Chapter 59: An Incident

Chapter 59: Chapter 59: An Incident

She put on a troubled expression. "Second Brother Lu, I have to go see my aunt in a little while. I’m afraid I don’t have time."

Hearing her refusal, Lu Jun looked a little disappointed. "Zhi Wan, are you still upset with Xin’er? About what happened at the flower viewing banquet..."

Zhi Wan shook her head. "Second Brother Lu, it’s not just about the flower viewing banquet. The main thing is, Lu Xin and I aren’t very familiar with each other. We don’t really have anything to talk about. If she’s bored, you can always ask Lu Lan to keep her company. Lu Lan is your sister, too, after all."

Lu Jun froze, surprise evident in his eyes.

’This cousin of his always seemed so meek. He never imagined she could be so assertive.’

"It was my mistake, I wasn’t being considerate," Lu Jun said apologetically.

"If there’s nothing else, I’ll be heading back now." Zhi Wan gave a small curtsy and left with Shuang’er.

Inside her room, Lu Xin was waiting with bated breath, her gaze drifting intermittently to the tea and pastries on the table.

Just then, Lu Jun returned and told her that he had failed to invite Zhi Wan over.

She was instantly filled with disappointment and anger.

’That bitch Zhi Wan... I invited her over, and she actually dared to refuse?’

’If Zhi Wan didn’t come, wouldn’t the tea and pastries she’d had someone prepare be all for nothing?’

At this thought, she grew anxious.

’She absolutely did not want to marry that Chen Hongwen.’

’Although everyone was keeping it from her, she wasn’t an idiot. She had managed to wheedle the truth about Chen Hongwen out of her brother.’

’Both of Chen Hongwen’s previous wives had died under mysterious circumstances. He had to be the one who did it.’

’But even so, her father and mother still wanted her to marry him.’

’If she married him, she would die.’

’Even though her brother said he had already sent a message to their grandmother... ’

’But Jiuhua Temple was far from the Capital City. What if something unexpected happened and Grandmother couldn’t get back in time?’

’She couldn’t just sit back and await her doom.’

’A much better plan was to have Zhi Wan marry him instead.’

’Zhi Wan had such a seductive, fox-like beauty; if Chen Hongwen saw her, he would surely be captivated.’

’And with the drug she put in the tea and pastries, she wouldn’t have to worry about Zhi Wan resisting.’

’Once the deed was done and the situation was irreversible, no matter how much their aunt doted on Zhi Wan, she would have no choice but to marry her off to him.’

’What a pity...’

She gritted her teeth and shook Lu Jun’s arm. "Brother, I’m really so bored. I just want someone to talk to. If Zhi Wan won’t come, then forget it. Could you ask Lu Lan to come keep me company?"

Suspecting nothing, Lu Jun went and brought Lu Lan over.

Lu Lan was confused, wondering what her elder sister wanted from her.

"Sister, you called for me? Is there something you need?"

"Lanlan, have a seat." Lu Xin eagerly ushered her into a chair, pouring her tea and handing her a pastry.

Lu Lan was completely bewildered by her behavior.

"Go on, eat," Lu Xin urged. "I’m just so bored I wanted someone to talk to. You know my mother has had me confined to my room. I can’t go anywhere. I feel like I’m going to grow mold."

Upon hearing this, Lu Lan took a small bite of the pastry and offered a comforting word. "Mother is only doing this for your own good, Sister. Everything will be fine once you’re married."

When Lu Xin saw her take a bite, the tension that had been wound tight within her instantly snapped loose.

’By my calculations, Chen Hongwen should be arriving any minute now.’

「Yaoguang Pavilion.」

After returning, Zhi Wan spent her time painting. She took a nap in the afternoon, and upon waking, she heard Dongxiang and Shuang’er talking in the outer room. She faintly caught a mention of the Second Branch of the family, and, curious, she slipped on her shoes and went out.

"What are you two talking about?"

Seeing that she was awake, the two maids hurriedly curtsied. "Miss."

Zhi Wan waved a hand dismissively. "Were you just talking about the Second Branch?"

Dongxiang nodded. "Yes. Something has happened at the Second Branch’s residence."

