She couldn't hold back any longer.
With a swift, graceful spin kick, Yan Jiaojiao sent the door flying open. Inside, the room was pitch black and utterly silent.
Anyone with eyes could tell that Yan Ruxue's room was empty.
A young lady of a prominent family, accustomed to strict propriety, should have upheld her decorum. Even those who cultivated techniques might not be as rigid, but to not be in her room in the dead of night was unpardonable.
"Where is Yan Ruxue? She's not stirring despite all this commotion. Could she have gone out?" Yan Jiaojiao, never one to shy away from trouble, probed.
Murmurs began to ripple through the crowd. It was clear that by the next day, rumors would be spreading about Yan Ruxue's late-night absence.
Seeing that the situation was beyond their control and knowing that Yan Ruxue would likely face severe repercussions, the maids were utterly panicked and lost all composure. Their intent to apprehend Yan Jiaojiao vanished.
Chen Wenyu shot them a look of exasperated disappointment, suppressing her anger as she said hatefully to Yan Jiaojiao, "Yan Jiaojiao, I'm telling you one last time, get out!"
This time, Yan Jiaojiao was cooperative. As she turned, she unexpectedly spotted Yan Ruxue in the crowd.
It was as if providence had intervened!
Yan Ruxue, too, seemed to have never imagined that her second attempt at sneaking out would be discovered!
A young woman secretly meeting a man in the dead of night would be ruined if discovered. Yan Ruxue, who had been lost in the joy of drinking with Sheng Mobai, now had only a blank space in her mind. Her face lost all color, and she stood by the edge of the crowd, her body trembling with fear.
Cui Lian was even more beside herself with panic, her hand clutching a corner of Yan Ruxue's skirt. She shivered, muttering in regret.
"Yan Ruxue, couldn't sleep, so you went for a stroll?"
Yan Jiaojiao's gaze fixed on her, drawing everyone's attention to Yan Ruxue. They discovered her nearby, indeed heavily made up and dressed for an outing.
Even more astonishing was the strong, unmistakable scent of alcohol emanating from Yan Ruxue.
Now, the rumors tomorrow would surely spread like wildfire.
Chen Wenyu was clearly caught off guard by Yan Ruxue's audacity. Her face darkened like the bottom of a pot, but she quickly stepped forward, removed her own cloak, and draped it over Yan Ruxue's shoulders. She then gestured to Mama Chen to disperse the crowd.
Mama Chen immediately complied, "Miss Ruxue has just returned from visiting relatives outside the manor. What are you all crowding around for? Be careful, or I'll tear your tongues out! If anyone slacks off tomorrow and gossips, I'll catch them and sell them off. Now hurry back to your rooms and sleep!"
With a blend of fabrication, intimidation, and subtle pressure, Mama Chen handled the situation with practiced ease, clearly accustomed to cleaning up Chen Wenyu's messes. In no time, all the servants were driven away.
Once the crowd had dispersed, Yan Ruxue seemed to grasp some understanding of the situation and directly demanded of Yan Jiaojiao, "Yan Jiaojiao, what is the meaning of this?"
"You should ask Second Madam," Yan Jiaojiao replied, unfazed. "I was woken up by them, and Mama Chen unjustly slandered me, so I came to seek your vindication, only to find you unexpectedly not in your room."
Yan Ruxue was furious. The effects of the alcohol left her no room for her usual pretense of innocence. She was about to curse loudly, "You..."
"Hush!" Yan Jiaojiao placed a finger to her lips, gently silencing her and deliberately lowering her voice. "Everyone is not yet fast asleep. Do you want to be gawked at again?"
Chen Wenyu, still somewhat lucid, knew this was not the time to stir up more trouble. She grabbed Yan Ruxue, who was on the verge of a tantrum, and said hatefully to Yan Jiaojiao in a low voice, "You'd best be careful. Get out!"
With that, she ignored Yan Jiaojiao and simply exchanged a look with Mama Chen before dragging Yan Ruxue towards her own adjoining courtyard.
This was clearly an inquisition for Yan Ruxue.
How could Yan Jiaojiao miss such a good show?
Without another word, she turned and swiftly headed back to her own courtyard.
Seeing Yan Jiaojiao depart, Mama Chen and the others then moved towards another direction of the Yan manor, this time with even greater stealth and discretion.
After all, the child had not yet been found, and they still needed to search discreetly.
Yan Jiaojiao, unwilling to miss the unfolding drama, quickened her pace, her feet seeming to fly. Once out of sight, she took to the air, arriving at her own room's door in moments. Pushing it open, she called out, "Xiao Hei, Xiao Hei!"
Dongfang Cangwu lazily opened his eyes. Xiao Hei, the little black dog, appeared along with Tong'er. At present, Tong'er's small body was slumped on a low cabinet, already asleep from exhaustion.
Yan Jiaojiao quickly hushed her voice.
"Eldest Miss?" Rong'er arrived, drawn by the noise. Yan Jiaojiao, forced to confront the situation in the middle of the night, hadn't been able to sleep.
But upon reaching the doorway and seeing a child and a small dog, she was stunned.
Yan Jiaojiao offered no explanation. As Xiao Hei jumped down from Tong'er's lap, she carefully picked up Tong'er and placed her on her own bed. Rong'er, seeing this, quickly came to help.
After settling Tong'er, Yan Jiaojiao turned and scooped up Xiao Hei the dog into her arms. She then said to Rong'er, "You stay here and watch this child. If Second Madam and the others come again, just shout, and I'll be right back."
With that, Yan Jiaojiao, holding Xiao Hei, dashed out. She whispered into the dog's ear, "Xiao Hei, I'm taking you to watch a play. Quickly cast a high-level invisibility spell for us."
Dongfang Cangwu caught a whiff of the maiden's delicate fragrance, which muddled his mind. He shook his head unconsciously, and suddenly, their figures were no longer visible to outsiders.
Yan Jiaojiao was confident in Xiao Hei's abilities, knowing that once the invisibility spell was cast, even an elder would not be able to detect such a high-level technique. With renewed confidence, she circulated her spiritual energy, and within moments, she was back at Chen Wenyu's courtyard.
At this moment, only the deepest room still had a light on. It was Yan Ruoliu's sickroom. Without a doubt, Chen Wenyu and her two daughters must be there.
The surrounding maids had all been dismissed, and guards were stationed in a perimeter at a distance, clearly still shaken and afraid of anyone overhearing their affairs.
Alas, with Xiao Hei in hand, Yan Jiaojiao had no obstacles. She even found a window that wasn't fully latched and brazenly sat on the windowsill, watching openly.
Dongfang Cangwu seemed to disdain Yan Jiaojiao's stealthy observation and turned his head disdainfully, lazily settling back down on Yan Jiaojiao's lap.
Yan Ruxue, her emotions heightened by alcohol, sat at the table, glaring furiously at Yan Ruoliu on the bed. "It's all your fault, you ungrateful wretch! You actually tried to steal my 'good bones,' and that's what's led to all this trouble!"
My 'good bones'? Yan Jiaojiao frowned. The 'good bones' were from the original host's mother's womb; when did they become hers?
Perhaps she was too accustomed to taking things, claiming anything good as her own with baseless pronouncements.
"Slap!"
A crisp sound of a slap echoed. Yan Ruxue's hand struck Yan Ruoliu's face without mercy, turning her head to the side.