Luo Yang watched Li Shiyan’s panicked, fleeing appearance, feeling extremely puzzled. Combined with the bloodstains on Li Shiyan’s body and hands, he was even more baffled.

He really did think he had gotten up in the middle of the night to kill chickens!

Afterward, Luo Yang wandered around the enormous estate for a while. Without realizing it, he ended up at the entrance to Ji Yunshu’s courtyard. Lanterns were lit at the entrance, and the main gate wasn’t closed. He looked around and saw no one patrolling the area, so he quietly slipped inside, going around the entrance wall into the courtyard.

This was a square siheyuan courtyard with a total of eight rooms inside!

Some rooms had lights on, while others were already dark.

He stood in the courtyard wandering around a few times, wondering which room Ji Yunshu lived in. He wanted to call out, but worried about disturbing others. Plus, he had snuck in secretly and couldn’t afford to be caught.

So he looked around carefully!

Finally, he estimated his way to a room with its light on, thinking that Ji Yunshu always stayed up late and was probably inside.

Therefore, he called softly through the door crack: “Miss Ji?”

His voice suppressed.

The person inside heard the sound and rose to walk toward the door.

Asked: “Who is it?”

“Me!”

“Who are you?”

“Luo Yang!” As soon as Luo Yang said this, he regretted it. Why did the voice inside sound wrong?

Just as he was about to flee, the door had already opened.

Who stood inside? Certainly not Ji Yunshu!

It was clearly… Qiu Shu!

“Where did this filthy hooligan come from? How dare you peep at this young lady! Someone, come quickly!” Qiu Shu shrieked at the top of her lungs, shouting while also hitting him.

Luo Yang took several slaps to the face and several punches to the body. Fortunately the opponent was female—if it had been a man, he would have been beaten until he vomited blood.

Servants at the estate heard the commotion and rushed in carrying lanterns just in time to catch Luo Yang.

“Where did this little thief come from?”

Luo Yang: “I’m not a little thief, I’m…”

Before he could finish, Qiu Shu pointed at him: “If you’re not a little thief, what are you? Coming to my place in the middle of the night calling out, sneaking around at the door—clearly you had ulterior motives.”

“Bah!” Luo Yang looked her up and down a few times. “This young master’s standards aren’t so low. I could fancy anyone but you. Looking like that, I wouldn’t want you even if you gave yourself to me for free.”

“You…” Qiu Shu raised her palm and struck down.

Luo Yang adhered to the principle that gentlemen use words not fists, and he never hit women. But was the person before him even a woman? She was clearly an unreasonable lunatic. His fury blazed. He was about to break free from the servants restraining him to strike back violently, but four people held him down with absolutely no room to struggle.

At this time, the young ladies staying there had all been awakened by the commotion outside. They dressed properly and came out of their rooms to see the courtyard filled with estate servants and a handsome young man already restrained.

The young man’s face was red with clear five-finger marks—one could see how viciously Qiu Shu had struck!

Seeing a man break in during the middle of the night naturally made the young ladies vigilant. They all retreated a step back toward their doorways, watching from a distance.

Ji Yunshu also hurried out after hearing the commotion. At a glance she recognized Luo Yang among the crowd. Her eyes darkened and her lovely brow suddenly furrowed.

How could he be here?

“Let go of me! I must teach her a lesson!” Luo Yang looked at Qiu Shu burning with rage.

A servant said: “Confess honestly—where did you come from, you hairy thief?”

“What hairy thief? I’m a guest at your estate!”

A guest!

Hearing these two words, everyone exchanged glances, especially the servants whose faces all wrinkled up. After all, those invited to the estate were all people who couldn’t be offended—either official family sons or wealthy young masters. If they offended this person over this still-unclear matter, it obviously wouldn’t be worth it. But what if this person really was a thief—what then?

So the servant asked: “Which family’s young master are you?”

Luo Yang almost didn’t need to think. Raising his head very proudly, he said: “I’m from the Wen Family. Wen Che and Wen Yu are my elder brothers!”

The Wen Family was a famous house, descendants of military generals. Their position at court was self-evident. If this name was mentioned, countless people would tremble three times. But they had only heard the Wen Family had two brothers—where did a third brother come from?

Someone questioned: “You say you’re from the Wen Family, but the Wen Family only has two young masters. Who are you?”

“A cousin doesn’t count?!”

Count? Naturally it counted.

Luo Yang struggled with his arms again: “I was just at the banquet earlier. You turn around and forget me? Are your eyes growing on your buttocks?”

Uh!

These people weren’t servants who worked the banquet—they were specially assigned to night patrol, so they hadn’t seen him at all.

And Luo Yang spoke so earnestly, not seeming to lie.

Just as the several servants were hesitating, Qiu Shu pointed at Luo Yang and said: “I don’t care what relationship you have with the Wen Family. Just now you clearly called out with your ear pressed to my door, and answered me several times. I couldn’t have heard wrong, could I? I think you’re clearly a lecher. Otherwise you wouldn’t have run here in the middle of the night calling out randomly—you must have evil intentions! Looking at you, you’re not a good person either. You’re probably just using the Wen Family as a shield.”

“Bah! Let this young master tell you again—I have absolutely no interest in girls like you! I just came in to find someone. I merely went to the wrong door.”

“Find someone? Fine, then tell us who you came to find?”

“I…”

Before Luo Yang could speak, Ji Yunshu’s voice came from outside the crowd: “Young Master Luo, so it’s you!”

Hmm?

Everyone looked toward the sound. Ji Yunshu had already walked over. Although she wore a light veil over her face, her eyes carried a trace of warmth and a smile. Walking over, she said: “This is truly a huge misunderstanding. Actually, Young Master Luo came to find me.”

She called him Young Master Luo?

Luo Yang hadn’t heard wrong, had he?

A pair of surprised eyes stared at her.

The moment Qiu Shu saw Ji Yunshu, she remembered the white worm from before. Goosebumps covered her entire body. But the earlier incident made her unable to let this go. Looking at her with fierce eyes, she said: “So you know each other? Hmph! What a pair of scoundrels colluding together—nothing good can come from you.”

“Miss Qiu, I trouble you to watch your words. There’s more than just my ears here.”

“What? You want to threaten me? I’m the Empress’s younger sister—naturally I’m superior to all of you!”

Ji Yunshu said seriously: “Miss, listen carefully. This Young Master Luo is the cousin of General Wen and Lord Wen, while I am a guest of the Wen Manor. Naturally we are honored guests at this estate! Although your status is noble, it’s no different from ours. There is no hierarchy between us. You are not superior to others.”