Sheng Jiayu was taken aback by the question and couldn’t help but look toward Sheng Jialan, doubt surfacing in her heart.

That’s right—Second Sister had clearly said she had a bit of a headache and wanted to return to her room for a nap, even declining the invitation to visit the cosmetics shops because of it. Why would she appear by the lakeside?

Luo Sheng said calmly: “Does Cousin think someone in the residence could have dragged Sheng Jialan to the lakeside?”

Sheng Jiayu paused.

Outside the window, the morning light was splendid—it was the liveliest time in the residence. How could anyone drag someone all the way to the lakeside without being noticed?

Moreover, this wasn’t some ordinary little maid, but the Second Young Lady of the residence.

The doubt in Sheng Jiayu’s heart deepened as she looked at Sheng Jialan and called out “Second Sister.”

Having just been beaten by Hong Dou, Sheng Jialan’s dark hair was disheveled and her face pale, like scattered little flowers ravaged by a fierce wind—pitiful and wretched.

Yet despite her wretchedness, she still knelt ramrod straight, saying softly: “After parting with Elder Sister, I intended to rest for a while, but suddenly realized I was missing a pearl earring. I hurried back along the route to search for it, and then I saw Cousin still sitting by the lakeside—”

Sheng Jialan’s voice grew lower and lower as she spoke.

Those in the room couldn’t help but look at her ears, and saw that her left earlobe bore a pearl drop shaped like a gourd, while her right earlobe was completely bare.

Feeling everyone’s gazes upon her, Sheng Jialan lightly bit her lip: “This pair of earrings was left to me by my mother. I, I didn’t want to lose them…”

Old Madam Sheng glanced at her eldest daughter-in-law.

The Great Madam held her teacup with an unchanged expression.

She and her husband were the type of couple who treated each other with mutual respect. After giving birth to their eldest son, she had promoted a maid to concubine status, which led to Sheng Jialan.

Though she had never mistreated the birth mother of her husband’s daughter by a concubine, she couldn’t possibly be pleased to see her either—she simply regarded her as a dispensable decoration.

Who would have thought she would be so short-lived, dying of illness when the daughter was only nine years old.

The daughter by the concubine had been sensible since childhood, and growing up alongside Jiayu, she served as a companion.

Toward Sheng Jialan, the Great Madam did have some affection, but when it involved the troublesome cousin, it was difficult to take a stance.

Sheng Jiayu suddenly understood: “No wonder Second Sister was anxious to come back and search. Did you find it?”

Having always treated Sheng Jialan as her legitimate sister, Sheng Jiayu momentarily forgot her doubts upon hearing this and turned to worry instead.

Sheng Jialan showed a sorrowful expression and gently shook her head: “Not yet.”

At this moment, Caixia, the head maid serving Old Madam Sheng, entered to report: “Old Madam, just now Zhu’er handed this servant an earring, saying she found it beside the stone steps at the entrance.”

Caixia held an exquisite pearl earring in her palm. When everyone looked closely, it was identical to the one Sheng Jialan was still wearing.

Sheng Jialan’s eyes lit up as she said joyfully: “That’s the one!”

“How wonderful that you found it.” Sheng Jiayu breathed a sigh of relief for her sister, then suddenly thought of something and turned to sneer at Luo Sheng, “Luo Sheng, you see—my second sister returned to search for her earring, never expecting to be harmed by you!”

“Bah!” Hong Dou jumped three feet high, her scallion-like fingers nearly pointing at Sheng Jiayu’s nose. “It was clearly the Second Young Lady who ran to the lakeside to harm our young lady—I saw it with my own eyes. Has your brain been kicked by a donkey, that you’d make excuses for someone who harms others?”

When had the residence ever had such an arrogant and rude maid? Sheng Jiayu’s face immediately turned iron-blue with anger: “The servant reflects the master. Grandmother, would you truly believe the words of such a crude and discourteous little maid?”

“Who’s crude and discourteous, who’s crude and discourteous?” Hong Dou demanded with both hands on her hips, nearly making Luo Sheng laugh.

Luo Sheng curtsied slightly toward Old Madam Sheng: “Maternal Grandmother, you need not consider whether to believe a little maid’s words, but rather whether to believe me.”

