The moment Shen Xuan stepped beyond the lively ceremonial courtyard, the festive atmosphere behind her gradually faded.
The sound of guqin and pipa became softer with every step she took.
Soon, all she could hear was the gentle rustling of the winter wind as it swept through the bamboo grove.
Snow had begun falling once again.
Tiny white flakes drifted lazily from the sky, settling upon the tiled roofs and winding stone paths of the Shen Residence.
Shen Xuan hugged her cloak tighter around herself.
"It really is cold..."
She quickened her pace toward her courtyard.
Fortunately, the path she chose was one she had walked countless times over the years.
Every pavilion.
Every corridor.
Every flowering plum tree.
She knew them all by heart.
As she rounded a quiet rock garden...
Her footsteps suddenly halted.
"...Hm?"
A faint sound reached her ears.
It was so soft that she almost mistook it for the wind.
"...Hng..."
It sounded like someone struggling to breathe.
Shen Xuan blinked.
Then...
A metallic scent drifted through the cold air.
Her small nose twitched.
"...Blood?"
Her heart skipped a beat.
She slowly turned her head toward the bamboo grove beyond the rock garden.
The breathing came from there.
For a brief moment...
Her curiosity almost won.
Then countless scenes from the novel flashed through her mind.
An injured young master.
A chance encounter.
Saving someone.
Falling in love.
Repaying kindness.
Marriage.
Court intrigue.
Assassination attempts.
Family extermination.
Shen Xuan’s eyes widened in horror.
"...No."
She immediately shook her head.
"No, no, no."
"This definitely feels like the beginning of one of those romance plots."
Her expression became unusually solemn.
Then she clasped her tiny hands together as though praying.
"I didn’t hear anything."
"I didn’t smell anything."
"I am merely a little salted fish."
"I only know how to eat."
"I don’t know how to save people."
"I especially don’t know how to save handsome young masters."
After solemnly convincing herself...
She straightened her back and continued walking as though nothing had happened.
While walking, she quietly chanted beneath her breath.
"I want to be a salted fish..."
"I want to be a salted fish..."
"I want to be a salted fish..."
Her determined little figure gradually disappeared down another pathway.
Not long afterward...
She returned to her own courtyard.
Pushing open the wooden gate, Shen Xuan let out a relieved sigh.
"Safe."
"As expected..."
"If I don’t interfere with the plot..."
"The plot won’t interfere with me."
She happily skipped into her room.
Inside the cabinet beside her bed lay a small embroidered pouch wrapped carefully inside a silk cloth.
It was the birthday gift she had personally made for Shen Yuerou.
Although she had intentionally hidden most of her talents over the years...
She still wanted to prepare something with her own hands for the sister who had loved her since childhood.
Carefully dusting the silk wrapping, she smiled.
"Big Sister will definitely like it."
Holding the gift securely, Shen Xuan left her room once more.
This time...
She deliberately chose another route.
"If I don’t walk past that place..."
"I definitely won’t run into the plot."
She nodded firmly to herself.
"Very smart."
"As expected of me."
After another quarter of an hour, she safely returned to the ceremonial courtyard.
The gift presentation was still ongoing.
No one had even noticed her brief absence.
Only Shen Yuerou smiled when she saw her little sister quietly return.
"Awu."
"Where did you run off to?"
Shen Xuan sheepishly scratched her cheek before presenting the embroidered pouch with both hands.
"I forgot Big Sister’s gift."
Shen Yuerou accepted it with surprise.
"You embroidered this yourself?"
She carefully opened the wrapping.
Inside was a beautifully embroidered handkerchief.
One corner bore elegant plum blossoms blooming proudly against falling snow.
The opposite corner held two tiny rabbits leaning against one another beneath a full moon.
The stitches were astonishingly neat.
Even several noble ladies nearby couldn’t help praising it.
"What exquisite workmanship."
"The embroidery is incredibly delicate."
"Did Second Miss Shen truly make this herself?"
Madam Gu smiled modestly.
"Our Awu merely enjoys learning little things."
Shen Xuan immediately lowered her head.
"Hehe..."
"I was just lucky."
Inside...
She secretly sighed.
"Please don’t praise me anymore."
"The more outstanding I appear..."
"The easier it is for the plot to notice me."
Fortunately...
Everyone’s attention soon returned to Shen Yuerou.
Only then did Shen Xuan quietly breathe a sigh of relief.
As evening approached...
The ceremony finally came to an end.
Guests gradually departed in luxurious carriages.
Servants bustled about cleaning the courtyards.
Xiao Mei and Xia Cao were still helping in the kitchens, directing servants carrying trays of dishes and tea.
Remembering that she had insisted on keeping only two personal maids despite every noble young lady of her status having at least four...
Shen Xuan decided not to trouble anyone.
"I can return by myself."
After bidding farewell to her family, she leisurely made her way back to her courtyard.
The winter sky had already darkened.
Red lanterns hanging beneath the eaves illuminated the snowy pathways with warm golden light.
Everything was peaceful.
Quiet.
Exactly the kind of peaceful life Shen Xuan loved.
She pushed open the door to her room.
"...I’m back."
Silence greeted her.
Just as she was about to remove her cloak...
A sharp metallic scent entered her nose.
Her body froze.
The smell...
It was blood.
Slowly...
Very slowly...
She turned toward the window.
A young man dressed entirely in black lay collapsed beneath it.
His clothes were soaked with blood.
His breathing was shallow.
Snowflakes drifting through the half-open window landed upon his motionless figure.
For a long moment...
Neither of them moved.
Shen Xuan blinked once.
Then twice.
"..."
"..."
Her lips twitched.
"...Heavens."
"I already avoided the plot."
"So why did the plot come into my room?"
A/N: I guess there’s no escaping the plot if you’re the heroine.