Chapter 61: Secret Affair
She wasn't afraid of this strong and sturdy man. In truth, ever since the dark-skinned man had spoken those words, no one on the boat believed him. A woman of Jiang Susu's caliber, with her lofty standards, would never—whether publicly or privately—take a liking to such a brute.
At this moment, Jiang Susu lay unconscious on the ground, barely aware of the murmurs around her, completely oblivious to what had transpired.
The dark-skinned man, seemingly enraged, angrily pulled an embroidered handkerchief from his waist and shook it in front of the crowd. "Don’t believe me? Then see for yourselves! This is the handkerchief she gave me. I, Zhou Da, have been around the capital for years—do you think I’d lie?"
As the handkerchief unfurled before the crowd, an elegant orchid embroidered on it seemed to emit a faint fragrance. In the lower left corner, a delicate character "Su" was stitched in silver thread.
Butterfly, Jiang Susu’s personal maid, gasped in shock. She exchanged a glance with Dragonfly, and both saw fear reflected in each other’s eyes.
The crowd fell silent. Though it seemed impossible for Jiang Susu and Zhou Da to be involved, even beauties could make mistakes. Moreover, Jiang Susu was still young—it wasn’t impossible for her to have been seduced. Faced with evidence, their skepticism wavered.
Jiang Ruan snapped, "What does a handkerchief prove? Maybe you stole it from Miss Jiang by some underhanded means!"
Butterfly hadn’t expected Jiang Ruan to defend Jiang Susu, but in this moment, she seized the opportunity. "Exactly! Our young lady lost this handkerchief days ago and never found it. So it was you who stole it!"
Zhou Da, however, was no pushover. His face flushed red with anger as he retorted, "She’s a noble lady, and I’m just a commoner. How could I possibly steal her personal handkerchief? Unless noble ladies now mingle among common folk, waiting for their intimate belongings to be snatched?"
Jiang Ruan smiled faintly. This Zhou Da truly didn’t disappoint—his quick wit was impressive. It was a shame that Xia Yan had gone to such lengths to find him, only for him to turn against her own daughter. She wondered what expression Xia Yan would wear when news of this reached the Jiang residence.
Zhou Da pressed on, "If you still don’t believe me, check her waist. You’ll find a string of green jade beads—my family heirloom, given to her as a token."
Dragonfly exhaled in relief. "Our young lady has no such jade beads. What nonsense are you spouting?"
Meanwhile, Princess Rongya, who had been observing quietly, suddenly stepped forward with a concerned expression. "Let me check, then. If we clear Miss Jiang’s name, this scoundrel will have nothing left to say."
Before Butterfly could stop her, Princess Rongya had already reached for Jiang Susu’s waist. Jiang Ruan’s eyes gleamed with amusement—this princess certainly knew how to stir the pot, but it saved her the trouble.
The crowd watched curiously as Butterfly clenched her fists. After a long moment, Princess Rongya looked up, her expression odd.
She raised her hand, and between her jade-like fingers dangled a string of green jade beads.
Silence fell. The gazes directed at Jiang Susu instantly turned knowing.
Jiang Ruan lowered her head slightly. See? No matter how much time passed, the world remained the same—filled with rumors, suspicion, malice, and slander. Only now, it was Jiang Susu who would taste its bitterness.In the heavy silence, Jiang Susu coughed a few times and slowly regained consciousness. Seeing everyone looking at her with ambiguous expressions and then noticing her own drenched state, her heart sank.
Jiang Li gloated, "Second Sister is awake, how wonderful."
"What happened?" Jiang Susu rubbed her temples. Her white robes were soaked through, clinging tightly to her body and revealing her curves. Her long hair stuck to her clothes, and her usually pale face now resembled a water lily emerging from the lake, evoking pity at first glance. But recalling the dark-skinned youth's earlier words, the crowd's initial sympathy quickly turned to scorn.
Jiang Susu keenly sensed the shift in their attitudes. Jiang Dan, who had been silent until now, suddenly spoke up, "Second Sister, how could you engage in an illicit affair? And even... give your personal token to that man? If Father finds out, wouldn't it be utterly humiliating?"
"What are you talking about?" Jiang Susu exclaimed in shock, her voice rising involuntarily. "Who engaged in an affair?"
Jiang Dan took a fearful step back. "The... the evidence is irrefutable."
"Nonsense!" Panic surged in Jiang Susu's heart. From the moment she woke up, she knew something was wrong. It was supposed to be Jiang Ruan who fell into the water, yet here she was, soaked. Everything was in chaos! The entire plan had gone awry! What should she do now?
In her haste to defend herself, her voice grew shrill, a far cry from the dignified demeanor of a noble young lady. Seeing Jiang Dan's terrified expression only fueled the crowd's suspicions.
Such was the way of the world. When she was seen as an ethereal beauty, everything about her was admired. But once tainted, she became a wanton woman in their eyes, and everything about her seemed wrong.
Noticing the crowd's silent judgment, Jiang Susu grew even more frantic. Ignoring her drenched state, she struggled to her feet and addressed the dark-skinned man, "Why are you slandering my virtue? I'll have my father investigate this thoroughly and throw you in prison!"
The dark-skinned youth, however, looked as if he had been struck. He muttered, "You didn't speak like this before. Were all those vows you made false?" Then, with rising anger, he said, "You dare cast me aside like this? Do you think Zhou Da is someone you can discard at will?"
Jiang Ruan nearly laughed aloud inwardly. How pitiful she had been in her past life—timid and terrified, unable to retort as sharply as Jiang Susu now, and thus never witnessing Zhou Da's acting skills firsthand.
Jiang Susu, however, seethed with hatred for Jiang Ruan. She knew exactly who Zhou Da was, but why had she been the one to fall into the water? Zhou Da was supposed to target Jiang Ruan. Yet now, she had no way to defend herself. Normally, Xia Yan would be there to advise her, but at this moment, there wasn't a single person she could turn to. Distraught and unsettled, all her usual cunning and composure had vanished, leaving her at a loss for a solution.
Jiang Ruan gave Jiang Susu no time to think. She said to Zhou Da, "Mr. Zhou, this is not the time for arguments. The wind is chilly, and if Miss Jiang catches a cold, it would hardly be to your benefit. Why don't you visit the Jiang residence another day? The Jiang family will surely give you a proper explanation for this matter."Zhou Da was hesitating when Jiang Susu screamed again, "No, it wasn't me! I never did such things. He's slandering me!" Jiang Susu wasn't a fool either. She knew that if things proceeded as Jiang Ruan said, tonight might pass peacefully, but it would mean admitting to the affair. By tomorrow, countless rumors would spread throughout the capital, and by then it would be too late.
Princess Rongya sneered, her previously warm and amiable demeanor completely gone, and said, "With both witnesses and evidence present, I truly don't know how you can still deny it. Have you no shame?"
(End of Chapter)
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