“Get up.” Xuan Yanyu tossed the dagger onto A’Fu’s body.  

A’Fu’s face twisted in pain as he gritted his teeth and looked at Yan Shiyao. “Eldest Miss…”  

Yan Shiyao couldn’t bear it. “Brother Yu, let’s find a physician to treat A’Fu. He was just relaying Mother’s orders.”  

Xuan Yanyu raised an eyebrow, his smile carrying a hint of roguishness. “A’Yao, no. What if this delays Madam Prime Minister’s instructions?”  

Yan Shiyao pursed her lips slightly, then bent down to help A’Fu up from the ground. “A’Fu, Brother Yu is right. Don’t delay Mother’s orders.”  

A’Fu clenched his jaw and muttered, “As the Eldest Miss says.”  

“Then let’s go.” Xuan Yanyu cast a sidelong glance at A’Fu.  

At that moment, the coachman led the carriage over, placed a stepping stool, and said with a smile, “Young Master Xuan, Eldest Miss Yan, Second Miss Yan, please.”  

Yan Yuning lifted her skirt and pulled aside the cotton curtain to board the carriage. The interior was spacious, filled with delicate pastries and tea.  

As soon as Yan Yuning settled onto the brocade cushion, Xuan Yanyu followed her in and sat down right beside her.  

Yan Yuning pressed her lips together and scooted further inside.  

Xuan Yanyu narrowed his eyes, then suddenly smirked.  

“A’Fu, take it slow.” Yan Shiyao climbed into the carriage and reached out to pull A’Fu inside.  

Xuan Yanyu abruptly lifted his gaze, his voice icy. “He walks back.”  

A’Fu met the man’s handsome yet gloomy face and felt the wound on his foot throb even more painfully.  

Madman!  

“Brother Yu, you’re being too much.” Yan Shiyao’s face flushed red with anger.  

Xuan Yanyu leaned lazily against the carriage wall and chuckled. “Then you can walk back with him.”  

Yan Yuning, who had just taken a bite of a mung bean cake, froze at these words, nearly choking.  

What did he say? He wanted her elder sister to walk back?!  

Her elder sister?!  

Walk back?!  

“Fine, I’ll walk back then.” Yan Shiyao bit her lip, her eyes instantly reddening.  

Xuan Yanyu glanced at her and nodded.  

Yan Yuning: “???”  

Yan Shiyao felt utterly wronged, suppressing her sobs as tears clung to her lashes.  

Yan Yuning’s mind was still in a daze. She grabbed Yan Shiyao’s arm and pressed her lips together. “Elder Sister, why should you walk back? If anyone walks, it should be him.”  

Xuan Yanyu let out a low, mocking laugh at this.  

Yan Shiyao tightened her grip on her handkerchief, sniffling. “Ningning, this isn’t the Prime Minister’s residence’s carriage. Brother Yu hired it.”  

Every time they left or returned to the residence, Brother Yu hired the carriage, claiming the Prime Minister’s carriage was uncomfortable for him.  

She didn’t understand why he was so fussy—she wasn’t as particular as he was.  

Yan Yuning choked back her words and slowly said, “Forget I said anything.”  

She didn’t want to walk back. She also didn’t have the silver to hire a carriage—she still owed Xuan Yanyu money.  

Xuan Yanyu picked up a mung bean cake and twirled it between his fingers. “Second Miss Yan, who were you referring to earlier when you said ‘let him leave’?”  

Yan Yuning pointed at A’Fu beside them. “I meant him.”  

A’Fu’s eye twitched.  

Yan Yuning stole a glance at Xuan Yanyu, who was lounging lazily in the carriage, his narrowed eyes fixed on her.  

She averted her gaze and pulled Yan Shiyao to sit opposite Xuan Yanyu.  

Xuan Yanyu pressed his lips together and tossed aside the mung bean cake.  

After a long, bumpy journey, they finally arrived in the capital. Outside the Prime Minister’s residence, Chu Wantang stood waiting with her maidservants.

Yan Yuning carefully helped Yan Shiyao step down from the carriage.  

