Chapter 274: She Fell into the Water

Chapter 274: She Fell into the Water

The moment Lu Sen saw the woman's figure and face, he felt as if he had been struck by lightning, his ears ringing and his vision blurring.

After shouting out once, he saw the woman give him a strange look.

Although his elder sister had never looked at him like that, he knew it was her.

There would never be another like her in this world!

Lu Sen was about to rush over, but Su Zhenyun caught him.

"Brother-in-law, why are you holding me back? I need to see my elder sister!"

Lu Sen was almost going mad. He had always looked up to his elder sister since childhood, confiding everything in her. When his parents couldn't understand him, she was always the one who could comfort him most openly. He relied on her more than he did on his parents.

She was so radiant and admired by all, and Lu Sen had never stopped being proud of his elder sister...

Until he heard of her death.

He had rushed from Liao Dong on horseback, nearly exhausting four horses along the way. Upon arriving in Yanjing, he learned that the Su family hadn't even found her body. That was when he truly lost it, grabbing Su Zhenyun by the collar, ready to beat him to death.

Su Zhenyun seemed to have lost his soul at that time, allowing Lu Sen to attack him without resistance. Eventually, Lu Sen was held back by a group of people, but his soul still trembled with rage.

At that moment, he truly hated Su Zhenyun for not protecting his elder sister.

But he also knew that on the day of the empty coffin burial, Su Zhenyun had intended to die too.

It was Lu Sen who stopped him, giving him a fierce punch and telling him to take care of Nannan. He threatened Su Zhenyun, saying that failing to raise Nannan well would be a betrayal of his elder sister, thus saving his life.

Years had passed, and Lu Sen was no longer the young boy he once was. He gradually understood many things.

So now he could talk and laugh with Su Zhenyun calmly.

But seeing his elder sister again, Lu Sen could no longer remain calm.

Su Zhenyun understood Lu Sen's feelings, but he remembered Ji Qingyan's aversion to being mistaken for Xi Xue. He held Lu Sen back firmly, as if guarding his last line of defense.

"Lu Sen, don't you remember what I said yesterday."

If they disturbed her today, she might never want to see them again.

Now, she resembled Xi Xue and was also their daughter's savior.

Lu Sen couldn't recall what Su Zhenyun had said; he just wanted to rush over and see his elder sister. But then Lu Lin came over to hold him back.

"Second brother, this is the benefactor who cured Nannan's leg."

His tone carried a warning.

Lu Sen was equally shocked but calmed down faster than his brother.

If this woman wasn't really Xi Xue, forcing her to acknowledge them might upset her.

Even if it were Xi Xue herself, encountering such a situation would make her unhappy.

Lu Sen looked at his elder brother and brother-in-law, slowly relaxing his tense muscles. Such a big man, his eyes were red with emotion.

From afar, Ji Qingyan had already heard their conversation and felt uncomfortable, wanting to leave quickly.

If it weren't for that sip of wine, she would have left long ago.

But if the Su family went too far, she could refuse their offer.

Seeing the men no longer acting agitated, she felt more at ease and turned to leave.

Su Zhenyun instinctively wanted to stop her but ultimately remained silent, staring at her retreating back.

"Zhenyun, what is going on?" At this moment, Lu Lin could no longer remain calm like the night before. Lu Sen stared at him intently, seeking an answer.

But how could Su Zhenyun provide one?

He could only recount everything that had happened since Ji Qingyan arrived at the mansion.

As soon as Lu Sen finished listening, he exclaimed, "Most people from Dongrong Country have Eastern features, high noses, and deep-set eyes, different from us in Great Shen. How could there be a woman exactly like my elder sister?"

He didn't believe it; the woman he just saw must be his elder sister!

Lu Lin also thought that even if someone looked similar, their demeanor shouldn't be so alike. He hesitated and asked, "Zhenyun, the body of Xi Xue was never found back then. Perhaps..."

Thinking of the missing mole mentioned by Su Zhenyun, he added, "Maybe when Xi Xue fell off the cliff, she got injured, and the mole fell off with the scab."

Su Zhenyun had considered this possibility.

He had already sent people to Dongrong Country to gather information and believed they would return soon.

He still felt... she was Xi Xue.

But if his actions displeased her, he would step back and give her a comfortable environment...

"I've already dispatched many people to investigate. I brought you two here because I believe you should know about this," Su Zhenyun told them. "She dislikes being mistaken for Xi Xue, so we should avoid mentioning it in front of her."

Lu Sen moved as if to speak, but Lu Lin immediately agreed, "Until the matter is clarified, we should do as you say."

In truth, he also wanted to confirm whether Doctor Ji was his sister, but he knew that his sister had always emphasized respect.

So, he could only respect Doctor Ji's wishes for now.

On the way back, Lu Sen's eyes welled up again: "If our parents were still alive, we could ask Doctor Ji to pretend to be my elder sister once. They were still calling her name when they passed away..."

Lu Lin sighed deeply, at a loss for words.

"Never mind, I'll go see Nannan first." Lu Sen turned and headed towards Wisteria Garden.

Seeing his brother's distressed look, Lu Lin knew he wouldn't be at ease for the next few days. With another sigh, he followed him.

They hadn't walked far when they suddenly heard cries for help ahead.

"Help! I can't swim!"

Hearing that familiar voice, their faces changed in unison.

Isn't that Shuangshuang's voice?

Lu Lin and Lu Sen quickened their pace, rushing into the garden. They saw several people drowning in the pond, including two young ladies and some servants who had jumped in to save them.

The pond wasn't particularly deep, but after a long winter, the mud at the bottom was thick. Several men had gone in, and soon some were stuck in the mud, struggling even to save themselves, let alone others.

Lu Sen watched his daughter struggling desperately and, in a rush of anxiety, tore off his outer robe and jumped in.

"Shuangshuang!"

He swam to her side and realized the other girl was Su Rong, the third miss of the Su family. Without hesitation, he grabbed his daughter with one hand and pulled Su Rong with the other, laboriously making his way back to the shore.

Fortunately, Lu Lin arrived just in time to help, and together they managed to pull the two girls out.

But as soon as he got out, he heard someone on the shore stomping anxiously and shouting, "Zhu Zi, grab hold! Hurry!"

Lu Sen, still panting heavily, looked back and saw one of the servants who had gone in to rescue bobbing up and down, clearly unable to hold on any longer.

Before he could react, the man sank beneath the surface, leaving only a few bubbles and ripples behind.