Su Siyuan looked down in surprise, then immediately broke into a smile.
Momo called him Third Brother!
"Good girl, good girl, Third Brother will protect you," Su Siyuan said, gently stroking her hair and leaning down to kiss her forehead.
Su Yunmo closed her eyes, not dodging, and leaned into his embrace obediently.
Feeling her dependence, Su Siyuan became even happier.
"Let's go, go home with Third Brother!" He took Su Yunmo's hand, pulled her into his embrace, and strode towards the General's mansion.
Momo was his sister, and always would be!
As they passed Su Qingtian, Su Siyuan glared at him and huffed, "Bad Daddy!"
Su Qingtian wanted to get angry, and even thought about simply throwing Su Yunmo out to settle things. However, when his gaze fell on the clasped hands of the two children, the thought stopped.
Su Yunmo looked up at Su Qingtian, wanting to say something, but swallowed the words back.
Su Siyuan then pulled her into the General's mansion and back to their courtyard.
Su Qingtian watched from afar and sighed deeply.
Perhaps this child truly had a connection with the Su family.
That night, Su Siyuan slept with Su Yunmo. He couldn't rest easy.
With a scoundrel father in the mansion, he had to guard his sister.
He guarded her all night, and held her hand until the morning of the next day, before they went to school.
Su Qingtian was fine as long as he didn't approach. The moment he got close, Su Siyuan would pull Su Yunmo protectively behind him as if facing a great enemy.
Seeing how nervous he was, Su Yunmo didn't know whether to laugh or be touched.
Finally, they reached the school, and Su Siyuan had to go to class, giving Su Yunmo some time.
"Master, Prince Cheng was granted the title 'Lian' at the morning court today," Zi Yuan reported, avoiding the other students.
A sharp glint flashed in Su Yunmo's eyes. "He truly is quite capable."
Zhao Xuntian's affair had caused a huge stir, yet he wasn't implicated.
Zi Yuan also found it laughable.
Let alone not being implicated.
Today, he had been the first to memorialize at court, listing Zhao Xuntian's many crimes. He claimed to have suspected Zhao Xuntian long ago and had secretly investigated him, with clear evidence.
Not only did he clear himself completely, but he also won the Emperor's praise.
The title 'Prince Lian' was truly ironic.
Zi Yuan: "The enfeoffment ceremony will be held tomorrow morning, and a banquet will be held at Prince Lian's mansion in the afternoon. The General's mansion is on the invitation list."
Su Yunmo twirled her fingers. "It is indeed time to pay a visit."
There were no classes in the afternoon, so Su Yunmo went to the Zhao residence.
After the Zhao residence was sealed, Zhao Xiaoxiao and her mother also had to move out.
Aunt Xun's eyes were blind, but her life was not in danger. After a few more months of recovery, she would be able to walk.
This was already the best possible outcome.
Zhao Xiaoxiao said goodbye to Su Yunmo, planning to take Aunt Xun to her maternal uncle.
"My uncle is greedy for money, which is why he sold my mother to my father back then. I've saved some money over the years and bought some land in my uncle's hometown. He will treat us well."
Zhao Xiaoxiao said this calmly.
In the span of one night, she had transformed from a child into an adult.
Su Yunmo saw the mother and daughter off in their carriage and had Zi Yuan send people from Xue Hen to escort them along the way.
This was the last thing she could do for Zhao Xiaoxiao.
From now on, Zhao Xiaoxiao would have to rely on herself.
Everything that needed to be done at the school was finished. Su Yunmo secretly withdrew from school without informing her family.
When Bai Qi learned of this, he adamantly refused and even chased her to the General's mansion, insisting on taking Su Yunmo as his disciple.
Su Yunmo knew that his offer to take a disciple was a pretense, and his true intention was to inquire about medical skills. So, she used the excuse that her medical skills were taught by her eldest brother, Su Sizhuo, and pushed Bai Qi towards him.
Another day passed, and Zhou Wanyou was to attend the banquet at Prince Lian's mansion.
