was suddenly interrupted by the ringing of the telephone. Both Bai Lu and Xiao Wei were stunned, looking at each other in disbelief.

"Was that a phone ringing just now?"

Their voices fell at the same time, and the ringing sound echoed again, "Ding Ling Ling—"

The deafening sound penetrated the main house and rushed into the kitchen, ringing in their ears like beating drums.

Xiao Wei's little face froze, turning towards the direction of the main house, "It seems like a real phone call."

"Shall we answer the phone?" Xiao Wei, who had returned to his senses, suggested.

Bai Lu agreed, "You go."

Carrying a mix of nervousness, curiosity, and a little excitement, Xiao Wei quickly ran to the high table in the main house.

He picked up the still ringing white telephone receiver.

Opening his mouth, he said, "Hello."

The familiar male voice from the other end, familiar words came through, "Where's Bai Lu?"

This time, Xiao Wei didn't have the extreme anticipation of the first two times, so he didn't get drenched in cold water, just halfway.

His little heart only cooled down by half.

"In the kitchen preparing stir-fry."

"Still haven't eaten?"

"No."

"I'll call back later."

"Beep Beep Beep—"

From picking up the phone to hanging up, it was less than a minute. Xiao Wei held the phone dumbfounded, suspecting that he had hallucinated and answered a fake call.

However, the clear "beep beep" sound in his ears and the constantly replaying familiar low voice of the man in his mind assured him that it was not an illusion; the call was real.

Big brother really called just now!

And he said he would call again later!

Xiao Wei put the receiver back on the telephone, quickly ran back to the kitchen, and said, "Sister-in-law, big brother called."

Bai Lu's hand trembled a bit as she added half a spoonful of salt to the pot, closed her eyes, and then calmly withdrew the spoon.

She started to add chili.

"Why did you come back so soon?" Xiao Wei sat back in front of the hearth, quickly stuffed firewood into the hearth, and recounted the entire conversation:

"Big brother asked what you were doing. I said you were cooking. Big brother asked if you had eaten. I said no. Big brother said he would call again later, and then the phone beeped."

Seeing the little guy stuffing bamboo firewood into the hearth in a hurry, Bai Lu couldn't help but support her forehead. Was there a need to be in such a hurry?

A fragrant meal was quickly prepared.

After eating, Bai Lu and Xiao Wei sat in front of the Eight Immortals table, waiting for the phone.

One big and one small pair of hands, elbows on the table, small hands supporting the chin, both staring at the high table.

Staring at the white telephone on the table.

"Your brother said earlier that the ship would arrive in the neighboring province this morning. Has he already landed now?" Bai Lu, who had nothing to say, chatted with the little bald head beside her.

The little bald head shook his head, "I don't know."

Bai Lu asked again, "Did you hear the sound of a ship's whistle when you were listening to the phone just now?"

The little bald head shook his head again, "Didn't hear it."

"Then, did you hear his voice sounding anxious?"

"I couldn't tell, so it must be very anxious."

"This... maybe there's something very important. Besides his voice, were there any other sounds on the phone?"

"None... it seems like there was."

Bai Lu stared at the little bald head, and the little bald head immediately entered into a state of meditation, earnestly recalling for a while.

Then he said, "There was the sound of wood falling."

Next Chapter ▶▶

 Chapter 98: Backing Up My Little Friend

The luxurious decor was so clean that it seemed untouched, and the rent for such a place was only 3500 yuan??

"Did President Ou make a mistake?" Yan Panpan couldn't believe her eyes. "Hening, are you sure about this?"

This place, even at 7000 yuan, would be hard to rent!

"It's the one. No mistake." He Ning smiled and put down his luggage. "I won't disturb you for now."

Yan Panpan and Li Chunyuan exchanged glances, still in shock from the immense surprise.

Meanwhile, after dropping off Ou Yan at the company, Si Yechen instructed Qing Mu to investigate her injury. Shortly after, Qing Mu sent him a video.

It was footage from a roadside surveillance camera.

Three cars stopped in front of Ou Yan, and a man and a woman got out, along with about a dozen thugs. After a while, they left the surveillance area, presumably heading towards the nearby grassy area. A few minutes later, Ou Yan appeared alone in the footage and got into Si Yechen's car.

Regardless of the details, Si Yechen's gaze darkened. "Find them; I want to ask them in person."

After some time, the dozen thugs were brought to the grassy area. Looking up, they saw a man with an elegant and noble demeanor, with seven or eight bodyguards behind him.

Perplexed, one of the thugs asked the man in charge, "Which road are you from? We're from the Yin family!"

"Why did you bring us here? For what reason?" Another thug questioned, "Do we know each other? We never met before."

The thugs were covering their painful areas, utterly bewildered.

"I'm here to back up my little friend," Si Yechen calmly declared. "Remember this?"

The dozen thugs seemed to understand something. Could it be that he came to stand up for that girl?

Thinking of the terrifying girl, their bodies couldn't help but tremble.

"All grown-ups, bullying a little girl? Using many against one? Men against women?" Si Yechen's tone was cold as he continued, "What do you remember about this?"

"Big brother, please, believe us," one thug said anxiously. "We were beaten by that girl, and look at our injuries!"

"Yeah, she's too good at fighting. We weren't her match at all!"

"She must have practiced martial arts since childhood. Her skills..."

"No, even if my deceased master, master's senior, or master's ancestor came back to life with a group of people glowing in the light of hell, they wouldn't be a match for her!"

