Chapter 720: Chapter 682: The Trap (11th Update)

Lin Xiaoyue said nothing, and Wen Wan suggested, "Why don’t you follow along to see which family they belong to?"

Li Run fell silent again.

Wen Wan earnestly pleaded for a chance, "If Prince Li doesn’t believe me, ask the doctor whether your sister can be easily moved. From here to your house, if she took a carriage, the jolts might take half her life. After all, she was injured because of our family’s children. Why not heed my advice and send her to our home for a few days to recover? Once she’s better, I will personally return her. Such a big living person, are you afraid I might run off with her?"

Mrs. Zhang also had no ideas. Along with the servants, she looked at Li Run, waiting for him to make a decision.

After furrowing his brow for a while, Li Run finally relented, "Alright, we’ll go to your house, but I have a requirement."

"No problem at all, just say it."

Li Run said, "Prepare a guest room for me. I need to stay at your house tonight to look after her, otherwise, I won’t be at ease."

Wen Wan’s eyes twinkled, and she agreed with a smile, "Alright."

Then, she instructed Kankan to bring a stretcher and have Li Huairu carefully placed on it, lying sideways to avoid touching the wound on the back of her head. Only then did they leave the medical clinic, heading towards the Song Mansion.

Seeing Lin Xiaoyue following, Wen Wan said to her, "It’s getting late, I reckon Mr. Qi has already gone to the Lower Court. You needn’t follow me. The two children are a priority, take them home, and once I’ve resolved matters, I’ll visit you another day when I have time."

Lin Xiaoyue replied, "I’m really sorry, it’s my fault for not watching over the kids, causing you such trouble."

Wen Wan was quite open-minded about it, "Perhaps a blessing in disguise?"

"I hope so," Lin Xiaoyue sighed, then took Amuer and Ah Nuan back to her carriage.

Ah Nuan lifted the curtain and called out to Jinbao outside, "Goodbye, Brother Jinbao."

Jinbao pretended not to hear and didn’t respond.

Wen Wan said, "Ah Nuan was saying goodbye, why didn’t you acknowledge her?"

Jinbao looked listless as if he had no energy. When Wen Wan asked, he replied without thinking, "I used all my energy fighting, no strength left to respond to her."

Wen Wan was speechless for a moment, then tapped his little forehead, "You, Ah Nuan is a girl, and she was greatly wronged today. Couldn’t you cheer her up a little?"

Jinbao huffed and thought that she wouldn’t be wronged if she hadn’t insisted on flying kite since last year-end. If she didn’t fly a kite, she wouldn’t need to come out today. If they hadn’t come, everyone would have been at home, safe and sound. He wouldn’t have ended up fighting.

But Jinbao kept these thoughts to himself.

Li Huairu’s condition couldn’t withstand a bumpy carriage ride; the Li servants carried the stretcher at the front, with Li Run and Mrs. Zhang following alongside.

In such circumstances, Wen Wan couldn’t stay on the carriage herself. Instead, she let Jinbao sit inside, instructed Kankan to take him home first, and followed on foot.

After all, Li Run was young. Ever since Wen Wan arrived, he’d been passive. Now he kept looking back every few steps, as if afraid Wen Wan might slip away unnoticed.

Each time he looked back, Wen Wan would smile at him, nodding politely.

The young boy’s heart grew more conflicted.

By the time they reached the Song Mansion, it was already dusk.

Jinbao returned home first and recounted the incident by Lotus Lake to Song Wei, who found it surprising and instructed Jinbao to stay in his room while he went to tell the gatekeeper ladies to watch for when the lady returned, so he could be informed immediately.

Indeed, before long, the second gate lady came in reporting that the lady had just passed Rongsheng Street and would soon be arriving at the mansion.

But Song Wei waited for a long time, and no one came in from outside.

He was puzzled and sent someone to inquire.

It turned out Li Run, upon seeing the Song Mansion’s plaque by the light of the red lanterns, had second thoughts about sending Li Huairu back to the Kangding Bo Mansion.

As the sky grew darker, casting a dim yellow light, the youth’s face was pale, and the pride in his eyes was replaced with only fear, as if ahead wasn’t a place for his sister’s recovery but a hellish underworld that captured souls.

