They say that after Shen Mizhi's incident on the street that evening, she felt as though she had swallowed a fly—sickened and furious!
After returning to the residence, she first gave Qiu Hen a thorough scolding and beating, then shut herself in her bedchamber to sulk. She let no one in and did not even go eat dinner.
Having been beaten and scolded, Qiu Hen did not dare try to persuade her.
Seeing that something was wrong, Ma Chunmin called Qiu Hen over. Once she asked, Qiu Hen began weeping and sobbing as she carefully recounted everything she had seen.
That was how Ma Chunmin came to arrange a feast and invite Duan Rong!
Ma Chunmin thought Shen Mizhi had been frightened, so she did not disturb her, wanting to let her recover on her own. She merely had someone deliver a bowl of lotus seed soup to her!
Shen Mizhi sulked through the entire night, and the next day, she still felt stifled in her chest, her hatred impossible to dispel!
Thus, early that morning, she arranged to meet Xia Shuangshuang of Cloud Water Bank. The two each mounted a Green Mane Horse and rode out to the countryside for an outing!
After playing all day and sweating all over, Shen Mizhi finally felt somewhat refreshed. Yet the moment she returned to the residence, she heard that a banquet had been laid out in the Flower Hall to entertain Duan Rong.
At first, she did not know who Duan Rong was, nor did she connect him to what had happened to herself.
She was even rather interested, wiping away her fragrant sweat as she questioned Qiu Hen.
The instant Qiu Hen explained, Shen Mizhi's expression changed. She nearly rushed over to give that frivolous little thief a savage beating