We were choosing makeup looks in the room. At first, I thought Xie Yuancheng had drawn them, but he didn't recognize them after we picked out several.

"I understand. This is the picture you got from someone else. I knew it. If you know these things, Lord Marquis is too omnipotent. I feel ashamed of myself and dare not sleep in the same room with you anymore."

"Really? Then after things are over in Linyang, I will apply makeup to Ying'er every day."

"You've already done my makeup so many times. If you do it again, I'll really be useless."

"That would be best. I even hope that Ying'er can become a useless person. That way, I can do things with a clear conscience and won't have to worry about you suddenly running away."

I looked at the two of us in the mirror: "We're a match made in heaven. You're such a capable person, how come you have no confidence at all? It always makes me feel ashamed."

"I want you to feel ashamed, so that I can firmly hold the number one position in your heart."

I was too lazy to waste words with him, so I leaned against the side and listened to Xie Yuancheng talk to me. Now that I think about it, this kind of life is not bad at all. I can always find new points of harmony.

"Ying'er, you're being so gentle right now, I can hardly believe it."

"It's not enough that people treat you well. You're so busy every day and under so much pressure. As the woman behind you, I need to learn how to be a virtuous woman."

Xie Yuancheng reached out and pinched my nose: "You'd better not try to be a virtuous woman. Staying in the mansion is better than anything else."

"Ugh~ I'm going to change my clothes, you can enjoy yourself." I have to go out again this afternoon. It's rare for Xie Yuancheng to let me go out, so I need to behave well so I can go out more often in the future.

While I was changing clothes, Meng Anshi came over to talk to Xie Yuancheng, and they were all gone when I came out. These people must have something on their minds, but they won't tell me.

"Let's go play with the kids instead." I hung up the clothes; it wasn't time for the little ones to take their afternoon nap yet.

As soon as I entered the courtyard, I saw Xizhi sitting on the small swing. I asked the nanny and the others, and they said that Su Ling and Yan'er had been taken away by Li Ruowei and would be back in a while.

"Mother~" Xi Zhi waved to me when he saw me. I went over and picked him up. The little devil looked so aggrieved. I asked Granny Su to come with me and we went for a walk in the courtyard.

Xi Zhi is curious about everything he sees. Looking at him, I can really see a reflection of his childhood self. He and Su Ling have definitely switched identities. I have to protect my son to prevent him from having too many romantic encounters in the future and becoming overwhelmed by choices.

"Hehe~" Xi Zhi could laugh happily just by touching the osmanthus flower, which was completely different from Yu'er's appearance.

Yu'er is a carbon copy of Xie Yuancheng; both of them are cunning and scheming. But Xizhi is most like me. I just hope he has half the intelligence of Xie Yuancheng. If he's like me, I'm worried he'll be bullied.

"Madam, you cannot go out." We were just taking a casual stroll, how did we end up at the door again? That's what the butler said to us every time he saw us.

"We didn't go out, we just brought Xizhi out for a walk, who knew we'd end up here."

Xi Zhi was very quick to respond, laughing heartily at the steward. His adorable appearance was so endearing that even Granny Su came to wipe his drool.

"Mother~" He pointed his little finger at the open door. I was in a dilemma. I could see the longing in his eyes. He wanted to take her out, but Lin Yang was indeed very busy right now.

“Madam, how about I have two guards follow him? The Marquis has instructed that the young master is allowed to go out if he wants to.”

"What?! I can't go out, but Xizhi can?"

"This is what the Marquis instructed. After all, the young master is a man and needs to go out and gain experience."

"It's amazing that he could come up with this idea. Xi Zhi can't even speak clearly, no wonder he can't go out."

Xi Zhi clutched my clothes tightly, her little mouth almost pouting, her big eyes brimming with tears. I told Su Mama and Bi Zhu to follow her, and we'd just walk around nearby, not going far.

"Haha~" He learned this trick from Yu'er. They both make a lot of noise but never actually do anything. He starts laughing wildly as soon as he steps out the door.

“My dear son, if you laugh again, your mother won’t take you out.”

"Mother~" Xi Zhi called out softly again, and I couldn't help but kiss his little face, then walked around the doorway.

It's still a bit far from the city center. Xi Zhi struggled to get down and walk, but I told him that if he got down, I wouldn't take him out anymore, and that's when he stopped getting down.

I was telling Granny Su that among the three children in the manor, Xizhi was the most well-behaved and the least troublesome.

"Hehe~" Someone chuckled. I felt cold even in broad daylight. I looked around but didn't see anyone.

"Madam, look ahead," Bizhu whispered in my ear, and I looked over.

He must be an official. He was in a carriage, and he was leading a child down; he was wearing official robes. It's been a long time since I've seen a daughter of a wealthy and powerful family; she seems quite well-mannered.

But besides Lu Fengjun, where else in Linyang could one find a high-ranking official? The prefect was a young man who wasn't even married yet. This man looked to be almost twenty-eight years old, and the child he was holding wasn't much older either, except that the flesh on his face sagged down to his neck, making it impossible to see his neck, and when he laughed, it was just a giggling sound.

I don't know if it was because she was too fat and her voice was being suppressed, or if her voice was just naturally like that, but Xi Zhi gripped my clothes tightly, her little hands even trembling slightly. I was about to carry her into the mansion when the chubby girl came running over. Granny Su was quick enough to block our way.

"Oh my, this child is so well-behaved! Whose child are you?" I'll have to give Granny Su extra chicken legs when we get back. She's been taking care of Xizhi for a long time, and she's quicker to react than I am.

"Waaah~ I want a little brother, I want a little brother." The chubby little girl started jumping up and down, and only then did I realize that her legs and feet were also very chubby. Her family had really spoiled her.

"Greetings, Lady Marquis." The man walked over; he had let go of a woman's hand earlier because he was helping her down.

"Who are you?" I originally wanted to go into the manor, but Xi Zhi was lying on my shoulder and wouldn't move. However, since they greeted me, I couldn't just walk away.

"I am the newly appointed Grand Tutor, and this is my wife, Madam Hua."

Jiang bowed to me, then came over and hugged the chubby little girl: "Please don't take offense, my daughter is just like this, her name is Tiantian."

These two were inexplicably confident. I asked the steward to come out and take them into the mansion. The chubby little girl named Tiantian insisted on playing with Xizhi, but Su Mama helped to stop her. She still insisted on going into the mansion.

"This is the newly arrived Grand Tutor. He married a very remarkable wife. She was originally the daughter of a disgraced official, but later she transformed into the wife of the Grand Tutor and gave birth to a daughter, which she flaunts everywhere."

Bizhu whispered to me, "I really have to admire them. Even the little maids know this, but that big jerk Xie Yuancheng didn't tell me."

"How did this Grand Tutor end up in Linyang?" I found him unfamiliar. Hua Shi was not afraid of power at all, which made her stand out.