Li Xue lay quietly on the bed, staring at the ceiling, her mind swirling with thoughts as she re-evaluated her purpose in life. Frustrated, she sat up and marched toward Hua Rong, who looked visibly tense. "Why did you agree? Do you actually want to marry that useless son of his?" she asked, her tone sharp.
Hua Rong rolled her eyes and crossed her arms. "Oh, please! We didn't have a place to stay. What did you expect? Do you want to live on the streets?" she snapped, her voice dripping with irritation.
Chen Yi, who was calmly sitting nearby, spoke up in Hua Rong's defense. "Li Xue, she's right. Let it go. Sleeping on the streets is far worse than staying here, no matter the circumstances."
Li Xue opened her mouth to protest, but before she could get a word out, there was a knock at the door. She frowned and muttered, "Why are they so obsessed with us?"
With a sigh, she got up and opened the door. As the moonlight illuminated the hallway, she froze at the sight of the man standing before her. He was tall, towering over her slightly, and held a basket of flowers in his hands.
"Dear servant," the man said politely, "please deliver this to your lady."
Servant? SERVANT?! Li Xue's face turned red with fury as she yelled, "Do I look like a servant to you?!"
The man's eyes widened at her outburst, and he blinked in surprise, his expression turning curious. "If you're not, then…"
Li Xue narrowed her eyes dangerously. "Do I need to crack open your head to make this clear? I'm their cousin, not a servant!" she hissed.
The man raised his hands slightly in an apologetic gesture, a faint smile tugging at his lips as he tried to explain. "I'm sorry. I must not have been informed earlier. It's just… your hair was—"
Before he could finish his sentence, Hua Rong quickly stepped forward, her nervous laughter cutting through the tension. "Haha, such lovely flowers," she said, taking the basket from his hands. She held them up to her face and inhaled. "And they're so fragrant. Thank you very much, sir. Now, if you'll excuse us…" With that, she shut the door firmly, leaving the man standing outside.
Inside, Li Xue was still seething. "My hair? What was he going to say about my hair?!" she grumbled, pacing back and forth.
Hua Rong set the flowers on the table and sighed. "Li Xue, you need to calm down. He's gone now, so just let it go."
Chen Yi glanced at the basket, unimpressed. "At least we know now—they're really going out of their way to charm us."
Li Xue huffed, plopping back onto the bed. "Charm us? More like insult me. The audacity of calling me a servant…"
Hua Rong and Chen Yi exchanged knowing looks but said nothing, letting Li Xue vent her frustrations.
Hua Rong and Chen Yi exchanged knowing glances but chose to stay silent, allowing Li Xue to vent her frustrations. As Hua Rong's eyes wandered, they landed on the flowers, where she noticed a folded note tucked inside. Curiosity piqued, she opened it, interrupting Li Xue's rant mid-sentence.
"Tomorrow, my father is hosting a banquet. I hope to see you there."
Hua Rong read the words aloud, her lips twitching slightly in discomfort. She wasn't accustomed to receiving such attention—especially not in her previous world—and the sudden formality unsettled her.
"A banquet?" Li Xue chimed in, her curiosity instantly piqued. "Sounds fun. Let's go!"
"It might be a good chance to learn more about this world," Chen Yi added thoughtfully.
With a shared nod, the three agreed. Setting aside their worries, they decided to get a peaceful night's rest in preparation for the event ahead.
The next morning, Hua Rong and Chen Yi had already arrived at the banquet hall, while Li Xue was still fussing over her hair. She had been struggling with styling it and adamantly refused to step out until it was perfect.
Hua Rong and Chen Yi wore the same clothes as the day before, as they hadn't brought any spares. Upon entering, they were greeted warmly by Minister Wei, who offered them a place to sit with a broad smile.
"Apologies for being late," Chen Yi said, his tone soft and calm, like a gentle breeze swaying through the air.
Minister Wei quickly shook his head, his expression earnest. "No, no! In fact, you're quite early!"
Hua Rong glanced at Chen Yi with a puzzled expression. "Will someone else be joining?" she mumbled under her breath.
Chen Yi's lips curved into a subtle, sarcastic smile. "Do you think he'd hold a grand banquet just for us?"
Hua Rong's lips twitched, but she said nothing, letting the sarcasm pass. As she gazed around, she saw that Minister Wei's daughter had not attended the banquet today. And the guy who gave her flowers was smiling and waving at her.
gross.
Little by little, guests started to arrive. The hall was filled wth laughter and joy. Everything was very calm
Suddenly, a guard stationed outside announced, "Sect leader of Golden Hills have arrived!" The sect leader's presence commanded attention. Dressed in pristine white robes, his every movement exuded grace and poise. In his hand, he held an ornate folding fan, which he gently swayed, adding an air of sophistication to his demeanor. A faint, mysterious mark adorned the corner of his cheek, only adding to his ethereal allure.
An old man was walking behind him, his pace neither to fast nor to slow. Just right to match the newcomer's pace. However he had a grumpy and uninviting face.
"My apologies for keeping you waiting," the sect leader said politely.
"Sect Leader Chen, you don't need to worry," Minister Wei hurriedly replied.
Hua Rong, not bothering to look at the newly arrived figure, continued drinking her wine. But as the words "Sect Leader Chen" reached her ears, she froze mid-motion and slowly turned to look at the sect leader's face.
Splash!
"Hua Rong!" exclaimed Chen Yi.
Hua Rong spat the wine out in shock, choking on her own spit as she started coughing. Her eyes turned red at the corners, and several people rushed forward to help her. She waved them off, her gaze fixed on the sect leader.
Chen. Yu. Xuan.