Sheng Xiyan was distracted for a moment, and Zhao Yuanrou had already rushed past her and out of the main room.

"Sister Rou!" Sheng was so frightened that her face turned pale and she almost slipped off the chair.

Her mind went blank, and she heard Liu shouting in shock: "Sister Yan, why don't you stop her? She is your cousin, can't you just sit down and talk it out?!"

Sheng suddenly came back to her senses and said bitterly, "Sheng Xiyan! If anything happens to my sister Rou, I will skin you alive!" Then she stumbled out and almost tripped over the doorstep.

Liu was about to run after Sheng, but suddenly stopped and said hurriedly, "Sister Yan, come with me quickly and talk to your cousin and tell her not to do anything stupid! She will definitely listen to you."

Liu was also panicking. If something really happened to Zhao Yuanrou here, not to mention her bad-tempered sister-in-law, even Sheng Xingan would not let her go! Liu hurriedly urged her again, and as she wished, Sheng Xiyan chased after her quickly. Liu hurriedly took a group of maids and servants and hurriedly followed.

"Madam, the cousin has gone to the back." As soon as they left the main hall, a maid pointed the way for them, "Just now, the eldest aunt also followed."

The back the maid pointed to was the small garden behind the main courtyard.

Upon hearing this, Liu lifted her skirt and ran faster.

She was a woman who was used to living in a deep inner courtyard of a mansion. Her daily walk was just to take a walk in the garden. She didn't know how long it had been since she last ran like this, and she was out of breath after a while.

After walking along the corridor and passing through the moon-shaped gate, Liu was already panting badly. She supported Nanny Sun and wanted to take a short rest, when she heard someone shouting, "Madam! The cousin is going to jump into the pond!"

Liu's legs were so weak from fear that she almost went limp. Nanny Sun held her tightly and kept saying, "Don't panic, Madam. Don't panic. The eldest aunt has already gone after her. She'll be fine."

"Yes, yes." Liu held her hand tightly, the back of her hand turned white, and she did not forget to call out, "Sister Yan, hurry, hurry..."

There is only a small pond in the small garden.

Liu likes white lotus, so last year he had someone dig this pond specifically for growing white lotus. Now is the white lotus season, and Liu goes there to admire the lotus almost every day.

And now, by the small pond full of white lotuses, Zhao Yuanrou was standing with her back to them. She was only two or three steps away from the edge of the pond. The hem of her green lotus skirt fluttered in the wind, making her figure look even thinner.

"Rou Jie'er!" Sheng cried out in despair, "Come here quickly, don't scare me."

She tried to carefully pull her daughter back, but just as she took half a step forward, Zhao Yuanrou took a big step back. Sheng's face turned pale and she dared not move at all.

Liu finally arrived at this time, panting and soothing her, "Jie Rou, if you have anything to say, just talk to your cousin and don't do anything stupid."

Zhao Yuanrou turned around slowly, her eyes fell on Sheng Xiyan, full of helplessness: "Cousin Yan, I said I didn't mean it, but you didn't want to believe me."

"I said I wanted to compensate you, but you didn't want to listen to my explanation."

"Then I will jump from here today. No matter life or death, we are even now."

Zhao Yuanrou's palm-sized face showed a determination to rather die than surrender.

After saying this, she took a small step back. Sheng was so frightened that she almost screamed. She quickly covered her mouth with her hands, fearing that her daughter would be frightened and fall.

Liu glanced at Sheng and said meaningfully: "Sister Yan won't blame you. You are cousins." She wanted to make Sheng resent Sheng Xiyan, so that she would not cause trouble for her afterwards.

As soon as these words fell, Sheng's emotions were aroused, and she shouted at Sheng Xiyan with hatred: "My cousin sister...what did my sister Rou do wrong, and you, her cousin, have to force her to death!?"

Even Xigui couldn't stand listening to these words. What did she mean by her daughter pushing her cousin to the brink of death? She came to her for no apparent reason and threatened to die, and if the girl didn't agree, it would be her fault? The cousin must think she is the emperor, and she must have everyone to surround her and coax her!

Xigui was indignant and felt sorry for her girl, but Sheng Xiyan smiled at her soothingly.

Having experienced this once in her previous life, when it happened again, she felt like an outsider and did not feel the slightest bit of emotion.

Liu said soothingly, "Don't worry, Auntie. Sister Yan didn't expect this to happen." She urged Sheng Xiyan, "Sister Yan, hurry over and give her some advice. Hey, last year Sister Rou got caught in the rain and had a high fever. After she woke up, she forgot a lot of things. Don't fall into the water again."

Sheng Xiyan nodded good-temperedly: "That's right. I'll go and persuade her."

The play is good, but it could be better!

Seeing her walking towards her, Zhao Yuanrou took half a step back. At this distance, she would fall if she slipped. Sheng was so scared that she didn't dare to look anymore. She just glared at Sheng Xiyan hatefully, as if she wanted to strangle her to death.

"Cousin Yan." Zhao Yuanrou had a sad smile on her face, as if she had a lot of grievances that she couldn't express.

