Wen Jiang stiffened when his name was called. Meeting Bai Qingqing’s gaze as she turned to look at him, he managed a gentle smile and spoke calmly, “Well… it’s not exactly a grave mistake…”

Inwardly, he was cursing Ning Yan, who had clearly run out of arguments and decided to drag him into the mess. How could someone be this infuriating?

“It’s a good thing you have a sense of judgment. To act with both caution and a pure heart is a rare virtue in times like these. Still, it would’ve been better if you’d let us know beforehand.”

Wen Jiang had no trouble guessing what sort of fit Ning Yan was throwing. As much as he wanted to grind his teeth, he still chose to help him save face.

“You hold a special identity, and this journey is of great importance. None of us want anything to happen to you—especially Ning Yan. The moment he learned you’d gone out alone, he didn’t even take a full breath before rushing after you, afraid something might happen.”

Bai Qingqing looked at Ning Yan in surprise. His face remained expressionless, but guilt gradually rose in her eyes. Lord Ning had worried about her this much? Even knowing the Linjia Guards were with her, he’d still come after her himself… Perhaps she really had been a little too reckless.

“So,” Wen Jiang continued, his tone as soothing as flowing water, “today’s issue isn’t a matter of fault, only a hope that in the future you’ll rely more on those around you. That way, we can all feel more at ease.”

Bai Qingqing nodded earnestly, taking his words to heart. “I understand. I’ll be more careful from now on.”

Then she turned to Ning Yan and said softly, “Next time, I’ll be sure to ask for your permission first. Please don’t be mad, all right?”

Ning Yan gave her a sideways glance, face still blank. Seeing her offer him a winning, placating smile, he scoffed and looked away. “Fine, we’ll let it go this time. As long as you understand.”

Wen Jiang all but rolled his eyes to the heavens, tugging Mu Shu aside to mutter under his breath, “Shameless. All that posturing just to scare Qingqing, when deep down he’s probably grinning like a fool.”

Stolen from NovelBin, this story should be reported if encountered on Amazon.

Mu Shu scratched his head. “Is the lord really mad, though? Normally when he loses his temper, he lets his fists do the talking. Since when does he bother arguing over who's in the wrong? Has he… changed?”

Wen Jiang shot him a glare. “No wonder you’re still single, tagging along after Ning Yan.”

Mu Shu: “…”

Meanwhile, Chang’an and Changlan had also been brought back to the inn. Changlan was a mess of tears, but she knew full well it was her brother who had wronged Bai Qingqing. She didn’t even dare beg for mercy, only wiped her tears in silence, trailing after her brother who now lay half-dead from a brutal beating.

Someone carried Chang’an inside. Changlan knelt by his side, her thin little frame still trying to shield him. “My lord, please spare my brother this once. He only did it for my sake. If punishment is needed, take it out on me instead. My brother has already learned his lesson…”

But the miserable state of the two siblings stirred not even a flicker of pity in Ning Yan’s eyes. Bai Qingqing had never wronged them—in fact, she’d only ever shown them kindness. No excuse could justify dragging her into this.

Ning Yan’s cold, severe expression made Changlan tremble. She and her brother had been the last to leave that alley, and she’d seen with her own eyes how those armored figures dispatched Chen San and his gang without so much as a change in expression.

The blood, the bodies—it all weighed on her chest like a nightmare. Her body shook, and her breathing came in ragged gasps.

“Lanlan?”

Bai Qingqing immediately noticed something was wrong and rushed to steady her. Seeing how pale the girl looked, she quickly called for Wen Jiang. He took her pulse, then opened his pouch and inserted a few needles before laying her flat.

“She’s fine. Just badly frightened. She’ll recover soon.”