Mrs. Zhang signaled the servants with a glance to pull the Madam of the He Family into an adjacent chair. She then sat on the edge of the bed and patted Liang Wan's hand, displaying her usual gentle and considerate demeanor.
"Awan, you've been missing for more than half the day, and it's worried everyone to death. Your uncle dispatched every available servant in the mansion to look for you. They practically turned Jinye City upside down!
"Tell me, if something had really happened to you, how could your uncle and I ever face your Father in the afterlife?"
"If something had really happened?"
Liang Wan stared at the hand covering hers, a wave of disgust washing over her.
Seeing her stay silent, Mrs. Zhang continued, "Actually, even if you don't say it, we all know you've set your heart on that Cui Xiaolang.
"But as the old saying goes, those who sneak around to meet lovers without the approval of their parents or a matchmaker will be despised by their families and the world alike. Are you trying to cheapen yourself?"
Liang Wan sneered inwardly. Was forcing her to become a concubine to Wang Su, a man nearing fifty, not cheapening her?
Everyone in the room quietly observed Liang Wan.
It was obvious to everyone that the Third Lady was much closer to the young man of the Cui Family than she was to anyone else.
Liang Wan closed her eyes and took a breath to steady herself before looking back at Mrs. Zhang. "What are you talking about, Aunt? That Cui Hao is nothing but a man from a destitute Commoner Clan. Why would I ever lower my status to associate with him?"
The Madam of the He Family kept a stern face, while Mrs. Zhang's suspicion was visible to the naked eye. "Is that true?"
"Who exactly framed me, claiming I went to see him?"
Liang Wan was breaking out in a cold sweat but forced herself to hold steady. She could never admit to her scheduled meeting with Cui Hao today, even if it killed her!
Her gaze slowly swept across the crowd before settling on one person. "Chun'er, was it you who said it?"
Chun'er jolted. With a pale face, she dropped to her knees with a loud THUD, rushing to defend herself.
"My Lady, it wasn't me! How would I dare gossip behind my master's back?"
If she dared to betray her master for personal gain, what did a little gossip matter?
Liang Wan lowered her eyes, a heavy hatred brewing within them.
Because of Zhang Shi, she had always been repulsed by acts of intimacy.
Once, while getting up in the middle of the night, she had caught Cui Hao entering Chun'er's room. Although it made her somewhat uncomfortable, he was ultimately a normal man, and it was only human nature for him to have needs.
Furthermore, after Liang Wan had been kicked out, Chun'er had risked everything to sneak a considerable amount of valuables out of the Liang Mansion to join her. Moved by this loyalty, Liang Wan hadn't had the heart to scold her. Therefore, from that point on, she pretended to know nothing about their affair.
But if she hadn't been reborn to live a second life, she would still be kept in the dark. In reality, the two of them had been secretly involved long ago. Otherwise, Chun'er wouldn't have constantly spoken well of him in front of her or urged her to visit Cui Hao's relatives.
This entire situation was simply them working hand in glove!
Unfortunately, she had been completely blind to it!
To catch a thief, you need the loot; to catch cheaters, you need them in the act. She wasn't in a hurry. If they failed this time, they would inevitably try again. She could wait.
"Good."
Liang Wan lifted her eyelids and subtly stretched her palms, revealing striking red scrapes on her skin. "After Chun'er and I got separated, I unexpectedly ran into a thief on the street. He stole my purse, and I chased after him. Not only did I get lost, but I also took a fall."
Mrs. Zhang took her hand and examined it closely. It indeed looked like a scrape from a fall.
Liang Wan added, "If you don't believe me, you can send someone to Southeast Street to ask around. I'm sure someone there saw me."
To avoid drawing attention, she had intentionally taken a detour through Southeast Street before heading to the meeting place. She hadn't expected it to actually come in handy now.
"Then why are you soaked to the bone?"
As the voice rang out, a middle-aged man of average height with a square face walked in.
