She had never truly hurt Bai Zheng.
Even though Bai Yinan doted on his daughter, his anger was only momentary.
Once his anger subsided, so did his irritation.
However, since Bai Zheng now wanted Bai Yinan to completely cut off this thought,
she had to put herself in danger and let Bai Yinan see with his own eyes his daughter on the verge of death, seriously injured by the other party.
Only in this way would he truly realize whether the person he had been tolerating all along was a relative or a wolf in sheep's clothing!
Feng Linyuan frowned deeply.
He naturally understood these principles, but he couldn't bear to let Bai Zheng endure the cold and nearly drown for this!
Just thinking about it made Feng Linyuan's face turn even darker, and his grip on Bai Zheng's hand tightened.
Bai Zheng knew what he was thinking and quickly pulled out one hand, acting coquettishly. "I deliberately waited until the ice powder had completely dispersed before jumping into the lake. If you don't believe me, you can ask Mo Tong. He can testify for me.
Moreover, I can swim. Choking on a few mouthfuls of water was just for show, for others and my father to see.
Don't worry. It's just a play. I won't take any real risks. I value my life very much!"
As she spoke, Bai Zheng patted her chest.
Feng Linyuan glanced at her out of the corner of his eye but said nothing.
Seeing this, Bai Zheng had no choice but to continue pleading in a soft tone. "Alright, alright. I'll definitely report to you in advance next time. Don't be angry, okay?"
Feng Linyuan raised his eyebrows. "Do you still want there to be a next time?"
Bai Zheng was momentarily speechless. Vaguely, she felt that this sentence sounded familiar.
When Feng Linyuan was seriously ill and was taken by Zhou Yuanning to Yunyan Mountain to detoxify, he had also interrupted his treatment and secretly come to see her, only to be scolded by her like this.
Now the tables had turned. Since Feng Linyuan had recovered, it was her turn to suffer and be scolded.
Bai Zheng sighed silently in her heart and forced a flattering smile.
"I wouldn't dare, I wouldn't dare!"
Looking at the smiling Bai Zheng in front of him, Feng Linyuan simply couldn't keep a straight face. After a long while, he finally sighed helplessly and rubbed the back of her hand with his palm.
"You're not alone anymore. Before you act, remember to think of me first. If you're worried about the Bai Mansion, I'll send a few more bodyguards, both in the open and in the dark. Or there might be other ways to make Father see the true face of the old lady. Why do you have to resort to such a self - inflicted injury scheme?"
"What self - inflicted injury scheme? I just choked on a few mouthfuls of water. It's a small price to pay." Bai Zheng tried her best to defend herself.
Feng Linyuan shook his head seriously and said, "In my eyes, even if you lose a single hair, it's a huge matter."
Hearing this, Bai Zheng was momentarily stunned and blinked blankly.
Immediately afterwards, a blush spread across her cheeks.
"You... you're talking nonsense again." Her voice was as soft as a mosquito's buzz.
Feng Linyuan reached out and pulled the woman in front of him into his arms. "Zheng'er."
He buried his head in her hair, and his nose was filled with the fresh fragrance of osmanthus.
"My treasure is now in your hands. You must protect it carefully and cherish it well. Okay?"
Bai Zheng was a bit confused. "What treasure?"
Feng Linyuan tightened his grip on Bai Zheng's waist and whispered in her ear, "You."
Bai Zheng closed her eyes and couldn't help but smile slightly.
In contrast to the peace in Bai Zheng's room, the guest room in the Bai Mansion was in an uproar.
Madam Zhao was extremely worried about her daughter. She immediately sought help from the Grand Commandant's Mansion. Due to Madam He's status as a first - rank imperial - bestowed noble lady, she did manage to invite a few imperial physicians from the palace to treat Bai Sheng and Madam He.
Bai Yinan ordered the servants to light charcoal fires and administer medicine. Finally, as the sun was setting, Madam He slowly regained consciousness.
As soon as she opened her eyes, the maid standing beside her exclaimed in surprise.
"The old lady is awake!"
Bai Yinan and Madam Lin rushed to the bedside excitedly.
Especially Bai Yinan. Seeing his mother finally wake up, the big rock that had been weighing on his heart for half a day finally fell. "Mother, how are you? Do you feel uncomfortable anywhere?"
Madam He had just opened her eyes. She looked blank when she first saw the maid, but as soon as she saw Bai Yinan and Madam Lin, her eyes immediately flashed with hostility. She glared at him angrily and said, "I didn't die. It must have made you and that little wretch happy!"
Bai Yinan was completely confused by the scolding and blinked blankly. "Mother, what are you talking about? Your son is worried sick. How could I wish for you... That little wretch? What little wretch?"
"What little wretch? Isn't it your precious daughter!" Madam He became even angrier, spitting as she spoke. "Your precious daughter personally pushed me into the lake. She clearly wanted me dead! Now that I didn't die and didn't fulfill her wish, I don't know what she'll do to me next!"
When Bai Yinan heard this, it was as if he had been struck by lightning. "Mother, you're saying that it was Zheng'er... Zheng'er who pushed you into the water?"
"Humph! In all the generations of the Bai family, there has never been such a heartless person. So cruel and heartless that she dared to harm her own grandmother!"
As Madam He cursed, her cloudy eyes scanned the room. "Where is that little wretch! She's too cowardly to admit what she did and ran away?"
Madam Lin couldn't stand it anymore.
Thinking of the dying state Bai Zheng was in when she was fished out of the lake, her heart ached even more. Now seeing Madam He scolding and spouting malicious words, she was filled with anger and blurted out.
"Mother, did you get confused from choking on water in the lake? Zheng'er has always been weak and timid. Even if you gave her ten times the courage, she wouldn't dare to push you into the water for no reason!"
Bai Nianjin, who had never had a good impression of this grandmother, was already worried about her sister's injury. Now hearing Madam He slander her sister as soon as she woke up, she replied bluntly. "Grandmother wants to know where sister is? Nianjin can tell you. She didn't go anywhere. She's right here in the Bai Mansion.
The reason she didn't stay by your bedside waiting for you to wake up is not because she's unfilial or doesn't care about you. It's because, in order to save you, she choked on a few mouthfuls of water and caught a cold. Her body couldn't take it, and she fainted and still hasn't woken up!"
When Madam He heard this, she was a bit slow to react.
Before she fainted, she clearly remembered that after Bai Zheng pushed her into the water, she just stood on the shore watching coldly. No matter how she struggled and cried for help in the water, Bai Zheng showed no sign of going to save her.
Now that she woke up, how did the story change to Bai Zheng fainting and still not waking up because she tried to save her?
"Pah!"
Madam He was so angry that she trembled all over. Pointing at Bai Yinan and his family, she roared, "That little wretch wishes I were dead. Would she come to save me? You're all getting better and better at lying to protect her!
I'm telling you, no matter what tricks you play, it's useless! Since that little wretch pushed me into the water, this matter is not over!
Don't think that just because she's the wife of the Marquis of Dingyuan. Even if she married the Emperor and became a noble concubine, a granddaughter attempting to harm her grandmother. I'll report this to the Emperor and see if the Emperor will spare her!"