Madam Lu’s instructions quickly reached Qingshan Manor.
Just as Granny had anticipated, Lin Guanguan completely lost it upon hearing them. She immediately flung herself into Lu Yan’s arms. “No! Absolutely not! Nobody is allowed to take Yan’er away!”
Lu Yan clung to Lin Guanguan just as tightly, wailing uncontrollably. “I don’t want to leave Mother… sob… I don’t want to!”
The mother and son held each other, crying as if facing a life-or-death separation, their sobs wrenching the heart.
Even Granny, who had come to deliver the message, was left speechless.
“Brother Jinyu,” Lin Guanguan rushed over to Lu Jinyu’s bedside. “Yan’er is still so young! How could he possibly live alone? He’s never had to before, I understand now!”
Something clearly came to her mind, and she turned to Granny. “Granny, from now on I’ll take full care of Yan’er. I won’t let him ever offend Lu Jianshen or Lu Jianwei again…”
“Miss Lin, choose your words carefully!” Granny’s face darkened, her voice sharp.
Lin Guanguan’s words implied that Madam Lu was acting out of favoritism, deliberately punishing Lu Yan.
“Master Shen and Miss Wei have lived alone since they were three. Yan’er will soon be four, and is at the age to live independently.”
“No!” Lin Guanguan refused outright. “No one is taking my Yan’er away.”
The cries inside the room rose and fell in a continuous, deafening chorus.
Granny took a deep breath and turned to Lu Jinyu. “Second Master, what do you think?”
Lu Jinyu hesitated.
Granny spoke reasonably, yet… why did this have to happen now?
Right after Lu Yan had struck Lu Jianwei.
“Brother Jinyu,” Lin Guanguan’s sobs sounded again, her eyes filled with helplessness as she looked at him.
Only then did Lu Jinyu respond. “Granny, I understand Mother’s intentions. Let me think this over.”
Granny nodded in acknowledgment and turned to leave.
As soon as she stepped outside, the crying surged again, and she couldn’t help but frown.
This Miss Lin was really… quite unreasonable.
Granny reported the situation at Qingshan Manor to Madam Lu in full. Madam Lu’s expression remained calm, entirely unsurprised. “The affairs at Qingshan Manor need no further attention.”
The commotion at Qingshan Manor was not only known to Madam Lu; even Song Zhiyao had heard about it.
After Suxin finished recounting the events, Song Zhiyao frowned.
What had she ever seen in Lu Jinyu to think he was suitable for an engagement?
And the person occupying her body—how could they have spent three years pursuing such a man so persistently?
Song Zhiyao scowled at the thought.
“General.”
A servant’s voice pulled her back, and she stood to greet him. “Lu Yanzhi, you’re back.”
Her voice was light, her eyes bright, a faint smile on her lips.
Right behind came Lu Jianshen’s voice: “Father.”
Lu Jianwei stood beside Lu Jianshen, slightly timid, but forced a smile at Lu Yanzhi. After smiling, she quickly ducked behind her brother.
Lu Yanzhi paused for a moment, a new, unfamiliar feeling swelling in his chest. His Adam’s apple bobbed. “Mm.”
Song Zhiyao called for the servants to set the meal.
Lu Yanzhi furrowed his brows. “You haven’t eaten yet?”
He had returned later than expected today, and had sent word ahead so the three of them didn’t need to wait.
Song Zhiyao nodded. “Yes, we were waiting for you.”
Lu Yanzhi: “…You don’t need to wait next time.”
“That won’t do,” Song Zhiyao said. “A family should eat together. Deep and Weiwei were both looking forward to it.”
She had asked Lu Jianshen and Lu Jianwei—they had insisted they weren’t hungry. Only then did she decide to wait.
Lu Yanzhi’s gaze fell on his children.
Lu Jianshen’s little face was tense, trying to appear mature, but the spark in his eyes betrayed his anticipation.
Lu Jianwei peeked out and smiled at Lu Yanzhi.
Song Zhiyao was not one to work anonymously. She had instructed that the children be told how she and Lu Yanzhi had gone to Qingshan Manor to stand up for them today.
It wasn’t meant to change their opinions, but to make sure they knew that no matter what happened, their parents had their backs.
This was one reason why the siblings were now so close to Lu Yanzhi.
The family of four sat down to dinner.
After the evening meal, Song Zhiyao naturally turned to Lu Yanzhi. “Lu Yanzhi, check on Deep’s lessons.”
Lu Yanzhi looked at Lu Jianshen.
The boy was only five. He didn’t have high expectations for his studies, but since Song Zhiyao said it, he nodded.
Yet as he examined Lu Jianshen’s progress, he felt a mix of surprise and delight.
Lu Jianshen was bright.
While testing Lu Jianshen, Song Zhiyao sat nearby with paper and pen, keeping Lu Jianwei company.
