Lin Chen found them in a jiffy because they had just left the house. Lin Yu and Lin Jing were just around the corner.

"Elder brother! Ah, Yu! Second Brother is back! We don't need to go to the town anymore!" Lin Chen shouted to his two brothers, each carrying a paper lantern of their own. Lin Jing glanced in their direction and then strode forward. Lin Yu too limped as fast as he could. Just a second ago, their expressions were filled with anxiety. Now that they saw Lin Yan safe and sound, the two of them heaved a sigh of relief, like they had just finally gotten rid of something that was weighing on their shoulders all along.

"Elder brother, Ah Yu, were you looking for me?" asked Lin Yan, feeling guilty as he moved closer to Lin Jing.

Lin Jing immediately glared at him. Lin Yan knew that if not for him being an adult, his eldest brother would have smacked his butt just like he did when he was a child. Thankfully, his eldest brother was leaving him some face at this moment.

Lin Jing really wanted to smack Lin Yan. At home, Su Wan was worried sick! Just this afternoon, she was happily chirping about Lin Yan's big banquet. Still, as the evening grew later without Lin Yan returning home, her joyful expression turned more and more solemn. She started fretting, looking around the village now and then. If not for them stopping her, Su Wan would have rushed out with them to look for Lin Yan. Lin Jing couldn't beat Lin Yan anymore, but he can still scold him. "Why else would we be out here? Do you have any idea what time it is? The moon is hanging on top of our heads, and you still didn't return home! It would have been fine if the circumstances were normal, but are they normal now? Su Wan and we were so worried that we couldn't even sit still! It was like someone left thousands of ants to crawl in our pants! What were you doing in the town for so long? Is it so much fun there?"

Lin Jing hardly ever scolded his brothers, but he was really forceful when he did. Forget about Lin Yan. When Lin Jing rebuked them, even Lin Chen and Lin Yu didn't dare utter a single word.

Shen Junxi hastily intercepted once he realized that the matter was escalating. However, he disliked (he will never admit he likes the Lin brothers) the Yan brat. The scolding was too much after the scare he received, and it was his fault. He shouldn't have left him alone. "It's not his fault. It's my fault. I left him alone to walk in the streets, and well, things happened. Just look at his face before you scold him."

Lin Jing hasn't paid attention to Lin Yan's appearance because of his all-consuming anger and worry. He brought the lantern close to Lin Yan's face and saw the handprint-shaped mark on his pale face. At once, his nostrils flared. "Who did it?" He asked, his voice low and threatening, indicating that Lin Jing was furious. How could he not be angry? He had hardly ever raised his hand to his brothers because he couldn't bear to hit them. How can he not get mad at someone else slapping his brother? He was hit so hard that they imprinted his handprint on his brother's cheek!

"It's -" Lin Yan hesitated, but in the end, he couldn't hide anything from his brothers. He retold what had happened to him. The more he recounted the incident, the worse his brothers' expressions became. In the end, Lin Jing's face went totally black, while Lin Chen and Lin Yu exchanged a glance, most probably brewing some sinister plan in their heads.

Lin Yan paused after finishing retelling his experience and added, "Don't.... don't tell Wan Wan. I don't want to worry her. She will be angry and upset if we tell her about it."

Seeing Lin Yan bow his head like a guilty child, Lin Jing couldn't bear to scold him anymore. In the end, he jerked his head stiffly and carefully rubbed his second brother's cheek. "Go and wash your face, cool your skin. It's too vivid. Su Wan will definitely notice."

Lin Yan nodded, then, together with Lin Chen, he washed his face. Though his face was still red after washing with cool water, the handprint was less visible. Unless someone carefully paid attention to Lin Yan's cheek, no one would see it. Fortunately, the night was dark, and the moon wasn't full tonight, or else things would have been even more troublesome.

After crossing the section of the road that led to the mountain, their house could be seen. Right in front of their home, they could see a figure pacing around in worry. It goes without saying that the familiar figure belonged to Su Wan, who was going mad with worry because of her husband.

When Su Wan saw Lin Yan together with her husbands, she sighed in relief and immediately rushed towards them. "Where were you, Ah Yan? Didn't I say to return home as soon as you were done with your work? Where did you go? It's so late. I was worried that something happened!"

Lin Yan heard her anxious voice, and finally, the knot that was tightening around his chest eased a little. Because Shen Junxi was beside him, he didn't hug Su Wan as he wanted; instead, he took her hand and affectionately answered. "The banquet ran a little late, and things went a little long. I was cleaning the kitchen with the staff because everyone worked so hard today, and I didn't even realize that it got so late. Forgive me; it will never happen again. I, your servant, will return home before seven from now on, alright?"

Su Wan thought little about it. It was entirely normal for a banquet to run late. A few drinks and everything would become a mess, but, most importantly, she trusted Lin Yan. She knew that Lin Yan would have told her if something serious happened. She glared at him and chided lightly, "You are lucky I'm an understanding wife, or else you would have to sleep outside! Now come wash and warm your body! I will warm the food."

She turned around and walked away.. Behind her, the Lin brothers and Shen Junxi heaved a sigh of relief.

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