Chapter 11 Settling Accounts
The morning air in the estate was exceptionally fresh. Gray-winged Sparrows perched on high branches pecking at food, while the newly fallen snow from the night before made the sunlight appear even purer. The trees and grass were draped in thick layers of snow, and the atmosphere of the New Year was strong.
Jiang Ruan rose early and, after a simple breakfast, strolled through the pear orchard with Lianqiao. It wasn’t yet the season for the pear blossoms to bloom, but the branches were lush and verdant. Lianqiao sighed regretfully, "It’s still too early. When the weather warms up a bit more and all the pear flowers bloom, that’s when it’ll truly be beautiful."
Jiang Ruan smiled faintly. Flowers and plants were nothing more than a competition of vibrant colors. In her past life, she had seen pear trees in full bloom in the palace, as if a spring breeze had coaxed hundreds of flowers to open overnight. Not just pear blossoms, but peonies, water lilies, hibiscus, and roses—the palace was a riot of color. Yet, all that beauty had been for the appreciation of only one person. Later, she had thought there was someone who would watch the flowers bloom and wither with her, only to realize at the moment of death that it had all been an illusion, a deception as fleeting as moonlight on water.
Flowers were like her life—seemingly radiant and glorious, yet when they decayed, they had nowhere to take shelter, reduced to mud and dust. Even their faint fragrance was tinged with bitterness.
Lianqiao noticed the deep, sorrowful coldness in Jiang Ruan’s gaze and was startled. Concerned, she asked, "Miss?"
Jiang Ruan snapped out of her thoughts and shook her head. "It’s nothing. Let’s go."
As they wandered leisurely, they failed to notice the figure who had been standing in the dense thicket behind them for quite some time.
The person was adorned in gold and silver, as if desperate to display every ounce of wealth and finery on their body. Their gaze was fixed intently on Jiang Ruan’s figure, filled with infatuation.
This was none other than Chen Zhao, the youngest son of Zhang Lan’s family.
Chen Zhao often liked to nap beneath the pear trees, and today was no exception. Suddenly hearing the voices of women, it was like a cat catching the scent of fish—he immediately followed the sound and was stunned by what he saw.
Jiang Ruan was dressed the same as the day before, but Zisu had not styled her hair in a Bun hairstyle. Instead, she had gathered a small section of the front hair into a Hibiscus hairstyle at the back, leaving the rest to cascade loosely over her shoulders, making her appear slightly older and exuding a more alluring charm.
The pear blossoms in the orchard had yet to bloom, and the branches were lightly dusted with snow, resembling blossoming flowers. Yet, her skin was paler than the snow, her face more radiant than the pear blossoms. Her expression was cool, but her gaze seemed to sweep indifferently through the branches, like a clear, refreshing spring gently rippling over one’s heart, stirring an irresistible itch. Her voice was too distant to hear clearly, but one could imagine its crisp, enchanting tone. She tilted her head slightly to look at the ice crystals hanging from the branches, revealing a swan-like neck of exquisite grace.
Chen Zhao swallowed hard, his eyes lingering on Jiang Ruan’s slender figure in the distance. The oversized cotton coat concealed her slender waist, and though she was still young, her body carried a vivid, lively charm—a blend of a grown woman’s allure and a young girl’s innocence. He had never noticed before, but after her illness, Jiang Ruan had become such a rare beauty, a natural-born enchantress.
To possess such a treasure would be a true delight in this world. Chen Zhao’s expression flickered uncertainly as he stood lost in thought, contemplating something unknown.Not far away, Lianqiao also noticed Chen Zhao's figure and her expression darkened. "Miss, let's return early. There are unclean people in this garden. Be careful not to invite trouble upon ourselves."
Jiang Ruan followed her gaze and curved her lips into a faint smile. "Alright."
Chen Zhao was staring blankly at Jiang Ruan when suddenly the young beauty flashed him a smile. There was an indescribable meaning in that smile—it lacked the innocence or shyness expected of a young girl, carrying instead a subtle allure, like the brief yet noble charm of a night-blooming cereus exuding a faint, cold fragrance, mingled with the enchantment of the night.
Chen Zhao was utterly entranced. Even after Jiang Ruan and her maid left the pear garden, he remained dazed, unable to shake off the stunning impact of that smile.
The incident was quickly forgotten by Jiang Ruan and Lianqiao. Three peaceful days passed, during which Jiang Ruan strolled leisurely around the estate each day. Occasionally, she encountered Chen Zhao, but surprisingly, he behaved far more restrained than before, no longer clinging to her like a persistent fly. This eased Lianqiao's worries considerably. However, another matter weighed on their minds—the deadline for submitting embroidered handkerchiefs was approaching, yet Jiang Ruan hadn't even started on a single one.
After Jiang Ruan's fall into the water, Zhang Lan had temporarily set aside the matter of the handkerchiefs, intending to delay the embroidery for a while. But recently, Chen Fang had deliberately brought it up again, troubling both Lianqiao and Zisu.
Now that Jiang Ruan had yet to fully recover, the two maids naturally couldn't allow her to embroider. Yet Jiang Ruan not only refused to do it herself but also forbade them from embroidering on her behalf.
"Miss," Lianqiao frowned disapprovingly at Jiang Ruan, who was leaning against the window reading. "The deadline for the handkerchiefs is almost here. How can you remain so at ease?"
"No need to worry," Jiang Ruan turned a page of her book.
"How can we not worry?" Lianqiao said with a pained expression. "If the handkerchiefs aren't submitted, those people will find another excuse to cut back on your allowances."
Jiang Ruan sighed and closed the book in her hands. When she first arrived at the estate, she had brought three trunks—one for clothes and utensils, one for silver and jewelry, and another for books. These were all mementos left by her mother. She had thought keeping them close would bring her comfort, but instead, she had stepped into a den of wolves. Zhang Lan's greed and cruelty led to overt theft and covert plundering, and in the end, the only things left untouched were the books in that single trunk.
"We'll be returning to the mansion before the allowance day arrives," Jiang Ruan stroked the large characters on the book's cover. "Don't worry."
Lianqiao frowned, about to say more, when Zisu pushed the door open and entered. "Miss, Miss Fang is here."
Lianqiao froze. Behind Zisu appeared a figure clad in pink. Chen Fang smiled. "Young Miss."
Today, she wore a pink cotton jacket embroidered with butterflies, paired with a matching pink skirt and red leather boots. Her hair was styled in an elaborate Flowing Cloud hairstyle, adorned with heavy gold-winged engraved earrings and an enamel filigree hairpin. Every item looked strikingly familiar.
Lianqiao sneered, her gaze filled with disdain as she looked at Chen Fang. From head to toe, every single thing she wore belonged to Jiang Ruan. It was shameless of her to brazenly parade these stolen goods before their rightful owner—truly worthy of the title "robber."Jiang Ruan rested her chin on her hand and smiled faintly. The bandits had grown increasingly bold these days, emboldened by their sense of security. But it didn't matter—since they were here to collect debts, whatever they had taken from her, they would vomit it all back out, down to the last drop.
(End of Chapter)
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