The morning air at the estate was exceptionally fresh. Gray-winged sparrows perched on high tree branches, pecking for food. Snow had just fallen the night before, making the sunlight appear even more pristine and clear. The grass and trees were draped in thick layers of accumulated snow, creating an intensely festive New Year atmosphere.

Jiang Ruan rose early, and after having a simple breakfast, she went with Lian Qiao to stroll around the pear orchard. The pear trees were not yet in their blooming season, though their branches were lush and leafy. Lian Qiao felt somewhat regretful: “The season isn’t right yet. When the weather gets a bit warmer and all the pear blossoms bloom, that’s when it will truly be beautiful to behold.”

Jiang Ruan smiled faintly. Flowers and plants were nothing more than competing for beautiful colors. In her previous life, she had also seen trees full of pear blossoms in the palace – as if overnight, the spring wind had blown all the hundred flowers into bloom. Not just pear blossoms, but also peonies, water lilies, lotus flowers, and Chinese roses. The palace had been a tapestry of blooming flowers, but unfortunately, all that scenery was enjoyed by only one person. Later, she thought there would be someone who could watch the flowers bloom and wither with her, only to discover at the moment of death that it was nothing but a deceptive illusion of flowers reflected in mirrors and the moon in water.

The flowers were just like her life – appearing bright and beautiful on the surface, but when they rotted, there wasn’t even a place for them to rest. They fell into mud and were ground into dust, and even their faint remaining fragrance was bitter.

Lian Qiao noticed that Jiang Ruan’s gaze had become somewhat deep, not knowing what she was thinking about, but her expression was sorrowful and coldly detached. Startled in her heart, she asked with concern: “Miss?”

Jiang Ruan snapped back to reality and shook her head: “It’s nothing. Let’s go.”

As the two walked and stopped intermittently, they didn’t notice that in the dense forest behind them, someone had been standing there for quite some time.

That person wore a lake-green silk robe with gold-trimmed edges, topped with a vest decorated with eight treasures and five-colored jeweled tassels, and azure-colored boots. Dressed in wealth from head to toe, his gaze was fixed intently on Jiang Ruan’s figure, filled with infatuation.

This person was none other than Zhang Lan’s youngest son, Chen Zhao.

Chen Zhao usually liked to take long naps under the pear orchard, and today was no different from usual. Suddenly hearing the sound of women’s voices was like a cat encountering fishy-smelling fish – he immediately looked in the direction of the sound, only to be stunned by what he saw.

Today Jiang Ruan was dressed the same as yesterday, except Bai Zhi hadn’t arranged her hair in a bun. Instead, she had taken a small portion of the front hair and twisted it into a lotus bun at the back, leaving the rest to hang loosely over her shoulders. This made her appear older and added a touch of alluring beauty.

The pear blossoms in the orchard had not yet bloomed, but the branches were heavily laden with a layer of snow, resembling blooming pear flowers. However, her skin was even whiter than the white snow, her face more luminous than pear blossoms. Her expression was indifferent, but her eyes seemed to casually sweep over through the clusters of tree branches like a pool of clear, cool spring water gently rippling across one’s heart, making one’s heart itch. Her voice was too distant to hear clearly, but one could imagine that crisp and moving tone. She slightly raised her head to look at the ice crystals hanging from the branches, revealing a neck as graceful as a swan’s.

Chen Zhao swallowed hard, his gaze falling on Jiang Ruan’s slender figure in the distance. The cotton robe was too oversized, concealing her graceful waist. Although she was not very old and appeared to have a young girl’s body, there was a kind of vivacious and fragrant vitality about her, as if the charm of a mature woman and the innocence of a little girl were both displayed in her alone. He had never noticed before that Jiang Ruan, after her serious illness, possessed such exquisite beauty – she was truly a natural stunner.

Such a stunner – if she could belong to him and he could be wild with her night after night, it would truly be a beautiful thing in this world. Chen Zhao’s expression became uncertain, not knowing what he was thinking about as he stood in place, lost in contemplation.

