Reborn as a concubine's daughter and entering a noble family: Xie Lang, don't be too seduc

Upon hearing Xie Shu admit that she had someone she liked, Huo Sanghua's heart leaped into her throat.

I still vaguely remember what I heard last night...

They were afraid that Madam Xie might find out something.

However, at this moment, Madam Xie did not make trouble for Huo Sanghua, and did not even glance at Huo Sanghua.

The hall was completely silent; even the sound of every breath could be heard clearly.

"What nonsense are you spouting!" It was Old Madam Xie who first regained her senses, quickly walking over to Xie Shu and pulling him away, scolding him in a low voice, "Don't talk nonsense! What 'someone you admire'? You don't have anyone you admire..."

The legitimate daughter of the Duke of Maoguo's family had never suffered such injustice.

She immediately choked up, then rushed to Lady Maoguo, "Mother, I told you I wouldn't come..."

"Hua Yuan, don't listen to his nonsense. He's my son. Don't I know his thoughts?" Old Madam Xie, afraid of missing this opportunity, hurriedly turned to coax Nie Hua Yuan. "He's just been upright since childhood and can't bring himself to be shy. He's afraid outsiders will think he got his position through the Maoguo Duke's family..."

Huo Sanghua secretly breathed a sigh of relief, thankfully the fire didn't reach her.

But out of sheer curiosity, he couldn't help but steal a glance to the side, wanting to see what kind of face the upright and incorruptible Lord Xie of the Marquis of Anding was.

But as soon as I looked up...

Xie Shu caught her red-handed on the spot. Xie Shu looked directly at her and took in her furtive glances.

Hawthorne quickly looked away, pretending that nothing had happened.

He deliberately ignored the probing look in Xie Shu's eyes.

"My son and the young marquis are childhood sweethearts, inseparable since they were little. Frankly speaking, what happened when the children were young... was just something we adults joked about, and it shouldn't be taken seriously." The Duchess of Maoguo, in front of Xie Shu, offered a completely different explanation. "Madam Xie, it was you who invited me in your eldest son's name that led me to this meeting. But things have turned out this way. I think we should go back first, and you should discuss it further with your eldest son."

As she spoke, she raised her eyelids and gave Old Madam Xie a meaningful look, her eyes half-threatening and half-coercive. Then she stood up, took Nie Huayuan's hand, and started to walk out.

"Madam!" Old Madam Xie exclaimed anxiously, rushing forward. "Don't be angry, don't be angry. It must be... ...the military affairs have clouded his mind, that's why he spoke carelessly. I'll ask him again. Don't worry, he definitely won't wrong Hua Yuan."

"Alright, then we'll wait for your news." The Duchess of Maoguo's lips curled up, forcing an unnatural smile.

A moment later, the smile faded.

The smile that was on his face just a moment ago vanished instantly, replaced by an even more ruthless glint in his eyes—

In particular, he glanced at Hawthorne.

With a disdainful look, he led Nie Huayuan out the door.

While trying to persuade her, Madam Xie chased after her outside the hall, offering all sorts of kind words.

They were afraid of ruining this good match.

As the footsteps faded into the distance, Hawthorne finally breathed a sigh of relief.

My tense thoughts had just relaxed when I immediately thought of the other person standing beside me...

Tensions instantly returned. "...It seems there's nothing more for me. In that case, young master, I'll take my leave..."

She wanted to run away.

For Madam Xie, her courtyard was nothing short of a dragon's den or a tiger's lair; to stay there even a moment longer would be a disrespect to her life.

Presumably, when Old Madam Xie returns, she'll have plenty to say to Xie Shu. There's no point in Xie Shu staying; she might even get a scolding...

Running is the best option.

Before Xie Shu could ask any more questions, Huo Sanghua bowed and prepared to leave.

"Wait a minute." Xie Shu raised his hand to block her way.

Hawthorne was so close...

Xie Shu's arm was placed in front of her, and she quickly stepped back, paying attention to the reactions of Granny Guo and Qing Huai behind her.

He said seriously, "Is there anything else you need, Young Master?"

"You..." Xie Shu only wanted to ask if her illness was any better, but seeing the look in her eyes and knowing her difficult situation, the words that were on the tip of her tongue couldn't be uttered naturally. "How is A-Lin?"

Hawthorne paused for a moment, then feigned composure. "Second Master... Second Brother is alright now."

"That's good." Xie Shu saw that her complexion had improved and had a better understanding of her condition. "Ah Lin... Ah Lin still needs to drink the herbal medicine for two more days until her condition stabilizes."

Using Xie Lin as a pretext, he was actually reminding the person in front of him...

"Yes, Erlang brought the medicine back. I will personally oversee the preparation of the herbal decoction for him." Huo Sanghua was sweating profusely.

They were worried that Xie Shu might say the wrong thing and make the two people behind her notice something—

"Young Master, I'll head back now..."

Out of the corner of her eye, Hawthorne saw that Madam Xie had seen off the two women from the Duke of Mao's mansion and was rushing back in a huff, so she hurriedly prepared to leave.

She greeted Madam Xie with a forced, obedient smile. "If Mother has no further instructions, Sanghua will return to take care of Erlang."

"You—" Old Madam Xie was furious, but then she thought of her son Xie Shu, who was still standing there, and decided not to make things difficult for her. "Never mind, you can go back now."

There are more important things to discuss with Xie Shu.

Hawthorne breathed a sigh of relief and, not daring to delay for a moment, turned and headed out of the courtyard.

No sooner had I left Madam Xie's courtyard than I turned back and glanced at the stone carving above the gate—Yinxia Garden.

Hidden flaws?

Hide the flaws?

"Heh, the old lady only wanted you and the second young master to speak well of the eldest young master's daughter, the legitimate daughter of the Duke of Mao. Why make such a fuss? People will think that Consort Qi didn't teach you well, which is why you disobeyed your elders!" Qinghuai snorted coldly.

He was very dissatisfied with Hawthorne's actions just now.

“This is the Xie family, not the palace,” Huo Sanghua reminded her. “The eldest son is the old lady’s legitimate son. How can you and I interfere in his marriage? The old lady will arrange everything. But we all know it’s something he doesn’t want to do. Why go and provoke him? You might even implicate the second son.”

"Is that so? Aren't there some people who are eating what's in their bowl while eyeing what's in the pot, afraid that the eldest daughter of the Duke of Mao's family will enter the household... and lose the eldest son as their backer?"

Qinghuai's words were sharp and sarcastic, even though Granny Guo had already raised her hand to nudge her and remind her not to talk nonsense.

But she still refused to back down, determined to shut Hawthorne up with her words.

Everyone knows that Hawthorne fell ill in her room yesterday, and later that evening, the eldest son of the Xie family came to visit. He severely reprimanded the servants for their negligence and took Hawthorne away...

“Some people pretend to be so upright, but what are they really like? They’re filthy and despicable at heart, doing all sorts of low-down things. You married the second young master of the Xie family, yet you’re still having an affair with the eldest young master. Yesterday, the eldest young master stood up for you and scolded us servants for not serving you properly. You must be overjoyed, right? Finally, someone has fallen for your bewitching spell and is becoming your protector!” Qinghuai said emotionally, pressing closer to Huo Sanghua.

With wide eyes, she started to settle scores with Huo Sanghua about being scolded by Xie Shu yesterday.