Pan Chun nodded and left.
Only after the little one stopped crying did Liu Wan deliberately linger in the room for a good while before going out.
As she stepped outside, she faintly heard them saying that Old Madam Xie favored boys over girls and had deliberately snubbed newborn Wanwan.
A smile curved her lips.
Inside the Charity Hall.
Xu Rourou had just coaxed Xie Huaishan to sleep. She tucked the string of jade beads into her son's swaddling clothes and wept with hurt. "My little Huai Shan, your mother's status is too low to give you a grand one-month celebration. All that honor and favor in the front hall should have been yours. This is the only decent thing I have to give you."
"Your father told me that after today, you'll have a proper status, and none of today's grievances will matter. But even so, how can he bear to separate us, mother and son?"
She was actually her own child's wet nurse!
That meant that even if she became a concubine, she could not publicly acknowledge herself as her own child's birth mother.
She had come from the countryside as a child and grown up under the protection of the Marquis's Residence. She and Xie Jin'an had known each other for years, childhood sweethearts. Even if Xie Jin'an made her his principal wife, she was worthy of the position. Ultimately, she still felt that Xie Jin'an was not sincere enough toward her.
At that thought, she cried even harder.
Outside the door, scattered snatches of the maids' conversation drifted in.
"Have you heard? The young lady the heir has taken a fancy to is even more highborn than our lady. If she falls into the water this time and he rescues her, won't our household gain another mistress?"
"Who told you that? Why would a perfectly fine young lady fall into the water? Don't let the stewardess hear you."
The voice grew quieter still. "My dear sister, would I lie to you? Old Madam has arranged everything. Someone will push the young lady into the water, and the heir will jump in to save her. Then she'll have to marry him and become the mistress of the household..."
Xu Rourou clenched her teeth. Her own position had not even been settled yet, so how could Xie Jin'an already be marrying someone else?
What would happen to her and Huai Shan?
No, she had to go and see.
She pushed open the door and ran out.
Beside the lotus pond.
Liu Wan led the ladies along the covered walkway to the pavilion.
The pavilion's plaque was covered with red cloth, and red ribbons adorned the walkway, making it look very festive.
A maid smiled and handed Liu Wan one end of the red cloth. "This is a surprise the heir prepared for the young miss. Please unveil the plaque, my lady."
Liu Wan pulled away the red cloth, revealing the words "Love Evening Pavilion" on the plaque.
Maids emerged from the pavilion carrying things. Liu Wan lifted the red cloths one by one, revealing plenty of valuable items beneath them.
Most notably, there was a whole box of gold, silver, and jade ornaments.
They were all gifts for Wanwan.
Everyone envied her, declaring that Liu Wan had married a fine husband. Little Wanwan rubbed her eyes.
[What's so good about him? Won't all this end up belonging to the male lead anyway? And this Love Evening Pavilion-my scumbag dad prepared a whole mansion in the capital for the male lead, but all I get is a pavilion named after me. He's so biased...]
Liu Wan's expression stiffened.
She had known it. These seemingly decent gifts were nothing special after all.
Xie Jin'an and Old Madam were willing to give Wanwan these things only because they wanted to wager a little to win a lot.
Suddenly, someone shouted, "A-a snake!"
The ladies scattered to avoid it, some losing their composure, and the scene instantly descended into chaos.
Liu Wan's face darkened. Sure enough, a green pit viper slithered out of the grass. Amid the confusion, a maid beside the Fifth Princess suddenly toppled toward her. Quick of eye and hand, Liu Wan pulled the Fifth Princess aside.
The maid pitched straight toward the water's edge and was bitten by the snake.
Holding little Wanwan in one arm and pulling the Fifth Princess with her other hand, Liu Wan ordered decisively, "Quick, escort the ladies away!"
Just then, someone outside the pavilion shouted, "Oh no! A lady has fallen into the water!"
The ladies cried out and hurried away from the pavilion under their maids' escort.
Someone really had fallen into the water.
When Liu Wan reached the spot, she saw a figure plunge in with a splash to rescue the person.
Lady Liu suddenly cried, "Isn't that the Xie heir? How is it his place to jump in and rescue someone?"
"It looks like a woman in the water. This... what a mess."
"A life is at stake. There's no other choice."
Everyone watched with their hearts in their throats. Soon, Xie Jin'an brought the woman ashore, both of them soaking wet.
"Forgive my offense, Fifth..."
Before he could say "Princess," he caught sight of that pitiful face, and his own face instantly went white.
How could it be Xu Rourou?
Shouldn't she be in her room feeding the baby right now?
Damn it, everything's ruined!
When Old Madam arrived, she saw the Fifth Princess standing perfectly unharmed beside Liu Wan, then saw the rescued Xu Rourou shivering and dripping wet. Her vision went black, and she nearly collapsed.
"Oh dear, Old Madam Xie, you mustn't let the shock overcome you. Whose household does this woman belong to? Now that the heir has touched her body, her reputation is no longer unsullied."
"Indeed, you must handle this properly. Whatever you do, don't let it become a scandal."
Several ladies spoke up to remind her.
Pan Chun came running over, breathless, and rushed straight forward, crying, "Oh! Isn't this the wet nurse Old Madam hired to feed the little young master? Wet nurse, how did you fall into the water out of nowhere?"
Everyone froze as though struck by lightning!
A-a wet nurse?
The Xie heir had touched a wet nurse's body?
The little young master? Who was that?
[Hehehe, my scumbag dad's mistress has appeared... She's quite pretty. If only someone would expose them...]
Little Wanwan waved her fists, giggling merrily.
In the silence, her laughter sounded utterly out of place, but she was a baby, so no one held it against her!
Liu Wan explained with a smile, "Forgive this embarrassing scene, everyone. Last month, Old Madam rescued a baby boy from a human trafficker. Taking pity on him, she kept him in the household to raise him. This is the wet nurse hired to care for that little young master."
Lady Liu stepped forward and clasped her daughter's hand, a flicker of heartache passing through her eyes. She asked sharply, "Old Madam, who knows what background this wet nurse comes from? How could she fall into the water for no reason?"
Old Madam was so frantic that she could barely string her words together. What dared she say? How could she know why Xu Rourou had fallen into the water here? The person she had arranged for was clearly... was...
The Fifth Princess looked at her curiously.
She dared not say another word.
Xie Jin'an's expression was thunderous. The corner of his mouth twitched as he suppressed his anger. "What exactly happened?"
"I... I was hurrying to feed the little young master. I ran too fast and accidentally tripped into the water. I... sob, sob... I can't go on living..."
Xu Rourou was frightened into tears. Wet strands of hair clung to her delicate, pretty face, dripping water and making her look utterly pitiful.
Liu Wan handed little Wanwan to Lady Liu, then took an outer robe and wrapped it around Xu Rourou. "Where are you from? Where is your husband?"
"H-husband?"
Xu Rourou raised her eyes and stole a glance at Xie Jin'an. Anger still lingered in his eyes.
Liu Wan said sympathetically, "You look so young, yet you're already working as a wet nurse. Your husband must have died, then? What about your child? Did your child die too?"
Before you continue