Song Zhi heard this and chuckled, “Sometimes I truly envy Young Master Shen, after all, you’re a young master raised in a honeypot, able to maintain a bit of kindness no matter when or where. But sometimes, good intentions don’t necessarily lead to good results.”

Suppressing the hatred surging up from the depths of his memory, Song Zhi lowly enticed, “Young Master Shen probably doesn’t know why Miss Su came here today. You also know that with her personality, she’s not the kind of woman who would shamelessly accept an uninvited invitation.”

“What do you mean!” Shen Yuan was stunned, his eyes flashing with anger, “Did you deceive her about something?!”

“So, is Young Master Shen willing to bet with me?”

Without waiting for Shen Yuan to answer.

He smiled with certainty and continued on his own, “If Young Master Shen guesses correctly, I will never scheme again, and I’ll tell you truthfully why Miss Su attended the banquet today. But if Young Master Shen doesn’t guess correctly…”

Shen Yuan glanced at Song Zhi, “What then?”

“I ask that you swear, henceforth, to be strangers with Miss Su, and never play the zither for her again, no matter when or where.”

In his previous life, it was the sound of the zither that made Su Jin recognize the musician hiding behind the curtain.

His gloomy gaze passed over the moon-white sleeves, calming down in an instant, “Young Master Shen need not rush to answer. Think it through before speaking, after all, a gentleman’s bet, once spoken, cannot be retracted.”

“No need.”

If it weren’t for the fact that he had never played the zither in front of Su Jin, he would have almost been fooled by Song Zhi’s convincing act.

Shen Yuan shook his head, “It was I who was momentarily confused, actually believing such nonsense.”

“Indeed, it’s hard to believe without proof.”

Song Zhi was not annoyed, “In that case, let me tell you a bit more.”

His lowered eyelids hid the bitterness within, “That person will come wearing a purple dress.”

Song Zhi’s voice trembled slightly, then calmed down in an instant, “Young Master Shen can verify it then, and reconsider whether to engage in this gentleman’s bet with me.”

Back in the pavilion.

The gauze curtains fluttered hazily, blown open by the wind several times.

Su Jin could glimpse Shen Yuan’s direct gaze, his slender fingers tapping lightly on the low table, seemingly lost in thought.

Could it be that Young Master Song had also spoken to him earlier?

Her fingers hidden in her sleeves tightened slightly, and Su Jin raised her eyes to look at Gu Zhi in the main seat.

Her manner was forthright, not like a woman who would engage in sordid schemes.

But Song Zhi had spoken with such conviction, even willing to stake his own life as a guarantee.

She furrowed her brow, and just as she set down her cup, she saw a servant girl kneeling beside Gu Zhi, “Your Highness, a noble guest has arrived.”

Gu Zhi’s face lit up with joy, and she rose quickly, as if having waited for a long time.

At the dock, a group of five people, each with their own thoughts, were all gazing into the distance.

The silver lake’s waves parted as a painted boat approached.

In a moment, a figure in purple truly emerged from the cabin, nodding in greeting to them from afar.

“Young Master Shen?” Song Zhi lowered his voice, the light in his eyes seeming to compete with the glaze of the pavilion above.

Shen Yuan glanced at the bamboo-green silhouette that happened to envelop him in her shadow, and said in a deep voice, “Will someone really fall into the water?”

“Mm.” Song Zhi turned his face, meeting Gu Zhi’s gaze.

“Then I bet she… won’t save them.”

He had heard his mother say that Su Jin couldn’t swim.

Moreover, Gu Zhi always liked to show off in front of that person. With such a good opportunity to display kindness, she wouldn’t give it up to someone else.

“Is that so?”

Song Zhi stretched his muscles slightly, watching as the painted boat was about to dock steadily.

The gray-robed servant boy following behind suddenly slipped, falling straight towards Song Zhi.

The jade-green and moon-white sleeves were already close, and with the push and pull, Shen Yuan also lost his balance.

The two men swayed unsteadily.

Although the jade-green was clearly the first to fall out, in a few breaths it became that streak of moon-white.

“Young Master Shen.”

Song Zhi’s voice was soft and low, “The lake water is cold, please don’t blame me.”