In the gilded incense burner in the banquet hall of the Imperial Tutor's Mansion, ambergris burned brightly, but it couldn't mask the herbal scent emanating from Shen Ruoruo. She huddled in a pearwood chair in the corner, her lake blue skirt twisted at her knees, her fingertips scratching fiercely at the inside of her thighs through the fabric.
"Sister, don't you really want to drink some chrysanthemum tea to cool down?" Shen Weiwan came closer with the teacup, her pomegranate red skirt brushing against the hem of Shen Ruoruo's skirt. "I see you don't look well."
Shen Ruorou suddenly looked up, the pearl flower on her forehead tilted to her brow, revealing skin covered with dense red bumps. She wanted to glare at Shen Weiwan, but a strange itch in her lower back twisted her features, and she frantically reached for her back: "Get lost..."
"Sister, what did you say?" Shen Weiwan pretended to be surprised and took a half step forward. "Are you feeling unwell somewhere? Do you want me to call a doctor for you?"
The noble ladies around were whispering to each other, but when they saw this, they gathered around. The daughter of the Minister of Personnel's family was sharp-eyed and pointed at Shen Ruorou's cuffs and exclaimed, "Oh my God! Why is there grass debris on Miss Shen's cuffs?"
Everyone followed her finger and saw a few green hairs clinging to Shen Ruorou's sleeves, which fell off as she scratched. Even more shocking was the red, swollen bumps that spread along the cuffs of her socks at her ankles, which were exposed under her skirt.
"Itchy..." Shen Ruorou finally couldn't help it, moaning with tears in her eyes, her hands scratching around her waist, "Itchy..."
"Could she have been poisoned?" Madam Taifu frowned and walked closer. Just as she was about to check, Shen Ruorou suddenly screamed and jumped up, reaching her hand under her skirt and grabbing it fiercely.
"Ah!" The noble ladies around were so scared that they stepped back, and a few of the timid ones covered their eyes directly.
Shen Ruorou finally realized what she had done. Her face flushed red and she hastily dropped her hand. But the itch was unbearable and she couldn't help but scratch her butt. She twisted her body like an ant on a hot pot, and her carefully drawn eyebrows were smudged by cold sweat, blurring into two black marks.
"What happened to Miss Shen Er?"
"It looks like... like a monkey scratching itself!"
"Shh! Keep your voice down so no one can hear you..."
The discussion pierced Shen Ruorou's ears like a needle. She was ashamed and angry. Suddenly, she pointed at Shen Weiwan and screamed, "It's you! You hurt me! You stuffed grass scraps into my skirt!"
The whole audience was silent for a moment, and all eyes were directed at Shen Weiwan.
Shen Weiwan blinked in confusion and raised her hands: "Cousin, what are you talking about? How could I do such a thing?" She turned to Madam Taifu, her eyes instantly red, "Madam, I have always been with you, how can I have time to stuff grass scraps into my cousin's skirt..."
"You do have it!" Chen Ruoruo acted like a madman, and pounced on Chen Weiwan to grab her, but she stumbled because of the itchy legs and fell to the ground with a plop. The calves exposed under the skirt were covered with red marks from scratching.
"Cousin!" Shen Weiwan screamed and stepped back, but her foot accidentally kicked Shen Ruoruo's skirt pocket. Grass debris fell all over the floor, and a few pieces even stuck to her bun.
"Oh my god! There are grass clippings in my skirt pocket!"
"She actually treasures grass clippings?"
"The White Lotus character has completely collapsed!"
The ladies' chatter grew louder, and many of them pulled out handkerchiefs to cover their noses, looking at Shen Ruoruo as if she were looking at something dirty. The Taifu's wife's face turned pale, and she waved her sleeves and said, "Enough! Come, send Miss Shen back home! In the future, you don't have to come to the Taifu Mansion without my invitation!"
Shen Ruorou collapsed on the ground, listening to the chatter about "white lotus" and "pretending," and watching the smug flash in Shen Weiwan's eyes. Finally, she burst into tears, not because of the itch, but because of utter despair and humiliation. The gentle image she had carefully maintained collapsed into a scratching face in front of everyone.
On the winding corridor of the waterside pavilion, the Seventh Prince Xiao Yu waved his folding fan, taking in the entire farce. When he saw Shen Ruorou fall and reveal the red bumps on her legs, he couldn't help but laugh softly, and the fan bone made a crisp sound when it hit his palm.
"Your Highness, Miss Shen is probably too embarrassed to face people." The guard whispered.
"Too embarrassed to see anyone?" Xiao Yu raised an eyebrow, his gaze fixed on the charmingly smiling Shen Weiwan not far away. "Compared to someone's 'Five Grains Washing Ceremony' and 'Grass Dust Transfer Technique', this little itch is nothing."
The guard followed his gaze and saw Shen Weiwan taking the sour plum soup handed to her by Chuntao, with the corners of her mouth raised into a cunning arc, like a fox that stole a chicken.
"Your Highness, look at this move by Miss Shen..."
"Brilliant, truly brilliant." Xiao Yu interrupted him, his smile deepening. "Others dig holes and she fills them up. Others do mischief and she uses the force to counter it. This brain..." He waved his folding fan. "This prince is becoming more and more interested."
As soon as the words fell, Shen Weiwan seemed to sense something and looked up at the waterside pavilion, just in time to meet Xiao Yu's gaze. She was stunned at first, then she smiled brightly and winked playfully.
Xiao Yu was startled for a moment, then burst into laughter. He covered his lips with his folding fan, but he couldn't hide the amusement in his eyes. This girl was getting bolder and bolder.
In the banquet hall, Shen Weiwan watched Shen Ruoruo being carried away by the maids. Her crying gradually faded away. Only then did she put away the grievance on her face and bowed to Madam Taifu: "Madam, I'm sorry to have embarrassed you."
Madam Taifu looked at her with complicated eyes, and sighed for a long while: "Weiwan, it's good that you know what's going on." She patted Shen Weiwan's hand, "Go and have fun, don't let this bad thing spoil your fun."
Shen Weiwan nodded obediently, but turned around and winked at Chuntao. The master and servant slipped behind the deserted rockery. Shen Weiwan couldn't hold back any longer, and she held onto the stone and laughed so hard she couldn't straighten her waist: "Hahaha... Chuntao, you didn't see it. The way Shen Ruoruo grabbed her butt just now was like a monkey show on the street!"
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