The long, bumpy journey had aggravated her wound, leaving Yan Shiyao’s face pale.  

When Chu Wantang saw Yan Shiyao, she hurried forward, cupping her cheeks with eyes full of heartache. “Yaoyao, it’s only been a few days since you left home—how have you lost so much weight?”  

The pain in her wound throbbed faintly, but Yan Shiyao suppressed her discomfort and forced a weak smile. “Mother, I’m so tired.”  

Chu Wantang took her hand, her gaze overflowing with concern. “You must be exhausted from the long carriage ride. Come inside with Mother and rest properly.”  

Yan Shiyao nodded.  

A group of maidservants followed Chu Wantang and Yan Shiyao into the Prime Minister’s residence, as if forgetting there was still a second young miss—or perhaps they simply didn’t care about her at all.  

Xuan Yanyu’s brows furrowed deeply, his dark pupils glinting with coldness. “What’s so great about the Prime Minister’s residence? I don’t think you need to come back here either.”  

Yan Yuning’s long lashes trembled slightly. She didn’t understand what he meant.  

The man slowly approached her, bending down slightly as his pitch-black eyes fixed on her. His voice was low and pleasant. “Yan Yuning, you don’t need to take the Prime Minister’s wife to heart.”  

Yan Yuning looked up at him and replied softly, “Oh.”  

She had never taken the Prime Minister’s wife to heart in the first place.  

“And there’s no need to feel sad,” Xuan Yanyu added.  

When he returned to Xuanzhao, he would take her with him. In Xuanzhao, with him around, no one would dare neglect her. She wouldn’t have to stay here and suffer needless grievances.  

“Xuan Yanyu.” Yan Yuning tugged at his sleeve.  

She wanted to ask him—was it intentional that he didn’t save A’Ci?  

“Hmm? What is it?” His voice carried a teasing lilt.  

“I—” Just as Yan Yuning was about to speak, Qiuci came running out, lifting her skirt.  

When she reached them, she curtsied with a smile. “Young Master Xuan. Second Miss, Madam has invited you to dine in the main hall.”  

Qiuci’s eyes sparkled with joy. Since returning to the residence, the second young miss had never been invited to dine in the main hall—this was the first time. It seemed Madam was finally going to treat her well.  

“Understood.” Yan Yuning released Xuan Yanyu’s sleeve and followed Qiuci into the residence.  

Main Hall.

Guided by a maidservant, Yan Yuning took a seat beside Chu Wantang, while Yan Shiyao sat opposite her.

Chu Wantang’s expression was full of tenderness as she casually picked up a dish and placed it in Yan Yuning’s bowl. “Ningning, Mother has neglected you. Can you forgive me?”  

Yan Shiyao looked at Yan Yuning expectantly.  

Yan Yuning forced a smile. “Mother, how could I hold it against you?”  

After all these years, now she says she’s been neglectful? Isn’t it a little too late?  

If she truly meant it, why only say it now?  

Yan Shiyao smiled faintly. “If only Father were here too.”  

Chu Wantang picked up Yan Shiyao’s favorite dish and placed it in her bowl, gazing at her with deep affection. “Yaoyao, eat more. Mother’s heart aches to see you so thin.”  

Yan Shiyao blushed shyly. “Understood, Mother.”  

“Ningning, once you’re married, you must serve your in-laws dutifully and attend to your husband. Don’t neglect propriety,” Chu Wantang said gently before turning back to Yan Shiyao, her loving gaze deepening. “Yaoyao, you too—if you ever suffer any grievances, you must tell Mother. I’ll stand up for you.”  

Yan Shiyao lowered her head bashfully, pouting. “Mother~”  

Chu Wantang held Yan Shiyao’s hand and sighed. “You’re too soft-hearted. Mother worries you’ll be taken advantage of.”  

Yan Yuning clenched the wooden chopsticks in her hand tightly. As she watched Chu Wantang fuss over Yan Shiyao, her ears echoed with the words—  

“Once you’re married, you must serve your in-laws dutifully and attend to your husband. Don’t neglect propriety.”

A thought flashed through her mind, and a sudden, ominous premonition struck her.