Trouble arises again

  Since that day when she returned from the Rui Wang's Bieyuan to admire flowers, those young masters of aristocratic families who were sent by matchmakers to ask for her hand in marriage had come several times, but they were all dismissed by her. She didn't expect that after such a long time, there would still be someone who remembered her. It was just like what her cunning and seductive aunt did, entrancing men so much that they lost their souls.

  What's even more hateful is that even Yuan Hua, who has not yet reached adulthood, has someone coming to her door asking for marriage, while her daughter Yuan Yi is ignored by everyone.

  Enormous anger and jealousy twisted Zhang's dignified face, and a crazy idea gradually emerged in her mind. She beckoned to Yun Qiniang to lean over and whisper, "Yun Qiniang, go find my brother..."

  Yun's face flashed a hint of surprise, but it was immediately covered up. She assured Zhang Shi: "Madam, please rest assured, I will definitely pass on the message." She bowed to Zhang Shi and hastily left.

  Zhang watched her leave, twirling the long fingernails of her index finger, silently sneering: Zhu Changren, let's see how you protect that cheap woman's daughter!

  Yuán Yì still didn't know that he had already been remembered by Zhang Shi, and at this time, the newcomer was shocked beyond words.

  She presented a cup of pre-rain Longjing tea and placed it in front of the man sitting upright at his desk, saying respectfully: "Father, please have some tea."

  Zhu Changren's gaze shifted from the book to Yuan Yi's face, his eyes flashing, but his expression was filled with kindness and a smile, saying: "It's been many days since we last met, and your calligraphy has improved significantly. The charm of it is almost indistinguishable from that of your aunt."

  Yuanyi suddenly let out a sigh of relief, having just seen him step into her courtyard with an angry face, startling her. Even offering tea had made her nervous, but now it seemed he must have been upset from somewhere else.

  "Daughters are far inferior to their mothers." Yuan Yi's face was filled with a hint of nostalgia and melancholy. Among the people she had met in her two lifetimes, the one she admired the most was Madame Pang, that elegant and refined woman who was also an exceptional calligrapher. It was said that she was once the daughter of an official who had been punished for his crimes, but was rescued by Zhu Changren, which led to her becoming a concubine.

  Zhu Changren's eyes dimmed slightly as he gazed at his daughter, who was increasingly resembling the late Madame Pang. He sighed inwardly, "You were still young back then, it's hard for you to remember." At the time of Madame Pang's passing, Yuan Yi was only five years old, and over the past decade, she had been living in this rear courtyard with her younger brother. If not for Zhu Changren frequently checking on them, he wouldn't know what kind of situation they would be in. Thinking of this, Zhu Changren felt even more pity and affection for her, stroking her head lovingly: "Yi'er, don't worry, Father will definitely find a good future for you."

  Her original intention was shocked by his sudden intimacy, and she stared at him blankly. When she saw the genuine affection and tenderness in his eyes, her heart felt extremely sour for some reason, and her eyes quietly turned red. With a childlike dependence that even she didn't understand, she called out, "Daddy."

  Zhu Changren sat for a while longer, admiring Yuan Yi's calligraphy and inquiring about her daily life, not getting up to leave until the time of lighting the lamps.

  After he left, Yuan Yi sat on the edge of the bed, staring at the sunset outside, and couldn't snap out of it for a long time. It wasn't until Jia Mei poked her head in and whispered a few words into her ear that a look of surprise gradually appeared on her face.

  "Was she beaten?" The red palm print on Zhang's face was impossible to cover up, and anyone with a little bit of insight could find out. It seemed that Zhu Changren was extremely angry this time, and didn't give her the respect due to the mistress of the house. Yuan Yi felt that things were not simple at this moment, and instructed Lan Mei: "Try to find out what it's about. Also, keep a closer eye on the main courtyard recently."