HBWMA -Chapter 15 Falling Out

After leaving Winter Garden, Jiang Huashan felt unusually refreshed. She had just stretched lazily when she caught sight of a figure slipping into the bushes. Pretending to crouch down and rub her knee, she then acted as if nothing had happened and continued toward the covered bridge.

After Jiang Huashan crossed the wooden bridge, Shen Zhi slowly stepped out from the shadows of the trees.

The old master had been worried and specially instructed him to follow her in secret. Shen Zhi had been outside the whole time and heard every word of the conversation inside clearly.

If what Miss Jiang said was true, then Chrysanthemum Garden really needed to be looked into.

With that thought, Shen Zhi quietly followed after her.

Outside Chrysanthemum Garden, Fang Mei was anxiously waiting, standing on tiptoe. The moment she spotted Jiang Huashan in the distance, she hurried forward.

“Shanshan, how did it go? What did Sui’er say? Did she forgive you?”

Jiang Huashan glanced behind her, her expression calm. “Mom, let’s go inside and talk.”

Only then did Fang Mei realize they were still outside. She quickly put on an attentive smile. “Alright, Mom even made your favorite Huai City sweet soup.”

Chrysanthemum Garden was one of the four main residences of the Shen estate. With front and back courtyards totaling nearly 2,000 square meters, after Jiang Huashan moved in, the old master even spent a fortune building her a hanging embroidery pavilion.

The front yard was filled with various delicate climbing roses. Now, in the peak of summer bloom, the entire garden looked like a sea of flowers—almost like a fairyland.

As soon as Jiang Huashan entered, Jiang Wanyi walked out from under a flower trellis holding a bowl of chilled sweet soup.

“Sister.”

Jiang Huashan walked straight past her without a single glance. That obvious indifference made Jiang Wanyi freeze on the spot.

Fang Mei followed in, scanning both of them before smiling to smooth things over. “Shanshan, look how nice your sister is to you. She even waited with sweet soup for you.”

She naturally pulled Jiang Wanyi closer. “Yiyi has been worried about you ever since she heard you went to see Sui’er.”

Jiang Wanyi looked at Jiang Huashan carefully. “Sister, did Miss Fu Sui’er make things difficult for you?”

Jiang Huashan shook her head lightly, her tone casual. “No. She just made me kneel and apologize.”

At that, Fang Mei and Jiang Wanyi’s expressions changed slightly. They had expected Fu Sui’er to be difficult, but not to this extent.

Jiang Wanyi didn’t know what to say and looked to Fang Mei for help.

After a moment of hesitation, Fang Mei carefully asked, “Then you—?”

“I knelt,” Jiang Huashan said.

Fang Mei let out a breath of relief. If that was the case, then at least they wouldn’t be kicked out of the Shen family for now.

“Shanshan, you’ve suffered.” Fang Mei took the sweet soup from Jiang Wanyi and, with a face full of concern, handed it to Jiang Huashan.

Jiang Huashan took it and smiled lightly. “It’s nothing. We’re family. What’s there to feel wronged about?”

Fang Mei immediately beamed, her tone becoming more sincere. “You really are Mom’s good daughter.”

Jiang Wanyi frowned. A trace of disgust flashed through her seemingly innocent eyes. Her mother’s favoritism had always been reserved for her alone. Even though she knew it was just to appease Jiang Huashan, she still felt uncomfortable watching it.

At that moment, Jiang Huashan looked up—and their eyes met.

Jiang Wanyi froze completely. The disgust in her eyes hadn’t even had time to disappear before it was caught red-handed. Her heartbeat skipped. She quickly turned her head away.

But immediately realizing that was wrong, she forced a smile back into place. “Sister, what’s wrong?”

Every movement of hers was pure performative instinct. If Jiang Huashan didn’t already know the script, she might really have been fooled.

“Nothing,” Jiang Huashan said, propping her chin on one hand as she looked at her. “Yiyi, remember this. Your sister suffered such humiliation today because of you. If you hadn’t stirred things up, I wouldn’t have acted against Fu Sui’er.”

Jiang Wanyi’s smile instantly stiffened.

Why say it so directly?

Fang Mei also froze. “Shanshan, you—”

Jiang Huashan turned toward her. “Mom, are you going to defend her too? I’ve done everything you told me to do—even kneeling. And you still think I was in the wrong?”

Fang Mei was momentarily speechless, then forced an awkward smile before turning to reprimand Jiang Wanyi.

“Yiyi, your sister is right. You need to be more careful with your behavior in the future. Don’t think you can act recklessly just because your sister dotes on you.”

Jiang Wanyi’s eyes instantly turned red. This was the first time her mother had sided with Jiang Huashan. Though unwilling, she didn’t dare argue.

Fang Mei shot her a look. “Apologize to your sister.”

Jiang Wanyi stepped forward reluctantly, grabbing the hem of Jiang Huashan’s dress pitifully. Her voice choked with emotion.

“Sister… I’m sorry.”

Fang Mei quickly smoothed things over again. “Alright, Shanshan, your sister knows she was wrong. Can you forgive her this time?”

Jiang Huashan nodded. “Since Mom has said so, of course I’ll forgive her. But every time I see her now, I’ll think of kneeling. Mom, I don’t want to talk to Yiyi for now, and I don’t want to share a room with her anymore.”

Jiang Wanyi didn’t expect her to push things this far and couldn’t help but glare at her.

Jiang Huashan had been waiting for that. She lazily raised her hand.

“Mom, look. She’s glaring at me again.”

“….”

After all, she was still young—Jiang Wanyi’s acting skills weren’t yet refined enough. Her emotions slipped out, the darkness in her eyes deepening.

Fang Mei frowned coldly. “Yiyi, what are you doing?”

She wasn’t truly angry at Jiang Wanyi’s attitude toward Jiang Huashan—she was just dissatisfied that, after all her training, Jiang Wanyi still couldn’t control her expressions properly.

Jiang Wanyi bit her lip in unwillingness and clung to Fang Mei. “Mom, that’s my room too. Why should I be the one to leave?”

Jiang Huashan crossed her arms. “Your room?”

The embroidered pavilion in Chrysanthemum Garden was specially built by the old master for her alone, a gift when she first entered the estate. Since when had it become Jiang Wanyi’s room?

“Fine.” Jiang Huashan stood up. “If that’s what you say, then let’s go ask Grandfather and settle this properly.”