How could I possibly be confined in a cage?

Although his left arm was injured and bleeding, and his legs were bruised, the driver was well-equipped and quickly set up the temporary shelter.

"Phew~ Finally finished." The driver slumped to the ground, panting heavily without any regard for his image.

Qingru glanced at it. Although it wasn't great, it was already quite good that an injured person could finish it with their bare hands. So she casually said, "Today we are both fellow sufferers. Why bother with formalities? Let's get to know each other properly. What's your name?"

The driver didn't quite understand what Qingru was saying, scratched his head, and said embarrassedly, "My name is Xin Wu Hui, my mom named me that."

"Xin Wu Hui," Qingru murmured, "Your name is so grand, meaning 'no regrets' or 'no resentment.' Why would you choose this name?"

"I didn't know that. My name was given to me by my mother. She said she didn't regret giving birth to me, so I was named Wu Hui (meaning 'no regrets')."

Qingru nodded, then made another request, somewhat embarrassed, "Xin Wuhui, could you start a fire? If there's a fire, most wild animals won't dare to come near, and it will also make it easier for rescuers to find us."

Xin Wu Hui agreed, "I know that. After my mother passed away, I had no fixed abode and sometimes I lived like this in the wild. You wait here, I'll go find some firewood."

Before long, Xin Wu Hui returned, dragging a few dry branches. "I'll save my energy and not break them. I'll just burn them like this."

He found all the firewood, so Qingru naturally had no objections.

He reached into his pocket and found a box of matches. Xin Wu Hui chuckled to himself, “Heh, I didn’t lose this. I was planning to use it to light cigarettes for the high-ranking officials and nobles. I won’t need it now.”

Wet matches are obviously unusable, but Qingru didn't want to criticize, so she suggested, "I saw in the textbook that you can make fire by rubbing sticks together. I wonder if that's possible."

"Of course it works, I've tried it myself."

After hearing him say it twice, Qingru asked, "How did you end up working as a driver for the Huang family?"

“Sigh, speaking of which, Young Master Huang is a scoundrel, but his father is a kind man.” Xin Wu Hui said nonchalantly, “My mother and Master Huang are from the same hometown. Every time Master Huang goes back to his hometown of Shaoxing, he does good deeds and charity. After my mother fell ill, she used her connections to send me to the Huang family as a servant. Originally, I was doing farm work on the country estate, but later the person in charge saw that I was bold, so he let me learn to drive and sent me to the Huang mansion as a driver.”

Qingru remembered that he had just mentioned living a period of "no fixed abode," which probably wasn't as easy as he described. However, Qingru didn't point it out; everyone has their own unspeakable difficulties.

Just then, Xin Wu Hui finally managed to rub a spark. "Quick, quick!" he said excitedly, then hurriedly went over and blew on the flame to ignite it.

A fire was finally started, adding a touch of warmth to the small, simple space. The flickering flames illuminated the expressions of the two people.

Qingru leaned against the stone wall, lost in thought, while Xin Wuhui also leaned to the other side to rest.

A stomach growl broke the tranquility. Qingru chuckled, and Xin Wuhui, a little embarrassed, said, "I...I'll go out and find something to eat."

Qingru stopped him, "Don't rush, take a rest first, we'll talk about it when it's light, it's too dangerous right now."

Xin Wu Hui thought about it and agreed, so he sat still and watched the fire go out, adding a piece of firewood every now and then.

Several days have passed, and there has been no news of Qingru, who has gone missing. Guo Zixing's face was grim and his expression was extremely serious.

Huang Qian has been locked up. No matter how much Mr. Huang visits various places or how humbly he begs for mercy, Guo Zixing just won't budge.

What a joke! Knowing it was someone he brought, they still dared to have ulterior motives. They simply didn't respect him or Commander Guo. Therefore, Commander Guo simply turned a blind eye and let Guo Zixing handle it himself.

Regardless of Guo Zixing's own motives towards Qingru, Huang Qian's blatant disregard for him was unacceptable. Moreover, Zhang Xun had come to report that since Master Huang's pleas to him had failed, he had turned his attention to the Second Madam, hoping to persuade her to release the person.

Guo Zixing narrowed his eyes, concealing the dangerous glint in them, and said coldly, "Then let's see if Second Madam dares to help him with this favor."

The second wife certainly dared to intervene, but she also knew that this would cause the Huang family to lose face with the Guo family, so she absolutely could not get involved. However, her not interfering did not mean that her son would not. Seeing that the second wife was unwilling to get involved, Master Huang thought long and hard and then set his sights on the second young master.

