"What if I tell you that I know what you're after and that you won't get it even if you use my family?"

Frozen stiff, Si Hai forgot all thoughts of pretending to be in love with this person. It was alright if the love tonic was seen through but saying that she knew what he wanted was a bit too much to accept.

At that moment, the young man's face warped into pure anger.

He leaned closer and grabbed her collar. Towering over the woman, he hissed, "You don't know anything about me!"

But Hong Chun wasn't affected by his fury. The more agitated he was, the better.

It was because right now she understood he couldn't afford to kill her. She might be his one shot at revenge. Hong Chun learning about his plans didn't mean he could abandon them.

There was a high chance that he could get physical but wounds and bruises weren't a problem unless she was crippled. Crippling her though would be very disadvantageous to him.

So despite the raging man before her, she was rational. She didn't even mind how close their faces were to each other.

However, someone suddenly coughed in the background.

"Miss, someone from the Mao residence came to visit."

A red-faced servant bravely interrupted.

Si Hai decided to let her go but it was Hong Chun's turn to grab someone's lapels. She mirrored his actions but her voice was barely above a whisper.

She was satisfied that her words were fully heard even though it looked like they were carried away by the soft wind.

Not even bothering to admire her handiwork, she turned around. In her mind, she could still picture his exact reaction.

From deep-seethed anger, the young man's face drastically changed to that of utter shock. Unmoving, he was left staring at the retreating back of that deceivingly ordinary girl.

"A'Bai, have your sister serve my snacks from now on. Let Si Hai only follow Old Shang as he should." Hong Chun stated with a bland tone while fixing her robes.

But the person behind her didn't respond.

She turned her head and smiled at the servant. "Understood?"

"Ye-yes!" the boy replied as he was thinking about what that newcomer, Si Hai, had done to make their family's nice miss be this scary.

That image just now, were they having an argument?

But how could someone be so audacious to quarrel with a master of the house? The poor male servant couldn't even begin to think where Si Hai had gotten the gall to be so close to their lady!

How A'Bai wished the young miss to just punish that newcomer. But physical punishment rarely occurred in the Hong residence.

Still, it was better than seeing this person who was giving him goosebumps for no reason at all.

Lady ah, if you're upset about something, you should let it out! Don't scare this servant to death!

He better not tell this to anyone or her ladyship would probably blame him.

Meanwhile, Hong Chun's words were endlessly playing in Si Hai's head.

He tried to sense her identity but there was nothing special about her.

Did she plan this from the beginning?

Did she know the moment she saw him?

Wouldn't that make her very dangerous?

Should he silence her forever?

While these thoughts ran in his mind, the person he was thinking of had nearly arrived at the main house.

It was probably Mao Zhen who wanted to see her.

Looking at the path, her mind was racing. This outcome was among those she thought of but it was still too fucked up.

Should she let fate do its thing?

But, she already intervened.

Bitterness crept into her heart. Was she born in this world just to meet Si Hai, that greenhorn?

If that was so, she was already part of the game the moment she was conceived in her mother's womb.

In this unexpected manner, she found out what her role was.

It wasn't evident in the beginning but now the plot was slowly coming after her, even if that so-called role was nonexistent before.

She thought she was the creator of this whole world but being here, she was as vulnerable as everyone else.

She just wanted to stop and stare at the horizon for the whole day.

Aiya, too unlucky!

Hong Chun shook her head. It wasn't the time to think of stupid things.

Just like the characters of the story, she had to play her part.

But... her eyes twinkled at her last thought.

The difference is I'll play by my own rules.

"Greetings Hong xiao jie1!"

Entering the main hall, she was met by the trusted momo from the Mao family.

Where was Mao Zhen?

"What a pleasant surprise! Please do sit. I must have let this elder wait for too long. I never thought it won't be Zhen Zhen who's just asking to go out again."

Even if she was caught unprepared, she appeared amiable which put the momo at ease.

Nevertheless, the old woman sensed her bewilderment.

"Miss Hong, our young miss won't be here. This servant is sent here to give this to you."

The old woman handed her a block of wood that could fit her palm. A green tassel hung on its outer edge.

"An invitation card?" For a moment, her gaze lingered at the Mao character sculpted on the wood.

She had seen this kind of thing whenever Yi-shi would be invited to other officials' houses.

The Mao family wanted to formally invite her to their house?

It wouldn't be like the usual when Mao Zhen would just drag her anytime she wanted.

Hong Chun received it with both hands and an uneasy laugh. "This... the Old Madam and Madam really want to see A'Chun. How can I refuse? But..."

She bit her lip. The unsaid words were understood. The Hong family didn't have an elder right now to allow her to go out.

Who would know the reality was the opposite. Hong Shu Cao and Yi Bing prayed she'd go out more often.

Because if not, she could stay inside her quarters for weeks on end.

Even her family would rarely see her.

There was this one time that Father Hong brought home literary and history books. She asked if she could study them and Hong Shu Cao agreed because at that time, he had no immediate need for them.

After this, no one had seen Hong Chun go out of her cave for almost a month. Mother Hong had her meals sent to her room. More often, it would be left untouched.

When Father Hong had Yi-shi forcefully enter her quarters, they found her sleeping over her desk. All around the room were sheets of written notes and illustrations. It was like a war council had been held there.

That was when Hong Shu Cao severely reprimanded this daughter. Something the family and servants didn't expect since the two had a harmonious father-daughter relationship.

She was forced to go out with Mao Zhen at least once a week. If she didn't comply, she had to go out every day.

This little incident might have something to do with how her friendship with the Mao missy was born.

The momo from the Mao family wouldn't know that little story so it was fine to lie. Who would know that the old woman already thought of a good excuse for her?

"Miss Hong need not worry. The Old Madam always says that she sees you as her grandchild. There's nothing wrong with seeing one's family." The momo's eyes held meaning.

The old madam she mentioned was the matriarch of the Mao family, Mao Zhen's grandmother.

Hong Chun nodded with her eyes turning to crescents. She didn't say what was on her mind, that family didn't need to give invitation cards to each other.

The momo didn't stay long after saying all the necessary things. Hong Chun was the one who sent her to the gates.

It was clear to her what the other was trying to convey.

Hong Chun was going to meet her to be in-laws.

It was either the Mao family couldn't wait until her parents were home or they intentionally wanted to meet her without her parents.

The reason why she didn't care about her marriage was that she already guessed which family she'd be married into. But she still wasn't sure which of the Mao cousins her groom was.

The Mao family was a large family who almost monopolized the trade here in Hanjing so it wasn't bad marrying into this family.

Her parents also took into account their families' long-term friendship so she was looking at it as a win-win situation.

Marrying in this era or even in the era she came from was just a piece of paper connecting two families.

As long as the marriage wasn't disadvantageous to her, she'd agree to it. Actually, her opinion hardly ever mattered and she wasn't sure about her opinions anyway.

All she knew was even if her husband was a beast, she'd have a way to deal with him... probably.

Hong Chun went back to her courtyard with a thoughtful expression and looking like no two big events happened in a single day.