Should do?

Luo Chen’s expression turned cold, the corners of his lips tightening even more.

What kind of nonsense was this!

What did he mean by “should do”? Had he already started treating Luo Sheng as one of his own?

Wei Han vaguely sensed the hostility emanating from the youth, but paid it no mind as he picked up another piece of osmanthus cake.

They said children of this age all had strange ideas—turned out Miss Luo’s younger brother was no exception.

Right, Miss Luo’s younger brother seemed to be thirteen years old now, precisely the age when Miss Luo had started keeping male favorites.

Male favorites…

Wei Han’s mind flashed through several faces like a revolving lantern—some delicate, some handsome, some charming.

He had to admit, Miss Luo had rather good taste.

Wei Han had finished the osmanthus cake in his hand. Still thinking about Miss Luo’s male favorites, he accidentally bit his finger.

This pain immediately pulled him back to his senses.

Wei Han put down his hand with a serious expression and picked up his teacup.

Luo Chen’s mouth twitched violently.

Don’t think he hadn’t seen that just because you’re acting serious!

To actually bite his own finger while eating osmanthus cake—this man was completely unreliable, utterly unsuitable to be a brother-in-law.

Staring at the diminishing pastries on the plate, the youth had a new thought: Perhaps the osmanthus cakes were just too delicious?

He reached out to pick up a piece of osmanthus cake and ate it.

The moment it entered his mouth, the youth’s eyes narrowed with satisfaction.

Inside and out, the Anguo Duke’s manor had been draped in white. The mourning hall was set up and began receiving condolences from relatives and friends.

“Relatives and friends” was just a figure of speech. For a family of the Anguo Duke’s manor’s status, imperial relatives and nobility, civil and military officials, and even minor officials would all send people to offer condolences. At the very least, they would dispatch someone to deliver funeral gifts.

The death of the Duchess of Anguo momentarily overshadowed the previous gossip, becoming the hotly discussed matter throughout the capital.

The Duchess of Anguo would lie in state for seven times seven—forty-nine days—before the funeral procession. Every day, countless people came to pay their respects. After several days, the Heir Apparent of Anguo and his wife, along with Zhu Erlang, who knelt beside the altar to accompany the rites, had all grown a circle thinner.

Wearing hemp mourning clothes, drinking thin porridge, kneeling until their knees swelled—all this was bearable. For Zhu Erlang, what was even more difficult was the torment in his heart.

That brownish color under Mother’s fingernails caused suspicions in the depths of his heart to grow wildly like weeds. What made him even more uneasy was that Second Sister had never appeared.

Second Sister wasn’t the type to collapse at the slightest breeze—how could she possibly be unable to attend Mother’s funeral?

Could Second Sister have also met with some mishap?

When darkness fell and there were no more guests coming to pay respects, the Heir Apparent of Anguo and the others rose shakily to their feet, finally able to rest slightly.

The mourning hall had servants dressed in mourning garments keeping watch through the night to ensure the eternal lamp stayed lit.

Zhu Erlang didn’t return to his room. Carefully avoiding the servants, he went to Zhu Hanshuang’s residence.

He had come once before, but was stopped at the courtyard gate by the matron guarding the door.

Zhu Erlang felt his money pouch and stepped forward to knock on the door.

The courtyard gate opened. When the matron saw it was Zhu Erlang, she groaned inwardly.

Why had Second Young Master come again!

The steward had instructed them previously not to let anyone see Second Miss, not even the two young masters and the Heir Apparent’s wife.

“Does Second Young Master need something?” The matron blocked the doorway, asking with a forced smile.

“I’ve come to see Second Sister.”

The matron managed a strained smile: “Second Young Master, please don’t make things difficult for this old servant. Not letting anyone disturb Second Miss was ordered by His Grace.”

Zhu Erlang removed the money pouch from his waist and stuffed it into the matron’s hand: “Nanny Zhang, please be accommodating. I’ll just look at Second Sister once, talk for a little while at most, then leave. I won’t cause any trouble.”

Holding the heavy pouch, the matron hesitated.

Just letting him go in to say a few words would bring benefits—such opportunities didn’t come often.

