"Alright."

Shao Cheng has finally decided to be a good brother to Shao Cai rather than performing his right as the older brother to bully his younger sibling, and so, a peaceful and calm breakfast filled with smiles has easily passed over.

And when breakfast is over, everyone has begun to almost circle around Shao Cheng with a hopeful and expectant expression of wanting to be familiar and intimate, although his younger sister as always was acting hard from her outside appearance.

What did they call those kinds of people on earth once again? Ah, a Tsundere, yeah, Shao Cheng younger sister is a bit like tsundere, she just couldn't be honest even though he was quite sure that her attitude from the start has softened up.

Look at that cold expression on her face, Shao Cheng could practically see the huge similarity from how he usually expresses his emotion, isn't that enough evidence that his younger sister wants to get along well with him?

And it wasn't Shao Cheng's hopeful imagination, he was completely sure about his observation.

Particularly the part where Shao Cheng saw the way Shao Chia's eyes have a flash of akin to hesitation turning into hope and longing when Shao Cai has adorably begged to be also taught along with Xiaolin.

For now, Shao Cheng has decided to spend the rest of his time before lunchtime arrives with his family causing a burst of delighted laughter echoing out once in a while in the courtyard where the two Madams in the Shao Residence was.

And undoubtedly letting the servants around understand that the happy atmosphere was caused by the Third Young Master's presence by associating with his family again.

Basically, almost all of the servants could feel the way the entire Shao Residence atmosphere has turned light and warmth causing everyone to perform their job in a relaxed manner, it was completely unlike the stifled and hard atmosphere in the past after the Third Young Master has come home from wandering outside.

Of course, there are always people who couldn't appreciate such a warm and happy atmosphere around the Shao Residence, which Mei being one of them, as the loud sound of an object crashing roughly on the floor has echoed out from inside a room, causing some of the servants walking nearby to fearfully scamper away.

"... I won't give up… I have been waiting patiently for so many years... Young Master Cheng will be mine…!"

A flash of obsession quickly appeared in Mei's dark eyes while her lip twisted in fascination as the slender figure of the young man in a graceful snow-white robe with a flawlessly beautiful and handsome appearance surface in her mind.

"No one else can have the treasure I have been watching and guarding for so many years!"

During the time Shao Cheng was interacting with his family, a certain person wearing a beautiful crimson robe was dangerously narrowing his grey pupil after receiving a report he has been patiently paying attention to with utmost importance.

"Why is there still no news about the situation on that two sibling father yet? I have given Whitey great assurance that everything will turn out alright! I don't want to disappoint him. He rarely asked for help, you know?"

"I know, you already mentioned it to me before, repeatedly too. However, unlike other aristocrat families, the Ding Family are more cautious in their actions than I imagined, they guard their successor carefully and thoughtfully. Any problem which will affect that young man's life and reputation are quickly dealt with."

Xing Ning forehead wrinkles since not only they receive the report of the Ding Family sending their people to kill the two siblings father who is on the way to the Capital.

Which was to clean up any mess their enemies might use against them, they even went so far to asked the merchant people who betrayed the sibling to file a missing report in the Bureau officials who handle the problem of people disappearance while in the Chang Capital.

"Hmph, of course, I know. They daringly and courageously even send some of their people to assassinate me despite being used so stupidly by another person."

Ren Yuan rolled his eyes toward Xing Ning before casually throwing the report on his hand with an annoyed expression on his face.

"Gah! This is making me angry! I'll go take a walk for a bit."

"Come back soon, we still have a lot of reports to work on."

Xing Ning's expression remains dull and heavy while the dark bug underneath his eyes continues to darken before unable to stop his lip from twitching after seeing Ren Yuan swiftly running away as soon as he was finished speaking, completely showing the familiar appearance of being irresponsible once again.

"... I should look for another job…"

A few seconds of regretting about being acquaintance with such a troublesome person, Xing Ning has let out a regretful sigh before waving his hands and ordering the hidden guard who appeared out of nowhere with a rather fierce expression on his face.

"Informed Tian Ying to stop trying to discreetly chase the crazy woman and come help me with my task, he is obviously failing after being introduced from all those men from the woman he fancies for some unknown reason."

As close companions who experience the betrayal of their friend, they should share the pain and difficulty caused by Ren Yuan situation, be it in conscious actions or just plain coincidence and misunderstanding.

When the hidden guard has disappeared to follow the order, Xing Ning returned to handling the never-ending report piled up on top of his desk with a resigned expression on his face.

"... ah… my anticipated vacation is flying away…"

When it almost lunchtime, Shao Cheng has finally decided to leave his Twin Mothers courtyard and returning back to his own place, of course, after completing a rare intimate action toward his family in order to comfort and eliminate the deeply rooted fear in their mind.

Although he will always feel uncomfortable getting close to other people besides Ren Yuan but it is also for the sake of getting close to his family who absolutely deserves it, which he can sacrifice a few moments of unease.

So, Shao Cheng has carefully embrace Su Chunhua and Su Yanmei who was completely overwhelmed by his surprising intimate action, where they desperately tried to stop the tears from flowing down from their eyes, before giving a gentle pat in Shao Cai shoulder, who brighten up in happiness.

