Mu Jinzhi looked at him with vulnerable eyes: "So it's all my fault?"

How could Zhong Yunsheng bear to see her looking at him like that? So he pulled her into his arms and rested his chin on her forehead: "Jinzhi, don't look at me like that. We've been together for so long, don't you understand my heart?"

“If I wanted to marry someone else, why would I have brought you to the Zhong family today?” Zhong Yunsheng said, “I love you, and you are the only one I love! We are both people who have received modern education. I have seen such a bright and beautiful sun as you. How can you expect me to accept a woman who even has bound feet?”

"I feel disgusted just thinking about it."

He looked at Mu Jinzhi and said, "My father is a dictator, and I really have no way to refuse this marriage right now. Perhaps in the eyes of the world she is my wife, but in my heart there is only you."

Mu Jinzhi was finally coaxed by him, and she choked back tears as she wiped her red eyes: "So what are you going to do? She's already at your house."

Zhong Yunsheng and Mu Jinzhi had just found out an hour earlier that Bai Jingye had driven Bai Yan and her daughter to the Zhong family home, and they had a big argument about it.

“She’s the one my father wants to marry, not me,” Zhong Yunsheng said coldly.

“I don’t want her to be a puppet. If she wants to keep the Zhong family, then I’ll leave.” He grasped Mu Jinzhi’s hand: “Jinzhi, I’m going to run to you, to run to freedom.”

Mu Jinzhi finally broke into a smile through her tears: "Alright! Let's run towards freedom together."

...

At this moment, Bai Yan and Yuan Shi met Zhong Rentao in the backyard. He was in his early forties and considered a semi-martial artist, and he looked very energetic.

“My dear niece, I remember your family sent a letter saying you should have arrived here last winter. Why has it been delayed for so long?” Zhong Rentao asked, feigning concern.

Bai Yan lowered her eyes and remained silent, while Bai Jingye, standing beside her, spoke with a heavy heart: "Last year, my family suffered a sudden tragedy, and my elder brother and sister-in-law passed away. Yan'er was very close to them, and the shock caused her to fall ill, which is why we were delayed."

Upon hearing this news, Zhong Rentao expressed his concern for Bai Yan for a couple of minutes before saying:

"Now that you're home, don't dwell on those sad things from the past."

“Your father and I have a life-or-death bond, so you are no different from my own daughter.” Zhong Rentao added, “You’ve just arrived, so go and get some rest today.”

He called out again, "Ayu, take Mrs. Yuan and Miss Yan to the backyard to rest."

"Take good care of them, and don't neglect them!" Zhong Rentao instructed.

The woman called Ayu chuckled softly. She was wearing a cheongsam, and her figure was exceptionally graceful. "Don't worry, sir." She turned around and smiled at Madam Yuan. "Sister-in-law Yuan, please come with me."

Only Bai Jingye and Zhong Rentao remained in the living room. After finding out where Bai Jingye worked, Zhong Rentao smiled and said, "We're all family. I know about your newspaper. You're quite talented; you should be able to get an editor-in-chief position by now."

Bai Jingye thanked him profusely before bowing and leaving.

Zhong Rentao dismissed the man and then asked the first wife, who was standing nearby, "Where is Yunsheng? His fiancée came today, why hasn't he gone home yet?"

The first wife lowered her head and said, "I've already sent someone to urge them."

Meanwhile, Yuan Shi and Bai Yan followed their concubine, A Yu, all the way to the backyard.

"Sister-in-law, how is this room?" Ayu pushed open a door.

As soon as the door opened, a whiff of sweet fragrance wafted out.

Yuan looked around the room and noticed that the room was decorated in bright colors, with pink organza bed curtains and a few loose dresses scattered in the open wardrobe.

"This clothing..." Madam Yuan was about to ask.

Ayu covered her mouth and chuckled softly, "Look at me, I really forgot. Jinzhi stayed here for a while, and the servants haven't cleaned the room yet."

Bai Yan looked up at her and asked, "Jinzhi? Miss Mu Jinzhi?"

"You know Jinzhi?" Ayu smiled, her eyes sparkling as she looked at her.

“She often appears in the newspapers; I’ve seen her once or twice,” Bai Yan said.

“That’s true. Jinzhi is such an outstanding person, it’s not surprising that you know her.” Ayu shook her head, then said regretfully, “We were classmates back then. Later, I married the old man. I thought she would marry Yunsheng, and we could live together, but unexpectedly…”

Ayu paused here, then sighed, "Life is truly unpredictable."

"In the end, Jinzhi is not as good as you, Yanmei. You have a good father who has arranged a good marriage for you."

It's like pointing your finger at Bai Yan and accusing her family of using their kindness to force the Zhong family into a marriage.

Bai Yan looked up at A Yu: "So that's how it is. You and Mu Jinzhi are good friends, so you came here today specifically to give me a hard time?"

She is Mu Jinzhi's friend in the story. She believes that the original owner stole Mu Jinzhi's marriage, so she targets the original owner in every way.

The original owner's biological father sacrificed his life, but failed to earn his daughter the respect she deserved in the Zhong family.

But instead, it became a source of insults and abuse from others.

Ayu didn't expect her to be so direct, and was just about to say something.

Madam Yuan's expression changed immediately, and she raised her hand to slap Ayu across the face: "I am your master's legitimate guest, how dare you, a concubine of more than ten wives, try to intimidate us?"

"What do you mean I, Yan'er, gave birth to a good father? Explain your statement to me!"

"You, you, you dare to hit me!" Ayu shouted angrily.

"So what if I hit you?" Yuan Shi had already become capable of running her restaurant on her own after six months of doing so. "It'll let you know that your Grandma Yuan isn't someone to be bullied!"

"Yan'er! Go find your Uncle Zhong! Since we're not welcome at home, my daughter and I will leave right now!" Madam Yuan chuckled, "But before we leave, I must go to my husband's old acquaintance in the west city and have a good cry!"

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