Old Madam Sheng was startled. Looking at the young lady’s calm eyes and brows, a strange feeling arose in her heart.

That’s right—Hong Dou said that Jialan had pushed Luo Sheng into the lake, and from beginning to end, Luo Sheng had raised no objection. So the choice she had to make was whether to believe her second granddaughter or her granddaughter from outside—it had nothing to do with a little maid.

Old Madam Sheng looked at Luo Sheng, then at Sheng Jialan, sighing inwardly: Which one to believe—this truly was a headache-inducing question.

She actually believed her second granddaughter, who had always been well-behaved, but if she handled the matter against her granddaughter from outside this way, the latter probably wouldn’t let it rest and might even make trouble all the way to her son-in-law.

Setting aside her son-in-law’s status, just the fact that he had sent his daughter to the Sheng family—to act this way would be somewhat improper.

Forget it, she’d have to wrong Jialan for now. First, she’d pacify her granddaughter from outside, then privately compensate her granddaughter properly later.

Old Madam Sheng had just made her decision when a slightly breathless young man’s voice came from the doorway: “Maternal Grandmother, I saw it.”

Then came Sheng Sanlang’s voice: “Cousin, you should be resting in your room—why did you run over here?”

Luo Chen stood with one hand on the door frame, his chest rising and falling slightly from hurrying, his cheeks flushed with an unhealthy redness.

Hearing Sheng Sanlang’s words, his hand on the door frame tightened as he said to Old Madam Sheng: “I have something to say to Maternal Grandmother.”

Luo Chen was already frail by nature. Having just jumped into the water to save someone had nearly drained all his strength, and at this moment he appeared even more delicate and fragile.

Sheng Sanlang was somewhat anxious: “What words can’t wait until you’ve recovered?”

Luo Chen shook his head: “It must be said now.”

“What does Chen’er wish to say to Maternal Grandmother?” Luo Chen’s appearance undoubtedly surprised Old Madam Sheng greatly.

Hearing that her grandson had gone into the water to save his cousin had given her quite a fright. When the physician replied that there was a possibility of catching a chill, her heart had remained clenched ever since.

Luo Chen glanced at Luo Sheng and said word by word: “I saw with my own eyes that Sheng Jialan pushed my elder sister into the lake.”

At these words, the room fell silent, then Sheng Jiayu’s shocked cry rang out: “Impossible!”

Luo Chen looked at Sheng Jiayu and asked: “Elder Cousin doesn’t believe my sister’s words—would you not believe me either?”

Sheng Jiayu was stumped by the question.

Cousin had always been very sensible and couldn’t possibly lie, but Second Sister also couldn’t possibly do such a thing—

Sheng Jiayu looked toward Sheng Jialan, biting her lip as she asked: “Second Sister, what exactly is going on?”

Sheng Jialan’s face was white as snow, her whole body trembling.

Old Madam Sheng spoke: “Chen’er, tell Maternal Grandmother the details.”

“Yes.” Luo Chen coughed lightly and said slowly: “At that time, I was strolling in the garden. When I walked to the lakeside, I discovered my elder sister sitting there. I was hesitating whether to leave when unexpectedly, Sheng Jialan walked over…”

Everyone could already hear that Luo Chen’s attitude toward Sheng Jialan had changed greatly.

In the past, Luo Chen had called Sheng Jialan Second Elder Cousin, but now he called her by name with every mention.

Everyone also remembered that Luo Sheng had called her the same way earlier, and instinctively looked toward her.

Luo Sheng’s expression remained calm, but in her heart, she felt some warmth because of Luo Chen’s words.

She had believed that Luo Chen, who witnessed the truth, would testify for her, but she hadn’t expected him to jump into the water to save someone, much less that he would disregard his health to rush over at the first opportunity to clarify matters.

Although what Luo Chen cared about was his real elder sister, since she had become Miss Luo, she had to accept this sentiment.

However—looking at the thin, pale youth, Luo Sheng rarely curved her lips.

This child was quite clever too. He had clearly encountered Hong Dou before going to the lakeside, yet at this moment, he avoided mentioning it entirely.