Seeing the matron’s reaction showed promise, Zhu Erlang quickly said: “Please be flexible, Nanny Zhang. My mother has passed away, and I still can’t see my sister—my heart isn’t at ease.”

The matron squeezed the bulging pouch and stepped aside: “Then Second Young Master, please be quick. Don’t stay long.”

Zhu Erlang nodded perfunctorily and quickly walked inside.

The matron swiftly closed the courtyard gate and opened the pouch for a look.

With this look, her eyes went wide.

Second Young Master was so generous—it was a whole pouch of gold ingots.

Naturally the matron wasn’t the only one guarding Zhu Hanshuang. Two other maids were keeping watch inside the room.

Seeing Zhu Erlang approaching, the two maids were startled and instinctively moved to block him.

Zhu Erlang used the same trick, stuffing gold hairpins into the two maids’ hands, finally getting to see Zhu Hanshuang.

The light in the room was not very bright. Zhu Hanshuang’s hair hung loose and disheveled. Wearing only a snow-white undergarment, she sat hugging her knees on the bed. At first glance, she resembled a female ghost.

Zhu Erlang stared in shock, unable to help crying out in alarm: “Second Sister, weren’t you sick? How did you become like this?”

Zhu Hanshuang slowly turned her head to look at Zhu Erlang. Her eyes lit up as she suddenly jumped off the bed: “Second Brother, you’ve finally come to see me!”

Probably from not moving for a long time, the moment her feet touched the ground she stumbled, her body pitching forward.

Zhu Erlang rushed forward in swift strides and caught her.

Getting closer and seeing clearly, Zhu Erlang was even more shocked.

After just a few days, Second Sister had become neither human nor ghost.

“Second Sister, what on earth happened?”

Zhu Hanshuang glanced at the doorway and lowered her voice to ask: “Second Brother, first tell me—what did Father say about me to outsiders?”

Zhu Erlang hesitated, then said: “What else could he say? He said after Mother died, you were so grief-stricken you fell ill.”

“I knew it would be like this…” Zhu Hanshuang said in a daze as tears fell.

Zhu Erlang examined Zhu Hanshuang carefully, growing more alarmed the more he looked: “Second Sister, can you tell me what actually happened? Why did Mother suddenly choke to death on dumplings, and why are you under house arrest?”

“Choked to death on dumplings?” Zhu Hanshuang was stunned, her expression twisting. “Second Brother, Mother didn’t choke to death on dumplings at all—she was accidentally killed by Father!”

“What?” Zhu Erlang’s expression changed drastically as he gripped Zhu Hanshuang’s wrist forcefully, asking in a low voice: “You’re not joking?”

Zhu Hanshuang laughed miserably: “How could I joke about such a thing? That day I angered Father and was being disciplined by him. Mother felt sorry for me and stepped forward to intervene. Father pushed her, and she fell—the shards from a broken vase pierced right into her throat…”

Zhu Erlang’s eyes nearly split with rage as he listened, his entire body going cold.

No wonder there was brownish color under Mother’s fingernails. No wonder Father and Big Brother blocked him from viewing Mother’s face. No wonder Second Sister was locked up and forbidden from seeing anyone…

So that was it!

“Second Brother, I’m so scared.” Zhu Hanshuang clutched Zhu Erlang’s sleeve, tears falling like rain. “Father has me locked up now, not letting me see anyone. Tell me, once Mother’s funeral is over, will he kill me to silence me?”

“He won’t!” Zhu Erlang instinctively denied it.

Even a vicious tiger won’t eat its cubs—how could Father kill Second Sister?

Looking at Zhu Hanshuang’s miserable appearance, Zhu Erlang wavered again.

“Second Brother, please save me. I want to live.”

“I—” Facing his sister’s plea, Zhu Erlang was at a loss.

A voice came from the doorway: “Second Young Master, it’s time to leave.”

Zhu Hanshuang was alarmed, her hand clutching Zhu Erlang’s sleeve tightening: “Second Brother—”

Zhu Erlang patted Zhu Hanshuang’s hand: “Second Sister, don’t panic. When I have a chance, I’ll come see you again.”

After the room quieted down again, Zhu Hanshuang pounded the bed with force and wept silently in anguish.