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Xia Yuan rode off on horseback, and Lin Yuan’s carriage arrived at the General Mansion’s gate on its heels.

Assisted by Shui Xian as she stepped down from the carriage, Lin Yuan hadn’t even entered the gate when she saw Xia Zheng grinning foolishly at her from the doorway, with the morning sun shining on his face, making him particularly handsome.

"You’re here?" Xia Zheng came over and nudged her with his mouth, "Look, the old man just left. He heard you were coming and dawdled on and on because he insisted on seeing you."

Following Xia Zheng’s gaze, Lin Yuan indeed saw the blurred figure of Xia Yuan leaving and couldn’t help but ask, "What does he want to see me for?"

At that, Xia Zheng laughed, reached up to smooth her hair that the carriage curtain had tousled, and said with a smile, "Just curious! His dearly beloved, prideful little son hasn’t come home for an entire year because of you; of course, he had to see for himself what paragon you are."

Lin Yuan pursed her lips, covered her mouth with her hand to feign vomiting, and thought, his dearly beloved prideful little son—how does that sound so incongruous?

As the two of them were chatting, the sound of another carriage approaching could be heard. Lin Yuan thought it might be another young lady who had heard of her visit to the General Mansion and was coming to cause trouble; to her surprise, she turned and saw a very familiar carriage.

It was Tian Hui.

The curtain was pulled back, and Lin Yuan went forward to help her down from the carriage.

Tian Hui warmly took her hand with a smile and said, "Making me trouble you to come over and help me down, they’ve all been quite lazy."

Just then, she caught sight of Xia Zheng, and her eyes lit up, asking with some anticipation, "Second Young Master is here too? So... "

Before Tian Hui could finish her question, Xia Zheng raised his eyebrows, spread his hands in mock disappointment, and said, "Sister-in-law, you’re too late, big brother just left."

"Still, didn’t make it in time."

The light in Tian Hui’s eyes dimmed instantly, but she quickly realized Xia Zheng was teasing her again by calling her sister-in-law, and with blushing cheeks, she scolded, "What nonsense are you spouting? Aren’t you embarrassed in case people laugh at you?"

Xia Zheng chuckled, "It’s not the first time I’ve called you sister-in-law, and you’re still not used to it? Looks like I’ll have to call you that more often so that sister-in-law can get used to it sooner. Right, sister-in-law?"

"You!" Tian Hui’s face had turned as red as a big apple, as she listened to Xia Zheng’s persistent ’sister-in-law’. Unable to handle Xia Zheng, she turned to Lin Yuan, who was trying to hold back laughter, and scolded, "You’re laughing too? You should manage him!"

Lin Yuan shrugged and batted her sparkling eyes innocently, "I really can’t manage this Little Tyrant."

Tian Hui was taken aback, then swatted Lin Yuan’s outstretched hand aside, "Don’t talk nonsense; he wouldn’t even come home for you! How could he not listen to you?"

Lin Yuan touched her forehead, speechless, wondering why all the blame for Xia Zheng staying away from home for a year was falling on her, when in fact it was this fellow who didn’t want to come home.

While the three of them were laughing and joking, Chun Yu rushed out like a gust of wind, waving from afar to the trio, "Second Young Master, Miss Tian, Miss Lin, the princess is still mentioning you. Who would have thought you’d be chatting away at the gate?"

Tian Hui smiled and took Lin Yuan by the hand to enter the gate, "We’ve made the princess wait."

Walking along, she considerately reassured Lin Yuan, "Don’t be nervous, there are no outsiders in the General Mansion, just the General and the princess, and also the two Xia brothers.

Oh right, there’s also an uncle, but he’s often traveling and hasn’t been home in a long time.

I practically grew up in the General Mansion, and I’ve only seen him a few times myself. "