Although a child’s two legs were short, he could run remarkably fast.

After the little one plunged into the crowd, he kept running in one direction and soon dashed out through the city gate.

Though there were fewer people outside the city, there were grass thickets and woods everywhere. The people from Prince Pingxi’s manor split into two groups to search separately.

“Madam Xie, what are we to do?” Second Miss Tan paced anxiously in circles. “If anything happens to the Young Lord, my life won’t be enough to compensate.”

“The Young Lord won’t come to harm,” Yun Chu said calmly. “Let’s hurry and search for him.”

She only appeared composed—in truth, she was very anxious inside. This was her fault. She shouldn’t have made Yu’er apologize right there on the street. She should have been more considerate of the child’s feelings…

Yun Chu had two maids following her, along with Yu Ke. Second Miss Tan also had a maid with her. The group of six dared not slack off, walking and calling out as they went.

After walking for roughly half a shichen, they moved farther and farther from the capital. Gradually, a lake appeared in their line of sight, with sunlight shimmering on its rippling surface.

Yun Chu immediately spotted the child sitting on a large rock by the lakeside.

Her heart leapt straight to her throat.

“It’s Yu’er!”

Joy flashed in Second Miss Tan’s eyes.

Yun Chu said softly, “Yu Ke, you’re fast on your feet. Quickly go notify the people from Prince Pingxi’s manor and have them come here to retrieve the Young Lord.”

Yu Ke nodded in acknowledgment and swiftly went to find Nanny Zheng’s group.

Yun Chu and Second Miss Tan slowly approached the lakeside.

Before they even drew near, Chu Hongyu, sitting on the rock, heard footsteps. He turned his head, his eyes red-rimmed as he looked at Yun Chu.

“Don’t come any closer!”

He stood up, positioning himself atop the large rock.

The wind was naturally strong by the lakeside. When it picked up, Yun Chu felt his figure swaying.

Second Miss Tan was so frightened that she gripped Yun Chu’s hand tightly.

“Young Lord, be good,” Yun Chu said while walking toward the lakeside. “Whatever you want to say, we can sit down and talk it over slowly, all right?”

“Yes, Yu’er,” Second Miss Tan spoke up. “I admit I pinched you. I’ll apologize to your royal father. Please come over first, won’t you? The lakeside is too dangerous.”

Chu Hongyu didn’t even glance at Second Miss Tan. His eyes stared fixedly at Yun Chu. “You saw with your own eyes that I falsely accused her. Does that mean you’ll never like me again?”

“How could that be?” A smile appeared on Yun Chu’s face. “I know you must have had your own reasons for doing that. Besides, knowing one’s mistakes and being able to correct them is the greatest virtue. You’ll always be that lovable Young Lord.”

Chu Hongyu pressed his lips tightly together. “But you’re calling me ‘Young Lord.'”

The title “Young Lord” was too distant. He preferred when she called him “Yu’er.”

Yun Chu had to change her address. “Yu’er, you’re always so obedient. How could I possibly not like you? Just stand still and don’t move. I’ll hold you and bring you down.”

Chu Hongyu lowered his eyes, tugging at his own clothing.

He felt that being like this made him unworthy of Mother’s affection.

He took a deep breath and looked at Second Miss Tan. “Miss Tan, I’m sorry. I shouldn’t have falsely accused you of pinching the back of my hand. It was my fault. Can you forgive me?”

Second Miss Tan was utterly astonished.

She had spent over a shichen with this Young Lord, and no matter what she said, he had kept a stern face throughout.

But now, with just a few light words from Madam Xie, the Young Lord had actively admitted his mistake and apologized to her.

She had originally thought the Young Lord was stubborn, willful, and ignorant. Now she realized—perhaps she simply didn’t know how to coax children at all?

“Yu’er, it’s all right,” Second Miss Tan said with a smile. “I was also at fault for forcing you to accept me. We have plenty of time ahead—we can take it slowly.”

Upon hearing this, Chu Hongyu, who had just calmed down, pressed his lips tightly together once again.

