He stopped to wait, his tongue impatiently pressing against the roof of his mouth.
Hmph.
To resist foreign threats, one must first secure the home front. He needed to consummate the marriage as soon as possible, to make her truly his.
The wedding chamber!
It must be done!
Ju Yue took her sweet time getting down from the carriage.
She thought Lou Buqi had already entered the mansion, but to her surprise, he was still waiting beside the carriage for her.
The skin on the back of her neck tightened as she was lifted into Lou Buqi’s grasp.
Lou Buqi, thinking of Yun Feiyang lurking outside, spoke with a harsh tone: “Where do you think you’re going?!”
Ju Yue: “Where can I go? I’m returning to Weigongyuan!”
Lou Buqi: “Don’t even think about it! First, come with me to see Mother!”
Ju Yue struggled, “Let go! I have feet, I can walk myself!”
But it was futile—like an ant trying to shake a tree.
Lou Buqi held her up as if she were a kitten: “Hmph! Don’t I know you? The moment I let go, you’d vanish!”
Ju Yue struggled desperately, trying to defend her right to walk freely.
But with old and new grudges combined, Lou Buqi refused to let go no matter what.
The two nearly started fighting right at the entrance.
The servants of the Wangfu at the entrance: “…”
They dared not intervene, speak, or even look…
The maids like Zhu Ye and Dui Dui, who had rushed out from Weigongyuan to greet their mistress upon hearing of her return: “…”
“Brother! Sister-in-law!” Thankfully, thankfully, the young master Lou Yi had returned.
Only then did Lou Buqi release the skin on Ju Yue’s neck, his fingers lingering reluctantly on the girl’s soft skin for a long while.
He asked Lou Yi nonchalantly: “Why are you back so late? Your sister-in-law and I have been waiting here for you for a long time.”
Everyone else: “…”
We dare not speak, we dare not ask, and we dare not look.
Whether you were waiting for the Second Young Master or just finding an excuse to flirt with the Shizifei, only you, Shiziye, know best.
Lou Buqi paid no mind to what others were thinking and walked inside with Lou Yi.
He asked: “Let’s go, we need to report today’s events to Father and Mother. But before that, I’d like to ask your opinion. What are your plans from now on?”
“Will you return to the mansion to study under a renowned scholar, or will you continue staying at the First Academy?”
Lou Yi had already thought this through clearly on the way back.
He glanced at Ju Yue, then said to Lou Buqi: “I still want to stay at the First Academy.”
Lou Buqi raised an eyebrow: “Oh? Why?”
This answer was somewhat unexpected to him.
In Lou Buqi’s impression, his younger brother was reluctant to interact with others.
Given the First Academy’s behavior, if it were up to him, he would have cut ties with those people long ago and never looked back.
Why would Lou Yi choose to stay? Wasn’t that just asking for trouble?!
“Is there someone you can’t bear to leave behind at that damned Academy?” Lou Buqi asked bluntly.
Before Lou Yi could answer, Lou Buqi’s shin was kicked by Ju Yue.
The tigress snapped: “Speak properly!”
Lou Buqi: “…”
Lou Buqi: “Ahem, Second Brother, do you have any compelling reason to stay?”
The long line of servants and attendants following behind: “…”
Amitabha, we dare not ask, speak, or look.
“No!”
Lou Yi’s face flushed with anger as he clenched his small fists: “I just want to get back up from where I fell!”
Interpersonal relationships had always been his weakness, and avoiding others was his biggest flaw.
He didn’t want to continue like this.
He must grow up eventually, and face all kinds of people. If he didn't even dare to interact with his classmates and teachers at the Academy…
If he couldn't overcome the difficulties in this small world, then he would be useless in the future.
This was the conclusion Lou Yi reached after careful consideration.
He could return to the Wangfu to study, where everyone from top to bottom would surely pamper and indulge him, allowing him to live a comfortable and peaceful life.
But he wouldn't grow or gain experience.
Only by placing himself in the midst of storms, bravely facing and overcoming difficulties, could he make progress.
Ju Yue understood him.
She walked over with a smile and pinched the back of Lou Yi's neck.
Oh, this feeling!
This sense of controlling someone else's fate—not bad at all!
No wonder that scoundrel Lou Buqi liked pinching her neck!
Lou Yi turned his head and gave Ju Yue a grateful smile: "Sister-in-law, thank you!"
He was very grateful to Ju Yue.
Today's incident at school made Lou Yi realize that no matter what happened, his family would always stand by his side, and he had nothing to fear.
Moreover, his sister-in-law and brother had used a clever strategy today, skillfully making Zhang Jinfu confess the truth himself.
This gave Lou Yi great inspiration.
It turned out that when facing problems, one didn't have to confront others head-on—there were other ways to resolve things.
Without fighting or arguing, one could still achieve their goals, and do it beautifully.
His sister-in-law, with minimal effort, effortlessly dealt with the villain without even batting an eye!
So cool.
At that moment, he truly believed his sister-in-law was a fairy.
He wanted to learn from her!
Ju Yue couldn't bear the fiery, adoring gaze of her little admirer, so she twisted the back of his neck to turn his head away.
"Watch the road! Walk properly!"
Her casual remark was also taken as a sacred command by Lou Yi.
The little admirer nodded heavily: "Understood, sister-in-law! I'll walk properly with every step!"
Ju Yue: "…"
No, I really just said it casually—you don't have to take it so seriously…
When the three of them arrived at the Zheng Tang where Prince Su and Princess Su lived, Princess Su had already rushed out like the wind, pulling her younger son into her arms.
With tears in her eyes, she asked: "Yi'er, are you alright?"
Lou Yi wasn't used to his mother's closeness and squirmed uncomfortably.
"I'm fine, Mother. No need to worry."
Princess Su quickly released her son and stood awkwardly to the side.
She wanted to touch him but didn't dare.
Lou Yi thought for a moment, unable to bear disappointing his mother, so he took Ju Yue's hand and placed it in Princess Su's.
"Mother, you can hug sister-in-law instead."
"Just now, sister-in-law's hand pinched my neck. If you hug her, it's like hugging me."
This way, he wouldn't feel uncomfortable, and his mother wouldn't be disappointed.
A perfect solution for both.
Ju Yue: "…"
Princess Su: "…"
Lou Buqi's eyes widened like copper bells.
Who would have thought? This kid is quite the arranger!
Generous with others' things, giving his brother's wife to someone else to hug!
Good, good, very good!
Princess Su coughed twice and, under her eldest son's murderous glare, didn't dare to actually hug Ju Yue.
She could only pat Ju Yue's hand.
Only now did she learn that her son had suffered grievances at school for three years, filled with regret and self-blame.
Her gaze toward Ju Yue was also full of gratitude.
Just for Ju Yue's immediate choice to believe Lou Yi, stand by his side, and defend his reputation and dignity, she would forever be grateful to her!
Princess Su's gaze at Ju Yue was so tender it seemed to drip with affection, as if she wished to pull her aside right then and there to swear sisterhood.
"My dear child, by helping Yi'er, you have helped me, your mother! I will always remember your kindness."