...

Si Yechen's deep gaze showed a hint of inquiry. "The devil?"

"No, no, big brother, what we meant was that she's very skilled..."

"Drag them away," Si Yechen commanded, turning to Qing Mu.

"Ah, big brother, you're giving us too much credit. Just because we said we wanted to touch her, does that mean we can?"

Another thug said with a teary voice, "We didn't even touch her hair; she beat us up like this! Look, my front teeth are gone!"

Si Yechen's eyes became even deeper. "Then what about the injuries on her hands?"

"She got injured?" The dozen thugs were dumbfounded. They didn't touch her at all!

Even if she got injured, there was no way her injuries were worse than theirs!

"Big brother, maybe after beating us, that girl wasn't satisfied and went to beat someone else, injuring herself elsewhere?"

"We don't have that ability..."

"Even if my deceased master's master's senior's master's ancestor came back to life with a group of people glowing in the light of hell, we still wouldn't be able to beat her!"

The dozen thugs were genuinely aggrieved!

That unreasonable girl not only bullied them, but also had her man come and beat them up afterward!

Too much!

"For the two leaders, they're not doing well," one thug said. "Our Miss Qing was frightened and got into a car accident on the way back. She's still being resuscitated in the hospital."

"The boss Wu is also in the operating room; the doctor said that if it had been a little later, his life would not have been saved!"

Oh?

So serious?

His girl looked so cute and gentle, not like someone who would fight.

Would the life after marriage be difficult for Si Yechen? Difficult to guarantee?

"Tell them to stay away from my people," Si Yechen left these words and was about to leave.

Qing Mu hurriedly asked, "Master Chen, how should these people be handled?"

Si Yechen's gaze fell on them, and his tone was indifferent. "Teach them another lesson."

"Still... beating?" The dozen thugs were stunned. What did they do wrong? They were beaten three times in one day?!

"But we only have a breath left..."

"Can you be lighter? We're barely hanging on..."

"Would it be okay if I rolled myself from one end to the other?"

The bodyguards didn't waste words and gave them a ruthless beating. The wailing sounds echoed from the grassy area.

On the other side, when Yin Panpan arrived at the company, it was already past three in the afternoon.

When Hu Linquan came to inspect the design department, he saw that she had just returned to her workstation and frowned displeasedly.

"Yin Panpan!" Hu Linquan berated loudly, "What time is it now? Do you think the company is your home? You come whenever you want? Do you not have the company's rules and regulations in your eyes?"

The entire department's attention was focused on Yin Panpan, secretly feeling sorry for her.

Yin Panpan lowered her head, like a child who had done something wrong. "Good afternoon, Vice President Hu... I took leave with President Ou, and as soon as the matter was resolved, I rushed back without daring to delay for a second..."

"President Ou?" Hu Linquan sneered. "Now, anything that happens, you directly go to President Ou? What? Is President Ou so free? Does she personally approve leaves now?"

"No, it's not like that... President Ou is very busy. It was me who disturbed her."

At least in Yin Panpan's eyes, President Ou worked diligently every day, putting her heart into her work.

It wasn't like Hu Linquan, who used to leave the company frequently for leisure activities.

  Chapter 97: Who Did It?

Despite her seemingly gentle and quiet appearance, she turned into a devil in a fight! Too terrifying!!

Yin Qing, not caring that her little brother was still in the bushes, turned and ran to her car, started the engine, and drove away!

Ou Yan: ...

Her gaze fell on the dozens of people in the bushes, moaning in pain. Meanwhile, in the distance, the car of Si Yechen arrived.

"Quiet."

Hearing the girl's words, the dozens of thugs covered their mouths. Even if it hurt, they dared not make a sound.

Yin Wu was shivering in fear.

Earlier, he had already experienced the girl's strength. She looked delicate, but her punches were stronger than professional fighters...

Too terrifying!

Ou Yan walked to the roadside, and Si Yechen's car stopped just in time. He got out of the car and came to Ou Yan, opening the car door for her. "Sorry for keeping my little beauty waiting."

"Not long." Ou Yan got into the front passenger seat. "Actually, there was no need for you to come and pick me up."

"I missed you." Si Yechen bent down to fasten her seatbelt.

"I'm not a three-year-old child."

After securing her seatbelt, Si Yechen closed the passenger door. Just as he was about to get into the driver's seat, he noticed two empty cars parked nearby with their doors open.

He scanned the surroundings but didn't see anyone. Not paying much attention, he asked the girl beside him, "What kind of cooperation did you just discuss?"

"Outsourced processing." Ou Yan glanced at the rearview mirror, noticing that none of those people had crawled out of the bushes yet. She probably hit them too hard, and they wouldn't be able to get up for a while.

"In a few days, can you help me with processing too?"

Ou Yan: ???

"It's a new company, won't attract attention."

Si Yechen continued driving while asking, "Hungry? Want to grab something to eat first?"

Looking at the time, it was almost noon, so she agreed.

In a private room at the restaurant:

Si Yechen let her order the dishes and held her hand. Suddenly, he felt that holding her hand was different from usual.

It even felt a bit damp!

Lowering his eyes, he saw that her right hand had a bruise with two bloody cuts!

"Are you injured? When did it happen?" Si Yechen blamed himself for not paying attention when he held her hand. He must have touched her wound!

Ou Yan, not feeling any pain, nonchalantly said, "Oh, it's nothing."