"Young Master, you are young and promising, wise and brave. You should judge this case. Besides, in the powerful and wealthy families of Sifang City, who hasn't been tempted by women? Moreover, my son is innocent. The servants in the house are ignorant. My son is at most guilty of being poorly disciplined. I don't know what the eldest young master means by detaining him. Please help to mediate. No matter how much compensation is required, my family will accept the loss."

Hearing Mr. Huang, who usually acted like an elder, humbly beg for help in front of him, Guo Ziyou couldn't help but feel smug. However, he wasn't stupid. After listening to the flattery, he asked doubtfully, "Although it was your driver who did it, no one has any evidence. It was probably your son who instigated it. Otherwise, where would he have gotten the audacity?"

"Alas, you can't say that. You can know a person's face but not their heart. My Huang family is kind and benevolent, so it's inevitable that some people will have wicked intentions. This is my fault. If the second young master can help me with this matter, the reward will be substantial."

Master Huang rubbed his hands together, indicating that the price was quite high. Guo Ziyou went over and grabbed Master Huang's hand, laughing, "Uncle, you're too kind. You've watched me grow up, how could I refuse to help? But you don't know, my elder brother is now an adult, and my father intends for him to take charge of the family. He's been arranging marriages and assigning him tasks. It seems he'll be the head of the family in the future, so how could I dare to go against him?"

Master Huang pondered these words. He had heard about the Guo family before and knew that the eldest son of the Guo family had been raised in the countryside by his first wife, so he didn't know much about his temperament. Unlike Guo Ziyou and other members of the Guo family, who had grown up in Sifang City and were on good terms with various aristocratic families. With the family branching out, it was uncertain who would take power in the Marshal's Mansion in the future. It was just that Marshal Guo was still in his prime, so no one had taken sides.

Hearing Guo Ziyou's words, it seemed the brothers were not on good terms? After a thousand thoughts raced through his mind, Master Huang said, "Second Young Master, don't worry. The elders in this city have all watched you grow up, so naturally they trust you even more. Speaking of which, my son Huang Qian is also familiar with you. You know his character well. This matter was done by my driver. My son was just implicated. As long as you get him out of the eldest young master's villa, he will naturally consider you a friend in life and death."

These words were almost a direct statement, and Guo Ziyou was naturally overjoyed. He laughed heartily and said, "Alright, since Uncle has repeatedly asked, I can't refuse you. I'll go for you. However, I can't guarantee whether I can bring Huang Qian out. My elder brother has a deputy."

"Of course I wouldn't dare say for sure, but I'm glad you're willing to help." Master Huang was also suspicious. Could it be that someone had placed a bet so early? However, he didn't show it on his face and still thanked Guo Ziyou profusely as he left.

There was always a policeman hanging around Guo Zixing. Although Guo Ziyou didn't say anything, he knew that the policeman had sided with Guo Zixing. He was just a high school student, with neither power nor money. If he wanted to compete with Guo Zixing for control of the family, he had to make plans early.

Now that he's so sleepy, Guo Zixing has really put the Huang family on his toes. He already had little contact with the city's powerful figures, and now he's offended so many people. When Guo Ziyou found out, he was grinning from ear to ear.

He couldn't help but pray that the woman was truly dead, preferably killed by Huang Qian himself, so that Guo Zixing would become enemies with the Huang family. And what about the Qiao family? If they knew that his elder brother was "deeply in love" with a woman of unknown origin, would they still be willing to arrange the marriage?

"Heh, big brother, you're really good at getting drunk."

At this moment, Guo Zixing was indeed regretting his actions. If he hadn't taken Qingru to the banquet, he wouldn't have lost track of her. Now, she was nowhere to be found, neither alive nor dead. He had lost both her and the Lü family's whereabouts—a complete loss. Moreover, this move had brought no "gain," only loss.

Whether it's the Qiao family or the Zheng family, their impression of him will likely be greatly diminished. As for Commander Guo, he couldn't explain Qingru's background or the whereabouts of the Lü family's property, which made him deeply regretful.

No matter how much he regretted it, it was too late. Guo Zixing packed his bags and decided to go find the person himself, hoping to salvage something so as not to lose even more.

"Young Master," Zhang Xun greeted respectfully as he entered the room. Guo Zixing glanced at Hongyu and, seeing the troubled look in her eyes, knew that Zhang Xun must have something important to say.

Although displeased with the other party's unauthorized actions, Guo Zixing held back and asked, "What is it?"

Zhang Xun asked, "Is the young master planning to go find Miss Cui'er?"

Guo Zixing nodded, his expression displeased.

Zhang Xun cupped his hands and said, "Please hear me out. Although I don't know what makes Miss Cui'er so important, in my humble opinion, we should first appease the Qiao family and give the Zheng family a warning."

Guo Zixing frowned in thought, then his expression softened slightly. "What do you mean?"

