Xiaosuisui covered her face and said hurriedly, "Godfather Emperor, but the pretty sister bathed in the creek water! It’s so dirty!"
"Then our Xiaosuisui should take a bath too! Your godfather sees you’re all grimy; it’s time for a wash."
Xiaosuisui sniffed her own elbow, then her Godfather Emperor’s clothes, her little face crinkling in disgust.
"Suisui isn’t smelly! Godfather Emperor is the smelly one!"
The young Emperor was rendered speechless.
The father and daughter leisurely arrived at the creekside, where the handsome young man had already pulled Xie Pan’Er from the water.
He pinched her philtrum a few times, and she finally regained consciousness.
"Lu... Young Master Lu! Just now... was it... was it you who saved me?"
The young man nodded. "I saw you go to fetch water and you didn’t return for a long time, so I came looking. I didn’t expect to find you fainted in the creek."
When he found her, she had already fainted in the creek?
Xie Pan’Er was somewhat dazed. Then who could have been the one that drove Xie Yingying away with a branch?
"Your forehead is injured. Let’s hurry back so I can put some medicine on it for you."
The young man, supporting Xie Pan’Er, quickly left the creekside.
After they had walked some distance, Xie Pan’Er seemed to sense something and glanced back. By the creek, a tall figure and a small one were bending down, washing their hands.
"What’s wrong? What are you looking at?"
The young man followed her gaze and also saw the two figures, one tall and one short.
"They look like a father and daughter!"
Xie Pan’Er wanted to turn back and ask if that young man had really been the one to save her. However, after taking only a couple of steps, Young Master Lu beside her reminded her, "Your clothes are soaked through! You should hurry back and change!"
Only then did Xie Pan’Er realize. If she were seen returning with Young Master Lu in this state, it would surely spark rumors.
"Young Master Lu, please return first! It’s not appropriate for us to go back together like this!"
It was the height of summer. She could find a secluded spot to dry her clothes in the sun; surely, they wouldn’t take long to dry.
"What’s inappropriate about it? Pan’Er, you should have known my feelings long ago. Once we return, I will definitely marry you," Young Master Lu said hurriedly.
"Young Master Lu, please don’t say such things again. We are not suited for each other."
Xie Pan’Er retreated several steps, forcefully creating distance between herself and Young Master Lu.
"Pan’Er, don’t you like me? I... I like you; surely you can tell? Just now... I just saved you from the creek! Are you going to forget such a kindness so quickly?"
Xie Pan’Er stared at Young Master Lu, terrified and incredulous, a cold smirk playing on her lips. "Pulling me from the creek counts as saving me?"
"Of course! Pan’Er, don’t people always say that a life-saving debt should be repaid with one’s body? Since I just saved you, shouldn’t you offer yourself to me?"
Xie Pan’Er clenched her fists tightly, silently telling herself: Endure it. I must endure it. For my parents to live peacefully, I can’t cause trouble. I absolutely mustn’t give anyone a hold over me.
"Pan’Er, just agree, please? When we get back to the capital, I’ll tell my mother and have her send a matchmaker to the Xie Family. I want to marry you as my concubine!"
"What? Lu Yunsheng, say that again! What are you planning to do?"
Nearby, Xiaosuisui blinked, looking at her Godfather Emperor, who now had a hint of anger on his face. She asked in confusion, "Godfather Emperor, what’s a concubine?"
The young Emperor ground his teeth but, in the end, didn’t answer Xiaosuisui’s question.
Meanwhile, Lu Yunsheng dutifully repeated his words for Xie Pan’Er.