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Chapter 10: A Double Meaning
Liu Lanyan's eyes widened, looking helplessly at the ill-intentioned crowd in the pavilion. She lowered her gaze timidly and murmured softly, "Musical instruments... musical instruments... I... I don't know how..."
The expected answer brought smiles to the faces of those in the pavilion who were hoping for a good show.
He really is a complete idiot who can't do anything.
Su Hanhao noticed everyone's expressions and suddenly felt a surge of anger: "Since Miss Liu says she can't, let's find some other entertainment."
"Young Master Su, what do you mean by this?" Xie Xinxiu sensed Su Hanhao's obvious anger and questioned him with dissatisfaction.
What does it matter to Su Hanhao if she dislikes Liu Lanyan?
"Sister Lanyan, I'm feeling a bit hot. Could you please go and check on me? Why haven't you brought any plum juice yet?" Su Hanhao said softly to Liu Lanyan.
"Oh, okay." Liu Lanyan nodded, not caring at all that it was inappropriate for her, as a young lady, to be ordered around to do these servant and maid tasks.
Watching Liu Lanyan walk out of the pavilion, Xie Xinxiu scolded, "Su Hanhao, how could you protect such a fool? What are you trying to do?"
"Do you want to go against me?" Xie Xinxiu stared coldly at Su Hanhao, her words threatening, "I wonder when the position of an elder became higher than that of a prince?"
Upon hearing Xie Xinxiu mention the prince, everyone else immediately fell silent. This issue could be serious or minor, depending on Xie Xinxiu's response.
“Since Miss Xie also knows that she is a fool, why bother arguing with her? Wouldn’t that be an insult to Miss Xie’s status?” Su Hanhao didn’t respond to Xie Xinxiu’s words and continued to speak.
Xie Xinxiu stared at Su Hanhao for a long time, her expression shifting between light and dark.
However, she had to admit that he was right; arguing with a fool was just too presumptuous.
"Young Master Su is right, but it's really annoying to see someone like that wandering around here." Xie Xinxiu said this, which was tantamount to giving Su Hanhao face, but she still couldn't calm down.
"In that case, let her leave as soon as possible," Su Hanhao said casually.
He didn't directly clash with Xie Xinxiu; the prince was not someone he could afford to offend.
"The plum juice is here, and it's still ice-cold!" Liu Lanyan excitedly called out as she ran over to Su Hanhao. "They brought it before we even got to the kitchen. Drink it quickly, it's cold!"
Seeing Liu Lanyan's childlike, innocent smile, Su Hanhao smiled and said, "Yes, it's very hot. Let's go back to the manor after we finish drinking."
These words were meant for Liu Lanyan, but even more so for Xie Xinxiu; they were meant to make Liu Lanyan leave.
Hsieh Hsin-hsiu didn't say anything, but don't forget, as long as you have power and influence, you'll never lack people trying to curry favor with you.
"Liu Lanyan, you didn't play the zither, didn't sing a single song, and just left without making a sound. Isn't that hilarious?"
Liu Lanyan looked at the young lady from the noble family who had spoken, puzzled. She tilted her head and thought for a moment: "I'm not a cicada, why would I make a sound?"
"Only cicadas make noise for no reason. Didn't Miss Xie already make a sound just now if you wanted to hear it?" Liu Lanyan said, blinking her eyes.
"How dare you say that Miss Xie's superb zither skills are just the chirping of cicadas?" the young lady from the noble family shouted angrily.
Liu Lanyan flinched in fright and took two steps back: "Where did I say that? You were the one who said it... You're so strange, why are you saying such nonsensical things?"
“You…” The young lady from the noble family was so angry that she wanted to explain, but she found that no matter how she explained, she couldn’t make things clear, and it would only make Xie Xinxiu misunderstand more.
"It's getting hot, everyone should go home." Su Hanhao stood up. He couldn't stand it anymore. These people were going too far by stepping on Liu Lanyan to curry favor with Xie Xinxiu.
