Chapter 718: Chapter 680: The Fight (9th Update)
Wen Wan was busy until late afternoon, only then did she see Song Wei.
"Has Sanyang arrived?" Song Wei asked her.
"No!" Wen Wan shook her head, her mood obviously downcast. "Madam said Sanyangâs cough has relapsed, so she canât attend the banquet. Maybe Iâm being petty, but I feel sheâs doing it on purpose, intentionally not letting us see Sanyang."
Song Wei pulled her to sit on the small couch, his voice gentle and soothing, "Perhaps itâs just fate, since she hasnât recovered, thereâs no need to force it."
Wen Wan understood the reasoning, but she just felt unwilling.
She couldnât see Sanyang at the Old Masterâs birthday banquet, but later something unexpected happened to Wen Wan.
...
Earlier in the year, Ah Nuan kept saying she wanted to fly kites with Jinbao, but various things came up delaying it. In March, when the spring breeze was warm, Lin Xiaoyue took the time to bring Ah Nuan and Amuer over, even bringing kites they made ahead of time, suggesting they take the kids out to play while the weather was nice.
Coincidentally, Wen Wan was on her period, feeling unwell and reluctant to move, so she asked Lin Xiaoyue to go by herself, taking Jinbao along.
Jinbao had an excellent memory and remembered seeing Amuer on the street before. Back then, he had blue eyes, but today Amuerâs eyes were surprisingly the same black color as his own.
Jinbao was very curious; could eye colors change at will?
Driven by this curiosity, when Ah Nuan suggested going out to fly kites, Jinbao didnât refuse.
He simply found Amuerâs appearance very unique, and though Amuer was already three years old, he still couldnât speak, just like Duobao in their family when he first learned to talk. Whatever he wanted or wanted to do, he couldnât express clearly, either making repetitive sounds or just keeping his mouth shut.
Since Wen Wan couldnât go, Lin Xiaoyue had to take the three kids alone, taking a carriage toward Lotus Lake.
Lotus Lake was very close to Song Mansion, with a large expanse of green grass nearby. Every year at this time, children came one after another to fly kites, and vendors seized the opportunity, selling small trinkets nearby, both toys and snacks, making it very lively.
Originally, Lin Xiaoyue was not a person interested in leisurely lake visits or kite flying. The reason she insisted on coming was because Amuer was becoming increasingly withdrawn in the mansion, refusing to speak despite being taught, appearing only at meals, spending other times hiding in his room as if afraid of seeing the light.
At first, Ah Nuan could still play with him, but later he wouldnât even respond to Ah Nuan.
The night maids said that on two nights, Amuer woke up crying from nightmares, mumbling words they couldnât understand.
Upon hearing this, Su Qing fell silent.
Later, he discussed with Lin Xiaoyue, suggesting she take the child out for some fresh air.
So Lin Xiaoyue thought of the kite flying with Jinbao promised earlier in the year.
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Wen Wan was worried Lin Xiaoyue couldnât handle it alone, so she specifically asked the senior maid Yun Cai and the boy Kankan to accompany them.
She herself then lazily lay on the couch for half the afternoon, only to have Kankan rush back breathlessly in the late afternoon to tell her something happened.
Wen Wan was startled, her sleepiness mostly gone, and she stared blankly at Kankan, "What happened?"
Kankan gasped for air and said, "A-a fight broke out."
Wen Wan frowned, "Who got into a fight?"
Linglong quickly poured him a cup of water, and after drinking it, Kankan was able to speak clearly. It turned out that when Jinbao and the others were flying kites, they encountered another group of children. Ah Nuan accidentally bumped into someone, and that boy wouldnât let go of the small tuft of hair on her head, making Ah Nuan cry from the pain.
Seeing this, Amuer was very angry and started hitting the boy. Although he was the youngest, his strength was astonishingly great. Upon witnessing this, the other children abandoned their kites and swarmed to start beating Amuer.
At that moment, a little girl around eight or nine years old appeared, initially trying to mediate but accidentally got pushed by Amuer, and her head hit a stone, causing her to bleed and faint on the spot.
Wen Wan listened, her heart pounding in fear, "What about Jinbao? Did he join in too?"
Kankan hesitated and nodded, "He did."
Wen Wanâs face turned pale, and she asked if anyone was injured.
"I didnât have a chance to check closely," Kankan replied honestly. "After the little girlâs brother arrived, he demanded an explanation from us. Otherwise, he would go to the authorities. Madam, what should we do now?"
