After the Hundred Fruits Banquet, both Su Wan and Lu Jiayu returned to Lu Mansion happily, each having gained something from the event.
Lu Jiayu fetched several beautiful vases from her room and brought them to Xiangfei Courtyard, holding Su Wan’s hand and thanking her profusely.
“Sister Wan, do you still have any dried lily bulbs?”
“Yes, I do.” Su Wan had Jin Tao bring a packet and gave it to her.
Lu Jiayu smiled. “Sister Wan, what would I do without you? You’re so kind.”
“It’s just a packet of dried lily bulbs, nothing valuable. It’s not even worth one of the vases you gave me.”
Lu Jiayu happily packed it up and had the stewardess of Lu Mansion deliver it to the eldest son of the Chen family, Chen Qiansheng.
Madam Zhou pulled her daughter aside and questioned her in detail.
Lu Jiayu spoke frankly, “Mother, Sister Wan is nothing like the wicked woman you described. She doesn’t seek attention and even helped bring me and Brother Qiansheng together. At the Hundred Fruits Banquet, there were so many young gentlemen, but she didn’t flirt with any of them. Instead, she found a quiet spot to be alone. Mother, if there are any more banquets in the future, I want to bring Sister Wan along. With her there, I don’t feel nervous at all.”
Madam Zhou frowned with concern. “We’ll talk about it later. If she truly is well-behaved and knows her place, then it might be acceptable to bring her along.”
Back in Xiangfei Courtyard, with the doors and windows closed, Jin Tao and Can Yan gathered around.
“Miss, did you gain anything?”
“Did any young gentlemen confess their feelings to you, Miss? You must marry someone more powerful than Lu Erlang so we won’t have to put up with Eldest Young Lady’s attitude anymore.”
Jin Tao pouted and complained, “This morning, Eldest Young Lady came by several times, saying she had something to discuss with you. But when I asked what it was, she wouldn’t say. I think it’s definitely nothing good.”
Su Wan sneered, “I know exactly what she wants from me. Let me tell you about the Hundred Fruits Banquet. There were plenty of young gentlemen there, but none of them caught my eye. Their family backgrounds, in my opinion, aren’t impressive enough.”
Jin Tao covered her mouth and giggled. “It’s good that Miss has high standards. Choosing a husband should be done slowly, picking the very best.”
As the three of them were talking, Xiulian, the head maid from Su Lin’s room, arrived.
Xiulian was Su Lin’s dowry maid, and she wore an unhappy expression, as if Su Wan had offended her.
“Miss Wan, our Madam just bought a few bolts of Hangzhou silk and would like to invite you over to have your measurements taken so she can order a few dresses for you.”
Jin Tao’s face also darkened. How dare a mere maid like Xiulian give Su Wan such an attitude? She was spoiled! Jin Tao immediately replied sarcastically, “Since when has Eldest Young Lady been so kind? Two years ago, she sent tea to our Miss for no reason, only to steal our Miss’s husband. What does she want to steal now?”
Xiulian shot Jin Tao a glare and said slowly, “If Miss Wan has any grievances, she can say them directly to our Madam. What’s the use of giving a lowly maid like me a hard time? I’m just here to deliver a message. Whether Miss Wan goes or not is up to her.”
From her tone, it seemed she didn’t particularly want Su Wan to go.
Su Wan calmed Jin Tao down with a few words and smiled at Can Yan. “Jin Tao, you stay in Xiangfei Courtyard and watch over things. Can Yan, come with me.”
Can Yan was more steady-tempered. On the way, she whispered with slight concern, “Eldest Young Lady definitely has no good intentions. I wonder what trap she’s setting for you, Miss.”
Su Wan adjusted a white jade bracelet on her wrist and smiled. “It’s fine. I can handle it.”Arriving at Maple Bamboo Courtyard, Can Yan was called away on some pretext, leaving Su Wan to enter the inner chamber alone.