But her back was straight and her expression was one of determination, as pure and inviolable as the white lotus in the pond.

She looked straight at Sheng Xiyan and said calmly: "You don't need to persuade me. Now, all this is my repayment to you." A bitter smile escaped the corner of her mouth, and there was also a sense of relief.

She didn't want to be a concubine, so even though she was attracted to Zhou Jingxun, she didn't want to compete with Sheng Xiyan.

But fate always brings them together, as if it was destined.

What's wrong with her?

Sheng Xiyan nodded and patted her shoulder: "Since cousin Rou said so, I won't force it."

Zhao Yuanrou: “…” The words were stuck in her throat before she could even finish her words, and her face looked a little dull.

She didn't notice at all that when Sheng Xiyan patted her shoulder, there was a silver needle on his finger. The silver needle moved across the acupuncture point on the back of her neck, and then was quickly taken into Sheng Xiyan's palm, and she didn't even feel it. She just watched Sheng Xiyan walk away without looking back.

Seeing Sheng Xiyan came back without any persuasion, Liu was dumbfounded and said quickly: "What are you doing?! Go and pull your cousin back, it's so dangerous for her to stand like this! If your cousin really falls down..."

Sheng Xiyan said innocently, "Mother, the water in this pond is not even up to your shoulders."

The third young master of the mansion, Liu's biological son Sheng Ying, was less than five years old and very naughty. He had not yet moved to the outer courtyard, but lived with Liu in the main courtyard. When they were digging the pond to plant white lotus, Liu repeatedly reminded them to keep it as shallow as possible.

Phew. Xigui almost couldn't hold back his laughter, the girl's attack was just right!

Zhao Yuanrou: “…”

Her thin shoulders stiffened and her eyes wandered.

After Sheng Xiyan's reminder, Liu also remembered that, yes, the water in this pond was very shallow.

In other words, even if you fall, it's okay?

Sheng was stunned for a moment, then hurriedly shouted to Zhao Yuanrou, "Sister Rou, the water in the pond is not deep, please don't jump in, okay? Come to your mother quickly..." She hesitated and wanted to go over, but was afraid that Zhao Yuanrou would retreat again like she did just now, so she could only look at her expectantly.

Liu then gave some words of advice, saying, "...Yes, Roujie, you come over first. Even though the water is not deep, it is still cool. There is mud under the water, which will dirty your embroidered shoes..."

They all wanted to persuade her, but every word they said made Zhao Yuanrou even more embarrassed.

She knew that the water in the pond was not deep. When Liu asked people to dig the pond, she happened to be visiting the Sheng family. She really didn't need them to remind her repeatedly!

She just wanted to reconcile with Sheng Xiyan, so why would she risk her life on impulse?

But now, Shui Qian's affair had been exposed by Sheng Xiyan. Even if she jumped again, Sheng Xiyan would only think she was pretending. But the matter was already on the verge of happening. If she didn't jump, wouldn't it be even more embarrassing? !

Zhao Yuanrou bit her lower lip with her jade teeth, her eyes were deep, and she was in a dilemma.

"Mother." Sheng Xiyan said considerately, "Cousin Rou may have become a little weak in the knees."

Things had come to this point, and Liu wanted to do Sheng a favor and also wanted to give Zhao Yuanrou a step up, so she walked over and offered her her hand.

Seeing this, Zhao Yuanrou simply went with the flow. Unexpectedly, at this moment, perhaps because she had been exposed to the sun for too long, Zhao Yuanrou felt a little dizzy, her hands and feet were weak, her eyes suddenly went dark, and she fell backwards softly.

Using the last bit of her rationality, she struggled to grab the hand that Liu had extended. Liu was also shocked, and fearing that she would be pulled down with him, she subconsciously pushed forward.

Plop!

Zhao Yuanrou fell into the pond behind her, splashing water three feet deep.

Liu: “…”

Liu was dumbfounded, her hand still stretched in the air, and there was only one voice in her head: What did she just do?

"Sister Rou!" Sheng screamed and rushed over in despair.

There were cries of surprise from all around.

Everyone's attention was on Zhao Yuanrou, and Sheng Xiyan quietly put the silver needle back into her sleeve pocket.

Liu came to her senses and hurriedly ordered: "Quick, hurry up and rescue the cousin!"

Some of the servants who knew how to swim were ready to jump in. As a result, they saw Zhao Yuanrou floundering in the pond for a while, then she stood up by herself, with the water level just reaching her chest.

Liu: “…”

Oh, yes, she almost forgot again, this water can’t drown people!

Although she was not drowned, Zhao Yuanrou was soaked all over. Her thin dress stuck to her body, making her figure look more graceful. Her cheeks were stained with wet hair, and a lotus leaf was hanging on her hair.

Zhao Yuanrou fell into the water very quickly and in panic, she swallowed several mouthfuls of lake water. Even now, she still feels astringent, bitter taste in her throat.

Zhao Yuanrou coughed violently, over and over again, her cheeks turned red, and she kept spitting out dirty water.