Estimating that quite some time had passed since she left, Yunluo glanced back at the path she came from.

Mu Lianxiao understood and slowly released his hand.

Yunluo also let go of Mu Lianxiao’s sleeve. Seeing that the cuff she had grabbed was all crumpled, she relaxed her eyebrows and chuckled softly, "Well, I’ll head back first."

Mu Lianxiao responded with a smile, watching Yunluo take two steps back, then turn around and walk back along the path.

Her steps were not large, making a rustling sound on the fallen bamboo leaves covering the ground. Yet, she walked slowly, occasionally turning her head to look back. That look of reluctance was reflected in his eyes, making him involuntarily curve the corners of his mouth.

Only when Yunluo’s figure was no longer visible did Mu Lianxiao retract his gaze.

Raising his hand to look at the crumpled cuff, he casually tidied it up before leaving.

Mu Lianxiao found Mu Lianhui in front of the Medicine King Hall.

Two small maids beside Mu Lianhui were kneeling before the Buddha, praying for something, while Mu Lianhui stood with her hands behind her back on the temple steps, looking up at the newly blossomed Buddha.

"The embroidery is really not bad, it must have taken a lot of effort." Mu Lianhui murmured casually. Seeing Mu Lianxiao coming over, she smiled lightly, "Ah Shao, where did you go? Why were you delayed for so long?"

Mu Lianxiao did not want to mention meeting Yunluo.

Even if it was his sister, it wouldn’t be proper for her to know Yunluo’s disheveled state. Besides, if she knew about their secret meeting, who knows how much she would laugh at them.

Mu Lianxiao changed the topic, "Haven’t the people who went to fetch spring water returned yet?"

"You’re even more anxious than I am," Mu Lianhui chuckled, "We’re not going back to the Capital for another three days. Naturally, we’ll wait until then to fetch it. You know, if it weren’t that the city couldn’t wait, I’d love to stay here for ten days or half a month."

Just fetching spring water needs no delay at Qinglian Temple.

Mu Lianhui didn’t say explicitly, and Mu Lianxiao understood what she meant.

Ever since Mu Lianhui returned to the Capital, invitations from various families hadn’t stopped. Mu Lianhui had been away from the Capital for almost three years and had grown distant from those noble ladies. Having just returned, she didn’t want to rush into socializing with them, so she took the opportunity of fetching spring water to avoid them.

"I never expected to actually hide away until next year; half a month is enough." Mu Lianhui blinked and smiled.

On the other hand, Yunluo returned to the side room.

As she expected, it had already quieted down here. 𝚏𝗿𝗲𝐞𝚠𝕖𝐛𝗻𝗼𝐯𝕖𝚕.𝚌𝗼𝗺

Several matrons, in the midst of pushing around clumsily, had already become distressed. Without standing on ceremony, they simply sat under the veranda, some leaning against the pillars, catching their breath with a semblance of dignity.

Jin Rui had pulled up a stool to sit outside the side room, casting a disinterested glance at the matrons.

There was no trace of Zhen Wenqian.

Yunluo looked around, feeling somewhat relieved knowing Mrs. Zhen and the others hadn’t returned yet.

It seemed she could muddle through the incident of meeting Mu Lianxiao, and that was a relief.

Jin Rui looked up and saw Yunluo, leaping up from the stool and quickly walking over, "Miss, are you alright? Just now, when I couldn’t find you behind the house, I was startled."

With Jin Rui’s movement, the several matrons came to their senses, smiling awkwardly as they approached to pay their respects.

"I’m fine." Yunluo carefully looked over Jin Rui, noticing her clothes were clean, and she had no marks on her hands or face, realizing this clever maid hadn’t suffered any losses, "Why were you sitting outside? Where is Zhen Wenqian?"

At this, Jin Rui pursed her lips.

The matrons all felt a chill behind them, their smiles increasingly awkward, and seeing Yunluo call Zhen Wenqian by his name showed how furious she felt. Knowing this lady cousin would never swallow an insult riled them up, making sweat drip down their foreheads.

Why did they have to be the ones to handle this situation?

Had they known, they would’ve followed Madam and the ladies up the mountain, tiring their legs would’ve been better than exhausting their minds and facing punishment afterwards.

Jin Rui pointed to the side room, "The mighty Zhen Family master kicked the door open. Luckily for us, the chair barricading the door tripped him up, otherwise he would’ve charged in like a lion, and we matrons couldn’t have stopped him!

The Zhen Family master, unable to find you, wanted to interrogate this servant. But as luck would have it, in his drunkenness, he fell along the wall and passed out. The matrons went over to see, and he had fallen asleep.

The matrons suggested moving him back to his own side room, but this servant thought it unwise. Our side room’s door was already broken, and the chair damaged. If the master awoke and claimed not to remember, how could the miss explain it clearly?

This servant wanted to find you but feared the matrons’ kindness would not let the master sleep on the floor. Who knows, in a turn, the master might disappear.

So, this servant had to drag a stool to sit by the door, waiting for Madam and the Zhen Family aunts to return for clarification."

Encountering such an incident, Jin Rui was brimming with anger. She originally viewed the Zhen Family as kind-hearted, but today she saw there was a crazy wolf among them. Luckily, her young lady was clever enough to escape through the back window, otherwise...

Jin Rui shuddered at the thought.

She was cross with the matrons for not going all out to stop Zhen Wenqian, and naturally, her words were not as courteous as before.

The matrons’ faces flushed red, but putting themselves in her position, if they were Jin Rui, they might be even more wary. Hearing those acerbic words, they could only offer sheepish smiles and accept them.

While they were conversing, they heard footsteps behind them, followed by several exclamations.

"What’s going on here?" Mrs. Chen, seeing the matrons’ disheveled state, and even their hair not as tidy as before, was taken aback.

Mrs. Zhen brushed away Nanny Xu’s hand, hurriedly stepping forward to embrace Yunluo, "Nannan, why are you out here with your hair all down?"

Hearing this, Mrs. Chen’s gaze fell on Yunluo, noticing her red-rimmed eyes, tear stains on her cheeks, dirty shoes with some bamboo leaves stuck to them. Her eyelids twitched, "Sixth Sister, let’s talk inside. Yunluo just got up and hasn’t even put on a cloak. She’ll catch a cold out here."

Mrs. Zhen took this to heart, immediately holding Yunluo and leading her into the side room.

Mrs. Chen held Zhen Wenting, as Mrs. Wang also followed behind. Just as they reached the door, Mrs. Zhen suddenly stopped, causing the three behind to almost collide into her.

Inside the room, chairs were toppled all over, tables were moved, the incense burner from the Buddha’s altar had fallen to the ground, incense ashes scattered everywhere. Fortunately, it was a bronze incense burner—had it been porcelain, it would have shattered.

The sight left Mrs. Zhen dumbfounded. Then, her gaze fell to the corner where Zhen Wenqian sat slumped, his face flushed, deeply asleep.

Mrs. Zhen’s eyes narrowed sharply, pulling Yunluo aside, gesturing to Mrs. Chen and Mrs. Wang to look, "Sister-in-law, did I come to the wrong room?"

Mrs. Wang covered her mouth to stifle a cry.

Mrs. Chen’s legs almost gave way, about to collapse to the ground when Zhen Wenting supported her.

Pointing at Zhen Wenqian, her finger trembled uncontrollably, her chest heaving as she shouted at the matrons, "What are you standing there for? Drag this disgrace out of here now!"