At the time, she hadn’t thought much of it, but now reflecting on it, Li Huaiyu felt that Lu Jingxing was right. Having one true friend was enough.
With a smile and a sigh, she turned around, intending to take another look at Jiang Xuanjin.
However, as she shifted her gaze, she was startled to find someone standing at the door of the guest room.
Jumping in surprise, Huaiyu looked up and glared at him. “How did you come out?”
Jiang Xuanjin, wrapped in the dark cloak that Cheng Xu had brought, still looked pale, and his gaze toward her was cold. “It’s time to leave.”
“How long has it been since you took the medicine? You’re leaving already?”
Ignoring her, Jiang Xuanjin stepped out the door, passing right by her and stirring up a gust of wind.
His haughty demeanor was typical of Ziyang Jun Jiang Xuanjin, but for some reason, Huaiyu had a gut feeling—he was unhappy.
“Hey.” She called out, “I even helped you get the spirit medicine and tested it for you. Why are you still treating me like this?”
He paused for a moment, but without turning back, Jiang Xuanjin replied, “Fourth Miss, please take care of yourself.”
Take care of yourself. She took care of herself every day; what if the ground beneath her feet suddenly gave way?
Just as she was about to retort, Jiang Xuanjin resumed walking, his back appearing even more imposing as he left.
“Thank you, Fourth Miss. I’ll take my leave now,” Cheng Xu said as he followed behind, bowing to her.
Huaiyu waved her hand, watching Jiang Xuanjin’s retreating figure with a sense of helplessness. She thought to herself that this man was truly cautious. She had thought she had made some progress, but he had quickly reverted to his previous demeanor.
This was quite troublesome.
With the eastern courtyard now empty, Huaiyu considered that once Jiang Xuanjin left, Bai Dezong would surely come looking for her to settle accounts. So, she decided to throw caution to the wind and slipped back to the Fourth Miss’s courtyard, planning to find something to eat.
However, when she finally reached the small courtyard she had previously escaped to, she was surprised to find quite a few people inside.
“Second Sister is back?” As soon as Bai Xuanji saw her, she smiled warmly and waved affectionately. “Come here, Mother sent me to bring you something.”
Having failed to meet Ziyang Jun and being dismissed, Huaiyu couldn’t help but admire Bai Xuanji’s cheerful demeanor. This girl was still smiling, exuding a grace that rivaled the cunning foxes in the court.
“What is it?” She walked over with curiosity.
Bai Xuanji stepped aside, revealing Xiyun, who was holding a tray with a stack of clothes on it.
“In two days, it will be the eighteenth birthday of the young master of the Jiang family,” Bai Xuanji said with a smile. “You weren’t supposed to go, but now that you’ve regained your senses, you should go out and see the world. There’s no time to make you new clothes, so this outfit I’ve only worn twice. I hope Fourth Sister won’t mind.”
Oh, so that’s what it was. Huaiyu nodded and picked up the clothes from the tray to examine them.
The fabric was ordinary, far inferior to what she used to wear, and the color… it was a light pink.
In other circumstances, this outfit might have been acceptable, but for the birthday banquet of the most favored young master of the Jiang family, it was a bit too frivolous for her status as the future young mistress.
Noticing her expression, Bai Xuanji smiled. “Does my sister not like it?”
“Do you want the truth?” Huaiyu turned to look at her.
Bai Xuanji hesitated slightly, then laughed. “We’re sisters; you can speak your mind.”
“Then I’ll be straightforward.” Putting the clothes back on the tray, Huaiyu smiled and said, “I don’t like it.”
Bai Xuanji was taken aback, seemingly not expecting her to be so direct. The smile on her face faltered, and her expression darkened slightly. “If that’s the case, then I’ve overstepped. Since you don’t like it, you can prepare your clothes.”
As she spoke, she glanced at Huaiyu’s worn dark robe, her eyes glinting with sarcasm. “Just don’t regret it.”
“Miss!” The little maid Lingxiu, who had been standing with her head down, finally couldn’t hold back and gently tugged at Huaiyu’s sleeve.
Huaiyu turned her head and looked at the maid for a moment, recognizing her as the one who had brought water when she first woke up.
“What’s wrong?” she raised an eyebrow.
Lingxiu spoke anxiously in a low voice, “You don’t have any other clothes to wear. Please keep this dress; it can at least hold up the occasion. Otherwise, you won’t even be able to enter the Jiang residence!”
Her voice was soft, but Bai Xuanji was close enough to hear every word, and her expression turned even more mocking. “Lingxiu, don’t bother. My sister doesn’t want this old dress.”
“Second Miss, please don’t be angry. My lady may have just regained her senses and isn’t clear about many things.” Lingxiu stepped forward, bowing repeatedly to Bai Xuanji. “Thank you for your kindness; I’ll take the dress for my lady…”
“Forget it. This old dress isn’t worthy of the future young mistress of the Jiang family,” Bai Xuanji interrupted with a forced smile, then turned her gaze to Li Huaiyu. “Fourth Sister is someone who has connections with Ziyang Jun. If you want a nice outfit, it shouldn’t be difficult, right? Xiyun, let’s go.”
“Yes.” The maid holding the tray knelt and followed Bai Xuanji out.
“This…” Lingxiu panicked, raising her foot to chase after them, but her wrist was grabbed.
“Even if you chase after her now, she won’t give you the dress,” Huaiyu yawned, feeling a bit tired. “Save your energy.”
Lingxiu looked confused, gazing at her. “Second Miss came specifically to bring you clothes. She was just upset with you for a moment. If I go and plead with her…”
Huaiyu chuckled lightly. “Do you think pleading will work? If she truly came here for my sake, she wouldn’t have brought such a dress. Are you foolish?”
Lingxiu was taken aback, her face flushing slightly. Being called foolish by her silly mistress was quite…
“I just think having something is better than nothing,” she said, nervously twisting her handkerchief. “You’re right; time is short, and if you want to make a new outfit, there’s no time. The Jiang residence…”
“Let’s not talk about that for now.” Huaiyu pulled her into the small room, feeling exhausted as she flopped onto the bed. “Go find me something to eat. After I eat, I’ll take a nap.”
Lingxiu opened her mouth, glancing outside to see that it was indeed time for lunch, and hurried off to the kitchen.
After a couple of busy days, Huaiyu felt quite fatigued. While she was with Jiang Xuanjin, she hadn’t dared to sleep deeply, but now that she finally had a safe place, she quickly fell into a deep slumber.
She slept soundly until the sun began to set.
Struggling to break free from a chaotic dream, Huaiyu opened her eyes and scanned the room.
It was quiet, and there was no food on the table. It seemed Lingxiu hadn’t returned yet.
Frowning in confusion, Huaiyu got up and rummaged through the wardrobe, finding a clean old dress to change into before stepping outside to look for someone.
The lanterns under the eaves of the residence had already been lit, and the aroma of food wafted through the air. Li Huaiyu didn’t know the way, so she randomly grabbed someone on the street and asked, “Have you seen my maid?”