Chapter 114: The Perfect Green Tea
Xie An’an knelt obediently in the center of the main hall, her head lowered in submission.
Gone was the coldness that had lingered in her eyes only moments ago.
She had already changed into a fresh set of pale lavender robes, her damp hair neatly combed and secured with an elegant jade hairpin. Save for the slight redness around her eyes, no one would have guessed she had just fallen into the lotus pond.
To anyone looking upon her now, she was merely a frightened young lady who had narrowly escaped an accident.
Old Madam Xie sat at the head seat, her brows knitted tightly together, while Nanny Zhao was standing beside her.
The atmosphere within the hall was so heavy that none of the servants dared raise their heads.
After a long silence, Old Madam Xie finally spoke.
"An’an." Her voice was calm, "Raise your head."
Xie An’an slowly complied, her eyes already glistening with unshed tears. "This granddaughter greets Grandmother."
Old Madam Xie looked at her for a long while before asking, "Tell this old one... what happened at the lotus pond."
Xie An’an bit her lower lip and her eyes gradually reddened.
"This granddaughter... does not know how everything became like this." She lowered her gaze as tears quietly slid down her cheeks. "I merely wished to apologize to my Sister-in-law for my previous misunderstandings at the flower banquet, I never expected... that we would both end up falling into the pond."
Old Madam Xie did not interrupt. She quietly listened until Xie An’an had finished speaking. Her weathered eyes remained fixed upon her granddaughter, neither showing sympathy nor displeasure.
The silence stretched. It was so oppressive that even Nanny Zhao unconsciously lowered her gaze.
At length, Old Madam Xie slowly turned the prayer beads in her hand.
"This granddaughter really..." Xie An’an bit her lower lip once more, as though the words refused to leave her mouth. "This granddaughter has nothing more to say. Everything was this granddaughter’s fault, Grandmother. This granddaughter is willing to accept any punishment."
The prayer beads in Old Madam Xie’s hand came to a halt. She looked steadily at Xie An’an before speaking in a measured voice.
"This old one asked you what happened. Not who should be punished."
Xie An’an’s eyelashes trembled when she heard Old Madam Xie was using ’this old one’ to address herself instead of grandmother, that’s mean, she was really serious at that moment.
Old Madam Xie’s gaze remained unwavering. "This old one has lived long enough to know that matters are rarely as simple as they appear. This old one has no intention of wronging anyone... nor will this old one shield anyone."
She placed the prayer beads gently upon the table beside her.
"Therefore... Tell this old one everything. From the moment you left your courtyard... until the moment both of you fell into the pond. Leave out nothing."
Xie An’an lowered her gaze, her fingers tightening around the handkerchief in her hands. Behind her pitiful expression, her thoughts raced.
In the span of a few breaths, countless excuses flashed through her mind before she finally settled on one. Slowly, she raised her tear-filled eyes.
"This granddaughter... was merely resting in my chamber when one of the servants came to report..." She paused, as though recalling the scene pained her, "that Sister-in-law wished to see this granddaughter at the lotus pond."
Old Madam Xie remained silent, allowing her to continue.
Xie An’an lowered her head once more, "This granddaughter thought... perhaps Sister-in-law was finally willing to forgive me for what happened at the flower banquet. So this granddaughter hurried over without another thought."
She bit her lower lip, her voice gradually trembling, "However..." Her fingers clutched the handkerchief so tightly that the fabric wrinkled. "The moment this granddaughter arrived... Sister-in-law said a terrible thing."
She abruptly covered her mouth, as though unable to continue. Tears streamed silently down her cheeks. "This granddaughter... does not even have the courage to repeat those words."
"Each sentence... felt like a knife piercing this granddaughter’s heart." She slowly shook her head. "This granddaughter truly cannot bear to repeat them aloud."
Old Madam Xie frowned slightly. "Speak."
Xie An’an lowered her eyes, her fingers clutching the handkerchief tightly.
"This granddaughter truly does not wish to repeat those words..." She drew in a trembling breath before continuing, "Ever since this granddaughter entered the Xie Residence, Grandmother has loved and cared for me as though I were your own flesh and blood."
"Elder Brother has likewise treated this granddaughter with kindness, never once allowing me to suffer the slightest grievance." She paused, tears silently rolling down her cheeks.
"To have grown up within the Xie Residence... to have Grandmother’s affection... and to have Elder Brother’s care... This granddaughter has always considered it the greatest blessing in this life."
She slowly knelt even straighter, "This granddaughter has never once harbored any improper thoughts toward the Elder Brother nor has this granddaughter ever dared to covet anything that belongs to Sister-in-law."
Her voice gradually became choked with emotion, "Yet... Sister-in-law insisted that this granddaughter was secretly in love with the Elder Brother. She said this granddaughter’s feelings were shameful... and that this granddaughter had long coveted her own brother."
Old Madam Xie remained silent for a long while.
The hall was so quiet that only the sound of every one of them could be heard.
"This old one understands." Old Madam Xie finally spoke.
Xie An’an secretly released the breath she had been holding.
"However." Old Madam slowly looked toward Nanny Zhao. "Nanny Zhao."
"This servant is here." Nanny Zhao bowed slightly, waiting for instruction.
Old Madam Xie turned to look at Xie An’an, "You said Taotao sent someone to summon you to the lotus pond."
"Yes, Grandmother." Xie An’an bobbed weakly.
Old Madam nodded once. "Then summon the servant who delivered that message."
Xie An’an’s pupils contracted.
Before she could think of an excuse, Old Madam continued calmly, "If this old one remembers correctly... Your personal maid was attending you in your courtyard today. Since she should have witnessed the servant delivering the message... have her brought here as well."
The blood slowly drained from Xie An’an’s face. Her fingers instinctively tightened around the handkerchief in her lap. For a few seconds, panic flashed across her eyes.
Then... It disappeared almost instantly. Taking a slow, steady breath, she lowered her head respectfully.
"As Grandmother wishes. This granddaughter shall have my personal maid brought here."
Old Madam Xie gave a faint nod and closed her eyes, taking back the prayer beads and resuming the steady rhythm in her hand.
Xie An’an quietly lowered her gaze. A faint smile almost tugged at the corner of her lips before she quickly concealed it.
’That trash... She wouldn’t dare betray me.’