Chapter 77
This pavilion was an eight-sided structure, whose horizontal facades alternated between walls and openness. The two were standing near an opening with no protection whatsoever. So, a moment of inattention could lead one to fall into the water.
“Just where is it? Point it out for me, what is it?”
“That thing looks really nice. If we manage to get it out, I think Big Sister will like it very much.”
“I can’t see anything!” Ji Muqing showed her impatience as she craned her neck to try and catch a glimpse. She was even standing on her tippy toes.
‘This part of her personality hasn’t changed since she was a kid! Whenever she catches the whiff of something new, or some new gossip, she wouldn’t rest till she had dug it up completely! Even the top paparazzi in modern times, Zhuo Wei, would have to admit defeat!’
And it was precisely because she was “investigating” too seriously that she did not notice the treacherous smirk that slowly crept onto Ji Yunshu’s lips.
Ji Yunshu retreated inconspicuously and turned back to look at Ji Lingzhi. Just like her older sister, she was also struggling to find that object.
‘Go ahead and look. In a bit, you’ll be able to get a much closer look!’
“Lingzhi, how about I carry you? This way you’ll get a better view of it,” said Ji Yunshu gently.
Ji Lingzhi’s eyes rolled in their sockets. Despite her disdain, she could not resist her curiosity, so she agreed, “Then be careful when carrying me. If you let me fall, I’m going to tell grandmother about it.”
“Hmm… ”
Ji Lingzhi raised her hands and extended them towards her. She refused to look at Ji Yunshu, turning her head to the side, as if she was a master and Ji Yunshu was a servant!
However, Ji Lingzhi had not expected that Ji Yunshu, instead of wrapping her arms around her waist, grasped her shoulder and gave her a good push. At the same time, Ji Yunshu quickly shifted her feet so that she retreated to the side, far from her initial position.
Ji Lingzhi, who was pushed by her shoulder, tried to stop her fall, but her body was small and Ji Yunshu’s strength overwhelmed her. Ji Lingzhi’s body directly fell towards Ji Muqing, and, her hands, which had been raised over her head, just so happened to slam into Ji Muqing’s back.
A cry of surprise was followed by the sound of a splash.
One could only see Ji Muqing’s blue robe float on the surface of the water as its wearer sank beneath it. It was quite pretty!
“Help! Help…” Elegance and grace were replaced by panic as Ji Muqing thrashed around in the water. Ji Lingzhi had been scared stiff, her hands still frozen in the pushing gesture, not knowing what to do.
Wei Yi, who had been silent until now, hurriedly stepped forward. Looking at the person floating in the water, he was visibly disconcerted, but was helpless since he was a pure landlubber!
“Shu’er, that sister fell into the water, what do we do now?” Wei Yi was very anxious. ‘What do we do? Nothing!’
Ji Yunshu did not reply, only looking on coldly. At this moment, she really wanted Ji Muqing to drown! However, this time, it wasn’t just for the sake of disciplining Ji Muqing, the main target was Ji Lingzhi.
“Someone, someone, hurry! Come and save my Big Sister, hurry up…” Ji Lingzhi stamped her feet in anxiety, and threw a harsh look at Ji Yunshu, whose face was calm. She clenched her fists and jumped on her while yelling, “It’s all your fault, why did you-”
Yet, her movements were interrupted by Ji Yunshu, who grasped her fist with one hand, and, with her other hand, slapped Ji Lingzhi mercilessly on the cheek.
“Why did you push Big Sister into the water? You’re really getting more unruly because no one disciplines you.”
‘Ah, giving people a taste of their own medicine feels so good.’
Ji Lingzhi was befuddled from that slap! Those innocent-looking eyes of hers widened. She even forgot about her beloved Big Sister who fell in the pond and was drinking water with fish bait. Wei Yi, too, had been scared by Ji Yunshu’s move just now too and he didn’t dare to make a sound.
“Help, save… me, save…” Ji Muqing was still thrashing about in the water. As it seemed like she was about to sink definitely, the nearby servants noticed something and ran this way.
