Madam Ren settled down here.

  Xie Qi returned to his room, rummaged through the trunk at the bottom of the bed, and sat on the kang with a piece of jade in his hand, his soul restless.

  Ruan Shi walked in: "Why don't you go find Jun Ge to play with - what's that in your hand?" She had spotted the bright green jade thing on her hand at a glance.

  Xie Qi hastily stuffed it into his sleeve and stood up, saying: "Nothing!"

  Ruan's family wasn't blind, and that kind of emerald green thing still had a yellow goose tail attached to it. Putting it anywhere would make people see that it was a valuable object, how could she be fooled by a single word?

  She rushed up and seized her wrist, shaking out the jade from her sleeve.

  It's indeed the expensive drop-shaped green jade! She suddenly remembered Madame Ren's intention and was shocked in her heart: "Where did you get this jade?"

  Xie Qi was caught red-handed, already filled with regret. Hearing his mother ask this, he knew he couldn't hide it anymore, so he reached out to grab: "Mind your own business, give it back to me!"

  Although Ruan's family didn't have much wisdom, they still understood the importance of the relationship between the two families.

  Previously, Madame Wang's words in the flower hall were heard but not understood. Now, what else is unclear? Others clearly already know where the jade is and have come to take a stand, while Wang also expresses that she will definitely return the jade. Isn't it clear that everyone knows the jade is in Xie Qi's hands and they are waiting for her to hand it over herself?!

  Xie Qi still refused to let go, was he waiting for the Xie family to be humiliated, and for so many people in Chang's house to suffer together?

  "Return it to you?" She gritted her teeth in anger, "How can you be so unreasonable? You actually went and stole someone else's things, what a loss of face for you, you're losing face for your parents and brothers!"

  Xie Qi was misunderstood by his mother for stealing things and stomped his foot: "Where did I steal anything?!"

  Ruan Shi slapped her: "If it wasn't stolen, did someone give it to you?!" She would rather it was given by Ren Huan, but is that possible?

  Although it wasn't stolen, it was robbed. Xie Qi didn't have the face to say it out loud, and because he was beaten, he suddenly fell on the kang table and burst into loud sobs.

  "What's going on?"

  The dispatched guards went to the Xiangxiang Institute where Mrs. Ren and her son lived, and Xie Hong returned after hearing the crying and walked in.

  Ruan Shi sat on the chair with a huff, holding the jade in her hand and pointing at Xie Qi: "You ask her!"

  Xie Hong saw what was in her hand and walked over first, taking the jade in his hand and admiring it for a while. He asked: "Where did this jade come from?"

  Ruan Shi pointed at Xie Qi and said: "She stole someone else's Rensan Gongzi!"

  "I didn't steal!"

  Xie Qi suddenly lifted his head and said in a sharp voice.

  Madam Ren's purpose for coming to the mansion today had already spread throughout the Xie Mansion, and Xie Hong couldn't possibly not know. So he asked Xie Qi: "What's going on?"

  Xie Qi couldn't hide it anymore and didn't dare not say it, so he cried and told them the whole story from beginning to end.

  Ruan's family was furious: "What's the difference between this daylight robbery and theft?!" For two generations, the Ruan family had been constables, with a basic understanding of the law.

  She stretched out her hand to Xie Hong: "Give it to me! I'll take it to Madame Ren right away! Our family has already lost enough face, if we wait for the lady to come and ask for it, how can we still live on? We'd be drowned by the saliva of the lower people!"

  Xie Hong raised his hand to avoid it and said: "Don't rush to pay me back, I think this may not be a bad thing after all."

  Ruan Shi was taken aback and widened her eyes upon hearing this, while Xie Qi also stole a glance at his father.

  Xie Hong's eyes revealed a hint of calculation as he asked Xie Qi, "I'm asking you, do you want to marry Jun Ge?"

  Xie Qi's face turned red.

  Xie Hong asked Ruan Shi again: "Do you want to be a close relative of the wealthy Nan Yuan family?"

  Ruan's eyes also flashed suddenly.

  Xie Hong smiled mysteriously and said: "If you want to, then listen to me. This jade not only can't be returned, but also must be bitten by one mouth, it is Jun Ge who sent it."

  Xie Wan polished Xie Wei for half a day and saw that dinner was still early, so she went to the Fengfeng Courtyard.

  As soon as they entered the courtyard, they heard laughter and chatter coming from the flower hall. A maid who was dusting the corridor screen laughed and said, "It's Madame Ren arriving."

  Xie Wan was hesitating whether to enter or not, Xie Wei had already smiled and pulled her hand into the inner room.

  Huang Shi didn't know what was being said as she accompanied Madame Ren, both of their faces wore a smile. Seeing Xie Wan enter, Huang Shi smiled and beckoned: "Sister Wan, come quickly, pay your respects to Madame Ren."

  Xie Wan stepped forward and paid her respects. Madame Ren smiled and sized her up, saying: "Earlier in the mistress's courtyard, I didn't get a good look at you, but now that I see you, this young Miss Xie has a somewhat aristocratic air about her despite her tender years."

  "Huang smiled and said: 'Madam, you haven't seen this child's cleverness yet.' As he spoke, his eyes revealed a deep meaning, and he glanced at Xie Wan with a smile."

  Xie Wan understood that this was referring to the last time she revealed to her that Wang Shi wanted to marry Xie Wei off to the Zhao family, and she had originally known that she would suspect herself of intentionally telling her, but because the geng (庚) invitation obtained from Mrs. Zhao's hands was "ironclad evidence", so no matter what her suspicions about her own motives were, whether good or evil, she wasn't afraid of being found out, and therefore remained calm and composed.

