“Miss, wake up already! If you keep sleeping, you’ll be late returning home today.” Chun Tao grabbed Lin Luoluo’s hand, trying to pull her out of bed.
“Aiya! My dear Chun Tao, just let me sleep a little longer! I’m really exhausted.” Lin Luoluo hugged the blanket tightly and refused to let go.
“Miss, have you forgotten? Today is the day you return home after marriage. Second Miss and Young Master will be heartbroken if you don’t go back.”
“Alright, alright, good Chun Tao, I know. I’ll get up soon—just let me lie here for one more minute,” Lin Luoluo said coquettishly.
“Fine then. This servant will go have the meal prepared first.” After speaking, Chun Tao left.
After lying there for a while, Lin Luoluo finally sat up. Her whole body felt like it was falling apart—everything hurt. Inwardly, she cursed Chu Chenyu a thousand times over.
Just as Lin Luoluo was about to get dressed, Chu Chenyu entered with a maidservant. He picked up a bowl from the tray and handed it to her.
“Drink it,” Chu Chenyu ordered coldly.
“What is it?”
“Contraceptive soup.”
“You… why?” Lin Luoluo stared at him in shock.
“My child can only be born by the woman I love.”
At that moment, Chu Chenyu looked unbearably cold. His words struck like a sharp blade straight into Lin Luoluo’s chest.
For an instant, her heart stung.
“As you wish.”
Forget it. She would just treat it as if she’d been bitten by a rabid dog. From that moment onward, Lin Luoluo’s heart completely turned cold.
“There are some things you’d better remember to bring back,” Chu Chenyu said as he pinched her cheek. “Otherwise, your family…”
“I understand.”
Chu Chenyu released her, flicked his sleeve, and left.
Chu Chenyu, I won’t stay under your control forever, Lin Luoluo silently swore to herself.
After breakfast, Lin Luoluo returned to the General’s Manor with Chun Tao.
Along the way, she noticed Chun Tao looking hesitant, as though she wanted to speak but couldn’t bring herself to.
“Chun Tao, if you have something to say, just say it.”
“Miss, His Highness… You’re returning to the manor alone. This servant fears things will only become harder for you in the Prince’s Manor later.”
“It’s fine. Your miss has her own plans.” Lin Luoluo smiled faintly. “But Chun Tao, are you willing to continue following me?”
“Chun Tao will follow Miss for the rest of my life. Wherever you go, this servant will go too.” Chun Tao looked at her firmly as she answered.
Outside the gates of the Zhenguo General Manor, two children stood by the roadside, anxiously staring toward the end of the street, their eyes filled with hope.
“Second Sister, why hasn’t Big Sister come back yet? Did she forget about us?” Lin Zirui asked, his eyes red with worry.
“Don’t worry. Even if Big Sister forgot, Chun Tao wouldn’t!” Lin Wanwan comforted him, patting his head.
“That’s right! Big Sister must’ve overslept again,” Lin Zirui said confidently.
At the corner of the street, a middle-aged man in his thirties hurried over.
“Second Sister, it’s Uncle Zhong! Big Sister must be arriving soon!” Lin Zirui shouted excitedly.
“Uncle Zhong, are they here?” Lin Wanwan quickly stepped forward.
Lin Zhong wiped the sweat from his forehead, panting slightly.
“The Prince’s Manor carriage is just up ahead. They’ll arrive any moment.”
“They’re here! They’re here! I see the carriage!” Lin Zirui excitedly grabbed Lin Wanwan and started jumping.
The carriage stopped in front of them, and Chun Tao helped Lin Luoluo step down.
Before Lin Luoluo could even see clearly, two tiny figures rushed toward her and threw themselves into her arms. Thankfully, Chun Tao was supporting her from the side—otherwise, the two little cannonballs might’ve knocked her flat onto the ground.
“Big Sister, you’re finally back! Zirui missed you so much—really, really much!”
“Wanwan missed you too. Uncle Zhong said the Prince’s Manor is your home now, and that you’ll live there every day. We won’t get to see you anymore…”
Hearing their choked voices, Lin Luoluo felt a lump in her throat.
They were only little children. Their parents were gone, and in their hearts, their simple-minded eldest sister had become their only guardian—the only person who made them feel safe.
