Chapter 3

As Ji Chong Yi and Qiao Niang fell into the water, the calm surface of the lake instantly broke. And even the birds perched on the weeping willow by the lake were shocked and flew high into the sky, dropping a few feathers.

Obviously, Ji Chong Yi does not know how to swim, as the water rises and falls, he struggled and screamed: “Help…help me.”

Jiang Si stared at the two struggling in the water and pushed Ah-Man: “Proceed with what we planned!”

As if Ah-Man just woke up, he quickly untied his bag and took out a small copper gong hidden inside. Before she turned to depart, she shoved the bundle to Jiang Si.

Jiang Si dare not to delay. She ran to the pavilion not far away, took out a water bag, opened the stopper, and splashed it on the umbrella cover, then stepped back. She ignited the fire and threw it on the thatched umbrella. The thatch that has soaked in vegetable oil burned immediately. And quickly, the entire thatch was engulfed by the tongue of fire.

There are seven or eight of such thatched umbrellas by the lake. All of these were built by people fishing near the lake because they think the summer sun is too hot.

When Jiang Si ignited the second thatched umbrella, the gong rang, accompanied by a flustered shout: “Fire, fire, fire!”

Soon, the houses near the lake were lit up one after another. Men, women, old, and children ran out with buckets filled with water.

At this instant, people were expressly afraid of the fire incident. When someone shouted: “There is a fire,” Everyone hastened to put it off.

Seeing that things were developing as she had expected, Jiang Si breathed a sigh of relief and even tossed the bag in her hands into the fire. She did not dare to light too much thatch umbrellas. Otherwise, it would be sinful to really cause a big fire.

The sound of struggling in the water gradually weakened. Jiang Si clenched her fists and looked behind.

After returning from rebirth, she had once thought about coming here quietly at night, and she planned to wait for Ji Chong Yi with a bamboo pole. Once he jumps into the lake, and as long as he will emerge, she will poke him with the stick to fulfill his wish of dying love with his beloved.

Since he gratifyingly desires to die with his lover, then she would gladly be of help.

In that case, *This pair can turn butterflies and fly. Then, Jiang Si would not have to marry and stay alive, and later on encounter those misfortunes.

[T/N: *this pair can turn to butterflies and fly away together – dead lovers with their spirits emerge in the form of a couple of butterflies and fly away together, never to be separated again. | Source: Butterfly Lovers ]

But after thinking about it seriously, she gave up the idea.

Although Ji Chong Yi did not like her, he had not committed any crime to die. More importantly, if he died like this, she would bear a bad reputation because of him.

In her previous life, Jiang Si had already suffered from misfortunes, but that does not mean that she is willing to experience those setbacks. She will not tolerate his stupidity the second time.

So, Ji Chong Yi not only cannot die, but Qiao Niang has to live as well. She would also save her.

With these two people alive, she will have a fair reason to sever ties with Lord Anguo Mansion.

Seeing the pair of two moving up and down in the water, Jiang Si grew nervous.

She was not worried about Ji Chong Yi. In her previous life, Ji Chong Yi did not die. He still should be fine this time. But Qiao Niang was different, she had died back then, and people were not able to recover her corpse.

“The lake on fire, the lake is on fire!” Somebody shouted not far away, and the crowd went in its direction.

Jiang Si loosened up her agitated mind.

As long as these people rush over, they would find the two who fell into the water, and she would be able to retreat by then.

But in an instant, a strong wind blew quickly onto the lake, producing a whirlwind-like scene.

With the bright moonlight, Jiang Si clearly saw a whirlpool emerging amidst Ji Chong Yi and Qiao Niang. A little later, she noticed Qiao Niang submerged in but never drifted again.

Jiang Si felt uncomfortable and quickly took off her cloak after running to a large stone, revealing her silver-grey tights. It was expensively-made of fish skin, glowing with silver in the moonlight. And her slender waist had become more apparent.

She quietly entered the water like a mermaid and swam to where Qiao Niang had sunk.

