The Earl of Huai’an was a middle-aged man with proper, dignified features. When Chen Yi rushed in, he was in conversation with a steward.

“Father—” Chen Yi threw herself before the Earl of Huai’an, clutching his arm and bursting into tears.

The Earl of Huai’an glanced at the steward, who tactfully retreated to a corner.

“What’s wrong with Yi’er? Did someone mistreat you outside?”

Chen Yi clutched at the Earl of Huai’an’s sleeve, crying so hard she could barely catch her breath. “Yes, your daughter has suffered a tremendous injustice. I beg Father to make this right…”

Looking at the hand gripping his sleeve, the Earl of Huai’an felt both surprised and strangely moved.

His eldest daughter hadn’t been this close to him in a long time.

“Yi’er, don’t cry. Tell me clearly what happened.”

“Today your daughter went out and heard—” Chen Yi wiped her tears with a handkerchief, her expression both embarrassed and furious.

“Heard what?”

Chen Yi bit her lip. “Your daughter cannot bring herself to say it.”

The Earl of Huai’an smiled helplessly. “If Yi’er doesn’t explain clearly, how can Father make things right for you?”

Chen Yi’s face showed inner struggle before she gritted her teeth. “Your daughter heard people say that the Heir of the Marquis of Pingjia was carrying on inappropriately with the proprietor of Pinfang Studio!”

The Earl of Huai’an’s first reaction was disbelief. “Yi’er, where did you hear such gossip?”

Though he’d never heard of Pinfang Studio, the proprietors of such establishments were all men, weren’t they? Could it be the two of them had arranged to visit a brothel together?

“It’s not gossip!” Chen Yi’s face flushed bright red. “The two of them were carrying on right in the bookshop. Something went wrong inside, and they ran out into the street stark naked—everyone on the entire street saw…”

The Earl of Huai’an was shocked and furious. “Is this true?”

Chen Yi covered her face, sobbing. “If Father doesn’t believe me, just go ask around and you’ll know.”

“Chen Er, go out and inquire about this.”

The steward hiding in the corner hurried out.

Half a shichen later, the steward returned in haste, his expression extremely complicated.

“Well?” the Earl of Huai’an asked heavily.

The steward instinctively glanced at Chen Yi before saying carefully, “My lord, what the eldest miss said… is true.”

“That bastard!” The Earl of Huai’an slammed the table forcefully.

The teacup wobbled, its lid falling onto the table with a crisp sound that seemed particularly grating.

“Father, what should I do?” Chen Yi asked the Earl of Huai’an through her tears.

The Earl of Huai’an fell into silence.

Chen Yi’s face was deathly pale, her heart clenched tight.

Never before had she felt so deeply that her fate was controlled by her father.

She’d been too foolish before—because her father had married a second wife, she’d grown distant from him, and father and daughter rarely spent time together.

If she’d done as Ah Hao had taught her today—clutching her father’s sleeve and acting coquettish—wouldn’t she feel more confident now?

Chen Yi felt regret one moment and frustration the next, her thoughts rising and falling like a prisoner awaiting judgment.

“Yi’er—” The Earl of Huai’an looked at his daughter’s pale face, finding it difficult to speak. “If we were to break off the engagement with that bastard, would you be willing?”

Joy burst forth in Chen Yi’s eyes. “You really mean it?”

Seeing his daughter’s happiness, the Earl of Huai’an felt relieved, yet also bitter. “Of course Father wouldn’t want you to marry that bastard. It’s just that it wronged you—to break off an engagement right after it was arranged—”

“It’s better than your daughter marrying him and discovering his vileness afterward.”

His daughter’s understanding made the Earl of Huai’an feel even more guilty. “It’s all Father’s fault for not investigating thoroughly.”

Chen Yi lowered her eyes, her tone subdued. “It’s not Father’s fault. Such private matters would be difficult to discover even if one tried to investigate.”

“Yi’er, Father has wronged you.”

