The Zhuang family was a prominent household in Huzhou, and their residence was easy to find. The two soon arrived outside the Zhuang estate. Worried about exposing their whereabouts, Song Qingshu did not have anyone announce them. Instead, he led Yuan Ziyi quietly over the wall and entered directly through the back courtyard.
Perhaps because of the repercussions of the Ming History Case, the Zhuang family was now sparsely populated. There was hardly anyone to be seen even in the rear courtyard.
After walking for a while, Song Qingshu suddenly spotted a delicately pretty little girl ahead, around two or three years old, playing in the courtyard. He could not help freezing. Why was there such a young girl in the Zhuang family?
The little girl noticed them as well and asked in a sweet, childish voice, "Who are you?"
Song Qingshu smiled slightly. "Little girl, why are you here by yourself? Where are your elders?"
Tilting her head, the girl replied, "My mother is inside. Who are you? How come I've never seen you before?"
They had come on urgent business, yet for some reason, Song Qingshu found the little girl utterly adorable. He crouched down before her. "We came to find a girl named Shuang'er. Do you know her?"
"Shuang'er? That name sounds familiar." The little girl scratched her head, clearly confused. "Oh, I remember now. I think my mother is called Shuang'er."
"Huh?" Song Qingshu's composure had long reached the point where even the collapse of Mount Tai before him would not change his expression. He believed he could face any situation with perfect calm, yet when he suddenly heard the little girl say her mother was called Shuang'er, waves surged through his heart.
Yuan Ziyi blinked beside him. Along the way, she had learned roughly about