At this moment, Ji Shisu thought of Zhao Luoning.
A person who, just like him, didn't fit in with the Ji Mansion.
Maybe his mother, just like Zhao Luoning, was never a canary born to be caged.
By this time, Lord Ji had already composed himself. He had become that cold and heartless patriarch who always seemed to stand aloof from everything.
"Sometimes, going to her grave and saying a few words can also be considered a way to show filial piety. But this is not something to be proud of. Don't mention it to others anymore."
By the time he said these words, his tears had stopped falling.
Ji Shisu knew that one day, he would eventually become like his father.
Even though his heart was in turmoil, he must appear calm on the surface.
However, he really didn't expect that the woman who had only existed in the stories passed down by others for so many years, a woman whose name he didn't even know, was actually his birth mother.
Moreover, she was yet another woman who was driven to death in the deep mansion compound.
Since childhood, weren't there enough such things in the mansion?
Even if no one was wrong, even if no one meant to harm anyone.
The suffocating feeling brought by the deep mansion compound, the helplessness of losing freedom, and the sorrow of being forgotten.
Day after day, year after year.
It eventually became a bloodless weapon that could kill.
In such an environment, one either had to survive by using schemes and tricks, or be trampled underfoot and end up in depression.
This was the survival rule of the big mansion.
But he didn't like either outcome.
He hoped that his and Ning'er's child could grow up happily.
Without being forced to learn this and that from a young age like he was.
Especially when his elder brother ran away from home and the responsibility of bearing the family fell on Ji Shisu alone.
That kind of pressure was too terrifying.
He didn't want his Ning'er to become one of the many women in the mansion who either climbed to a high position or were sacrificed.
He also didn't want to become a person like his father.
Watching his beloved woman lose her luster and end up in depression in the mansion.
Ji Shisu used to think that even if he got rid of the identity of the second young master of the Ji family, he was still a part of the Ji family. As long as there was anything wrong with the Ji family, he was still duty - bound.
But now it seemed that it would be better to cut off the connection completely.
Previously, because of the responsibility of the family head, he had no choice. But now that his elder brother had also returned.
He didn't need to hold on to that ridiculous sense of responsibility anymore.
But Ning'er, his Ning'er, would she be willing to follow him who would have nothing once he left the family?
What was her true intention?
Thinking of this, Ji Shisu suddenly had an epiphany.
What he had done to Ning'er was no different from what his father had done to his beloved woman!
Ji Shisu always disdained to explain. Under the pretext of being good for Ning'er, he had made so many decisions for her, but he had never bothered to ask if she needed them.
Moreover, he had deeply hurt Ning'er.
Just thinking of that night in Tianxiang Tower, Ji Shisu wished he could slap himself hard a few times.
No wonder Ning'er had run away.
He was so cowardly that he didn't even have the courage to confess.
He even claimed it was for her own good and didn't want to make her sad.
What was the difference between his actions and his father's?
Ji Shisu looked up at the sky.
Ning'er, Ning'er, where on earth are you?
Even if I've done something wrong, please give me a chance to start over.
The matter of returning to the mansion was put on the agenda.
Ji Shisu was eager to go back and find Zhao Luoning earlier. It only took half a month for him to lead a whole house of people to return from the capital to Huangcheng.
As soon as they arrived in Huangcheng, Zhao Luoyu came to pick them up with a group of people.
After meeting the old matriarch and the head of the Ji family, Zhao Luoyu led Huier onto Ji Shijun's carriage.
Ji Shijun knew the relationship between Zhao Luoyu and Zhao Luoning. As soon as she got in the carriage, she asked,
" Nian'er, have you seen your... second sister - in - law?"
Although Ji Shisu had guessed Zhao Luoyu's identity when he knew that she looked exactly like Zhao Luoning.
But after all, other people in the mansion didn't know yet.
Walls have ears. After thinking about it, Ji Shijun changed her words.
Zhao Luoyu glanced at Ji Shisu who was also sitting in the carriage, pretending to be unconcerned but actually pricking up his ears to eavesdrop.
"Second sister - in - law? Isn't she with the second brother? What? Did he lose her and come to me to ask for her?!"
Ji Shijun had no way with his mischievous wife.
He pulled Ji Jianhui to his side and asked, "Huier, have you seen your Aunt Ning?"
Ji Jianhui looked at his mother, rolled his big eyes, and then shook his head.
He wasn't lying.
He really hadn't seen Aunt Ning.
He had only seen Uncle Jing.
But since his father didn't ask, he probably didn't need to say it.
And Zhao Luoyu obviously didn't intend to let Ji Shisu off. She pressed on.
"Where's my sister Ning? Why haven't I seen her?"
"Did you bully her?"
"Don't think she has no one to stand up for her! If you bully her, I'll beat you up!"
Ji Shisu was so embarrassed by Zhao Luoyu's successive questions that he finally lifted the curtain of the carriage and got off.
Only the family of three was left in the carriage.
Only then did Ji Shijun hold Zhao Luoyu's hand and speak up for his brother.
"Nian'er, Shisu has it hard too. If you have any news about your sister, you..."
Zhao Luoyu pretended to be shocked and asked, "Did Ji Shisu really lose my sister? I knew it. I've long heard the news that my sister was coming back to Huangcheng. I came back so many days earlier, but I didn't even wait for her! It turns out he lost her."
As she said this, Zhao Luoyu was about to rush out. "No, I have to settle the score with Ji Shisu. It must be him who bullied my sister!"
Ji Shijun quickly grabbed her.
"Alright, Nian'er, stop making trouble. The second brother is already having a hard time."
Zhao Luoyu refused to give in.
"He's having a hard time, but what about me? My sister is missing. If he doesn't give me an explanation, I won't let it go!"
Seeing Zhao Luoyu's strong reaction, Ji Shijun could only believe that his wife really didn't know where Zhao Luoning was.
He could only hold Zhao Luoyu and persuade her softly.
And Ji Shisu, sitting outside the carriage, had a gloomy face, as black as Lord Bao.
The carriage stopped in front of the Ji Mansion. Rows of maids and servants were already waiting outside.
From afar, someone saw their carriage coming back and loudly passed on the news.
"Old matriarch, master, madam, and young master are back."
Just now in the carriage, the old matriarch was still discussing with the maids around her that the Ji Mansion had been deserted for more than a year, and there must be many places that needed to be taken care of.
She was just thinking about whether to stay in an inn first and move back after the mansion was cleaned up.
Unexpectedly, someone had already made all the arrangements. Even the servants who had been dismissed before had been found one by one.
No one knew who had arranged all this. When they saw this scene, everyone who was tired from the journey was pleasantly surprised.