Chen Yi looked toward the Earl of Huai’an. That face full of self-reproach suddenly sparked a thought in her.

That thought was like a flame, burning in her heart.

She knew she had to say something to ease the pain in her heart.

If she didn’t seize this opportunity, she would surely regret it!

The young woman’s sorrowful voice rang out in the room. “It’s your daughter’s bad luck. When Mother said this was an excellent match, I happily agreed.”

The “Mother” in Chen Yi’s words was naturally not her deceased birth mother, but the Earl of Huai’an’s second wife, Liu Shi.

Hearing this, the steward standing invisibly in the corner looked deeply at Chen Yi.

The eldest miss had truly grown up.

The words “excellent match” were like several long thorns, piercing deep into the Earl of Huai’an’s heart, making them unbearably grating however he heard them.

“What excellent match—bullshit!” The Earl of Huai’an cursed, though considering his daughter’s presence, he ultimately didn’t say more.

Chen Yi smiled self-pityingly. “Mother did put in effort, even specially taking me to visit the Marquis of Pingjia’s estate to meet the heir once. Compared to those women who never see their husbands before marriage, I was already fortunate. It’s just that you can know a person’s face but not their heart…”

Hearing Chen Yi say this, the Earl of Huai’an suddenly remembered that his wife Liu Shi and the wife of the Marquis of Pingjia were cousins, and the two frequently visited each other.

Thinking of this, the Earl of Huai’an’s expression changed completely.

“Where is the madam?”

The steward replied, “The madam took the young master and second miss out to the street.”

Needless to say, they’d gone to see the zhuangyuan parade.

Ordinarily, the Earl of Huai’an wouldn’t think much of it, but at this moment, suspicion was already growing in his heart. Thinking of how the madam had taken her children out early while his eldest daughter went out alone, he immediately became greatly angered.

“Find them and bring them back!”

The steward quickly arranged for people to search the streets.

The Earl of Huai’an urged Chen Yi to return to her room. “Yi’er, go back to your quarters and rest.”

“Is Father going to discuss my broken engagement with Mother?”

The Earl of Huai’an nodded.

“When there’s a result, could Father send someone to inform your daughter?”

His daughter’s cautiousness made the Earl of Huai’an’s eyes sting. “I will. Yi’er, rest easy.”

Chen Yi curtsied and turned to leave, the corners of her lips lifting.

Heaven knew how much she wanted to stay and watch her father confront her stepmother, but she couldn’t.

If she stayed, some words Father wouldn’t be able to say in front of her, and he might even instinctively protect her stepmother’s image. Only if she wasn’t present could Father ask those suspicions without reservation.

Ah Hao was right—the path ahead depended on her own steps, and those thorns had to be cleared by her own hands.

Chen Yi straightened her back and walked out with composed steps.

This young woman who had lost her mother in childhood and grown increasingly distant from her father had, in this moment, been completely transformed. She had truly grown up.

When the wife of the Earl of Huai’an returned with her two children, the sky had already darkened.

After instructing the maids to take the children to wash up, the wife of the Earl of Huai’an entered the room. “My lord sent people to find me. What’s the matter?”

“Had enough fun?” the Earl of Huai’an asked coldly.

The wife of the Earl of Huai’an sensed something was wrong with his reaction and smiled in explanation. “We were out quite long, so I took Xiu’er and the others to Wuwei Studio for a quick meal.”

The Earl of Huai’an sneered. “Out for so long, and you didn’t hear any news?”

The wife of the Earl of Huai’an froze. “What news? My lord, what exactly has happened?”

“Everyone on the street saw the Heir of the Marquis of Pingjia fooling around stark naked with a man!” The Earl of Huai’an’s face was dark as water, greatly angered. “You really found an excellent match for Yi’er!”

The wife of the Earl of Huai’an’s whole body trembled, her face full of disbelief. “What is my lord saying?”

Had the matter of the Heir of the Marquis of Pingjia liking men been discovered?