How could I possibly be confined in a cage?

Guo Zixing quickly caught up with Qingru, and the two continued to pester each other, but due to the occasion, he let him go for the time being.

Qingru followed them all the way to the Lü family's residence before realizing something was amiss.

The gate of the Lü family's house was wide open, with tire tracks at the entrance, suggesting that someone had pushed a cart inside.

I hurried inside and then I understood what was going on.

It turned out that Long Jinzhi had come uninvited, and since Yan Ru wasn't home, she was the one entertaining him.

Looking at the gift boxes on the small car next to him, you can tell it's a big gift from Long Jinzhi.

A chessboard sat on a stone table in the courtyard. Long Jinzhi was playing chess with Song Yuanliang, while Yan Ru was reading a book, ignoring the two men's affairs.

Yanru breathed a sigh of relief upon seeing Qingru arrive.

"Sister, Young Master Guo, you're back?"

Qingru nodded, looked Yanru up and down to make sure there was nothing wrong, and then said, "Young Master Long, it seems you've come uninvited."

Long Jinzhi placed a piece, but didn't get up. "I told you yesterday, have you forgotten?"

Qingru then remembered that Long Jinzhi had jokingly said yesterday that he would come to visit, and she had thought he was just joking, but it turned out to be true.

"That was my oversight. Let's have lunch here today. My family isn't large, so I'll treat you to a proper meal at a restaurant."

Long Jinzhi still didn't get up, not even raising his eyes. "Thank you for your trouble. No need to spend money. Just make sure we don't starve."

Qingru was about to speak when Yanru pulled her back and shook her head. "Young Master Long and Yuanliang hit it off immediately and are playing chess right now. Let them be. Let's go to the kitchen and check on them. Don't worry about them."

Guo Zixing also watched with great interest. Long Jin's playing style was distinctly aggressive, dominating the game and showing no mercy. Song Yuanliang, on the other hand, was much more reserved, but he also did not succumb to defeat.

You advance, I retreat; you retreat, I attack. After a long while, the outcome remains undecided.

Seeing that Guo Zixing had also looked inside, Yan Ru could only shake her head helplessly.

"They say the chessboard is like a battlefield, let them be, let's just do our own thing."

Yanru pulled Qingru several times, and Qingru realized something was wrong. She immediately said, "You men can play. Just ask me to help out. I'm exhausted after a long day and need to rest."

Guo Zixing looked up and said matter-of-factly, "Okay, you should get some rest."

Qingru rolled her eyes in exasperation. Who was it that was chasing after her just now?

Yan Ru glanced at Qing Ru, then at Guo Zixing, and simply chuckled.

Back in her room, Yanru went to get her things, while Qingru lay down on her fragrant couch, sighing contentedly.

"Is something wrong? What's wrong?"

Yan Ru took out a letter from a hidden place. "Father wrote a letter. He used to have Mr. Xin deliver it, but now that Mr. Xin is in seclusion, the letter has been delayed."

Qingru sat up in bed and read the letter carefully. "Dad told us to be careful of the Lü family. The news that we dug up the ancestral graves has finally spread, and even the Lü family has heard about it. So the other three families are going to test us, and they might even retaliate."

Yan Ru nodded and said, "Yes, that's why Dad entrusted you to the Guo family, hoping that you could get through this safely by relying on Marshal Guo's prestige."

Qingru was also worried, "What should I do? I... I just broke up with Guo Zixing, and now I need to ask him for help?"

Yan Ru smiled and said, "But I can tell that Young Master Guo still has feelings for you. However, if you are unwilling, then so be it. It's just a matter of using his family's influence to smoothly transition things over. Once Dad comes back and we set the rules, then it will truly be time to part ways."

Qingru's expression turned serious for a moment. "Safety is the most important thing, but I can protect myself." Then, Qingru asked worriedly, "What are you and Song Yuanliang planning to do? Are you just going to let things slide like this?"

Yan Ru leaned lazily against the railing, "It's not that we're just going through the motions, it's just that Yuan Liang has been good to me, and he's stayed by my side through thick and thin. Let's just keep things like this. We can talk about the rest when Dad comes back."

Qingru shook her head. Yanru was good in every way, except that she didn't have much of her own opinion.

Judging from her demeanor, she's the kind of person who can live without Song Yuanliang. But considering how devoted Song Yuanliang is to Yanru, I'm afraid he'd be furious if he knew her true feelings.

Before Qingru could think about Yanru's matter in detail, a commotion broke out in the courtyard.

