Lin Hao’s words immediately drew many gazes toward Qin Wenyuan.

Embarrassment flashed across Qin Wenyuan’s face. Before he could react, the sound of gasping arose.

Lin Hao covered her mouth, her bright eyes opened extremely wide: “Are you all close friends of the Heir of Marquis Pingjia?”

With these words, the several young men standing beside Qin Wenyuan instantly flashed to the side, their movements so quick it was hard to believe this was a group of scholars.

“Second Miss Lin!” Qin Wenyuan said word by word, wishing he could devour the young lady before him alive.

Delicate sobbing suddenly rang out, immediately attracting everyone’s attention.

Chen Yi’s face was pale, tears falling like pearls: “So that’s how it is. I wondered why, having never had any dealings with Young Master Qin, I still provoked Young Master Qin’s hostility. It turns out Young Master Qin and the Heir of Marquis Pingjia are close friends.”

The young lady’s voice couldn’t hide her panic, the three words “close friends” spoken with particular emphasis.

Qin Wenyuan was so angry he nearly fell backward, instinctively clenching his fists.

He had never encountered such thick-skinned and treacherous women—and there were two of them!

Seeing Qin Wenyuan had the intention to strike, Zhu Jiayu stepped forward to block Chen Yi, suppressing her fear to loudly ask: “Young Master Qin, are you going to beat us for the sake of the Heir of Marquis Pingjia?”

Qin Wenyuan was so angry his hand trembled.

Three!

“Young Master Qin, my friend is innocent. Even breaking off the betrothal was a decision made by the elders on both sides. How can you, for the sake of the Heir of Marquis Pingjia, redirect your anger toward someone who has already been harmed?” Tao Qing’s voice wasn’t as loud as Zhu Jiayu’s, gentle and soft with a few notes of persuasion.

Qin Wenyuan had the feeling he was about to vomit blood.

Four!

“Second Miss Lin, is this Young Master Qin causing you trouble because of the Heir of Marquis Pingjia?”

“How can he be like this?”

“It’s not strange—he has a close relationship with the Heir of Marquis Pingjia.”

“The Heir of Marquis Pingjia, you know—”

Before the distant lantern mountain, a dense crowd of young ladies chattered away, making it impossible to tell for a moment who was speaking.

A whole group!

Qin Wenyuan’s body swayed, nearly toppling over.

“Brother Qin, let’s leave quickly.” Someone pulled Qin Wenyuan.

From the two sides that had been at drawn swords just moments ago, in the blink of an eye only Top Scholar Yang Zhe remained on Qin Wenyuan’s side.

The three including Chen Yi let out long breaths, only now feeling the lingering fear.

Lin Hao walked before Yang Zhe and openly performed a curtsy: “Many thanks to Top Scholar Yang for speaking up to help just now.”

Yang Zhe smiled warmly: “I don’t deserve Second Miss Lin’s thanks. I merely spoke the truth.”

“Honesty itself is a precious quality. Still, I thank Top Scholar Yang.”

Perhaps because of the lantern light everywhere, Yang Zhe’s gaze appeared tender and lingering: “I should go.”

He paused, lowering his voice: “Second Miss Lin, please be careful.”

Lin Hao nodded.

Yang Zhe smiled slightly, turned, and walked into the sea of people.

That group of young ladies who had just spoken up walked over. Leading them was actually Young County Princess Qi Qiong.

“I wondered why I couldn’t get you to come out when I invited you. Turns out you were playing with Miss Chen and the others.” Qi Qiong smiled.

Before the Qixi Festival, Lin Hao had indeed received two invitations—one from Chen Yi, one from the Young County Princess.

“Chen Yi invited me first, otherwise I would have gone with the County Princess.” Lin Hao explained with a smile, then said solemnly: “Thank you, County Princess, and everyone for speaking up for justice just now.”

“Thank me for what? I’m even more surprised there’s actually someone taking revenge for the Heir of Marquis Pingjia.” Qi Qiong waved her hand.

When a person has a good impression of another, they find everything about that person pleasing to the eye.

Qi Qiong was just like this.

Because Lin Hao had saved her cousin Sun Xiuhua, she held gratitude in her heart. Seeing today how Lin Hao protected her friends, she admired her even more.

