Xue Ning pursed her lips, not daring to meet his cold, mocking gaze.
The man had always commanded authority without anger, his intellect bordering on the supernatural.
As a sheltered young woman, her little schemes could never escape his notice.
This year, she hadn’t planned to ask him to accompany her to Zhenguo Temple, but Su Qing’s intent to harm her was real.
So, before leaving Dongjing, she had slipped away from Nanny Hao and gone to the magistrate’s office. Using Su Zhan’s name, she informed them that someone intended to harm him, requesting they set up an ambush at Zhenguo Temple in advance.
As it turned out, Su Zhan’s reputation was indeed powerful.
She had successfully avoided the trap Su Qing had laid for her in her previous life, preserving her own reputation.
“What exactly have you done behind my back, to command the Xuan Ying Guards like this?”
“Xue Ning, you have quite the nerve. It seems I’ve truly underestimated your cunning and scheming before.”
The man’s voice was low, each question sharp and biting. His cutting, sarcastic words instantly overlapped with every harsh remark he had made in her past life, merging into a downpour that drowned her completely.
“But what does it matter?” Xue Ning curled her small hands, suddenly lifting her head to meet Su Zhan’s gaze directly for the first time. Her tone was soft, yet heavy with accusation. “Would Brother Lu blame me for using your name to report to the magistrate in advance?”
Su Zhan was momentarily taken aback, seemingly not expecting Xue Ning to argue back.
“Has Brother Lu ever considered that if I hadn’t prepared in advance, what happened to me today wouldn’t have been as simple as just falling into the water?”
“Someone drugged my water, someone wanted to disgrace me, someone took advantage of my lack of protection to try and destroy me utterly. Shouldn’t I have tried to protect myself?”
Su Zhan frowned. “Who would want to harm you? It’s all just your own—”
“Brother Lu is too heartless!” Xue Ning angrily cut him off, her face flushing red. “You always say it’s just my imagination, but Cao Jin did climb into my meditation room. If I hadn’t foreseen it, he would have already ruined my reputation. How would you have me face that? Should I return to Dongjing in disgrace, scorned by the old madam, mocked and insulted by everyone in the Su family, only to be hastily married off to Cao Jin as his wife?!”
Su Zhan fell silent.
“But I refuse! Even if the entire Marquis’s residence refuses to protect me, I will still make plans for myself!”
After speaking loudly, tears welled up in Xue Ning’s eyes, yet her reddened gaze did not shy away from the man’s icy stare.
She didn’t want to appear too weak in front of him and tried to force a stubborn smile.
But she had never felt as wronged as she did in this moment—an unprecedented sense of injustice.
Even though she no longer hoped for his help, what right did he have to accuse her of being cunning and scheming?
Gritting her teeth, the frustration that had built up inside her finally burst forth as she cried, “Would Brother Lu rather watch me be disgraced by Cao Jin than lift a finger to help me?”
By the lotus pond, a few lingering passersby remained.
Bao Chan also stood nearby, shrinking her neck, everyone holding their breath.
Su Zhan stared into her tear-filled almond eyes, his own gaze dark and turbulent before gradually settling into an unfathomable calm.
Xue Ning rarely lost her temper in front of him. Small as she was, she always wore a smiling face every day.
Even when she cried, she would wipe away her tears and pretend to be strong in his presence.
Even if he didn’t understand a woman’s heart, he knew at this moment that he was the one who had made her cry.
"Why are you crying? I'm not blaming you."
He reached out, his fingertips brushing against the tattered cloak on her shoulder, a flicker of disgust in his eyes. "I was just worried about you."
He intended to remove the cloak from Xue Ning and replace it with his own.
But the girl with red-rimmed eyes shifted aside, avoiding his gesture.
"Since Brother Lu isn't angry with me, then A-Ning will go change first."
A woman's tears are like this—they come quickly and fade just as fast.
With that, she turned and hurried away toward the inner courtyard of the meditation hall.
Su Zhan's hand hung awkwardly in mid-air, an indescribable feeling stirring in his heart.
Seeing his Shizi frown slightly, Mo Bai stepped forward and chuckled. "I never expected Miss Xue to have a temper today. Shizi, shall we still wait for her to return to the Marquis's residence together?"
Su Zhan's expression cooled slightly as he glanced toward the meditation hall. "We'll wait."
She had cried like that—how could he just leave her behind?
Moreover, it was his negligence yesterday that allowed Cao Jin to take advantage.
As for her claim that someone had harmed her, he still didn't believe it.
It was simply that her beauty had drawn the envy of certain people.
But that person should never have laid a hand on what was his.
Su Zhan narrowed his eyes dangerously, the last trace of patience vanishing. "Mo Bai, go to the Jiqing Earl's residence yourself."
…
Xue Ning rushed into her room, taking a deep breath as her chest heaved rapidly.
Even with two lifetimes combined, she had never spoken so boldly in front of Su Zhan.
But once the grievances in her heart could no longer be contained, they surged forth like floodwaters bursting through a dam, pouring out uncontrollably.
So much so that she forgot just how terrifying Su Zhan could be when angered.
Fortunately, he hadn't been angry and had allowed her to return to her room peacefully.
"Miss—" Bao Chan tapped on the door. "I'm still outside."
Xue Ning clutched the thin cloak. "Where is the Shizi?"
Bao Chan quickly replied, "The Shizi hasn't come over."
Only then did Xue Ning open the door to let Bao Chan in.
Outside, aside from Bao Chan, there was indeed no one else.
Bao Chan gave a thumbs-up. "Miss, you were truly amazing just now, daring to speak to the Shizi like that."
In that moment, her courage had surged, her blood boiling with defiance. But now, Xue Ning felt a chill creeping over her body, her lips trembling. "Bao Chan, go fetch some hot water for me."
Bao Chan was also worried that Xue Ning might catch a chill. "Yes."
With the inconveniences of the temple, once Bao Chan left, Xue Ning hurriedly lowered the window latch, removed her soaked dress, and changed into clean, warm clothes.
Just as she finished changing, Su Zhan's deep voice sounded outside the door. "When do you plan to depart?"
Xue Ning raised her eyebrows in surprise, unwilling to travel with him. "If Brother Lu is in a hurry, you may leave first. Bao Chan and I will return in the afternoon."
Su Zhan frowned, assuming she was still upset, and softened his tone. "My carriage was borrowed by a friend yesterday. Today, I can only return with you."
Xue Ning sat awkwardly on the bed, unsure how to respond.
In her previous life, she had racked her brains to get closer to him but never had the chance.
Why was it that in this life, despite doing everything to escape him, she kept encountering him again and again?
The man seemed to have lost his patience. "Why aren't you saying anything?"
Xue Ning had no choice, and unwilling to provoke him, she could only compromise, saying, "Please wait a little longer, Brother Lu. I’ll wash my face and then we can go."
It was just sharing a carriage, after all—and that carriage belonged to Xuanyi Marquis Mansion anyway.