Xue Ning stood up and carefully put away Li Changche's cloak. She stared at it for a while before carefully packing it into her own bundle, thinking she would wash it clean and return it to him later.
When Bao Chan returned with hot water, Xue Ning casually washed her frozen, stiff little face and then stepped out of the room.
Su Zhan barely glanced at her. After boarding the carriage, he simply closed his eyes to rest.
He possessed a face as exquisitely carved as jade, with distinct, well-defined features. Particularly striking were his long, deep-set eyes, which resembled unfathomable pools. He rarely smiled, and when silent, his imposing presence carried a hint of ferocity, like a stern judge of the underworld.
No one in the residence was unafraid of him. Those young girls and ladies who had just begun to harbor romantic feelings both feared and adored him.
Xue Ning had once loved his unique aloofness, but now she felt that no matter how beautiful the moon hanging high in the sky might be, it should not be forcibly brought down to the mortal world by someone like her.
Thus, she completely severed the ties with him in her heart.
Su Zhan remained silent, and the carriage was so quiet one could hear a pin drop.
Xue Ning understood that he despised her for acting on her own, so she did not initiate conversation either.
Besides, she had caught a chill, and her mind was already foggy.
Not long after the carriage set off, she leaned against Bao Chan's shoulder and drifted into a drowsy sleep.
She didn't know how much time had passed when the sound of the carriage stopping reached her ears.
Her body jolted, and she nearly tumbled forward.
A strong, sturdy arm wrapped around her waist.
Bleary-eyed, she opened her eyes and met the man's deep gaze, only then realizing she had somehow fallen asleep in his embrace.
Xue Ning felt extremely awkward and hurriedly tried to sit up, bracing one hand against the man's thigh.
But the carriage interior was dimly lit, and she was already nervous. Her fingertip accidentally pressed against something she shouldn't have.
Causing the man to glance sideways and frown.
"Xue Ning!"
The man gritted his teeth, his gaze toward her far from friendly.
Xue Ning suddenly realized what had happened, her fingers burning with embarrassment.
Disregarding all propriety, she curled her fingers and sat up straight.
"Brother Lu, I was too deeply asleep, I'm sorry, I didn't mean to…"
The man pressed his thin lips together. "Get out."
Xue Ning quickly replied, "Alright, I'll get out right away."
It was the first time she had been so obedient, yet Su Zhan's heart was anything but calm.
He closed his eyes.
That restlessness and heat had been stirred by that soft little hand.
Clearly, he only saw her as an insignificant younger sister. Why had such a small action from her aroused such an impulse in him?
Or was it that she had done it intentionally to seduce him?
After all, he saw clearly that the scheming young girl had already tricked his mother out of the Su family's heirloom jade bracelet meant for a future daughter-in-law.
What Acknowledgment Banquet, what keeping her distance from him, what wanting to decide her own fate, what only seeing him as a brother—
It was all just her lies.
The tactic of playing hard to get at Zhenguo Temple had been executed brilliantly.
Her intentions toward him were now glaringly obvious.
To go so far as to seduce a man like this—
At this thought, Su Zhan narrowed his long eyes, a trace of restless irritation surfacing between his brows.
"Shizi, Miss Xue has already entered the residence."
Outside the carriage curtain came Mo Bai's calm voice.
Su Zhan composed himself for a moment before slowly opening his eyes in the darkness.
"Hmm."
…
Upon returning to the Marquis's residence, the sky was not yet completely dark.
Xie Laofuren had instructed Nanny Song to lead several maids to wait outside the moon gate of the second courtyard.
As soon as Xue Ning returned to the residence, she was escorted to Wanshou Hall.
The hour was late, yet Wanshou Hall was far from empty.
Madam Jiang and her two sisters-in-law were attending to the old matriarch, while Su Xi and her sisters sat below the dais. Princess Xiuning was naturally present as well.
Besides Su Yu, Su Mai, who had previously gone to Yongzhou on business, had also returned and was now seated in the round-backed chair to Su Yu's left, his dark, bright eyes fixed intently on the doorway.
Xue Ning braved the wind and snow to reach the corridor, where Nanny Song lifted the curtain, revealing glimpses of the noblewomen's robes.
Faced with such a grand assembly, she had already anticipated what Xie Laofuren and the other ladies intended to discuss.
Upon entering, she proactively paid her respects to the old matriarch and began with an apology.
"Laofuren, it was Aning's carelessness that nearly lost the jade bracelet my mother gave me. Fortunately, Brother Lu was also at Zhenguo Temple at the time and helped me apprehend that scoundrel, Cao Shizi. My mother's jade bracelet is now safely back on my wrist."
As she spoke, she extended her fair, slender left hand.
Everyone looked and saw that the jade bracelet was indeed still there.
But they all understood perfectly well that the old matriarch's inquiry was not about the bracelet.
"I would naturally take good care of my mother's belongings. Laofuren has every right to be angry with Aning. It was truly improper for me to go alone to Zhenguo Temple to pay respects to my parents. Aning has been unfilial, causing Laofuren and Madam to worry for my sake."
Xie Laofuren serenely cradled the hand warmer in her palms. "Why didn't you ask your eldest brother to accompany you?"
"Brother Lu is burdened with countless responsibilities. Aning truly did not wish to trouble him. Yet, it was precisely because Brother Lu was at Zhenguo Temple that Aning was able to return to the manor safely."
As Su Zhan stepped into the main room of Wanshou Hall, what he heard was the young girl's soft, gentle voice.
She was skirting the main issue, using him as a shield while repeatedly emphasizing her filial piety in going to pay respects to her parents.
In just a few sentences, she had managed to speak flawlessly, leaving no openings.
A faint smile touched Su Zhan's lips as he strode into the main room.
"Grandmother."
Xie Laofuren raised her aged eyes, her face full of affection. "Zhan'er, you've returned."
Su Zhan walked to Xue Ning's side, paid his respects to the old matriarch, and then took a seat in the chair to her right.
The moment Su Zhan entered, Xue Ning's body tensed slightly.
Observing the solemn expressions of everyone present, the atmosphere grew tense, as if she were facing a formal inquisition.
She recalled how, in her previous life when she and Cao Jin were caught in a compromising situation, these people's expressions had been much the same as today's—each face like a demon's, seemingly eager to skin her alive.
The difference was, this time, Cao Jin had not succeeded.
Xue Ning relaxed a little, maintaining a proper smile at the corner of her mouth. "Does Laofuren have anything else to ask? Brother Lu returned with me; he knows everything about my affairs."
Su Qing shot Xue Ning a malicious glance, unable to restrain herself. "Grandmother, how could Cao Shizi have thought to go to Xue meimei's room? Was he really only there to steal a bracelet? Xue meimei, don't tell me you have some unspeakable relationship with Cao Shizi, which is why you went alone to Zhenguo Temple to secretly meet with him?"
Su Qing's words reflected the old matriarch's own thoughts.
As soon as she finished speaking, everyone's skeptical gazes, sharp as daggers, fell upon Xue Ning's face.
For any young lady of noble birth, this was an utter humiliation.
Thus, the old matriarch had not posed the question directly but had used Su Qing's mouth, still granting Xue Ning a measure of face.
"Fourth Sister, I don't understand what you mean," Xue Ning shook her head, feigning innocence. "I had Aunt Hao and Bao Chan with me, along with two guards and a coachman, plus Brother Lu and Mo Bai. How could I have been alone? Moreover, when Shizi Cao was caught in my meditation room, I was outside. How could I have been secretly meeting with Shizi Cao alone?"
She tilted her head, looking at Aunt Hao beside her, and smiled. "Aunt Hao, what do you think?"