I Was Reborn As The Original Wife Who Died Early, So I Angrily Married The Villain
I Was Reborn As The Original Wife Who Died Early, So I Angrily Married The Villain Chapter 2

Chapter 2: Tearing Apart a Best Friend

“Hurry,  Young Master Xie is bringing Miss Zhao to the shore. Everyone, get ready to lend a hand.”

Lu Songli took a quick glance and, in that brief moment of distraction, saw that Xie Zhan was already near the shore with Zhao Yutan in tow. Qin Sheng pressed his lips together and stepped forward, ready to take over his fiancee.

Seeing her second young lady in a daze, Bing Mo grew anxious. Her mistress was stubborn, always pushing herself despite her frail health. Miss Zhao, on the other hand, was much healthier. Now that she had fainted, she didn’t have to face the gossip and scrutiny from the crowd.

If Lu Songli knew what Bing Mo was thinking, she would have disagreed. Fainting might avoid the stares and whispers, but it also meant losing control of the situation.

Lu Songli heard the murmurs around her and knew she couldn’t just stand by idly. Suspicion gnawed at her. After a moment of contemplation, she got up and walked forward, step by step. Her face was pale, and there was something intimidating about her gaze that made others instinctively clear a path for her.

At that moment, Xie Zhan and Zhao Yutan were both wrapped in cloaks, with Zhao Yutan’s eyes tightly closed as if she had fainted. Under the dim light, she appeared fragile and delicate, almost heartbreakingly so.

Lu Songli looked at her, then reached behind her back, grabbed the second layer of the wet white cloak, and yanked it off, throwing it onto Zhao Yutan’s face.

The sudden action caused Zhao Yutan’s upper body to shiver involuntarily.

Zhao Yutan’s maid, Hongdou, rushed forward to protect her mistress, screaming, “What are you doing?” as she hurriedly pulled the wet cloak off her face.

Xie Zhan furrowed his brows as he watched Lu Songli’s actions.

Qin Sheng, meanwhile, remained focused on Zhao Yutan, who was lying on the ground.

Others also found Lu Songli’s behavior rather excessive.

At this moment, Zhao Yutan’s cousin, Guo Yan, threw her bundle to the ground and ran over, exclaiming, “Lu Songli, you’re bullying people too much!” She made to push Lu Songli.

Lu Songli snorted coldly and used a deft move to push Guo Yan aside, causing her to fall hard on her backside.

Qin Sheng instinctively moved to intervene but, noticing that Lu Songli had already handled the situation, quietly withdrew his hand.

While Lu Songli acted, she kept her gaze fixed on Zhao Yutan’s reaction, thinking to herself, “As expected of the female lead. Most people would scream if suddenly faced with such an action. She only shivered slightly, which might look like a chill to others.”

From her elevated position, Lu Songli addressed the fallen Zhao Yutan, “Zhao Yutan, this is the cloak you insisted I wear. Here it is, I’m giving it back to you.” Zhao Yutan’s eyelids fluttered, which Lu Songli noticed because she had been staring at her face. Due to the poor lighting, no one else seemed to notice this subtle reaction. Indeed, a flash of realization crossed Lu Songli’s eyes.

As a martial artist from a military family, Qin Sheng had strong observational skills and had been closely watching Zhao Yutan. He had not missed the slight tremor of her eyelids, and a complex emotion stirred within him.

Lu Songli’s actions led to murmurs among the onlookers, with many questioning, “What does she mean by that?”

“Is she blaming Zhao Yutan?”

Someone whispered, “We did mistake the identities because of the white cloak.”

“Does Lu Songli think Zhao Yutan did it on purpose?”

Hongdou sharply retorted, “Lu Songli, what are you implying? Our young lady gave you the cloak because she saw your frail condition. Now you’re blaming her?”

Bing Mo, Lu Songli’s personal maid, didn’t back down and fired back, “Did you really need to give it? We already had someone on our side going to get a cloak for us!”

Hongdou threw herself over Zhao Yutan and cried loudly, “Miss Zhao, it’s so unfair! Your kindness is being treated like a betrayal!”

The commotion made the surrounding discussions even louder.

Guo Yan shouted, “Lu Songli, you’ve gone too far! How can you place all the blame on someone who’s unconscious?”

Xie Zhan’s frown deepened further.

Many others also looked at Lu Songli with disapproval.

Lu Songli ignored them. She wasn’t going to argue with those who were blind to the situation. Moreover, she wasn’t feeling guilty; after all, Zhao Yutan might not be entirely innocent.

After berating Lu Songli, Guo Yan turned her ire towards Qin Sheng, “Qin Sheng, are you blind? Lu Songli is bullying your fiancée, and you’re standing there without doing anything!”

Qin Sheng crossed his arms and shot her a disdainful glance. He thought to himself, what was she even contributing other than her incessant complaints? Did she really understand what was going on?

Bing Mo, feeling protective of Lu Songli, stepped forward and started speaking up, “Both women fell into the water at the same time. Why is it that my lady’s frail body managed to hold on while she’s being accused of wrongdoing? If she had no guilt, would she have fainted?”