It was her uncle, Liang Cheng.
"Someone saw I was lost and pretended to help me, but his true intentions were malicious. While I was struggling and pushing him away, I accidentally fell into the water. Thankfully, a passing boatman rescued me, otherwise I wouldn't have made it back—"
Hearing this, Liang Cheng's expression changed. He immediately looked at Mrs. Zhang. "Has a doctor examined her? She isn't injured anywhere, is she?"
Understanding his implication, Mrs. Zhang exchanged a knowing look with him. "Don't worry, Family Head. Everything is fine."
Relieved, Liang Cheng said, "Since you aren't hurt, there is no need to ever bring this matter up again. Otherwise, if word gets out, it will not only damage your reputation but also bring disgrace upon our Liang Mansion.
"Furthermore, if Lord Sikong were to find out, he would surely place the blame and be displeased. It would not bode well for you after you enter his household in the future."
Liang Wan nodded in agreement.
Unexpectedly, as Liang Cheng looked at her again, his eyes grew noticeably colder. "Since you've returned safely today, I won't pursue this matter any further. However, I hope you are genuinely preparing for marriage, rather than trying to come up with other ways to run away.
"You must understand that our Liang Mansion never raises useless people. Since you were born into the Liang family and bear the title and identity of the Third Lady, you must shoulder your rightful responsibilities—"
The responsibility of selling herself for glory?
Beneath her sleeves, Liang Wan clenched her fists tightly. Even if she had to sell herself, it wouldn't be for their sake!
Seeing Liang Wan lower her head and remain silent, Mrs. Zhang timely tugged at Liang Cheng's arm. "She's been through a lot for half a day, got quite a scare, and is still sick. Just say less. Don't worry, with Eldest Sister-in-law and me keeping an eye on her, I guarantee no more incidents will happen."
Turning back to the girl, she added, "Awan, you need to understand your uncle's painstaking efforts. Do you know how many people bend over backwards trying to get into the Sikong Mansion but find no way in? Yet here you are, easily gaining Wang Sikong's favor. Isn't this all thanks to your uncle's planning?"
She discreetly patted Liang Cheng, forcing him to soften his attitude. "That's right. Although Wang Sikong is a bit older, you can see how much he values you. He definitely won't mistreat you in the future! This is something countless people could only beg for!"
Liang Wan lifted her head and flashed him a smile. "Rest assured, Uncle. I will certainly cherish such a great blessing!"
Seeing that she wasn't as resistant as usual, Liang Cheng felt a surge of joy and nodded repeatedly. "It's good that you understand!"
Understand? Of course she understood. If it was such a great blessing, why didn't they save it for their own daughter?
Unexpectedly, the Madam of the He Family, who had been silent for a long while, suddenly spoke up.
"Tell me the truth, who exactly did you go to see? Are you still going to lie to me?"
A dull pain ached in Liang Wan's chest. "Then who does Mother think I went to see?"
Right after, a large, dark cloak was hurled over, smashing hard against her. "This is a man's garment! Tell me yourself, who exactly did you go to see?"
A man?
Liang Cheng and Mrs. Zhang exchanged a glance, their eyes simultaneously falling upon the cloak.
Earlier, they had focused all their attention on Liang Wan, completely overlooking the abnormality of the cloak. Now that they took a good look at it, they couldn't help but feel a jolt of alarm.
Liang Wan collapsed back onto the bed, an unstoppable chill taking over her heart.
Mrs. Zhang stepped forward and carefully removed the cloak. Helping Liang Wan up, she urged, "Awan, tell us honestly, who exactly did you go to see?
"What exactly is the story behind this man's cloak?
"As an unmarried lady, how could you wear a man's clothing? If word of this gets out, how will you ever face anyone?
"Moreover, if Lord Sikong finds out about this, wouldn't your reputation be—"
"Peonies?"
Mrs. Zhang was mid-sentence when Liang Cheng suddenly let out an astonished gasp.