Not hurting, she probably got it when beating up those people. It might have been a zipper or some accessory on their clothes that accidentally scratched her...

Si Yechen called the restaurant manager and had a first aid kit brought in.

The manager, scared out of his wits, thought the girl got injured in his restaurant and hurriedly entered, apologizing profusely.

He even promised to replace everything in the private room to ensure no sharp edges and corners would appear again...

Relieved that it wasn't his fault, the manager quickly withdrew.

"I'll take the first aid kit." Si Yechen reminded the manager before returning his attention to Ou Yan.

"Where is it hurt?" Si Yechen asked tenderly. "How did you get injured?"

"Forgot."

Ou Yan couldn't remember when she got hurt. Glancing at the wounds, she dismissively said, "Oh, it's fine."

Si Yechen took her hand gently and disinfected the wound. "I'll put some medicine on. If it hurts, tell me. Don't endure it."

Ou Yan: ??

Back then, even when a knife fell on her, she didn't say it hurt. Now, with these two small cuts, it wasn't worth the effort to make any sound...

Si Yechen carefully bandaged her hand. Even though he didn't hear her make a sound, he felt a twinge of pain in his heart. The girl probably didn't want to bother him.

At this moment, someone knocked on the door. The manager, who had left, came back with a food cart.

"Sir, if you need anything, I'll immediately call a doctor for this young lady..."

"Take the first aid kit away."

"Ah?" The manager thought he was hearing things. Just that? Nothing else?

"You're still standing there doing nothing?"

"Ye-yes, I'll take it away right now..." The manager, relieved that he wouldn't be held accountable, hastily left.

"Sorry for making you worry," Ou Yan said with a smile.

Si Yechen rubbed her head gently. "It's good as long as you're fine. Who hurt you?"

"No one." Ou Yan turned the topic, comforting him. "I don't know when I got these. It's fine, not hurting."

Si Yechen hid the anger in his eyes. This girl, even he was reluctant to bully her.

Who dared to touch her! He would find out.

"I'll take you back." Si Yechen's eyes were filled with concern.

Ou Yan nodded, letting him lead the way.

On the other side:

When Yin Panpan and Li Chunyuan arrived at Sunshine Coast, they were stunned! A high-end residential area like this only cost 3,500?

They felt like they were walking on clouds. Following He Ning to the 10th floor, after entering the password, the environment left them even more dumbfounded!

 Chapter 12: The Imperial Uncle

"Unless the Feng family holds something that threatens the Ninth Prince or the Duke of Wei, they wouldn't go to such lengths to frame them!" Feng Jinyao's eyes were filled with coldness as she thought about this. It was necessary to find out what that thing was first, so she could take the initiative and set a trap for the Wen family.

Lost in her thoughts, Feng Jinyao was suddenly shaken by a strong force, snapping her out of it.

"Ah Yao, what's wrong with you? You seem distracted."

"Nothing, perhaps I didn't sleep well last night. Cousin, do you want to go to the Qinxian Courtyard first?"

"Yes, several sisters from the Duke of Zhengguo's family are also here. Let's take them there first."

Feng Jinyao nodded, and after leaving a servant to guide Wei Lanxuan and her group, she took the other ladies to the Qinxian Courtyard.

Between the Shou'an Courtyard and the Qinxian Courtyard was a connected waterside pavilion.

In the summer, it would be quite refreshing here, but unfortunately, in the winter, it was freezing.

As they arrived near the waterside courtyard, they chatted and laughed without paying much attention.

Instead, Feng Jinyao inadvertently looked towards the courtyard and unexpectedly saw the Imperial Uncle, Xiao Tingyi. Even from a distance of more than ten steps, his presence was unmistakable.

As the youngest son of the late Emperor and the current Emperor's seventeenth brother, he was truly a young talent with remarkable grace and charm.

"Ah Yao, what are you looking at?"

Bai Siruo and Xu Mingyue had walked a few steps ahead and noticed Feng Jinyao hadn't followed, so they turned back out of curiosity and saw her standing still.

From Bai Siruo's angle, blocked by a fake mountain, she hadn't seen Xiao Tingyi.

Approaching a few steps closer and seeing him, the smile that was originally on Bai Siruo's lips stiffened.

In the instant their eyes met, Bai Siruo felt a sense of astonishment.

She had never expected to encounter the Imperial Uncle here!

Was she mistaken?

It was said that the granddaughter of the Bai family's Foreign Minister had not yet come of age, so how could she exude such a daunting aura?

Although she appeared to be a noble and virtuous daughter, the hidden hostility emanating from her couldn't escape Xiao Tingyi's notice.

Xiao Tingyi's face was somewhat pale due to the cold winter weather, but his eyes were unexpectedly calm, like a tranquil pool of water, seemingly clear and transparent on the surface, yet devoid of any emotions.

For some reason, Feng Jinyao felt a sense of crisis as if someone knew her secret. Feeling apprehensive, she lowered her head meekly and called him "Your Highness" along with Bai Siruo.

"Sorry for disturbing you, Your Highness. I need to take the ladies from the Duke of Zhengguo's family to the front. We won't disturb Your Highness's enjoyment here."

After speaking, she quickly bowed and hurriedly left with Bai Siruo.

Walking briskly while lowering her voice, she whispered to Feng Jinyao, "My dear sister, you're truly bold. Even daring to stare at him. Do you know how tragic the fate of the last person who stared at him was?"

