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Lin Yuan wasn’t pleased to hear this. She couldn’t control what happened in the ancestral hall, but once back at the General Mansion, there was Dong Qing to bring him clothes. However, it was freezing cold outside now, and surely she couldn’t let him go back wearing only his undergarment!

Although the house she was staying in wasn’t very far from the General Mansion, there were still two streets in between them. If he caught a cold, that would be a disaster.

"You didn’t even think to wear a shawl when you went out, and now you’re just in this lined outer robe—how can that be right?

Your outer robe is torn now so, forget it, just wear these clothes.

Although they aren’t fully mended, the rip isn’t big anymore.

Just make do with it for the trip back," she said.

After pausing for a moment, Lin Yuan didn’t forget to remind him, "Don’t forget to have Dong Qing fetch you a new one to change into after you get back. How can you wear something torn like that?"

As she spoke, she bit off the thread from the torn clothes. Lin Yuan looked down at the patch she had sewn, and the corner of her mouth twitched involuntarily. Clearly, without the "Diamond Drill," she still insisted on taking on such delicate work!

The stitches were large and crooked, looking just like a giant centipede—ugly as sin!

Lin Yuan gritted her teeth, really wanting to just throw away the garment and not give it to him.

Xia Zheng came over to take a look and finally couldn’t help but let out a laugh, but he dared not laugh too loudly for fear of drawing the maids’ attention outside, which made his stomach hurt from holding it in.

Lin Yuan, her face flushed and neck thickening from Xia Zheng’s laughter, rolled her eyes—and then mischief struck.

She stuffed the clothes into her bosom, grabbed her own pink shawl, and wrapped it around Xia Zheng.

Before he could react, she quickly tied the ribbon at the neckline into a tight knot.

This effectively made it so that he couldn’t take it off, nor could he easily untie the knot, which left Xia Zheng in a panic.

He asked in a hushed voice, "Seriously? You expect me to go back wearing this? No way, no way, if people find out that I, the Second Young Master Xia, am leaving the house wearing women’s clothing, they’ll die laughing!

Hurry, take it off! Please take it off, Yuanyuan, sweet Yuanyuan, my beautiful kissable Yuanyuan! "

Having the rare chance to tease him, Lin Yuan chuckled. How could she give up so easily?

Hehe, with a smile, Lin Yuan walked over to her wardrobe and pulled out a red wide-brimmed hat that Lin Wei had just made for her, placing it over Xia Zheng’s head. It was so wide that it covered half of his small face, and if one didn’t look carefully, they might not even recognize him.

"Hmm, you look really good!" Lin Yuan giggled, opening the window and pushing out the still pitifully begging Xia Zheng, "This way, you won’t have to worry about being recognized. Just don’t take off the hat, or you’ll give yourself away!"

Watching Lin Yuan, her smile blossoming like a flower, Xia Zheng shook his head affectionately. The hand that wanted to remove the hat retracted, and instead, he pressed the hat firmly onto his head, wishing he could hide his entire face inside it.

"Hurry back, wait for me at home on the night of the fifteenth, and I will take you out to see the lanterns."

After reminding Lin Yuan one last time, Xia Zheng skillfully scaled the wall and left, moving with the agility of a sparrowhawk.

Gazing at the dark night and the towering wall, Lin Yuan felt as though she could still sense Xia Zheng’s presence, refusing to dissipate for a long time.

She took a deep breath, the air filling her lungs, before gently exhaling a turbid breath.

Since Xia Zheng had asked her not to concern herself with the rivalry between Zhao Hongde and Zhao Hongsheng, she would just quietly tend to her own affairs.

She didn’t have the mind for intricate schemes anyway; it seemed making money and cooking were more suited for her.

Closing the window, Lin Yuan turned around to see the outer robe Xia Zheng had left behind.

A smile unconsciously formed at the corners of her mouth.

It seemed her sewing skills really did need practice—she couldn’t let Xia Zheng, after they were married, go out wearing clothes crawling with centipedes.

Not only would it embarrass him, but she was worried about retaining her own dignity!

She carefully folded the robe and stored it away in the wardrobe, then looked at the sewing basket. In the end, she didn’t put it away to gather mildew in the vanity.

Meanwhile, after scaling the wall from Lin Yuan’s house, Xia Zheng wrapped himself tightly in the shawl, terrified at the thought of anyone accidentally discovering he was actually a man.

What he didn’t know was that the tighter he wrapped himself, the more his not-so-prominent figure was outlined.

Fortunately, it was late at night and cold, so there weren’t many people on the streets.