"The Qiao family was originally favored by the Marshal, and as local gentry, they have deep roots and a stable position. The Zheng family is a newly rich family, originally compradors, with good relations with officials from various countries, and their business is large and profitable. What are your plans for these two families, young master?"

Guo Zixing frowned, somewhat displeased that Zhang Xun was prying into his private affairs. "What are your plans?"

"Hasn't the young master considered choosing one of the two families for marriage? Both families are good, and many people in the city are eyeing them. The young master should make a decision as soon as possible."

Guo Zixing thought it over carefully. In fact, Zhang Xun's words made a lot of sense, and he knew it himself. However, he couldn't reveal Qingru's secret scheme. Well, if he had someone else to use right now, he wouldn't have to listen to Zhang Xun's rambling. He might as well just throw the question out there.

"So, in your opinion, which one is better?"

Zhang Xun didn't hold back and shared his thoughts, saying, "The Qiao family has status, and the Zheng family has money. It all depends on which family's daughter suits your taste."

If we're talking about personal preference, then the Zheng family is the one that suits his taste. They are highly educated, knowledgeable, and have progressive yet unconventional ideas, unlike the taciturn Qiao family. However, Commander Guo prefers the Qiao family, which is why Guo Zixing still has reservations.

“Miss Zheng is more knowledgeable and kind, making her the perfect choice to be the mistress of the house. However, my father has his eye on the Qiao family. I wonder if there has been any past conflict between these two families?”

"No," Zhang Xun said, recounting the information he had gathered. "If the young master has taken a fancy to any particular family, it would be best to make a deal with Commander Guo as soon as possible. I've noticed that the second young master in the manor seems to have already gotten involved with the Huang family. The young master should prepare a countermeasure in advance."

Guo Zixing had been staying in the villa for the past few days and rarely returned to the marshal's mansion, so he hadn't paid attention to this part. "The Huang family? You mean Huang Qian's father?"

"Yes."

Upon receiving a positive reply, Guo Zixing couldn't help but ponder the situation. He and this younger brother had never gotten along. The other brother had grown up in the city and had connections far beyond his own. If someone were to sideline him, things would become very difficult for him.

Indeed, his marriage needs to be planned in advance.

"Let's put the Qiao family's matter aside for now. Pick out some gifts for me and deliver them to Miss Zheng in person. Also, give Zheng the comprador a warning and tell him not to take sides so easily."

Seeing that Guo Zixing had made a decision, Zhang Xun stopped trying to persuade him. He went to Hongyu to get the money and then went to work on the Zheng family's affairs.

Hongyu noticed that the two men had initially mentioned Qingru, but later seemed unwilling to say a word about it, which made her anxious. Having spent some time together, Hongyu felt uneasy about being alone, so she asked, "Young Master, has Cui'er been found yet?"

When Guo Zixing heard Hongyu ask him this, he couldn't help but recall the scenes of Qingru living in the garden. "I never thought she would make such a close friend as you."

Hongyu forced a smile and said, "I am most loyal to the eldest young master, but Cui'er has been with me for so long, and I miss her very much. I hope she is safe and sound."

Guo Zixing put aside his complicated thoughts and casually reassured her, "Well, Huang Qian is locked up in the backyard. If you want to know, just ask him."

Hongyu opened her mouth, but hesitated to speak. She had originally thought that Qingru was the "confidante" Guo Zixing had brought back, but now it seemed that she wouldn't be. So she bowed sadly and left.

Huang Qian hadn't changed his clothes for days, and he was confined to one room for eating, drinking, and relieving himself. He hadn't expected Guo Zixing to treat him like this. All he had done was flirt with a woman and shift the blame onto the driver, yet Guo Zixing disregarded his dignity and used torture to lock him up.

He had originally thought that Guo Zixing would beat him to vent his anger, but to his surprise, Guo Zixing simply locked him up and wouldn't let him go out. Instead of interrogating or abusing him, Guo Zixing fed and cared for him well every day.

Huang Qian's fear lasted no more than three days before he could no longer keep up the act. He threw tantrums and shouted every day in the house, but no one paid any attention to him. He even defecated and urinated all over the house, but no one cared.

Growing bolder, Huang Qian assumed that Guo Zixing would not dare to disregard the Huang family's reputation, so he put on an indifferent attitude and let Guo Zixing's men ignore him.

However, his skills were not deep enough, and he couldn't figure out Guo Zixing's thoughts. So he would sometimes make a fuss about going out, and sometimes he would give up and be quiet for a while and then make a fuss again.

Guo Zixing was determined to use him to cause the Huang family to suffer heavy losses, so when he heard Huang crying and making a fuss, he just snorted coldly and stopped caring.

The most important thing right now is his marriage. Once he gets married, Commander Guo will arrange his career. At that time... once things are settled, he can slowly make plans.