Guan Muyun was completely shocked. “Just because you wanted to take the exam, and she entered the mansion a little late, she is so angry that she refuses to come back? And she even rejected such a good marriage? That seems overly stubborn.”

“Maybe she feels resentful because my father is strict with her but lenient with me, and my brothers are all nice to me.” Shen Ruojin looked even more pitiful. “That day in my grandmother’s room, my father talked about marriage to her. I wanted to help persuade her, but she actually told me to shut up in front of everyone. I really don’t know how to face her.”

Seeing Shen Ruojin’s sad expression made Guan Muyun feel even more upset. “This isn’t your fault. Your parents didn’t handle things well, and you’ve been wronged.”

After spending time together, he felt he knew Ruojin well. It hurt him to see such a beautiful girl struggling with her family troubles and living in anxiety every day.

“Don’t worry. I’ll ask my family to arrange the marriage soon.” Guan Muyun gently comforted her. “Once we’re married, you’ll be the wife of the prince of Lingguo Mansion, and no one will question your status.”

Shen Ruojin snuggled into his arms and smiled sweetly.

Her biggest fear right now is being seen as a fake daughter, but if she marries Guan Muyun and becomes the legitimate wife of the prince, she won’t have to worry about those issues anymore.

Guan Muyun’s heart melted seeing Ruojin, who had just cried, now smiling in his arms.

But thinking about her struggles and the person who embarrassed her made him frown again.

Ruojin felt she owed Miss Luo, making it hard for her to approach her without feeling serious or relaxed.

If I, as an outsider, could persuade her, maybe I could convince Luo Taosheng to return to the Marquisate so we could make peace.

Guan Muyun decided to talk to Tao Sheng.

_

The Su family soon had an unexpected visitor.

Tao Sheng had just added water in teapot, and when she looked up, she saw Guan Muyun standing by the gate.

Even though he smiled, there was a hint of wanting to pick a fight: “Miss Luo, I want to talk to you.”

Tao Sheng usually doesn’t treat strange men who come to confront her nicely: “Master Guan, if you have something to say, just say it here. Our house is small, and it’s not convenient to host guests.”

Guan Muyun wanted to take charge of the conversation but didn’t expect Tao Sheng to hold her ground. He cleared his throat and said, “I’ve heard about your family’s situation.”

“Our family’s situation? What’s it about?”

“It’s about you and Ruojin.”

“Oh? What could possibly happen between Miss Shen and me?”

“I came to talk to you sincerely, but you don’t seem to be sincere with me.” Guan Muyun said, “This shows the difference between you and Ruojin. When I asked her about everything, she told me everything.”

Shen Ruojin actually shared her secret with Guan Muyun. Did this mean they were truly in love?

Tao Sheng asked, curious: “How did you ask?”

“I just heard some rumors.” Guan Muyun replied, “I asked her about some things regarding the Shen family and the Luo family in Qin County, and she told me everything.”

When he spoke, there was a bright light in his eyes, showing his pride in being trusted by Ruojin.

Tao Sheng pieced together the facts.

Guan Muyun knew about his family’s situation and started questioning Shen Ruojin. She figured the Guan family might allow the Shen family to deceive them once, but not twice.

So, it made sense for Ruojin to tell the truth first and then express her helplessness to gain Guan Muyun’s sympathy.

Ruojin’s plan worked well. It cleverly covered up the Shen family’s deception and made Guan Muyun want to protect her. He felt she had suffered a lot in her family, leading him to come talk to her.

Ruojin clearly had some cleverness in dealing with family issues. It’s not just her natural charm that got her this far; she has a knack for handling these situations like a true heroine.

Facing Guan Muyun, who was standing up for his lover, Tao Sheng didn’t hide her displeasure: “Since you know all this, what else do you want to talk about?”

“You haven’t returned to the Marquis’ Mansion. Ruojin feels very guilty. Even though she hasn’t done anything wrong, she feels sorry for you and thinks it’s her fault you can’t go home. We’ll all be family soon, and I hope you can return home soon so she can feel at ease.”

Guan Muyun’s suggestion left Tao Sheng feeling a knot in her chest; she could barely breathe.

Shen Ruojin spoke a mix of truth and lies. Even though she felt uneasy, she felt no guilt. When she was found at the Shen family, she had been ill for months, causing her family to complain about her. It wasn’t true that she had done nothing wrong.

Ruojin’s worries stem from fear that her true background will be exposed, leading her to lose her current status and security. She also feared trouble from the Eastern Palace would bring disaster to the Marquis’s Mansion. It wasn’t because she felt bad about her life outside.

Luckily, I was a time traveler with experience from my past life. I knew that returning wouldn’t have a good outcome, so I decided to leave decisively.

In the original story, Shen Taosheng had just come out of mourning for her adoptive parents, and it must have felt joyful to have her biological parents take her back to the mansion. But once in the capital, she faced a family with unclear loyalties and issues. It’s no wonder she left in despair, abandoning her parents and brothers.

“So this is what you wanted to say when you came here this time, so that I can return to the Marquis’ Mansion and not put Ruojin in a difficult position?” Tao Sheng began to prepare her words to ask the guest to leave.

“Yes.”

“My aunt and mother never cared if I returned to the Shen family or recognized the Marquis’s Mansion, so who are you? Is Master Guan thinking too highly of himself?”