It's all ruined, who cares about the chastity arch

Faced with Gu Linjun's kindness, she politely declined and slowly left the temple under the close protection of An Yi and An Er.

Gu Linjun watched her back going further and further away, and inadvertently caught a glimpse of two dark shadows hidden beside the carriage. A trace of solemnity flashed in his eyes.

Clearly, he had underestimated her arrangements.

After returning to the mansion, Yun Yi saw his young lady holding a dagger tightly in her hand and rubbing it repeatedly. He couldn't help but ask curiously: "Young lady, what's so special about this dagger in your hand?"

Upon hearing this, Su Wanyu gently wiped the dagger with a delicate cloth.

After finishing, she placed the dagger safely back on the bedside, and said with a hint of nostalgia: "This was given to me by an old friend. I'll keep it in case of emergency."

Yun Yi hung up the precious white fox cloak carefully. He had already vaguely guessed the identity of the old friend and stopped asking questions.

"Miss, Mother Ping just sent a message that the master has returned home." Yun Yi reported softly.

"Father is back?" Su Wanyu smiled brightly upon hearing this.

Yun Yi nodded heavily and confirmed, "Yes, Miss. The master received Siqi's letter and rushed back to the capital day and night. He just stepped into the mansion not long ago."

"Father has been traveling all night, and he must be exhausted. Please prepare the carriage tomorrow at noon. I want to go back to the Su Mansion to visit him."

Su Wanyu instructed, her tone full of concern.

Yun Yi answered yes and got busy. After a while, she came into the room with two maids, carrying hot water and toiletries.

While tidying up the young lady's appearance, she keenly noticed that the palms of her usually fair hands were now faintly flushed, which were the marks of slight scratches from the sword while practicing swordsmanship.

The scar was so subtle that it was almost imperceptible without careful observation. Even Su Wanyu herself did not notice it.

Yun Yi's heart tightened, and she calmly took out the special ointment and applied it to her carefully, fearing that she would be hurt.

The next morning, when the first ray of sunlight shone through the window and onto the bed, Su Wanyu slowly woke up.

At this time, Siqi had returned, but there was an unconcealable sadness on her face. She kept her head down and remained silent.

Seeing this, Su Wanyu stepped forward lightly, smiling, and asked casually, "Why, did you lose to that mysterious opponent last night?"

Siqi was startled when she heard the voice and immediately knelt on the ground, her guilt evident in her words: "Miss, I was careless last night and failed to protect you."

Su Wanyu quickly helped her up, gently brushed off the dust on the corner of her clothes, and comforted her: "It's not your fault. The other party is obviously trying to delay time and distract you."

Siqi suddenly realized and stood up, with a glimmer of enlightenment in her eyes: "So, that person deliberately spoke rudely to lure me away. I was too impulsive and fell into his trap."

"Miss, the Regent has not done anything bad to you, has he?" Siqi asked worriedly.

Su Wanyu pulled her in and said comfortingly, "Don't worry, he and I are old acquaintances, and he won't do anything to me. If you meet him again in the future, just try to avoid him."

Afterwards, Su Wanyu took out the ointment that Yun Yi had used on her yesterday and carefully treated the minor wound on Siqi's hand. The conflict last night also caused this loyal maid to suffer some physical pain.

"Prepare the carriage later, and you and Yunyi will accompany me back to the Su Mansion."

"Is the master really back?" Siqi confirmed.

Su Wanyu put away the ointment and nodded: "Yes, it arrived last night. Today, grandma is still making a fuss in the master's room. I'm afraid Zheng Chengyan will not be able to get away in the short term. We have to hurry."

"I understand, Miss." Siqi responded, and the previous gloom was swept away. She looked refreshed and walked towards the gate of the mansion with big strides.

When Xiao Guo learned that Su Wanyu was about to return to her parents' home, she came to the gate of the mansion to see her off. She instructed the servants around her that it was rare for the master of the Su family to return to Beijing, and the second young lady was going to visit relatives, so they must make proper arrangements.

This series of arrangements made no one in the Zheng family raise any objections.

Now that Old Mrs. Zheng is busy with household affairs, all the affairs in the mansion naturally fall on the shoulders of young Mrs. Guo.

Although Xiao Guo's dowry was not generous, she was thrifty and did her best to maintain the Zheng family's daily expenses.

However, even so, the Zheng family's financial situation became increasingly tight and their living standards declined significantly.

The carriage that Su Wanyu took back to her parents' home was the very thing that the Su family had given as a dowry. It was luxurious and imposing, and it attracted the attention of countless passers-by as it drove along the busy streets.

The Su Mansion is located in the west of the city, quite far away from the Zheng Mansion. The journey started in the early morning and ended at noon.

The gate of the mansion opened and there was joy.

The servants rushed to tell each other: "The young lady is back!"

"Go and inform the master quickly that the young lady has returned safely!"

Everyone's face was filled with genuine joy.

In stark contrast to the atmosphere at the Zheng residence, everyone in the Su residence, whether masters or servants, was in harmony.

Many servants were poor people who had been rescued by Mr. and Mrs. Su during their business trips, and they were deeply grateful to the Su family.

As soon as she entered the mansion, an elderly maid came up to her, took her skirt cordially, and said with a smile: "Miss, you are finally home. You must be exhausted. Your favorite snacks have been prepared for you in the yard."

As soon as the words fell, a little white kitten, as if sensing something, came running happily from a distance, meowing and rubbing back and forth at Su Wanyu's feet.

This is a cute raccoon cat named Xiaoyuanzi. Its fur is as pure and flawless as the snowflakes in early winter.

Five years ago, her father brought back this skinny little white cat from faraway Kapira.

After several months of careful care and nourishment, it miraculously became a chubby little cat with a snow-white body.

Su Wanyu kept Xiao Yuanzi in her own courtyard until the day she got married, and she reluctantly left it in the Su Mansion.

For Su Wanyu, these six months seemed like countless years. Every time she recalled them, her heart was filled with indescribable complex emotions.

Today, when she once again stepped into this familiar yet slightly unfamiliar land, Xiao Yuanzi seemed to sense the return of her owner and jumped excitedly at her feet. Her cheerful appearance was even more lively and excited than before.

Su Wanyu bent down and held the furry little life in her arms, feeling the long-lost warmth, and asked softly, "Where is my father? I want to see him right away."

The nurse's smile was warm and bright at the moment: "The master went to the kitchen and said that he would personally make your favorite sweet osmanthus lotus root for you. He wanted to give you a surprise."

Hearing this, Su Wanyu couldn't help but feel a pang of pain in her heart. The scene of Zheng Chengyan holding her father's head involuntarily emerged in her mind. The heart-wrenching pain seemed to tear her heart apart again.

All these misfortunes were caused by her, bringing endless suffering and shadow to the entire mansion.