I've been bullied and humiliated for thirteen years; when I wake up, I'll be bloodthirsty.

Chapter 97 Preference

Sheng Junyao sent his two younger sisters home. He first took Sheng Yunjiao to the second room and settled her in, and then personally escorted Lu Yangyang back to the courtyard.

Looking at Lu Yangyang's empty courtyard, with only a few trees planted and not even a single blooming flower, Sheng Junyao couldn't help but frown: "How did this courtyard become so desolate?"

Then he tentatively asked Lu Yangyang, "If you don't like being disturbed, I'll find some flowering trees to plant for you."

Regardless, how could a young lady's courtyard be so bare? Sheng Junyao had a bit of OCD and couldn't quite accept this kind of aesthetic.

Lu Yangyang glanced at Sheng Junyao in surprise. She probably understood what Sheng Yunjiao meant by her older brother's stubbornness and tendency to worry.

Why would someone want to come and plant flowers in her yard themselves?

Lu Yangyang blinked and explained honestly, "Madam said she wanted to find someone to tidy up the courtyard, but I refused. I originally wanted to plant some herbs in the courtyard, but I've been busy with the Taiming Academy exams lately, so I put it on hold for now. I'm not used to having a lot of people around, so I just asked the maid to clean the courtyard when she's free."

There was no one left in her courtyard. After Granny Shen arrived, the tasks that Yuanxing, the maid originally assigned to her, had to do were to run errands occasionally and clean the courtyard when she had free time.

This quiet environment, free from disturbances, also made it easy for her to sneak off to the next room to audit a class.

Hearing her explanation, Sheng Junyao accepted it readily: "Planting medicinal herbs is fine too. Is there anything you want to plant? I'll find someone to get you some seeds and seedlings, and we'll plant them together after you finish your exams."

Lu Yangyang's eyes widened: "You can grow medicinal herbs?"

Sheng Junyao smiled and shook his head: "No, but when I'm at the border, I help take care of the farmland in my spare time. Planting some flowers and grass is no problem, and I suppose it's about the same for herbs."

Lu Yangyang was genuinely surprised this time. She really didn't expect that the Sheng family could have someone like Sheng Junyao, who was different from the people she had met.

Quite interesting.

So she didn't refuse: "Then you can come and help when you have time."

But in her heart she was thinking that after she finished her exams, Sheng Junyao would be getting married, so he probably wouldn't have time.

I didn't really care.

Sheng Junyao, however, was all smiles, seemingly delighted that she hadn't refused. He couldn't help but gently ruffle her hair before continuing to speak.

"I've looked into what happened at the Duke of Cheng'en's mansion today. I've been away from the capital for a long time, so I'm not very clear about many things there, but the death of that Miss Feng was probably not an accident, but rather something that was deliberately done. The assassination attempt that followed may also be related to how you unintentionally disrupted someone else's plan."

"I'll send someone to inquire, and I'll let you know if I find out. Later, I'll arrange for a few guards to stay near your courtyard, just in case."

"But I'm telling you this not to blame you for getting involved. It's good that you have the ability to do things, and I'm proud of that. It's just that in the capital, there are interests involved everywhere. Sometimes it's not that you did anything wrong, but that's just how the world is. So you must know how to protect yourself."

"The Duke's Mansion can't be your backup for now, but I can. So Yangyang, don't be afraid. Do whatever you want. If anything goes wrong, your older brother will cover for you. If you're ever unhappy in the capital, come find me at the border."

When Sheng Junyao went to the Chengen Duke's Mansion to see his mother today, he first learned about what had happened there. Before that, before receiving the news of the incident at the Chengen Duke's Mansion, he met his maternal grandfather at the Lan family and learned some things about Lu Yangyang. In the days before that, he met with each of the people he had sent to Qingzhou to gather information and carefully inquired about the attitudes of the people in the mansion and what had happened since Lu Yangyang returned.

He first gave Xiao Wu a lesson and put him in solitary confinement. If he couldn't reflect on his mistakes, he would take him to the army later and give him a proper education.

As for Sheng Junyi, he didn't know what had happened, but since his mother also had some complaints about his second son, he also gave him a beating. If he hadn't been worried about his mother going out today, he wouldn't have let him go out with her.

Having learned about Lu Yangyang's upbringing, the injustices she suffered after arriving at the Duke of Sheng's mansion, and the things she did, he felt both heartache and guilt, and only then did he understand why his mother was so remorseful.

But regret is ultimately useless. If Yangyang hadn't been so outstanding, if she had just been an ordinary girl who had suffered so much and struggled to survive to find her family, only to find that her family favored someone who had taken her life away, how helpless and desperate she would have felt.

Having grown up amidst the power struggles of the capital, this was the first time Sheng Junyao had ever examined his home and family in this way.

I also feel even more guilty towards my younger sister who has been separated from us since childhood.

He didn't know if he could change the Duke of Sheng's mansion on his own, but he understood that even if he did, it wouldn't make up for the harm done to Yangyang.

Therefore, all he could do was give her his all and offer her some support.

Lu Yangyang had no idea that Sheng Junyao's earlier talk about planting flowers, herbs, and medicinal plants was all a prelude to this part of his speech.

Her sincerity surprised her, and she was somewhat at a loss for words.

She had encountered kindness before, but never such straightforward and selfless kindness.

This was a kind of favoritism she had never imagined.

"I understand... thank you." Lu Yangyang stammered a little, managing to utter this sentence after a long while.

Sensing her discomfort, Sheng Junyao didn't say anything more, only telling her to rest well, "I'm going back now, I'll come see you again when I have time."

“Okay.” Lu Yangyang nodded obediently.

After Sheng Junyao left, Lu Yangyang suddenly remembered something and took out the dagger from her bosom: "Here, take this back."

This was a gift from Sheng Junyao for self-defense, but she didn't have anything else to do for the time being, so she decided to return it.

"Silly girl, this is for you." Sheng Junyao smiled. "Keep it on you for self-defense. If you want anything, no matter what it is, you can tell me and I'll help you find a way."

Lu Yangyang's fingers tightened unconsciously around the dagger, and she said dryly, "Thank you."

Sheng Junyao nodded to her: "Go back."

Then he left.

Lu Yangyang watched him walk out of the courtyard, looked down at the dagger in her hand, and couldn't help but think again, if only he hadn't died, he was a good person.

Lu Yangyang put the dagger away. For the first time since returning to the Duke of Sheng's mansion, her chest felt a little hot.

So this is what being favored is like?

It's a bit strange, but it feels pretty good.