The moment they hugged her, Lin Luoluo felt something indescribable.
In her previous life as an orphan, she had never experienced this before.
So… this is what having family feels like.
She reached out and gently rubbed their heads.
“I’m back.”
“Young Master, Second Miss, Eldest Miss must be tired too. Whatever you want to say, let’s go inside first,” Lin Zhong stepped forward and said.
Lin Luoluo nodded at him and led the siblings into the manor hand in hand.
Lin Zhong scratched his head suspiciously.
Why did Eldest Miss seem… different somehow?
“Uncle Zhong, thank you for your hard work during this time.” Sitting in the seat of honor, Lin Luoluo took a sip of tea and looked at him.
“E-Eldest Miss, you…?” Lin Zhong’s eyes widened in disbelief.
“Mhm. I’m better now.” Lin Luoluo nodded.
“Good, good, good! If Master and Madam can see this from heaven, they’ll finally rest easy.” Lin Zhong wiped the tears from the corners of his eyes.
“Big Sister, are you really better?” the two children asked in unison.
Seeing their wide, hopeful eyes fixed on her, Lin Luoluo nodded again.
“Big Sister, then… are you still going to fight with Zirui over toys and snacks?” Lin Zirui asked cautiously.
“Big Sister, are you still going to play in the mud until you’re covered in dirt?” Lin Wanwan asked. Their eldest sister used to come back filthy every time.
“You little rascal.” Lin Luoluo lightly knocked Lin Zirui on the head. But when it came to Lin Wanwan, the knock turned into a gentle rub instead.
“No more,” she answered with a smile.
“Ahhh! Big Sister, you’re biased toward Second Sister!” Lin Zirui clutched his head and cried out dramatically.
“Girls are meant to be cherished. How could a mischievous little monkey like you compare?” Lin Luoluo pinched his tiny nose.
“You two go sit over there. I need to discuss something with Uncle Zhong.”
“Uncle Zhong, how many people are still left in the manor?”
“Replying to Eldest Miss, aside from this servant’s family of three and the eleven guards, everyone else has been dismissed.”
“Mhm.” Lin Luoluo nodded. “How many assets does the manor still have?”
“There are still two estates outside the city and several shops. As for cash, the manor only has two thousand taels of silver left. Everything else consists of imperial rewards.”
“Alright, I understand. Gather those eleven guards for me.”
“Yes.”
Lin Zhong withdrew.
Before long, he returned with the guards.
“This subordinate, Lin Da, Lin Yi, Lin Er… Lin Shi, greets Eldest Miss.”
The eleven men cupped their fists respectfully. Uncle Zhong had already informed them that Eldest Miss had regained her senses.
“Why did all of you choose to stay?” Lin Luoluo rose to her feet and swept her gaze across them.
“Replying to Eldest Miss, we were all orphans once taken in by the General. We swore to live and die with the General’s Manor.”
“Live and die with the General’s Manor!” the others echoed in unison.
“Then I’ll give you one more chance.” Lin Luoluo’s expression turned serious. “We will be leaving the capital and relocating to our southern hometown. I cannot promise you anything about the future. If any of you wish to leave, Uncle Zhong will give each of you fifty taels of silver. I’ll give you two minutes to think.”
The guards exchanged glances before finally looking toward their leader.
Lin Da stepped forward, cupped his fists, and knelt on one knee.
“Lin Da is willing to stay and face everything alongside the General’s Manor.”
“Lin Yi is willing to stay!”
“Lin Er is willing to stay!”
“Lin San…”
“…”
“Lin Shi is willing to stay and face everything alongside the General’s Manor.”
In the end, every one of them chose to remain.
“You won’t regret today’s decision.” Lin Luoluo waved a hand. “Tomorrow, I’ll give you all a surprise. Alright, you may leave.”
“Yes!”
After the eleven guards left, Lin Zhong impatiently asked,
“Eldest Miss, are you planning to go south with us? But… will His Highness agree?”
At the mention of Chu Chenyu, Lin Luoluo’s eyes darkened slightly.
“We’ll discuss that tomorrow.” She stood up. “I’ll go check on Ziyu first.”