And for the first time ever, Shao Cheng has given a fair share of his attention to Shao Chia with a soft pat on her head causing a shade of pink to appear on her snowy white cheeks.

"I'll come again."

Shortly, Shao Cheng has gotten back to his courtyard with a calm atmosphere despite the unusual intimate actions he has done before concentration on teaching his future student for an hour.

Answering Xiaolin question regarding the scrolls and books he left for him to study alone, showing the basic technique regarding medicinal and medical skills before leaving a newly written book of food and drink recipes for him to create while he was off somewhere.

Shao Cheng especially orders Xiaolin to follow the instructions on how to create alcoholic drinks with the modern technique and knowledge that has remained in his mind regarding his first life, after all, he now has numerous people who just love to drink in his new life, unlike the previous one.

And after an hour, Shao Cheng has once more went back to Pengfei place to pick up Xixi in order to continue his endless design, which is slowly bearing fruit.

Soon, night time has once more arrived and in an underground basement, a familiar figure with rumpled clothes and messy long hair could be seen kneeling down in the ground of a cell room, and after a few seconds, a calm footstep has soon echoed out before stopping a few distances away to where the figure is staying.

"... Third Brother Jia…I'm here to check if you have finally stop your foolish acts by our Father order … really, look at you now… are they so worth it to hurt yourself like this? No matter how you argue over their situation, unfortunately, they are now gone…"

"... Younger sister… you are so cold… didn't you also like Dai? Why didn't you help me stop Brother Jin from harming Dalle? You obviously could have done something! He would have listened to you! I… I'm so useless… I couldn't do anything to even help the brother he cared…"

"Yes, I really like Dai… but in the end, he won't be able to give me what I want. Besides, Older Brother Jin has always hated the two brothers… You already know that Third Brother… so, forget Dai. Just forget those two people. Don't make Father continue being angry at you especially now when Older Brother Jin has been missing since yesterday."

The lovely young lady in her teenage years has stood outside the cell door and elegantly raising her long sleeves to cover half of her face, which has always remained cold and indifferent, although her last words cause Ma Jia to finally react with his head raising over, showing a surprise expression on his dirty face.

"... Missing?"

"Yes, we couldn't find where Older Brother Jin has gone since last night, even his subordinates and servants don't have any idea…. Anyway, I'm sure Older Brother Jin is alright, he has always been careful and meticulous with his actions. So, Third Brother Jia, have you calm down enough to stop against us?"

After a few seconds of silence, a deep sigh full of complex emotion has echoed out before a rough and low voice full of resignation has utter from the young man mouth causing the young lady to wave her hands to order the guards standing a few distances away to finally release her third brother.

However, what the two of them failed to notice was the flash of an unusual dark gloom brimming upon the young man's eyes, which was slowly standing up in total silence.

"Come on Third Brother, don't feel bad. Besides, we should help each other out as the closest people in the entire Ma Family. In the end, everything Father is doing is all for our sake."

"... mm… I know…"

From that moment, the young lady of the Ma Family was completely ignorant of what kind of person she has released that day, entirely unaware of the great change his Third Brother has become after being locked in a dark room in utter helplessness.

"Young Master Jia! You are finally released! I was extremely worried after learning you have been locked up! How could Master be so bias when it comes to Young Master Jin! Ah, look how dirty you are right now! Please wait a bit and I'll quickly prepare a bath for you!"

Jia has just nodded his head toward the young servant and silently sitting upon a chair in his room before staring silently toward a normal wooden box place on top of the table.

A few minutes later, the young servant has come back with other servants behind him carrying a bucket of hot water to fill the large wooden tubs place in another room connected to his bedroom.

And when everything is ready, everyone has been dismissed besides the young servant, which has quickly noticed his Young Master's actions of staring at the item for quite a while now.

"Ah, Young Master Jia, I finally able to accomplish what you have ordered me just this afternoon! And please, don't worry, no one else knows where I have disappeared, although I am not great at fighting but my speed and stealth skill is impressive! Besides, everyone has been busy looking for Young Master Jin so no one has been paying attention to what I am up to."

"I see... you worked hard…thank you."

"Young Master Jia has kindly saved my life when no one else has cared. So, Young Master, I'll complete any order you wanted me to do even at the cost of my life."

"..."

A dark storm has instantly brewed in Jia's eyes after hearing the servant resolute and devoted words before waving his hands to dismiss him, and after a while of silence, an ironic smile full of helplessness was displayed on his tired and exhausted face.

"I couldn't even save what I desired to protect… what kind fo a master am I?"

The feeling of powerless is so bitter and painful… it was the second time he experienced such feelings... and it was even his own family who made him taste such failure.

Jia slightly bowed his head, the darkness completely hiding the expression on his face as he remains sitting in the chair throughout the night in utter silence while the thought of taking a bath was completely forgotten in his mind before a soft whisper full of anguish finally escape his lip.

"... I'm sorry… Dai.. you save my life when you didn't have to… but when my help is needed... I couldn't even save your younger brother...sorry…."