If Father King learned that he had falsely accused Miss Tan, being scolded would be a minor matter. He would surely feel he’d wronged Miss Tan and agree to marry her into the household.

What should he do? What exactly should he do? Why had he bungled this so badly?

He glanced at Yun Chu, wishing so much that he could openly call her “Mother.” That dream would probably never come true.

He unconsciously took a step backward.

Only a scream from Second Miss Tan was heard, followed immediately by a splash—Chu Hongyu had fallen into the lake without warning.

“Yu’er!”

Without a second thought, Yun Chu rushed over. She didn’t even have time to remove her shoes before jumping directly into the lake.

“Madam!”

Tingshuang was terrified and jumped in after her. Tingfeng couldn’t swim and hurriedly went to find a longer branch or bamboo pole.

The lake water wasn’t as cold in summer, but it was very deep.

Yun Chu was immensely grateful that when she was young, her mother had often taken her to play at the estate. She’d been mischievous and loved playing in the water. Fearing she might fall into a river and drown, Mother had someone teach her how to swim.

As soon as she jumped in, she saw Chu Hongyu continuously sinking.

The lake bottom was full of water weeds. As soon as the little one sank down, his ankles became entangled in the weeds, and he struggled desperately.

Yun Chu swam over quickly.

She first untangled the water weeds, then embraced his shoulders from behind and brought him upward.

Finally breaking the surface, once the little one could breathe again, he immediately found his strength and wrapped both his arms and legs around Yun Chu’s waist.

Yun Chu hadn’t been in water for many years. When he clung to her like this, she forgot how to use her limbs. Her body sank down, and she inadvertently swallowed a mouthful of water.

Chu Hongyu had no idea how much trouble his actions were causing Yun Chu.

He only knew he had to hold tight to the person before him, or else he would fall back into the water. That suffocating, stifling sensation was truly unbearable.

Yun Chu lost her sense of balance because of him and swallowed three or four mouthfuls of lake water in succession.

She heard Tingshuang’s voice in the distance. Tingshuang had learned to swim alongside her since childhood. With Tingshuang’s help, it should become much easier.

Just then, she felt a shadow fall over her head.

Before she could see what it was, her waist was suddenly embraced. Immediately after, she and Chu Hongyu were both brought out of the water together.

She instinctively held tight to the child clinging to her body. At the same time, she herself fell into a broad, solid chest.

She looked up and saw the profile of a man’s face—it was Prince Pingxi.

Her instinct was to struggle.

“Don’t move,” Chu Yi’s voice was extremely cold and deep. “Be careful not to fall back into the lake.”

She looked down and saw Chu Yi holding her while lightly tapping the lake surface. In almost the blink of an eye, they reached the shore.

A group of people gathered around them. Chu Yi turned, blocking the view of the guards beside him.

He lowered his eyes and saw the woman completely soaked, her thin summer garment outlining her graceful figure… He quickly averted his gaze, removed his outer robe, and draped it over Yun Chu.

Tingfeng, who had been holding a long branch ready to help, stood completely stunned. It wasn’t until Chu Yi landed on the shore holding Yun Chu that she suddenly snapped back to her senses.

She threw down the branch in her hands. While removing her outer garment, she ran swiftly toward Yun Chu, then squeezed into the space between Chu Yi and Yun Chu.

She yanked off the man’s robe from Yun Chu’s body, then with the fastest speed possible, covered Yun Chu’s head with her own garment.

Only after Yun Chu was wrapped up so tightly that she couldn’t see anything did Tingfeng breathe a sigh of relief. She then used the man’s garment to wrap up the equally soaked Chu Hongyu.

On the other side, with Second Miss Tan’s help, Tingshuang climbed out of the lake water, also completely drenched.

Second Miss Tan was helping Tingshuang over here, so naturally she hadn’t seen how Yun Chu had suddenly emerged from the water…

Yu Ke, who had just brought Nanny Zheng and the others, happened to see the dripping wet Tingshuang. Without a word, he removed his own garment and walked toward Tingshuang.