Entering the Zhu residence and just reaching the second gate, Eldest Master Zhu Yuanmo and Third Master Zhu Yuanhao, having received the news, came out to greet them.

Zhu Yuanmo had no time to see what state his younger brother and sister had become. Staring at Yan Sanhe, he asked:

“Miss Yan, how could my mother just…”

“Second Master Zhu knows everything. He’ll tell you shortly.”

Yan Sanhe looked at the people behind her.

“We’re too dirty. We need to wash up simply and have some hot food. Give us half a shichen, then we’ll meet.”

Zhu Yuanmo wanted to ask more. Yan Sanhe took a deep breath. “Zhu Yuanmo, let us catch our breath. There’s much work ahead.”

“Brother!”

Zhu Yuanzhao was disheveled and haggard as a vegetable.

“We haven’t eaten in two days, just rushing, rushing, never resting.”

“Then… quickly prepare hot food and dishes, quickly…”

After speaking, Zhu Yuanmo quickly looked at Zhu Weixi, only to see her gaze eerily fixed on the distance.

In the distance.

At the end of the road stood a man in blue robes.

The man stood with hands behind his back, brows tightly furrowed—it was Xie Erli.

Xie Erli’s gaze met Zhu Weixi’s, and anger flared again.

The woman before him wore a bulky cotton jacket, hair disheveled, face deathly pale, her face so thin it was gaunt.

Told her not to go, but she insisted on going.

Now returning looking like a ghost—for whom?

His chest heaved several times before he turned and strode away.

Zhu Yuanmo feared his sister might overthink and quickly said: “Erli has been coming every day to watch over Mother these days. Weixi…”

“Brother.”

Zhu Weixi softly interrupted: “Everything can wait until after we’ve seen Mother off, all right?”

Zhu Yuanmo felt his chest begin to ache again.

Why did they all speak as if Mother was definitely going to die?

What exactly happened on this Mount Wutai trip?

Zhu Yuanmo grabbed Zhu Yuanzhao’s hand. “Come with me to the study.”

Seeing this, Zhu Yuanhao also hurried to follow.

“Third Master, please wait.”

Zhu Yuanhao quickly stopped. “Does Miss Yan have instructions?”

Yan Sanhe had seen Xie Erli and turned back. “Call Xie Erli into the study too. Let him listen as well.”

Zhu Yuanhao looked troubled. “This…”

Yan Sanhe: “You can’t hide it. He’ll find out sooner or later. Having him hear it from you might be better.”

Zhu Yuanhao looked at Yan Sanhe, then at Zhu Weixi, and stamped his foot. “Alright!”

“Zhu Weixi, you also go back to your room to wash up and eat something before going to see the Madam.”

A trace of compassion flashed in Yan Sanhe’s eyes.

On the return journey, even Young Master Pei had been jolted until he vomited. This woman, with her deathly pale face, huddled in a corner without a sound—just watching made one’s heart ache.

“Some things don’t need to be sorted out right now. There’ll be plenty of time to work through them slowly later. If you truly reach a dead end, Buyan and I are still here.”

Zhu Weixi looked up, her voice also very hoarse. “Yan Sanhe, you must have owed me in a past life.”

That’s why you’re so good to me in this life.

“Yes!”

Yan Sanhe smiled. “Seems I owed quite a lot.”

…

Xie Erli followed Zhu Yuanhao into the study.

“Erli, you’ve come at the right time.”

Zhu Yuanmo pointed to a seat nearby. “Sit down and listen together.”

Xie Erli’s anger hadn’t subsided. “Is it appropriate for me to listen?”

Zhu Yuanmo wasn’t very certain and looked at his second brother.

Zhu Yuanzhao knew this was Yan Sanhe’s idea and nodded. “Most appropriate. Just don’t be shocked later.”

Xie Erli was dismissive.

In this world, what could shock him more than his family’s old ancestor’s heart demon, the Ji family’s heart demon, or Tang Zhiwei’s heart demon?

After everyone sat down, Zhu Yuanzhao downed two cups of hot tea and recounted everything that had happened on the journey, leaving nothing out.

When the last word finished, the air in the study suddenly froze.

Zhu Yuanmo, Zhu Yuanhao, and Xie Erli’s faces all wore the same expression—

First shock, then disbelief, finally stunned speechlessness.

Not one person spoke.

They looked at each other, none daring to believe that the man with his kind, amiable smile could have such a vicious heart.

This, this was impossible!

Xie Erli’s expression held an additional, indescribable complexity.

Geng Songsheng was the Scholarly Star descended?

He’d had his fate altered, been driven step by step to cheat in the examination?

Am I truly not as good as him?

At this moment, Zhu Yuanhao suddenly jumped up from his chair.

“Second Brother, what once-in-three-centuries enlightened master—it can’t be believed, right? It’s all nonsense, right?”

“Third Brother.”

Zhu Yuanzhao kept his gaze lowered. “I asked this question repeatedly the entire journey. I’d also rather he was spouting nonsense, but Mother really is failing.”

“This, what if it’s just coincidence?”

Zhu Yuanhao’s eyes were full of panic.

“Father isn’t that kind of person. Father was so good to Mother. How could it be borrowing fortune? How could Father tamper with the Geng family’s ancestral home? What peach blossom well, what life-stealing nails—Elder Uncle and Fifth Uncle brought it on themselves.”

“Third Brother is right!”

Xie Erli walked before Zhu Yuanzhao. “Second Brother, I believe Father wouldn’t be that kind of person.”

Zhu Yuanzhao: “On what basis do you believe?”

“A son-in-law is half a son. Did he treat me like half a son?”

Xie Erli’s attitude was extremely firm. “He treated me like a son! He treated me this way—how could he scheme against his own bedfellow?”

These words weren’t exaggerated.

Hearts are made of flesh.

Whether one person is good to another can be seen in their words and actions—it can’t be faked.

Even if faked, how long can the pretense last?

One day, two days?

One year, two years?

He and Zhu Weixi had been married for years. Every time they returned to her family, Father-in-law showed concern and spoke from the heart.

To speak irreverently, sometimes his own father couldn’t compare.

It was precisely because of Father-in-law’s kindness that he came to the Zhu residence every few days.

Toward Lady Mao, it went without saying.

Every time Xie Erli saw the couple’s loving affection, going out and coming in together, he envied them from the bottom of his heart.

Could loving affection be faked too?

“Second Brother, speaking from your conscience—how has Father treated you over thirty years?”

Xie Erli looked serious. “He cherished you, loved you, protected you for thirty years. Can every little detail not compare to a few words from outsiders?”

“This…” Zhu Yuanzhao couldn’t answer. He could only lower his head further.

“Eldest Brother.”

Zhu Yuanhao rushed before Zhu Yuanmo. “Say something! Our father isn’t that kind of person. That old monk was spouting nonsense.”

Zhu Yuanmo slowly raised his head, his eyes bloodshot. “Third Brother, you must have heard about the Xing family’s matter.”

“So what if I heard? I only heard about it—who knows if it’s true or false?”

Zhu Yuanhao sneered repeatedly. “What ‘seeing people by day, seeing ghosts by night’—it’s all exaggeration. Where would such divine people exist?”

Zhu Yuanmo: “Third Brother, there are heavens beyond heavens, people beyond people.”

“I don’t care about any heavens beyond heavens or people beyond people.”

Zhu Yuanhao slammed his fist on the small table, filled with righteous indignation.

“I only believe our father could never do such things. In my view, most likely that Geng Songsheng was trying to clear himself and colluded with the old monk to put on a show!”