tears

"To discuss matters with me?" Lin Wanrong exclaimed, "This is indeed crucial. Miss Luo, let's talk another day. Now, I need to discuss important matters with Miss Xiao."

Luo Ning suppressed a smile, "Big Brother Lin, you go ahead with your important matters. But if you have leisure in the future, could you tell me about 'One Hundred Thousand Whys'?"

"Sure, I'll be happy to enlighten you." Lin Wanrong nonchalantly replied. Luo Ning covered her lips with a smile and said no more, just watching him and Guo Wuchang walk away.

"Weird, Miss Luo seems to have changed a bit." Young Master Biao took a few steps and muttered to himself.

"Changed? How?" Lin Wanrong wondered.

Young Master Biao shook his head, "I don't know, it's just a feeling."

Forget it, are you really that close to her? Intuition!! Lin Wanrong chuckled and remained silent.

Miss Xiao was already sitting in the sedan, waiting for them. When she saw them approaching, she didn't say anything, quietly instructing, "Start the sedan." The sedan swayed towards a distance.

Lin Wanrong mounted his black horse and followed behind the sedan. He felt puzzled. They were supposed to discuss important matters, but why did Miss Xiao leave without a word? He patted Guo Wuchang, "Young Master, didn't Miss Xiao say she had something to discuss with me?"

Young Master Biao also looked puzzled, "Yes, cousin saw you talking to Miss Luo just now and asked me to find you, saying there's an important matter to discuss with you. She didn't mention the details to me, and I thought you knew. Why don't you ask cousin?"

I know nothing. Miss Xiao's mood seems a bit off today. I don't know if it's that time of the month; women are irrational during this period. It's better to keep a distance. If she really has something important, she'll tell me.

The three became a trio of silent figures moving forward.

After a while, a voice came from the sedan, "Cousin—" Young Master Biao hurriedly responded.

Miss Xiao said, "You go ahead, go back and report to mother. Just say I felt tired today. As for the matter of taking over the Taohua shopfront, let the stewards handle it, no need to report everything to me."

Oh, rarely do we see Miss Xiao voluntarily putting down work. Looks like her mood is really not good today.

Young Master Biao was obedient, saluted, and rode his horse to report to their mother, even more proactive than going to Miaoyu Brothel.

In the time Miss Xiao gave orders, the sedan stopped by the road, leaning against Xuanwu Lake. Dusk descended, and the sound of waves gently hitting the shore echoed in the cold wind. In the distance, several flower boats adorned with red lanterns cruised, and from afar, the stars dotted the sky like dim, distant lights. In the fading twilight, everything appeared hazy and somber. Miss Xiao stood by the shore, staring at the lake, silent.

Seeing Miss Xiao stopping, Lin Wanrong had to dismount. The atmosphere became a bit heavy. He couldn't figure out what Miss Xiao was thinking, so he awkwardly said, "Miss Xiao, Young Master Biao mentioned that you have something important to discuss with me. I wonder what it is?"

Miss Xiao didn't turn her head, softly saying, "Is that so? I saw you chatting happily with Miss Luo just now, and I didn't want to disturb your conversation. In the process, I forgot what it was about."

Lin Wanrong was dizzy. Damn, that's an excuse. Surprisingly, Miss Xiao continued, "Lin San, how long have you known Miss Luo, and how did you meet her?"

Check the household register? Lin Wanrong smiled and said, "Miss Xiao, please don't misunderstand. Miss Luo and I are completely innocent. There is nothing between us. As the saying goes, the friendship between gentlemen is as clear as water. We are more than gentlemen."

Splosh! It was Miss Xiao's lotus foot kicking a pebble into the river, seemingly inadvertently interrupting his words.

Lin Wanrong, seeing Miss Xiao's displeasure, thought that this girl was thinking too much. Without waiting for him to speak, Miss Xiao said, "Lin San, don't misunderstand. I just want to know how you and Miss Luo met. Why bring up this nonsense about gentlemen?"

Sweat, listening to the first part was touching, but the second part was laughable. Miss Xiao didn't know the connection between Zhao Kangning and the White Lotus Cult. She thought that by not provoking him, he wouldn't trouble the Xiao family.

Poor Miss Xiao, you don't know how dangerous it is. Since the incident with the White Lotus Cult, we are on the same boat. No one can escape.

Lin Wanrong suddenly became serious, "Miss Xiao, please stop crying. Let me talk about something important."

Miss Xiao, seeing his unprecedented solemnity, knew that this matter must be very important. After so long of playing around with Lin San, she understood him quite well. While this person joked and laughed in trivial matters, he was always careful and never careless in important matters. If he said it was important, it must be important.

"Speak if you want to, who can cover your mouth." The young lady snorted, her face blushing intermittently. The tearful complaint she made in front of him just now, even she couldn't believe it was her own doing.

"Young lady, you saw it today. I didn't provoke Young Master Ning actively; it was him who targeted us." Lin Wanrong said in a deep voice. "Do you know why?"

Seeing the young lady shaking her head, Lin Wanrong continued, "Do you remember what happened during the days when we were abducted by the White Lotus Cult?"

The young lady glanced at him and said, "Of course, I'll never forget it. It was that Tao Dongcheng colluding with the White Lotus Cult, attempting to swallow our Xiao family's wealth."

"Young lady, it's not that simple." Lin Wanrong smiled bitterly. "Have you ever thought that they didn't just abduct you, but also captured me? Do you know what I encountered when you were trapped?"

Why did the White Lotus Cult take Lin San? This has always been a mystery in the young lady's mind. She always thought that Lin San didn't know, but he seemed to be clearer about it than herself.

Lin Wanrong explained in detail everything he experienced during those days. The more the young lady listened, the more shocked she became. She had long forgotten to be at odds with him and exclaimed, "Lin San, they took you that day to get the formula for your perfume? Did you suffer a lot that day? Were you tortured?"

Fortunately, the young lady still had some conscience as a capitalist. Lin Wanrong, seeing the traces of tears still not dried on her face and her serious and determined expression, felt a ripple in his heart and said with a smile, "Yes, they beat me severely, almost forcing me to confess. If it weren't for thinking that the young lady is as beautiful as a flower, unparalleled in the world, I would have almost confessed."

The young lady gave him a blank look and said, "You, while everyone is worried about you, you're still saying irrelevant things." After a moment of silence, she suddenly looked at him and sighed softly, "In the future, don't do such foolish things again. If they want the formula, just give it to them. As long as we have our lives, it's better than anything."

This statement sounded heartwarming. Lin Wanrong nodded and smiled. In his heart, handing over the formula was equivalent to handing his life to someone else; only a fool would do that.

"You later found out, Qingxuan appeared in time and saved us." Lin Wanrong didn't mention Qin Xian'er and attributed all the credit to Xiao Qingxuan.

The young lady thought for a while before saying, "Lin San, are you suspecting Young Master Ning—"

"Not suspecting, but affirming. This Young Master Ning is the master behind Tao Dongcheng." Lin Wanrong said seriously.