Chapter 42 is here again!

The morning sunlight, slightly dazzling, pierced through the window and fell on Tang Xiaoning's slightly furrowed brow.

The slight headache from the hangover felt like needles pricking my temples.

She rubbed her temples, sat up wrapped in the covers, and the memories of last night were as if veiled by a thin gauze, blurry and indistinct.

I only vaguely remember that I seemed to be talking to Minghua for a long time, and in the end... I think I even... fell asleep leaning on her warm shoulder?

Thinking of this, a surge of heat suddenly rose to my cheeks.

She quickly called out to Xiao Cui to come in and wash up.

"Miss, you're finally awake." Xiao Cui quickly prepared a warm towel and combed her long hair while smiling, her lips pursed.

"You really put Miss Li through a lot of trouble last night."

"You have no idea how soundly you slept next to Miss Li. It was Miss Li who carefully carried you back to your room and personally tucked you in."

Xiao Cui lowered her voice, her tone tinged with the excitement of sharing a secret:

"This servant noticed that Miss Li stood by your bedside for quite a while before leaving, and her eyes... tsk, so tender!"

Tang Xiaoning's heart melted with sweetness, and the corners of her mouth involuntarily turned up.

But on the surface, she feigned anger, giving Xiao Cui a light glare, her voice soft and sleepy: "Who...who told her not to stop me from drinking so much..."

This scolding lacked any real force; it sounded more like a coquettish complaint.

After washing up, the joy born from the hazy memories of last night and Li Minghua's gentle protection made her eager to find him.

I walked briskly through the corridor, but unexpectedly caught sight of Li Minghua under the old locust tree with its lush branches in the courtyard.

To Tang Xiaoning's surprise, Li Minghua wasn't practicing swordsmanship, reading quietly, or studying maps as usual; she was simply...

She just stood there quietly, tilting her head slightly upward to look at the treetops, her eyes seemingly vacant, as if... lost in thought?

This is absolutely unprecedented!

Tang Xiaoning's curiosity was instantly piqued to its peak.

Her heroine Minghua is always quick to seize every second and considers daydreaming a waste of time. What's wrong with her today?

Did you not sleep well last night?

Could it be related to me?

She held her breath, like a nimble kitten, and tiptoed behind Li Minghua. Then, she suddenly raised her hand and, with a mischievous glint in her eye, gently patted her back: "Minghua!"

"!" Li Minghua's body jolted almost imperceptibly, and he turned around quickly like a startled cheetah.

A flicker of panic, which had not been concealed, clearly crossed those eyes that were usually as calm as a still pool, as if the secret in their hearts had been suddenly exposed.

The panic lasted only a moment before being suppressed by a powerful will, restoring the usual calm and tranquility.

However, her gaze subconsciously avoided Tang Xiaoning's probing eyes, landing instead on the hand rubbing her temple, her voice trying to remain steady:

"Awake? Does your head still hurt?"

Although his tone was concerned, it carried a subtle hint of stiffness.

"I'm still a little dizzy, it's all because of that plum wine." Tang Xiaoning put down her hand that was rubbing her temples.

Those bright eyes were fixed on Li Minghua, full of inquisitive interest: "What were you daydreaming about just now? This isn't like you, Li Minghua."

She deliberately dragged out the tone, with a smile on her face.

“…I wasn’t daydreaming.” Li Minghua’s gaze drifted to the undulating rooftops in the distance, his voice flat, “I was just recalling the terrain around Qixia Ridge.”

This explanation is flawless, but it precisely exposes her abnormality. When did she need to "recall" the terrain while facing a big tree?

"Oh?" Tang Xiaoning's smile deepened, as if she had discovered a new and interesting toy.

She took a step forward, almost touching Li Minghua, tilting her head and stubbornly trying to catch her evasive gaze:

"So what's your idea? Tell me quickly!" Her tone was urging her on in a coquettish manner.

Li Minghua was forced to take a half step back, his handsome brows furrowing imperceptibly, and his tightly pursed lips revealing a hint of helplessness and embarrassment.

She paused for a moment before forcing out a few words: "...easy to defend but difficult to attack, we must proceed with caution."

It was as standardized as a military briefing.

This blatant attempt to cover up her lie almost made Tang Xiaoning burst out laughing; her wooden-hearted heroine's lying manner was just too adorable!

Just as she was about to press on and give the interrogation a good "interrogation", a series of hurried footsteps approached from afar.

Butler Fu rushed over, his old face full of anxiety and embarrassment, even forgetting to bow, and said urgently:

"Miss, Miss Li, something terrible has happened! Outside the manor... Miss Liu has come again! This time... this time she's brought her mother with her!"

The name "Liu Yiyi" was like cold water suddenly poured into a boiling oil pan, sizzling and instantly shattering the subtle beauty and tentative interest of the early morning.

Tang Xiaoning's smile froze and vanished instantly, her brows furrowed tightly, and her voice carried undisguised annoyance:

"What is she doing here again? Didn't we already make it very clear to her last time?"

Almost instinctively, she immediately turned to look at Li Minghua beside her.

Almost simultaneously, the gentle, or rather, embarrassed aura surrounding Li Minghua vanished instantly, as if he were enveloped in an invisible layer of ice.

Her face was ashen, the slight unease she had felt from Tang Xiaoning's teasing completely replaced by a chilling aura.

She didn't look at Tang Xiaoning; her sharp gaze pierced Uncle Fu. Her voice wasn't loud, but it carried an icy chill.

“Uncle Fu, tell her she is not welcome here. Ask her to leave immediately.”

Uncle Fu rubbed his hands, his face showing even more embarrassment, and his voice trembled slightly:

"This old servant...this old servant has already told you! I've almost worn my lips out!"

