CHAPTER 425: CHAPTER 425: ENGAGEMENT

"If you put it that way, then I’m even more determined to take you away. I’ll do my best to convince your family to leave with you. I believe the one you care about most in your heart is the old madam, isn’t it?"

"Yes, my mother is already so old. If I leave her here, she likely won’t survive for long." As he said this, he suddenly felt a pang of bitterness, realizing that he hadn’t spoken of this to anyone before.

"I understand how you feel. I have family too, so I know what’s going through your mind right now." But matters like these are bound to be difficult.

"Let’s head back. If we stay here too long, it’s bound to raise suspicion. If they figure out something is amiss, you really won’t have any chance to leave." He didn’t say anything further, only thinking they should hurry back.

However, no one expected that the moment they returned, the old madam summoned them into the small room, her face looking deeply stern.

"I don’t know what the two of you are thinking, but for the next few days, you must be extra careful. Don’t go out recklessly. During this time, someone will be coming to investigate the situation here."

Once they uncover anything tied to the secrets here, they’ll likely eliminate those involved before taking any further steps. These are very dangerous matters.

Ji Yu could more or less guess—it was probably because of her disappearance that they were now being searched.

She suddenly felt a wave of guilt. If Jiang Huai’s people really came to conduct the search, she doubted she could manage to escape at all.

The old madam seemed to have thought of something too. When she looked at Ji Yu, her expression grew somewhat complex.

"Yu, I know you’re carrying many burdens in your heart, but I hope that in this moment, you can trust me. I absolutely won’t hand you over just like that. I also understand you’ve probably offended some powerful people."

Even so, she still hoped to keep this daughter-in-law. It hadn’t been easy for her son to find a woman he liked, so naturally, she wanted to take the time to talk things through properly.

In that moment, Ji Yu suddenly understood—the old madam wasn’t as oblivious as she had seemed. She had merely been suppressing her thoughts all along.

"Grandmother, I think this whole situation is far too dangerous. How about you come with us? That way, we can escape this hellish place together."

She still said this, hoping they wouldn’t let her down.

"Leaving here is nearly impossible. Besides, I’m just an old woman. My body can’t possibly endure the journey to flee."

To be honest, she’d had the same thought at the beginning. But every attempt had ended in failure, leaving her heart conflicted. At this point, she understood what they had been discussing all this time.

"So, you’ve been discussing plans to leave here this whole time. I should have known. How could my son ever want to stay here? Of course, he wants to leave."

The old madam laughed bitterly, though she didn’t seem inclined to stop them. After all, she was very much like her son in this regard.

"Grandmother, if you don’t leave with us, how could he possibly leave with me? I’m sure Brother Lin holds great respect for you in his heart. If you don’t go, he won’t either."

Ji Yu wanted her to understand that the bond between mother and son was unshakable.

"My son takes after me, so of course, I understand his feelings. If he wants to leave, then let him leave boldly. Things aren’t as complicated as they seem."

She looked at Ji Yu, understanding that if they wanted to get married, it would likely be difficult. But her son might meet someone better in the future.

"Yu, I don’t expect you to truly end up with Zhiyuan. But if you can take him out of here, please help him find someone suitable. My greatest wish in this life is to see him get married."

Ji Yu hadn’t expected the old madam to be so understanding. It seemed she had long anticipated this day, so there was no anguish in her heart, just the quiet preparation for farewell.

"Grandmother, do you truly not want to leave here?"

"It’s not that I don’t want to leave. It’s just that I’m too old. Staying here is the best choice for me. When the time comes, I can help you buy a little more time. Otherwise, you won’t have enough time to escape."

She had long stopped struggling. At her age, even if she got out, there was nothing left to chase after. She had already seen the world outside before and no longer wished to see more.

"Oh, and when the time comes, there’s one thing I’d like you to deliver to my parents. Back then, when I was suddenly sent here, I had no time to say goodbye."

It was only then that Ji Yu truly understood—the old madam had also been brought here against her will. She’d been trapped her entire life. It must have been unbearable for her.

"We’ll do everything we can to bring you with us, no matter what. We’ll never give up on you."

The old madam had saved Ji Yu’s life, so naturally, Ji Yu wished to take both her and Lin Zhiyuan out with her.

The old madam said nothing more, only smiled at her. She seemed to have long understood that some things simply weren’t meant to be.

Ji Yu felt a sudden wave of sorrow, though she couldn’t explain why.

"Alright, let’s not talk about such sad things anymore. Someone will be coming to inspect soon. You two should hide well." She looked at her son and suddenly smiled, seeming deeply comforted.

"You little rascal, if you dare lie to me again, I’ll kick you out myself. But this should be the last time."

When the old madam said this, there was a trace of sadness in her heart, though she tried her best to put on a smile.

"Mom, if you don’t leave, I won’t either. I know you can’t bear to let me go."

"You rascal, what nonsense are you spouting? If you want to leave, then just leave boldly. Why should my feelings matter?"