"Where are they now?" Wen Wan couldnât wait for Kankan to finish and stepped out of Qingteng Residence, wanting to see the scene for herself.
"Theyâre still at Lotus Lake. I just came back to report."
Kankan had returned by carriage, so after Wen Wan exited the Hanging Flower Gate, she got on immediately and urged anxiously, "Hurry, drive the carriage!"
It took no more than a quarter of an hour to get there.
Wen Wan got off the carriage and saw a large weeping willow by the shimmering banks of Lotus Lake. A crowd had gathered under the tree, and the noisy commotion could be heard from afar.
Wen Wan walked quickly forward, pushed through the crowd, and found Lin Xiaoyue surrounded by a group of young servants, with Ah Nuan crying in her arms, and Amuer and Jinbao standing on either side.
Amuer was injured, obviously beaten up, his face bruised and swollen.
Jinbao wasnât hurt, but when he saw Wen Wan, the little guy instinctively turned his face away, avoiding her gaze.
Opposite Lin Xiaoyue stood a boy about ten years old. He was dressed in luxurious clothing, his appearance refined and elegant, but his eyes burned with anger as he confronted Lin Xiaoyue.
"What happened?" Wen Wan walked over and asked with a frown.
Seeing Wen Wanâs arrival, Lin Xiaoyueâs face showed deep remorse. "Wen Wan, Iâm sorry. I didnât expect this to happen."
"Where is the injured child?" Wen Wan glanced around but saw no one.
"She was taken to the clinic to be bandaged," Lin Xiaoyue said.
"Amuer is so hurt. Why didnât you have him go back first to apply some medicine?"
Lin Xiaoyue glanced at the boy opposite, "I wanted to leave, but he insisted on blocking us, saying that if he didnât get an explanation, he would report to the authorities immediately."
Hearing this, Wen Wan turned to look at the boy, whose handsome face was slightly distorted by anger.
"Young brother, could we talk somewhere else later? Let these children go to the clinic first to be checked."
The boy pointed at Amuer, "He pushed my sister down, and now sheâs unconscious. Since youâre adults, you should give me an explanation."
Wen Wan realized he wasnât going to let it go easily and had to back down a step. "I just arrived and do not know the details of the incident yet. You need to explain exactly how this child pushed your sister. Without knowing the full story, how can I offer an explanation? How do I know it was intentional and not accidental?"
The boy stopping them was Li Run. He had agreed to meet some friends for a lake outing and brought along his sister, who had just recovered from a cough. Everything was going well until a servant informed him that his sister was pushed to the ground and was bleeding and unconscious. He rushed over to find his sister Li Huairu lying on the ground and some confused children standing nearby. After questioning, he learned that his sister had seen others fighting, and out of goodwill, went to break it up. One of the children, not appreciating it, pushed her away, causing Ruru to fall and hit her head.
Recalling the image of his sisterâs bloodied neck, Li Runâs face darkened, "We were originally having a lakeside outing, and my sister heard about the fight and tried to intervene, but he just pushed her, causing severe injuries. What are you planning to do?"
As he spoke, Li Run pointed at Amuer.
He was truly puzzled as to how such a small child could push an eight or nine-year-old with such force, but the fact remained that his sister was severely injured.
Wen Wan frowned slightly. Since Jinbao wasnât hurt, she hadnât sensed anything beforehand, "I suggest we stop waiting here and go check on that child at the clinic first. Once confirmed that sheâs okay, Iâll visit your household with Madam Su personally to apologize to your elders. How does that sound?"
Seeing Li Runâs hesitation, Wen Wan added, "If youâre worried, you can come with us. After all, with so many servants of yours around, do you really fear two weak women could do you any harm?"
Li Run thought about it and, ultimately concerned for his sister at the clinic, nodded in agreement, choosing not to hold Lin Xiaoyue accountable for now.
The clinic wasnât far away, and the group walked there on foot. The Li familyâs servants watched Wen Wan, Lin Xiaoyue, and the children like hawks, worried that any of them might suddenly escape, leaving the princely heir with no explanation.
Upon reaching the clinic, Li Huairuâs wounds had been cleaned and bandaged, but she remained unconscious, with a nursemaid by her side.
Seeing the girl lying inside the room, Wen Wan and Lin Xiaoyue were stunned. After exchanging a glance, disbelief was written all over their faces.