Jiang Fu and her maid stayed in the corner, attracting little attention. Xie Chan, in particular, kept glancing toward the courtyard gate while chatting with Lin Xueyan and others.
“Sister Xie, are you looking to see if Third Master has arrived?”
Lin Xueyan was never one to hold back her words. Seeing Xie Chan’s distracted gaze, she teased her with a smile.
Xie Chan’s expression stiffened slightly, a flicker of displeasure flashing in her eyes, but she quickly regained her composure. “Naturally, we must wait for everyone to arrive before the banquet can begin.”
“Of course, Sister Xie is always so thoughtful. I just wonder if Third Master will have time today. And Xiao Yuzhang—I haven’t seen him in days.”
Lin Xueyan pouted. She had originally hoped Xiao Yuzhang would see how ugly Jiang Fu was, but who would have thought Jiang Fourth would be so beautiful, outshining all the noble ladies in the garden? Now she couldn’t decide whether she wanted Xiao Yuzhang to come or not.
“Miss, Third Master is here.”
At the words of Xie Chan’s maid, the noisy lakeside suddenly fell silent.
At that moment, Jiang Yao and Jiang Lin also walked over to Jiang Fu’s side.
Xiao Jing was dressed in black again today. With his cold temperament and preference for dark colors, he seemed even more unapproachable.
But given Xiao Jing’s status, there were plenty of noble ladies eager to throw themselves at him. Moreover, his handsome appearance was unmatched in the capital.
The courtyard gate was quite far from the center of the lake, but Jiang Fu’s secluded corner was close to it. As soon as Xiao Jing entered, she saw him.
In her dreams, she had dared to bite him, but in reality, Jiang Fu didn’t even dare to look at him.
She tugged at Bai Xing’s sleeve, trying to hide behind her, hoping Xiao Jing wouldn’t notice her.
But she didn’t realize how dazzling she was. The moment Xiao Jing entered, his eyes locked onto her.
Seeing the young girl’s terrified expression, Xiao Jing’s brows immediately furrowed.
He was angry!
A chill emanated from Xiao Jing, noticed not only by Jiang Fu but also by Jiang Yao, who was standing nearby.
Jiang Yao clenched her fists excitedly and suddenly spoke to Jiang Fu.
“Fourth Sister, your handkerchief fell.”
“I don’t have one…”
Jiang Fu instinctively denied it. She had been in such a hurry when leaving home that she hadn’t brought a handkerchief.
But when she looked up and saw the malice in Jiang Yao’s eyes, along with the pin-drop silence around them, her heart sank.
Jiang Yao had done this on purpose.
Every noble lady attending the banquet today was here for Xiao Jing or Xiao Yuzhang. Given Jiang Fu’s awkward position, Jiang Yao’s shout made it seem as though she was deliberately trying to attract Xiao Jing’s attention.
Jiang Fu tightened her grip on Bai Xing’s sleeve, her eyes reddening with anger.
This wasn’t the first time Jiang Yao had bullied her, but she had never felt this angry before.
Xiao Jing was a secret in her heart. In her dreams, they had shared intimate moments, but in reality, they had only met twice.
Jiang Fu was afraid of him and wanted to avoid him, never wishing to be associated with him.
“That’s not my handkerchief!”
The young girl’s voice trembled with tears, but her gaze remained stubborn. Xiao Jing’s hardened heart couldn’t help but tremble.
With her gentle nature, she must have been deeply wronged to be this angry.
Xiao Jing turned and cast a disdainful glance at Jiang Yao, instantly wiping the smugness from her face.
“Third Master… I… I saw the handkerchief fall from her.”
“Second Miss is lying! My lady didn’t bring a handkerchief today!”
Bai Xing was also furious, standing her ground as she defended Jiang Fu.
Jiang Yao wanted to curse at her, but under Xiao Jing’s cold stare, she shrank her neck, feeling somewhat guilty.
“Anyway, it fell from her body. If it’s not hers, whose could it be?”
Her voice grew softer and softer, and the noble ladies around gradually realized that Jiang Yao had been trying to frame Jiang Fu.