Lian Qiao in the distance also noticed Chen Zhao’s figure, and her face darkened: “Miss, we should return early. There are unclean people in this garden. Be careful not to invite trouble upon yourself.”

Jiang Ruan followed her gaze and looked over, curved her lips in a light smile: “Alright.”

Chen Zhao was staring at Jiang Ruan in a daze when he suddenly saw the little beauty smile at him. This smile contained some indescribable, ineffable meaning – it didn’t seem like the innocence or shyness a little girl should have, but rather a kind of faint seduction, like an epiphyllum with a light, cold fragrance – briefly noble, yet containing the allure of night.

Chen Zhao couldn’t help but become mesmerized, and even after Jiang Ruan and her companion left the pear orchard, he still hadn’t recovered from the stunning impact of that smile.

This incident was quickly cast aside by Jiang Ruan and Lian Qiao. The days passed peacefully for three days. During these three days, Jiang Ruan would take casual walks around the estate every day, and occasionally she would encounter Chen Zhao. Surprisingly, Chen Zhao was much more well-behaved than before and didn’t stick to her like a fly as he used to, which put Lian Qiao much more at ease. However, there was still a worrying matter – the day for submitting embroidered handkerchiefs was fast approaching, yet Jiang Ruan hadn’t embroidered a single one.

After Jiang Ruan fell into the water, Zhang Lan temporarily didn’t mention the matter of embroidered handkerchiefs, wanting to wait and embroider them later. When Chen Fang deliberately brought it up a few days ago, it put both Lian Qiao and Bai Zhi in a difficult position.

Now that Jiang Ruan’s health hadn’t fully recovered, the two of them naturally couldn’t let Jiang Ruan do this task. But not only would Jiang Ruan not embroider them herself, she also wouldn’t allow the two of them to embroider along with her.

“Miss,” Lian Qiao looked disapprovingly at Jiang Ruan, who was leaning against the window reading: “The time to submit embroidered handkerchiefs is approaching, yet how can Miss still be so relaxed?”

“No need to worry.” Jiang Ruan turned a page of her book.

“How can we not worry?” Lian Qiao said with a bitter expression: “If we can’t submit the embroidered handkerchiefs, those people will find another excuse to be harsh about Miss’s allowances.”

Jiang Ruan sighed and closed the book in her hands. When she first came to the estate, she had brought three trunks – one contained clothing and utensils, one contained silver and jewelry, and one contained books. These were all things her mother had left for her. She had thought to keep them by her side as mementos, but instead she had entered a den of wolves and tigers. Zhang Lan’s family was greedy and harsh, stealing openly and secretly. In the end, the only things left that hadn’t been taken away were this single trunk of books.

“We won’t have to wait for the allowance distribution day – we’ll be returning to the manor then.” Jiang Ruan stroked the large characters on the book’s cover: “Don’t worry.”

Lian Qiao frowned, about to say something more, when she saw Bai Zhi push open the door and walk in: “Miss, Miss Fang has come.”

Lian Qiao was startled. Behind Bai Zhi appeared a pink figure. Chen Fang smiled: “Miss.”

Today she wore a pink cotton jacket embroidered with butterflies, with a small pink skirt of the same color below, and red leather boots on her feet. Her hair was arranged in an exquisite flowing cloud bun, her ears adorned with heavy golden wing-carved flower earrings, and a cloisonné gold wire hairpin inserted in her hair.

Lian Qiao snorted coldly, looking at Chen Fang with eyes full of disdain. This entire outfit from head to toe was all Jiang Ruan’s belongings. She certainly had the audacity to brazenly wear these things and appear before their rightful owner – she truly lived up to the title of bandit.

Jiang Ruan extended her hand to support her chin, smiling faintly. The bandits were acting with impunity, becoming increasingly brazen in recent days. But it didn’t matter – since she was here to collect debts, everything they had eaten of hers, they would spit back out completely, not a drop remaining.