"Father, are you alright?"

Seeing Dong Wenshu coming out of the City Lord Mansion, several children rushed up to inquire with concern.

Dong Wenshu glanced at the woman working in the shop and shook his head, saying, "It's nothing, let's go back."

After experiencing a thrilling encounter, the family made their way down the mountain.

When they reached the entrance of the library, they were surrounded by neighbors, all chattering and asking what had happened.

The Dong Family didn't want to elaborate on the situation, claiming it was just a misunderstanding, but the neighbors speculated various reasons for Dong Wenshu's injuries.

This was when the benefit of having a good reputation became evident, as none believed the Dong family capable of any wrongdoing.

Once inside, they closed the door. Dong Wenshu, after changing his clothes, summoned the family for a talk, explaining that the reason they were caught was because of Wang Ping's implication.

The Dong children, never having been through an interrogation, were shocked. Could someone as harmless and indifferent as Wang Ping really be a bad person?

In their understanding, you either had to be a bad person or have done something wrong to encounter such trouble.

Then, Dong Wenshu took out a money pouch and pushed it towards the woman, "Xianglan, we don't want to go through something like this again, nor do we want to implicate you. Here's two months' wages. Please find another job."

It was also an excuse.

The old man in black wanted to bring in a distant relative, and Dong Wenshu couldn't refuse for personal and ethical reasons. Having learned from the past tribulations and already using their life-saving Jade Token, having a relative of someone important here wasn't bad.

He was forced to face the reality.

The library couldn't afford to keep two housekeeping staff, so they had to dismiss one.

The Dong children were surprised and tried to say a few kind words for the woman, but Dong Wenshu was resolute. With the Dong family's principles at stake, they had no way to help.

The woman pleaded to no avail, and tearfully gathered her things to leave.

After she left, Dong Wenshu then revealed the dangerous course of events that allowed them to escape this time, saying that the Demon Queen's favor for their ancestors had been used up, and the old man in black had saved their lives; morally, they couldn't refuse him.

The Dong siblings finally understood their father's good intentions and realized that the family had just taken a trip to the brink of death.

"What exactly did Wang Ping do, that even a major sect like the Extreme Fire Sect would target him? Someone with such influence, how could they be working in our library as a helper?" Dong Liangze expressed confusion with youthful curiosity.

The family hadn't yet shaken off their startled emotions when there was a knock at the door. Dong Liangze ran to answer it and returned with several City Guards, making the family tense once more.

Unexpectedly, they had come to represent the City Guard, offering apologies. They left a box behind, saying, "Mr. Dong, this was a misunderstanding. I'm here on behalf of the City Guard to apologize. Inside is ten thousand Sandalwood Gold, as compensation for Mr. Dong's medical expenses and to calm everyone's nerves."

Their demeanor was extremely polite, nodding and bowing.

Though the involvement of the Demon Queen was kept under wraps, they had been informed prior that the Dong family had strong backing, making them impossible to offend. Hence, they were instructed to be cordial.

Dong Wenshu, though principled, did not refuse the money, feeling it right that the City Guard, acting without evidence, should compensate and apologize.

The only thing that made Dong Wenshu hesitate was whether such a large compensation of ten thousand gold was too much.

He guessed it was given out of respect for the Demon Queen. Though he hadn't yet seen what the old man in black's relative looked like, he was already considering increasing their pay.

After sending the guests away, Dong Liangze eagerly opened the box. Inside was filled with Flame Energy Sandalwood Gold, gleaming brightly, a sight none of the siblings had ever seen in such abundance, and it belonged to their family.

Dong Liangze couldn't help but grab a handful, listening to the swoosh as it slipped through his fingers.

His third sister, Dongliang Ying, tapped his arm, "Don't play with it. Father earned this through injury."

Dong Wenshu pondered, "The customers at the library today were disrupted. Compile a list of those who paid, and return their money tomorrow."

This was Dongliang Ying's task, and she agreed immediately, "Yes, understood."

Just then, knocking came from the side door outside the courtyard.

Someone unknown seemed to have bypassed the main entrance.

Only familiar neighbors knew that when the library wasn't open, it was a hassle for those in the inner courtyard to make the trip upfront, so neighbors usually knocked on the side door.

Handling such public tasks naturally fell to the fourth sibling, Dong Liangze, who briskly went to open the door. Expecting to see a neighbor, he was instead greeted by the elegant silhouette of a woman in a radiant red dress, standing at the door with a striking red flower at her temple, her skin pale and smooth.

Even as a young man, he was momentarily stirred by the unexpected allure.

The woman in red acknowledged him with a slight nod, a hint of a smile playing on her lips.

Dong Liangze was momentarily taken aback. This wasn't any neighbor he could recall, as such a striking presence couldn't have gone unnoticed, so he inquired, "Who are you looking for?"

The woman in red responded, "My distant uncle sent me here, asked me to come to the library to assist and gain some insight, saying he'd already discussed it with the owner."

"Uh…" Dong Liangze immediately understood who she was, the relative of that important figure his father just mentioned, and quickly acknowledged, inviting her in with a gesture.

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