Before the house was raided, the maidservant of the Prime Minister's residence absconded with t

The aroma of dinner still lingered in the main room. The bowls and chopsticks had just been cleared away, and the flickering candlelight cast several shadows on the wall, sometimes long and sometimes short.

Tao'er picked up her teacup, took a sip of chrysanthemum tea, put it down, twirled her fingertips around the rim of the cup twice, and then spoke.

She paused, her gaze unconsciously sliding from Dongkui's face to Achen, and her voice softened, "Everyone's here, I have something to tell you all."

"Once Young Master Chen's injuries have healed, he will come with us to the Chen family in Jiangnan."

After he said that, the main room fell silent for a moment.

Dongkui's teacup stopped in mid-air. She turned to look at Tao'er, her eyes full of doubt and confusion.

Tao'er had clearly said before that once Young Master Chen recovered from his injuries, he would separate from them.

Why did you suddenly change your mind?

She opened her mouth as if to ask, but out of the corner of her eye she saw Ah Chen sitting opposite her, his green robe making him look like a slender bamboo, his head bowed as he stroked his teacup, his expression indifferent, revealing nothing about him.

Dongkui swallowed back the words she was about to say, lowered her eyes, and thought to herself that she couldn't ask in front of others.

Well, since Sister Tao'er said so, then it must be something she has thought about carefully.

She has always been a person with her own ideas, and Dongkui believes that she must have her own reasons for making this decision.

But then again, this Young Master Chen is ultimately an outsider; we've only known each other for a few days.

You can know a person's face but not their heart; she needs to be more careful.

Dongkui secretly made up her mind: from now on, she would still have to sleep in the same room as Tao'er and Young Master Ayan, and she would have to protect them.

This young master Chen is indeed gentle and refined, and speaks politely and politely. But appearances can be deceiving; she has seen too many people who are kind on the surface but malicious behind the scenes.

As Peach Sister once said, "One should always be wary of others, but never have the heart to harm them," and she remembered those words well.

Xiao Yi and Qingfeng nodded in approval on the spot.

Xiao Yi leaned back in his chair, crossed his arms, and said, "Tao'er, it's good to have a man traveling with you. It's always good to have someone to look after you."

Anyway, Young Master Chen has nowhere to go right now.

Qingfeng chimed in, "Miss Tao'er, although Young Master Chen has forgotten the past, his character is impeccable after spending time with him these past few days."

He's accompanying you all to Jiangnan; he can look after you along the way.

But at that moment, Ayan's words shocked everyone!

Ayan jumped off the stool, clapped his hands, and his eyes shone like two stars. "Great!"

"If Brother Achen comes with us, he can marry Sister Tao'er and become my brother-in-law!"

The room was completely silent.

Tao'er's face flushed bright red instantly, burning from her ears all the way to her neck. She wished she could disappear into a crack in the ground right then and there.

This brat really says whatever comes to mind. How could he have such thoughts?

She hurriedly stood up, the chair scraping loudly on the floor, and she didn't know where to put her hands.

"Ayan! What nonsense are you spouting!" Her voice was urgent and flustered. She turned to look at Chen, her earlobes burning hot. "Young Master Chen, I'm so sorry. Ayan is young and ignorant, and spoke rudely..."

Please don't take it seriously, don't stoop to his level...

As she spoke, she wished she could cover Ayan's mouth.

But the little one was still standing there, looking up with an innocent face, completely unaware that he had said something he shouldn't have.

Ah Chen was only slightly taken aback, because he had already heard these words before, so he was not too surprised or shocked.

He then gently shook his head and smiled.

The candlelight illuminated his face, and his smile was faint, like the first rays of sunlight falling on the thin ice of early spring, gentle and not scorching.

"It's okay."

Ah Yan's words mean he likes me, and I'm actually... quite happy.

As soon as he said that, everyone in the room turned to look at him.

Tao'er's gaze was fixed on his face, Dongkui's eyes held a hint of scrutiny, Xiao Yi's brows furrowed almost imperceptibly, and even Qingfeng stopped turning the teacup in his hand.

When Ah Chen was simultaneously met with these four gazes, he seemed to realize that there was something wrong with what he had just said.

