Xu Rong suspected that she was being subtly insulted, but since she had said that Xiao Xin was "in character" first, it seemed reasonable for her to be rebuffed. Before she could think about it further, Xiao Xin looked a little regretful for his slip of the tongue and said first, "I'm going over there."
He turned and left without looking back.
His back view is kind of cool.
What could Xu Rong do? He could only shake his head and laugh it off magnanimously.
She walked back to the female guests' side. The banquet was about to start. The maid led her to the table where the Xiao family was seated. As soon as she sat down, she felt Xiao Shan glaring at her with a hint of resentment. Because they hadn't gone to apologize to Old Madam Zhang, Xiao Shan and Chang Shuyin had returned a little early.
Xu Rong ignored it, remaining oblivious. She didn't need to ask to guess Xiao Shan's thought process: Xiao Shan needed Chang Shuyin's help, so in order to achieve her goal, regardless of her original stance or opinion, she would subconsciously gravitate towards Chang Shuyin at that moment—or rather, curry favor. How to curry favor? By setting up a common target to attack.
That's why she would say to Chang Shuyin, with a wronged expression, that it was "for her sake".
Unfortunately, she ended up in Xu Huazhang's hands. Her refined cunning clashed with the playboy's ruthlessness, and she lost both her dignity and face.
As the "target," Xu Rong remained very calm. She ignored Xiao Shan and only glanced at Chang Shuyin beside her out of the corner of her eye.
Chang Shuyin had regained her usual dignified demeanor—just like the eldest daughter-in-law and sister-in-law.
This is another kind of implicit yet ever-present declaration of war.
It all started with the first time she gave Xu Rong a gift that was even more expensive than that given to the second wife of Xiao.
To be honest, she was much more shrewd than Xiao Shan, which shows that family education is indeed important. With Aunt Ruan's abilities, it wouldn't be difficult for her to teach Xiao Shan how to win over Lord Xiao. This kind of strategic, long-term approach is beyond her scope of making a living.
However, it didn't work on her.
Xu Rong casually shifted to a more comfortable sitting position. No matter how useful a move is, it depends on the opponent. She had no intention of competing with Chang Shuyin in this area. She was someone who wanted to leave after accomplishing her task. Chang Shuyin's elder sister-in-law airs were better left for her to display.
There was quite a bit of trouble before the banquet, but nothing happened during the meal. The ladies were all smiles and laughter, as if they knew nothing about what had happened. After the banquet, they each led their younger relatives to thank the host for his hospitality and then took their leave to go home.
Madam Xiao did not linger and left with them after the banquet. After returning to the Changxing Marquis's residence, Madam Xiao the Second said with a smile, "Sister-in-law, you must be tired today. Take a rest. I will take Qi'er and go ahead first."
After Madam Xiao nodded, she left—according to Xu Rong, she left rather quickly, as if to make room for Madam Xiao.
It seems that most of these ladies actually knew what had happened.
Madam Xiao should know even better.
"Young lady," as expected, after sitting down at the head of the table, Madam Xiao immediately approached Xiao Shan with a cold face, "The Marquis and I went to great lengths to find this good opportunity for you today. It's a relative's house, and your sister-in-law is there to help you. We thought nothing would go wrong, but why did you have to be so restless and still cause trouble in your own way?!"
"I didn't—Madam, it's not my fault," Xiao Shan stammered, wringing her handkerchief, and protested aggrievedly, "It was clearly my second sister-in-law's younger brother who was rude. He followed us, caught insects, and climbed up the tree, and he even—"
“What he does is none of his business!” Madam Xiao interrupted her. “I’m asking you now, you’re a young lady, how can you be so disrespectful? I told you to enjoy the flowers in the garden, why did you run off to the central courtyard?”
Pressed for answers, Xiao Shan couldn't think of anything to say and blurted out hastily, "Everyone else went, I just followed along—"
"Everyone else went, but were they as gossipy as you?" Madam Xiao said mercilessly. "You said your second sister-in-law and brother were rude, but didn't you speak ill of your second sister-in-law first, and then you became so polite?"
Xu Rong, who was being used as a confidante, listened quietly. It seemed that Madam Xiao had the home-field advantage after all. Not only did she know, but she was also very clear about everything, and she didn't miss any details.
Xiao Shan: "..."
She had no way to defend herself, and finally burst into tears.
"Fortunately, His Highness the Crown Prince was magnanimous today," Madam Xiao said, her gaze sweeping not only over Xiao Shan, but also over Chang Shuyin and Xu Rong. "Otherwise, not only me, but the Duke of Ying's mansion would have been humiliated along with you!"
Chang Shuyin blushed and lowered her head.
She knows she bears responsibility for what happened today, but Madam Xiao didn't mention her by name.
"You all stay home quietly for now, reflect on your actions, and avoid going out unless necessary." After issuing this de facto house arrest order, Madam Xiao's tone finally softened. "Alright, go ahead. Yinniang, stay here."
Xiao Shan was the first to cover her face with a handkerchief and run away in small steps. Xu Rong was a little surprised that Madam Xiao did not confront her separately and let her off so easily.
She glanced at Madam Xiao, who was also looking at her, her gaze not filled with anger, but with a scrutinizing quality.
Xu Rong felt a sense of familiarity with that look. As she walked slowly out of the courtyard, she suddenly remembered that Madam Xiao had looked at her in the same way when she was with Old Madam Zhang.
She seemed to be deep in thought.
...
