However, upon further reflection, she felt that she might have overthought it. If Gu Jin’an had such strategies, he wouldn’t be a petty person who would retaliate against her over a simple misunderstanding.

But she did indeed hurt Gu Jin’an...

Master Ouyang nodded, "Hmm, that kid is protective. As long as someone in the family is bullied, he will repay it tenfold. This behavior inherently shows a tendency to hold grudges."

Ouyang Ming listened with a slight frown and asked, "Grandfather thinks that’s not good?"

Master Ouyang said, "People believe that if the family is bullied, as long as the other party admits their mistake, they should be forgiven. Retaliating like he does will indeed draw criticism. But who doesn’t feel hurt when their family is bullied? If it were your grandfather, I would repay it too."

Ouyang Ming laughed, "So grandfather thinks Scholar Gu did the right thing."

Master Ouyang did not shy away, nodding, "That’s right. In my view, as long as it’s not intentionally harming others, there’s nothing wrong with retaliating when your own family is bullied."

He spent his life traveling the world, seeing many things, unlike those pedantic scholars who only attend literary gatherings and fish for fame.

As the grandfather and grandson were talking, there came a light knock on the doorframe. Ah Song stood outside the door and said, "Second Old Master, Scholar Gu, Company Commander Qin, and He Tongsheng have returned and are waiting outside the courtyard."

As Ah Song spoke, he glanced at Mrs. Han in the room.

Previously, they always addressed Master Ouyang as Old Master, but Mrs. Han and Nanny Li were strict with etiquette, scolding them when they heard it. They said the eldest great-grandson in the Capital had grown up, and the family generations had already advanced. Even though they often stayed away, the address should be corrected. Otherwise, they would be laughed at for messing up the generational hierarchy upon returning to the Capital.

"Good Brother An and the others are back, let them in quickly." Master Ouyang was very pleased, while Mrs. Han was secretly annoyed. The Second Old Master had been traveling for years, gradually losing the proper manners. With the Third Miss still here, how could they let outsiders in?

But it was too late to leave now. Mrs. Han could only say, "Third Miss, please follow this old servant to the inner room to avoid them."

Ouyang Ming knew that she had been helping Gu Jin’an with the new bank in recent days. Mrs. Han was already quite displeased and didn’t want to provoke her anymore, so she smiled and said, "Alright."

She led Mrs. Han and the Chief Maid, Shan Ru, into the inner room to avoid them.

Once they entered, Ah Song went to bring Gu Jin’an and the others in.

"Sir." Gu Jin’an and the others greeted Master Ouyang.

Master Ouyang said, "No need for formalities. I already heard about what you did last night, and it was very impressive."

Just hearing about it got his blood boiling with excitement, eager to join them in defending the bank against villains.

Then he asked, "Where is the contract?"

"On the student." Gu Jin’an took a bag of contracts from his body and handed it to Master Ouyang.

"Good, as long as the contract is here." Master Ouyang took the contract, looked through it, and asked, "Young Master Dou had you bring back the contract, intending for me to help keep it safe."

The bank was already being watched, so it wasn’t safe to leave the contracts at the bank or with Young Master Dou. Keeping them with him was more secure.

Gu Jin’an said, "Young Master Dou indeed intended this, but I would like to ask you, sir, to let the student keep the contracts."

"Brother An!" He Jinseng was shocked upon hearing this; it was very dangerous. What if the villains knew about it and broke into the village?

Qin San Lang raised his eyebrows, glancing at Gu Jin’an.

Gu Jin’an explained, "Young Master Dou and the Ouyang family are already being targeted by the villains, so holding these contracts is very unsafe, with a high risk of being stolen. It’s better kept with me. The villains wouldn’t expect my family to hold the contracts, thinking instead that the contracts are hidden by you or Young Master Dou elsewhere, making everyone safer."

Master Ouyang nodded upon hearing this, "This method is indeed good. Let’s do as you said."

Gu Jin’an is someone who handles matters steadily. With the contracts on him, I am very assured.

Qin San Lang chuckled, understanding the good sense behind it, but also noting the ulterior motive, "Besides these contracts, Young Master Dou also sent a group of captured Meng Family assassins to Master Ouyang. Yet Brother An worried there are women in the Ouyang family, fearing the villains might come to kill and frighten Master Ouyang’s granddaughter, so he had me hide those people elsewhere."

Gu Jin’an was surprised, realizing young San Lang said this on purpose, annoyed at him for bringing the contracts home, endangering Xiao Yu. 𝓯𝙧𝓮𝓮𝒘𝓮𝙗𝙣𝒐𝒗𝒆𝓵.𝓬𝓸𝒎

For the past few years, Gu Jin’an had been practicing martial arts, and San Lang even more so had been training since childhood. Their senses of smell were keener than most, and they had already caught a whiff of fragrance, knowing there was a lady in the inner study—the only one being Third Miss.

She surely heard and, thinking deeply, would understand his feelings for her.

Gu Jin’an felt helpless yet couldn’t be angry with San Lang, as he too cared for Xiao Yu and was exasperated by bringing dangerous items home.

Inside the inner room, Ouyang Ming was startled, was Scholar Gu worried about her?

Master Ouyang thought of his granddaughters, grateful for Gu Jin’an’s actions, and said, "Very well, I’ll give you a squad of Shadow Guards to hide in the village, protecting your family. It’s not right for your family to bear all the risks."

Gu Jin’an shook his head, "No need, such methods would only alert the villains."

Master Ouyang agreed after hearing this from Gu Jin’an, and decided not to pursue it further.

Gu Jin’an didn’t stay long. After explaining everything, he bid farewell.

Knowing they hadn’t slept all night, Master Ouyang didn’t keep them, and let Ah Song see them out.

After leaving the study’s courtyard, Gu Jin’an looked back at it... Would Miss Ouyang deliberately avoid him if she heard San Lang’s words and guessed his thoughts?

After all, they were worlds apart, and it was only his secret admiration for her. Once discovered, any sensible lady would take the initiative to avoid him, never to see him again.

Gu Jin’an felt deeply troubled.

However, he worried in vain, as Ouyang Ming, though smart, wasn’t an immortal. How could she possibly guess Gu Jin’an’s affection based on one sentence?

She wasn’t so conceited as to think herself so beautiful that everyone would like her.

Ouyang Ming felt more guilty, thinking despite her having hit Gu Jin’an, he still cared about the safety of the Ouyang family, truly a righteous and kind young man.

For such a good young man, a gift must be prepared to apologize formally.

So she shared her thoughts with Master Ouyang.

Master Ouyang laughed upon hearing it, "You’re still mindful of having hit him? It’s okay to formally send a gift to apologize, since Good Brother An did help us greatly this time. But what does he like?"

The Second Girl of the Gu Family likes money, as long as it’s silver, gold, or anything convertible into cash.

But what does Gu Jin’an like... famous ancient texts, paintings, musical instruments, land properties, gold and silver jewelry?

He seems to like a bit of everything, but not extremely so, he doesn’t overeat, only until he’s 80% full.