Despite the cold weather, Bai Siruo had a thin layer of sweat on her forehead. Xu Mingyue, who was walking quickly beside her, didn't look well either but she didn't seem as tense as Bai Siruo.

Feng Jinyao frowned. In her previous life, she had very few impressions of this mysterious and unpredictable Imperial Uncle.

"Is he the Imperial Uncle? I've never seen him before."

Bai Siruo seemed amused by Feng Jinyao's fearless demeanor.

"He's not a ferocious beast. Why are you so afraid of him?"

"You don't know. The seventeenth Imperial Uncle was the late Emperor's favorite son many years ago. If it weren't for the current Emperor being much older than him, when the late Emperor passed away and he hadn't fully matured, I'm afraid we wouldn't even know who's sitting on the throne right now."

After saying this, Bai Siruo glanced around cautiously. These were secrets of the royal family that shouldn't be revealed to outsiders.

However, seeing Feng Jinyao's bewildered expression, Bai Siruo feared that if she accidentally offended this powerful figure, their future days would be difficult. Hence, she reminded her.

Lowering her voice again, she whispered to Feng Jinyao, "The situation in the court is complex and chaotic. The Ninth Prince, whom His Majesty favors the most and the eldest Imperial Prince born to the Empress have been competing against each other for years. It is said that both sides have extended an olive branch to the seventeenth Imperial Uncle, hoping to obtain the military power of the Southwest. Unfortunately, after all these years, we've never heard of him favoring anyone in particular. So, his thoughts run deep, and it's not something you and I can fathom, understand?"

Feng Jinyao nodded solemnly. "Thank you for the reminder. I understand. I'll avoid him in the future."

She had no intention of provoking such a person, as she knew she wouldn't be able to handle it.

Putting aside her thoughts, Feng Jinyao composed herself and followed Bai Siruo to the banquet area.

The waterside pavilion was quiet, with no one within thirty steps disturbing their conversation.

The charcoal fire burned brightly, warming up the surroundings.

Xiao Tingyi's attendant, Yang Zhao, stood quietly behind him, not uttering a word. Xiao Tingyi, on the other hand, seemed somewhat curious as he sat there.

*Cough cough*, there were two more coughs.

This cough was left over from ten years ago on the battlefield. If it weren't for the precious medicinal herbs sustaining him, he might have met Yama long ago.

In the winter, the cough was a bit more severe, and there was a faint trace of blood on the handkerchief. If anyone saw it they would probably sigh at the irony of fate, wasting such a good appearance and demeanor.

Today, Xiao Tingyi hadn't intended to join in the festivities, but due to repeated invitations from Minister Xu and Bai Xiang, he reluctantly agreed to come.

However, he didn't have the energy to socialize with the young masters in the front yard, so he took his attendants and hid in this waterside pavilion.

Never did he expect to unexpectedly encounter her here!

Was he mistaken?

It was said that the Bai family's granddaughter, the Foreign Minister's granddaughter, had not yet come of age, so how could such a young girl exude such a terrifying aura?

Although she appeared to be a noble and virtuous daughter, the faint hostility emanating from her couldn't escape Xiao Tingyi's sensitive perception.

As he looked at her, a faint flush appeared on Xiao Tingyi's pale face and a slight smile emerged at the corner of his mouth, as if he had found something interesting to watch.

In the Qinxian Courtyard, Bai Siruo had already made preparations when she brought the group of ladies.

"Sisters-in-law and sisters, today is my grandmother's birthday. My aunt specially prepared some clever little gadgets as tokens of appreciation, but these gifts cannot be taken casually. You need to guess the riddles correctly to receive them."

After speaking, she signaled to the maid behind her, who immediately brought over four colored bracelets: white, red, yellow, and purple.

Everyone looked puzzled. It was not strange to guess riddles but what did these four colored bracelets mean?

"Sister Siruo, what are these bracelets for?" one curious person asked and the others also looked at Bai Siruo.

She was not shy and explained openly, "Just to guess riddles. It seems a bit dull, but since there is still some time before the banquet starts, why not have some fun? You can form teams with friends and relatives, choose four groups to compete and see which group of sisters can come out on top with each color bracelet. Not only can you get these small gifts, but there are also more powerful rewards waiting for you later." After speaking, she gestured for a maid to bring over a beautifully embroidered box.

Hahaha, after much anticipation, the male lead finally makes his appearance....

Next Chapter ▶▶

 Chapter 162: Ye Pozi's Achievements

Next Chapter ▶▶

 Chapter 161: Will Wake Up

Next Chapter ▶▶

Chapter 617: Qin Ruan Knows How to Act Coquettish, the Third Master Wants to Give His Life for Her

Qin Ruan put down her chopsticks and finished the medicinal soup in one gulp.

Now, drinking this soup was just like drinking water to her.

The Huo family's culinary skills were too good, and she had gained a whole circle of weight now.

A few days ago, when she weighed herself, she had gained more than ten kilograms.

After finishing the medicinal soup, Qin Ruan walked to the bedroom door and said to the servant standing outside, "Clean up the room."

The Third Master didn't have any serious cleanliness issues, but he liked things to be clean.

Qin Ruan didn't want him to come back tonight and smell something inside.

The servant responded and quickly tidied up the room.

Qin Ruan walked to the bedside and picked up her constantly beeping phone.

One after another, WeChat messages appeared on the screen.