But... but this time she didn't come alone, her old mother came with her!

The old woman looked truly frail and sickly, leaning on a cane, panting heavily. She stood at the gate of our mansion, weeping and wailing...

They said if they couldn't see Miss Li and weren't allowed to take Miss Liu in, they and her mother would... they would kneel and die in front of our gate and refuse to leave!

Uncle Fu's voice was full of helplessness and anger: "This...this is clearly cheating!"

"Outrageous!" Tang Xiaoning stomped her foot angrily, her pretty face frosty. "This isn't repaying a debt of gratitude; it's clearly coercion! It's extorting money by exploiting someone's kindness and morality!"

Her chest heaved, clearly furious.

Li Minghua's eyes were as cold as ice-cold blades.

What she abhorred most in her life was this despicable behavior of coercing the weak and exploiting others' sympathy to achieve selfish ends.

This is even more despicable than a real enemy.

Anger burned silently in her chest, transforming into an even more ferocious aura.

"I'll handle it." Li Minghua's voice was cold and hard, carrying a murderous intent, as he took a step to walk out.

"Wait! I'll go with you!" Tang Xiaoning grabbed her arm without hesitation, her tone resolute. "I want to see with my own eyes what other shameless tricks they can pull!"

Her gaze was equally firm, filled with unwavering protection for Li Minghua.

The two quickly arrived at the gate of the mansion.

Sure enough, Liu Yiyi was supporting an old woman who was dressed in shabby clothes, had a sallow complexion, a hunched back, and was coughing incessantly while covering her mouth. They were standing a few steps away from the vermilion gate.

The moment the old woman saw Li Minghua emerge, her cloudy eyes lit up. She broke free from Liu Yiyi's grasp, and trembling, she made a move to kneel on the cold ground, wailing in a tearful voice:

"Heroine! My benefactor! You've finally come out! Please, have mercy!"

Old woman, I...I'm dying, I beg you to have mercy and take my daughter with you!

She was young and naive, but she was truly devoted to you and deeply grateful for your life-saving grace!

If I could have her serving you tea and water, this old woman... even if I closed my eyes right now, I could... die with a smile on my face..."

The old woman wept bitterly, her withered fingers trembling as she pointed to the sky. Her tragic and desperate performance surpassed even Liu Yiyi's, clearly indicating that it had been meticulously rehearsed.

Liu Yiyi immediately followed suit, lowering her head, covering her face with her sleeve, her shoulders trembling slightly, and letting out a low sob.

She raised her tearful eyes and looked at Li Minghua with a sorrowful expression. Her eyes silently conveyed an accusation and moral blackmail: "My mother is so sick that she is begging you, and you still won't agree?"

Tang Xiaoning was furious, a surge of anger rising in her chest. She was about to step forward and sternly rebuke the shameless mother and daughter for their hypocritical pretense—

A cool yet strong hand suddenly grasped her wrist, gently pulling her firmly behind him.

Li Minghua stepped forward, his figure as upright as a pine tree, completely obscuring Tang Xiaoning.

She didn't reach out to help the old woman who was about to kneel, and she didn't even spare Liu Yiyi a glance.

Her gaze calmly fell on a point in the empty space in front of her, as if there were only air in front of her.

But beneath that calm lay a chilling power; the voice, though soft, pierced clearly through the old woman's wails, reaching the ears of everyone present, carrying a sense of resolute judgment.

"Old man." The address was devoid of any warmth. "If you truly need money for medicine and extended medical treatment, I can provide immediate assistance."

If your daughter Liu Yiyi encounters difficulties in making a living, I can recommend her for work elsewhere, considering that I helped her once before, so she can support herself.

Her words were clear and logical, reducing the other party's "demands" to practical problems that could be solved with money and favors, stripping away any emotional baggage.

Then, her tone abruptly shifted, becoming sharp and resolute, like a drawn sword:

“But—there is absolutely no possibility of him staying by my side.” Each word was firm and resounding. “This is not a request, but an announcement.”

She paused slightly, her gaze finally sweeping over the old woman who had frozen in place for a moment and the pale-faced Liu Yiyi, her eyes icy cold, as if looking at inanimate objects:

"If you continue to make trouble over this matter, don't blame me for being ruthless."

The old woman's wailing stopped abruptly, as if her throat had been choked, leaving only a series of gasping sounds from her throat.

His cloudy old eyes widened in disbelief, clearly not expecting the other party to be so unyielding, refusing to listen to reason or pressure, leaving no room for negotiation whatsoever.

Liu Yiyi was struck dumb, her face drained of all color, turning ashen white.

She looked at Li Minghua's profile, which was as cold and hard as ancient ice, and at the indifference in his eyes that was devoid of warmth and even carried a hint of disgust.

For the first time, she truly felt despair.

It was a cold despair, a naked exposure to the sunlight after all calculations and pretenses had been ruthlessly torn apart.

Her carefully crafted sob story proved utterly ineffective against the opponent's absolute power and will.

After Li Minghua finished speaking, he didn't linger for a moment.

She didn't even glance at the mother and daughter who were frozen in place again. She turned around and took Tang Xiaoning's wrist again with remarkable ease.

Her voice was calm and steady as she ordered the gatekeeper beside her, "Close the gate. If anyone comes to bother us again about this matter, no matter what excuse they use, do not report to the authorities."

"Yes!" the gatekeeper replied loudly, his expression solemn yet tinged with a sense of cathartic satisfaction.

The heavy vermilion gate slowly closed behind the two of them, making a dull and solid "bang," completely shutting out the carefully planned but utterly failed farce outside, as well as all the noise and unpleasantness.

In the shadow of the closed door, Li Minghua slightly loosened his grip on Tang Xiaoning's wrist, but did not immediately let go.