Best friends dressed up in ancient times to become mistresses? You run, I run too!

Liu Zhiyi busily searched for and purchased land, and planned the operation of the estate, seeking a way out for herself and Shen Ningzhu.

Shen Ningzhu finally met the original owner's adoptive brother, Shen Chenyi, the most handsome young man in the capital. He even took her back to the Shen family and put her back in her old courtyard—Mingzhu Garden.

Mingzhu Garden—just from the name, you can tell that the original owner was quite pampered at home.

Unexpectedly, things took an unexpected turn, and the truth about the real and fake heiresses came out, leading to her untimely death.

It's really sad.

"If there's anything you're not satisfied with, just let me know, or I can send a maid to speak to the steward later." Shen Chenyi's calm voice interrupted her thoughts as she was lost in thought.

"Well, I see."

Shen Ningzhu quickly snapped out of her thoughts and responded.

From the moment they met until now, Shen Ningzhu has kept her head down, answering every question but never saying more.

They treated Shen Chenyi like a complete stranger.

Shen Chenyi stared at the top of her head, his brows furrowing unconsciously. She had always been lively and cheerful, and usually loved to pester her two older brothers for this and that. But now they were speechless.

No, she didn't even glance at him.

Thinking of this, Shen Chenyi felt a sudden, inexplicable pang in his heart, a dull ache.

I suppose she must resent him, right?

But what could he do? One was his younger sister, who had returned after suffering countless hardships and was related to him by blood; the other was a precious pearl he had cherished and pampered since childhood.

The palms of the palms and the backs of the hands are all meat.

The two women were stubborn, and he couldn't stop them from fighting. He felt wrong no matter which side he took, so he simply used his busy work schedule as an excuse to avoid seeing them.

But he never expected that their initial rivalry for his favor would escalate to the point of them trying to kill each other.

To his utter surprise, his mother, in a fit of rage, banished Shen Ningzhu from the manor. By the time he heard the news, it was too late.

Shen Ningzhu had already returned to her hometown by then.

Thinking of this, Shen Chenyi pressed his temples, feeling a headache coming on, hoping that everything would be alright this time.

I twitched my petals twice, wanting to say a few words to her, but seeing her lowered head and meek look, I couldn't bear to speak.

Well, she'll be entering the Crown Prince's residence in three days anyway, and he won't have much time to spend with Xue'er after that. If he keeps a close eye on her, nothing should happen, right?

She pursed her lips, then turned and left.

Once the person had walked away, Shen Ningzhu patted her chest and slowly exhaled a breath of stale air.

They're finally gone. It seems they didn't discover that she had her core replaced. That's good, that's good.

Relieved, Shen Ningzhu prepared to go back to her room to rest when she caught a glimpse of Shen Ningxue walking over from another path.

"My sister is back."

He said that from a great distance.

Her smile was sweet and gentle, her round almond-shaped eyes bright and clear, blinking innocently, giving her a harmless appearance. Seeing her like this, even in the middle of summer with the sun high in the sky, Shen Ningzhu felt a chill run down her spine.

Damn, this guy has amazing mental fortitude.

He killed the original owner of the body with his own hands, and yet he could still smile so brightly in front of her.

Shen Ningzhu narrowed her eyes, took two steps back defensively, and deliberately distanced herself from her.

"What, is my sister afraid of me?" Shen Ningxue smiled and whispered in her ear.

Shen Ningzhu forced a smile. "I am quite scared."

The more you look at this girl's eyes, the more she seems like a vicious female supporting character, a real black-hearted lotus, and the kind of villainous big boss.

The other party gave a disdainful sneer and immediately changed the subject.

"A banquet is being held at the Lakeside Pavilion today. My mother asked me to come and bring you clothes and jewelry. Please get ready, we will go to the banquet together in a quarter of an hour."

Shen Ningzhu yawned, "I'm not going."

In this sweltering heat, you'd break out in a sweat with the slightest movement. Going out at this hour would be nothing short of torture. She didn't want to go, but as soon as she finished speaking, she suddenly realized something.

"The pavilion in the middle of the lake?"

"Yes, is there a problem?"

"No, I'll go, I'll go get ready right away."

Shen Ningzhu readily agreed and quickly returned to her room.

Huxinting, as the name suggests, is a pavilion built in the center of an artificial lake in Beijing.

Surrounded by lakes on all sides, the place is vast and beautiful, a favorite spot for many young men and women in the capital, where they often meet to go boating on the lake and hold banquets.

Shen Ningzhu had been there many times before and was very familiar with the place.

The reason I agreed to participate was that the lake was connected to the moat, and if I jumped into the lake from the pavilion in the middle, I could swim for at most half an hour and then leave the city directly.

It's a good place to fake your death.

The original owner couldn't swim, but she was a swimming champion, the kind who won an Olympic gold medal.

If you don't run now, when will you wait?

This is a rare opportunity; once you enter the Crown Prince's residence, it will be difficult to leave.

Shen Ningxue gave a cold, forced smile and walked out. Her maid, Xia Zhi, asked, utterly bewildered:

“Miss, I really don’t understand. This banquet was specially prepared by His Highness the Crown Prince to celebrate Princess Qingyi’s return to the capital. Besides the royal family, there are also noble young men and women who can attend. It’s a great opportunity to make connections. How could an adopted daughter like her be worthy to attend such a banquet?”

"You've only been back at the manor for a short time, you should seize this opportunity. Why insist that your wife take her along?"

Shen Ningxue's smile was meaningful.

"It is precisely because I have just returned and my foundation is not yet stable that I need to bring her along."

……

After a quarter of an hour, Shen Ningzhu arrived at the main gate of the Minister's residence, where she found Jiang Wanwan and Shen Ningxue already waiting for her.

"Get in the car now that you're here," Jiang Wanwan said calmly.

"Yes, ma'am."

Jiang Wanwan paused as she was getting into the car, then turned to look at her with furrowed brows. "From now on, you will be the adopted daughter of the Shen family. Call me Mother when you are out in public."

Shen Ningzhu readily agreed, "Yes, Mother."

So well-behaved and sensible, completely unlike her former self. Jiang Wanwan was taken aback, a sense of unease rising in her heart. She looked wary and said:

"Letting you return to the manor and marry as a daughter of the Shen family is already my biggest concession. Your dowry will not be lacking. You will have as much as Xue'er has. I promise to treat everyone equally."

"If you know what's good for you, you should be grateful. If you dare to lay a hand on Xue'er again, I will risk my life to make you pay."

Shen Ningzhu: "..."