Zuo Xiangning raised her head and listened carefully to the noises outside.
"At this time of the day, why should she be sleeping?" Zuo Xiangyu's voice was crisp, tinged with a trace of sarcasm, "You worthless maids are really good at fooling people!"
Pan Xia and Pan Cui were maids who had grown up with her. She usually couldn't bear to speak a harsh word to them, so by what right did Zuo Xiangyu scold them?
Every time Zuo Xiangning thought about how in her past life she had foolishly treated Zuo Xiangyu as a dear sister, she wished she could slap herself.
Just as Zuo Xiangning was about to retort a few words to Zuo Xiangyu, she heard the sound of a hairpin clinking as it entered the room.
Zuo Xiangyu, wearing a water-red long gown embroidered with peach blossom petals and with her slender waist swaying, walked in gracefully.
"Younger sister, what exactly happened today?" Zuo Xiangyu quickly walked to the bedside, took Zuo Xiangning's hand affectionately, and asked with a furrowed brow, "I clearly saw you fall into the lake; how come you ended up going to the King of Chu's mansion with elder sister soon after?"
Zuo Xiangning withdrew her hand and replied indifferently, "If I didn't go with elder sister, was I supposed to drown in second sister's residence at Prince Qi's?"
"What kind of talk is that, little sister? It sounds as if someone is trying to harm you." Zuo Xiangyu was taken aback and said mockingly, "What did elder sister confide to you again?"
"It doesn't matter what elder sister said, but why doesn't third sister seem to be worried about little sister's health, and instead, appear to be worried about something else?" Zuo Xiangning stared into Zuo Xiangyu's eyes and smiled, "Third sister wouldn't be worried that I wasn't rescued by Eldest Young Master Gu and thus have difficulty explaining to him, would she? Or is she worried about not being able to explain to someone else?"
Startled by this jab at the truth, Zuo Xiangyu stood up with an ugly expression, pointed at Zuo Xiangning, and said, "What do you mean by that? I'm worried sick about you, and instead of comforting me, you're making these insinuations and biting remarks. Who has been stirring you up?"
"Little sister just cracked a joke, why is third sister getting so angry over it?" Zuo Xiangning leaned on the headrest, her smile blooming beautifully as she looked at her, "Little sister has returned safe and sound, sister should be overjoyed and treating me to a celebration, that would be proper, so why are you getting so furiously angry?"
Seeing the usually obedient and docile Zuo Xiangning suddenly become so sharp-tongued, Zuo Xiangyu felt something was amiss in her heart.
She had already found today's events somewhat strange. Now seeing Zuo Xiangning's composed demeanor, she feared that everything would come to light, grew tired of pretending with Zuo Xiangning, and left after dropping a remark.
"Since little sister is fine, you should rest early."
Zuo Xiangning watched Zuo Xiangyu's flustered departure and pursed her lips slightly.
That thoughtless Zuo Xiangyu, was she in such a hurry to go back and seek advice from Auntie Liu, or was she eager to send a message to her second sister, Zuo Xiangyun?
Zuo Xiangning couldn't understand for the life of her; she had always treated Auntie Liu and her daughter quite well, but why had they turned around and tried to harm her?
She was of a different mother than Zuo Xiangyun and Zuo Xiangyu, but they still shared the same father. Broken bones were still joined by tendons; how could they bring themselves to harm her?
It wasn't long before another set of hurried and heavy footsteps could be heard in the courtyard.
Zuo Xiangning's face brightened, and she quickly slipped on her shoes to greet him.
Her brother, Zuo Zimo, had arrived!
Zuo Zimo was sweating profusely as he ran inside.
"How did you end up in the water again?" Zuo Zimo asked in a panicked tone as he looked at Zuo Xiangning, whose eyes were slightly red, "How are you feeling now? Why does your face look so pale?"
At that moment, tears instantly welled up in Zuo Xiangning's eyes.
Her brother Zuo Zimo was two years her senior; he was just seventeen this year, a head taller and both broad and sturdy, like a small mountain.
But the thought of how Zuo Zimo later became thin and wizened like an old man with worry carved into his face, running errands for her sake... it pained her, causing her eyes to sting and her tears to flow irresistibly.
Zuo Zimo's brows were knotted into a "Chuan" character as he asked repeatedly, "Stop crying and tell me where it hurts. Have you seen a doctor yet? What did the doctor say?"
"Third Brother, I'm fine." Zuo Xiangning used a handkerchief to wipe the corner of her eyes, then handed a new handkerchief to Zuo Zimo, smiling reproachfully, "Why did you run over here? Your head is covered in sweat."
Zuo Zimo looked at Zuo Xiangning with suspicion as he took the handkerchief and wiped his face, "Why do you ask why I ran? I just heard that you fell into the lake and it almost scared me to death!"
"It's my fault, sister apologizes to you."
Zuo Xiangning smiled and bent her knees to perform a curtsy for him, but he grabbed her arm and pulled her up, "Get back to bed right now and tell me what really happened."
Zuo Xiangning poured Zuo Zimo a cup of tea and laughed, "I did fall into the lake today, but big sister saved me, and I wasn't hurt. I haven't even told mother about this."
"Don't tell Third Brother either, I don't want to worry Mother."
"Do you think you can keep it from Mother?" Zuo Zimo drank a cup of tea and said, "I'll let the people at the second gate know in a bit. If you feel unwell, send someone to find me."
"What for? Can you treat illnesses?" Zuo Xiangning teased with a smile, "I'll be fine after I sleep, don't worry about me."
"I'll be in the front yard, I can find a doctor faster." Zuo Zimo instructed anxiously, "If you feel unwell, don't tolerate it."
Zuo Zimo was in a hurry to leave when Zuo Xiangning called out to him, "Third Brother—"
"What's the matter?" Zuo Zimo turned his head.
Zuo Xiangning had many things to say, but looking at Zuo Zimo's childish, youthful face, she pressed them back down into her heart.
"I just feel that Third Brother is extremely kind to me, but I'm not good to you at all." Zuo Xiangning's eyes reddened again.
"Realizing mistakes and making amends is the greatest virtue," Zuo Zimo said with a laugh as he ruffled her hair.
"Third Brother!" Zuo Xiangning playfully swatted his hand away, her lips slightly curving, and her watery big eyes slowly formed crescent moons, "I'll ask Nanny Cai to make some Sanxian dumplings in a while. Would you like to dine here with me?"
"I still have friends waiting for me over there. Have someone bring the dumplings to the front yard, I will go back to eat," Zuo Zimo said, observing that Zuo Xiangning's complexion still wasn't good, and spoke gently, "You should rest early too, I'll come check on you tomorrow morning."
"Which friend of yours came over? I wasn't aware. Since when did you have friends?"
"You really underestimate me, how can I not have friends?" Zuo Zimo said with a hint of pride, "That friend of mine is the Tanhuang Lang of the previous session, Eldest Young Master Gu, Gu Zhiqing..."
Gu Zhiqing?
Zuo Xiangning's jaw almost dropped in shock.
When had her Third Brother become friends with Gu Zhiqing?
How come she didn't know about it?
After leaving Prince Qi's Residence, Gu Zhiqing went to inform Zuo Zimo about her falling into the water. What was he plotting?
Had she ever met him in this life? Why was he focusing on her?
All of a sudden, Zuo Xiangning's mind became a tangled mess, without a clue to unravel it...