A single "younger sister" made Song Yu freeze.
She looked over at the sound of her name and saw the man approaching her, his familiar face causing Song Yu'er's expression to turn to shock.
"Brother, brother, second brother, what happened to you?"
Song Panyang was dressed in a blue robe, his shoulders stained with blood.
His hair was disheveled, and his beard unkempt.
Stumbling towards Song Yu'er, he swayed precariously and was caught just in time by Song Yu'er.
"Second brother, what happened? Where have you been these past few days?"
Song Yu'er held Song Panyang, a flood of questions on her tongue, but seeing his poor state, she held back.
After asking twice and receiving no answer, she didn't press further and quickly helped Song Panyang back to their residence.
As they ascended the steps, a man emerged from the carriage Song Panyang had just arrived in.
"Young Master Song, I have delivered you home. I shall take my leave now."
A man in black robes, with refined features and a handsome appearance, stepped out of Song Panyang's carriage.
Song Yu'er, supporting Song Panyang, turned to look at the man. "Sir, you are...?"
The man's voice was pleasant, his demeanor elegant and noble. As he approached Song Yu'er, he slowly began to speak.
His voice was magnetic, making one feel as if their ears could conceive.
"This must be Miss Song, am I correct? Hello, my surname is Li, my given name is Feng. I am a merchant. While traveling on business within the city, I encountered the injured Young Master Song. At the time, he was unconscious and severely wounded. I had intended to take him to a physician for treatment."
"However... when I found a physician for him, Young Master Song suddenly awoke and insisted on returning immediately. I could not dissuade him, and I feared that insisting might cause him trouble."
"Young Master Song was seriously injured, and I could not possibly leave him to return alone. I hired a carriage and sent him back."
The man was courteous and spoke with impeccable clarity.
He made a very good first impression.
"Thank you, sir."
Song Yu'er expressed her gratitude to the man.
She then called for the steward to help her second brother, Song Panyang, inside, and promptly notified her mother, Madam Song, dispatching someone to fetch a doctor.
She also extended an invitation to the man to rest and have tea as a representative of the Song family.
Young Master Li was the one who had saved her second brother, and thus, he was a benefactor to their family.
It would not be proper to simply let him leave.
Upon learning that her younger son had returned injured, Madam Song was so anxious that she didn't even have time to put on her hairpins.
A maid quickly draped an outer robe over her.
She walked to the front courtyard and saw the injured Song Panyang lying on a bed.
A doctor, carrying a medicine box, was tending to Song Panyang's wounds.
"What happened to my Yang'er? What has occurred?"
Madam Song was very anxious. Seeing a handsome stranger standing in the room, she felt a flicker of confusion.
However, at that moment, she could not concern herself with others.
Song Yu'er recounted the incident of Song Panyang's injury and rescue to her mother.
After hearing this, Madam Song first expressed her thanks to Li Feng, then quickly instructed the steward to prepare tea and refreshments and asked the man to rest.
Li Feng had intended to leave, but Madam Song stopped him, asking her daughter, Song Yu'er, to accompany the guest.
She herself would stay and attend to her Yang'er.
The two sat at a table, a touch of awkwardness between them.
Tea cups and pastries were placed on the round table.
"Young Master Li, please partake."
Song Yu'er sat opposite him, her cheeks flushing as she looked at the man.
The man nodded politely and took a sip of his tea.
He did not touch the pastries.
Noticing this, Song Yu'er began to inquire, "Young Master Li, do you not like osmanthus cakes?"
"Not at all. I am simply not hungry."
The man's voice remained as pleasant as ever.
Song Yu'er's cheeks were red, a hint of shyness in her demeanor.
"Then, Young Master Li..."
She was not a person of many words.
And the Young Master Li opposite her, with his gentlemanly bearing, was not one to speak excessively either.
Just as Song Yu'er was about to find an excuse to leave,
The man suddenly stood up, cupped his hands in greeting towards Song Yu'er, "Miss Song, Young Master Song no longer requires my presence. I have some matters to attend to. Miss Song, I bid you farewell."
With that, the man turned to leave without any hesitation.
Song Yu'er, startled, quickly stood up, wanting to chase after him.
But she found the man walking swiftly. As he passed a few flowers in the courtyard, he casually plucked one and turned to present it to Song Yu'er.
"Miss Song, beauty suits this flower. It is for you."
This simple sentence stunned Song Yu'er on the spot.
By then, the man had already departed, and Song Yu'er could only see his receding figure.
She lowered her gaze to the exquisite flower in her hand, her heart blooming with joy.
At this moment, the man's face was all she could see, refusing to fade.
Meanwhile.
Madam Song, who had been by Song Panyang's side, was informed by the doctor that her younger son had only sustained some severe superficial wounds, with no internal injuries.
After bandaging his wounds, he would be fine with proper rest.
Hearing this, Madam Song felt greatly relieved.
After the doctor left with his medicine box, Madam Song served Song Panyang a bowl of congee and sat beside him.
After watching her son finish the congee, Madam Song began to inquire about his injury.
"Yang'er, where have you been these past few days? And how did you get injured? Who injured you?"
Madam Song fired off a string of questions, clearly showing her deep concern for her younger son.
However... her concern, in Song Panyang's eyes, felt somewhat futile, though he did not show it.
"It was Baili Jingxuan! He injured me!"
Song Panyang's lips were pale. After uttering these words, Madam Song's eyes widened in shock.
"What? It was Baili Jingxuan? Him!"
She had always believed the truth of the matter.
But now that her son had said it himself, how could she not believe him?
"I saw him leaving my elder brother's room, holding a blood-stained sword."
"At that time, I rushed over and saw my elder brother lying on the ground, covered in blood, while the person who injured him had fled!"
How could I tolerate this! So I chased after him. This chase lasted for three days, I pursued him for a full three days, and in the end, I was injured by him, and he escaped!"
As he spoke, Song Panyang quickly grasped Madam Song's hand and asked with a worried expression, "Mother, how is my elder brother? Is he alright?"