Children from other people's homes are always better.

Just like how Yue Chunxiao found Ling Shu pleasing to the eye, Ling Yao trusted Yue Dingtang even more than Ling Shu.

In her opinion, if anything were to happen to these two, more than half of the responsibility would fall on Ling Shu.

After all, Yue Dingtang was so reliable, dignified, and prudent.

The needle-sharp rivalry between Ling Shu and Yue Dingtang during their youth, which many people remembered, had long since passed. Now, one was living a mediocre life while the other had achieved success.

Ling Shu felt unfairly accused but had no way to defend himself. He was just like Dou E, facing an unjust charge, hoping for a miracle to clear his name.

But Ling Yao didn't want to hear his explanation. Before Yue Dingtang woke up, she left the room to avoid suspicion. 

Ling Shu stared at Yue Dingtang as he slowly opened his eyes.

"What did you do to me?" Ling Shu demanded.

Yue Dingtang looked at his own open shirt and then at Ling Shu's perfectly buttoned pajamas.

"Don't you think that question sounds a bit like a guilty conscience?" Yue Dingtang replied.

Ling Shu raised his voice, "I was drunk last night!"

Yue Dingtang nodded, "As the saying goes, 'drunkenness reveals one's true nature.'"

Ling Shu was confused. He had never heard of such a saying before.

"Captain Yue, with a mouth like that, you could have been a lawyer in the Qing Dynasty," Ling Shu quipped as he got out of bed. 

He was still feeling the effects of his hangover, and his movements were slower than usual. He turned back to mock Yue Dingtang with a smirk.

Yue Dingtang considered the possibility of following through with his words and taking advantage of Ling Shu, but ultimately decided against it, considering Ling Yao was still waiting outside. 

"I learned all my verbal skills from you. Thanks to your constant provocation and indirect encouragement when we were in school," he replied casually, while admiring the sight of the other person changing clothes in front of him.

Ling Shu noticed something was off and hurriedly went to the bathroom with his pants half on.

Yue Dingtang chuckled and leisurely got up to change his clothes.

The wool coat and suit had been hanging by the fireplace all night and were mostly dry.

Yue Dingtang considered going home to take a shower and change into a new outfit before going to school. He had a slight obsession with cleanliness and always felt that even dry clothes could be dirtied by rainwater, making them uncomfortable to wear.

Breakfast was already prepared in the living room, consisting of fried dough and soy milk.

Ling Yao sat at the table lost in thought, but when she saw them come out, he quickly stood up and pretended to be busy.

"I'm done eating. I'll go buy groceries. Take your time," she said before starting to leave. 

Ling Shu looked around, "Where's your husband? Did he go to work?"

Ling Yao sighed, "He didn't come back all night."

What? Ling Shu forgot to chew the oil cake in his mouth for a moment.

This time it seemed really serious.

It's common for couples to argue, but usually they make up quickly after arguing in bed. It's rare for them to spend the night outside.

"Sis, don't worry, I'll go find him right after I finish eating."

Ling Yao surprisingly took it lightly, "Forget it, even if you find him, what can you do? We'll just end up arguing again when he comes back. If he really has a new love, I'll just let him go."

"No, no, this kind of negative thinking won't do!" Ling Shu quickly persuaded, "I'm full now, I'll go find him right away. When I bring him back, you two should talk it out and don't argue anymore, okay?" 

After speaking, he took a big sip of soy milk and hurriedly left with an unfinished oil cake in his mouth.

"Wait, your hat!" Ling Yao reacted slowly.

He had already disappeared at the door, and even Yue Dingtang was ignored.

"Ling Yao, I'll give it to him." Yue Dingtang stood up calmly, his movements far more elegant and calm than Ling Shu.

"Dingtang, wait!" Ling Yao stopped him, paused, and showed him a bitter smile.

"I have a few things I want to say to you."

"I'll go find him first, we can talk about it when I come back tonight." Yue Dingtang replied.

"I know he didn't go abroad to study for those years." Ling Yao's sudden words stopped him in his tracks. "After eight years of absence, Ling Shu returned a changed man. I almost didn't recognize him. He claimed to have gone to France to study, but couldn't even speak French properly. I have no idea how he spent those eight years, or where he went and what he did. I tried to ask him indirectly, but he was very guarded and wouldn't reveal anything."

"But I know he must have gone through a lot during those eight years. He used to sleep like a log, but now even the slightest noise wakes him up. He even lied to me, saying he was practicing writing with his left hand for fun, when in reality his right hand was injured and he couldn't use it. Did he really think I was that foolish?"

As Ling Yao spoke, her eyes became slightly red and her voice choked up. 

"I must admit, I am just a woman with limited knowledge and cannot be of much help to him. But this guy has high standards and even ordinary girls are not good enough for him. I don't know how long I, as his older sister, can take care of him. Dingtang, you and he were classmates in the past and your friendship is not ordinary. Could you please help me persuade him and pay more attention to him? Even if it's those dancers, as long as they have good character and truly love him, I will accept them."

Yue Dingtang frowned slightly.

Why does this sound like a farewell message?

Moreover, he didn't like what Ling Yao said.

"Don't worry about Ling Shu."

Without letting her continue, Yue Dingtang interrupted her directly. 

"He didn't go abroad to study, so what? In this world, there are plenty of talented people who have strayed from the right path and become jackals, wolves, and tigers. But he, with his pure and delicate heart, is a rare gem. Many people like him, but how many truly treat him with sincerity, never leaving or abandoning him in times of hardship? Even with a heart full of sincerity, if he cannot protect himself, what good is it?

