How could I possibly be confined in a cage?

Chapter 118 The Huang Family (2)

After a good night's sleep, Song Yuanliang, carrying the rose brooch, hurried to the Marshal's Mansion early the next morning before Master Song remembered him.

"Young Master Guo is not here?"

"It's not here. Look for it elsewhere."

Where is Young Master Guo?

"How would I know? Go ask somewhere else."

Song Yuanliang was turned away and almost kicked out before he could even see the person in charge.

The guard didn't recognize him. Usually, those who came and went to the Marshal's Mansion were either high-ranking officials or wealthy merchants. Young people like Song Yuanliang were all treated as "trying to get close to him".

After thinking it over, Song Yuanliang ultimately decided not to use the name of Master Song, since he had agreed not to rely on him.

"Thank you very much." Song Yuanliang said his thanks and decided to go and think of another solution on his own.

Anyway, the Marshal's Mansion is so big, it has more than one exit.

Strolling around, Song Yuanliang actually arrived at the gate of the villa, which was only one street away from the Marshal's Mansion.

"Excuse me, ma'am, does Young Master Guo live here? I've been asking around and everyone says he lives here."

The woman who was asked looked him up and down and saw that he was a handsome young man with delicate features who kept calling her "big sister," so she became happy.

"Oh dear, I'm so old, and you still call me 'elder sister'? Fine, I'll tell you, Young Master Guo lives here. I'm his cook, and I'm just on my way to buy groceries. What do you want with my young master?"

"That's great, big sister. I need to see Young Master Guo about something, so I've come to deliver something."

The older woman gave me a knowing look and squinted her eyes, saying, "Okay, go find a girl named Hongyu at the entrance, she'll take care of you."

The older woman slapped Song Yuanliang's buttocks and walked away laughing.

Song Yuanliang rubbed his numb and sore buttocks and thought, "No wonder this is the Marshal's Mansion. Even the old woman who cooks is so strong and powerful."

According to her, when Song Yuanliang went to call for someone, he happened to run into Hongyu taking Xiao Erlang to school.

"Hello, are you Hongyu?"

"Yes, who are you?" Hongyu sized up Song Yuanliang. Her young master rarely associated with this type of person.

"I am a student at Nancheng University. I have been asked to deliver something."

"Nancheng University?" Hongyu looked at Song Yuanliang with newfound respect. Looking at the expensive fabric of his clothes, she wondered if he was here to seek his future with her young master.

"Wait here, I'll take you inside in a bit." Hongyu still had to see Xiao Erlang off, so she couldn't delay.

"Then naturally you should go ahead and do your thing."

"Hmm," he seems to know the rules.

A quarter of an hour had passed by the time Hongyu returned.

Are you still there?

Hongyu was touched by his honesty and actually brought him into the mansion.

When Guo Zixing met Song Yuanliang, he was at a loss for words to exchange.

"Young Master Song, is there something you need?"

"Yes, I want to meet the woman who was with you when you came to my house that day." Song Yuanliang almost blurted out Lü Qingru's name, as he wasn't sure what Lü Qingru's status was with Guo Zixing.

Guo Zixing's eyes immediately sharpened. "What is it?"

"I'm handing this over to her. I have a classmate who knows her well. We met that day and she asked me to deliver this to her."

Song Yuanliang took out the brooch.

Just as Guo Zixing was about to take it, Song Yuanliang snatched it away, saying, "I hope Young Master Guo will do me a favor."

Guo Zixing touched his nose, not really wanting Song Yuanliang and Qingru to interact, because he didn't know what their relationship was.

Since Qingru returned, Guo Zixing has kept her by his side, allowing her to resume her original name and behavior. Now, with Song Yuanliang suddenly claiming to know her, Guo Zixing is unsure what to do.

Just as she was about to offer some excuses, Qingru came out. They had originally agreed to go to the Huang family to seek justice today, but after waiting and waiting without Guo Zixing coming to call her, Qingru came out on her own.

"Young Master Song?" Qingru was also very surprised. It turned out that Guo Zixing hadn't gone to call him because a guest had arrived.

"You guys talk first, I'll go..."

"Miss Lü, please wait a moment. Take a look at something first." Before Guo Zixing could stop him, Song Yuanliang had already taken out the brooch.