The Jiang family truly lacked class—even family members would stab each other in the back.
However, upon seeing Jiang Fu’s delicate and charming face, they swallowed back their sympathy.
With such looks, would Lord Xiao the Third take notice?
Everyone held their breath and looked toward Xiao Jing, only to see him withdraw his gaze from Jiang Yao and stride toward the center of the lake without even glancing at Jiang Fu.
All the noble ladies in the garden breathed a sigh of relief. They had always said that Lord Xiao the Third was indifferent to women, cold and heartless—how could he possibly notice Jiang Fu just because she was somewhat attractive?
Little did they know, Xiao Jing’s hand hidden in his sleeve was already clenched tightly.
“Petty families always stir up trouble. Sister Xie, next time, don’t invite them anymore—it’s just embarrassing.”
Lin Xueyan looked disdainful, utterly contemptuous of the Jiang sisters, completely forgetting that it was she who had urged Xie Chan to send the invitation for Jiang Fu and the others to attend.
Xie Chan did not respond, though her expression was far from pleasant.
Fortunately, the banquet proceeded smoothly afterward. Xiao Jing sat in the seat of honor, with Xie Chan beside him, the two appearing like a perfect pair.
Jiang Fu remained seated in the corner, her head drooping, her expression gloomy.
Bai Xing knew her young lady was unhappy about being wronged and tried her best to cheer her up.
“When we return to the manor, shall this servant make peach blossom cakes for you?”
She had a good relationship with Auntie He in the kitchen and could secretly use the small kitchen for a while. Whenever her young lady was unhappy, she would cheer up after having some pastries.
Jiang Fu twisted her fingers, forcing a faint smile. “Mm.”
Jiang Yao had been watching them all along. Seeing Jiang Fu smile, she nearly snapped her nails in anger.
Not only had her scheme failed earlier, but she had also earned a glare from Xiao Jing. Jiang Yao’s jealousy and resentment reached their peak.
Just then, Xie Chan stood up and invited the noble ladies to admire the lotus flowers together.
The Xie family’s estate was vast, with the central lake alone covering dozens of acres.
It was said that this estate did not originally belong to the Xie family—its previous owner was the Ye family.
Grand Physician Ye and Grand Elder Xie had both served as imperial physicians during the reign of the previous emperor. However, Grand Physician Ye had offended the emperor and was executed along with his entire family. Afterward, the Ye family’s estate was transferred to the Xie family.
Following Grand Physician Ye’s death, Grand Elder Xie rose steadily through the ranks, earning widespread respect in the capital for his miraculous medical skills.
Xie Chan introduced the lotus flowers in the lake to Xiao Jing, who occasionally responded with a word or two, his attitude indifferent.
At that moment, his thoughts were preoccupied with the young girl. She was so timid—he wondered if she had cried earlier.
“This twin lotus has been blooming for a hundred years. According to my grandfather, the previous emperor was particularly fond of it and would come to see it every time it bloomed…”
As everyone gathered around the twin lotus, Xie Chan spoke softly.
The twin lotus was right beside Jiang Fu, and as Xie Chan spoke, she instinctively glanced up at it.
Seeing how close Jiang Fu was to the lake’s edge, Jiang Yao’s eyes lit up.
Their spot was a blind corner, with Jiang Lin blocking the view beside them. Moreover, everyone’s attention was on Xie Chan, so no one noticed what was happening there.
Jiang Yao reached out and pushed Jiang Fu hard. The young girl swayed uncontrollably and fell into the lake.
“Splash!”
“She fell into the water! My young lady fell into the water!”
Bai Xing’s panicked voice shattered the tranquility of the garden.
The lake was extremely deep. Jiang Fu did not know how to swim, and the cold, fishy water rushed into her mouth and nose. She flailed her arms, struggling desperately as her body sank deeper and deeper.
Xie Chan’s eyes flashed with anger. It had taken her great effort to finally speak with Xiao Jing, only to be interrupted repeatedly by this Jiang Fourth. Suppressing her fury, she called out sternly to the guards, “Quick, save her!”
But before the guards could even approach, the person beside her decisively leaped into the water, diving straight into the depths.