Blossom In Adversity - Vol. 2

C368. Prince Ling Stirs Up Trouble.

Chapter 368: Prince Ling Stirs Up Trouble

After Hua Qin and her husband departed, Liu Xiang stepped in quietly and announced, "Miss Shao Yao is here with the young master. They heard you were meeting guests, so they’ve gone to wait in the side room. Also, the old steward has returned and is waiting outside."

Zeng Han couldn’t risk being seen by anyone at the moment, so Hua Zhi gave a quick nod. "Bring the steward in."

"Understood," Liu Xiang replied promptly.

The old steward entered, holding a letter in his hands. Bowing slightly, he reported, "Since Lord Jiang was already at the yamen, the Jiang family’s chief steward went directly to deliver the message. He confirmed that Lord Jiang will definitely keep the appointment as planned."

Hua Zhi took the letter, glanced at its contents, and then tucked it neatly into the drawer. "You’ve done well. Go and get some rest. If you need anything handled, let Li De take care of it."

The old steward smiled graciously and replied, "Of course, Miss."

Without wasting more words, Hua Zhi rose from her seat and prepared to leave, her steps deliberate and composed.

The door to the next room was shut, but before she could even lift her hand to knock, it swung open from the inside, and Shao Yao's head popped out, so close to Hua Zhi’s face that it almost brushed against her.

Pushing the face away, and the door opened fully, revealing the quiet child sitting inside. Dressed simply, the child looked a little thinner than before. His eyes flickered with a subtle shift when they landed on Hua Zhi.

He stood up wordlessly, then walked over to her, his small arms wrapping around her waist. His head gently rested against her abdomen in a gesture that was simple, silent, and unspoken—but it clearly communicated his closeness and affection, without any overt display of emotion or complaint.

Hua Zhi was momentarily caught off guard, but she quickly recovered, reaching out to pat his shoulder and stroke his head in return.

Shao Yao spoke with some suspicion, "He doesn’t speak more than ten sentences to me all day."

Ignoring her, Hua Zhi gently guided the child to the table, pulling out a stool for him to sit on.

"I’ve had someone tidy up your room," she said. "From now on, you'll stay with me. Are you okay with that?"

Zeng Han’s eyes widened. He’d been under the impression that his family’s property would be returned to him, and he’d go back home. He wasn’t sure if this person would still be willing to keep him around.

"Not willing?" she prompted, her voice softening.

Before she could finish, he eagerly nodded, his head bobbing up and down like a chick pecking at the ground.

Hua Zhi smiled warmly and gave his head a gentle pat. "Good. There are plenty of kids in the house, and the family clan school is in the front courtyard. Once your family’s situation is settled, you can join the Hua children in school. And when your family’s property is returned, you’ll need to make arrangements for your parents’ memorials. From now on, on the first and fifteenth of every month, as well as holidays, you’ll go back to pay respects. As for your family’s assets, my suggestion is to sell what can be sold, convert it into cash, and manage it yourself. But if you need a large sum of money, please don’t hesitate to tell me. I may not be able to offer much help, but I’ll never let anything bad happen to you."

Zeng Han nodded, his lips pressed tightly together, absorbing her words.

"When you got back to the capital, you were still looking pretty good. So what happened? How did you lose so much weight in just a few days?" Hua Zhi asked, eyeing Shao Yao. "Is he sick?"