"What are you doing?" Shuang'er snapped back to her senses and angrily shoved the maid, only to be slapped across the face by Lu Xin.
"You damn servant! Don't you know where you are? This isn't the Zhi family estate—who do you think you are, causing a scene here? Apologize to my maid!"
Shuang'er had been slapped for no reason and was already furious. Now, being forced to apologize, she felt utterly humiliated, her eyes welling with tears.
But thinking of her mistress's situation, she held it in. She turned to the maid and said, "I'm sor—"
"SMACK!"
Zhi Wan suddenly raised her hand and slapped the maid hard across the face, cutting Shuang'er off.
The air went still.
Shuang'er stared at her mistress in astonishment.
The maid who was hit had now recovered, clutching her stinging cheek. "Miss," she said furiously, "what right do you have to hit me?"
Zhi Wan secretly shook her stinging hand and hid it behind her back, a sharp glint in her eyes. "You intentionally knocked the handkerchief out of our hands, making the petals fall, and then you deliberately trampled them. A single slap is letting you off easy! You're the ones who should be apologizing!"
Hearing this, the maid felt a pang of guilt. Seeing the usually timid Miss suddenly speaking so sharply, she felt a sliver of fear and couldn't help but take a step back.
Lu Xin was clearly also startled by Zhi Wan's behavior.
In the past, even when bullied, Zhi Wan would never make a sound, let alone fight back.
But today, she had completely shed her usual meekness and was even standing up for her maid.
She was quite taken aback.
But she was used to bullying Zhi Wan and loved seeing her suffer in silence. How could she tolerate this change?
Her face darkened. She took a step forward, trying to intimidate Zhi Wan into submission, and said coldly, "Zhi Wan, you dare hit my maid?"
Seeing her act like this, Zhi Wan found it utterly ridiculous.
She had always given in before, partly because Lu Xin's bullying had been mostly verbal, but also because she didn't want to make things difficult for her aunt.
But today, Lu Xin had gotten physical. Why should she endure it any longer?
Besides, her aunt was already arranging a marriage for her. Soon, she would likely be married and leave the Duke Dingguo Mansion. Lu Xin would matter to her even less then.
Faced with Lu Xin's overbearing attitude, Zhi Wan's lips curved into a smirk. "Why wouldn't I dare? You were the one who hit my maid first!"
Lu Xin's pupils constricted as she stared at her in disbelief.
'This bitch isn't afraid of me?'
Caught off guard by this change, Lu Xin was momentarily stunned.
"Furthermore, Shuang'er and I spent half the day painstakingly gathering that packet of petals, only for your maid to ruin them. Make sure you gather a new batch and send them to Yaoguang Pavilion. Otherwise, I will absolutely ask my aunt to settle this!" As she spoke, Zhi Wan's smile vanished, and her tone grew heavier.
Lu Xin was so furious her chest heaved.
'That little bitch Zhi Wan belongs under my heel. What right does she have to act all high and mighty in front of me?'
She suddenly let out a cold laugh and jeered, "Zhi Wan, you eat the Duke Mansion's food and live in the Duke Mansion's house. What gives you the right to act so arrogant in front of me? Where do you get the nerve? Aren't you afraid of being thrown out of the Duke Mansion?"
Zhi Wan looked at Lu Xin with contempt. "The Duke Mansion isn't yours to command. You want to throw me out? Who do you think you are?"
Lu Xin's face flushed and paled. Trembling, she pointed a finger at Zhi Wan. "You... you... you dare to disrespect me?"
Zhi Wan scoffed impatiently. "Remember to send the flower petals to Yaoguang Pavilion. Otherwise, I'll do as I said and ask my aunt to intervene!"
Lu Xin was about to explode with rage, but her fear of Lady Wei ultimately kept her from shouting any further.
'That 'dear' aunt of mine is far kinder to that little bitch Zhi Wan than to her own niece. If this really got back to her, my aunt would definitely side with Zhi Wan. I wouldn't gain anything from it and might even be punished.'
The more Lu Xin thought about it, the angrier and more resentful she became.