Watching Su Wan step into the inner chamber, Xiulian clenched her handkerchief in anger.
She was Su Lin’s dowry maid, with excellent looks, youth, and good health. Her own mistress had been married for two years without any sign of pregnancy, yet instead of considering sending her, the dowry maid, to her husband’s bed, she had gone out of her way to push her own sister onto him. What kind of reasoning was that!
By all rights, she was the best candidate to become Lu Guizhou’s concubine!
Seeing the position that should have been hers taken by Su Wan, Xiulian naturally harbored resentment and had no intention of showing Su Wan a friendly face.
Su Wan entered the inner chamber, passing a screen painted with ink landscapes, and saw Su Lin sitting in a chair.
Su Lin’s expression was stiff, and Nanny Liu, who usually accompanied her, was nowhere to be seen.
She sat there alone, lips pressed tightly together, her handkerchief clutched firmly in her hand.
The last rays of the evening sun cast a few streaks of light across her face, illuminating her look of defeat.
Hearing footsteps, Su Lin looked up, her eyes flashing with jealousy and resentment.
Su Wan was beautiful—this, her elder sister knew.
Two years ago, Su Wan had already been a classic Jiangnan beauty.
Fair-skinned, slender-waisted, with delicate features.
But she had these traits too—where was she inferior to Su Wan?
Now, upon closer inspection, Su Wan’s skin was as lustrous as jade, glowing with a dewy radiance, no less fair than winter snow.
Her waist was slender and supple, and the way she walked was like a willow swaying in the wind, evoking an urge to support her.
Her features were the same as before, but her demeanor and bearing were entirely different, like dew-kissed petals veiled in mist. Every time she looked at her, she seemed to glimpse a different shade of spring.
Su Lin pinched herself hard, forcing her gaze away from Su Wan.
She pointed to some silk fabrics nearby and said, “I bought a few bolts of fabric recently. The colors suit you well, so I thought I’d have a few dresses made for you.”
“But I don’t know your measurements. Take off your clothes first, and I’ll call the seamstress in later to measure you.”
Su Lin stood up, seemingly unwilling to stay any longer.
After leaving the room, she turned and entered a side chamber nearby.
Soon, Nanny Liu led Lu Guizhou through the gate of Maple Bamboo Courtyard.
Nanny Liu smiled and said, “The mistress bought some new fabrics and wanted to have a few robes made for the young master. She specifically asked you to come and have your measurements taken.”
Lu Guizhou looked puzzled. “The seamstress already has my measurements. She can just use the usual ones.”
Nanny Liu chuckled. “A person’s body changes with the seasons. Who knows if you’ve gained or lost weight recently? We need to measure carefully to be sure.”
“The mistress only wants the robes to fit perfectly. Please don’t disappoint her thoughtful gesture.”
After ushering Lu Guizhou into the inner chamber, Nanny Liu closed the door without hesitation and turned to enter the side chamber.
Su Lin hurried forward and whispered, “How did it go? Did Lu Lang go in?”
Nanny Liu hushed her softly. “Mistress, keep your voice down. We shouldn’t linger here. Let’s go. If anyone asks later, just blame it on me and say I made a mistake without your knowledge.”
But Su Lin refused to leave.
“I won’t go. The inner chamber is right next door. If I press my ear to the wall, I can hear what’s happening.”Nanny Liu was horrified. “What is there to eavesdrop on? Listen to me, you must leave quickly.”
But Su Lin’s heart was already soaked in bitterness, overflowing with anguish.
She would not leave! She had personally arranged for her own sister to be alone with her husband, and she would also hear with her own ears how they betrayed her!
As soon as she pressed her ear against the wall, she heard a soft, delicate cry.
“Lu Lang, you’re hurting me.”
Su Lin nearly snapped her own fingernails off! Her eyes instantly turned bloodshot, and she bit her lip tightly.
Su Wan! How dare you! How dare you call him Lu Lang!
He is your sister’s husband, how dare you!