On this early summer night, the lake was a bit cold, stroking her exposed tender skin, causing her to shiver.

Jiang Si sank into the water, adjusted her breath halfway, and sank again. She can barely see Qiao Niang floating in the water.

She quickly swam over, reached out, and grabbed her ankle, dragging the woman out to the lake.

Jiang Si is only fifteen years old. Although her swimming ability is pretty good, she does not have enough strength. The soaked Qiao Niang seemed to weigh a lot to her.

She bit her lip hard, without even noticing the bleeding from her lower lip. When she finally reached the lake, she was almost out of strength.

Those who came to put off the fire had already rushed to the lake and were busy fetching water to uphold the fire. Ah-Man, hiding in the crowd, squeezed her throat and shouted: “Look, there are people in the lake!”

When everyone heard the voice and looked around, they became bewildered: “No, someone fell into the water!”

Very quickly, someone skilled in swimming jumped into the lake to rescue the pair.

Jiang Si forcefully pushed the unconscious Qiao Niang to the shore, silently dived into the water, and swam to the side. An outcry from behind can vaguely be heard: “There is another one!”

It did not take long for Ji Chong Yi and Qiao Niang to be rescued.

All these people living by the lake have naughty children who would come to the lake to bathe with adults on their backs. Sometimes some will get drowned, accustomed, they have their own way of saving drowning people.

Jiang Si swam from the other side to the lake quietly and went ashore, hiding behind a tree and looked around. She saw the two people kneeling on the ground saving Ji Chong Yi and Qiao Niang.

Ji Chong Yi and Qiao Niang quickly spat out a few salivae and opened their eyes.

Everyone felt exhilarated when the two were saved successfully, yet, people hesitated, they cannot just randomly take a man and woman of unknown origin to their home.

Ah-Man, who had long been told by Jiang Si, hid behind the people and shouted in a rough voice: “Oh! This young man is the third son of Duke Anguo Mansion. Let us send people to ask for money!”

Ah-Man looked tall when dressed in men’s clothing. Now the attention is focused on Ji Chong Yi and Qiao Niang. No one pays much attention to her. People only thought that Ah-Man is a young man from someone’s family.

“Wait is he really the third son of Duke Anguo Mansion?” When people heard that there was a reward, they could not help but felt spirited by the reward money.

Although they had not expected to get paid when they saved the two, who would refuse when there is a reward?

“I am not the third son of Duke Anguo Mansion!” Ji Chong Yi who just survived the misfortune took a long time to relax. However, upon listening to these people, his expression changed.

What a shame to kiss and fall into the lake!

People hesitated again: “Is it true or not?”

A wise person took a close look at Ji Chong Yi: “This young man is wearing expensive clothing. Even if he is not the son of Duke Anguo Mansion, he is, indeed, from a wealthy family.”

Those who are anxious, yelled: “It is not easy to prove the identity of this young man. Let us send someone to the Duke Anguo Mansion to confirm.”

Relying on the exhibited courage of the crowd, several people responded quickly, and together, they went to the Duke Anguo Mansion to gather information.

The Duke Anguo Mansion had already turned into a complete mess at this time. There were already several groups of people sent out to find Ji Chong Yi. When someone said that the third son was drowning in Moyou Lake, the Duchess of Anguo Mansion fainted immediately.

Ji Chongli, the eldest brother of Ji Chong Yi, ordered the people who came to report to lead them straight to Moyou Lake.

Their actions were not able to conceal this disturbance from the community. Several residences that lived in the same alley sent out people to inquire about the situation.

Those subordinates were also sharp. Knowing that the people who directly asked for the Lord Anguo Mansion would not talk, they quietly followed them behind to Moyou Lake. They stood by the shore, watching with excitement.

They all saw the thoroughly soaked Ji Chong Yi, accompanied by a young woman.

How can one not understand?

Gosh! The third son of Lord Angui Mansion, suicide with his lover!