Changshun’s face was full of worry. “Do you know what the Heir did today? He actually climbed the wall!”

“Climbed the wall?” Changning’s expression turned odd. “It couldn’t be the wall separating us from the General’s Manor, could it?”

“That’s exactly the one!” Changshun slapped his thigh. “Don’t you think the Heir has been led astray by Second Miss Lin?”

Changning nodded seriously. “He has indeed been led astray.”

“What should we do? The two households live so close together. As the saying goes, ‘One takes the behavior of one’s company—those near vermillion become red, those near ink become black.'”

“Changshun.” Changning patted Changshun’s shoulder. “There’s another saying: ‘Good medicine tastes bitter but benefits the illness; honest advice grates on the ear but benefits one’s conduct.'”

“You mean—”

Changning’s expression grew solemn. “We follow the Heir every day. Even if the Heir finds us annoying, we must counsel him more.”

“You’re right, that’s what I was thinking too.” Having gained his companion’s support, Changshun’s eyes lit up.

Changning smiled. “I’m relieved you think this way.”

The next day, as soon as Lin Hao went out, she encountered Qi Shuo.

“The Heir is also going out.” Faced with the youth’s smiling greeting, Lin Hao politely responded.

She had been running into the Heir of Prince Jing quite frequently lately.

“Actually, I was specifically waiting for Second Miss Lin.”

Lin Hao’s steps paused as surprise showed on her face. “Does the Heir have business with me?”

Qi Shuo pointed ahead to a teahouse. “If Second Miss Lin is available, let’s talk at the teahouse.”

Lin Hao pondered briefly, then nodded.

The two entered a private room in the teahouse. Across the curling tea fragrance, Lin Hao looked at Qi Shuo. “What matter does the Heir wish to discuss?”

“It’s still about Second Miss Lin being followed yesterday.”

“Oh?” Lin Hao gripped her celadon teacup, her face showing curiosity.

“That person likely only started targeting Second Miss Lin yesterday. If you want to identify him, it would be best to carefully analyze where you went and whom you met yesterday.”

Lin Hao furrowed her brow. “Yesterday… I was just casually strolling to relax. I had no particular destination and didn’t encounter anyone special.”

Qi Shuo lowered his gaze, his eyes falling on the celadon teacup.

The tea was crystal clear, the leaves floating up and down, just like his currently turbulent feelings.

It seemed he had been meddling unnecessarily.

When he brought up yesterday’s incident, Second Miss Lin only showed curiosity but no nervousness.

When a person is followed by a stranger, this shouldn’t be their reaction—unless they knew the follower’s identity and weren’t worried or afraid of being harmed by them.

Second Miss Lin spoke so dismissively about yesterday’s events, clearly unwilling for him to interfere.

Qi Shuo set down his teacup. “Second Miss Lin should still be careful. If you encounter trouble, you can come to me for help.”

“Thank you, Heir.” Seeing that Qi Shuo didn’t probe further, Lin Hao secretly breathed a sigh of relief.

An overly enthusiastic neighbor was also a troublesome matter.

“Then I won’t disturb Second Miss Lin any further.” Qi Shuo stood up.

Lin Hao hesitated a moment before speaking. “If the Heir encounters any trouble in the future, you can also come to me for help.”

Qi Shuo was first stunned, then nodded with a smile. “Then I thank Second Miss Lin in advance.”

After leaving the teahouse, to avoid True Master Mingxin entering the Heir of Prince Jing’s field of vision, Lin Hao dismissed the idea of going to the bridge and instead went to stroll on Changchun Street. On her way back, she brought home quite a few packages of things for her family members.

Whether they were practical was secondary—the key was they were all things women would like at first glance.

Life seemed to suddenly become easier. After more than ten days passed this way, the Old Madam heard some news and couldn’t help mentioning it in front of Lin Hao.

“The Heir of Pingjia Marquis has become engaged to the eldest young lady of Earl Huai’an’s Manor.”

“Earl Huai’an’s Manor?” Madam Lin’s brows furrowed. “I recall the current Madam of Earl Huai’an is a second wife, isn’t she? The eldest young lady of Earl Huai’an’s Manor was born to the previous wife.”

