Chapter 7 : Sisters
7: Sisters
"Hahahahahahahahaha!"
With a loud splash, icy, bone‑chilling lake water instantly submerged Qin Wan's head. Caught off guard, she choked on several mouthfuls. In her ears, she heard shrill, mocking laughter from the shore.
Fortunately, the water near the shore wasn't deep. Qin Wan struggled to her feet.
Soaked through, standing in waist‑deep water, she coughed and wiped her face. Composing herself, she saw the person who had ambushed her standing on the bank: a face that could be considered delicate, a pair of narrow eyes filled with mockery and triumph, dressed in servant's attire. Seeing Qin Wan look over, she lifted her chin with a disdainful snort, showing not a hint of guilt or remorse.
Qin Wan then looked toward the basalt rock in the distance. The laughter had come from that direction.
At that moment, seven or eight people stood on the basalt rock. The most conspicuous were the two young ladies at the front. Both were dressed in elaborate, luxurious attire. One held a round fan, using it to cover her mouth as she laughed, her body shaking with mirth.
Fuling knelt on the ground, restrained from behind by two servants, her mouth covered.
The ambush was over. The two servants demonstratively removed their hands from Fuling's mouth.
A tear rolled down Fuling's cheek. She sobbed, "Young Miss!!"
Qin Wan pressed her lips together. It was her own oversight. She had been too focused earlier and hadn't noticed anyone approaching.
"How utterly pitiful! She's fallen into the lake again!" The speaker wore an apricot‑pink and white floral twining‑branch patterned jacket and skirt. She had a round face, large eyes, was short and plump, and had laughed the loudest. She paused slightly, then added, "Sister, shall we go take a look? Her appearance is truly amusing."
As she spoke, the two walked over with graceful steps.
Each was followed by two servants. Fuling remained restrained.
"Young Miss, Sixth Young Miss, the Ninth Young Miss, unable to win Young Master Huo's admiration, is trying to jump into the lake again!"
Fifth Young Miss and Sixth Young Miss? Qin Wan narrowed her eyes. Fuling had mentioned them over the past few days: Fifth Young Miss Qin Xiang and Sixth Young Miss Qin Shuang. They were the ones in the manor who most loved to bully the Ninth Young Miss.
Though the water by the shore was still shallow, just a little further and it would submerge Qin Wan.
These two sisters cared not a whit for her life or death.
A cold glint flashed in Qin Wan's eyes. Her hand at her side slowly clenched into a fist.
The speaker was Wanhe, Qin Xiang's personal maidservant. Hearing this, Qin Shuang sneered coldly. "I've never seen anyone so stupid. Doesn't she think? Young Master Huo is the Prefect's son. How could he possibly fancy goods like her?"
The servants chimed in agreement. Qin Shuang and Qin Xiang walked closer.
Qin Shuang was loud, shrill, and domineering. Qin Xiang only smiled without speaking. She wore a purple high‑waisted pleated skirt. Her face was thin, her brows slender, her eyes long. The look she gave Qin Wan was full of lofty superiority, as if Qin Wan belonged to a different world.
These two sisters truly had not a single likable trait between them.
As Qin Shuang and Qin Xiang approached, the servant who had ambushed Qin Wan stepped aside.
Seeing Qin Wan standing motionless in the water, Qin Shuang strode boldly to the very edge of the bank, her face full of disgust. "Wanqing, why didn't you push harder? Doesn't she want to die? Let her die then! What 'Bodhisattva possession'? Look at her, a drowned dog! Is she worthy?!"
Qin Shuang hurled vicious insults. But she hadn't expected Qin Wan to dare look directly at her. Not only did she look directly, Qin Wan's eyes were dark and bottomless, sending an involuntary chill down Qin Shuang's spine.
