Xiaolian's pupils instantly dilated in shock!

How did they get here?

If it were anyone else, she wouldn't be afraid, but these three brats had seen her go to pick up the child before.

Although she had said it was the Grand Princess who told her to fetch the child.

But, what if they recognized her? That would be troublesome!

Thinking of this, Xiaolian deeply regretted not having disguised herself a bit back then.

Now, if the news got out, would everyone think it was the First Madam who made her do it?

With this thought, Xiaolian quickly hid herself.

She still needed to think of a way to leave the mansion and lie low for a while.

The Grand Princess, who had originally been somewhat listless, instantly perked up upon hearing that the Second Master and the Second Young Madam had returned.

"Nanny Qi, go see, is it my Nuonuo who's back?" the Grand Princess asked excitedly, her previous weariness completely gone.

Instead, she was full of vigor.

He Yushan, standing nearby, watched with a pang of bitterness in her heart.

Just now, she had been here for so long, serving her mother-in-law with tea and water, yet hadn't heard a single word of praise from her. Now, merely because the second branch of the family had returned, the old lady's attitude had completely changed.

He Yushan silently felt her efforts were worthless.

"Mother-in-law, please be careful. Since Second Brother and Sister-in-law are back, Nuonuo must have news too," He Yushan said, forcing an air of magnanimity.

"Yes, Nuonuo must be back too," the Grand Princess nodded repeatedly, clearly finding He Yushan's words very pleasing to hear.

However, seeing the Grand Princess react this way made He Yushan feel even more uncomfortable.

She had given birth to two sons, yet never saw her mother-in-law show half as much concern for them.

What kind of magic did that little girl have to make the old lady worry so much?

Or was it that the old lady felt the second branch was just better at using sweet talk and flattering tactics to please her?

He Yushan's expression remained unchanged, but her heart grew more and more sour the more she thought about it.

"Mother, we're back!" Gu Yunshu called out to the courtyard the moment his foot stepped into the Diligent Heart Courtyard.

"You're back! You're back!" Having experienced the pain of losing her beloved grandson earlier today and now the recovery of her granddaughter, such extreme ups and downs had taken their toll on the Grand Princess. Now, she was merely forcing herself to hold on, wanting to see her little granddaughter.

"Mother, your son has fulfilled his duty and brought Nuonuo back!" Gu Yunshu knelt before the Grand Princess, his eyes reddening as he spoke.

"Good! Good! It's good that she's back! It's good she's back! Let me see Nuonuo!" The Grand Princess looked with full expectation at the baby in Ruan Jinge's arms.

Gu Nuonuo seemed to sense she was home and began to wail loudly.

"Oh dear, did my good granddaughter suffer some grievance? She already knows to come complain to her grandmother," the Grand Princess said, holding the child with a heartbroken expression.

He Yushan, standing to the side, lowered her head, feeling utterly disdainful. What did a mere baby know about complaining?

What a pity she didn't die outside!

"Mother, Nuonuo might have wet herself. Perhaps I should hold her for now," Ruan Jinge said softly, afraid her mother-in-law might later find her daughter troublesome.

"All children wet themselves. A baby's urine isn't foul," the Grand Princess said, only now noticing that Gu Nuonuo's clothes were excessively large and looked like boys' clothing?

Just as the Grand Princess was about to ask what happened, Xu Qingshi, hearing the crying, rushed in like a small whirlwind.

"Let her go! What are you trying to do to her?" Xu Qingshi demanded angrily.

Xu Qingshi's sudden appearance stunned everyone.

Xie Yanzhi and Jiang Yu, who were chasing after him, arrived panting heavily.

The Grand Princess didn't recognize Xu Qingshi at first.

Seeing the warm scene in the room, Xu Qingshi was also dumbfounded.

Hearing the crying earlier, he thought these people wanted to abandon the child again. In his panic, he had rushed in.

Now, seeing everyone fine, it was Xu Qingshi who was left feeling awkward.

Xu Heming and Li Zhiwei, who had been sitting in the courtyard, watched Xu Qingshi charge in, not understanding what was happening.

"Your Highness, it seems to be Qingshi," Li Zhiwei quickly stood up upon hearing Xu Qingshi's shout.

She didn't know what had happened to Xu Qingshi?

In fact, neither of them had clearly heard what Xu Qingshi said.

But his voice was loud enough to even stop the baby's crying inside the room.

"Qingshi, what are you doing?" Xu Heming walked in with a dark expression.

"Father," Xu Qingshi said upon seeing Xu Heming, feeling both wronged and awkward. He didn't know how to explain the situation now.

"The young master was probably worried we would bully Nuonuo. It's alright," Ruan Jinge, however, found Xu Qingshi's actions very heartwarming.

"You child, do you think we would harm her?" Hearing this, the Grand Princess was both angry and amused.

"Mother, you don't know. When your son went to the An Prince's mansion today to fetch the child, this An Prince's heir even suggested we leave Nuonuo at the An Prince's mansion to be cared for. He said if your son and his wife missed Nuonuo, we could just go visit at the An Prince's mansion," Gu Yunshu deliberately mocked Xu Qingshi in front of Xu Heming.

Hearing this, Xu Heming's face darkened.

This brat!

"Mother, if it weren't for the An Prince's heir, the Yongding Marquis's heir, and Young Master Xie today, Nuonuo might have met with disaster. The An Prince's heir probably misunderstood, thinking we were going to abandon Nuonuo. That's why he was so anxious just now. Please don't blame him," Ruan Jinge quickly said, afraid the Grand Princess would hold it against Xu Qingshi.

"Oh, you like Nuonuo?"

The Grand Princess, however, looked at Xu Qingshi with great interest.

"I do. Could you please not abandon her? If you really don't like her, you can give her to me!" Xu Qingshi nodded without hesitation, then looked at the Grand Princess with a worried expression.

The Grand Princess was taken aback for a moment, then asked somewhat puzzled, "Why would you think I, the Grand Princess, would abandon my own granddaughter?"

She couldn't understand what she had done to make a child misunderstand her so.

"Because wasn't it you who had someone carry her away back then?" Xu Qingshi looked at the Grand Princess, feeling anxious. He didn't know whether she would agree to give him the little one or not.

"You saw the person who took the child?" The Grand Princess hadn't expected that person would actually use her name to dispose of the child.

To think that person used her name to abandon her own granddaughter!

The Grand Princess was very displeased upon hearing this. This was the granddaughter she had longed for; how could she bear to abandon her?

"I saw them! I came here today to expose the bad person!" Xu Qingshi declared, puffing out his little chest.

Outside the door, Xiaolian hadn't expected Xu Qingshi to appear at the Diligent Heart Courtyard.

Her initial thought of going in to say a few words to the madam and then leave instantly died.

It seemed she had to leave immediately.