Lu Songli’s words led to another round of whispers among the crowd. Bing Mo’s comments were not without merit; Lu Songli’s heart condition was not a secret.

Lu Songli privately gave a thumbs-up to Bing Mo for her excellent coordination. Truly, Bing Mo was a maid carefully chosen by her original parents.

Seeing that Zhao Yutan had not yet regained consciousness, Lu Songli maliciously looked at the prone figure and dramatically placed her hand over her chest, saying, “Zhao Yutan, I treated you like a sister. I never expected you to betray me like this!” Then she pretended to be overcome with emotion and fell forward, collapsing onto Zhao Yutan.

“Second Miss!”

Bing Mo, horrified, reached out to catch her but lost her balance and fell as well.

Hongdou could only watch in horror as Lu Songli and her maid fell onto her and her mistress. She didn’t dare move, fearing what would happen to her mistress if she did.

Lu Songli and Bing Mo landed heavily on Zhao Yutan and her maid, causing a chaotic tangle of bodies.

The scene quickly descended into chaos.

Noticing a slight twitch of Lu Songli’s eyelid, Qin Sheng, who had initially intended to help, paused his steps. He thought to himself, “None of them are easy to deal with.” Then he turned and walked away.

His departure drew criticism from the Zhao family for some time afterward, but that was a story for later.

For now, the scene remained in disarray.

“Quick, someone separate them!”

“Ah, Second Miss, what’s wrong? Is your heart condition acting up?!”

“Princess Consort, please call for a doctor!”

The Princess Consort of Prince Gong’s residence arrived in time. Having heard about the incident at the lakeside pavilion, she had hurried from the front yard.

Soon after, Lu Songli, Xie Zhan, and the other key figures were taken to guest rooms in Prince Gong’s residence. They were given dry clothes and a bowl of medicine to prevent catching a cold. The residence also arranged for doctors to attend to both Zhao Yutan and Lu Songli.

The incident drew the attention of Prince Gong’s wife. While she attended to the situation, the other guests, under the apology of the Princess, left the residence and headed home.

The guests understood the situation but exchanged glances and subtle gestures before leaving. They couldn’t help but wonder if today’s events would affect the upcoming marriages between the families.

After the doctor’s examination, it was determined that Zhao Yutan was not seriously injured. She had some bruises and scratches from being used as a cushion when Lu Songli and her maid fell on her. The reason for her prolonged unconsciousness was likely due to swallowing water.

The Princess of Prince Gong’s residence suggested that Zhao Yutan rest in the guest room until she woke up. However, Hongdou insisted on taking her back to the Zhao residence. Qin Sheng went to escort them.

The Zhao family was set on leaving, and the Prince Gong’s residence did not insist on keeping them. Their primary concern was Lu Songli. Her situation was more complicated due to her preexisting heart condition. The shock and cold from the accident had caused her to faint, adding to the difficulties.

“Make sure to spare no effort in treating the Second Miss of the Lu family. If you need any precious medicinal materials, let me know,” Prince Gong’s wife instructed the doctor.

After giving the instructions, she led the way to the flower hall in the side courtyard.

Upon entering, Prince Gong’s wife immediately asked, “How is it?”

The Princess sat down, took a sip of hot tea, and shook her head. “She hasn’t woken up yet.” The flower banquet had kept her busy from morning until now, leaving her with no rest and a throbbing headache.

“This matter must be handled properly,”   Prince Gong’s wife insisted. “Otherwise, it will become very troublesome.”

The Princess nodded, understanding the gravity of the situation. Although the Lu family was not of high social standing, they were not to be underestimated.

Lu Songli’s father, Lu Desheng, despite his modest position as a fifth-rank censor, was a significant figure. As an inspector in the Imperial Censorate, his role involved supervising the conduct of officials across the three offices of the Censorate, giving him considerable authority in maintaining discipline.

In the court, Lu Desheng was known for his sharp tongue, always ready to criticize or attack others. As the saying goes, there are no wrong names, only accurate nicknames—Lu Desheng was widely despised and avoided by other officials. Behind his back, he was often labeled as a “malicious courtier” but rarely confronted directly.

Despite this, he was a formidable figure. With a clean record, no corruption, and an unwavering commitment to his role, it was difficult for others to find fault with him. Moreover, the emperor supported him, making it impossible for others to challenge his position.

His wife, Madam Jiang, was known in the circle of official wives for her blunt and straightforward demeanor. She was not one to care about social niceties or propriety, often speaking her mind without concern for the consequences, which made interactions with her quite uncomfortable.

Lu Songli, being the cherished youngest daughter, was well-loved at home. Her accident at the flower banquet would undoubtedly cause significant distress for her parents, especially if it resulted in serious consequences.

Lu’s elder sister and two elder brothers were also known for their strong and assertive personalities. If anything happened to Lu Songli, the Lu family would be a force to be reckoned with.

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