Ji Zhuo, carrying Lin Xihe, rode swiftly towards the Ji residence. Even from a distance, the Ji residence came into view as a charred ruin, the raging fire seemingly having swallowed up all its former glory.
Ji Zhuo's heart was instantly gripped by panic, as if an invisible hand was stirring it up.
Lin Xihe keenly noticed that Ji Zhuo's arms, which were wrapped around her, were trembling slightly, and that trembling seemed to travel straight through her fingertips into her heart.
Recalling Qin Mu's previous words, Lin Xihe couldn't help but feel a sense of fear.
She secretly worried that it might be because of her rash intervention that Ji Zhuo's family had fallen apart. If that were the case, how could she bear such a sin?
In a short while, they had arrived at the gate of the mansion.
Ji Zhuo leaped off his horse, his movements slightly clumsy, his legs almost giving way and he nearly stumbled and fell.
Seeing this, Lin Xihe quickly followed.
Stepping into the main hall, the scene before one's eyes was even more terrifying. Acrid black smoke filled the air between the broken walls and ruins, and servants, covered in dust, busily moved about in the ruins, trying to clean up the mess.
"Laifu," Ji Zhuo called out in a trembling voice.
The servant Laifu, who was cleaning, rushed forward and knelt down with a thud, his voice filled with fear: "Young master, the master accidentally set fire to the Ji residence while cooking. The fire was too fierce, and we servants were really powerless to help."
Just then, a figure suddenly emerged from behind the dark door and lightly kicked the kneeling servant: "You brat, how dare you tattle on me!"
Ji Zhuo desperately told himself not to overthink things until that familiar figure appeared clearly before him, and he felt as if he were a drowning man finally grasping at a straw.
He rushed forward and hugged his father tightly, his voice trembling with barely suppressed excitement: "Father!"
"What's wrong with you, kid? You've missed me this much after being gone for a few months?" Ji Wuzheng was a little taken aback by Ji Zhuo's sudden enthusiasm.
In his memory, his son had always been calm and reserved, so why was he showing his emotions like a little girl at this moment? This really surprised him.
"Father, where is Mother?" Ji Zhuo's voice still carried lingering tension and anxiety.
“A few days ago, your mother noticed that some people in the manor were acting suspiciously and sneaking around. She immediately took action and captured them. After some interrogation, she discovered that these people had ulterior motives. So your mother dealt with them all without hesitation.”
“As you know, I’ve never liked seeing scenes of fighting, killing, and bloodshed. Your mother thinks I’m a coward. To appease her, I tried to cook her a meal, but I accidentally set the house on fire. Now she’s furious and won’t even talk to me.”
As Ji Wuzheng spoke, he shrugged helplessly, his face full of a wry smile.
After hearing this explanation, Ji Zhuo finally relaxed completely and breathed a sigh of relief.
Lin Xihe felt the same way, secretly rejoicing.
Now it seems that her appearance, at least in the matter of Ji Zhuo's family, has not had too serious an impact, which makes her feel a little relieved.
In her memory, the book didn't describe Ji Zhuo's parents much, only mentioning them briefly.
All that is known is that Ji Zhuo's mother came from a military family and was a true tiger girl, while his father was a talented scholar who, through his own learning and hard work, passed the imperial examinations and was fortunate enough to marry Ji Zhuo's mother.
Only today, after hearing Ji Zhuo's father's account, did she truly feel the courage and bravery of Ji Zhuo's mother, and a sense of admiration welled up in her heart for this woman she had never met.
Ji Zhuo slowly released his arms from his father's embrace, turned around and gently pulled Lin Xihe in front of him, solemnly saying, "Father, this is General Lin's daughter, Lin Xihe. I was in an accident outside before, and it was Xihe who saved me."
"General Lin's daughter?" Ji Wuzheng's eyes held a hint of doubt.
"Uncle Ji, greetings." Lin Xihe slightly curtsied, performing a standard curtsy, her posture dignified and graceful, displaying the demeanor of a well-bred lady.
She possessed the original owner's memories, so she naturally knew how to bow.
“Miss Lin, there’s no need for such formalities. Zhuo’er, please take Miss Lin to the backyard to see your mother, and while you’re at it, please put in a good word for me with her. I really didn’t start this fire on purpose; it was just an accident. But your mother is quite upset, and I’m feeling terrible about it too.”
Although Ji Wuzheng was full of doubts about how his son and Lin Xihe had met and fallen in love, he couldn't help but feel a little happy when he saw his son bring a girl back.
He knew his wife had always been worried about their son's marriage. Now that their son had finally come to his senses and brought a woman home, perhaps this could be an opportunity to ease his wife's anger.
Ji Wuzheng led the way slowly, taking the two of them towards the backyard.
Throughout the journey, Ji Zhuo held Lin Xihe's hand tightly, the warmth of their palms conveying comfort to each other.
They could understand each other's worries and relief without saying a word.
As soon as he stepped into the backyard, the maid saw Ji Zhuo return and hurriedly stepped forward to greet him respectfully.
However, she swiftly stretched out her arm, stopping Ji Wuzheng from entering, and said crisply, "Sir, Madam has ordered that you are not allowed to come in. If you go in, Madam will be furious."
"You little brat, you've been blocking my way all day. If you keep this up, I might really sell you off," Ji Wuzheng said, feigning anger and frowning as he scolded.
"Madam said that if I let you in, she will beat me to death." The maid's face turned red, but she remained firmly in place, not retreating an inch.
Ji Zhuo turned around, gave Lin Xihe a slightly embarrassed smile, and explained softly, "That's just how my mother is. You'll understand once you spend more time with her."
Lin Xihe had never expected that Ji Zhuo's parents would get along in such a humorous and interesting way, which was quite different from the traditional and dignified image of elders she had imagined, and she couldn't help but feel a little surprised.
"Father, please wait outside for a moment. I will take Xi'er in and plead with Mother on your behalf." Ji Zhuo knew his mother's temperament well and dared not disobey her easily, so he decided not to let his father in for the time being.
Ji Wuzheng glanced helplessly at his son and sighed, "If she continues to ignore me like this, I might as well move out."
"Father, please keep your voice down. If Mother hears you, she will be even angrier and less likely to forgive you," Ji Zhuo whispered, pulling Lin Xihe's hand as they steadily walked into the courtyard.
After stepping into the courtyard, Ji Zhuo lowered his voice slightly and said to Lin Xihe, "Xi'er, I rushed here and didn't have time to tell you about my family in detail. My parents get along like this. They seem to be arguing all the time, but in fact, they have a very deep affection for each other."
"This way of getting along is quite interesting. If we followed all the formalities, I would worry that I wouldn't be able to adapt. However, we came in such a hurry this time that we didn't have time to prepare a gift or dress up. Do you think we'll scare your mother?"
At this moment, both of them had dark circles under their eyes and their hair was somewhat disheveled.
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