Qin Shuang thrust out her chest. "What are you looking at? It's you! You're a jinx, yet you cling to our household, shamelessly pining for Young Master Huo, even threatening to jump into the lake! Do you think that would make Young Master Huo spare you a glance? In his eyes, you're the mud beneath his feet! Don't you want to die? Why don't you go ahead and die, you jinx, you plague‑bringer…"
Qin Shuang leaned forward, as if wishing to drown Qin Wan in her spittle. The morning breeze lifted the silk ribbons at her waist. The ribbons fluttered, almost brushing Qin Wan's face. Qin Wan looked at the spittle‑flying Qin Shuang and gave a powerful yank!
"Ahh!!"
A scream. Qin Shuang's plump body lost its balance and tumbled into the lake!
She plunged headfirst, flailing like a fat fish for a long moment before managing to stand. She too was red‑eyed from choking, soaked through, her hair plastered to her face. Qin Shuang coughed violently several times, staring at Qin Wan in disbelief!
This person! How dare she do this to her!
Furious and humiliated, Qin Shuang pointed a trembling finger at Qin Wan!
The Qin Manor servants on the bank also stared, dumbstruck, at Qin Wan. Even Qin Xiang was stunned.
These people had all bullied Qin Wan together before. Every time, they had bullied her until she was bruised and battered, yet she never dared utter a word of protest. But this time… this time she had actually pulled Qin Shuang into the lake!
"I wanted to die, but the King of Hell wouldn't take me."
"Guess… will he take you?"
Qin Wan stared straight at Qin Shuang, her voice low, cold, and sinister. Remembering Qin Wan had died once already, Qin Shuang felt a creeping horror. She hastily withdrew her pointing finger, not daring to utter another word of abuse.
Seeing this, Qin Wan lifted the hem of her skirt and walked slowly toward the shore.
As she moved, everyone on the bank stepped back.
She had already returned from the dead, an eerie phenomenon. Now she dared to pull Qin Shuang into the water right in front of so many people. Those on the shore inexplicably felt a chilling, murderous aura emanating from her…
If they truly angered her, would she go mad and kill them?
Even Qin Xiang took two steps back. She looked at Qin Wan with a complex, uncertain gaze, full of shock and doubt.
Qin Wan didn't spare Qin Xiang a glance. She walked directly to Fuling. Fuling was also stunned. Her young lady had actually fought back?!
Seeing her approach, the two servants restraining Fuling hurriedly released her and stepped back.
Qin Wan said softly, "Let's go back."
Fuling, her tear‑streaks still wet, snapped out of her daze. She stood up to support Qin Wan, then turned to head toward the western back courtyard. Of all the people present, they watched the two walk farther and farther away, yet no one dared to challenge them.
Qin Shuang stood dumbly in the lake, then suddenly let out a loud wail.
Back in the western back courtyard, the more Fuling thought about it, the more her hands trembled. Once the courtyard gate was closed, Fuling said anxiously, "Young Miss… the Sixth Young Miss, though not a legitimate daughter, is still very much doted on by the Mistress. Will the Mistress punish us?"
"Whose maidservant is Wanqing?" Qin Wan asked instead of answering.
Fuling was taken aback. After a moment, understanding dawned. "Ah, Wanqing is the Sixth Young Miss's maidservant. The Old Madam already intended to minimize Young Miss's matter. But they dared to push Young Miss into the lake again! They are not in the right!"
Fuling looked at Qin Wan's back with admiration, momentarily too excited to speak.
Her young lady was no longer the simple, timid girl who only knew how to be bullied!
"Go find me a set of dry clothes."
At Qin Wan's instruction, Fuling hurried to fetch them. The lake water was too cold. Her young lady had already fallen into the lake once and was physically weak. This time, she was very likely to fall ill!
Fuling went into the inner chamber. Qin Wan, however, walked to the warm room. She released the hand that had been holding up her skirt hem. With a soft tap, a small branch fell from the crumpled skirt.
It was a fresh bamboo twig about three inches long. Soaked for too long, its deep green had turned pale.
Not long after, Fuling came out carrying dry clothes.
Just as she stood still, she heard Qin Wan ask, "Is there a purple bamboo grove in the manor?"