"In the future, if he can't use his right hand, I will be his right hand. With me around, he won't have any problems.

"What Ling Shu wants most is for you to be happy and carefree. He has grown up and become a man, able to walk his own path. But you are the one he can never let go of. Whether you and Zhou Sa separate or continue to be together, you are his dear sister. Only when you are doing well can he be at ease."

Ling Yao was slightly stunned. Yue Dingtang didn't give her much time to think. He picked up Ling Shu's hat, nodded at her, said "I'll take my leave first," and hurriedly left.

Ling Shu had long forgotten about the hat. He first went to the municipal government to inquire about Zhou Sa's day off, but found out that he hadn't gone to work. He then headed straight to the concession, where the small foreign house where Ling Yao had "caught the affair" was located.

The conflict between Ling Yao and Zhou Sa had reached a point where it could not be ignored. This time, Ling Shu didn't wait outside, but took the initiative to go to their door.

He pressed the doorbell outside the courtyard.

Soon, the door of the small foreign house was opened, and a woman dressed like a maidservant stood at the door, looking at Ling Shu outside the courtyard.

"Hello, my surname is Ling, I am a police officer from the city police bureau, and this is my identification."

The maid was very surprised and asked, "Officer, do you have any business here?" 

Ling Shu said, "I have a case on hand that is related to your mistress. If it's not convenient for me to come in, you can let her know and we can talk outside."

The servant hesitated for a moment before saying, "Please wait a moment."

While Ling Shu was considering whether or not to mention Zhou Sa's name, the maid appeared again. She walked out of the house and opened the gate for Ling Shu.

"Hello, Mr. Ling. My mistress invites you in."

"Thank you."

The previous owner of the small western-style house was probably a foreigner. Due to some circumstances, the house was sold and bought by the current owner. 

Everywhere Ling Shu looked, there were decorations that exuded a Western European style. Most of the items were left behind by the previous owner, and there were hardly any Chinese-style ornaments. 

Generally speaking, the first thing people do when they own a house is to decorate it with their own belongings. Especially for women, small items can declare ownership and existence, leaving some traces behind.

But this house was different. From beginning to end, there were only Western-style furnishings.

The woman sitting on the sofa in front of Ling Shu was dressed entirely in Chinese style, without any trace of modern Western influence. Even the tea cup brought by the servant for Ling Shu was not a Western-style porcelain cup, but a blue and white tea bowl.

This could only mean one thing: the female owner did not put much thought into decorating the house.

More precisely, she did not have a sense of belonging to this house.

Ling Shu noticed that the woman showed subtle anxiety upon his arrival. With her hands folded on her knees, her fingers unconsciously fidgeting with her clothes.

Her lips slightly pursed, occasionally swallowing saliva.

Her gaze seemed to be on him, but would occasionally drift elsewhere.

These were all signs of nervousness.

Putting that aside, the other party was quite young, probably in their early twenties. Although their hair was tied up in a bun, they still retained some charm. 

Honestly, they couldn't compare to Ling Yao, but it's possible that Zhou Sa was just looking for something new. After all, Ling Shu understood the nature of men. 

No matter how honest they may seem, they can still be swayed by their desires.

"Officer Ling, may I ask why you suddenly came to our door? Our family has always abided by the law and never committed any crimes."

Ling Shu originally wanted to reveal his identity, but seeing her reaction, he changed his mind. 

"Mrs. Sun, there's no need to be nervous. My visit this time is related to a Mr. Zhou," said Ling Shu. 

He knew Mrs. Sun's surname because of the wooden sign outside the door that read "Sun Residence."

Before Ling Shu could finish speaking, there was a commotion outside the door. 

Then, a child's innocent voice could be heard saying, "Mom, I'm back!"

The maid opened the door and a little boy ran in, stopping in his tracks when he saw there was a guest in the room. Ling Shu smiled at him, feeling a bit embarrassed. 

The boy turned around and ran towards his mother, saying, "Mom, I'm hungry!"

Mrs. Sun hugged him and comforted him in a low voice before asking the maid to take him away. 

"Sorry, Officer Ling. Kids will be kids. Please continue," said Mrs. Sun.

Ling Shu asked, "Do you know Zhou Sa?" 

She was surprised and nodded, but then became a bit uneasy. "I know him, but has something happened to him?"

Ling Shu asked, "May I ask what your relationship is with Mr. Zhou, Mrs. Sun?"

"We're friends. Mr. Zhou has helped me a lot, and I'm very grateful to him," She replied.

Ling Shu said, "To be honest, my sister's surname is Ling. She is Mr. Zhou's wife, and I am Mr. Zhou's brother-in-law. My sister and brother-in-law have had some family troubles because of you. As a relative, I have a responsibility to come and understand the situation. I hope you don't mind me asking, but is your relationship with my brother-in-law really just that of friends?"

An hour later, Ling Shu left the Sun residence.

He didn't have any conflict with Mrs. Sun, and the two of them talked from beginning to end in a friendly manner.

However, his strange and lingering doubts only grew stronger. Ling Shu urgently needed someone to confide in and analyze with.

It was warmer inside the house than outside, and he couldn't help but sneeze when the wind blew.

It was already summer, and Ling Shu didn't feel cold.

Who was it that kept talking behind his back?