“Miss Xie, the Prince has not yet returned to the manor, I…” Liu Xinrong had not forgotten that her main purpose in coming here was to request an audience with the Prince.
"Your good sister ruined this wonderful gathering, it's such a disappointment. Even if my cousin came back, he probably wouldn't be in the mood to see you." Xie Xinxiu glared at the young lady from the wealthy family who had just said the wrong thing, and only felt a little better when she saw her retreat timidly.
Of course, she felt increasingly annoyed by Liu Xinrong's suggestion.
"Go home, go home. It's so boring here." Yu Xinyi stood up, stretched lazily, and yawned. He didn't care about the proper demeanor of a prince, nor did he care about what others thought, and turned to leave.
Now that Yu Xinyi had left, the others also got up one after another to say goodbye.
"Find your own way back." Outside the Prince's mansion, Liu Xinrong angrily growled at Liu Lanyan. Her goal had not been achieved, so she naturally took all her anger out on Liu Lanyan.
He abandoned Liu Lanyan, got into a sedan chair, and drove away.
"Sister Lanyan, shall I escort you back to your residence?" Su Hanhao walked over and asked in a soft voice.
"Thank you, Young Master Su. Lanyan can manage on her own." Liu Lanyan bowed and left quickly. Watching her back, Su Hanhao sighed softly, "Even though she is somewhat foolish, she is still stubborn."
Su Hanhao's voice, neither too loud nor too soft, reached Yu Xinyi's ears. Yu Xinyi scoffed inwardly, "Idiot?"
If she's mentally challenged, then everyone else is an idiot.
Her words of thanks to Su Hanhao just now were a double entendre. It seemed like she was thanking Su Hanhao for not needing him to escort her back to the mansion, but in reality, she was thanking him for his chivalrous help in the pavilion.
Yu Xinyi returned home thoughtfully, muttering to himself that something was amiss. It seemed that Liu Lanyan, whom he had only briefly encountered a few times, was definitely not this kind of person.
Although she managed to deflect the question with a light touch, instead of humiliating Xie Xinxiu, she ended up being severely humiliated herself.
But is that all Liu Lanyan has done?
In the middle of the night, Yu Xinyi was awakened from a deep sleep by a sudden, severe abdominal pain. Clutching her stomach, she wondered if it was... poisoning? Or an injury?
A gurgling sound gave Yu Xinyi a clear answer—diarrhea!
Fortunately, it was only once, and I didn't feel too much. After I finished using the toilet, I was fine. It was just a little strange that I suddenly had diarrhea.
Sitting back on the bed, Yu Xinyi had a sudden inspiration and immediately summoned his subordinates, giving them detailed instructions.
A moment later, a figure as faint as a shadow appeared from the house and reported, "Master, all the young masters and ladies who went to the pavilion today are vomiting and have diarrhea, it seems they ate something bad. Xie Xinxiu sent people to investigate, and it seems that today's food was a bit toxic because of the hot weather."
"Is it possible that Su Hanhao's symptoms are not obvious?" Yu Xinyi said with a smile.
"yes."
After hearing his confidant's reply, Yu Xinyi waved his hand. After the shadow disappeared silently, Yu Xinyi suddenly burst into laughter: "Good, what a fine 'can do it' statement."
It turns out that the second half of Liu Lanyan's words outside the Prince's Mansion meant this: he said that someone with her personality would never let them go.
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Chapter 11 The Man Behind the Scenes
All the young men and women who attended Xie Xinxiu's party received her apology.
Even if she is the prince's cousin, such a thing is still impolite, and it is only natural to apologize. She is not stupid enough to use her status to leave such a low-level handle for outsiders.
Because everyone ate different amounts of food, the degree of suffering varied. For example, people like Yu Xinyi, Su Hanhao, and Liu Lanyan, who was clueless about food, were almost unaffected.
As for the others, they suffered from vomiting and diarrhea all night, and some didn't recover until noon the next day.
Even though they were demons, whose physiques were much better than humans, after all this torment, they were all listless and lying in bed, needing to recuperate.
