Huo Jiwen regretted coming to pay his respects today.

He thought that as long as he paid his respects to his mother and then had lunch with her, and coaxed her a little, yesterday's incident would be forgotten.

Who knew his mother would keep staring at him?

Huo Jiwen did not want to leave the Duke's Mansion. Just as Ling Qiao said, if he really separated from the family, it would be difficult for him to come back and inherit the Duke's Mansion in the future.

Moreover, the Duke's mansion originally belonged to him, so why should he be the one to move out?

However, he dared not tell the truth in front of his own mother.

He forced a smile and said, "Mother, I was too impulsive yesterday, that's why I spoke without thinking."

"You only have one son, who will take care of you and be filial to you after I move out?"

Qingyou raised an eyebrow. "You're really filial. I was so angry with you guys yesterday that I still have a headache, and you didn't even bother to ask how I was doing."

Huo Jiwen choked; he had really forgotten about it.

He chuckled awkwardly, "I was just about to ask, but you spoke first."

Qingyou gave a sarcastic chuckle, making Huo Jiwen even more embarrassed.

He changed the subject, saying, "Mother, it's been a long time since your son has dined with you. Let's have lunch together today."

Qingyou scoffed, "So you know it's been a long time since you've had a meal with me!"

"Unsolicited kindness is always suspicious. I dare not let you, my dutiful son, keep me company. You should go and keep your little wife company."

Huo Jiwen: "..." His mother's words are getting more and more unpleasant.

He said with a helpless expression, "Mother, please stop teasing me. You are still the most important person in my heart."

He was prepared to listen to Lingqiao's advice and try to win back his mother's heart.

Qingyou looked at him with a half-smile and said, "So I'm the most important person in your heart! Then I don't like that vixen, so you can send her back to the Shi family today."

She knew exactly what the char siu bao was up to.

That's how the original owner of this body was coaxed by him and gradually handed over her power as the housekeeper.

Applying this approach to her now would be a waste of time.

She absolutely roasted him so badly he never wanted to come to this courtyard again.

Sure enough, Huo Jiwen's smile froze.

“Mother, Lingqiao and I consummated our marriage last night. If we send her back to the Shi family, we will be forcing her to her death.”

Qingyou sneered, "Since you've already consummated the marriage, you don't have to send him away. Just let him be your concubine."

"Given her lowly status and tarnished reputation, even being made a concubine would be an honor for her."

Huo Jiwen: "..." Is this matter insurmountable?

“Mother, I brought Lingqiao into our family with great pomp and circumstance. If she becomes a concubine, our Duke’s mansion will be ridiculed by outsiders.”

Qingyou said nonchalantly, "It's fine. Anyway, you two are already the biggest joke in the capital, so one more thing won't hurt."

Huo Jiwen: "..." It hurts so much, it's so disheartening, and it's so frustrating.

He really didn't want to stay any longer, so he made an excuse, "Mother, I suddenly remembered that the teacher asked me to go to the Imperial Academy."

"I'll come see you again tomorrow."

After saying that, he quickly slipped away, afraid of being scolded by his mother again.

Seeing the char siu bao leave dejectedly, Qingyou was in a good mood and ate two bowls of rice for lunch.

Huo Jiwen did not return to his courtyard, but went straight out of the mansion.

Instead of going to the Imperial Academy, he planned to invite a few scions of prominent families with whom he had a good relationship to have dinner.

To everyone's surprise, none of them came. When the servants went to look for them, they all made excuses, saying they had other things to do.

Huo Jiwen's mood worsened.

He ordered a jar of wine and drank it alone in the private room.

If only one or two people had something to do, that would be normal, but for all four of them to say they had something to do, he simply couldn't believe it was such a coincidence.

One person didn't say he had anything to do, but he had his servant tell him that his family wasn't planning to come out.

What does this mean?

Is it because he is not the heir of the Duke's mansion, or because his mother did not preside over his wedding, that they began to distance themselves from him?

The more Huo Jiwen thought about it, the more depressed he became; this kind of thing would never have happened before.

When he was still the heir apparent, these people not only came whenever he called, but also responded to his every command.

Just as I was drinking my wine in a depressed mood, there was a knock on the door of the private room.

The servant opened the door, and Huo Jiwen saw the Fourth Prince standing at the entrance.

He stood up, somewhat surprised. "Fourth cousin."

He and the fourth prince have always had a good relationship, so he directly calls him cousin.

The fourth prince said with a smile, "I came here to dine, and when I heard that you were here too, I came to see you."

He glanced around the private room and found that only Huo Jiwen was inside. He then said, "How about I join you at the same table? I'm also alone."

Actually, he had someone keeping an eye on the Duke's mansion, and when he noticed Huo Jiwen coming out to eat alone, he came over.

Huo Jiwen could tell that the Fourth Prince had something to say, so he nodded and said, "Alright, let's have a drink together."

The fourth prince entered the private room, and the two drank and chatted.

After chatting for a while, the Fourth Prince looked at Huo Jiwen and asked, "Aren't you newly married? But you look depressed. What's wrong?"

Huo Jiwen didn't mention that his friend wasn't coming. He sighed and said, "It's all because of my mother. She still doesn't accept my wife."

The fourth prince gave him a sympathetic look. "Auntie is indeed too stubborn. You've already married her and she still won't accept it."

“Not only did she not go out to entertain the guests after your wedding, but I also heard that she made hints to the ladies who came to visit.”

"So on your wedding day, many people didn't go in for the feast."

He came here today specifically to remind Huo Jiwen.

Huo Jiwen genuinely knew nothing about this. "What did my mother hint at to those ladies?"

The fourth prince looked at him in surprise, "You don't know?"

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