"Miss Feng, I'm afraid this is a bit troublesome. No matter what, you have to come with us today." The two officers wore anxious expressions, standing in perfect sync at the front gate, blocking Serena Feng's way.
Magistrate Leonard Wei has given strict orders: we must bring Serena Feng to him, or else...
No matter how this case is judged, one side will be offended. Magistrate Leonard Wei has just taken office—how could he dare risk angering the Wang Clan or the Xie Clan?
Pushing Serena Feng forward to bear the wrath of the Wang and Xie clans? That’s the perfect solution for them.
"What? I don’t have the ability to help, and you still insist I go?" Serena Feng bit down hard on the words "don’t have the ability," her sarcasm cutting through the air.
"Heh heh, Miss Feng, how could you not have the ability? I’ve seen your skills myself. Vincent Su’s brother owes his life to you. Miss Feng, no matter what, please come with us just this once."
Whether she can help or not is one thing; once Serena Feng shows up and says anything, the anger of the Wang and Xie clans will naturally fall on her.
Such malicious scheming—how could Serena Feng not see through it? Rage made her whole body tremble.
This Magistrate Wei is even more despicable than Prefect Yan’s father.
Serena Feng couldn’t be bothered with their fake politeness. She slammed the table and snapped, "Do you take me for a fool? You think you can use me as your knife? You’d better make sure you have the guts for it. It’s not just you two—I wouldn’t give face even if Magistrate Wei himself came. Get lost… Don’t force me to kill you."
Uh...
The two officers gasped, stumbling back a step, nearly losing their balance. Just as they steadied themselves and prepared to argue again, a languid, teasing male voice sounded from behind.
"Miss Feng, you certainly know how to give face. Even if Magistrate Wei came in person, you wouldn’t bow—so what about me? Will you give me face?"
As he spoke, the young man strolled in, elegantly twirling a peach blossom fan.
He wore moon-white robes embroidered with peach blossoms along the collar and hem—bright, but never gaudy.
His face was as delicate as a peach blossom, but nothing feminine—tall, striking, with effortless grace and unmistakable aristocratic bearing. Clearly, this was someone born into immense wealth and power.
Who is this man?
Thinking of the Wang and Xie clans’ involvement, Serena Feng cautiously asked, "May I ask—are you a young master of the Wang Clan, or a son of the Xie Clan?"
"Why guess like that?" The Peach Blossom Young Master slid naturally into the main seat.
It was obvious—he was used to being above everyone else.
"Not many people come to Feng Manor. May I ask your surname, Young Master?" Serena Feng sat down again.
She couldn’t help it—standing up felt like a maid addressing her master.
The other’s aristocratic air was overwhelming.
"You really don’t know me?" The Peach Blossom Young Master looked genuinely stunned, as if it was unimaginable that anyone in the capital could fail to recognize him.
Serena Feng searched the original body's memories and shook her head earnestly. "Is it so strange that I don't know you, Young Master?"
Before Ethan Hsieh could answer, another noble voice rang out from outside: "Hahaha, Ethan, I never thought anyone in the imperial city wouldn’t know you."
Serena Feng looked up and saw a young master in white robes embroidered with orchids at the cuffs and hem, walking in with calm, elegant poise.
He was strikingly handsome, with a detached, refined air.
These two were clearly equals.
"If she doesn’t know me, she surely doesn’t know you either, Caleb," Ethan Hsieh shot back.
Two breathtakingly handsome men appeared together—any ordinary woman would be thrilled, heart pounding. Too bad...
After meeting Nolan Dongling—the Ninth Royal Uncle, a man so beautiful he seemed otherworldly—Serena Feng barely gave these earthly-level pretty boys a second thought.
Serena rose, gave Caleb Wang a cool greeting, and tactfully yielded her seat to him.
Ethan Hsieh and Caleb Wang were clearly on the same rung of the social ladder. If Ethan took the chief seat, Caleb would never settle for second place.
Sure enough, Caleb Wang didn’t bother with courtesy—he claimed the main seat, then nodded at Serena Feng as if bestowing favor.