"Go back and convey my gratitude to your young lady." Liu Xinrong politely saw off the person sent by Xie Xinxiu, and was very happy to see the hairpin in the brocade box.
"Miss, I heard that the gifts Miss Xie sent this time are just as precious as His Highness's," Huan Cui said excitedly, looking at the valuable hairpins in the brocade box.
"Of course, after all, I am the Grand Elder's daughter." Liu Xinrong said it as if it were nothing, but the smug smile on her lips betrayed her true thoughts.
The fact that she received the same gift as His Highness shows that she holds a very high position in Xie Xinxiu's heart, which greatly increases her chances of becoming a princess.
“Miss, Miss Xie did not give anything to Liu Lanyan,” Huan Cui said in a low voice, with a teasing smile.
"Give it to her? What for? Isn't she perfectly healthy?" Liu Xinrong said, rubbing her still uncomfortable stomach, her face pale.
Huan Cui chuckled, "Miss, really, does someone like her deserve to eat in the Prince's mansion?"
“That’s true.” Liu Xinrong sat weakly on the bed. She had been vomiting and having diarrhea all night, which had left her extremely weak. Her limbs were limp and she leaned against the bed. She showed a satisfied smile. “Huan Cui, you still can’t see through things. This is a chance to see clearly who is closest to Xie Xinxiu.”
"Huh?" Huan Cui stared at her young mistress in astonishment, only to see Liu Xinrong's unusually strange smile, without explaining why she was laughing.
However, there must be a reason why the young lady is so clever.
After laughing for a while, Liu Xinrong suddenly asked, "Where's that girl?"
"She was fine last night. She went to get some firewood because there wasn't enough in the yard." Huan Cui smiled venomously. There was no reason for her young mistress to be vomiting and having diarrhea, and for that maid to be so carefree and relaxed in the mansion. Of course, she had to find something for her to do so she wouldn't be bored.
"We don't have enough people to do the purchasing, so I've sent Qin Xiu to help," Huan Cui said to Liu Xinrong with a light smile.
"Good, well done." Liu Xinrong nodded approvingly, then turned Qin Xiu away to watch how Liu Lanyan would chop firewood on her own; she was in for a rough time.
Liu Xinrong turned her head and glanced at the rising sun, a triumphant smile playing on her lips.
It's almost noon. I wonder if the branches in the forest will be easy to cut?
"Miss, would you like lunch?" Huan Cui asked.
"No, I'm tired. I'll rest for a bit." Liu Xinrong lay down casually, her mind still picturing Liu Lanyan in the forest, sweating profusely as she chopped wood with an axe. Thinking of this made her feel relieved, even though she was physically uncomfortable.
Meanwhile, in the forest, the woman, who should have been in a sorry state, was sitting on a large rock, happily eating fresh berries.
A cool breeze blew, and the dense leaves overhead blocked out the sunlight, making it exceptionally cool and breezy, without a trace of summer heat.
"You're enjoying your meal here, but you've caused me so much trouble."
Hearing the teasing voice, Liu Lanyan turned her head and smiled brightly, raising an eyebrow and saying, "So what?"
Her radiant smile added a touch of allure to her delicate features, and that one smile left Yu Xinyi stunned.
What a beautiful smile.
When Yu Xinyi came to her senses, she realized that she had forgotten to breathe for a moment, and felt a tightness in her chest.
"If outsiders knew that Liu Lanyan could say such arrogant things, I don't know how many people would be scared to death." Although surprised, Yu Xinyi quickly recovered and said with a smile.
"What do I care about the lives or deaths of others?" Liu Lanyan asked casually, dismissively.
"Haha..." Liu Lanyan's cold and ruthless words did not disgust Yu Xinyi; instead, they made him clap his hands and laugh. "Good, what a foolish Miss Liu Lanyan. Yes, she doesn't care about the lives of others, let alone making everyone vomit and have diarrhea a little."
"Vomiting and diarrhea?" Liu Lanyan continued eating her berries, seemingly unconcerned. "What does that have to do with me?"