Lin Hao’s footsteps clearly slowed a beat. The hand that was wrapped moved slightly, instinctively wanting to pull free.

Qi Shuo walked forward with eyes looking straight ahead, but his hand tightened.

The hand that hadn’t managed to break free quieted down.

Lin Hao pressed her lips together. Her peripheral vision quickly swept over the person beside her, then drifted back to what lay ahead.

The alley entrance drew closer and closer.

Qi Shuo suddenly stopped.

Lin Hao’s eyes showed confusion: “What’s wrong?”

“Ah Hao—” In the hazy night, the young man who was clearly a head and a half taller than the young lady was obviously nervous, to the point that his voice was considerably more tense than usual.

Lin Hao raised her eyes, quietly waiting for him to continue.

A young child ran past the alley entrance, curiously glancing into the alley before laughing and running off again.

Qi Shuo forcefully clenched his fist—what he grasped were the young lady’s soft, slender fingers.

The words that had been circling in his heart came out without further hesitation: “Ah Hao, would it be all right if I asked a matchmaker to go to your home to propose marriage?”

Lin Hao froze. The hand being held couldn’t help but try to withdraw, yet was firmly gripped by that large hand.

She looked into his eyes and saw nothing but complete earnestness and anticipation.

Her heart suddenly softened. Without waiting to think it through clearly, she nodded: “All right.”

The corners of the young man’s mouth, who had been holding his breath waiting for an answer, lifted upward, and his mood instantly soared: “Then let’s hurry home.”

Lin Hao fell silent.

He made it sound as if they were returning to the same home.

“That Du Qing… where did your subordinates take him?”

At the alley entrance, both Du Qing and Qi Shuo’s guards had disappeared.

“He was taken back to the Prince’s Manor first.” Qi Shuo’s tone was calm, but his eyes were as deep as the night. “Ah Hao, how do you plan to deal with that person?”

Lin Hao knitted her brows: “I haven’t thought it through yet.”

Meeting Qi Shuo’s puzzled gaze, she rubbed her temples: “It’s such a headache.”

“He troubles you this much?” The young man’s eyes, steeped in night, held a smile, as if filled with scattered starlight.

Although he didn’t particularly like the topic currently being discussed, Ah Hao’s complaining manner inexplicably delighted him.

Lin Hao didn’t know what Qi Shuo was so happy about. Her scallion-green embroidered shoes casually kicked at a tuft of wild grass poking up from the ground: “In my previous life, I was able to escape from that place with Du Qing’s help. So now my feelings are quite conflicted—I don’t want him to come to harm, yet I also don’t want to see him cause trouble.”

Having stayed in that place for three years had instead made her increasingly certain that Emperor Pingle was not a qualified ruler.

If he seized back that position, it would be the nation and common people who would suffer.

“That’s also easy to handle. Just keep him locked up for now. That way he won’t come to harm and also can’t cause trouble.”

Lin Hao shook her head: “Du Qing surely has quite a few subordinates. If we keep him locked up in the Prince’s Manor, you’ll have no end of trouble in the future. Besides, if people learn in the future that Prince Jing’s Manor has been holding Emperor Pingle’s person long-term, it would be very easy for people to make an issue of it.”

Qi Shuo smiled: “You’re still the one who thinks things through thoroughly.”

“Then how should we handle it?”

Killing him wouldn’t sit well with her conscience, yet keeping him locked up made him a hot potato.

Qi Shuo remained completely relaxed: “Then let’s just change where he’s kept.”

“Keep him where?”

“How about the Jinlin Guard?”

Lin Hao’s expression was somewhat complicated.

His tone of consulting with her made it sound as if the Jinlin Guard belonged to him.

“Use some other pretext to keep him there for now. If those people really want to cause trouble, the Jinlin Guard can deal with it themselves. By the way, are there any other people you care about?”

“No more, only Master Mingxin and Du Qing.” Lin Hao couldn’t help but ask: “Do you have someone you’re close with in the Jinlin Guard?”

