Wen Ningxuan ignored whatever she was muttering, kicked off his shoes, lay down beside her, and pulled her into his arms. He deliberately startled her, saying, "What are you talking about? If you don't sleep now, you won't get to sleep at all. You absolutely cannot doze off later at the main house, or you'll be punished right along with the others. Quick, shut your eyes and sleep."

"I napped this afternoon and only just got up. How can I possibly sleep?" Lin He complained, sounding genuinely distressed.

"Oh? If He'er can't sleep, perhaps we can find something to occupy ourselves with. I guarantee that after we finish, you’ll be sound asleep," Wen Ningxuan said with a roguish smirk, making a move as if to lean over her.

Lin He quickly pushed against his chest with her hand, smiling, "Mmm, I was awake for a bit, but now I feel sleepy again. If I just lie here, I’m sure I’ll drift off." Lin He punctuated this by feigning a yawn.

Wen Ningxuan gave her a sidelong glance and chuckled softly. He lay flat, drawing the person beside him close, and murmured, "Good. If you can sleep, hurry up and do it."

Lying there, Lin He truly couldn't sleep. She’d had enough rest the night before, and the short nap after lunch had left her feeling restless. It hadn't even been an hour; how could she possibly be tired enough to sleep?

At first, worried that Wen Ningxuan would start something if he realized she wasn't asleep, Lin He kept her eyes shut tight, lying stiffly still. After a long while, hearing the even rhythm of his breathing beside her, Lin He couldn't keep up the pretense anymore. She began to toss and turn slightly. Her mind kept drifting to the evening's proceedings; judging by Wen Ningxuan's demeanor today, this wouldn't be a simple matter. She wondered how Wen Ningchen would be punished tonight.

Lin He was a soft-hearted person. Although the root cause of the incident lay with Madam Wen and Ningnuo, and while Wen Ningchen’s entanglement with beauty had certainly played a part, Lin He couldn't shake the feeling that Wen Ningchen was being unfairly treated in the end. After all, if Wen Ningxuan hadn't insisted on calling Wen Ningchen over that night, he might have entirely avoided this situation.

If the punishment were merely a light reprimand, it wouldn't matter much. But if the penalty were too severe, Lin He truly wouldn't be able to bear it.

Lost in thought, time passed quickly. Seeing the sky darken, she estimated it was nearly time to get up. After eating and tidying up, it would soon be time to head over.

The moment Lin He turned to get up, she was instantly pulled back into an embrace by the person beside her. Lin He looked up at Wen Ningxuan; the man still had his eyes closed, looking utterly unready to wake. Lin He nestled into his chest and smiled, "It's getting late. Hurry up and wake up, or we’ll be late."

"Mmm, if we're late, we're late. We aren't the main attraction tonight, so why rush over so early?" a languid voice whispered near her ear.

"You slept for so long, are you still not awake? I woke up ages ago. Get up quickly. You can’t be late for dinner at the main house, can you?" Hearing Wen Ningxuan sound somewhat groggy, Lin He gently patted his cheek.

Wen Ningxuan opened his eyes, gave her nose a light pinch, and let out a soft hum. "Little girl, don't think I don't know. You weren't asleep at all. I gave you the afternoon to rest, but you chose not to. If you doze off tonight and get punished, I won't take any responsibility."

Lin He secretly stuck out her tongue. This man was truly remarkable; even while asleep, he could tell if someone else was awake. Fearing his reprimand, she offered him a smile instead. "Okay. I promise I won't doze off."

Wen Ningxuan gave her a faint smile and said nothing more. A long while later, the two ate some simple things at home to fill their stomachs, tidied up briefly, and then headed toward the main house, accompanied by Ziqing and Ziyu.

By the time they reached the main house, most people had already arrived. However, since it wasn't quite time for the meal, everyone was still seated in the hall. Lin He felt a bit embarrassed that they seemed slightly late, so she went forward to apologize to the Old Madam and Master Wen.

The Old Madam merely smiled, saying it was of no consequence since dinner wasn't scheduled yet. Master Wen only nodded, waving them down to sit. The seating arrangement in the hall was the same as in the main chambers, and positioned across and diagonally from Lin He and her husband was that accursed Fifth Master, Wen Shixiang.

Wen Shixiang was sitting in his usual careless posture, leaning askew on his chair, a faint, knowing smile playing on his lips. Seeing Lin He and her husband approach, he chuckled lightly and said, "You aren't exactly late. The guests of honor haven't arrived yet. It wouldn't matter if you were even later, though the show won't be as good then."

This time, Wen Ningxuan didn't trade barbs with him. After sitting down with Lin He, he remained silent. Lin He surveyed the room: everyone who was expected was present, except for Wen Ningchen and his wife. The expressions on the faces of those seated were rather grim, with the exception of the Old Madam, whose composure was as tranquil as ever.

Master Wen's face was as black as the bottom of a pot. Sitting rigidly in the head seat, his lips were tightly pressed together, his eyes fixed on the teacup before him. Though he hadn't spoken, his silence held more chilling authority than the loudest rage. He truly was the patriarch; his imposing aura was suffocating.

This was the first time Lin He had seen Master Wen look this way. She had known him for several years, and every time she saw him, he wore a pleasant, smiling expression. Even after marrying into the Wen family as a daughter-in-law, he had always been warm and kind to her. Though he could be stern, he had never lost his temper before, certainly not like this.

Seated below him, Madam Wen's face was somewhat pale, but her demeanor seemed calm. It was difficult to gauge her mood, yet a careful observation of her eyes revealed a flicker of panic. Lin He knew Madam Wen’s anxiety stemmed largely from her fear of Master Wen.

Regarding Wen Ningchen's affair, Madam Wen had likely made all her arrangements while Master Wen was away. However, the actions Master Wen took upon his return were evidently beyond Madam Wen's expectations. She was now worried about how Master Wen would handle Wen Ningchen, and that uncertainty was causing her distress.

As for the others, like the Second Master and Third Master, they were much as Lin He had observed during the previous two gatherings: silent, slowly sipping their tea.

Concubine Luo and Second Madam, and others, remained quiet for the moment, sitting serenely in their places, embodying the picture of virtuous wives and mothers.

It was clear everyone was waiting for the main players to arrive. Until then, there was nothing of substance to discuss.

Lin He sat on her chair for a while. Because the atmosphere in the room was so oppressive, she kept her head slightly bowed, afraid to move. Even though she was sitting motionless, holding the same posture for so long proved more tiring than physical exertion.