Chu Liyin pushed him away forcefully, venting all her grievances on Xue Lianyu. "It's all your fault! If you hadn't spilled the tea on me, would I have run out? Would Sister Cheng still have come looking for me?"
"How can this be my fault? I was just joking with you. Who knew you'd really get angry and run out?" Xue Lianyu felt extremely aggrieved. But seeing Chu Liyin crying so sadly, he had to hold it in. "Did they bully you?"
It would have been better if he hadn't asked. Once he did, Chu Liyin cried even more loudly. Xue Lianyu couldn't console her at all. Helian Duo was worried that Cheng Xiran would not be able to hold on if she stayed in the pool any longer, so he coldly ordered, "Take this person away for me."
Now Xue Lianyu felt even more wronged. Why was everyone taking their anger out on him? Whom had he offended? Helpless, he reached out and picked Chu Liyin up horizontally in his arms. Without caring whether she was willing or not, he carried her away.
Seeing that everyone had left, Helian Duo didn't dare to delay for a moment. He quickly got into the pool and fished Cheng Xiran out of the water.
At this moment, Cheng Xiran was completely frozen stiff. She clung tightly to Helian Duo's waist and said, "My legs are so frozen that I can't feel them."
As soon as she finished speaking, Helian Duo reached out and pulled her into his arms, making her stick to his body to keep warm. "I'll take you back from another way. I'll catch those people and let you deal with them."
Because of this commotion, the originally happy flower banquet turned into a farce. Many noble ladies all went down the mountain one after another, while Jiang Yulang was taken back to the imperial medical office for treatment.
At the foot of the mountain, Helian Duo had specially prepared a carriage and had someone put a warming stove in it. Cheng Xiran curled up in the quilt, shivering all over and looking completely different from her usual arrogant self. Her pitiful appearance made Helian Duo burn with anger. He wished he could execute those people on the spot.
Cheng Xiran's teeth were chattering with cold. Hearing Helian Duo tell the coachman to go back to the mansion first, she didn't say a word to stop him. All she wanted now was to find a warm place to change her clothes. She was almost frozen to death.
Before the carriage started moving, they heard someone shouting outside, "Why are you blocking me? I'm here to pick up my cousin and take her back to the mansion. Is this not allowed?"
The voice sounded very familiar. Cheng Xiran trembled as she lifted the curtain of the carriage. It was Xiao You who was shouting outside.
Xiao You broke free from the soldiers who were holding him back and looked extremely arrogant. "I never went up the mountain. Don't wrong me."
Seeing Xiao You like this, Chu Liyin angrily wanted to get off the carriage. Xue Lianyu grabbed her. She turned back and glared at Xue Lianyu and said, "Why are you holding me back? It was him who bullied Sister Cheng and threw Jiang Yulang into the pool. I want the prince to arrest him."
Xue Lianyu forcefully held Chu Liyin down and whispered, "If you, a girl, go and argue with a man, how will you get married in the future if this gets out?"
Seeing that Chu Liyin was not convinced, Xue Lianyu added, "Don't worry. They hurt A Duo's people. A Duo won't let them go. It's not your turn to step forward. Just stay put."
Hearing this, Chu Liyin took a look at the carriage that Cheng Xiran was in and then sat back angrily.
Cheng Xiran, who had seen everything, put down the curtain of the carriage and sat back silently. She secretly swore in her heart that once she recovered, it would be either his death or hers. Anyway, she was going to fight Xiao You to the end.
Helian Duo glanced at Xiao You and then looked at the silent Cheng Xiran. Suddenly, he asked, "Is it him who bullied you?"
Cheng Xiran was slightly stunned. Before she could say a word, she saw Helian Duo suddenly get off the carriage, rush in front of Xiao You, and kick him with one leg, sending Xiao You flying off his horse.