Mrs. Lu was coaxed by Zi Yi and ended up going up to bed to rest.

Before she went up, she said to the father and son, “Go and find Yunxiao and just wait and see how I’ll take care of him in the morning!”

Lu Jingye said, “Mother, don’t worry. We’ll look for him later.”

Only then did Mrs. Lu head upstairs.

After Mrs. Lu went up, Lu Jianlin asked Lu Jingye with a serious expression, “Do you know where Yunxiao is?”

As soon as Lu Jingye was about to answer, Zi Yi suddenly pulled his sleeve and said to Lu Jianlin, “Father, why don’t you go up and rest too? Yunxiao has never been in contact with so many women all at once and he must find it uncomfortable. Let Ah Jing find him later. They have a good relationship and Ah Jing will have a good talk with him. It’s better than using coercive methods on him.”

Lu Jianlin also understood his youngest son’s personality. He was a little worried that Yunxiao might just leave and head to the secret guard’s base and not be willing to spend the New Year’s at home. He thought about it and nodded. “Alright, you go and have a good talk with him.”

Having said that, he headed upstairs.

He wouldn’t dare to return to the bedroom at this time and planned to do some work in the study room and wait for his wife to fall asleep before going in.

After Lu Jianlin went upstairs, Zi Yi looked at Lu Jingye.

Lu Jingye patted her hand and said, “It’s late. You should go and rest too.”

Zi Yi nodded her head and said, “Have a good chat with Yunxiao.”

“Mmh”

Lu Jingye found Lu Yunxiao in a hidden compartment in the building behind the villa.

This building was used as a storeroom. There were all sorts of items stored there and at the top of it was a hidden compartment that was two meters high and had a skylight.

Lu Yunxiao was currently sitting under the window and looking at the night sky in a daze.

Lu Jingye’s movements when he came up were rather loud and Lu Yunxiao guessed that it was him. He did not immediately look away from the window.

Lu Jingye was holding onto two jars of wine. After he came upstairs, he threw one of the jars at him and Lu Yunxiao accurately caught it.

The both of them opened the lid and started drinking soundlessly.

After drinking for some time, Lu Jingye said, “Mother is doing this for your sake.”

Lu Yunxiao said, “I know.”

Lu Jingye looked at him. “Do you know that you have now become even more reluctant to get along with the opposite sex in recent years? This is very dangerous for you.”

Lu Yunxiao continued to drink with his eyes lowered. His expression was not as cold as when he faced outsiders. However, he still had an expressionless face.

Lu Jingye looked at him and said, “I know you’re worried that once you get emotional, it will be easier to make mistakes during your missions. However, have you ever thought of what’s the difference between living and dying if you do not have anything holding you back?”

At the mention of this, Lu Jingye paused for some time. He raised the jar and drank a sip before he continued.

“You know Mother never believed in Buddhism before. However after you took over the secret guards, she started believing in it. She would occasionally bring up your life events in the past and never forced you. However, she has now been trying every means possible to make you fall for a woman. It’s not that she suddenly changed her mind. It’s because you almost dying has hit her really hard.”

Lu Yunxiao listened to Lu Jingye talk and he felt an indescribable feeling in his heart. He still had his eyes lowered and he looked at the jar of wine in his hands.

Lu Jingye said, “Even though Mother had never said anything, did you notice that she seemed to have aged considerably after your accident? Even though Yiyi has been helping to condition her health, she can never return to her previous state.

“What Mother wants isn’t much. As long as we are happy and have someone to accompany us, she will be satisfied.”

Lu Jingye stopped talking and raised the jar to toast him with the jar in Lu Yunxiao’s hand.

The two brothers drank in silence.

Subsequently, none of them talked. After they finished the jar of wine, Lu Jingye patted his shoulders. “Let’s go. Return to your room to rest, stop enjoying the cold wind here. If you catch a cold, the one who will feel distressed is also Mother.”

Lu Yunxiao nodded his head and put the jar aside. The two brothers headed downstairs together.

Lu Jingye returned to the bedroom and saw that Zi Yi had fallen asleep. He reduced the sound of his footsteps and went to wash up.

However, the moment he lay down on the bed, Zi Yi woke up and moved over. She immediately smelled a faint scent of alcohol on his body.

“You’ve been drinking.” Zi Yi hugged his neck and muttered unhappily. “I didn’t even get to drink.”

Lu Jingye was amused by her words and said, “I helped you test the taste of this batch of wine.”

“Hmph, do you think I’m a three-year-old child?” As soon as she said that, she looked up and bit his lips. “Give me a taste.”

Lu Jingye opened his mouth and caught her tongue.

Their lips melded together while their tongues tangled with each other.

Lu Jingye let her go when he was about to lose control. His voice sounded hoarse as he asked, “So did you taste anything?”

Zi Yi panted and said, “I tasted mint-flavored toothpaste.”

Lu Jingye pressed his forehead against hers and chuckled.

Early the next morning.

As soon as Zi Yi arrived at the top of the staircase, she heard Mrs. Lu lecturing Lu Yunxiao.

“You’re almost 25 years old and even if you don’t like those ladies, you shouldn’t have let them stand outside to endure the cold wind for so long! Early in the morning, I received news that quite a few of them had fallen sick last night and were admitted to the hospital. How am I supposed to maintain my dignity in front of other people? Sigh! This is so embarrassing!”

While Mrs. Lu was talking, she covered her face as though she would feel less humiliated if she did that.

Zi Yi saw Mrs. Lu’s reaction and knew that her anger had dissipated. She smiled and continued going downstairs.

Lu Yunxiao was just like a student being lectured by the head teacher, as he stood there with a straight posture.

“Mother, I was wrong.”

Mrs. Lu uncovered her face and asked with a wooden expression, “Where were you wrong?”

Lu Yunxiao said, “I should not have let them stand outside in the cold.”

“What else?”

Lu Yunxiao opened his mouth, but he could not think of anything else he had done wrong and so he closed his mouth.

……

The mother and son had a staring contest.

Just then, Lu Jingye who was quietly sitting on the sofa turned around to see Zi Yi walking down the stairs.

The two other people had also looked over.

At the sight of Zi Yi, Mrs. Lu’s expression instantly eased. “Yiyi, why did you wake up so early? You slept so late last night and so you should have slept more.”

“I’ve already had enough sleep.” Zi Yi walked over to Mrs. Lu and held her arm as she said, “Mom, don’t scold Yunxiao anymore. His personality is just like that. Even if you lecture him, he wouldn’t know what he did wrong.”

In the end, she glanced at the expressionless Lu Yunxiao and said, “What Mom means is that you shouldn’t have disappeared in the middle of the banquet, this isn’t good.”

Lu Yunxiao nodded his head and said to Mrs. Lu, “Mother, I was wrong.”

Mrs. Lu waved her hand and said, “Go, go, go. Just the sight of you right now makes me angry. In the following days, I will arrange a few blind dates for you. No matter whether you like it or not, you’re not allowed to miss the appointment.”

Lu Yunxiao stared at her. “…I understand, Mother.”

Ziyi gave Lu Yunxiao a sympathetic look and held Mrs. Lu’s hands as they walked to the sofa. She then purposely changed the subject.

Lu Jingye stood up and motioned for Lu Yunxiao to go out with him.

“Mom, Yiyi, Yunxiao and I will go out for our morning exercises now.”

Having said that, the both of them left.