The temperamental white moonlight is back, and the entire Marquis's family obediently calls him

Wu Chenghao said with shame, "We haven't found him yet. I suspect he's hiding in the mountains. I've already asked my superiors to seal off the forest for a search."

"Ladies, please return to the city as soon as possible."

"I don't believe you." Zhou Ming'an said with a serious expression.

"I'm waiting for my family to come and pick me up."

The others huddled behind Zhou Ming'an and nodded in agreement.

Wu Chenghao asked in confusion, "Why don't you believe me, Miss? Have you forgotten me? I am the Marquis's trusted confidant..."

"A former confidant."

Zhou Ming'an's eyes were cold: "I think you are more sincere to Chu Yuan'er than you are to my father."

"Who knows if you were behind today's scheme?"

Wu Chenghao looked completely bewildered. What was all this about?

But after a moment's thought, he seemed to understand something.

Does Zhou Ming'an mean that today's events are related to Chu Yuan'er? And that he himself might be an accomplice?!

How is that possible!

Without hesitation, he spoke up to defend Chu Yuan'er: "Miss, have you misunderstood something, or heard something from someone? Miss Chu treats you like her own daughter. If she knew what happened today, she would be heartbroken. How could it be related to her?"

"Look."

Zhou Ming'an scoffed, "I only said one sentence, and you've already come up with so many excuses for her, calling it a misunderstanding?"

Zhou Ming'an was taken aback as soon as he finished speaking.

...Actually, it's not just Wu Chenghao; wasn't she like that before?

Previously, whenever her parents treated Chu Yuan'er badly, she would think that Chu Yuan'er had suffered a great injustice and would argue vehemently to "get justice" for Chu Yuan'er.

In her parents' eyes, she was probably much dumber than Wu Chenghao in front of her.

Wu Chenghao quickly shook his head: "Miss, I was just telling the truth. Miss Chu is kind-hearted and has been so good to you. Even if I didn't say it, you should know that."

Miss Lin behind her also sensed something was wrong and snorted, "I think you're just a womanizer who forgets his principles."

Wu Chenghao's expression changed: "Miss, please watch your words!"

"Watch your words? Did I say something wrong?"

"Let me ask you this: what does a soldier value most? And what does it mean for you, as Marquis Zhongjing's 'confidant'?"

Wu Chenghao: "As a soldier, naturally I must prioritize my country, my sovereign, and my commander in all things! I was once the Marquis's deputy, and even though the Marquis no longer values ​​me, I will still put the Marquis first in everything!"

"Ha," Miss Lin snorted coldly as she tilted her head towards him.

"I see you prioritize lust and selfishness above all else!"

"What Chu Yuan'er? Who is she? I've never even heard of her, yet you offended Marquis Zhongjing for her sake. Now you've publicly humiliated Marquis Zhongjing's daughter. I think it's right for Marquis Zhongjing to transfer you."

"Otherwise, keeping him around might make him the next guard to betray us!"

Wu Chenghao was both ashamed and angry, his face turning bright red with embarrassment: "Miss, how can a young lady like you say such things!"

Did I say something wrong? Or did I hit a nerve?

Miss Lin is usually very eloquent, and now she's speaking up for her good friend, so she's even more unforgiving once she's in the right.

Wu Chenghao's face turned red, then white, then black as he listened.

Until the Marquis's carriage finally arrived from afar.

Before the car had even come to a complete stop, someone jumped out.

"An'an!"

Lu Mingzhao rushed towards Zhou Ming'an and saw that she was covered in blood and her face was pale. He checked her over from head to toe: "Where...where are you hurt?"

Zhou Ming'an shook his head: "I'm not injured, this is someone else's blood."

Lu Mingzhao closed her eyes with a sigh of relief, pulled her into a tight embrace, patted her a few times, and murmured, "Next time we go out, I'll follow you no matter what, even if you hate me or resent me, I can't take this kind of fright again..."

Zhou Ming'an pressed against his mother's chest, listening to her heartbeat, which made her eyes sting.

"……Um."

She couldn't help but smile, and raised her arm to gently wrap her arms around her mother's back.

This was the first time she had responded to her mother's hug.

Lu Mingzhao also realized this, and froze, as if any movement would shatter this hard-won moment.

But Zhou Ming'an quickly lowered his arms, broke free from her embrace, and said with a somewhat unnatural expression, "Mother, let's go back."

Lu Mingzhao snapped out of his daze and nodded repeatedly, "Okay, let's go back."

She then looked at the young ladies beside her: "Girls, get in the car, I'll take you home."

The group got into the car and encountered their families who had come to pick them up on the way back to Beijing.

Before long, only three people remained in the car.

Lu Mingzhao looked at Cuilan, his eyes filled with coldness.

Cuilan dared not meet her gaze and kept her head down tightly.

In the dead silence, Zhou Ming'an suddenly spoke: "Mother, can I handle her?"

Lu Mingzhao was taken aback, then nodded.

"If you want to handle it, then it's up to you."

How could she refuse her daughter's rare request?

"Thank you, Mother."

Zhou Ming'an smiled at Lu, stopped the carriage, and then looked at Cuilan.

Cuilan looked at her, puzzled.

Zhou Ming'an: Aren't you leaving yet?

Cuilan was startled and asked in disbelief, "Does the young lady mean...?"

Zhou Ming'an looked away.

"Let's go, or we'll be too late."

"Your indenture was torn up long ago, so there's no need for you to return to the Liu residence. However, I won't give you any money; good luck to you."

Cuilan's breathing became rapid. She lifted the curtain, glanced back at her, and bit her lip, "Miss..."

Zhou Ming'an turned his head away.

"You're right, from now on... I'll think more about myself."

Cuilan forced a smile, which looked rather awkward, and got up to get off the carriage.

Before long, the carriage started moving again.

Only Lu Mingzhao and Zhou Mingan remained in the car.

"It's okay, I'll support you no matter what you do."

Lu Mingzhao noticed her daughter's unease and looked at her with gentle eyes.

Zhou Ming'an, who had once felt fearful and disconnected from all of this, suddenly realized this time that the feelings his mother had in mind were genuine.

She couldn't help but recall what her father and eldest brother had said.

Her mother has returned.

The maternal love she felt while in her mother's womb has now arrived belatedly.

Zhou Ming'an thought once again about the things he had said in the past.

If her mother had returned six months earlier, wouldn't her attitude towards her mother have been very hurtful?

Previously, because of Chu Yuan'er, she had many conflicts with her mother, and she thought that all the harm she suffered came from her mother.

She feared and resisted her mother, and could hardly hide her disgust whenever she saw her.

But her mother never blamed her for it. Her attitude towards her remained the same. She spoke to her gently and quietly kept a trump card for her in the amulet.

Zhou Ming'an could hardly imagine how his mother had coped with his resistance and disgust these past few days.

In an instant, she remembered the question Cuilan had asked her.

—Is it worth it?

she does not know.

But when she looked up, she was met with Lu Mingzhao's eyes full of love, and suddenly she felt that the answer wasn't so important anymore.