Reborn Daughter: The Young Lady Wants to Make a Trouble

Faced with such a bold confession, Li Xueyue pursed her lips, not daring to look him in the eye. "How should I respond?" She muttered, burying her burning face in his shoulder and resting her hands on his body. When he chuckled and held her tighter, she could feel the low rumble of his chest under her fingertips.

"Have I finally silenced you, Sunshine?" Yu Zhen said, resting his face on top of her head, enjoying her sweet scent. He wanted this moment to last a little longer.

"No," she mumbled into his shoulder.

"Does not look like."

Li Xueyue knew he was smiling before she even saw him. She hummed softly in response, his shoulder was so comfortable that she couldn't resist.

"Let's take you home now."

"Have you finished your business?" Li Xueyue asked, referring to when he walked out of the pavilion to deal with something.

Yu Zhen held her tighter. "Yes," he replied gruffly, not wanting to give away any easy answers.

When they left the garden, his men immediately surrounded them, vigilantly watching their sides. Their footsteps were unconsciously synchronized so as not to be seen by anyone. After arriving at the palace gate, they waited patiently for a few minutes, and Li Xueyue's carriage was finally pulled in front of the palace gate.

"Will I see you again?" Yu Zhen asked as he guided her up the steps of the carriage. She held onto his hand for support and walked up the steps on one leg. She paused and looked at him.

“It feels like déjà vu,” Li Xueyue said with a smile, as she ignored him, her ribbon getting tangled in his ring. She swore they would never meet, but here she was, praying they would meet again.

"Okay?" Yu Zhen said, reaching for one of her ribbons and pulling hard. She lashed out at him, but he simply grabbed her hand and held it tightly to his side. When he suddenly kissed her fingers, her eyes widened and she stared into his. His eyes gleamed with unspeakable mischief and a sly smile played on his face.

"Then I hope we change our minds and you'll pray to see me again." Yu Zhen chuckled, enjoying the blush on her face. He didn't think pink would be his favorite color, but seeing the pink on her skin, he decided that it was.

“As if.” Li Xueyue rolled her eyes, Yuzhen still holding her hand, walked up the last steps of the carriage. He squeezed it tightly, which was the only comfort she needed.

"Aren't you going to say goodbye to me?" He frowned.

"Saying goodbye was too depressing." Li Xueyue whispered. "Seeing you again makes me feel much better."

A huge smile spread across his face, his dull face brightened up by her optimistic words. "Finally, you act like a ray of sunshine."

Li Xueyue snorted. "I've always been like this."

"Really? Now?" Yu Zhen's tone clearly showed that he didn't believe her, and she didn't believe herself either.

Li Xueyue knew that she was too distrustful of people and unwilling to show courtesy beyond what was expected. As a people-pleaser, she found it difficult to say no or reject someone. The guilt weighing on her shoulders, the trembling heart due to fear of disappointment, everything changed her character, and she wished she could change, but she couldn't.

"Of course," she said, sliding into the carriage seat.

Li Xueyue found it interesting that it was finally her turn to look down at him, and even so, he was still tall and intimidating. Every time he was with her, there was a different feeling in the air, as if nothing was worth cherishing for him, but when he looked at her, it felt too unreal, as if every little action between them was worth a thousand words.

"As long as you're happy, sunshine."

"Even if it's fooling yourself," he added, his smile widening when she gave him a stern look, despite her temper.

"If lying can make you happy, then so be it." Li Xueyue shrugged and rolled her eyes.

"From what you said, we seem like a pair of dishonest liars." Yu Zhen shook his head, amused by the images that flashed through his mind.

"Maybe we are." Li Xueyue smiled and closed the door before he could react.

Yu Zhen raised his eyebrows when he heard her words. Since their roles were different, each reserved for different people, he thought she was right. In the end, he could only hope that the appearance they showed each other was their true selves. At least, Yu Zhen was willing to believe that he was someone beyond the cold, cruel, and cunning smile.

He patted the door of her carriage, signaling the drivers to start driving. He stood at the palace gate and watched the carriage go away until it turned into a small speck and disappeared into nothingness.

Yu-jin's smile faded as she disappeared from sight. He had a letter to send back to Han-gun. Without a word he walked back to the palace and toward his private corridor.

After returning home, Li Xueyue looked for the Duchess everywhere to see how she was doing, but she couldn't find her. Duchess Wang Qixing's maids were not at home either, and Li Xueyue guessed that they had followed her.

Humming a little tune, Li Xueyue walked into her room and felt that the time was right, so she should start making plans. As the days passed, the tarnished reputation of the Bai family slowly returned to its former glory. The more time she wasted, the less time she had to plan.

After about an hour, she finally made a decision. "Of course, how could I forget?" She said to herself. "No wonder Zheng Tianyi was in the capital that day."

Li Xueyue picked up the parchment on which her plan was written, detailing every moment. "Along with the merchants came the wealthy from foreign countries."

She rolled up the parchment, walked to the locked dresser, and pulled the key from her neck. "I think the Zheng family's plan is to convince foreign investors to invest in their family business."

Li Xueyue stuffed the parchment into the drawer and found two inconspicuous containers in the drawer.

According to her memory, the Bai family's business is closely related to Hechen's commercial port. A sly smile appeared on her lips. First, she had to find out about the Bai family's situation and what big fish they wanted to catch.

Li Xueyue decided to consult Li Chenyang about her plan, because he had access to the financial department and could get useful information from there. Every year, nobles were supposed to report their sources of income to prevent any shady business from happening. If she could get the Bai family's financial records...

She closed the dresser, turned the key, and locked the drawer. "Use hooks, ropes, and sink them."