Su Yunmo acted spoiled and asked to go along. When Su Siyuan saw his sister wanted to go, he insisted on going too.
Since Su Qingtian was also going to Prince Lian's mansion, he had to keep a close eye on them.
In the carriage, Su Qingtian kept staring at Su Yunmo.
Su Yunmo was helpless.
She hadn't meant to trick him that day; she had genuinely wanted to leave.
Third Brother's sudden appearance had disrupted her plans.
As Su Qingtian stared at Su Yunmo, Su Siyuan also glared at her.
The atmosphere in the carriage was rather strange.
Finally, the carriage stopped outside Prince Lian's mansion.
As they alighted, Xie Hongfei ran over from the other side of the road.
"Siyuan, Momo!"
He got out of the carriage, followed by a clean-cut man in his thirties. He was not as rugged and robust as Su Qingtian, and exuded an scholarly aura.
Upon seeing him, Su Qingtian's face darkened considerably. He subtly moved to shield Zhou Wanyou.
Zhou Wanyou was resigned.
Xie Zhengping was even more resigned. "It's been so many years, why are you still the same? You're too jealous."
Su Qingtian glared at him. "It's been so many years, why can't you stay away from my wife!"
Su Yunmo remembered hearing rumors before.
Xie Zhengping and her mother had been childhood sweethearts, and their families had even betrothed them. It wasn't until her mother met General Su by chance that General Su pursued her for a year.
Although both families disagreed at the time, General Su overcame all obstacles and married her mother.
On their wedding day, Xie Zhengping warned General Su in front of all the relatives and friends.
'If you ever treat Xiao Wan poorly, I will snatch her away.'
From then on, the two became rivals.
Xie Zhengping shook his head with a smile, unwilling to bicker with him about past events. They had been arguing for over a decade, and it was quite tiresome.
"Is this child the daughter Xiao Wan brought back? Hongfei told me she's a very smart and clever little girl."
Xie Zhengping noticed Su Yunmo.
Speaking of children, Su Qingtian's expression became somewhat complicated.
Zhou Wanyou stroked Su Yunmo's head. "Momo, greet Uncle Zhengping."
"Uncle Zhengping~" Su Yunmo called out obediently.
She remembered that Xie Zhengping had recently been transferred to the Ministry of Revenue as the Minister.
"Momo, you're so good," Xie Zhengping pinched Su Yunmo's cheek.
He then said to Zhou Wanyou, "I've wanted a daughter for a long time, but unfortunately, Yuan'er has been in poor health. This girl is so adorable, why don't you let her recognize me as her godfather? It would fulfill my dream of having a daughter."
Su Qingtian frowned, about to say no.
"Godfather~" Su Yunmo called out softly and threw herself into Xie Zhengping's arms.
Su Qingtian: "!!"
The hat on his head might be changing color!
This little rascal, did she even know who her real father was!
Xie Zhengping, holding the soft little person, was stunned for a moment, then smiled broadly. "Ah~"
The little girl was even cuter than he had imagined, completely different from her father with the long, donkey-like face.
Zhou Wanyou didn't mind such trivial matters; it was good for her daughter to have more people dote on her.
"Seeing how well you two get along, there's no need for a banquet to celebrate the godfather ceremony. Just remember to send the red envelope to the General's mansion tomorrow."
Xie Zhengping: "Then I'll have to pack a big red envelope for the child."
They walked into Prince Lian's mansion, chatting and laughing, with the child in his arms.
They looked like a family of three.
Su Siyuan and Xie Hongfei exchanged glances and followed them, hand in hand.
Su Qingtian, left behind, gnashed his teeth in frustration.
It was time to teach the little brats some family rules!
Ye Jingcheng was receiving guests in the courtyard.
He was dressed in pure purple brocade today, with golden threads embroidered with four dragons on his chest, exuding an air of nobility and grandeur.
The man's gaze swept over Su Yunmo, paused, and then a playful smile curved his lips.
So, she had transformed into this appearance. It was truly... laughable.