At the end, Lu Yanzhi said, “At your current level, you could start at the Imperial Academy.”
Since the previous emperor, the Imperial Academy had expanded. Children of fifth-rank officials and above could enroll. The standard enrollment age was five.
For prominent families, starting at five was considered late; most hired tutors around three years old for early education.
Lu Jianshen and Lu Jianwei had followed this pattern.
Lu Jianshen pressed his lips, not responding immediately.
“Don’t want to go?” Lu Yanzhi asked. “Why?”
Lu Jianshen glanced at Lu Jianwei, worry clear in his eyes.
Song Zhiyao understood immediately—he was concerned for his sister. Her eyes softened. “Deep, your father is asking you.”
She had no experience as a mother, but she knew how to handle children.
Having grown up spoiled, she expected her words to be direct, so naturally she wanted the same openness from her children.
Only then did Lu Jianshen say, “Father, I’m worried about my sister.”
Lu Yanzhi couldn’t help stealing a glance at Song Zhiyao, then turned his attention to Lu Jianwei. “Weiwei, come here.”
His voice, gentler than when speaking to Lu Jianshen, careful not to frighten his daughter.
Lu Jianwei, nervous, instinctively clutched Song Zhiyao’s sleeve.
Song Zhiyao patted her back and handed her the paper. “Weiwei, give this to your father.”
Lu Jianwei froze, as if glued to the spot, too scared to move.
With three eyes on her, her eyes began to redden.
Song Zhiyao and Lu Yanzhi couldn’t bear it.
Lu Yanzhi lowered himself to her level, mimicking Song Zhiyao’s way with the children, half-squatting and reaching for the paper.
“Weiwei, let Daddy see.”
Lu Jianwei released her grip.
Lu Yanzhi scanned the paper, slowly smiling. “It’s fine—Weiwei will also enroll.”
The current era promoted female education, led by the princess herself. Girls began attending the Imperial Academy.
Moreover, Lu Jianwei had been learning alongside her brother since the start.
Initially, Lu Yanzhi had worried that she couldn’t speak, but seeing her answers on paper, he relaxed.
He said, “In half a month, the Imperial Academy will go on holiday. You’ll start next spring.”
Everything would be arranged before the New Year.
Lu Jianshen nodded. “Yes, Father.”
Lu Jianwei, though nervous, felt reassured knowing her brother would go too.
From then on, Song Zhiyao and Lu Yanzhi each took on roles—one accompanying the son, the other guiding the daughter.
With Song Zhiyao and Lu Jianwei, the atmosphere was quiet and warm.
With Lu Yanzhi and Lu Jianshen, it was slightly awkward.
Lu Jianshen lay on the bed while Lu Yanzhi sat nearby. The room was quiet, only the flicker of candlelight and their breathing.
Lu Jianshen turned again.
He… couldn’t sleep.
He normally wouldn’t have this problem, but with his father sitting there, he couldn’t.
Finally, Lu Jianshen sat up, voice a little stiff. “Father, I can sleep by myself.”
He didn’t need anyone to lull him.
Lu Yanzhi exhaled and stood. “Very well.”
He had thought Song Zhiyao’s arrangements were clever, smoothing his relationship with the children.
But now he felt, other than that, there was no need for lullabies.
As Lu Yanzhi left, he ran into Song Zhiyao stepping lightly out of Lu Jianwei’s room.
They exchanged a glance, and she instinctively gave a bright, radiant smile.
The moon was clear, the lanterns bright.
Song Zhiyao’s brilliant smile made Lu Yanzhi’s heart skip a beat, then race.
He paused, then looked away, lowering his eyes.
“Lu Yanzhi,” Song Zhiyao said. “Shall we talk?”
Lu Yanzhi nodded and followed her.
They sat on a chair in the courtyard. After considering her words carefully, Song Zhiyao said, “I want to talk to you about a divorce.”
Lu Yanzhi’s brows furrowed, his gaze cold as it landed on her.
Not playing along anymore?
If it were only about divorce, her recent efforts were unnecessary—he had already agreed and even given her the divorce papers.
Song Zhiyao said, “If you want a divorce, I agree.”
“But not now.”
She chose to speak now because she had seen that Miss Qin clearly had intentions toward Lu Yanzhi.
And because she felt a little leverage now.
When she first woke, she couldn’t even approach the children, but now she and Lu Yanzhi were cooperating.
Lu Yanzhi lifted his gaze. “What do you mean?”
“I know, our marriage caused you grievances,” Song Zhiyao said. “Later I realized you never got engaged because your heart was already set on someone else.”
Lu Yanzhi frowned.
Song Zhiyao continued, “But since you never proposed, that person probably wasn’t suitable.”
“Now, whether she’s raised outside or brought into the household, either is fine. If it’s inconvenient for you to handle, I can help…”
Lu Yanzhi cut her off, voice cold and hard. “You want to help me take a concubine?”