Wen Wan saw Li Run standing still and guessed he must be aware of the relationship between the Song Family and Li Huairu. She pretended not to know and approached, asking, "Why aren’t you moving forward?"

Li Run turned back, his eyes dark and alert, "What place is this?"

Wen Wan smiled slightly, "Our family’s mansion. Didn’t we settle on this at the clinic? Bring your sister back with us. We’ll get her a doctor. Once she’s better, you can take her home."

"No, we’re not going." Li Run stepped back, as if Wen Wan were the Black and White Impermanence, ready to take him to Infinite Hell.

"Why the sudden change of heart?" Wen Wan resolutely didn’t admit wanting to bring Li Huairu to their mansion deliberately after recognizing her, only smiled as she looked at Li Run.

The more she appeared calm and collected, the more Li Run felt she had ulterior motives, and his heart sank.

Feeling manipulated filled Li Run with indignation, but knowing the other’s true identity, now wasn’t the time to argue.

Thinking this, Li Run steadied his mind and excused himself, "It’s not too late. If I stay overnight at your place and my parents ask, I won’t know how to explain."

He gestured to the servants carrying the stretcher.

The servants turned around, intending to return to the Kangding Bo Mansion as per Li Run’s wishes.

But having reached the doorstep, Wen Wan wasn’t afraid of him leaving, "Has the princely heir really thought it through? The Song Mansion isn’t too close to your place. If you take your sister back without a carriage, merely carrying her, how much strength do you think she’ll have left by the time you arrive at Kangding Bo Mansion?"

Li Run swayed slightly.

Wen Wan added, "After all, it’s your sister. Whether you want to save her or harm her, it’s all up to you. I won’t force you."

Li Run clenched his fists, inwardly frustrated. Ultimately, he was just too inexperienced, being manipulated without realizing. If he had thought it through carefully, he would’ve been suspicious when Mrs. Song insisted on bringing Ruru to their place at the clinic. But overwhelmed by concern then, he was solely focused on his sister’s injuries, never suspecting grown-ups could manipulate a child.

The more he contemplated, the more distressed he felt.

Yet, ultimately, overwhelmed by his sister’s injuries, he had no choice but to let her be carried in.

As long as he firmly denied it, no matter how numerous the Song Family might be, they wouldn’t dare outright take people.

Thus, the servants turned again and carried the stretcher through the side gate. Shortly after, a group of maids took over to carry her into the inner courtyard.

Standing at the Hanging Flower Gate, Song Wei saw this from afar, walked up the alley, and upon clearly seeing Li Huairu’s condition under the mansion lights, his eyes froze briefly. He then instructed the maids to quickly carry her inside and finally turned his gaze to Wen Wan.

Wen Wan softly said, "Husband, it’s the Li family’s princely heir. Could you meet him while I check on the child’s injuries?"

Song Wei, already aware of the basic situation, asked no more questions and, after Wen Wan entered through the Hanging Flower Gate, took Li Run to the front hall.

Seeing him, Li Run gave a bow, "Mr. Song."

Song Wei asked, "Did you inform Kang Dingbo Mansion that she was brought here? If not, I’ll immediately arrange for someone to go."

Li Run replied, "I’ve instructed a servant. They will receive the message soon."

Song Wei nodded, "I’ve heard about today’s incident. It’s all due to some mischievous children, resulting in such a calamity. Once your sister recovers, my wife and I will personally visit your parents to apologize."

"No..." Li Run wanted to say it wasn’t necessary but thought it abrupt, so he changed his words, "Actually, as long as my sister wakes up and recovers, that’s enough. Whether there’s an apology or not, as Mr. Song mentioned, it’s just children playing. If things get out of hand, it’s ugly. Better to step back each, your family takes care of her treatment, and let me take back a whole person."

Song Wei chuckled, deep in thought.

Afterward, Song Wei arranged a meal for Li Run. After eating, he wished to visit Li Huairu in the inner courtyard. But Song Wei advised, "It’s late. You should rest first. Visiting in the morning will be the same."

Li Run initially wanted to insist, but the identity of the other was daunting, so he reluctantly followed the servants to the guest room to wash up and retire.