Zhi Wan took the cup of tea Shuang’er brought her, took a sip, and asked, "What happened?"

"The Fourth Miss threw herself into the lake a short while ago," Dongxiang said immediately.

"What?" Zhi Wan’s face drained of color. Her hand faltered, and tea sloshed from the cup.

Shuang’er quickly grabbed a handkerchief to wipe Zhi Wan’s hand, then sighed. "The Second Branch’s future son-in-law... he went to their home today, and then, somehow, he did... that... to the Fourth Miss..."

She didn’t finish the sentence.

But Zhi Wan understood perfectly. She gripped the cup tighter.

"It’s just so tragic. The Fourth Miss is truly pitiful," Dongxiang said sympathetically. "I heard that the Third Miss was bored and called her over to chat. The Fourth Miss felt sleepy in the afternoon and decided to rest in the Third Miss’s room."

"But as fate would have it, that was when the future son-in-law came to visit the Third Miss."

"At that moment, the Third Miss had stepped out to use the privy and wasn’t in the room. And then..."

"The story is that the son-in-law mistook the Fourth Miss for the Third Miss, which is how such a thing could have happened," Dongxiang finished with great sympathy.

Shuang’er said angrily, "That Mr. Chen is an animal! Even if he hadn’t mistaken her for someone else, he and the Third Miss aren’t married yet. How could he dare to do something so outrageous? Poor Fourth Miss, defiled in the Third Miss’s place... It’s no wonder she became distraught enough to throw herself into the lake."

"How is Lu Lan now?" Zhi Wan asked urgently.

"They rescued her, but I hear she’s still unconscious. The mistress has already gone over to the Second Branch’s residence," Dongxiang replied.

Zhi Wan’s heart grew heavy. She suddenly recalled Lu Jun coming to find her that morning, asking her to go to the Second Branch’s home.

’What happened to Lu Lan... it probably wasn’t a coincidence. It was Lu Xin’s scheme.’

’I always felt it was strange for Lu Xin to suddenly send Lu Jun to invite me over for a chat. Now it’s clear... the person she originally intended to frame was me.’

A chill ran through her at the realization.

’If I had been soft-hearted and gone with him, the one throwing herself into the lake right now... might have been me.’

When she remembered telling Lu Jun he could ask Lu Lan to keep Lu Xin company, she was flooded with guilt.

’I never should have said that.’

Zhi Wan was too restless to sit still. She decided to go see Lu Lan.

However, just as she arrived at the Second Branch’s residence, she encountered Lady Wei and Lu Zhan emerging from the courtyard.

"Cousin," Lu Zhan said softly, being the first to spot her.

"Aunt, Cousin." Zhi Wan stepped forward to greet them with a curtsy.

Lady Wei immediately helped her up. "What are you doing here?"

"I heard something happened to Lu Lan," Zhi Wan said urgently. "Is she going to be all right?"

"She’s still unconscious," Lady Wei sighed.

Zhi Wan twisted her handkerchief. "How could something like this have happened?"

"They say it was a case of mistaken identity," Lady Wei said.

"Then what will happen to Lu Lan now?" Zhi Wan couldn’t help but ask.

"What else can be done? Naturally, Lu Lan will have to marry him instead." As Lady Wei spoke, her expression soured. It was supposed to be Lu Xin getting married, and with the date so near, for something like this to happen...

"Poor Lu Lan..." Zhi Wan dabbed the corner of her eye with a handkerchief, her voice catching in a sob.

Walking ahead, Lu Zhan caught the tremor in her voice and glanced back at her.

He saw that the corners of the young woman’s eyes were red, her face was pale, and her expression was one of profound sorrow.

Lu Zhan’s brow furrowed. He assumed she was simply frightened by what had happened.

Lady Wei thought the same. She quickly put an arm around Zhi Wan’s slender shoulders, pulling her into a light embrace. "Don’t be afraid, Wan’er," she soothed.

Zhi Wan shook her head and forced a smile. "I’m just thankful. Thankful that I didn’t come to the Second Branch’s home with Second Brother Lu at noon."

"What?" Lady Wei exclaimed in shock.