"How did you get this...?" Qingru recognized it at a glance; it was a gift she had personally chosen for her sister Yanru's birthday last year.

Song Yuanliang looked troubled. Guo Zixing was still beside him, and he didn't know whether he could reveal Yan Ru's whereabouts.

Seeing Qingru's pleading expression, Guo Zixing left with his hands behind his back, leaving the space to the two of them, while he drank tea in the courtyard.

"Young Master Song, this brooch is very important to me. How is the owner of this brooch? Is she safe? Is she scared?"

"Don't worry, she's safe. Ever since I saw you at my house last time, I've been thinking about telling her about this. She gave me this brooch, saying you'd understand it as soon as you saw it."

Qingru nodded, tears welling in her eyes. "She's been staying at your house the whole time?"

"I heard that my father and your father know each other, so she stayed at my house when the incident first happened. By the way, are you safe? Why are you with Young Master Guo? He hasn't arrested you yet."

Qingru wiped away her tears and carefully placed the brooch into her bosom. No wonder she couldn't find Yanru anywhere; it turned out…

The Song family, as local wealthy merchants, certainly had the ability to hide Lü Yanru.

“I’m fine too. The young master Guo you see is just cold on the outside but warm on the inside. He’s actually a very good person. I’ve been living under his protection ever since the wanted notice was issued.”

As she spoke, she thought of how Guo Zixing had risked his life to save her from danger several times, and Qingru couldn't help but feel grateful.

"That's good. So, what are your plans? Yanru wants to go home."

Qingru pondered for a moment and said, “Going home now is definitely not an option. You don’t understand the situation. Young Master Guo told me that the reason my father has been imprisoned for so long without a verdict is mainly because of his connection with the Japanese.”

Song Yuanliang asked, puzzled, "This... even Young Master Guo can't solve it?"

Qingru shook her head. "I have tried it too, but Young Master Guo showed me the documents, saying that anyone who is connected with foreign forces should be closely monitored. That is why my father has been unable to leave prison."

Song Yuanliang couldn't offer any advice, after all, he was the sisters' biological father, so he figured there wouldn't be any problems.

"Miss Lü, I would like to ask you for a favor."

"Go ahead," Qingru agreed readily. Song Yuanliang had helped her so much, and she would do whatever she could to help.

"Could you find us a house outside, preferably one that no one else can find?"

As Song Yuanliang spoke, he handed over a box, saying, "This is my savings over the years; it should be enough to buy a house."

Looking at the thick stack of banknotes and luxury watches, Qingru felt that Song Yuanliang was a very humble person. This place contained more than just one house.

Qingru accepted the box. "Okay, I'll help you with this. I'm busy with something these days, so I'll have to trouble you to take care of her for a while longer. Once I've finished my business here, I'll bring her out immediately."

"It's alright, you go ahead and do your thing. I'll take good care of Yanru and her child."

Qingru was shocked and confused. When she came to her senses, she slapped Song Yuanliang, "What did you say?"

Seeing that things were not going well, Guo Zixing immediately came over to protect Qingru and asked Song Yuanliang to leave with an unfriendly look in his eyes.

Song Yuanliang knelt firmly before Qingru, taking all the blame upon himself.

"Now that things have come to this, I don't know how to explain it to you. If you and Uncle Lü don't agree, I won't give up."

Guo Zixing didn't know what had happened, but he knew that Qingru was furious.

"You can leave now. The goods have been delivered, and your duty is complete."

Song Yuanliang was helpless. He knew that anyone would find it unacceptable that his younger sister, whom he had raised, had a child without telling her family.

But if Qingru finds out about Yanru and Master Song's affair, then...

Sigh, he had no choice but to shoulder everything himself, so that the Lü family would know that he was capable and responsible of taking care of Yanru.

Song Yuanliang should go back now. He said to Qingru, "I'm leaving now. Don't worry, she's doing very well."

Qingru was heartbroken if she didn't go to see him.

Just as Song Yuanliang stepped out of the courtyard, Qingru called out to him, "Take good care of her. I will take her back in a while."

Song Yuanliang turned around, bowed solemnly, and then left.

Seeing Qingru's distress, Guo Zixing suppressed his doubts. He decided to discuss going to the Huang family later, once Qingru had recovered.