Almost everyone had left, and Madam Xiao sat alone, her gaze thoughtful.
Chang Shuyin stood to the side, not daring to utter a sound, holding her breath and waiting.
"In your opinion," Madam Xiao finally spoke slowly, "what is her condition?"
Chang Shuyin was stunned for a moment, then realized what she meant, but hesitated for a moment and carefully considered her words before saying, "Madam, no matter what, she will always have to listen to you."
"That's not necessarily true."
After whispering those four words, Madam Xiao fell silent.
She hadn't noticed it until she went back to her parents' home, where Old Madam Zhang pointed it out to her—had Xu Rong truly resigned himself to his fate?
She helped Xiao Xin, but she also sowed discord between Madam Ruan and Xiao Lun, and even dragged Lord Xiao into it.
She always has a smile on her face, but is she still harboring resentment in her heart?
From the moment she walked in, things never stopped.
Was she actually there to cause trouble?
On the one hand, Madam Xiao felt that she was making a fuss over nothing. Such a big mansion would be fine whether she was there or not. On the other hand, she couldn't help but feel a chill in her heart.
After meeting the person, Madam Zhang, the mother, felt relieved and advised her to open her heart. However, Madam Xiao couldn't let go. She wouldn't listen to Madam Zhang's advice. Instead, that one particular shadow was drawn into her eyes by Madam Zhang, as if it had taken root there. No matter how she looked at it, she would always focus on that one point.
"I'll try again."
Madam Xiao made her decision.
"Go and call Cui Ting here."
**
The rest of the day passed uneventfully.
That evening, Xu Rong removed her hairpins and took a bath. As she lay in the warm pavilion drying her half-wet long hair, she suddenly heard a loud noise from the other side.
The noise sounded like a chair or stool overturning, and there seemed to be the sound of water running in between.
Xu Rong, who was almost dozing off under Bai Fu's gentle wiping, was suddenly startled awake: "What happened? What's broken?"
Bai Fu was also startled. She stood up, listened carefully, and said, "It seems to be the Second Young Master's side."
"Didn't we just have someone carry water for him? Did he slip and fall in the bathtub?" Xu Rong sat up and looked for his shoes.
She walked out, and Bai Fu caught up with her, draping an outer garment over her snow-white inner robe.
Upon reaching the door of the east side room, she didn't immediately lift the curtain, afraid of seeing something she shouldn't. Instead, she called out, "Second Young Master, what happened? Are you alright?"
There was a moment of silence inside—Xu Rong suddenly had a strange intuition that there wasn't a single person inside.
She didn't know where this intuition came from; it might have been because she heard a faint breathing sound, but she couldn't be sure if she actually heard it. She could only say that it was a feeling brought to her by the atmosphere at that moment.
But—no way?
Xiao Xin doesn't seem like that kind of person.
Of course, he had the right to—cough, to employ maids, but Xu Rong found it hard to associate him with those things.
He was just like an ordinary high school student studying hard. Students are all pure, and even if they secretly fall in love, it comes from innocent and beautiful true feelings.
Suddenly being caught off guard by this side of him as a noble young master, Xu Rong felt a little embarrassed and uncomfortable.
After all, we live under the same roof, so we should be mindful of the impact.
...At least don't make such a big fuss.
She coughed lightly, intending to go back nonchalantly for now and talk to Xiao Xin tomorrow, but then she heard Xiao Xin's suppressed yet extremely angry voice coming from inside: "Aren't you going to get out?!"
"Second Young Master, I... I was acting on Madam's orders—"
"Shut up and get out!"
Xiao Xin spoke slowly and deliberately, his voice even carrying a hint of hoarseness.
Xu Rong realized something was wrong—she remembered that he would act like this when he was extremely angry.
If it were just because someone caught you in the act, you'd be embarrassed, but not this angry.
Footsteps finally sounded inside, and then a flustered figure rushed out with its head down.
It is Cui Ting.
She didn't dare linger in front of Xu Rong and ran straight out.
Bai Fu turned pale with anger and was about to chase after her, but Xu Rong stopped her, saying, "Don't worry about her."
She asked through the curtain, "Second Young Master, may I come in?"
"...Wait a minute."
A moment later, Xiao Xin's muffled voice rang out, and after a long while, he lifted the curtain and came out.
Xu Rong looked behind him and saw a chair overturned, with the clothes draped over it dragging on the ground. The bathtub hadn't overturned, but the area around it was full of water, and the room was a mess.
Xiao Xin wasn't in much better shape. His forehead and temples were completely wet, and his face was covered in water droplets. Water was still dripping from his temples, and his front was also mostly wet, revealing his skin. However, the dampness was probably because he hadn't dried himself off in his haste and had just grabbed a piece of clothing to put on before coming out.
The evidence was that his belt wasn't fastened properly. At least his upper body was covered, only his collarbone was exposed, while his two lower legs were bare, white and straight.
“I didn’t call her in.”
She remained silent, and Xiao Xin lost his temper. He took another step outside and angrily confronted her.
In this way, Xu Rong could no longer avoid it. She was shorter than Xiao Xin, and what she could see in her line of sight was his Adam's apple moving—because he was thin and white, he had a bit of strength, but also a bit of delicacy. Then there was his slightly open and half-damp front, the boy's muscles were smooth and delicate, and the cool moisture was almost hitting her face.
Xu Rong stiffly took two steps back, trying to maintain a gentlemanly expression, and said, "Second Young Master, you'll catch a cold like this. Please put your clothes on before we talk."
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