“Brother Cheng, what are you talking about?” The woman curled up on the bench, covered with a small blanket, took hold of the man’s hand.

Zhang Zhicheng sat down beside the woman and took a deep breath.

“Lingling, your elder brother went into the mountain last night. Did you know that?”

“My elder brother went into the mountain to find you?” Jiang Lingling looked at the man, her crescent brows furrowing as she shook her head.

“I had no idea. What did he want with you?”

If he’d known what for, Zhang Zhicheng wouldn’t be so troubled.

His thick brows knit together as he asked in a deep voice, “Where is your elder brother right now? I need to see him.”

“Cough…” Jiang Lingling coughed again, covering her lips with a silk handkerchief.

“How would I know where he went? I haven’t seen him all morning.”

As Jiang Lingling’s hand came to rest on her own belly, the slight furrow between her brows smoothed away.

“Brother Cheng, today…” She bit her lip. “I went to see a physician, and the physician said…”

Jiang Lingling, looking visibly excited, clung to Zhang Zhicheng’s arm.

“Brother Cheng, do you know what the physician said? He said I…”

“Do you really not know where your brother went?” Zhang Zhicheng’s brow knit tightly.

“Brother Cheng, what are you trying to do?” Jiang Lingling looked as though she’d been startled, letting go of Zhang Zhicheng.

“You… cough… do you know, I’m already carrying your child, and yet you still raise your voice at me like this?”

“Brother Cheng, you don’t understand… boo hoo… Brother Cheng, you said you’d marry me. Are you trying to go back on your word?”

“What?” Zhang Zhicheng turned, gently grasping Jiang Lingling’s shoulders.

“Lingling, what are you saying? Your belly…”

He stared unblinkingly at Jiang Lingling’s belly.

“You’re carrying my flesh and blood?”

“Mm.” Jiang Lingling nodded, looking aggrieved. “It’s true, I’ve already seen the physician.”

“Brother Cheng, when do you plan to marry me into your household? Though the physician promised not to tell anyone, my belly will grow bigger sooner or later.”

“Brother Cheng, I don’t want to become a laughingstock. When will you marry me in?”

At Jiang Lingling’s pout, Zhang Zhicheng’s resolve softened.

“Lingling.” He held her by both shoulders. “There’s trouble at the breeding farm. Once things are sorted out, we’ll get married, all right?”

Zhang Zhicheng wasn’t a man of great accomplishment, but he wasn’t an irresponsible one either.

Although that night had been an accident, what came after had been of his own willing accord.

Having done these things to her, he had to take responsibility.

“Lingling, tell me, where did your brother go? I have an extremely urgent matter to discuss with him.”

Jiang Lingling pressed her lips together, tears falling unbidden.

“Brother Cheng, you don’t want to marry me, do you? You think I’m not a good girl, don’t you? I…”

“You’re the only man for me. It’s because I love you too much that I… that I… Brother Cheng, don’t you like me anymore?”

Jiang Lingling wept bitterly.

Zhang Zhicheng pulled her into his arms, gently stroking her back.

“Lingling, trust me, I will marry you.”

“But right now there’s truly a serious problem at the breeding farm, and these matters must be dealt with.”

“If it isn’t handled properly, our entire family could very well lose our heads.”

“If I lose my own life, how could I possibly give you happiness?”

Jiang Lingling raised her head from within the man’s embrace.

“Brother Cheng, what exactly is wrong at the breeding farm? Why do you need to find my brother? Does this have something to do with him?”

Zhang Zhicheng took a deep breath.

He truly hoped that none of this had anything to do with her brother.

“Last night, your brother said he was coming into the mountain to drink with me. We had a few cups in the tea pavilion behind the breeding farm.”

“But unexpectedly, I couldn’t hold my liquor and quickly passed out.”

Speaking of this, Zhang Zhicheng’s brow knit again.

When he woke up, Brother Jiang had also been beside him, asleep with his head down.

So, did this matter truly have something to do with him?

Zhang Zhicheng considered his own tolerance for alcohol quite good, yet every time he drank Jiang Hongsheng’s wine, he got drunk.

Jiang Hongsheng had told him that his wine was self-brewed, especially fragrant, but also especially intoxicating.

Still, being drunk wasn’t unpleasant—after all, a good sleep would fix it.

And so the two of them had now gotten drunk for the fifth time in that deserted mountain tea pavilion.

By an uncanny coincidence, something had gone wrong at the breeding farm on every single one of those five nights.

At first, everyone believed the trouble at the breeding farm was caused by wild beasts or monsters, and Zhang Zhicheng hadn’t thought much of it either.

But unexpectedly, today the newcomers had said it was man-made.

Every piece of evidence pointed strongly toward this possibility.

When he had gone out last night, he had happened to be seen by Master Bao’s people.

Now, everyone at the breeding farm was being questioned, and Zhang Zhicheng couldn’t help but be anxious.

More importantly, every single time something had gone wrong at the breeding farm, he had been out drinking with Jiang Hongsheng.

Last night, Zhang Zhicheng had slept for roughly four hours before waking up in the mountain tea pavilion.

The two of them had exchanged a few words, said their goodbyes, and each gone home.

So, did this whole affair have something to do with Jiang Hongsheng?

“Don’t the two of you get drunk together often?” Jiang Lingling blinked her pitiful eyes, looking at Zhang Zhicheng.

“You got drunk last night—and then what? What exactly happened?”

Zhang Zhicheng lowered his gaze, kissed the top of Jiang Lingling’s head, and shook his head. “It’s nothing much.”

“I just need to confirm something with your brother. Lingling, you needn’t trouble yourself over this.”

Zhang Zhicheng released Jiang Lingling and stood up.

“I’ll go look for your brother, and bring you dinner while I’m at it. What would you like to eat?”

“Brother Cheng, can’t you stay with me tonight?” Jiang Lingling asked, her voice thick with tears.

“These next couple of days, I’m afraid I can’t.” Zhang Zhicheng, now standing, pressed Jiang Lingling’s head against himself.

“In a few days, I’ll give you an answer, all right?”

He let go of Jiang Lingling and pulled a silver note from inside his robe.

“Keep this money for yourself, don’t be frugal with it. If it’s not convenient for you to go out, have Auntie Wu bring you food—eat whatever you like.”

“Brother Cheng.” Jiang Lingling bit her lip. “I don’t want anything—I just want you to stay.”

“Be good, Lingling! I’ll come find you the moment I have time, all right?”

Zhang Zhicheng comforted Jiang Lingling for a while before finally leaving.

The moment he mounted his horse, he rode off, leaving the small courtyard.

Jiang Lingling and Jiang Hongsheng had no parents; this was the home the two of them shared.

But Zhang Zhicheng knew that Jiang Hongsheng was usually not at home—there was another place where he spent even more time than at home.

Zhang Zhicheng left, winding his way back to the bustling main street, and finally stopped before a gambling den crowded with people coming and going.

“Young Master Zhang, you’ve come.” A young attendant, spotting Zhang Zhicheng, hurried out to greet him.

“Has Jiang Hongsheng arrived?” Zhang Zhicheng dismounted.

“Master Jiang has arrived, just recently.” The attendant went over to lead Zhang Zhicheng’s horse away.

“Young Master Zhang, please come in.”