Qin Ruan frowned, unlocked her phone, and clicked on one of the messages, directly entering WeChat.

[North Emperor Lord is Online] WeChat group exploded.

Mount Mao's Ninth Miss: [Qin Ruan/Sister Ruan, come out quickly, there's big news!]

As soon as Qin Ruan entered the group, she saw Qiao Jiu frantically mentioning her in the group.

Mount Mao's Ninth Miss: [Qin Ruan/Sister Ruan, are you there?!]

Jade Star Road Taoist: [Brother Qiao, what do you think of the incident at the Audri School this time?]

Mount Mao Qiao: [Sneaky and sinister, it's highly likely to be caused by Li Kui within the last month.]

Qingcheng Guard Xishi: [Besides Li Kui, is it possible that it's Yan Kui? After all, all six of the deceased were male.]

Nanyin Temple Hui Cheng: [Very possible.]

Jade Star Road Taoist: [It's not impossible.]

Mount Mao Qiao: [Perhaps.]

Qingcheng Guard Xishi: [No, I was just saying, don't take it seriously.]

Qin Ruan silently sent a question mark.

Qin Ruan: [?]

Mount Mao's Ninth Miss: [Sister Ruan, you're here! There's trouble at the Audri School! Six homicides occurred within the first month of school!]

Qin Ruan sat by the bedside, her eyes flashing slightly, her fingers tapping on the screen.

Qin Ruan: [And then?]

Mount Mao's Ninth Miss: [Sister Ruan, aren't you interested? Six homicides, there must be many evil creatures and monsters at the school. Don't you want to go and check it out?]

Qin Ruan's eyebrows furrowed slightly.

Qiao Jiu seemed to know something.

Besides herself, no one else knew about her ability to absorb malevolent energy.

Qin Ruan pursed her lips and continued to chat in the group.

[Hmm.]

Her attitude was cold, with only one word.

Qiao Jiu seemed not to notice Qin Ruan's attitude and was very excited in the group.

Mount Mao's Ninth Miss: [Sister Ruan, you don't like dealing with these things, but this is a chance you shouldn't miss. Don't give Xishi a chance to take over, quickly snatch his business!]

Qin Ruan saw this and found it somewhat amusing.

[Has Xishi offended you?]

Mount Mao's Ninth Miss: [He stood me up, promising to help with my homework but only did half of it and disappeared! I got punished because of him.]

Qingcheng Guard Xishi: [Little Nine, things weren't like that. Some things happened at home during that time, and I sent you all the answers the next day.]

Mount Mao's Ninth Miss: [I don't care, I didn't see them, so it's your fault!]

While the two were bickering, Qin Ruan focused on the conversation between Lu Wenbin and Qiao Nanyuan.

In her mind, she replayed the messages Qiao Jiu sent earlier.

From Qiao Jiu's words, it seemed like he knew about her affinity for dealing with evil creatures and monsters.

Now that she thought about it, she seemed to have been dealing with various demons and monsters since her rebirth, and she didn't really try to hide it. It was not surprising that someone found out.

As for absorbing malevolent energy, she didn't want others to know.

It seemed that Xishi had provoked Qiao Jiu, which was why he brought her out to compete for his business.

By reading Lu Wenbin and Qiao Nanyuan's conversation, along with the chat history above, Qin Ruan quickly obtained the information she wanted.

Within the first month of school, there were six homicides at the Audri School in the capital.

What was puzzling was that all six victims were male and students at the school.

Jade Star Road Taoist: [Qingcheng Guard Xishi, this case you've taken over is quite tricky. Be careful and stay safe.]

Qingcheng Guard Xishi: [I know, if necessary, I'll ask you and Uncle Qiao for help.]

Mount Mao Qiao: [I'll be there whenever you need me, stay safe.]

Nanyin Temple Hui Cheng: [Qingcheng Guard, take care of yourself.]

Qingcheng Guard Xishi: [You bald donkey, you're talking as if I'm going to my death.]

As long as Hui Cheng spoke, Xishi would definitely lose his temper. The two were like enemies.

Nanyin Temple Hui Cheng: [Qingcheng Guard, to be honest, I divined for you, and the outcome of your trip to the Audri School is likely to be dangerous.]

Mount Mao Qiao: [Master Hui Cheng, how does the divination look?]

Nanyin Temple Hui Cheng: [The chances of surviving are slim.]

Qingcheng Guard Xishi exploded again: [Ptui! Ptui! Ptui!... You're such a jinx, shut up!]

Nanyin Temple Hui Cheng: [May Buddha bless you...]

Mount Mao's Ninth Miss: [@Qingcheng Guard Xishi, although you stood me up, I don't want you to get into real trouble. After you come back to tutor me, let's turn over a new leaf regarding the past.]

Perhaps seeing Xishi's pitiful state, Qiao Jiu took the initiative to make peace.

Qingcheng Guard Xishi: [Good—]

Qin Ruan watched their conversation in the group and smiled.

She couldn't help but smile. Her face was clean, lovely, and sweet, emitting an indescribable gentle temperament.

In the distance, a low chuckle came, "I've been watching you for a while, why are you smiling so happily? Is there something amusing happening?"

The voice was low, soft, and full of infinite tenderness and indulgence.

Qin Ruan's smile faded, and she looked up.

The Third Master was leaning against the door, his posture relaxed and casual.

However, even in such a casual posture,

he still looked dazzling.

The elegance and gentle temperament on him were too obvious.

