Aunt Fang’s heart tightened. She hurriedly invited Xiaoshuang to have tea, smiling as she asked, "Miss Xiaoshuang, does the madame have something she needs from me?"
Xiaoshuang couldn’t reveal anything and even declined the tea, smiling as she said, "I am only responsible for passing messages, I don’t know what matter Madame has with Aunt Fang! Please follow me, Madame is waiting!"
"Alright, I will just wash my hands and come. Please take a seat, Miss Xiaoshuang, I will be quick, just a moment!" Aunt Fang, nervous, hurriedly instructed someone to take care of Xiaoshuang while she went to wash her hands, pondering continuously in her heart.
Upon arriving at Mrs. Mi’s place, Mrs. Mi didn’t play guessing games but asked straight away, "I heard you went to Ningyuan?"
Aunt Fang’s heart skipped a beat, and she could only smile and nod, "Yes. But I didn’t go to Ningyuan on purpose, I was just strolling in the garden and felt a bit thirsty. It was just beside Ningyuan so I went in to ask for a cup of tea! I intended to have the maids bring out the tea and then leave, but it so happened that Miss Sang Wan was there, so I went in to greet her! Miss Sang Wan even gifted me a small jar of tea leaves!"
"So that was the case!" Mrs. Mi had some reservations about Sang Wan, and was reluctant to have her people associate with Sang Wan, thus she warned, "Be more cautious next time, don’t go everywhere recklessly! There are places you shouldn’t go to avoid inviting gossip, do you hear?"
"Yes, I will heed madame’s advice!" Aunt Fang secretly breathed a sigh of relief, obediently responding with a bow.
"Hm!" Mrs. Mi nodded in satisfaction, waving her hand, "Just remember this! Don’t follow in Aunt Shui’s footsteps, doing one thing on the surface and another behind the scenes, go on then!"
"Yes, madame! How dare I not listen to madame’s words! I shall return now!" Aunt Fang respectfully bowed and withdrew.
At the door, Aunt Fang and Mrs. Yin looked at each other with fear; it seems a visit to Ningyuan must be deferred for now! They would have to wait for an appropriate opportunity to meet Miss Sang Wan again.
"Don’t worry, Aunt. There’s plenty of time! We can slowly make plans," Mrs. Yin comforted her.
"Indeed, you are right!" Aunt Fang nodded, feeling indignant yet biting back, wondering who could have informed Mrs. Mi so swiftly.
Aunt Fang sighed softly, but that was all; she had no intention of investigating. Even if she knew who tipped Mrs. Mi off, she couldn’t do much about it! Mrs. Mi was the legitimate wife, and she was but a concubine. It was natural for Mrs. Mi to keep an eye on their actions to manage and educate them, how could she possibly confront Mrs. Mi?
During such moments of helplessness dictated by her status, Aunt Fang especially despised her role as a concubine. Even though she might strive for Master’s affection with all her might, it changed nothing!
Her life might already be hopeless, but she couldn’t let her daughter’s life be just as bleak, she had to fight for her! Even if it meant risking everything! Only when her daughter was well, could she feel at peace!
On Sang Wan’s end, seeing that Aunt Fang had finally left, she too secretly breathed a sigh of relief. She thought that Aunt Fang couldn’t possibly keep running to her so frequently; for now, she had handled it. If there was a next time, she would have to employ the same approach, as it was better not to let Aunt Fang voice out certain things. Even if it meant a polite refusal, it still was a loss of face! She had to consider the second house.
Suddenly, November arrived and the days were getting colder. The atmosphere between the two young masters of Ningyuan remained tepid.
Sang Wan had given up completely; whenever facing Shi Fengju, she would consider herself merely a servant to attend to his needs, taking meticulous care of his meals, clothes, and daily living. However, everyone could feel something was off, including Shi Fengju himself.
Initially, Shi Fengju thought her brief resentment would fade after a few days, and didn’t engage much. However, after seven or eight days, Sang Wan still treated him with distant respect.
Shi Fengju felt awkward and restless, and began to proactively engage in small talks with her, being extremely cautious. Sang Wan did not buy into it; she maintained a soft and compliant demeanor, gently responding to his every remark without further comment, her eyes void of any emotions. This rendered Shi Fengju feeling utterly helpless for the first time.
"Miss Wan, if you’re free tomorrow, how about I accompany you to the street? Our family’s silk shop just received a new batch of furs and wool, perfect for making woolen clothes; I can help you pick out a few, how does that sound?" That evening, Shi Fengju once again tried to engage her with a smile upon return.
Sang Wan’s expression remained unchanged; she didn’t even spare him a glance as she lightly said, "Thank you for your kind intention, young master, but it’s unnecessary! The woolen clothes were already arranged by the household a few days ago, there’s really no need to go overboard! It’s too cold, and Miss Wan prefers not to go out without necessity. Perhaps you might want to ask the main house madam, she might be interested."
Shi Fengju’s face suddenly darkened, still facing the same attitude!
"What do you really want? Do you have to speak to me this way?" Shi Fengju said with a cold expression.
Sang Wan lightly blinked, gently lifting her gaze, her clear eyes calmly looking at Shi Fengju as she politely said, "What do you mean, young master? Forgive me, Miss Wan doesn’t understand! If there’s something Miss Wan hasn’t done right, please enlighten me, and I will correct it!"