Parting the lotus leaves, she spotted a small stake nearby and could easily jump to it. But as she placed her second foot on the stake, it tilted unexpectedly.
Unprepared, Wei Linxia swayed before falling into the lotus pond. The cold morning water soaked her clothes, and unable to swim, she panicked and began to sink. Just as the water reached her chin, she saw Xi Zhaoting leap from the half-pavilion and approach. She heard a “splash” and choked on water.
A hand grabbed her, pulling her forward. Wei Linxia clutched her clothing hem, trying to protect herself from the cold. “You’re so heavy…” Xi Zhaoting complained, then moved his hand to her waist, holding her tightly against him, making her feel safer.
Wei Linxia bobbed up and down, noticing the lotus flowers rising and falling. The nearby stone wall seemed far away, connected to the half-pavilion by steep steps. Eventually, she was pulled onto the stone steps, completely soaked. Water dripped from her hair and clothing, and the morning breeze made her shiver.
“You glutton, falling into the water while holding onto lotus pods,” Xi Zhaoting said, sitting beside her, his body wet as well, but his face remained composed compared to her pale one. Only then did Wei Linxia realize she was still clutching the lotus pods.
She hadn’t intentionally protected them; she instinctively held onto something during her first experience of falling into water.
“I’m sorry, Your Highness, for making you like this,” she said, having never seen Xi Zhaoting so disheveled.
Xi Zhaoting was about to scold her but noticed her pale, bloodless face, bitten lips, eyes full of fear, and trembling body against the stone wall.
Never mind, he thought, it’s like rescuing a little drowning dog. Looking at Wei Linxia again, he found it rare that the young miss of the Wei family could appear so pitiful.
He stood up, jumped onto the stone stake, and used a soft tool to part the lotus leaves, instructing Wei Linxia: “Stop jumping around. Follow me.”
Wei Linxia stood up, feeling colder with the wind, and followed him with a pale face.
Near the stake where she had fallen, Xi Zhaoting examined it. The stone stake was broken in two with an uneven break. Glancing back at Wei Linxia, who looked puzzled, he said: “It’s because you’re too heavy and broke the stake.”
As they walked, Xi Zhaoting criticized Wei Linxia: “Why weren’t you staying in your room this morning? Why come here to play…”
“Can’t even look at the road; clearly there’s a stake on the left, yet you step on the right.”
Wei Linxia’s brow furrowed tighter as she listened to him, her heart sinking. When she jumped onto the shore, before she could speak, Xi Zhaoting remarked, “Risking your life for lotus pods, you’re brave, but you’ve made me jump down too…”
“You wanted to save me. I didn’t ask you to. If you hadn’t been so desperate for lotus pods, I wouldn’t have fallen into the water. Don’t expect me to be grateful.” Wei Linxia shot back, her eyes wide. She then turned and ran, clutching the lotus pods.
Xi Zhaoting stood stunned until a cold wind snapped him back. “Wei Linxia, you dare shout at me! Stop right there!” he shouted, but she had already vanished among the willow branches.
When Wei Linxia returned, Yu Mo and the others were anxiously searching for her. Seeing her soaking wet frightened them. She placed the lotus pods on the table: “I’ve collected them; we’ll make porridge with them tonight.”
“Miss, won’t you send some to the two princes and the princess?” Yu Mo asked.
“No, they’re mine,” Wei Linxia replied, puffing her cheeks.
Seeing her dark expression, Yu Mo didn’t dare ask further and had the servants carefully dry and store the lotus pods. After a hot bath and drying her hair with several towels, Wei Linxia crawled into bed, still shivering.
Wrapped up with only her round face visible, she looked pale despite the bath. Yu Mo found a copper hand warmer and placed it in her bedding.
Warmed up, Wei Linxia began to regret her words to Xi Zhaoting, fearing he would hate her. She pulled the covers over her head and sighed deeply.
When the sunlight brightened, Princess Yan came to call her. Wei Linxia’s hair was dry, and Yu Mo skillfully braided it into two buns. As Yu Mo was about to tie a frost-colored ribbon, Wei Linxia quickly stopped her, preferring her usual hanging curls.
“Yu Mo, put on the ribbon. Otherwise, without a decoration, it would look ugly,” Princess Yan said.
“Miss, look, the princess says it looks good,” Yu Mo quickly finished the hairstyle.
“Your face was a bit dark yesterday, but today it’s almost bloodless,” Princess Yan remarked.
“Nothing,” Wei Linxia said as she stood up, wearing her unfamiliar hairstyle, and followed Princess Yan to breakfast. Xi Zhaoting, Wei Fenzhì, and Li Weiheng were already there. Shortly after, Xi Linxuan arrived, clearly not having slept well. Li Weiheng curiously asked why Wei Linxia’s face was so pale, but she just shook her head, secretly glancing at Xi Zhaoting, who was giving her an unfriendly look.
She was in trouble now, with Xi Zhaoting holding something over her.
Xi Linxuan noticed her fleeting look of regret and Xi Zhaoting’s constant attention, which bred displeasure in him.
After breakfast, everyone discussed their plans. Li Weiheng mentioned seeing a lotus pond and suggested finding some lotus pods. Xi Zhaoting quickly agreed.
At the lotus pond, Li Weiheng discovered a stone stake and excitedly stepped onto it, calling Xi Zhaoting to follow. Princess Yan joined in, with Wei Fenzhì protecting her, leaving only Xi Linxuan and Wei Linxia on the shore.
“You can go; you don’t need to keep me company,” Xi Linxuan said, eager to move freely and pick lotus pods.
Wei Linxia shook her head: “Anyway, they won’t eat what they pick themselves. We’ll just wait.”
Xi Linxuan glanced at her and then looked away.
Oh, right, this is the well-mannered daughter of the Wei family, who would never bounce around like other girls.
The four played for a while, not picking many lotus pods. When they returned, only Wei Fenzhì had one in his hand. He wondered, “The flowers have withered, but there’s only this one pod. Looking at the marks, it seems to have been just picked. I wonder which greedy servant got here first.”
“Whoever it was must be quite heavy to have broken the stone stake,” Xi Zhaoting said, subtly glancing at Wei Linxia, inwardly cursing. He had only been out early practicing martial arts when he encountered the unfortunate Wei Linxia, forcing him to drink a bowl of spicy ginger soup to ward off the cold.
Wei Linxia remained silent, sitting properly as if he wasn’t being criticized.
Soon it was noon, and after lunch, they were to return to the royal city. During casual conversation, Li Weiheng asked Wei Linxia, “Shen Bi sister, your face was so white this morning, why is it red now?”
“Probably from the sun,” Wei Linxia replied, feeling unwell, her head tight and her body alternating between cold and hot.
Wei Linxia ate her meal with a taste like chewing wax, nearly retching several times. After finishing, everyone returned to their rooms to pack. Yu Mo secretly checked her forehead and exclaimed, “Miss, you must have caught a fever from the morning chill.”
“Don’t make a fuss, we’re going back soon. Yu Mo, don’t tell my mother the truth later. Just say I caught a chill from staying out late by the water,” Wei Linxia instructed.
Back at the Wei residence, Wei Linxia could no longer hold on. She had a fever all night, getting up twice to take medicine. By morning, the fever had slightly subsided. Lady Wei came and scolded the servants before leaving. After she left, Wei Linxia called Yu Mo, who brought alcohol and cotton balls to apply to her dry, cracked lips. Wei Linxia then asked her to deliver the lotus pods to Xi Linxuan.