It seemed that no matter what he did, he had this indifferent and elegant appearance, which was extremely eye-catching.

The smile on Qin Ruan's face reappeared.

She turned off her phone and raised her eyebrows, "The people in the group are chatting, they're quite interesting."

"Is that so?" Huo Yunqiao's gentle expression remained unchanged, but the tenderness in his eyes dimmed slightly.

Qin Ruan's smile seemed a bit forced.

Was it because of what happened before? Wasn't that something that normal couples should experience?

Apart from not actually giving Qin Ruan what she wanted, Huo Yunqiao believed that he had made her happy.

Her coquettish cries echoed in his ears.

Huo Yunqiao had never seen a woman who could act so coquettishly, making him want to give his life to Qin Ruan.

The way she used her crying voice to beg for mercy was intoxicating.

When a woman cries and says she doesn't want it, it's not necessarily true.

Today, the Third Master deeply understood the truth behind this statement from Qin Ruan.

Was he too embarrassed to ask for her forgiveness after what happened earlier? Qin Ruan's coquettish attitude seemed to show her dissatisfaction.

(End of this chapter)

  Chapter 23: Reserve (Happy Little New Year)

Chen Xue didn't have time to pay attention to Zhao Guang. She excitedly collected fish into the space. All this meat, all this fish soup!

Collect more now, store it for later, and you can eat slowly in the future.

The servants were also smiling as they caught the fish. There were too many fish, they couldn't catch them all. They could only catch as many as they could and then put them on the ground before going back to the river to catch more.

Meanwhile, Chen Xue took the opportunity to collect the fish they caught into the space.

The servants caught fish from the river, poured them out, and then continued catching...

As a result, they found that not only were there fewer fish in the river, which was normal, but also the fish they caught were getting fewer and fewer. This was a problem.

If it weren't for Chen Xue's explanation that the fish had returned to the river, these servants would probably have been puzzled by this problem for more than ten years.

She only left a few fish, pretending to release the others, but actually collecting them into the space, and then brought the fish back.

They had the servants send a fish to the captain of the bailiffs, one to Xu Tian, one to the other bailiffs, and one for themselves, before finally distributing the fish.

"What about me?"

Zhao Guang was dumbfounded. Why didn't he get any fish when everyone else did?

"Don't you dislike eating fish?" Chen Xue asked suspiciously.

"Who said that?"

"You did!"

Only then did Zhao Guang remember. He had borrowed a tree to present flowers earlier, and then he had made an excuse not to like fish and gave the fish to the Chen family.

But the problem was, who knew you guys were so powerful? Other people catch fish one by one, but you catch them in groups.

He had trapped himself with his words. Zhao Guang could only leave feeling depressed.

"But, here's a small fish. If you don't mind..."

Chen Xue pointed to a palm-sized fish strung on a grass rope. It had jumped onto the shore by itself and hit a rock, unable to survive.

"I don't mind, I don't mind." Zhao Guang was suddenly very happy. "I can't eat such a big fish by myself, but a small fish is good."

Saying that, fearing that Chen Xue would change her mind, he quickly grabbed the small fish and ran off. Along the way, he kept laughing, scaring away the prisoners around him, who thought he was sick.

But Zhao Guang didn't care what others thought. As long as Chen Xue was willing to share the fish with him, it meant she wasn't holding a grudge against him for what he did before.

In reality, he was overthinking it. Chen Xue clearly didn't want to share the fish with him. This fish was something he had begged for.

"These two fish, cook them!"

Chen Xue pointed to a fish contributed by Zhang Yiquan and one caught by her own family. With so many people, two fish were enough.

"Mm, delicious!"

On the carriage, Chen Xue drank a large bowl of fish soup and patted her stomach satisfactorily.

"You eat without manners." Chen Xue's mother glared at her. "Look at you, where's the demeanor of a young lady?"

Chen Xue shrugged. She wasn't a young lady to begin with. Besides, she hadn't even had the chance to enjoy the life of a young lady after transmigrating before being exiled.

So, she really didn't know how a young lady was supposed to eat.

"Never mind, it's not like before now, there aren't so many rules." Chen Yuan was more tolerant of his daughter and didn't mind these things.

"You always spoil her." Madam Chen turned to glare at Chen Yuan again. "Although we're down and out, we still need to maintain some etiquette."

Chen Yuan didn't dare to argue back and hurriedly focused on eating, angering Madam Chen into eating a few more bowls of rice.

The three of them, oh, no, four of them finished off a fish.

After dinner, Chen Xue took out some dessert, and the family chatted for a while before going to bed.

The carriage could seat four people, but it couldn't accommodate four people sleeping. Chen Xue and the others had to dismantle the table in the middle and the seats on either side, then lay down blankets to squeeze together.

As for Chen Yuan, he went outside to sleep, leaning against the carriage. After all, he couldn't possibly sleep together with Chen Xue and the other two women.

"We still need to find a way to get another carriage!"

With another carriage, he wouldn't have to sleep outside, and they could also store many things in the carriage.

With another carriage, they could also buy some things and use them openly.

But finding another carriage wasn't easy.

In the capital, it's easy to buy, but now on the road of exile, unless in a larger city, it's hard to find. It was already lucky to have been able to buy one in the small village before.

A night passed without incident.

Early the next morning, the bailiffs waved their whips to wake everyone up.

There were regulations on how far the exiled group had to travel each day and how many days it would take to reach the place of exile.