The two sisters exchanged a glance, both seeing the confusion in each other's eyes.

"Shall I go see what's going on?"

"Wait a minute," Yan Ru pushed the window open a crack and looked out. "It's the second young master of the Guo family and his wife, and another couple, whom I don't recognize."

Qingru looked over as well, and was immediately shocked. "It's them?"

Seeing that Qingru seemed to recognize him, Yanru asked in confusion, "Who is it? Do you know him too?"

Qingru couldn't help but feel disappointed. "The strangers were the Yuan siblings from Shanghai, Yuan Yue'e and Yuan Yuelang. They were the ones who got engaged to Guo Zixing while he had amnesia."

Yan Ru's eyes widened. "What? Young Master Guo is engaged to someone else?"

Qingru nodded. "Mm."

Yan Ru quickly understood the purpose of their visit. "You should rest first. They seem to have ill intentions. I'll go and meet them."

Qingru stopped her. Yanru was so fragile and vulnerable; she dared not push Yanru in front of her. "No need. We have to face it sooner or later. I have a clear conscience and there is no need to hide."

As they spoke, the two sisters left the bedroom one after the other and went into the courtyard.

The game was still undecided, but the two had already stopped. Guo Zixing's face was ashen, and he refused to let Yuan Yue'e approach him.

Knowing that Guo Zixing was aware of her identity, Yuan Yue'e playfully clung to him, saying, "Zixing, we're engaged now. Who knew you'd leave without saying goodbye? I've been looking for you for so long."

Guo Zixing took a step back, coldly shaking off her hand, "Marriage is a major life event that should be decided by parents. Your unilateral decision when I lost my memory does not count."

Yuan Yue'e's face stiffened for a moment, then she continued in a sweet voice, "But we've already consummated our marriage, and I'm carrying your child. Don't you really want me?"

Yuan Yue'e was adept at putting on an act; in an instant, she burst into tears, looking as if she had been abandoned by a heartless man.

Yuan Yuelang was even more embarrassed and said coldly, "Could it be that Young Master Guo dares to do it but not to admit it? My sister is a respectable woman, a socialite in Shanghai. You just played with her and then said you didn't want her anymore? Your Guo family is powerful, but this world is not ruled by your family alone."

Guo Ziyou watched with amusement, "So there's more to this than meets the eye. I was wondering why you haven't gotten married yet, brother. Turns out you've been seeing someone else. Young Master Yuan, the Guo family is not a family without responsibility. Rest assured, I will definitely speak to Father and stand up for you."

Guo Zixing angrily replied, "You don't need to worry about that. I will handle it myself."

Qingru's face was as cold as frost as she slowly stepped out. "If that's the case, please leave first. Our Lü family has no elders at home and cannot solve your case."

Yuan Yue'e looked at Qingru in confusion, "You...why do you look so familiar?"

Zheng Peilan chuckled, "Isn't she the hero who went to Shanghai to personally rescue Guo Zixing? What, Miss Yuan, you couldn't possibly have never met her, could you?"

Yuan Yue'e suddenly realized, "You are Lü Qing, the caregiver who followed Xu Wensheng? So it was you. If you hadn't ruined my plans, I wouldn't have separated from Zixing, you bitch."

As Yuan Yue'e reached out, Guo Zixing grabbed her arm. "That's enough. This injustice needs to be settled. Come back to the Guo family with me."

Guo Zixing's cold face and stern shout were quite imposing, which actually frightened Yuan Yue'e.

Guo Zixing then said to Guo Ziyou, "Family scandals should not be aired in public. I know you want to ruin my reputation, but there's no need to drag the whole family into it. Young Master Long, I'm sorry you had to laugh at me, but this is my family matter, so you don't need to get involved."

Long Jinzhi touched his nose and took a few steps back. "The game isn't over yet. I want to continue playing."

Guo Zixing was, after all, the eldest son, and when he suddenly became angry, Guo Ziyou had no choice but to go home with him, otherwise Commander Guo would definitely scold him.

With the key personnel gone, Zheng Peilan and Yuan Yuelang naturally had to follow suit.

However, when Yuan Yuelang glanced back unintentionally, he saw the two beauties of the Lü family, and especially when he saw Yan Ru's beautiful face, he couldn't help but swallow.

Qingru immediately stood in front of Yanru, glaring angrily.

Yuan Yuelang's younger sister had just had a fight with Qingru, but he was so infatuated with the beauty of the Lü sisters that he couldn't help but look down on them.