The woman in the water wore a tender yellow dress, the most fashionable style in the capital, with layer upon layer, like a yellow peony.
Only the woman was struggling too violently, making the yellow peony rise and fall quite pitifully.
Xiao Xun knew that girl was extremely afraid of water. He had experienced it the last time. Last time was just about rescuing someone with no other intentions, so he had immediately lifted her up. But this time, Xiao Xun was determined to teach this girl a lesson—let her drink a few mouthfuls of water.
After all, she wouldn’t thank him for saving her life anyway.
It was like that last time, and it would surely be the same this time. Xiao Xun was very clear about this in his heart.
It didn’t matter. Last time he didn’t want her to thank him for saving her life, and this time he didn’t either.
He just wanted everyone to see that he had saved her, that was all.
He sat in the spot Chu Lan had arranged, closest to the drowning location, watching with his own eyes as that girl and another girl walked over—the steward beside him said she was their eldest young lady.
“Miss Ah Tang is most reliable in her work,” the steward said with some pride. “She’s already coaxed Miss Ah Zhao into obedient compliance.”
Obedient? Xiao Xun felt those two words simply didn’t exist in that girl’s heart.
However, no matter how bad-tempered someone was, they still liked being coaxed. As long as one coaxed with care, they could always succeed.
The two girls walked past chatting and laughing. Not long after, a scream was heard, followed by someone falling into the water—
It had begun.
Xiao Xun stood up at the same time. Tie Ying grabbed his arm, leading him to jump down from the high pavilion, then flung him. Xiao Xun borrowed the momentum to fly into the lake water.
At that moment, Chu Lan’s steward was still standing in the pavilion, not yet reacting.
The yellow peony had already sunk down. Only then did Xiao Xun dive underwater. He reached out and caught the sinking girl—
Just like before, suddenly grasping at a lifeline, the girl coiled around him like a water snake.
Xiao Xun raised his hand and punched. The girl leaned back, her hair flying, revealing her face.
Underwater, Xiao Xun’s eyes widened instantly.
Her!
……
……
Chu Tang’s eyes were wide open, suffocation making her face flush red.
She had no way to make a sound. Her mouth was tightly covered by one hand, and she couldn’t move either, because another hand pressed her into a crevice in the artificial mountain.
Chu Tang heard a splash from outside, heard A’Le’s shrill scream, heard the clamor of voices, followed immediately by another splash.
Everything was as she had imagined.
The difference was that in her imagination, she should be in the water right now, not pressed by Chu Zhao into a crevice in the artificial mountain.
She hadn’t even had time to react to what was happening.
She and her parents had discussed it—she would lure Chu Zhao over so she could know the drowning location her parents had arranged.
After Prince Zhongshan arrived and received the signal, she would call Chu Zhao over—have her tripped beside the drowning location, then she would walk to the drowning spot and it would be her who fell into the water instead.
To be absolutely certain, she had deliberately worn the same dress as Chu Zhao underneath.
But after handing the account book to Chu Zhao for her to look at here, then making an excuse to fetch something, unexpectedly as soon as she turned around, she was grabbed by Chu Zhao, dragged under the artificial mountain, and stuffed into the crevice.
Though shocked, Chu Tang wasn’t confused. In an instant, she understood—Chu Zhao knew everything.
I was wrong! She shook her head, making muffled sounds.
Chu Zhao actually understood and smiled at her, removing the hand covering her mouth.
Chu Tang gasped for breath, but besides gasping, she didn’t shout, didn’t cry out, didn’t speak. She listened to A’Le’s shrill shouts from outside.
“Miss—”
……
……
Standing by the lakeside, A’Le stamped her feet in panic. After the first shout of “Miss,” the rest were just cries for help and incoherent sounds, until the woman who had fallen into the water was lifted to the surface by someone.
Crowds surged over from all directions in the garden. Everyone’s gaze was concerned and anxious. Seeing this scene, they all let out cheers.
A’Le shouted “Miss” again, but this time she wasn’t looking at the water surface—she was looking behind her.
“Miss—” she shouted. “Linlong has been rescued—”
The onlookers were stunned for a moment. Linlong?
Who was Linlong?
Wasn’t it Chu Zhao who fell into the water?
Everyone’s gaze followed A’Le’s to look behind, seeing Chu Zhao emerge from behind the nearby artificial mountain, still holding an account book in her hands, her expression shocked.
“What happened?” she shouted loudly. “Ah Tang and I were checking accounts. Didn’t I tell you to go watch the arena first?”
“We were just going!” A’Le shouted at the top of her voice. “Because we were too anxious and afraid of delays, we walked especially fast. Linlong accidentally stepped into empty space and fell into the lake.”
Chu Zhao had already rushed over, standing by the lakeside, looking at the person who had fallen into the water being supported to shore, and at the rescuer.