Chapter 139: Letting Du Ruo Have Her Way

Chapter 139: Letting Du Ruo Have Her Way

"Young Master!"

"What’s the matter?"

"The young madam sent me to say that Miss Du Ruo left early this morning dressed as a man."

Hearing this, Cheng Yunshuo’s gaze shifted to Du Ruo, and he immediately realized she had sneaked out.

"I see. She’s with me. I’ll have someone send her back shortly."

"Understood!"

After the Marquis's mansion servants left, Cheng Yunshuo looked at the still defiant Du Ruo. "Why aren’t you staying at home with Shiniang? What brings you here?"

"Why can’t I come here?" Du Ruo lifted her small face. "I used to come here all the time!"

"As you said, that was in the past. Back then, you had nowhere else to go, so it was fine. Now that we’ve found a place for you, why aren’t you staying home? Why are you running around?" Cheng Yunshuo said sternly to Du Ruo.

"Did you even tell Shiniang? Do you want her to worry?"

At the mention of Lu Lingyun, Du Ruo’s brows furrowed. "Why would I want her to worry?"

"Since you’re staying at my place, Lingyun is responsible for your safety. If anything happens to you, how will she handle it?"

Du Ruo turned her head away. "This is so bothersome!"

"If you keep this up, you can’t stay here. Go back to Aunt Wang’s house!"

Seeing that Cheng Yunshuo was serious, Du Ruo stood up. "Fine, I’ll go back!"

She left reluctantly.

After leaving Cheng Yunshuo’s place, she encountered the four newly arrived Imperial Guards.

She glared at them, but the four were no longer as carefree. Qian Heng stepped forward with a smile. "Miss Du Ruo, please forgive us for our earlier rudeness."

After all, no one in the entire Commandant's Residence is unaware of Du Ruo's identity.

Both of her brothers are Golden Warrior Guards and have taken Cheng Yunshuo as their master. She often dresses as a man and mingles in the Commandant's Residence. Who wouldn't be aware?

Upon learning of her identity, everyone smiled at her.

"We never expected you to be such a heroine!"

"Our Commandant's Residence has a heroine like you!"

"You're really different from other girls!"

Du Ruo felt a small sense of pride and vanity upon hearing their flattery.

Especially when they said she was different from other girls, it touched her heart.

She enjoyed the admiration from these men.

"Of course, I'm not like other girls!"

"Awesome!" Everyone heaped praise on her and gathered around her.

"Miss A'Ruo, let's put today's incident behind us and start fresh."

"How about I buy you a drink?"

"We'll make it up to you!"

Du Ruo frowned slightly at this. "I must return."

Cheng Yunshuo told her to go back. If she didn't, he might really ask her to leave the Marquis's Mansion.

"You're not scared of us, are you? We just want to buy you a drink!" Qian Heng said with a glint in his eye.

"Yes, we're just having an honest drink, what's there to fear!"

"I thought Miss A'Ruo was someone who doesn't care about petty rules!"

"Surely you're not going to follow those old-fashioned rules about men and women not sitting together, are you?"

Duru, provoked by their teasing, glanced at them and said, "Alright, alright, I'm not available today, let's do it another time."

"Okay! We'll remember that!"

"Next time, we must drink together!"

"Miss A'Ruo is truly no ordinary woman!"

"I could tell a long time ago that Miss A'Ruo is straightforward and generous!"

Amidst their flattery, a smile crept onto Duru's lips, and she returned home feeling rather smug.

That evening, Cheng Yunshuo returned home early.

Qin Shaojing was also having dinner with everyone in Lu Lingyun's courtyard.

Earlier that day, Duru had obediently changed back into women's clothes upon returning home and greeted Lu Lingyun, who didn’t say much, only reminding her to let her know before going out again.

Duru agreed.

When Cheng Yunshuo returned, Duru, upon seeing him, jumped up to greet him. "Master!"

Sitting across from her, Qin Shaojing chuckled. "Sister-in-law, some people call me ‘auntie’; why does it feel like some people are acting like concubines?"

Her words immediately made Duru stop in her tracks, turning to Qin Shaojing. "Miss Shaojing, what do you mean?"

Qin Shaojing leisurely raised her head. "With my sister-in-law, the legitimate wife, still sitting here, how can you, a disciple, move before she does?"

Upon hearing this, Duru, instead of looking at Lu Lingyun, immediately turned to Cheng Yunshuo. "Master, I didn’t mean anything else. I just act naturally around you. You know that."

Cheng Yunshuo, after hearing this, looked at Qin Shaojing. "Cousin, you've misunderstood. You're not familiar with A'Ruo, so you don't know her well. She’s just straightforward and doesn’t think much about it."

Duru raised her head proudly.

Qin Shaojing chuckled. "I can see that. I experienced A'Ruo’s straightforwardness yesterday."

Recalling what Duru had told him about accidentally offending Qin Shaojing the previous day, Cheng Yunshuo said, "By the way, cousin, because A'Ruo spoke without thinking and offended you yesterday, I'd like to apologize for her. Please forgive her, for the sake of our relationship."

"I wouldn’t dare to accept such an apology," Qin Shaojing replied. "How could I blame someone as straightforward and outspoken as Miss A'Ruo? That would only make me look petty."

Her words were dripping with sarcasm and veiled criticism, to the point where Cheng Yunshuo frowned. He was considering asking Qin Shaojing directly what she meant, but before he could, Qin Shaojing stood up and said, "Sister-in-law, I'm full. You all continue eating."

Qin Shaojing led a noisy group of people away.

After Qin Shaojing left, Dù Ruò said with a frown, "Master, I told you I can’t stay in places with too many women, didn’t I? I really couldn’t understand what Miss Shaojing was saying."

"Hmm," Cheng Yunshuo responded.

He truly didn't understand either.

"Why do people speak in such veiled and sarcastic ways, making things so confusing?"

"Speaking straightforwardly, like you, is better."

Lu Lingyun fell silent.

Feeling flattered, A'Ruo’s smile widened. Feeling even prouder, she eagerly asked Cheng Yunshuo about the Imperial Guards.

"By the way, Master, have you assigned the four new recruits at the Prefectural Commandant Manor today?"

"Yes, I have. They’ve been assigned to patrol the streets."

"Patrolling the streets, huh? I’m sure they’ll manage well."

"They offended you today, yet you’re speaking up for them?"

"That doesn’t count as an offense. I’m not a petty woman who holds grudges over trivial matters."

Cheng Yunshuo couldn’t help but admire her more and praised, "A'Ruo, your heart is truly extraordinary."

Hearing their conversation about something she was completely unfamiliar with, Lu Lingyun, as usual, didn't bother to interrupt. Not one to steal the spotlight, she quietly finished eating and then went to spend time with the children.

She left the spotlight to A'Ruo.