So, the bailiffs kept urging them to hurry on their journey. If they didn't arrive within the specified time, they would be punished.

Bang!

The Chen family's carriage suddenly sank into a hole in the road and couldn't move.

Seeing this, the other prisoners quickly avoided the Chen family and hurried on their way. They didn't come forward to help, and some even showed expressions of enjoyment at the sight.

They fell while walking, but didn't immediately get up. The bailiffs waved their whips to make them get up quickly.

With the Chen family's carriage stuck on the road, it would definitely be scolded by the bailiffs. After all, everyone was a prisoner, so why should they be allowed to sit in a carriage? Therefore, the other prisoners around were actually not happy with the Chen family.

Now that they had the rare opportunity to see the Chen family being scolded by the bailiffs, how could they not be happy?

Sure enough, when a bailiff saw the Chen family's carriage stop and still blocking the road, he immediately ran over with his whip.

When everyone thought the bailiff was going to lash out at the Chen family, they found that the bailiff just looked at Chen Yuan and asked what had happened with concern.

When he heard that the carriage had sunk into a hole, the bailiff even inserted his whip into his waist and then helped the Chen family push the carriage.

Seeing this scene, the prisoners' jaws dropped to the ground.

"Thank you, sir!"

Chen Yuan was also somewhat surprised that this bailiff would come forward to help, so he quickly asked Chen Xue for some silver and then handed it to the bailiff.

The constable named Zhou Yu didn't refuse, he even patted his chest and said that if they had any problems in the future, they could find him.

Chen Yuan was very satisfied, but he knew that it wasn't just because they had been given fish yesterday.

In fact, there were two types of people who could become constables in the exiled group.

One type had a background.

The other type didn't.

Those with a background, like Xu Tian, could be directly arranged to come in from above, after all, there was a lot of money to be made in the exiled group, and it wasn't something ordinary people could get into.

People like Zhou Yu, on the other hand, didn't have a background.

Those without a background, like him, had almost spent all their savings to buy this official position, hoping to make a fortune in the exiled group.

The reason why Zhou Yu helped the Chen family was not only because of the fish they gave him yesterday, but also because of Xu Tian's face.

After all, Xu Tian had a background, and people like him without a background naturally wanted to get along well with Xu Tian.

Moreover, Xu Tian often whispered in their ears to take good care of Chen Yuan and the like. After hearing it many times, they remembered it.

After some contact, they were also willing to help, and Chen Yuan was also generous. Although he didn't know where the rumor came from that he was penniless, Zhou Yu felt that it was somewhat unfounded.

Chen Yuan was obviously very wealthy. Where did the rumor of being penniless come from?

PS: Thanks to the book friends Mr. Cen, Dream of Fantasy Feathers, and the vote of book friend Liuli Muzi.

Happy Little New Year, wishing all the cute readers happiness and joy.

Also, there will be another chapter this afternoon.

Next Chapter▶▶

Chapter 616: Sweet Daily Life of a Tender Couple, Qin Ruan Gets Teased

Hou Yunjiao stood in front of the sink, gradually calming his mind.

There was a familiar feeling emanating from Qin Ruan's body that made him unable to resist the urge to get close to her.

He didn't resist being close to Qin Ruan, but in their current situation, he couldn't harm her.

He had come dangerously close to succumbing to his subconscious desires just now.

After some time, Hou Yunjiao regained his composure.

He washed his hands in the clear water, removing any traces of evidence left behind during his actions.

Hou Yunjiao estimated the time. He had stayed in the room for a bit too long. He grabbed a nearby towel, roughly dried his hands, and headed towards the bathroom.

In the dimly lit room, Qin Ruan was still lying on the bed motionless.

As the Hou Yunjiao stood by the bathroom door, his lips pursed lightly, and his finely sculpted face showed a hint of resistance.

He stared fixedly at the figure under the thin blanket.

Taking a deep breath, Hou Yunjiao walked slowly to the bedside.

He leaned over and got close to Qin Ruan, "Are you hungry? Do you want to go downstairs and eat something?"

Qin Ruan's closed eyes opened abruptly. Her watery gaze looked charming.

"I'm lazy, don't want to move," she said weakly.

She felt lazy, but more importantly, she had no strength.

Hou Yunjiao gently touched her face, feeling the sweat on her skin.

In his deep, dark eyes, there was an unfathomable gleam.

"Shall I carry you to wash up?"

As soon as he said this, Qin Ruan opened her eyes wide.

She looked adorable with her eyes glistening, "No need, I can do it myself."

In her opinion, it would be a joke to have the Hou Yunjiao carry her to wash up again. She would be sending herself to the wolf's den.

Saying that, Qin Ruan tried to sit up, supporting herself with weak arms.

Halfway up, her body weakened.

Just as she was about to collapse, Hou Yunjiao reached out, holding her waist, and helped her lie back down.

Hou Yunjiao said tenderly, "Don't force yourself, just lie down."

Qin Ruan pouted her delicate lips, showing a look of unwillingness.

Her appearance was incredibly alluring, and Huo Yunjiao unconsciously averted his gaze. He suggested gently, "Shall I have the servants bring the food up?"

Qin Ruan thought for a moment and nodded obediently, "Okay."

Her hands, which had been tightly clenched under the blanket, relaxed slowly.

Hou Yunjiao comfortingly stroked her head, "I'll leave first. You rest for a while, and then you can wash up. No rush."

