The family walked to the courtyard with trepidation, and Li Guangwen had already come over.

“Eldest son, where are the Jinlin Guards?” Old Madam Deng looked around.

Li Guangwen was soaked through and said huffily, “They left.”

“Son, tell Mother the truth—we haven’t committed any crimes, have we?”

“No, Mother, how could you think that? When have I ever caused trouble?” Li Guangwen felt extremely wronged.

“Then why did the Jinlin Guards follow you home?” Old Madam Deng asked as she walked back.

“Uh, here’s what happened. I hired a carriage to look for Zhaozhao—” At this point, Li Guangwen suddenly stopped, slapping his forehead in chagrin. “I encountered the Jinlin Guards acting arrogantly, and in a moment of righteous indignation, I argued with them. I forgot! I should go find Zhaozhao right now—”

Li Guangwen turned to run, but Old Madam Deng was quick and grabbed her eldest son’s ear, saying with a dark expression, “Zhaozhao has already returned! As for you, are you so idle that you have nothing better to do than argue with the Jinlin Guards?”

“I just couldn’t stand to watch—”

Ignoring her daughter-in-law and grandchildren watching, Old Madam Deng struck him while scolding: “Couldn’t stand to watch, couldn’t stand to watch! There are many things in this world that one can’t stand to watch. You went to fight with the Jinlin Guards—did all that rain get into your brain? I should beat you to death today, that would be proper!”

Li Guangwen fled with his head covered, unknowingly hiding behind Lady He.

Lady He was deeply moved.

At the crucial moment, Master still thought of her!

“Master, you should quickly return to Yahe Courtyard. I’ll shield you!”

“Thank you!” Li Guangwen clasped his hands and ran off.

Lady He spread her arms wide, blocking Old Madam Deng: “Old Madam, please calm down. Even the Jinlin Guards don’t bother with our Master—why are you angry with him?”

Old Madam Deng stopped and clenched her fists.

It wouldn’t look good if word got out that she beat her daughter-in-law. She endured it!

However—

“Strange, that scoundrel argued with the Jinlin Guards, yet they still escorted him home?” Old Madam Deng murmured.

Lady Liu on the side finally couldn’t hold back and said with a pale face: “Old Madam, perhaps the Jinlin Guards wanted to remember where we live for future reckoning?”

Old Madam Deng was greatly alarmed: “No, I must go find the eldest and ask him!”

Li Guangwen, who had run back to Yahe Courtyard, had just taken off his wet clothes and entered the bathing room when he heard someone report that the Old Madam had come. He was immediately dumbfounded: No way, Mother was angry today, actually chasing him to the bathing room! His dear mother was truly clever, knowing that this way he couldn’t run…

Li Guangwen sat naked in the bathtub, his face full of despair.

After reluctantly getting dressed and walking out, he indeed saw the old lady blocking the door, sitting there with hot tea, occasionally taking sips.

Hearing the door open, Old Madam Deng glanced up, placed the tea cup in the hands of head maid Qing Yun, and said sternly: “Qing Yun, bring a chair for the Master to sit!”

Qing Yun glanced at Li Guangwen and couldn’t help but blush, quickly lowering her head to fetch a chair.

Li Guangwen had changed into casual clothes, his hair hanging loose and dripping because it was still wet. He said awkwardly: “Mother, at least let me properly comb my hair.” Lady He was watching after all.

Li Guangwen quickly glanced at Lady He.

Lady He: “…” Master looks so handsome like this!

Old Madam Deng didn’t even lift her eyelids, saying indifferently: “What’s there to comb? With your reckless behavior, who knows when the whole family might lose their heads?”

“I wasn’t being reckless—” Li Guangwen sadly lowered his eyes, secretly clenching his fists, feeling somewhat hurt.

If the Jinlin Guards were just honestly serving as the emperor’s claws, that would be one thing. But the Jinlin Guard Commander Jiang Tang colluded with Chief Minister Lan Shan, causing harm to countless loyal ministers and generals. If this continued, the country would collapse, and then human lives would truly be worth less than ants.

Seeing her son seemed genuinely hurt, Old Madam Deng softened again and coughed: “Sit down.”

Qing Yun placed the chair down, not daring to raise her head, and retreated to Old Madam Deng’s side.

Li Guangwen had no choice but to sit down.

“Since you argued with the Jinlin Guards, why would they escort you home?”

Could it really be as the second daughter-in-law said—they came to scout the location first, then settle accounts later?

Mentioning this, Li Guangwen became somewhat indignant: “I was arguing with the Jinlin Guards when that hired driver drove the carriage away…”

Old Madam Deng felt bitter: Her scoundrel son wasn’t even as perceptive as a carriage driver!

“Without a carriage and with the rain falling, I got lost, then their leader ordered two men to escort me home.” Li Guangwen thought of that Jinlin Guard leader and couldn’t help frowning.

So the person his daughter knew was from the Jinlin Guards!

When children grew up, they worried about their parents. How could she carelessly make such friends!

“These Jinlin Guards can be kind-hearted sometimes?” Old Madam Deng pondered for a long time but couldn’t figure it out. Looking at her handsome but foolish son, she sighed.

Being parents truly meant endless worries!

After Old Madam Deng left, only Li Guangwen and Lady He remained. Lady He gathered courage and said: “Master, let me comb your hair for you.”

“Alright.”

Lady He was stunned.

After waiting a while, Li Guangwen frowned: “What’s wrong?”

Lady He secretly pinched her thigh hard and ran off quickly.

Li Guangwen was bewildered.

Moments later, Lady He came running back breathlessly, smiling radiantly as she held up a carved ivory comb: “Using this comb to style Master’s hair won’t hurt.”

Soft fingers grasped the damp hair. Li Guangwen felt somewhat awkward but ultimately didn’t dodge, saying indifferently: “Such fussiness! Let’s go see Zhaozhao together later.”

Li Jiǎo, hiding in the corner, clenched her fists tightly, her nails digging into her palms. Her beautiful, gentle eyes gradually filled with tears and resentment.

Had Father finally forgotten Mother?

So it seemed that no matter how good or solid feelings were, they couldn’t compare to the living.

“Big Sister.” A youth’s distinctively clear voice rang out, and Li Jiǎo turned around abruptly.

“Third Brother?”

“Big Sister, you’re crying?” Li Hui raised his hand to wipe Li Jiǎo’s tears.

Li Jiǎo turned her head away: “It wouldn’t look good if people saw.”

Li Hui bit his lip.

Why was Big Sister increasingly concerned with such superficial things? They were biological siblings—when his sister was sad, it was natural for her brother to comfort her. Did she need to fear others’ gossip?

“Alright, go back to your studies quickly. Don’t run around recklessly anymore. It was raining—don’t you know I would worry?”

“I was also worried about Father and—” Li Hui thought of Qiao Zhao but was too embarrassed to say it aloud.

Li Jiǎo’s heart sank.

Even her brother was starting to care about Li San?

“I can see that Hui’er is quite concerned about Third Sister.”

“Today’s rain was too heavy… Big Sister, I’m going back to my room to study!” Li Hui ran off with a red face.

Li Jiǎo glanced toward the West Side Courtyard and pressed her lips together.

Early the next morning, Qiao Zhao woke up with a hoarse voice: “A’Zhu, bring me a cup of water.”

A’Zhu turned to fetch water, served Qiao Zhao as she drank, then reported in a low voice: “Miss, this morning when I went to the kitchen, I inadvertently heard the kitchen staff discussing that among the travelers who shared your carriage yesterday, there were young men—”