  Because I have to pretend to be unaware, so it is now too.

  But she was so quiet that Madame Ren didn't pay much attention to her.

  She thanked Wei Lai and sent her to the backyard. Madame Ren looked at her back and sighed, "It's a pity that the second house has a pair of children. Lang Ge is diligent and has a good temper. Zhuang Da is wise and lovely, but unfortunately, they lost their parents. In the future, this marriage may be difficult."

  "Huang's expression changed slightly as he smiled and said, 'Your words are truly moving, madam. Although Wan's family has lost both parents, they still have people to take care of them in this household. And since she loves being close to Ai'er, I, although not talented, also regard her as my own daughter. It may be harsh to say, but some families with living parents are not necessarily better off than Wan's.'"

  Madam Ren's heart skipped a beat upon hearing these words, and she suddenly thought of Xie Qi who had taken away her son's jade. Isn't this exactly what it means to be lacking in upbringing? Thinking of this, she couldn't help but nod her head, feeling that such an elegant and refined person like Xie Zhu was truly hard to come by.

  It also occurred to her that these words came from Huang's mouth, - Xie family several rooms she didn't know which one, the main room was also a mud wall that couldn't be supported, so many years relying on the big tree of Xie Fu hadn't achieved anything, and Ruan Shi hadn't taken the opportunity to step on Xie Wan's feet, it wasn't bad already. This Huang Shi could say such words, it was quite rare.

  Then he sincerely praised Huang: "The third lady is really virtuous and gentle, no wonder the third master has been able to rise smoothly with your help."

  As they were speaking, a low cry of surprise and the sound of footsteps came from the courtyard. Huang heard it clearly, turned his head to Hua Qi and said: "Go take a look."

  Huā Qí flew in quickly, glanced at Madame Ren, and said with her head down: "It's about the Qi Feng Courtyard. The second young lady bumped into a pillar."

  "What?!"

  Huang shouted as he jumped up, "Why did you hit the pillar?"

  Madam Ren also felt that something was amiss and her expression turned solemn.

  Hua Qi pursed her lips, not knowing whether she should be the one to say these words as a maid. If it were usual times, Huang Shi would have asked later, but now that something like this has happened, she naturally couldn't avoid Madame going there either, so she said: "A life is at stake, quickly speak of what's going on!"

  Hua Qi said, "It's because of the jade that Third Master Ren lost. It turns out that the jade was given to Second Miss when they were at Wu Tou Village, but Third Master didn't tell Madame Ren about it and instead said it was lost in the mansion. Second Miss felt deeply wronged and ended up hitting her head against a pillar."

  Mrs. Ren was dumbfounded.

  Huang's family heard that Xie Qi actually made such a big fuss about the jade, and couldn't help but also be speechless.

  At this time, Xie Wei and Xie Wan heard that Qifengyuan had an accident and had already entered. After listening to Huajiqi's recounting, she said to Huangshi: "Since it has become like this, let's go take a look."

  Huang hastily took a handkerchief and stood up, walking shoulder to shoulder with Madame Ren towards Qifengyuan.

  The Qiufeng Temple was packed with people, Xie Qi's head had a bruise from being bumped, and she was now sitting on the corridor crying in Ruan Shi's arms. Xie Hong's eyes were red-rimmed as he sighed and recounted what happened to Xie Qigong and Wang Shi who had rushed over upon hearing the news.

  Ren Yun was already pale and sweating profusely among a group of brothers.

  Mrs. Ren suddenly cried out: "Jun'er!" He dazedly turned his head, saw his mother, and his body shook violently as if he had been struck. Mrs. Ren walked over to hug her son, gazing at Ruan Shi and her daughter under the corridor, gritting her teeth involuntarily.

  "Third sister!"

  Ren You saw Xie Wu walking side by side with Xie Wan and hurriedly walked over, hastily explaining: "Third sister, I didn't give the jade to her, I didn't give the jade to her!"

  Xie Wan was also surprised to see him like this. In her past life, she hadn't seen Ren Yun before, but from the interactions they had in this life, he seemed to be just a somewhat indecisive and immature young man who might not even know what responsibility meant. Now that Xie Qi had turned things around with such determination, it was uncertain whether the spoiled Ren Yun could accept this reality!

  She turned her head and glanced sideways, and the people around her also looked over because of Ren Yun's sudden movement.

  If something happens to Rèn Yuàn at the Xiè estate, the Rèn family will certainly not let it go easily. At that time, she would naturally be delighted to see Xiè Hóng's downfall. And yet, Rèn Yuàn happened to find her at this very moment - she was well-versed in human affairs and had a good grasp of his intentions. If everyone were to drag her into the mess voluntarily, it wouldn't be her laughing at others, but rather others laughing at her!

  She was startled in her heart, and to prevent Ren Yun from speaking any more nonsense, she decisively said to Madame Ren: "Ren San Ge is probably just frightened, why don't you take him back to his room first and have someone make a bowl of soothing soup for him to drink before he sleeps?"

  Mrs. Ren was worried about her son and when she saw him say that, she immediately felt that this wasn't the way to do things either, so she hugged her son and prepared to leave.

  Ren Yun refused to leave, pulling Xie Wan's sleeve and saying: "Third sister, you have to believe me! I really didn't give the jade to anyone else!"

  Xie Wan couldn't help but blush even if she pretended to be innocent and naive with her petite body.

  Fortunately, his personal servant had come up and helped Mrs. Ren support him back to their room.