Hearing this, Lin He found it amusing and asked, "Just who is the one who's angry?" With that, Lin He looked up at Wen Ningxuan with a smile playing on her lips.

Wen Ningxuan looked down at her, blinking repeatedly, possessing the distinct air of a wronged husband: "Then why am I angry, does He'er know?"

Lin He rarely saw Wen Ningxuan adopt such a demeanor. Unable to help herself, she let out a sudden burst of laughter. However, upon seeing Wen Ningxuan staring at her with a look of aggrieved melancholy, Lin He stopped laughing, instead just continuing to gaze at him.

His bright eyes were deep and misty, like a bottomless pool, seeming to possess a magical vortex, or perhaps a rising tsunami, intent on swallowing her very soul. Lin He couldn't help but become mesmerized, and when she finally snapped back to reality, she realized they had been locked in that stare for quite some time, causing her to blush involuntarily.

She pushed him lightly, but the man remained utterly still. A moment later, Wen Ningxuan suddenly pulled Lin He into his embrace. His nose hovered near the faint, delicate scent of youth emanating from her. Wen Ningxuan was somewhat intoxicated by the moment, unwilling to move, tightening his grip around her waist. He nudged her shoulder with his head, his tone dripping with grievance as he said, "He'er, no matter what happens in the future, you must always trust me, alright?"

Lin He faltered, remembering the events of the night before in the main chamber. Lin He held him a little tighter, babbling an almost incoherent explanation close to his ear: "Ningxuan, I never stopped trusting you. I just... actually, I didn't truly mean to plead on his behalf; it's just that I felt your Elder Brother wasn't entirely in the wrong this time, so..."

Before Lin He could finish, Wen Ningxuan let out a low chuckle. He raised his head to look at her, saying, "Is my wife admitting fault to me? If so, your humble husband is magnanimous enough to forgive you. No need to rush the explanation." He then shot Lin He a look full of mischief.

Seeing his smug triumph, Lin He shot him an annoyed glare, wishing she could rush forward and nip at him a few times. She gave up on explaining, pushed him away, and walked toward the sofa area herself.

Seeing this, Wen Ningxuan let out a soft laugh and immediately followed her over to the sofa. Looking at the disgruntled expression on her face, Wen Ningxuan sat down beside her and immediately ceased his laughter, speaking with utmost seriousness: "Mmm, He'er, please continue with what you were saying. Your husband is listening intently, I absolutely will not interrupt."

Lin He looked at him, opening her mouth as if to explain, but she wasn't certain if Wen Ningxuan could grasp her line of thought. She lowered her head and hesitated again. Wen Ningxuan, observing her hesitation, reached out and pulled her back, drawing her into his arms. He said with a soft laugh, "No need to say it; I understand everything. You just feel we shouldn't place all the punishment for Mother onto Elder Brother, right? You little girl, you are simply too soft-hearted. You never truly listen to a word I say. After being here for so long, someone has already caused you direct harm, yet you still calculate everything so precisely regarding mother and son. If they had succeeded this time, they wouldn't care about titles of mother or son—they wouldn't have spared you."

Hearing this, Lin He nodded quickly, looking at Wen Ningxuan with a hint of pleasant surprise. She hadn't realized the man possessed such perspective, being able to analyze the situation so calmly even when facing her greatest enemy. Yet, she had to admit that the latter part of Wen Ningxuan’s speech was entirely correct; clearly, she hadn't fully grasped the gravity of the situation.

Looking at the person in his arms with her lips slightly parted and gazing at him, Wen Ningxuan felt a stirring of desire. He slowly lowered his head, his lips gently meeting hers, tasting the sweetness on her mouth. For a long time, until he felt the breathing in his arms quicken, he reluctantly drew his lips away.

Lin He was left breathless from the kiss, her arms wrapped around his neck, her eyes wide open, fixed on Wen Ningxuan. At this moment, his dark eyes seemed capable of piercing through past and present lives, dazzlingly bright. When he smiled, his brows curved like a crescent moon; when serious, they were sharp as a winter star. His nose was perfectly straight, his lips naturally rosy. A soft chuckle sounded like a feather drifting down, sweet as sugar, while in silence, he was as stern and cold as ice. The contours of his profile were sharply sculpted, distinct yet not lacking in subtle beauty. Looking at him, Lin He couldn't help but flush, her cheeks blooming like peach blossoms, rosy and bright.

Seeing her gaze fixed directly upon him, Wen Ningxuan’s body tensed, and his breathing grew ragged. He pulled Lin He tightly against him, his large hand gently stroking her back. He murmured low beside her ear, "He'er, let's go to the ** tonight, hmm?"

Lin He heard this and, seeing his reaction, naturally understood the implication. Her pretty face reddened, and she lightly pushed him away, saying, "No, dinner will be ready soon." With that, Lin He subtly shifted her body backward.

Wen Ningxuan noticed her reaction and smiled helplessly, not pressing her further, allowing her to move away. A moment later, once both had regained their composure, Wen Ningxuan drew Lin He back onto his lap, his expression suddenly very serious. "My wife, now we must settle accounts for the past two days, hmm?" Wen Ningxuan finished, raising an eyebrow at Lin He.

Lin He stared at him, blinking her large eyes, "Second Young Master, did I hear that right? You want to settle accounts with me?"

"What else? Why did you sleep alone over here last night, leaving me by myself in the main residence? And today, why did you let those maids serve me lunch? Does He'er truly wish for me to take those maids as concubines?" Wen Ningxuan’s tone began extremely wronged, but by the end, his face was filled entirely with accusation.

Hearing this, Lin He abruptly jumped down from Wen Ningxuan's lap and stood opposite him. She stared at him, grinding her teeth slightly: "Wen Ningxuan, don't act innocent after having taken advantage! I didn't even eat lunch today, yet someone not only refused to wait for me to eat but paraded around the dining hall with four maids wrapped around him! Before I could even come find trouble with you, you're playing the aggrieved party first. Wen Ningxuan, you are becoming increasingly sly."

"And what is your relationship with Xiangyun and those other maids? You'd better explain it clearly, otherwise, why do they keep saying they are waiting for the Young Master to return, acting as if you, the Second Young Master, are their personal shield."

"And now you speak of settling accounts? What accounts are there to settle? Are we settling the score for me hitting your precious maid earlier? I’ll tell you now, I hit her, and I’d do it again. Does the Second Young Master plan to cause me trouble over that?"

Lin He hadn't intended to bring up these matters, but since he insisted on confronting her now, she certainly wouldn't let him off. Regardless of whether Wen Ningxuan could follow her reasoning, she unleashed a rapid-fire torrent of words, glaring fiercely at him afterward.

Unexpectedly, instead of being angered by Lin He's tirade, the man sitting on the sofa burst into genuinely delighted laughter, which grew more intense and seemed impossible to stop. Lin He shot him an indignant glance, deciding to ignore the scoundrel; if he wanted to laugh, he could laugh to his heart's content alone here, while she went downstairs for dinner.

As Lin He tried to step past him, she was suddenly yanked back into an embrace. A low voice sounded near her ear: "What did He'er eat for lunch? You smell faintly of sourness everywhere."

Lin He was about to protest where the sour smell was coming from, but she immediately realized he was mocking her for being jealous. She shot him a sharp glance, squirmed slightly, trying to break free of his arm to stand up.

However, the man behind her gave no ground. He held her tight and whispered softly near her ear, "Don't move around, or you'll face the consequences. But seeing how much you care about me, I am quite pleased."

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