"That good-for-nothing, to be unaware of the blessings he is in!" Zhuang Weixian chuckled and sighed, filled simultaneously with envy, jealousy, and regret, and involuntarily shook his head.
"Who are you? Why are you here?" Zhuang Weixian was still laughing and sighing, the smile on his face had yet to fade when abruptly a woman stood before him, her eyes glaring at him with vigilance as she sternly questioned.
Caught off guard, Zhuang Weixian blurted out: "And who might you be?" This girl wasn’t from the Zhuang family.
The arrival was none other than Liu Ya. As the ladies strolled and admired the flowers in the garden, they were attended to by the Zhuang family’s servants. Thus, the maids who accompanied them were left to amuse themselves in the garden under the lead of the Zhuang family’s head maid. Liu Ya had casually noticed a person hiding behind the bushes and, out of curiosity, stealthily approached only to see him staring fixatedly towards the ladies, with a silly, besotted grin spreading across his face, which triggered her anger.
"It’s none of your business!" Liu Ya jutted her chin up in disdain and said: "You rascal, you’ve got some nerve peeping here! If the ladies find out, they’ll flay you alive! Given your appearance, one would think you decent, but who would’ve guessed your thoughts to be so vile! Go on, get lost, or I’ll call for someone!"
Rascal? Decent in appearance? Vile thoughts? Zhuang Weixian couldn’t help but burst into laughter, thinking if his mother heard this, who knows how angry she would get!
"Do I look that bad?" Zhuang Weixian huffed in indignation, touching his chin. Surely he wasn’t much worse off than Shi Fengju? No, he considered himself a bit better!
Liu Ya glared at him fiercely, showing impatience: "Who cares how you look, just go! If you don’t, I’ll really call someone! You won’t look good with a swollen face! You look like an educated man; don’t be oblivious to your position!"
Zhuang Weixian smiled, suddenly feeling playful. His smile receded, and he took two steps back, bowed to Liu Ya, and solemnly said: "Honestly, I have inadvertently lost my way and entered here. If I have been disrespectful just now, I beg for the young lady’s forgiveness! Could you possibly direct me so I might find my way out?"
This sudden shift in his demeanor caught Liu Ya off guard, and she hastily retreated two steps, stammering: "I—I’m not from this household, I don’t know the way either. Where are you trying to go? Should I ask someone to help you find it?"
Zhuang Weixian was secretly amused. Glancing up at the northwest side, where the plaque of a pavilion bore the inscription "Linfeng Pavilion," he casually claimed: "The Zhuang family’s young master has arranged to meet me at Linfeng Pavilion."
Liu Ya was startled, squinting her eyes at him: "Are you really heading to Linfeng Pavilion?"
"Indeed!" Zhuang Weixian nodded earnestly, suppressing a laugh and sighed: "Alas, the Zhuang family’s garden is simply too vast. I have been searching for a long time and have not found it!"
Hearing this, Liu Ya snorted, gave him a disdainful look, and spat out: "Don’t you toy with me! Isn’t that Linfeng Pavilion right there? With those big three characters, don’t tell me you didn’t see them!"
This time it was Zhuang Weixian’s turn to be surprised. Embarrassed by his exposed lie, he chuckled awkwardly: "You—you can read?"
Liu Ya humphed: "Indeed I can! Is being literate such a big deal? Don’t think you can be so arrogant just because you have read a couple of books! Do you take everyone for fools? I can tell for sure you’re up to no good!" As she spoke, she glanced around and thought to herself how fortunate it was that no one had seen them; catching sight of Zhuang Weixian’s back, she took the opportunity to turn and dash away.
Lucky indeed, had someone seen her in the Zhuang family’s garden with this disreputable man, it wouldn’t just be her face at stake; even the head lady and the madam would be embarrassed!
Really! Why on earth did she interfere in others’ business!
Zhuang Weixian, realizing he had been duped, turned to see only the retreating figure of a dainty back. He chuckled, shaking his head in disbelief, fooled by a mere maid; such a brazen girl, he thought.
Seeing that the ladies were getting up, presumably to go watch a play at Yuhua Pavilion, Zhuang Weixian knew that the task his mother had given him was begrudgingly accomplished, so he dusted off his sleeves and turned to leave.
Meanwhile, among the ladies, Sang Wan incessantly impressed everyone with her abacus skills, gaining their admiration. Just as they were complimenting her, the four poems that had been sent for the scholars’ appraisal were returned. Mrs. Zhuang’s eyes brightened with anticipatory glee, hoping Tang Yuzhen might clinch a victory. Yet, to her dismay, all three scholars from the Zhuang family unanimously favored Sang Wan’s poems. Mrs. Zhuang forced a smile, praising Sang Wan, and personally handed her the bottle of perfume, saying with a light smile: "One has to concede, Miss Wan truly lives up to her reputation! This perfume suits you just right! Here, pour out some and see if you like it!"