“Want to stroll together?” Qi Qiong extended an invitation to the four including Lin Hao.

Chen Yi actually had long since lost her interest in admiring lanterns, but seeing Lin Hao cast an inquiring gaze, she still nodded.

She couldn’t always be avoiding things while dragging her friends along.

Since Chen Yi didn’t refuse, the others naturally had no objections. Thus the two groups combined and began strolling among the flower lanterns.

“My eldest brother and second brother also came. I wonder if we’ll run into them later.” Young County Princess Qi Qiong’s voice was gradually scattered by the wind.

The lantern light was brilliant, the crowd flowed like weaving. The Qixi night streamed with sweet warmth.

By a lantern tree, two young men stood shoulder to shoulder, their features somewhat similar.

“Elder Brother, we just encountered Little Sister. Why didn’t you go over?” The young man who spoke was slightly younger, with a pair of phoenix eyes sparkling with flowing light. Even without smiling he seemed to be smiling, able to attract admiring glances with casual ease.

The young man was Second Young Master of Prince Jing’s household, Qi Huan. Beside him was his elder brother Qi Shuo.

Qi Shuo raised his eyebrows slightly upon hearing this: “If we went over, were you planning to stroll among the flower lanterns with a group of young ladies?”

“Better not.” Qi Huan hurriedly waved his hand.

There was nothing wrong with strolling among flower lanterns with a group of young ladies, but forget it if Little Sister was among that group.

“I didn’t expect Second Miss Lin to be so interesting.” Qi Huan gazed in the direction Lin Hao had departed and smiled lightly.

He suddenly felt the wind was a bit cool and couldn’t help looking up: “Is the weather about to change?”

“Perhaps.” Qi Shuo said indifferently.

Qi Huan helplessly twitched the corners of his mouth: “Elder Brother, this is the Qixi lantern festival. Can you not be so serious?”

Usually Elder Brother wasn’t this serious.

“Second Brother.”

“Mm?”

“I also think Second Miss Lin is interesting.” Having said this, Qi Shuo patted Qi Huan’s shoulder and strode forward.

Leaving Qi Huan unable to come back to his senses for quite a while.

Elder Brother… thinks Second Miss Lin is interesting?

Interesting?

Elder Brother is interested in Second Miss Lin!

Qi Huan had a sudden flash of inspiration and discovered the truth.

Now he had no mood for leisurely strolling and took off walking.

He needed to find Second Miss Lin—oh no, find Little Sister!

Second Young Master Qi’s fire of gossip burned fiercely, while Qin Wenyuan’s rage soared high.

“Brother Qin, are you all right?” The person who had pulled Qin Wenyuan away released his hand and examined Qin Wenyuan’s complexion.

The lantern light swayed. Qin Wenyuan’s iron-blue face appeared frightening. He squeezed two words from between his teeth: “I’m fine.”

“Let’s continue strolling among the flower lanterns.” The friend paused, unable to help advising: “Brother Qin, there’s no need to haggle with a few little girls.”

Besides this person, one other remained with Qin Wenyuan, who also followed up with advice: “That’s right. When little girls cry and throw tantrums, just laugh it off. If people grasp at shadows and spread wild rumors about us, that wouldn’t be good.”

“Grasp at shadows?” Qin Wenyuan’s complexion became even worse.

The two exchanged glances and said no more.

With Brother Qin’s intelligence, he couldn’t fail to think of those things.

Qin Wenyuan’s heart blazed with rage, but his face remained rational: “I know. Today I’ve truly spoiled everyone’s mood—I apologize. You all continue strolling. I’ll head back first.”

Parting from his friends, Qin Wenyuan threaded through the crowd, walking to where the lantern light grew sparse before stopping. Expressionlessly, he called out “Qingyan.”

“Young Master, your command.”

“Do you see those idle men?” Qin Wenyuan raised his chin toward a certain direction.

Qingyan glanced over and instinctively lowered his voice: “This humble one sees them.”

“Give each of them five taels of silver and have them find Second Miss Lin and Miss Chen to chat for a bit.”

Qingyan was shocked: “Young Master, this… will this work?”