Chapter 13: You're Not the One Who Did Wrong

Nangong Xin bit her lip in frustration. She had truly underestimated this wild country girl!

Xiao Zhiying looked worried and said, “Xin Xin, your cousin fell at the riding grounds. Won’t Madam Nangong blame you when you get back?”

“She wasn’t hurt. Why blame me?”

Nangong Xin wasn’t afraid at all. After all, there was no evidence pointing to them having done anything.

Though their plot had failed, Nangong Xin and her friends could only temporarily retreat, albeit reluctantly.

Xianyu Zhen hummed a little tune, completely at ease as she continued her riding practice.

Watching this, Nangong Xin grew even more enraged. Lu Hankai tried to comfort her, “Once we’re at Liyang Academy, there’ll be plenty of chances to teach her a lesson.”

Lolia agreed, “That’s right, Xin Xin. We won’t let her have an easy time!”

Just as they were speaking, the horse Lu Hankai was holding suddenly reared up, whinnying loudly.

Startled, Lu Hankai grabbed the reins, trying to calm it down. But after the horse’s hooves hit the ground, it began to buck and thrash, sending Lu Hankai flying.

Nangong Xin and the others were frozen in shock, none daring to approach.

Fortunately, after throwing off Lu Hankai, the horse bolted across the field. Of the two trainers present, one chased after the animal while the other hurried over to check on Lu Hankai.

After being struck by the horse, Lu Hankai fell and injured his arm, the pain draining all color from his face and leaving him drenched in cold sweat.

The trainer told him not to move and called for the stable’s medical team over the radio.

“What on earth happened here?” Nangong Xin was furious.

They had always chosen the gentlest horses at the stable, animals they were all familiar with. How could it suddenly go mad?

The trainer couldn’t understand it either and could only apologize repeatedly.

Seeing Lu Hankai in such pain, Nangong Xin couldn’t restrain her anger. “You’re all responsible for what happened today!”

The trainers didn’t dare defend themselves. None of them could afford to offend the Nangong family; all they hoped for was to avoid severe punishment.

The medical team arrived quickly and examined him carefully. “It’s just a dislocated arm. Once we set it, he’ll be fine. For other injuries, a hospital check is needed.”

“Then hurry up and set it!” Nangong Xin snapped impatiently.

The medics immediately relocated Lu Hankai’s arm, drawing a pained cry from him.

After stabilizing his arm, they placed him on a stretcher and carried him away, with Nangong Xin and her friends following closely.

“Wait,” came Xianyu Zhen’s clear voice from behind. “You dropped something!”

Nangong Xin and the others turned. Xianyu Zhen, unhurried, picked up a small black object from the spot where Lu Hankai had fallen and tossed it onto his stretcher.

Lu Hankai glanced at it—wasn’t that his electronic horse whistle? Suddenly, the pain all over his body intensified.

He was certain Xianyu Zhen had something to do with his horse going out of control. Yet he couldn’t fathom how she’d managed it.

That electronic whistle was high-tech, obtained only on the black market. How could a country girl possibly know about such things?

Nangong Xin had no patience to deal with Xianyu Zhen at that moment, hastily urging the medics to get Lu Hankai to the hospital.

Xiao Zhiying didn’t leave with Nangong Xin and Lolia, instead staying behind to comfort Xianyu Zhen. “You must have been frightened by today’s incident. I’m so sorry!”

Xianyu Zhen replied coolly, “You weren’t the one who did anything wrong.”

Xiao Zhiying’s eyes flickered with a hint of doubt. Wasn’t there something odd about this girl?

Xianyu Zhen gazed at the horse being led back in the distance, her expression untroubled.

She hadn’t done anything wrong.

Her brother had always said, “You must guard against bad people, and fight back; otherwise, they only get bolder.”

She’d simply given them a taste of their own medicine.

—

After Lu Hankai was taken to Angel Hospital, the doctor found his arm was fine, but his hip was injured and he’d need to stay a few days for observation.

Nangong Xin felt extremely guilty. She’d asked him to help teach someone a lesson, but he’d ended up hurt, while Xianyu Zhen remained unscathed.

The more she thought about it, the more frustrated she became. It was all that wild girl’s fault; next time, she’d make sure to put her in her place!

Back home, Xianyu Zhen treated her own wounds in her room.

When she’d fallen from the horse, the impact hadn’t been severe, but her palm was scraped from clutching the reins too hard.

Thankfully, her agility had saved her; otherwise, she’d be the one in the hospital now.

She had known from the start that Nangong Xin’s invitation to the stables was likely a setup and had been extra cautious.

She hadn’t noticed Lu Hankai’s trick, but after her fall, while calming the horse, she realized it had been agitated by something.

Since childhood, Xianyu Zhen had felt a special kinship with animals.

Not only did she love them, she could sense their thoughts through their subtle behaviors. She could even communicate her own intentions to them through song.

Her brother used to tease that it was her special kind of magic.

Lu Hankai may rely on high-tech whistles to control horses, but she only needed her “magic.”

After her nap, Xianyu Zhen went to the garden pavilion in the backyard to relax.

It had been a while since she’d chatted with the friends from her “Hotpot Group,” so she logged on to catch up. The group was abuzz with talk about the upcoming start of school.

Sweet Jia: [Sister Pea, are there lots of handsome guys in your school’s art department?]

Pea: [Did a sweep yesterday—not much to see. But the senior from the photography club who gave a speech was pretty attractive!]

Blueberry: [Which senior? None are better-looking than me! This group is full of you.jpg]

Whimper: [Wow! Diehard fan alert.jpg]

Pea: [Back to the pigsty with you!]

Whimper: [Just like that.jpg, so love really does fade, right?]

Sweet Jia: [Ugh, I miss Fishy. I want to know if Xiaoxi and Brother Lie end up together…]

Idle Fish: [They do.]

Pea: [??? .jpg, how do you have time to show up now?]

Blueberry: [Did you get kicked out of the elite club?]

Pea: [Get lost!]

Idle Fish: [I’m reporting to school the day after tomorrow.]

Sweet Jia: [Fishy, I heard you’re going to Liyang Academy? So jealous!]

Whimper: [A nobles’ school! Not to be messed with…]

Pea: [Whoever gives you trouble, we’ll break their arm.]

Blueberry: [A harmonious society is everyone’s responsibility.jpg]

After only a few exchanges, the new maid, Su Cha, came to inform her that Nangong Ao had returned and wanted to see her.

Today, Madam Nangong was out at a tea party with friends. Young Master Ao had been coming home more often lately, but usually only appeared late at night.

Why was he here at this hour?

Xianyu Zhen felt a bit uneasy about this young master—was he here to pick faults again?

As she entered the living room, Nangong Ao sat with an air of authority, the picture of a man in command.

“I heard you fell at my third uncle’s stables today. Are you hurt?”

So that’s what this was about!

Xianyu Zhen replied, “I’m fine.”

As for whether anyone else was hurt, she had no intention of mentioning it.

Nangong Ao was silent for a moment, then said, “Xin Xin can be a bit headstrong. Try to stay out of her way.”

Xianyu Zhen hadn’t expected Young Master Ao to say such a thing. She’d thought he was just here to scold her for being reckless.