The Old Madam glanced at Lin Hao. “If it weren’t for Ah Hao discovering that the Heir of Pingjia Marquis was of poor character, hearing about this match I would have thought it excellent. I would have joined others in praising Madam of Earl Huai’an for being so attentive to her stepdaughter.”

Madam Lin couldn’t bear to hear such things now and said with a cold laugh, “Men truly aren’t any good. I still remember Earl Huai’an was famous for his deep affection for his previous wife.”

Some ladies had mentioned it in envious tones, and she had secretly felt indignant, believing her affection with Wen Rugui was no less than that of Earl Huai’an and his wife.

Looking at it now, it was all a joke.

The Old Madam was still relatively rational and said thoughtfully, “Earl Huai’an may not necessarily be aware. The Pingjia Marquis Manor is of high standing, and the Heir of Pingjia Marquis has never had any scandalous reputation spread about him. Anyone would consider this a good match.”

“So Madam of Earl Huai’an has also been kept in the dark?”

“That’s not necessarily the case.” The corner of the Old Madam’s mouth curved slightly in derision. “This second wife of Earl Huai’an is a distant cousin of Madam of Pingjia Marquis. It’s just that many people are unaware of this relationship.”

Years ago when the Old Madam of Pingjia Marquis was still alive, their relationship had been decent, which was how she knew of this matter.

That day when the Pingjia Marquis Manor came to propose marriage, she had been quite tempted, partly out of remembrance of old acquaintances.

Madam Lin drew in a sharp breath. “If that’s the case, then Madam of Earl Huai’an is too vicious!”

The Old Madam glanced at her daughter. “Children without their birth mother to protect them—how many can fare well?”

Madam Lin’s heart trembled.

When she had locked herself in her room, she had once harbored self-destructive thoughts.

At sixteen years old, with just one glance, she had set her heart on Wen Rugui. The twenty-plus years after marrying him as she wished, every single day had been filled with security and joy.

She had never doubted they would grow old together, yet unexpectedly she received a fatal blow from her pillow companion.

Her entire life had collapsed in that moment.

What had pulled her back from that collapse?

Madam Lin looked toward Lin Hao.

It was Ah Hao’s crying.

Tears welled up in Madam Lin’s eyes as she suddenly pulled Lin Hao into her embrace. “Ah Hao, it’s all thanks to you. Otherwise your elder sister would have jumped into a pit of fire.”

Lin Hao was suddenly embraced by her mother, her expression momentarily stiffening.

The Old Madam smiled and shook her head.

She had once thought Wanqing’s straightforward temperament was troublesome, but thinking about it now, it was actually a good thing—better than someone with a delicate nature who kept their grief buried inside.

After leaving the Old Madam’s place and returning to Luoying Residence, Lin Hao instructed Baozhu, “Bring me the invitation we received yesterday.”

Baozhu quickly retrieved a floral-patterned card from a drawer and presented it to Lin Hao.

The invitation was exquisite and elegant—it was from the young princess of Prince Jing’s Manor next door, Qi Qiong, who was hosting a birthday banquet.

Lin Hao originally hadn’t planned to attend.

The matter of Prince Jing’s Manor’s marriage proposal being declined had only recently passed. Her appearance before the Princess Consort of Prince Jing would be somewhat awkward.

But now, she had changed her mind.

At the young princess’s birthday banquet, the eldest young lady of Earl Huai’an’s Manor, Chen Yi, should attend.

At her grandmother’s place, her mother had said it was fortunate she was there to prevent her elder sister from jumping into a pit of fire. While she was happy for her elder sister, her heart felt somewhat heavy.

Her elder sister hadn’t jumped into this pit of fire, but now another young lady would have to jump into it.

And originally, Miss Chen would not have married the Heir of Pingjia Marquis.

She thought that merely helping her sister avoid the fate of marrying the wrong person wasn’t enough—the root cause that made women’s lives miserable was the Heir of Pingjia Marquis.

Resolving the root cause was the right path. Otherwise, it was merely diverting disaster elsewhere.

She would use the opportunity of the young princess’s birthday banquet to meet Miss Chen.