He cleared his throat, his smile fading, replaced by a more serious expression.

"Don't misunderstand, what I meant just now was..." He deliberately pronounced each word clearly, "Ayan likes me, and I like Ayan too, that's all."

The child is young, so what he says doesn't count. I won't think anything of it.

Ladies and gentlemen... please don't misunderstand, please don't misunderstand...

He spoke sincerely and frankly, but Xiao Yi still heard the brief pause and the clearing of his throat.

Xiao Yi didn't reply, but turned his gaze to A Yan and his face darkened.

"Ayan!" His voice wasn't loud, but it carried an undeniable sternness. "You can't say things like that again."

This is not good for your sister Tao'er; it tarnishes her reputation...

Then his gaze unconsciously swept over Tao'er's slightly flushed cheeks, and then glanced at A-Chen's upright figure before he finished the second half of his sentence: "...It's not good for Young Master Chen either."

Be more careful next time!

Ayan blinked and listened obediently, but Xiao Yi added another sentence.

"Young Master Chen is not suitable for your Sister Tao'er."

These words were spoken in a harsh and direct manner, almost like a command.

Before Tao'er could even speak, Ayan was already indignant.

This usually well-behaved and sensible child, for the first time ever, stiffened his little neck, pouted, and though his voice was still childish, each word was firmly spoken:

"Uncle Shi, why did you say it's inappropriate?"

He counted on his fingers, one by one, looking as serious as if he were reciting a text in school: "Brother Chen is handsome, has a good character, and is very knowledgeable. He is a perfect match for Sister Tao'er!"

If he becomes Sister Tao'er's husband in the future, he will definitely cherish and protect her.

I just want Sister Tao'er to have someone to protect and love her, why is that not allowed?

As Ayan spoke, his eyes reddened, making him look just like a wounded little rabbit.

The adults in the room were speechless for a moment when a five-year-old child asked them a question.

Xiao Yi's face darkened further, his jaw tightened slightly, and after a long while, he finally managed to squeeze out a sentence through gritted teeth: "If it's not suitable, it's not suitable."

He paused for a moment, as if looking for a pretext, and then said, "Young Master Chen has only lost his memory; he doesn't remember anything from before."

maybe……

He already has a wife at home.

There might even be a few concubines in the family...

"Are you suggesting that your sister Tao'er become someone's concubine?"

The moment those words were spoken, the air in the main room grew even heavier.

Ah Chen paused almost imperceptibly in the hand holding the teacup, but he said nothing, only lowered his eyes to look at the tea leaves floating in the cup.

He has amnesia. He doesn't know if he has a wife, or if his family has ever married. He truly remembers nothing...

When Ayan heard the words "has a wife," he finally fell silent.

He hung his head, his little face full of regret, and explained, "I didn't think that way..."

I just want to find a good husband for Sister Tao'er..."

Tao'er felt sorry for the child and was also annoyed that Xiao Yi had spoken so harshly, so she scolded him: "Why are you so fierce to Ayan?"

What do kids know? You take everything he says seriously, and you're just giving him that stern look?

He just felt sorry for me, he didn't have any bad intentions, why are you taking it so seriously?

Her tone also turned sour, but she was still protecting Ayan in her words.

Xiao Yi listened, his lips moved, but he ultimately said nothing more.

Ah Chen stepped in to smooth things over. He stood up, bowed slightly to Xiao Yi, and said calmly, "Young Master Shi, please don't take it to heart. Children speak without thinking, and I didn't take it seriously."

"Don't be so mean to Ayan."

Then Tao'er glared at Xiao Yi, and then pulled A Yan back into the house.

Xiao Yi said nothing and went straight back to his room with his head down.

The moment the door closed behind him, he leaned against the door and closed his eyes.

The moonlight outside the window was cold and clear, illuminating the quiet room.

He recalled the words A-Yan had listed on his fingers: "Handsome, virtuous, and learned..."

Every single one of them was flawless, yet each one felt like a needle piercing his heart.

He walked to the table, sat down, poured himself a cup of cold tea, and drank it all in one gulp.

The tea was cold, the coolness spreading from my throat all the way to my stomach.

But that inexplicable irritability just wouldn't subside.