“I wouldn’t say close. The Jinlin Guard Commander Cheng Maoming owes me a favor.”

Having temporarily settled the arrangements regarding Du Qing, the two also walked out of the alley.

The myriad household lights brought the capital’s bustling and clamorous nightscape. Lin Hao couldn’t help but turn back to glance at the deep alley.

Just now in this alley, she had been hunted, recognized that person, and agreed to Prince Jing’s Heir’s marriage proposal—

Lin Hao blinked, feeling a sense of unreality.

Her hand was grasped again, and she felt the warmth from the other person.

“Ah Hao, let’s go home.”

Lin Hao’s eyes regained their clarity.

Qi Shuo secretly breathed a sigh of relief.

From Ah Hao’s expression just now, he had suspected she wanted to go back on her word!

Just then a figure rushed over like a whirlwind, accompanied by crying: “Miss!”

Lin Hao was knocked off balance by Baozhu’s impact.

Baozhu steadied Lin Hao’s shoulders and looked her up and down: “Miss, are you all right?”

“I’m fine.”

“That’s wonderful—you scared this servant to death!” Baozhu’s eyes were crying red as she chokingly recounted what happened after she left. “This servant followed your instructions to find Prince Jing’s Heir. Halfway there, I ran into his servant Changning, who said Prince Jing’s Heir was in this area. Changning brought this servant back to search for a while, and we finally found you…”

Lin Hao shot Qi Shuo a glance.

Qi Shuo gave a slight nod to the servant following behind Baozhu.

Changning, having received his master’s approval, immediately beamed with joy.

He knew he couldn’t go wrong doing this.

That narrow, long alley was so suitable for the Heir to express his feelings. If he was lucky enough, he might even win the beauty’s heart—they couldn’t let this little maid ruin things.

Having finished speaking, Baozhu’s lashes hung with teardrops as she smiled at Changning: “Thank you.”

“No need to thank me. As servants, when our masters are in trouble, we’re naturally anxious. I completely understand elder sister’s feelings.” Changning waved his hand.

“What about the startled horse?” Qi Shuo spoke up to ask.

Changning hurriedly said: “It’s already been brought under control. There was a sharp stone fragment embedded in the horse’s rump—who knows which wicked devil did that!”

Lin Hao and Qi Shuo exchanged glances, both understanding in their hearts that it was chaos created by Du Qing to track her down.

“Was anyone injured?” Lin Hao asked.

“No one was injured, just a young lady who was frightened. We’ve already paid money to placate her.”

Only then did Lin Hao truly set her mind at ease.

An out-of-control startled horse that truly caused a fatality wouldn’t be something that could be settled with money.

Perhaps if enough silver was paid, it could placate the victim’s family, but one’s own conscience couldn’t be placated.

This outcome was already fortunate.

Lin Hao thought this as she turned her eyes toward Qi Shuo.

Her thoughts that had been somewhat floating from agreeing to his marriage proposal so quickly settled down.

Encountering him today was even more her good fortune.

In her previous life with its tragic fate, she had never forgotten the stranger who died together with her, and this person happened to be Prince Jing’s Heir, who had disturbed the lake of her heart in this life.

Thinking of a future completely different from her previous life, she was filled with anticipation.

“Let’s go home.” Lin Hao said to Qi Shuo with a smile.

Qi Shuo curved his lips: “All right.”

Changning looked at one, then looked at the other, and suddenly covered his mouth.

There was progress—the Heir and Second Miss Lin definitely had progress!

Baozhu glanced at him and asked with concern: “What’s wrong with you? Did you pull a muscle in your side?”

The corner of Changning’s mouth twitched.

He had said this girl was simple—who covers their mouth when they pull a muscle in their side?

The simple girl in Changning’s eyes didn’t forget to praise him when she returned to the General’s Manor: “Miss, the servant Changning who serves Prince Jing’s Heir is so much better than that previous one, Changshun. Every time Changshun saw us, it was like guarding against thieves, as if you would snatch away Prince Jing’s Heir. Bah, as if anyone would fancy their Heir.”

Lin Hao: “…”