Chapter 22: Called to Account
Xue Ning rose quietly and folded up Li Changche’s cloak. She stared at it for a long moment before carefully tucking it into her bundle, thinking she would wash it properly and return it to him someday.
By the time Baochan came back with hot water, Xue Ning simply splashed some over her freezing face and stepped out of the room.
Su Zhan barely looked at her. After boarding the carriage, he merely closed his eyes to rest.
He had a face that looked carved from jade—sharp features, flawless proportions. Most striking of all were his long, deep-set eyes, dark as a bottomless pool. He rarely smiled, and when he was silent, there was an oppressive edge to him, cold and severe like a merciless king of the underworld.
No one in the manor feared him less than a little.
And yet the young maidens who had just begun to understand love could never help falling for him too—afraid of him, drawn to him.
Xue Ning once loved that untouchable coldness as well.
But now she only felt that no matter how beautiful the moon hanging high in the heavens might be, someone like her should never have tried to drag it down into the mortal world.
So, deep in her heart, she finally let go of whatever bound her to him.
Su Zhan said nothing. The carriage was so quiet even a pin dropping would have sounded loud.
Xue Ning understood his silence. He disliked that she had acted on her own, so she wisely chose not to speak first.
Besides, the cold had left her head heavy and sluggish.
Not long after the carriage started moving, she drifted off against Baochan’s shoulder.
She did not know how much time had passed before the sound of the carriage stopping reached her ears.
Her body jerked, and she nearly pitched forward—
A strong arm wrapped around her waist and steadied her.
Still dazed, she opened her eyes and met the man’s dark gaze. Only then did she realize she had somehow fallen asleep in his arms.
Mortified, Xue Ning hurriedly pushed herself upright with one hand braced against his thigh.
But the carriage was dimly lit, and she was flustered enough already. Her fingers accidentally pressed somewhere they should not have.
The man’s expression darkened instantly.
“Xue Ning.”
He practically ground her name out through clenched teeth, his gaze anything but friendly.
Only then did Xue Ning realize what she had touched. Heat exploded through her fingertips.
Forget propriety—she curled her fingers tightly and sat upright at once.
“Brother… I was half asleep. I’m sorry. I didn’t mean to…”
Su Zhan pressed his lips into a thin line.
“Get out.”
Xue Ning nodded frantically. “Right away. I’ll get out now.”
It was the first time she had ever been this obedient.
And yet Su Zhan’s mood only grew more unsettled.
He shut his eyes.
A restless heat had risen in him because of that soft little hand.
He had always treated her as nothing more than an insignificant younger sister. So why had such a trivial touch stirred desire in him?
Or…
Had she done it on purpose?
After all, he had seen it clearly enough. That seemingly innocent girl had already coaxed from his mother the Su family jade bracelet meant for the future daughter-in-law.
The recognition banquet. Keeping her distance from him. Wanting to make her own choices. Claiming she only saw him as a brother.
Lies. Every last word of it.
Her little act at Zhen’guo Temple—retreating only to lure him closer—had been played beautifully.
Her feelings for him could not have been more obvious.
Throwing herself at a man like this—
At the thought, Su Zhan lowered his eyes, irritation gathering between his brows.
“Heir Apparent, Miss Xue has already returned to the manor.”
Mo Bai’s calm voice came from outside the carriage curtain.
Only after a long moment did Su Zhan slowly open his eyes in the darkness.
“Mm.”
By the time they returned to the marquis manor, the sky had not yet fully darkened.
Old Madam Xie had already sent Madam Song and several maids to wait outside the inner courtyard gate.
The moment Xue Ning returned, she was escorted straight to Wanshou Hall.
Though it was already late, the hall was crowded.
Madam Jiang and the other two ladies of the household were attending Old Madam Xie. Su Xi and her sisters sat below, and Princess Shuning was naturally present as well.
Aside from Su Yu, even Su Mai—who had been away in Yongzhou handling affairs—had returned. He sat in the armchair to Su Yu’s left, his bright black eyes fixed on the entrance.
Xue Ning arrived beneath the corridor with snow and wind still clinging to her clothes. Madam Song lifted the curtain, revealing glimpses of rich silks and embroidered hems inside.
Such a grand gathering told her exactly what they intended to ask.
The moment she entered, she bowed respectfully to Old Madam Xie and immediately admitted fault.
“Old Madam, it was my carelessness. I nearly lost the jade bracelet Mother left me. Thankfully, Elder Brother happened to be at Zhen’guo Temple and caught that thief, Young Master Cao. Mother’s bracelet is still safely on my wrist.”
As she spoke, she raised her slender pale left hand.
Everyone looked.
The bracelet was indeed still there.
But they all knew perfectly well that the bracelet was not what Old Madam Xie truly cared about.
“Mother’s belongings are naturally precious to me, and Old Madam has every right to be angry. I should never have gone alone to Zhen’guo Temple to pay respects to my parents. I was unfilial and caused both Old Madam and the ladies to worry.”
Old Madam Xie sat calmly warming her hands around a copper handwarmer. “Then why didn’t you ask your eldest brother to accompany you?”
“Elder Brother is burdened with countless responsibilities. I truly didn’t wish to trouble him. Though fortunately, it was because he was at Zhen’guo Temple that I was able to return safely.”
The moment Su Zhan stepped into Wanshou Hall, that was what he heard—the girl’s soft, delicate voice.
She deftly avoided the important points, used him as a shield, and repeatedly emphasized her filial devotion in visiting her parents’ memorial tablets.
In only a few sentences, she had answered flawlessly.
The corner of Su Zhan’s mouth shifted faintly as he walked inside.
“Grandmother.”
Old Madam Xie lifted her aged eyes, warmth filling her face. “Zhan’er has returned.”
Su Zhan walked to Xue Ning’s side, paid his respects, then took the seat to Old Madam Xie’s right.
The instant he entered, Xue Ning’s entire body tensed.
Looking around at the solemn faces filling the room, she suddenly felt as though she were standing before a tribunal.
The atmosphere was suffocating.
It reminded her of her previous life—of the day she and Cao Jin had been caught together. Back then, these people had worn the exact same expressions: cold, vicious, eager to skin her alive.
The only difference was—
This time, Cao Jin had failed.
Xue Ning relaxed ever so slightly, keeping a polite smile on her lips.
“Does Old Madam have anything else to ask? Elder Brother returned with me. He knows everything that happened.”
Su Qing shot her a malicious glance and could no longer hold herself back.
“Grandmother, then why did Young Master Cao go to Sister Xue’s room in the first place? Was he really only there to steal the bracelet? Sister Xue… could it be you have some shameful relationship with Young Master Cao? Is that why you went alone to Zhen’guo Temple to meet him in secret?”
Su Qing’s words were, in truth, Old Madam Xie’s own suspicions.
The moment she finished speaking, everyone’s questioning gazes landed squarely on Xue Ning like tangible weight.
For any noble young lady, such accusations were humiliation enough.
Which was why Old Madam Xie had not asked directly, instead borrowing Su Qing’s mouth to do it—for the sake of appearances.
“Fourth Sister’s words confuse me.” Xue Ning tilted her head innocently. “I brought Nanny Hao and Baochan with me, along with two guards and a driver. And Elder Brother and Mo Bai were there as well. How could I possibly be considered alone?”
“Besides…” She smiled faintly. “When Young Master Cao was caught inside my meditation room, I was outside the entire time. How could there have been any secret meeting between us?”
She turned toward Nanny Hao beside her and smiled softly.
“Nanny Hao, wouldn’t you agree?”
