Compared to seeing Su Lingqing suddenly appear from behind, Zheng Rui was even more unable to accept that her own son was there with her!
What on earth is going on?!
Hearing the agonized screams from inside the room, Su Lingqing’s legs suddenly went weak, nearly causing her to collapse.
Fortunately, Su Yuan beside her acted in time. “Careful, Sister.”
The young boy firmly supported Su Lingqing by the waist, his face showing genuine concern.
Su Lingqing subtly freed herself from his hold. Su Yuan didn’t get angry, but simply smiled at her beautiful face.
“This… what’s going on? Why is there a man’s voice in my room?!”
As she spoke, she seemed to recall something and turned her head, spotting Jingzhe and Jianjia being restrained in a corner.
“Let go!” Su Lingqing commanded sharply, and the servants instinctively released their hold.
Calling over her personal maid, she frowned and asked, “Why was there a man’s voice in my room?”
Jingzhe and Jianjia were both frightened and shaking their heads repeatedly. “We don’t know either!”
It seemed they genuinely had no idea. Seeing Su Lingqing reappear, the relief on their faces didn’t look faked.
Su Huai’s eyes fixed on Su Lingqing, and for a brief moment, a flicker of relief crossed his gaze.
At least, he didn’t have a daughter who would do such a thing.
Zheng Rui seized the moment and stood beside Su Yaoyao, twisting the girl’s waist sharply. “Are you crazy?!”
Su Yaoyao, startled, quickly became angry. She didn’t understand how things had suddenly spiraled into such a situation!
Su Huai’s face darkened as he asked Su Lingqing sternly, “You were out all night where did you go?”
Su Yaoyao’s eyes lit up.
Indeed being out all night, not in the mansion, where could an unmarried young lady have gone?
Before Su Lingqing could answer, Su Yuan stepped forward. “Father, I asked Second Sister just now. She said she went to the temple along the back mountain path and stayed there all night.”
Hearing this, Su Huai frowned. “Why did you go there?”
Su Lingqing suddenly lowered her lashes, a veil of sadness settling over her features.
“Father, I suddenly felt so useless, bringing no benefit to you. So I went to the small temple to pray for your official career and for the peace of the household.”
“Additionally, my younger sister felt guilty because she had been punished on my account the day before. She wanted to kneel with me in a different way. There were so many wishes we wanted to pray for, and we feared kneeling too briefly would be ineffective, which is why we returned only at dawn.”
Her words were flawless. Su Huai’s entire demeanor changed as he listened.
So that was why she hadn’t returned all night he had almost thought Su Lingqing had gone to the small temple for… something improper.
The man cleared his throat. “In that case, this matter will not be pursued further. But let it be a lesson you must not go out alone late at night again!”
Su Lingqing responded gratefully, “Thank you, Father, for your concern!”
Then, her expression became troubled. “But… how could there be a man in my room?”
Su Yaoyao realized the situation was ruined, panic overtaking her as her face turned pale.
Zheng Rui could only hold her daughter tightly to prevent her from panicking further.
Su Huai’s expression hardened, his authority radiating as he shouted, “Out!”
As soon as he finished, a commotion came from the doorway, and a disheveled young man stumbled in!
He didn’t even get a word out before collapsing to the ground, retching loudly.
Everyone was shocked. Tao Yong gagged and spat up some sour liquid, the foul smell quickly filling the air.
Except for Su Lingqing, everyone recoiled, covering their mouths and noses.
So disgusting!
As they stepped back, Su Lingqing became the closest person to Tao Yong.
She lowered her eyes and silently watched the young man vomiting in disgrace, wishing she could purge all the filth from him.
After a while, Tao Yong slowly lifted his head.
Facing the sunlight, he saw Su Lingqing’s face ethereal, like a dream.
“Beauty…” Tao Yong reached out to touch her.
“Who are you? Why are you in my room?” Her voice was cold and melodious, snapping him back to reality.
The thought made him gag again, and the next second, someone violently grabbed his chin and lifted it.
Su Huai had people drag him out to the open courtyard.
Even in his daze, Tao Yong knew things had gone badly. Shaking all over, he began begging: “Please, Sir, don’t punish me! I’ll leave immediately!”
He didn’t say a word more, only wanting to escape.
“Stand still!!” Su Huai shouted, freezing him in place.
Zheng Rui’s chest heaved violently. Su Yaoyao lowered her head, eyes darting around nervously.
“Didn’t you hear Lingqing ask you just now? Why didn’t you answer!” Su Huai’s anger was extreme.
Tao Yong wasn’t foolish enough to implicate Su Yaoyao or Zheng Rui he knew that only Zheng Rui could handle the messy matters in his family.
Recently, someone had even told him they were arranging a beautiful bride for him, ready for marriage.
He hadn’t expected that beautiful bride to be the eldest daughter of the Shangshu residence Su Lingqing!
Such a great favor, of course, he couldn’t forget.
“I…I… I am…” He stammered, unable to explain properly.
Zhou Jianyue frowned. “This is terrifying! With so many guards patrolling the Shangshu residence, how did he even get in? And to boldly come into the Eldest Miss’s room! It’s frightening.”
Zhou Jianyue had only been here two days, and such an embarrassing incident had occurred, now exposed. Su Huai angrily stepped forward and kicked Tao Yong.
“Speak! How did you, thief, get in here!”
Tao Yong hit the ground hard but still didn’t dare speak. Zheng Rui and Su Yaoyao felt somewhat relieved.
Su Lingqing glanced at Zhou Jianyue, who still looked disgusted and frightened, standing close to Su Huai.
Then she spoke. “Father, this is serious. Let’s lock this man up and have you interrogate him personally. If he refuses to speak, use punishment. Furthermore, there are many guards patrolling the mansion. For him to get in, there must have been someone inside assisting him.”
“We can then catch anyone inside helping him, putting everyone’s mind at ease.”
Zhou Jianyue smiled after hearing this. “As expected, the Eldest Miss is extraordinarily clever. I think this is an excellent suggestion!”
Tao Yong was terrified! Having been spoiled at home all his life, doing nothing, how could he endure being locked up and punished!
“No! I… I’ll tell! I’ll tell!” Seeing his life in jeopardy, Tao Yong bit his teeth and prepared to reveal everything.
“Wait!” Zheng Rui suddenly stepped out, kneeling before Su Huai.
“Husband, I remember this man. He once came to our residence to harass us. Embarrassingly, his family has a distant relative connection to my mother’s family. Perhaps seeing Lingqing’s beauty before, he couldn’t resist and snuck in under cover of night.”
At this point, she had to take charge, removing Yaoyao from the situation first.
Meanwhile, from inside the room, another bloodcurdling scream rang out!