Seeing this, Ji Yunshu released Ji Lingzhi and dove into the water. But, she was a landlubber too! After she fell into the water, she could only helplessly flail about with Ji Muqing.
Seeing Ji Yunshu about to drown, Wei Yi could not care anymore as he shouted, “Shu’er, don’t be afraid, I’m coming to save you.”
With another splash, he dove into the water after Ji Yunshu. Weren’t three landlubbers falling into a pool just courting death?
And Ji Muqing had already started to sink, one could only see her hands flailing above the water’s surface. Fortunately, the servants had already arrived and seven or eight leaped in to save them.
After a bit of effort, they finally managed to fish the three of them out. Wei Yi was fine, but Ji Yunshu’s face was pale; the wounds on her back seemed to have re-opened for real due to the frigid winter water. She was in so much pain that she was trembling!
As for Ji Muqing, she was unconscious by the time she was dragged out of the pond.
“Eldest Young Miss? Eldest Young Miss, wake up.” The servants started to call.
“Move aside.” Ji Yunshu shoved those people to the side. Bearing the pain from her back, she knelt by Ji Muqing’s side. She pressed her hands on her chest and tried to resuscitate her. Ji Muqing finally spat out some water she had inhaled and regained consciousness.
‘Good, she didn’t die!’
This matter naturally made it into the ears of Ji Shuhan and Old Madame Ji. Ji Muqing was sent back to her own courtyard and everyone had gathered, including Master Wei, Madame Wei and Wei Yi.
The physician performed a diagnosis before concluding that there were no major problems. He then prescribed some medicine to drive out the cold and left soon after.
Seeing that his daughter was fine, Ji Shuhan let out a sigh of relief and asked, “Muqing, why did you suddenly fall into the water?”
“I-”
Ji Muqing had just begun narrating when Ji Lingzhi leapt up and pointed at Ji Yunshu, who was still dripping wet. “Father, it was Third Sister who pushed Big Sister. It was her.”
Ji Yunshu’s face was pallid, as she spoke bitterly with a voice devoid of any strength, “Lingzhi, how can you say that? Just now it was you who pushed Big Sister.”
“You pushed me! That’s why I ended up knocking Big Sister. It’s all your fault. You even slapped me.”
Ji Lingzhi then buried her face into Old Madame Ji’s embrace. “Grandmother, you have to believe me.”
At this moment, Wei Yi spoke in an indignant tone as he pointed at Ji Lingzhi, “It wasn’t Shu’er who pushed her. I saw it, it was you. That’s why Shu’er slapped you. And Shu’er even jumped into the water to save her, I saw it.”
Upon seeing that her son’s clothing was dripping wet, Madame Wei was worried, yet asked him in a serious tone, “Yi’er, did you really see Lingzhi push her?”
“Yes, I saw it with my own eyes. Mother, I wouldn’t lie.”
‘What a good kid!’
Ji Lingzhi felt wronged as she curled up in Old Madame Ji’s arms, looking like she was about to cry. Ji Shuhan’s brows furrowed as he asked Ji Muqing, “Muqing, was it really Lingzhi who pushed you?”
“Father, I- I didn’t see anything.” Although Ji Muqing’s tone was light, she was clearly protecting Ji Lingzhi.
Turning around, Ji Yunshu asked those few servants, “Did you see what happened?”
One of them spoke, “We weren’t there to see the person who pushed Eldest Young Miss. By the time we got there, we only saw Third Young Miss jump into the water to save her. Young Master Wei followed her.”
‘Jumping into a pond to save her sister despite not knowing how to swim. Who wouldn’t want a sibling like that?!’
At that moment, Ji Yunshu finally could not remain standing any longer and she collapsed into Wei Yi’s embrace, who was luckily close enough to catch her.
“Shu’er,” Wei Yi called her.
Madame Wei was also startled. “Yunshu’s back is still injured, her fall into the water undoubtedly added oil to the fire.”
‘Daughter-in-law, nothing must happen to you!’