'Why should an orphan be able to walk all over me?'
She was the only legitimate daughter in the Duke Mansion.
But ever since Zhi Wan arrived, she hadn't received as much attention.
Especially when she saw the special affection her aunt showered on Zhi Wan, she went mad with jealousy.
That's why she took every opportunity to ridicule and put Zhi Wan in her place.
In the past, whenever Zhi Wan suffered at her hands, she would never fight back or tattle to her aunt, which only made Lu Xin bolder.
Every time she saw Zhi Wan being bullied into silent, suppressed rage, she felt a thrill of satisfaction.
But who would have thought that today, that little bitch Zhi Wan would act so out of character and dare to confront her?
Lu Xin seethed with frustration.
Staring at Zhi Wan's retreating figure, a venomous look flashed in her eyes.
'I'm not going to let this go!'
"Miss, th-then... should I go gather the flower petals for the Miss?" Xing'er asked quietly, seeing her mistress's foul expression.
Lu Xin shot her a glare. "Figure it out yourself!" With that, she stormed off.
Resigned to her fate, Xing'er squatted down and began to pick up the magnolia petals.
「Yaoguang Pavilion」
As soon as Zhi Wan returned to her room, she personally wrung out a damp cloth and gently applied it as a cold compress to Shuang'er's slapped cheek.
"Does it still hurt?"
Shuang'er smiled and shook her head. "I don't feel any pain at all."
"And you're still smiling?" Zhi Wan said with a helpless sigh.
Shuang'er praised, "You were incredible just now, Miss. Even Miss Lu couldn't get the better of you."
"I'm sorry you have to suffer because of me," Zhi Wan said guiltily.
Shuang'er's expression changed. "Miss, please don't say that! It's a blessing for me to serve you. I would gladly endure anything, so how could it be suffering?"
Zhi Wan was touched, but it only made her feel even more guilty.
Shuang'er was a maid from her Zhi family. After the Zhi family's misfortune, all the other servants had left. Only Shuang'er remained, following her to the Duke Dingguo Mansion.
All these years, it was thanks to Shuang'er being by her side, always encouraging her.
Yet whenever trouble arose, she had always tried to keep the peace, causing Shuang'er to suffer a great deal of injustice along with her.
It was a wonder that Shuang'er had never once blamed her.
"From now on, I will protect you. I won't let you be wronged again," Zhi Wan said earnestly.
Shuang'er's eyes grew moist. She squeezed her mistress's hand and said, "I will also protect you with my life, Miss."
"Don't talk about dying. We both need to live well," Zhi Wan said.
Shuang'er nodded, then a worried look crossed her face. "But Miss, you thoroughly offended Miss Lu today. With her narrow-mindedness, she definitely won't let this go."
Zhi Wan, of course, knew Lu Xin wouldn't just drop the matter.
But she had endured enough over the years. It hadn't brought her any peace, only encouraging Lu Xin to become even more aggressive toward her.
Therefore, she didn't regret offending Lu Xin today.
Besides, once she was married, Lu Xin would be even more insignificant.
"Don't be afraid. If she dares to bother us again, we'll teach her another lesson."
Seeing her mistress's complete lack of fear, Shuang'er also felt much more at ease.
In the afternoon, Xing'er delivered the newly gathered magnolia petals.
Shuang'er brought them to Zhi Wan for inspection.
Zhi Wan examined them and saw that the petals were all in good condition. She said nothing and sent Xing'er away.
「Two peaceful days passed.」
On this day, just as Zhi Wan had finished her breakfast, Nanny Fang came over to say that Lady Wei wanted to take her out.
Zhi Wan didn't ask any questions. After getting ready, she went to the front courtyard to wait.
But just as she arrived, she heard a servant's respectful greeting, "Princely Heir."
'Lu Zhan?'
Zhi Wan instinctively wanted to hide, but it was too late. The man's tall figure had already stepped through the doorway.
Seeing this cousin of hers, Zhi Wan grew nervous, but she could only force herself to step forward and greet him. "Co-Cousin."