Inside the surrounding wall was a garden. Standing up and looking around, one’s gaze would be filled with a variety of flowers, plants, trees, and the architecture of pavilions, towers, and rockeries—the quintessential backyard of a grand family’s estate.
Ruyu’s heart instantly surged with envy. More than once, she had fantasized that she wasn’t a granddaughter of the Yang Family, but rather a Mingzhu, forgotten by her family and left outside, eventually to return to her rightful life...
And her so-called rightful life was one of luxury—adorned with gold and silver, commanding servants at her whim, leisurely strolling through courtyards like this, or perhaps playing the zither and singing tunes. When she reached marriageable age, a man of handsome appearance and noble status would come to take her away and then pamper her for a lifetime...
Therefore, as she gazed upon such a garden, she truly did not want to leave. She felt that this was where she was meant to live.
However, Ruyu’s daydream was interrupted by the sound of footsteps and voices nearby, which startled her so much that she quickly crouched down, hiding her body back into the weeds that camouflaged the dog hole.
Soon, two maids carrying food boxes passed by.
"It’s truly strange how the young master has fallen ill..." said one tall maid as she started the conversation, "So many doctors have been consulted these days and yet there has been no improvement..."
"Indeed, and it’s so intermittent. The butler’s hair has practically turned white with worry," added the other, shorter maid with a sigh, "And Ding Mei, she’s even more to be pitied. She probably thought she could at least become an Aunt, but now..." She trailed off with a grimace.
"But..." the tall maid suddenly lowered her voice, "have you noticed? There’s often snakes seen in our garden... Just yesterday, Xixi saw a brightly colored snake on the well platform while drawing water, obviously very poisonous. But before she could react, the snake had already fled, thankfully without biting anyone..."
"Stop talking about it; it really gives me the chills. I saw one just the day before yesterday too, right there on the artificial mountain..." the shorter maid quickly leaned towards the taller one, and then looked around, "Now, every time I walk, I feel a tingling in my spine, afraid of stepping on one... Do you think the young master has offended some Snake Spirit or something?"
Hiding behind the shrubbery, Yang Ruyu tensed up involuntarily, a chill rising within her. From the two maids’ conversation, she gleaned that the garden was home not just to one snake, but perhaps many. What kind of luck was this? She had escaped the clutches of a cruel young noble only to enter the domain of poisonous snakes. This wouldn’t do; she had to leave quickly and thus stealthily followed behind the two maids.
The maids walked through a corridor and entered a separate courtyard.
There was no one in the courtyard, but from a distance, the scent of medicine was discernible.
An elderly man, looking like a butler, took the food boxes brought by the maids and went inside. However, he reemerged soon after, apparently having administered the medicine, but he shook his head with a sigh before exiting the courtyard.
Ruyu was considering whether or not to enter when the sound of voices approached from behind, startling her into a hurried entry into the courtyard, where she then ducked into the main house.
Originally, she meant to hide a while and leave once the people outside had gone, but she heard someone coming closer. She had no choice but to turn and hide herself behind the screen in the inner room. Fortunately, the people outside didn’t come in, simply passing by the doorway.
Relieved, Ruyu was just about to leave when she suddenly felt as if someone was watching her. She turned around abruptly, almost letting out a shriek. The man who had been lying in bed had opened his eyes and was now staring intently at her.