"Okay," Qin Ruan replied, her voice muffled.

Huo Yunjiao smiled softly, turned around, and left the room.

The soft sound of the door closing reverberated, and Qin Ruan's tense body completely relaxed.

The restlessness and anxiety that had overwhelmed her when she first woke up were now gone.

Only embarrassment and a slight sense of shame remained.

After some time, Qin Ruan pushed aside the covers and got up.

Her home wear that she had changed into before going to bed was already damp with sweat.

Leaving the warm covers, a faint chill struck her.

Her body trembled, and she hastened her steps towards the bathroom.

...

After Hou Yunjiao left the bedroom, the pressure that had been building up in his chest slowly dissipated.

He could tell that Qin Ruan was feeling shy.

He hoped she hadn't noticed his embarrassment.

Qin Ruan's attraction to him was too strong, making him exert great effort to restrain himself from doing anything inappropriate.

He was well aware of Doctor Chen's advice, but he found it impossible to comply.

Qin Ruan was not an ordinary pregnant woman; she had a larger belly, carrying twins.

He couldn't allow any accidents to happen.

Qin Ruan's dependence on him might not necessarily require following the doctor's orders.

Utilizing external help could also bring them closer.

Recalling the various intimacies they had shared before, Hou Yunjiao tugged at his collar, took a deep breath, and headed downstairs.

Downstairs.

Lin Hao was leaning against the display cabinet, playing with his phone casually.

The hall had hidden guards stationed in various corners, like statues, almost undetectable, along with the busy maids.

When Hou Yunjiao descended the stairs, Lin Hao immediately stood straight.

He approached, "Third Master."

Hou Yunjiao coldly assessed the man before him.

Lin Hao was tall and well-built, carefree and unrestrained, with firm and resolute features.

He still remembered when Lin Hao first arrived at the Hou family; he exuded a fierce and brutal aura.

The arrogance and wildness had diminished significantly after spending some time here.

With further refinement, he might become an asset to Qin Ruan.

The Third Master had been worried for Qin Ruan.

Back then, he left Lin Hao here to cultivate a trustworthy subordinate for Qin Ruan.

Rubbing his forehead, Hou Yunjiao asked wearily, "How is Hou Qiang?"

Lin Hao replied respectfully, "The wound was hurt again, but it's not a big problem."

"Make sure she stays put. No unnecessary movements recently. When her injuries have fully healed, she can come out again."

After Hou Yunjiao brushed past Lin Hao, his chilly and indifferent words clearly reached Lin Hao's ears.

Lin Hao nodded, "I'll tell her."

Watching the man walking ahead, Lin Hao couldn't help but wonder if it was his imagination.

The Third Young Master seemed a little off today, and a strange feeling lingered.

This familiar subtle feeling reminded Lin Hao of spring.

In this season of revival and reproduction, the air was filled with a strong scent of hormones.

The Third Young Master seemed like an unsuccessful suitor, exuding an aura of unsatisfied desire.

Unaware that he had been seen through, Hou Yunjiao sat on the sofa in the hall.

He glanced at the delicate ceramic jar placed on the table.

Pointing at the jar, he asked Lin Hao, who was not far away, "What is this?"

Lin Hao replied in a low voice, "Hou Qiang brought it back. I asked him, and he said it's filled with high-quality tea."

Hou Yunjiao recalled the task he had assigned to Hou Qiang.

He had asked him to invite Hou Family's Ninth Uncle over, using the excuse of inviting him to play chess and drink tea. Those elderly elders had no specific preferences, but they had a special fondness for tea and chess.

Hou Yunjiao's lips curved up with an emotionless arc, and he asked Lin Hao, "Where is Hou Qiang?"

Lin Hao answered, "He's wrapping things up in the small building."

Hou Yunjiao instructed in a deep voice, "Have someone call him back."

Lin Hao nodded and left.

After he left, Hou Yunjiao also summoned the kitchen staff.

He had them deliver dinner

to the bedroom upstairs, allowing Qin Ruan to eat there.

The young lady was too shy and had expended quite a bit of energy. She probably wouldn't come down today.

...

Qin Ruan finished washing up, and the servants had already placed dinner in her room.

The middle-aged maid in the bedroom saw Qin Ruan coming out of the bathroom.

She was wearing a loose bathrobe, revealing ambiguous red marks on her neck, evoking one's imagination.

The maid quickly withdrew her gaze and respectfully bent over, "Madam, the master said you're not feeling well tonight, so you'll have dinner upstairs."

"Okay..."

Qin Ruan blushed inexplicably.

Now that she was back to her senses, she recalled what the Hou Yunjiao had said earlier.

Was he really not teasing her?

They hadn't even done anything, and he didn't even want her to go downstairs.

If something did happen, would she even survive?

"Madam, please have your meal. I'll be at the door. Just call me when you're done," the maid said in a dutiful tone.

Qin Ruan wiped her half-dried hair and replied softly, "Sure."

The maid slightly bent over and retreated two steps before leaving the room.

Seeing the sumptuous dishes on the table, Qin Ruan's stomach started to protest.

The twins inside her belly also seemed to be active, conveying their discontent.

She hadn't even finished drying her hair, but she hurriedly sat at the table and began to eat heartily.

Halfway through the meal, the two little ones in her belly finally settled down.

Qin Ruan's peripheral vision caught a glimpse of her phone, placed on the bed, lighting up.

Her eating slowed down.