Spoiled heirs, every last one of them.
Serena let out a soft laugh and sat down in the secondary seat without another word.
"I didn’t expect you two to visit. Forgive me for the lack of proper hospitality—my manor is too poor to offer even a cup of tea. I won’t force myself to pretend otherwise."
In other words, Serena Feng wasn’t even going to offer them tea.
Uh?
Ethan Hsieh and Caleb Wang both froze, their polite smiles stiffening.
As the elite of the Wang and Xie clans’ younger generation, from birth they’d never faced such a thing.
Someone—no, a woman—actually dared refuse them face?
"Miss Feng, your hospitality is truly... beyond words," Ethan Hsieh finally managed, his voice dripping with sarcasm.
"You weren’t invited, so how could you be guests? Besides, you two are so exalted—no matter how much I scrape together, Feng Manor is far too poor to entertain you."
...
Ethan Hsieh and Caleb Wang were stunned once again.
They’d never seen anyone—let alone a woman—own her poverty so boldly, so righteously.
Normal people would hide their shortcomings, wouldn’t they?
But Serena Feng?
The two young masters exchanged knowing smiles.
"I’ve heard much about Miss Feng. Meeting you today is truly eye-opening," Caleb Wang said with a smile full of interest.
She really was an interesting woman. No wonder all the girls in his family gossiped about Serena Feng. Good thing he was bored—otherwise he’d have missed a great show.
"Famous? Me? Serena Feng has no good reputation to speak of." She smiled self-deprecatingly, meeting their eyes without flinching.
Her frankness made Caleb Wang and Ethan Hsieh awkward—they looked away, embarrassed.
They tried to cover their embarrassment by reaching for tea—only to remember Serena Feng hadn’t prepared any for them.
Ethan Hsieh’s hand paused above the table, but then he saw a cup and picked it up out of habit.
Serena Feng didn’t notice until Ethan’s lips touched the rim of the cup.
"Young Master Hsieh, I just drank from that cup," Serena Feng blurted out, reaching to stop him—but it was too late.
Pfft—
For the first time in his life, the Peach Blossom Young Master Ethan Hsieh committed a humiliating social blunder—he sprayed tea everywhere.
"Ugh... you’re filthy," he sputtered.
Good thing Serena Feng dodged fast—otherwise she’d be drenched in tea.
Caleb Wang burst out laughing, nearly doubling over with amusement.
"You—you—you—" Ethan Hsieh’s face turned bright red. He slammed the cup down, splashing tea all over the table, and roared.
"What did I do? Young Master Hsieh, this has nothing to do with me. I didn’t invite you, and I didn’t serve that tea." Serena Feng immediately distanced herself.
She already had enough enemies—she didn’t need to add the Wang and Xie heirs to the list.
"What did you do? You made me drink your backwash! Serena Feng, tell me—how are we going to settle this account?"
Ptooey, ptooey, ptooey!
Ethan Hsieh looked utterly disgusted, spitting repeatedly.
"My backwash? I haven’t even mentioned how you just kissed me, indirectly." Serena Feng shot him a look of pure contempt.
Did she care? Not at all.
"Kiss you? Serena Feng, who do you think you are? A down-market, lowly woman who lost her virginity before marriage—you’re not even fit to carry my shoes!" Ethan Hsieh trembled with rage.
For the first time in his life, Ethan Hsieh was the one being looked down on.
Lost her virginity before marriage? Lowly woman?
A shadow flickered in Serena Feng’s eyes. No matter the truth, those two words would be branded on her for life—never to be washed away.
She kept telling herself not to care, but the ache in her chest wouldn’t go away.
She drew a deep breath, forcing the bitterness down—reminding herself not to care.
Caleb Wang watched from the side, a trace of cold mockery in his eyes.
A lowly, disgraced woman—and yet she dared show temper.
Ethan Hsieh’s words were harsh, but Serena Feng had no choice but to endure.
That’s fate.
Serena Feng’s fate!