After I traveled through the book, I fought back in the Hou Mansion

Chapter 368 Meticulous

Chapter 368

In stark contrast to her father's tearful eyes, Zhou Baozhu's expression was calm and composed. She patted her father's tall shoulder perfunctorily and whispered soothingly, "It's okay, it's just a minor injury. Dad, you are the Grand Protector after all. Can't you pay attention to your image in front of others?"

The man heard his daughter's words, which were as energetic as ever, and realized that she was in good condition. He sniffed, wiped away the tears in his eyes, straightened his body, and said nonchalantly, "What are you afraid of? They dare not tell anyone."

The people following him were clearly accustomed to this kind of scene. They stood there quietly, their eyes fixed on the subject, as if oblivious to what was happening before them. The man's worry faded slightly, but his expression darkened. He asked, "What's going on? Dad received word that you were in danger, but he doesn't know the details. Who dared to attack you?"

Then, as if he had just noticed Ye Yunzhou and Luo Shuiyao, he cast a cold and fierce gaze at them. When his eyes fell on Ye Yunzhou, his body stiffened slightly, and in an instant, the fierce look on his face faded, but his expression remained decent. He said, "So it's Ye Dusi. I don't know how my daughter has offended him. I apologize on her behalf."

He used humble words to belittle himself, seemingly modest and polite, but in fact his eyes were fixed, like a wolf hiding in the dark, like a lone wolf lurking in the dark, his eyes revealing vigilance and a strong sense of protectiveness.

"father."

Zhou Baozhu knew her father's temper very well. When she saw this, she knew that her father had found the wrong "enemy" and hurriedly explained: "That's not the case. It was this gentleman and my sister who saved me together."

"Oh?" Zhou Duhu's expression froze, and soon he looked at Ye Yunzhou and Luo Shuiyao as if nothing had happened, with an apologetic smile.

Then he asked his daughter, "Who is that? Who is so blind as to dare to touch my precious daughter?"

Zhou Baozhu didn't respond to her father, simply waved. Instantly, two men hurried forward from behind and entered the house. Soon, they emerged, dragging Zhuang Sheng, who had attempted to escape through the window. Protector Zhou narrowed his eyes, taking in the disheveled figure on the ground. As if remembering something, he glanced at his daughter, his gaze filled with inquiry.

Zhou Baozhu simply ignored Zhuang Sheng, who was gagged and could only beg for mercy with his eyes. She also didn't care that there were other people in the yard. She explained the situation in a few words, avoiding the important points.

Upon hearing this, Zhou Duhu's rage intensified. He rushed forward and delivered a powerful kick, sending Zhuang Sheng flying. Had Zhou Baozhu not been quick to notice his father's movements and grab his sleeve in time, Zhuang Sheng would have been killed on the spot. Even so, he still spat out a mouthful of blood, even the cloth gag in his mouth. His lips trembled, and he looked as if he was on his last breath.

Unfortunately, Zhuang Sheng's miserable appearance didn't evoke sympathy from anyone in the courtyard. Zhou Duhu still felt unsatisfied, but after being pulled back by his daughter, he gradually regained his composure and realized that now was not the time to punish this beast. He then turned to look at Ye Yunzhou, clasped his fists in a military salute, and spoke with gratitude, "Thank you, Governor Ye and Miss, for your kindness!"

After hearing this, Ye Yunzhou looked calm and waved his hand: "Since this is your Zhou family's private matter, we can't stay any longer. Protector Zhou, please handle it yourself. We will take our leave now."

Upon hearing this, Protector Zhou made no effort to stop him. He knew that he and Ye Yunzhou belonged to different factions, and Ye Yunzhou's avoidance of suspicion was reasonable. If someone with ulterior motives saw them meet, it would be bad for both of them. With this in mind, Protector Zhou bowed and saluted again.

Zhou Baozhu's eyes were filled with reluctance as she stared at the direction of departure. Seeing her father's actions, she vaguely understood the reason behind them and did not stop him. Originally, Zhou Baozhu wanted to ask about Luo Shuiyao's whereabouts, but when the words were on the tip of her tongue, she saw the adult pulling Luo Shuiyao away quickly, and Zhou Baozhu didn't even have the chance to speak.

Watching the two men leave, Zhou Baozhu was filled with displeasure. She turned to look at her father and tentatively asked, "Is this Ye Dusi the leader of the Hidden Dragon Guard?"

Zhou Duhu didn't understand why his daughter was suddenly so curious about this man. He thought it was because of his outstanding appearance that his daughter was attracted to him. Thinking of this, Zhou Duhu quickly stopped her, "Don't have any thoughts about him. We can't control people like him. Dad is still hoping that you can find a good son-in-law to marry into his family and give me grandchildren soon. I can't bear to marry you off."

Zhou Baozhu rolled her eyes. "Tsk! Who could possibly like him? He's as cold as a stone. I don't like him at all."

If she liked someone, she should have liked a sweet and soft girl. But she didn't dare say the last sentence in front of her old father. Seeing her old father start to chatter again, Zhou Baozhu could only mutter silently in her heart.

Protector Zhou couldn't hear his daughter's inner thoughts, and only when he saw her expression, which was indeed filled with disgust, did he finally feel relieved. Then, his face turned cold again: "This Zhuang Shan looks like a decent man, and he even has the title of a scholar. I thought he had some talent. Moreover, his family is humble, so he is indeed suitable to marry into our Protectorate. I originally thought that if you don't mind, we can finalize the marriage. But I didn't know that this time, Zhuang Shan turned out to be such a beast in human form."

At this point, Zhou Duhu's heart still lingered, his voice trembling slightly. "Luckily, you had someone rescue you today. Otherwise, I, your father, would have regretted this for the rest of my life."

Seeing her father's frightened expression, Zhou Baozhu reached out and patted him, trying to appease him, but her words were blunt: "I've already said I don't like this guy, but you insisted on trying to bring him together. Your judgment is really poor. But he's Mother's nephew. If we deal with him, will Mother be angry?"

In front of his daughter, Zhou Duhu always acted innocent. But he had risen from humble beginnings to the rank of Second-Rank Protector General, demonstrating his extraordinary talent. Recalling today, the man in the mansion had tried desperately to stop him from leaving the house, urging him to rest early. Initially, Zhou Duhu had dismissed it as a case of a struggle for favor among his wives and concubines, but now, on reflection, he suspected she was in on the whole matter.

Thinking of this, Zhou Duhu's face darkened and his tone was icy: "I promoted her because I wanted someone to look after you, and because she treated you well. Now it seems that I underestimated her. If this matter has nothing to do with her, then so be it. But if I find out anything, I will definitely not let her off."

Zhou Baozhu sighed, swallowing the plea that was on the tip of her tongue. She wasn't ignorant. Zhuang Sheng was her mother's nephew, and judging by his confident tone, he'd probably already planned everything. And the only person in the mansion who knew her so well and could cover up for her was probably that person—the one who had cared for her so meticulously for so many years.