Xie Zhan couldn't stay in his daughter's room any longer, so he spoke with Zhao Wan for a while before leaving.

As Xie Zhan walked out of the main house's courtyard and was about to cross the back garden, he bumped into Xie Yaoyao, who was standing in the corner. Upon seeing Xie Zhan, Xie Yaoyao immediately became uncomfortable. She stepped forward respectfully and said, "Hello, Third Uncle."

Seeing her neat and tidy attire, Xie Zhan already knew what she wanted to do. He smiled and said, "If Er Ya wants to go out, why not go out through the main gate?"

"I..." Xie Yaoyao knew she couldn't hide it from Xie Zhan, so she told the truth, "Grandmother and Father have both given orders that I am not allowed to go out at will."

"Where is that second girl going?"

"I...I'm just bored staying at home and want to go out for a walk."

Xie Zhan's smiling eyes seemed to have the ability to see through people's hearts. "Just going out for a walk? Don't you want to meet anyone along the way?"

Xie Yaoyao was shocked and quickly lowered her head without saying a word. Luo Yuanzhi hadn't come to see her for a long time, and she was worried, which was why she wanted to risk going out.

Xie Zhan smiled easily, "Yaoyao."

"Third...Third Uncle?" Xie Yaoyao looked up in a panic, feeling an inexplicable surge of pressure.

"I don't object to you pursuing what you like," Xie Zhan said with a smile. "There's just one thing: can you guarantee your success?"

"Third Uncle, I..." Xie Yaoyao didn't know whether Xie Zhan knew about her little secret with Luo Yuanzhi or not.

Xie Zhan had already turned and left. "Today, I'll pretend I didn't see you."

That's so strange...

Xie Yaoyao stared at Xie Zhan's disappearing figure, puzzled. She couldn't understand why, given her uncle's past behavior, he should have warned her that going out alone was dangerous. Why was he acting so recklessly now?

Xie Yaoyao was destined to never get an answer.

On the other side, Feng Guang, who had just woken up, opened her eyes and saw the old lady of the Xie family sitting in front of her bed. She was so frightened that she sat up immediately. "Grandma...did you want to see me?"

She cursed Xie Zhan in her heart several times. He promised to wake her up. She already guessed how she got back to the Xie residence from the carriage.

After a long pause, Grandma Xie said, "Your third uncle treats you very well?"

"Isn't Uncle... he's good to everyone?" She felt uneasy, wondering why the old lady would suddenly ask her this question.

"I heard you broke quite a few rules at the palace banquet?"

"It seems... there is some..."

The old lady asked again, "Didn't your third uncle ever say anything about punishing you?"

"Um...did they say what the penalty would be?"

The old lady was silent for a while, her weathered face revealing no emotion. After a moment, she stood up, turned around, and said, "Spend less time with your third uncle and learn more about things that are proper for girls."

It's less a sign of dissatisfaction and more a warning.

Feng Guang sat on the bed for a long time, feeling that the old lady was strange. It wasn't just the old lady; the whole Xie family was strange. Her father, Xie Chang, rarely returned to the Xie family. Xie Zhao and Tan Rou, the couple, had no feelings for each other and were only tied together for money. As for Xie Zhan... Xie Zhan used to always come back at a fixed time, even if he could only stay at the Xie family for half an hour before leaving.

There are too many factors that cause disharmony in the Xie family... but the Xie family is still the family that others envy.

Feng Guang thought for a long time but couldn't come up with an answer, so she gave up. She scratched her hair, glanced at the already dusky sky, and realized it was time for dinner, so she decided to get out of bed.

As soon as she opened the door, unexpectedly, the person standing at the door had already skillfully wrapped his arm around her waist. She pressed her body against his, and before she could even utter a sound of surprise, a white jade hairpin appeared before her eyes.

Xie Zhan lowered his head, and just a hair's breadth away from touching her skin, he chuckled softly and asked, "Do you like the scenery?"

What's going on here?!

Feng Guang looked bewildered. She felt that her third uncle's sudden, dramatic appearance seemed rather childish.

He then asked, "Don't you like the scenery?"

"No..." Startled, she looked at him and spoke in a voice as soft as a mosquito's buzz.

"If you don't like the scenery, how about I give myself to you?"